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| GUSH KATIF |
WHAT WOULD MY GRANDFATHER SAY?
Posted by Paula R. Stern, July 31, 2005. |
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My grandfather lived in a world that did not understand or care about his religion and so he was forced to choose between observance and feeding his family, abandoning much of what he'd learned as a child in Poland in order to raise a family in America while trying to save his mother and sisters from the clouds of darkness spreading across his native Poland. His world came crashing down with the knowledge that the storm broke too soon and his family perished in Auschwitz. As I grew up, he often spoke about Israel and we shared a dream of coming here together one day. He was a father and grandfather, a house painter, a simple man in many ways, but most of all, he was simply a Jew. As I raise my children in the Jewish state he loved, as I try to shape the people they are becoming, we have reclaimed the Jewish Sabbath, and brought back to life the pride he once felt. We no longer need the world's permission or approval to practice our religion. My daughter and I returned to Poland to walk the streets of my grandfather's youth with pride and anger. We held our heads high in Auschwitz. We were the survivors, proud Israelis come to tell the world that never again would Jews be at anyone's mercy. Never again, would there be a Holocaust on our watch, no ghettos, no synagogues destroyed and people shipped off to death camps. I spoke to the memory of my grandfather often while in Poland. I told him that he could be proud, he could rest in peace. Jewish communities and houses of worship, cemeteries and schools were finally safe. Israel would protect all Jews everywhere from the hatred that drove him out of Poland and murdered his family. Often as I toured Poland, I asked myself what kind of person could have committed these horrors, what kind of person ordered these crimes of murder, destruction and desecration? And now, as the bitter countdown continues towards one of the most disastrous and dangerous decisions any Israeli government has ever thrust on our nation, I am haunted by the simple question, what kind of Jew will it take to implement Sharon's madness? What kind of Jew does it take to incarcerate 14-year-old Chaya Belogorodsky who is accused of standing on a sidewalk while her friends blocked traffic. Not content to arrest her teenage friends, a female police officer warned Chaya to leave the area. Chaya responded that she was standing on the sidewalk and had a legal right to do so. She was then arrested and has spent the last four weeks in jail. Here in Israel. Impossible to imagine, and yet there sits Chaya. And she is not alone. There are literally dozens of other young people being held for similar "crimes" of absurdity. This is the government Sharon has established, the justice system of Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, the police force of Commissioner Moshe Karadi and ultimately, the army of Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. What kind of Jew does it take to imprison and besiege 40,000 peaceful protesters? What kind of Jew imprisons mothers and babies, rabbis and teachers with barbed wire? What kind of Jew will it take to implement Ariel Sharon's expulsion plan? And, as if those weren't hard enough questions to answer, another one creeps into my mind and refuses to leave. What kind of Jew can go into a synagogue and blow it up? I first thought of this question on a Friday night in Neve Dekalim a few weeks ago as I listened to the rabbi speaking. He spoke about his community, about Jews fighting .Sharon's evil plan peacefully and with no violence. He talked of life in Gush Katif, what they had built, why they had come, and how much they loved what they had created. Paradise, he called the place. And as the rabbi spoke, I found myself looking around the large room, at the windows, at the people, at the books. It shouldn't happen. It can't happen. They have such faith that it won't happen. Please let them be right, let Ariel Sharon come to his senses before he rips people from their homes in exchange for nothing, before he tears a society to pieces. In the morning, I went to a different synagogue. This one also beautifully designed and decorated, filled with books and light and air and again I wondered. What kind of Jew, a soldier in our army, a son of Israel will blow them up? When the soldiers come, the people will be gone, the bookshelves empty. The Torah scrolls will be removed from the Holy Ark. They will walk into the empty synagogue, their boots echoing off the empty walls. They'll have to look straight up to see the high ceilings, but will they notice the way the architect designed it so that the morning light shines into the large room, or how one of the synagogues is shaped like the Star of David? Will they realize that they are doing something that no Jew has ever done, that no Jew should ever do? They will calculate, as they have been taught to do, where to place the explosives to maximize the damage, to bring the ceiling down and make the walls crumble. They have been ordered to destroy a place of learning, of prayer, of respect, the very essence of why we have come to live in this land. These buildings are why they hate us, why they hound us, why we need a land of our own. If we destroy who we are, there is nothing left. We are not the same people we were when my grandfather had to choose between desecrating the Sabbath and trying to raise money to save his family. Don't do what other nations have done to us, don't destroy a Jewish house of prayer, don't expel Jews from their land. In the entire history of our people, when have we ever destroyed our own places of worship? This is what they did to us in Europe, in the pogroms, the crusades, the Holocaust. This is what our enemies have tried to do all along, to erase who we are. This is not something that a soldier of the Jewish army should do. I can't help but wonder what my grandfather would say if he knew that this time, it will be the Jews themselves who plan to destroy the Houses of God. Paula R. Stern is the founder and documentation manager of WritePoint, a technical writing company. |
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TALKING TRASH IN N'VEI DEKALIM
Posted by David Miller, July 31, 2005. |
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This was an interview with David Hoffmanin N'vei Dekalim. It appeared in Arutz-7 (www.IsraelNationalNews.com) last Friday. The next time you're in N'vei Dekalim in Gush Katif , keep your eyes open for the trash man. According to David Hoffman, who has lived in N'vei Dekalim since 1993, it'll most likely be an American. Listen to the related interview on Israel National Radio You see, Hoffman should know better than most, because when he first decided to make aliyah, the local town council offered him a job which they said was just for Americans: a garbage collector. "Not a problem," says Hoffman. In an interview broadcast this week on IsraelNationalRadio.com's Stutz and Fleisher show, Hoffman adds, "There's absolutely no shame in it at all. It was just a joke in the city government. It was just a job Americans could do." Well, this bit of employment news should dispel more than a few pre-conceived notions. American olim are all rich, professional people, right? Not so. Hoffman expounds: "In N'vei Dekalim, there really are no 'rich Americans'. Here people come, and it's an extremely special community. Status is very non applicable. When we sit down at the study table, you'll have the gardener, the psychologist, the rabbi, a plumber or an air conditioning repair man. It simply does not matter." So, now we get to the heart of the matter. Stereo types have often dictated how a person's experience turns out when immigrating to Israel. However, for this community, breaking the mold is just part of their daily existence. Deep rooted traditions in Judaism makes the mere fact of living here special, so any job will do in a storm. "N'vei Dekalim escapes all the nonsense of the modern age and brings you right back to the core of Judaism," says Hoffman. As Hoffman relates his experiences, he sits between the two beautiful synagogues here - one Sephardic [following the customs of Jews from the Near East], one Ashkenazi [following customs of Jews from Russia and Europe]. Suddenly, a wistful but knowing look comes across his face. You know the look. Sharon. Expulsion. Then, probably the most telling look emerges --confidence. It's almost as if he anticipates the next question, like a prize fighter ducking a left hook (special emphasis on left): "If Israel's Prime Minister has his way, all this will be empty in mere weeks, right?" "Don't bet on it," says Hoffman. He continues: "I'm very inclined to think there will be a tremendous surge of power coming out of Jewish communities all over the country, and I feel that he [Sharon] will be stopped. Fully 40 percent of his army is going to sit down and not do anything. Anyone that talks to the soldiers realizes that. They don't want to do it. The police, too. They know it's wrong." Not leaving it to chance, however, Hoffman does his part by attending demonstrations, and talks about it to anyone who will listen. But more than any of this, he makes sure that his family continues their lives. His kids go to school. His wife works. They go to synagogue. This is proof of life. It's clear that Hoffman understands that this land was given by G-d, and he plans to make the most of that gift. "If human civilization is not successful here, especially here in N'vei Dekalim, one has to ask what does heaven want out of human behavior, because this is altogether a wonderful place to live," says Hoffman. <.blockquote> David Miller is a staff writer for Arutz-Sheva. |
| GUSH KATIF |
AFSI CHIZUK MISSION RETURNS TO ISRAEL NOV. 20-28, 2005
Posted by AFSI, July 31, 2005. |
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Once again, in the true tradition of the AFSI Chizuk missions, we will be departing for Israel on Sunday, Nov. 20 from Newark airport on El Al airlines. This November mission is always based around celebrating the parsha of Chaye Sarah in Hebron at the Ma'arat HaMachpela. We plan to be doing that again on Nov. 25 & 26, staying at the very hospitable Yeshivat Nir in Kiryat Arba. Our past trips have always included visits to our friends in Gush Katif, Judea, Samaria, the Golan, and Jerusalem . We hope to continue in this tradition. As always, our itinerary, jam packed with exciting people, places, and activities, is fluid. Please consult the afsi.org website for details and photos of our previous trips. This is a very popular mission, unique in its travels to the disputed areas of Israel . We have the best guides and travel in an armored bus with the best drivers. The cost of the trip is guesstimated to be $2000 plus airport taxes and additional costs for non-members, single occupancy and other personal preferences. A deposit of $150 is required by Thursday, August 4. It is totally refundable up to Sept.19, and non-refundable after that. You may make your check out to AFSI or call in with your charge card information. If you are at all interested in joining the AFSI Chizuk mission, you are advised to sign up immediately. Please contact Helen, Sima or Charlotte at AFSI : 212-828-2424; afsi@rcn.com. We look forward to welcoming you to the AFSI traveling family. AMERICANS FOR A SAFE ISRAEL/AFSI; 1623 Third Ave., # 205, New York, N.Y. 10128; Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717; afsi@rcn.com; www.afsi.org; June 30, 2005 Contact: Helen Freedman, Executive Director |
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IN DEFENSE OF NADIA
Posted by Professor Paul Eidelberg, July 31, 2005. |
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In "Scorched-earth Kulturampf" (Jerusalem Post, July 12) Caroline B. Glick contends that it was "both wrong and nasty" of Nadia Matar to refer to Yonatan Bassi as "a modern version of the Judenrat." The unflattering comparison appears in a fax Ms. Matar sent Bassi on the occasion of his having accepted the position to head the government's withdrawal authority, that is, to be Prime Minister's Sharon's chief liquidator of Jewish homes and communities in Israel. Ms. Matar's fax has resulted in her being indicted for "insulting a public official" - a remarkable commentary on Israeli democracy! Was Nadia "both wrong and nasty" for drawing an analogy between Bassi and the Judenrat? I don't think so - and I say this with great admiration of Ms. Glick, who recently referred to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a coward. Needless to say, Matar knows as well as Glick that the 10,000 Jews scheduled to be expelled from Gaza and northern Samaria are not going to be sent to any death camps. But many will be forcibly evicted, incarcerated, and even held in detention camps, and this recalls the initial stage of the Nazi treatment of Jews. Hence, to liken Bassi to the Judenrat is, in my opinion, a politically justifiable analogy. Indeed, unlike the Judenrat, Mr. Bassi was free to decline the position to supervise the expulsion of Jews. In this respect the analogy between Bassi and the Judenrat is not quite fair - to the Judenrat! But even if that analogy is somewhat hyperbolic, I would like to remind Ms. Glick of Ortega y Gasset, who acutely remarked that nothing significant is said without exaggeration. Besides, Ms. Matar was not engaging in some academic exercise when likening Bassi to the Judenrat. She is concerned about Israel's survival, and she fears, as does Ms. Glick and Israel's highest military and intelligence officials, that surrendering the land in question to Arab terrorists will endanger Israel's existence. This makes Bassi complicit in what some legal experts deem treason! Ms. Matar is also concerned about the ideological motive of the withdrawal plan, the same that underlies Oslo or the Left's policy of "territory for peace." The real motive of that policy was not the desire for peace. Had that been the motive, why would the Left persist in this policy after twelve years of terrorism and 10,000 Jewish casualties? Some leftists may live in denial, but this is not true of Israel's political and judicial elites. Let's go to the heart of the matter. As the present writer said many years ago, given the high birth rate of the religious community, the Left knows it is doomed to political oblivion. This is why it has eased the entry of gentiles, relaxed the conversion and citizenship laws, emasculated the rabbinate, legitimized pornography and homosexuality, and, more generally, advocates Israel's transformation into "a state of its citizens." By now it should be obvious that the Left wants to destroy Judaism in this country, which is why it has pursued the policy of "territory for peace." This is what lurks in the Sharon withdrawal plan. Ms. Glick confirms this in her "Kulturampf" article. She asks, what are the state prosecutors trying to accomplish by criminalizing Nadia Matar? She sees the explanation in the July 12 issues of Ha'aretz and Ma'ariv. As Ms. Glick puts it, "the rationale for the Left's support of Sharon's plan was laid bare" in Ha'aretz's editorial: The disengagement of Israeli policy from its religious fuel is the real disengagement currently on the agenda... On the day after the disengagement, religious Zionism's status will be different... The real question is not how many mortar shells will fall, or who will guard the Philadelphi route, or whether the Palestinians will dance on the roofs of Ganei Tal. The real question is who sets the national agenda. Ma'ariv's senior commentator Dan Margolit would place quotas on the number of religious Jews allowed to serve as officers in the IDF. (This would inevitably diminish the influence of religious Jews on the course and character of the state, especially in view of the projected abandonment of Judea and Samaria to achieve the Peres-Sharon goal of a Palestinian state.) Nadia Matar is well aware of the Left's ideological agenda. She knows how the Left deJudaized the curriculum of Israel's public schools. She knows that the expulsion of Jews from Gaza will lead to the expulsion of the 250,000 Jews living in Judea and Samaria. She knows that Judea and Samaria are linked to the teachings of Israel's prophets and sages and are thus engraved in the Jewish people's collective memory. She knows that the Disengagement Plan will shrink and emasculate the Jewish soul. But this is precisely the motive underlying the Left's policy of "territory for peace," now spearheaded by Ariel Sharon. Disengagement is part of a power struggle for Israel's future. The struggle is between authentic Jews like Nadia Matar and Jews who lack her intellectual integrity, her moral courage, and her sense of Jewish national pride. Professor Paul Eidelberg is a political scientist, author and lecturer; co-founder and president of The Foundation For Constitutional Democracy and is the President of the Yamin Israel movement. |
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PROFILING SUPPORTERS OF TERROR
Posted by Steven Plaut, July 31, 2005. |
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This article is stored on http://moonbatcentral.com/wordpresp=666s/?: The MSM spend so much time debating the profiling of potential terrorists that they never quite get around to discussing the profiling of people who SUPPORT terrorism. What the world needs is a clear system of profiling PRO-Terrorists, so that ordinary citizens in Peoria can beware and be wary of the true agendas of such people. A pro-terrorist is someone who thinks that al-Qaeda terrorism has "roots" in the form of legitimate grievances of terrorists. You know, grievances of Palestinian graduate students planning suicide bombings and Saudi oil millionaires joining al-Qaeda. Their main grievances of course being Israel's very existence and the failue to restore Saddam Hussein to power. A pro-terrorist is someone who thinks that terrorism is due to "occupation" by Israel of Israeli lands and "occupation" by Allied troops of Iraq and Afghanistan. A pro-terrorist is someone who thinks Israel is an "apartheid state", whereas we all know that it is the only state in the Middle East that is NOT an apartheid regime. A pro-terrorist speaks about solving the problems of terror via "justice", but by "justice" they mean the genocide of Israelis. A pro-terrorist thinks that the US and Britain need to alter their regimes along the lines of the leftist "vision" as the only possible way to stop terrorism. A pro-terrorist thinks that arms should never be used against terrorists and can only legitimately be used to "resist" Israeli occupation and the anti-terror campaign of the West. A pro-terrorist thinks Western greed and selfishness are the root of all problems. A pro-terrorist thinks that anti-Americanism is based upon true caring and compassion. A pro-terrorist opposes US intervention anywhere in the world unless it is to be in support of Palestinian terrorists. A pro-terrorist does not consider anti-American or anti-Jewish terrorists to be actual terrorists but rather to be "activists" and militants". Israeli troops who arrest people planning suicide attacks are the REAL terrorists. A pro-terrorist opposes Israel's security wall because such a wall might make it harder for Palestinians to conduct mass murders of Jewish children. A pro-terrorist opposes "racial profiling" because it might help prevent Islamofascist terrorism. A pro-terrorist insists that only American and British isolationism is a permissible form of combat against Islamofascism. (It should be noted that some seeming conservatives, like Anthony Gregory over at www.LewRockewell.com, are as clearly pro-terror as are the usual leftists and "anarchists" correctly so profiled. [One comment on the article noted that "But it's only the Radical Muslins" is the next fallback. Sure, the radicals do all the bombing and throat cutting, while the "'moderates' deny reposibility and cry persecution. That's not internal dissention, that's playing 'Good Hadji, Bad Hadji' and the game is wearing thin."] Steven Plaut is an American-trained economist, a professor of business administration at Haifa University and author of "The Scout." He frequently comments - both seriously and satirically - on Israeli politics and the left wing academic community. His website address is http://www.stevenplaut.blogspot.com. |
| GUSH KATIF |
REJECT EXTREMISM; EMBRACE MODERATION
Posted by Sergio Tessa (Hadar), July 31, 2005. |
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This essay was written by Yehezkel Bin-Num and it appeared in Arutz-7
(www.IsraelNationalNews.com).
I was recently thrown in jail by the Israeli "justice" system for two and a half weeks. My "crime"? I am accused of supporting non-violent civil disobedience in opposition to the ethnic cleaning of the Jews of Gaza and to demand that the expulsion plan be decided on democratically by the People of Israel. Never mind that thousands of other Israelis who have actually blocked roads were not punished at all. It is unfortunate that the law is different if you are religious and right-wing. I received fantastic support from many people while I was in jail, but the amazing success of the road-blockings has also caused some disgruntled people to complain. "It Won't Help" A favorite claim of the opponents of Gush Katif is to say that it "won't help". That all the facts prove the exact opposite doesn't faze these know-it-alls. Crime reporter Buki Naeh, of Yediot Acharonot (Israel's largest newspaper), wrote the day after the road-blockings, "When the Israeli police force wants to do something, it does it, and when it does not want to, it does not. The events of yesterday raise the suspicion that there is no chance in the world that the police will be able to fulfill the mission of the Disengagement." Israel's Chief of Police himself stated months ago that if the people "go into the streets," then there is "no way the expulsion plan can be implemented." Even the Israeli Justice system agrees. The judge who tried Shai Malka and Ariel Vengrover, the head of the movement which called for the road-blockings, stated that the two were dangerous to society because "the road-blockings are capable of stopping implementation of the Disengagement Plan." On 28 June, Ha'aretz newspaper commentator Amir Oren even wrote that, due to the opposition, the IDF was preparing for the possible cancellation of the expulsion. It's lucky that no one told Martin Luther King and India's Gandhi that road-blockings don't help, otherwise India would never have won independence and American blacks would still be living under segregation. But it is funny, too. How dumb can Israelis be? They have been blocking roads in Israel for decades and they don't even know it doesn't work! A few years ago, the residents of Mevaseret Tzion blocked the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway to protest the planned annexation of their city to Jerusalem - the plan was subsequently scrapped. Two years ago the government planned to raise fees for university students, which are currently the lowest in the world. The students said they wouldn't stand for it. They blocked roads all over the country and (surprise, surprise) the government quickly backed down and trashed the fee hike. New immigrants, cab and truck drivers, farmers, lesbians and homosexuals, leftist/anarchists and Haredim - all have blocked roads across the country; and for a good reason - it gets the job done. The know-it-alls continue to spout their nonsense even though Ariel Sharon has made it clear that the only people who bother him are the road-blockers. Twice in the past week Sharon has publicly attacked the road-blockers. On June 23, for instance, Sharon, at wits ends from the demonstrations, shrieked that the road-blockings "could not continue" and that they were "halting regular life in Israel." Why does Sharon ignore all the 'nice' demonstrators? As a career general, he knows to spot a threat when he sees one. A poll publicized on June 26 by the University of Haifa revealed that 20% of Israel's Jewish population - or over one million people (!) - are willing to block the roads. The Prisons Authority recently admitted it will only have 2,500 places for road-blockers by the time of the expulsion. It "Upsets" People Another favorite argument is that the road-blockings "upset people" and "make the people hate us." Where did they get this from, I don't know? My friend, a programmer at a hi-tech company in Tel Aviv found just the opposite. The day after the road-blockings, his fellow employees came up to him and told him how impressed they were that the national-religious were willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause. Of course, it may be just a coincidence that, a few days after the road-blockings, the polls showed, for the first time, that support for the Disengagement had fallen below 50%. Also following the road-blockings, Army Radio's left-wing commentator, the famous Razi Barkai, said for the first time that he does not think the expulsion plan could be implemented. Coincidence, of course. But even if it were true that it angers some people - who cares? What kind of person gets upset when he is delayed for an hour, but doesn't bat an eyelash when 10,000 people are expelled from their homes? Does a person with such a warped value system deserve to be taken into account? It was none other than Rabbi Carlebach, the Master of Love, who said, "If you're doing something and it's not bothering anybody, it's probably not worth doing." "What Will They Think Of Us?" The national-religious public must stop trying to get everyone to love them. It doesn't work and it usually engenders just the opposite reaction. There is no community in Israel attacked as much as the national-religious. One need only open a Haredi or secular newspaper to see how much the national-religious are maligned. Self-Sacrifice Those who stand by while 10,000 Jews are expelled from their homes are not being kind; they are being extremely cruel. But, of course, it is easier to camouflage our egotistical self-interests as elevated values in order to mollify our conscience. Nobody wants to sit in jail. But sometimes, in order to do what is right, you need to pay a price. The Torah teaches: "Three things are acquired with suffering: Torah, Olam Habah and Eretz Yisrael." Those who wish to ignore this reality only manage to fool themselves. Thank God, the price we are asked to pay is nothing compared to that of our ancestors. In previous generations, Jews had to give their lives to protect the Land of Israel. All we are required to do is spend a few days or weeks in the slammer. We must learn to put the interests of Am Yisrael before our own. It's inconceivable that gentiles should be willing to go to jail to defend all the questionable values they consider important and that Jews would not willingly to go to jail for the Land of Israel and to protect God's honor. We must stop fearing men and start fearing only God. Many people think that the secular Left is opposed to Jewish values and so, we must compromise them for "peace". But others know how to see deeper. The left does not oppose our values so much as our weakness. The fascination in the secular world with such things as sex and drugs comes from a desire for things that generate powerful feelings. The secular will share our values, but only if they are strong. By capitulating on them, we actually do the most harm to brotherhood, by denying the secular person the opportunity to respect observant Jews and Judaism. Extremism Any value taken to an extreme becomes evil - yes, even love. The Torah teaches that those who are merciful to the cruel are eventually cruel to the merciful. A very well known rabbi, famous for preaching "love", wrote an article in the Machon Meir Torah sheet entitled "Not by Force". The rabbi seems to have meant that passive civil disobedience is force. This very same rabbi demands that IDF soldiers forcefully drive Jews from their homes because, according to him, it is "forbidden to refuse orders." And so, we arrive at the absurdity that in the name of "love" and "brotherhood" we are required to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes. For any rabbi to support violence against Jews is terrible, but to support it in the name of "love" is unthinkable. This hypocrisy must stop! But between the extremes of pacifism and violence lies a third moderate way - passive civil disobedience. On the one hand, you refuse to raise your hand against your neighbor. On the other hand, you block his path to committing evil. The Rambam teaches that the middle path, the path of moderation is the path of the Jew. Extremism, meanwhile, only engenders extremism. In the last generation, two very charismatic American rabbis dominated the Jewish scene - one taught strict justice and the other extreme kindness. Both were tzaddikim who sacrificed themselves for the Jewish people. I think that by sending us these two rabbis, G-d was sending us a clear message - both kindness and justice are important. Not just one, or the other. As King David says in Psalm 101, "Of kindness and justice do I sing." Judaism is not Christianity, we do not believe in turning the other cheek. When injustice is being done, we are commanded to stand up to prevent it, even if this means paying a personal price. The Gemarra relates that when Jesus made a lustful remark about a woman in a pub, his rabbi "pushed him away with both hands." This was credited with causing Jesus to stray and create Christianity, which later caused so much suffering to the Jews. Instead, our sages say, this rabbi should have "pushed Jesus away with his left hand and pulled him in with his right hand." Unfortunately, it seems that our generation is intent on making the opposite mistake - that of pulling people in with both hands. But neither of these extremes is the way of our sages. Violence Another favorite slander is to depict the road-blockings as "violence". Of course, the commentators only say it is violence when the Right does it. When the Left does it, none of those same people say anything. It would be interesting for the millions of civil rights activists who admire Ghandi and Martin Luther King to know that the passive civil disobedience practiced by their heroes was really criminal violence. Only in Israel are people rewriting history and defaming the lives of great men to win a political argument. Prayer is Enough A final excuse is to say that "prayer is enough". The people preaching that stance like to depict themselves as being very pious, and hence, they can not be bothered to deal with earthly, mundane matters like demonstrating. Unfortunately for them, the Torah rejects this view, as is proven by the famous midrash that states that King David was greater than King Hezekiah because David would not only pray for salvation, as Hezekiah did, but he would also go out and fight. Many people ask me, "What do you think will be? Will there be an expulsion or not?" My answer is: "Who cares." God didn't create us to predict the future. He gave us free will because he wants us to use it and act to change this world for the better. The only question is, "What is the right thing to do?" As Rabbi Kook once wrote, "The majority is up to us." If we prefer to be passive and sit home and cry, then there will be a tragedy; but if we prefer to take our fate into our own hands, with God's help, the dictator will fall and the racist expulsion will be annulled. The state of Israel does not belong to the far-left, it belongs to all Israelis. The time has come to return the power to the people.
Sergio Tezza can be reached at Hadar-Israel@verizon.net.
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ARIEL SHARON, DEAD AT AGE ...
Posted by Beth Goodtree, July 31, 2005. |
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When dealing with someone well-known to the public, the media writes their obituaries long before they die, just in case something happens and it is suddenly needed. In asking people why they think Mr. Sharon is behaving the way he is, many experts say it is because he wants to go down in history as a great leader. Well, it ain't a'gonna happen. If Ariel Sharon were to drop dead today, here is the obituary I would write. And I was only slightly less kind than my premature eulogy to Yasser Arafat, who at least was honest enough to be a self-declared enemy of the Jewish people. Ariel Sharon Exploded Today From Overeating Crow Ariel Sharon was given the opportunity to be a great leader of the Jewish people and instead sold them out to those bent upon their destruction. He single-handedly destroyed multiple generations of hard work. He single-handedly sold the lives and livelihoods of dedicated Jews to their enemies in return for a free pass on his shady financial and political dealings. Mr. Sharon gave, with no concessions whatsoever, ancient Jewish homeland that had been recovered and revitalized by the Hebrew people over generations. Mr. Sharon proved what a traitor of the Jewish people he was when he reneged on every single campaign pledge he made during his 2000 election. Then he embraced the very person the Israeli people absolutely rejected as their leader -- Shimon Peres -- and gave him practically a co-chair in the government. But Mr. Sharon didn't stop at that. Reminiscent of Mussolini, Stalin and the like, he fired anyone who disagreed with him and blackmailed others into going along with them so they or their family or friends could keep their jobs. Mr. Sharon went even further, demonizing the hardworking Israelis who did not want to have their bought-and-paid-for homes and businesses confiscated and given over -- for free no less -- to the very people who bombed, shot at and stoned them mercilessly day and night for four years, with 22,000 attacks. Mr. Sharon gave these murderous and genocidally bent monsters the homes, lands and business properties of these innocent Israelis. Yet he kept his own huge $11M farm. (Where does a civil servant get that kind of money?) Mr. Sharon lost all of his Jewish heritage and teachings and took up the very same immoral, nay demonic, practices of the Islamist enemies of the Hebrew people. Besides having shady financial dealings and then lying about them, he staged incidents of violence and then blamed his victims for them. One incident is speculated to have been throwing oil and nails onto highways and blaming it on those opposed to being ethnically cleansed from their homes. Another incident involved getting the media to make another Jenin falsification media feeding frenzy. It has been said that at Sharon's request, the media inflated a minor skirmish into a near lynching. A Jewish boy, having been besieged by upwards of 30 Arab youths was held up by Sharon as a terrorist who tried to lynch one of the Arabs. This boy accused of the near lynching was also one of the ones slated for ethnic cleansing by Sharon because he is Jewish and was opposed to it. Meanwhile, the Arab victim of the incident was seen walking away and later stated that it was not a lynching and that he was perfectly all right. More subtle evidence of perfidy was Mr. Sharon jailing children as young as 12 and 13 years old for protesting being evicted from the only homes they had ever known, also because they are Jewish. Contrast that to Mr. Sharon failing to respond to the countless rocket and mortar attacks on these same children's houses, despite his obligation to protect all Israelis living in Israel. Recently, one landed on a nursery school. Yet Mr. Sharon failed to respond. And in that failure, Sharon gave his obviously willing passive (aggressive) support for genocide against the Jewish people. All the while jailing children who protest being ethnically cleansed and having their lives, homes and communities ripped from them and given to those very people who have been trying to murder them. Ariel Sharon will go down forever in Jewish history as a modern-day Amalek and Haman combined. May he and his descendants be cursed forever. (By the way Ariel, you arrested the wrong guy for the National Home website. This website, which told Israelis who oppose the disengagement how to avoid participating without losing their jobs, was also taken down by your storm troopers. Apparently freedom of speech no longer applies in Israel if one disagrees with you. Unfortunately for you, Ariel, that man you arrested was only the webmaster and not the brains. The people running it are out of your reach by being in countries that do practice democracy. Looks like you can't control everything no matter how much you bully and use the police, the courts and the media as your personal slaves and henchmen. Look for it to come back from places and people you can't touch.) Beth Goodtree is a popular writer covering Middle East politics, national interests and also writes the occasional science and humor pieces. Her webpage can be acccessed from is www.theraphi.com (Beth is also the inventor of the Mazel Tov Cocktail: Start with some nice Kosher wine, add a bissele Cel-Ray tonic, serve with a cherry in a fancy-shmancy clean glass, and say this toast:
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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Posted by Morris J. Amitay, July 31, 2005. |
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There are certain basic questions about the Middle East which really deserve answers, but are often conveniently avoided. Here are a number of queries we think deserve consideration. The Terrorist Threat Why are U.S. officials still reluctant to cite radical Islam as the source of the terrorist threat? Why did the Administration recently rename the fight against terrorism as "a global struggle against violent extremism: - instead of describing it more aptly as "Islamic extremism?: Isn't this the same kind of mindset that has the security personnel at our airports frisking an 84 year-old grandmother from Iowa instead of a 25 year-old male from Saudi Arabia? Al-Jazeera Why do we permit Al-Jazeera's blatant anti-U.S., and "inciteful" broadcasts to openly operate here, and even have government officials occasionally appear before its cameras? Similarly, why do the new Iraqi authorities not have anti-sedition laws which would shut down Al-Jazeera in Baghdad? Condi Rice Is there something in the water at the State Department which turns its occupants? minds into even-handed mush when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict? How else do you explain Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice publicly complementing the Palestinian leadership for taking "important steps" against terrorism? Why didn't anyone ask her to name these "steps" - or even one? Egypt With Egypt receiving another $1.3 b. in U.S. military aid this year (and more than $50 billion in overall aid since 1979), and with no enemies around, has anyone come up with a rationale why it needs all this advanced hardware, including over 200 F-16s? Could it be that Cairo is preparing for a future military confrontation with Israel? Should we then be surprised that leading Egyptian commentators are now blaming Israel for the Sharm el-Sheik bombings? Saudi Arabia If you (rightfully) considered outgoing Saudi Ambassador, Prince Bandar to be an ultimate slimeball, could his successor, Prince Turki with his "intelligence" background and early support for Bin-Laden actually be any better? So what is the logic behind Brookings Saban Center's Flynt Leverett, a former CIA operative and Kerry adviser, writing (where else) in the NY Times, that the new envoy represents "reformist elements" in Saudi Arabia? Given Leverett's background, (he was also wisely removed from the Bush NSC's Middle East desk), is it any wonder he also called for modifying U.S. policy towards Israel "to recognize Saudi interests and initiatives"? London How can P.M. Tony Blair, who is now getting a crash course in combating urban terrorism, really believe that settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will keep London's subways safe? Will his desperate search to uncover the "root causes" prevent him from rooting out the terrorists in his midst? Could he be taking his cues here from spouse Cherie, who once declared - "As long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up, you are never going to make progress"? Isn't the terrorists? fondest "hope" to kill as many innocents as possible? Russia How come more alarm bells are not going off as Vladimir Putin systematically returns Russia to the bad old Stalinist days and continues to help Iran acquire nukes? With a rubber stamp Duma, control over the media and prosecution of potential political adversaries, where is the bright spotlight on the machinations of this former KGB-nik? Disengagement Are there any valid reasons to believe that having broken all their solemn arguments going back to 1993 (Oslo), that the post-Arafat Palestinian leadership (which still blames Israel for provoking the ongoing terrorist attacks) will be any different after the Gaza disengagement? Isn't it a near certainty that the Israeli withdrawal will only whet the appetites of the Jihadists who rule the Gaza streets and who largely reflect Palestinian public opinion? Morrie Amitay is a former Executive Director of AIPAC and founder of the pro-Israel Washington PAC (www.washingtonpac.com). |
| GUSH KATIF |
OLEG CARTOON: DESTROYING THE PROMISED LAND
Posted by Women in Green, July 31, 2005. |
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Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
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A CHRISTIAN PASTOR WRITES TO U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH!
Posted by Women in Green, July 31, 2005. |
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July 29, 2005 Dear Mr. President: Sir, political correctness is going to give our Islamic terrorist enemies the advantage in our "War Against Terrorism" which you and your leaders have changed to the "Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism." Let me be very candid about this. Sir, in the early days of the "Soviet invasion of Afghanistan," young Islamic zealots were recruited with Saudi Wahabi funds and then trained at training camps in Egypt and Pakistan, run by the CIA, which provided their weapons. The Islamic recruits were conveniently not told of USA CIA involvement in the camps. Sir, the goal and motive of the recruitment was to kick out of Islamic territory the evil power, the former Soviet Union. Sir, after their success therein, they then developed the ambition to take on another empire, the United States, whom the Islamists call the Crusaders and Zionists. The defining point for new recruits, right at this moment, is that of driving us Crusaders and Zionists out of Muslim Iraqi soil. Sir, the heroic icon fronting their present recruitment drive is the super-Muslim-general, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. While he also eludes capture from the 130,000 Americans and 40,000 other foreign devils, he runs circles around them. Initially, Sir, young Islamic recruits were put off by the horrendous video tapes his people kept releasing showing the most brutal beheadings of prisoners and hostages with Islamic long knives, savage rites that recall Muslim sacrificial ceremonies. Now, Sir, those ghastly scenes have been replaced with large-scale quasi-military assaults, the Egyptian envoy's kidnapping, and the 2 Algerian diplomats abduction, with no footage showing their murder. Zarqawi "reinvented" his image from "butcher" to "hero." Now, the creation is that of a Muslim general with ability to liberate "Iraq." Sir, recruitment at this moment is yes, still religious, but the language spoken in Islamic publications, local media, radio programs, Internet, and correspondence is the burning desire in Iraq to defeat America. That recruitment is manifested in London on 7-7, 7-21, and even at this moment as these lines are being written. Sir, "Islamic recruitment for their holy war" against us "Crusaders and Zionists" - the Palestinian-Israeli war is exactly the same as ours - is being accomplished by Islamic terror making the hajj (to Mecca) the backbone of their recruiting machine. (The pullout from Gaza and Shomron is a retreat without getting anything in return. After the pullout, the United Nations, the European Union, and even the USA will probably force Israel to make additional, far-reaching, one-sided concessions.) The Jewish ethos will be forever tarnished. Television coverage of dozens of synagogues, built with the full backing of the Israeli government, being violently destroyed by the Jews themselves, satellite-transmitted all over the world will so embolden the Islamic terrorists in Israel that the Israelis will have more on their hands than they can say grace over. Sir, at Madrassas - mosques, universities, sport clubs, etc. - Al Qaeda operatives gently prod young men to make the hajj. Their journey is then financed by some "Muslim charity." Little do those young Islamic pilgrims know that their names, places of origins and identities of the groups that send them on the pilgrimage are meticulously transferred in code by Internet to the "Islamic holy war" recruiting agents who are planted in the Saudi hajj bureaucracy. Sir, while performing the Islamic rites in Mecca and Medina, this vast mass of Islamic humanity is constantly on the move from station to station, all garbed in the same two white cloths. The ceremonies take place in an "atmosphere of extreme religious Islamic exhilaration," which then produces the perfect setting for recruitment to the "Islamic Terror War" against us "Crusaders and Zionists." Sir, many of the Islamic recruits go straight to Iraq. Others are sent to training facilities in north Africa, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and some of the Gulf Emirates. Sir, what Zarqawi now has is a "manpower glut" with numbers, which used to be counted in the hundreds, up in the tens of thousands. Zarqawi is expanding his control in Iraq's Anbar province, enlarging his pool of suicide bombers and increasing his number of trained terrorist operatives to new arenas of taking on us "Crusaders and Zionists." Now, Sir, here in America, we have become so "politically correct" that Mr. Mueller (FBI) will not mention "Islamic" and "terror" in the same sentence. And, you and your higher-ups have changed our "War Against Terror" (no mention of Islam there either) to the "Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists." Mr. President, your Road Map vision is flawed, at best. We will force Israel to concede territory to their "Islamic enemies," while at the same time, in the big picture, of our "Islamic Terrorist War" we stick our heads in the proverbial sand and continue to let American fighting men expend their lives and limbs in Iraq. How long, Sir, do you think it will be (with America proceeding in World War III, yet not doing so in a "totally mobilized manner") before Osama Bin Laden strikes with one of those "missing Soviet nukes" on Washington D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, or Philadelphia? Mr. President, recruitment for future homicide bombers has drastically risen in the last few months. Your intelligence advisers must have missed that. If a 65-year-old poor boy from the Panhandle of God's Texas can pick up on that, how come American intelligence cannot get it? Mr. President, you need to go on national television and tell the American people exactly what we are up against. If you do not, it will only be a matter of time before the leftists in the Democratic party, the Republican leftists, the leftist in the news media, and the leftist in the academia count the casualties we are continuing to suffer in Iraq and turn the American public against our involvement. Then, Sir, we will pull out of Iraq and turn over parts of Israel to the Islamists. Islamic recruitment of homicide bombers will then sky-rocket, and free people will not be safe anywhere. Backpack bombs will be set off in American cities, universities, subways, busses, schools, government buildings, etc., by the hundreds. Then, Sir, because of our political correctness, we will have lost the "Islamic Terrorist War," which we so foolishly called the "Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism" in an effort not to offend Islam! Sincerely, Jim Vineyard
Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
PHILADELPHI AND KATIF - THE LINES THAT BIND
Posted by Art Bashani, July 31, 2005. |
To: Letter to the Editor, Jerusalem PostBelow I suggst a way to have separation without withdrawal of the settlements. THE RAFIAH PLAN PM Sharon has set up a demographic strawman regarding Gaza. The fact is that the 8,000 Jewish settlers do not "live amid 1.2 million Arabs". There are only 150,000 Arabs in the Rafiah area, the Strip's least populated district, where most of the Jewish residents are located by strategic design in "Gush Katif", along the border with Egypt. If Sharon cannot achieve consensus in the Likud to relocate all settlements, he can go for the "Rafiah Plan" that will achieve separation without the need for withdrawal. With a spur southward through Israeli Morag and another next to Arab Rafiah, Gush Katif can be linked to the western Negev, "for the duration", instead of northward through the rest of the Strip. That area can be evacuated to allow over a million Arabs free movement in all but Rafiah. Sharon can thus avoid the national trauma of uprooting 8,000 Jewish settlers for the sake of terror, not for peace. He would then finally muster the elusive approval of the Likud. President Bush would support this plan given his statement that major settlement blocs be considered in any negotiations. Sharon would encourage this by evacuating one or two Gaza settlements and moving their few hundred settlers into Gush Katif. The U.S. administration, however, might realize that Sharon's withdrawal plan is little more than:
Contact Aaron Bashani by email at artb@netmedia.net.il |
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JANE'S AIR FORCES NEWS BRIEF
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, July 31, 2005. |
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Isn't this an amazing article? El Al was the first airline to install this equpment on any aircraft and the only one to install it on all aircraft. Israel is the only manufacturer of such defensive equipment that is certified. Yet, neither are mentioned here. Isn't it always to nice to see how fair Janes is? US awards commercial aircraft air-defence contracts Key points: * The US Department of homeland security (DHS) has awarded two contracts, worth USD45 million each, as part of the Counter Man-Portable Air-Defence programme, which aims to protect US commercial aircraft against shoulder-fired rocket systems. * According to the DHS, it would cost at least USD6 billion to fit
the entire US commercial airline fleet with counter-MANPADS equipment.
Some commercial carriers - Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Virgin
Airlines, for example - have already installed DIRCM devices on their
aircraft. Elbit acquires stake in Elisra Electronic Systems Key points: * Israel's biggest defence company, Elbit Systems, has acquired Koor Industries' 70 per cent stake in Elisra Electronic Systems in a USD70 million agreement. * The deal follows agreements that began in December 2004 with
steps towards the merger of the country's three leading private
industries: Elbit Systems, Tadiran Communications and Elisra
Electronics Industries. Mordechai Ben-Menachem is at Ben-Gurion University. He can be reached by email at quality@computer.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
SOME US CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS WORRY GAZA PULLOUT AMOUNTS TO APPEASEMENT
Posted by IsrAlert, July 31, 2005. |
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This comes from Geostrategy Direct (www.geostrategy-direct.com).
Nobody in the Republican-controlled Congress wants to be seen as opposing the wishes of both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Bush administration. But quietly, the unilateral Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip is making some prominent House and Senate members nervous. Over the past few weeks, these legislators have been briefed by leading Israeli and U.S. strategists over the impact of the Israeli pullout. The briefers have not been unanimous in their assessment. But virtually all raised the prospect of the Gaza Strip turning into another Somalia, or a terrorist haven hosted by a dysfunctional Palestinian Authority. The terrorists would certainly include members of the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah as well as Al Qaida. One scenario envisioned that Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi would use the Gaza Strip to recruit Palestinians for the Sunni insurgency in Iraq as well as for operations in neighboring Jordan. Another scenario was that Gaza would be used as a launching pad for attacks on U.S. and NATO shipping in the eastern Mediterranean. Rep. Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican and regarded as one of the most security-minded members of the House, expressed his concern over the Gaza pullout on U.S. interests in the Middle East and the war on terrorism. In a June 20 House speech, Burton, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, viewed the Israeli withdrawal as a victory for terrorism both over the Jewish state and the United States. "Personally, I will not second guess the prime minister's wisdom," Burton said. "I very much hope that he is right. But again, my experience tells me that if you take steps to appease an enemy you only give him a green light to put more pressure on you. In my opinion, it is imperative and critical to U.S. national security that we as policymakers understand the consequences should the Israeli disengagement plan fail to live up to expectations." Burton then introduced into the record an assessment by a former Israeli diplomat, (Isralert subscriber/commentator) Yoram Ettinger, who served in Washington and as consulate-general in Houston during the 1990s. The assessment warned that the Israeli pullout could create a terrorist regime that could turn the Palestinians into an international threat against the United States as well as against such allies as Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. "Disengagement is perceived, by the Mideast, as cut and run, appeasement and cave-in, in sharp contrast to U.S. war on terrorism," the assessment said. "No negotiation with - and no concession to - terrorists; no ceasefire with, but destruction, of terrorist regimes; no political, but military solution, to terrorism." [Editor's note: Read Yoram Ettinger's assessment below.] Harv Weiner, a businessman in Dallas, Texas, is the founder and moderator of Isralert. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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LAND AND SOUL
Posted by Alexander Maistrovoy, July 30, 2005. |
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Settlers do everything possible for the saving of a doomed bulwark, but forget about a dying citadel. During the last 10 years I, being a secular man, have voted for the National-Religious Party (MAFDAL). In MAFDAL and in the settlers' movement on the whole I have seen the only force capable of leading Israel in the future. Truly adherents of pure Judaism, free of dogmatism and superstitions, Kipot srugot ("Knitted Yarmulkhas") are the embodiment of the spirit of Biblical prophecy, an ideal of a Jew in a Jewish country, to my mind. They are inseparably linked with Jewish tradition, while being actively involved in the development of modern civilization and the struggle of ideas. Unfortunately, with growing bitterness, I observe that kipot srugot are losing the fight. Not the struggle for Gush-Katif, but - much worse - the fight for the Israeli State, its soul and land. Rabbi Kook's followers achieved a lot, they succeeded in many fields. Pioneers of Israel in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, the best soldiers and officers in the Army, people who have never been involved in intrigues and corruption, they're the salt of this land in every respect. From my point of view, they made only onw mistake, but it was a strategic, if not a fatal, error. Developing so selflessly and ardently the Land of Israel, they neglected the Soul of Israel. They forgot that besides the Land they are so anxious to keep, there are people in this country. And for these people a word about the destination of Israel and Biblical prophecies either mean nothing, or annoy them or sometimes even make them as angry as a bull when it sees a red rag. They idealized the situation too much, and all their efforts went to nothing. There is no secret that Israel society is sick. It suffers from corruption, mutual hostility, impetuous mercantilism and primitive selfishness. It is confused because of deception and lies; it lost its spiritual and moral guide lines, and has been going down-stream lately. Not Jerusalem, but a casino in Jericho, this new incarnation of the Golden Calf might be considered a symbol of today's Israel. Thousands of Israelis were striving to get there after the "intifada" had started, knowing well enough that the money they squandered there would be used for killing their compatriots by Arafat. There is hardly any doubt that the moment the Jericho casino is opened, Israelis will rush there with no less enthusiasm. Is it likely to keep Gush-Katif, if for half of Israeli young people Goa and Rishikesh are closer than Rachel's Grave and Mahpela Cave in Hebron, if the center of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the Jewish State became not the Western Wall but coffee-shops in Amsterdam? Kipot srugot and MAFDAL concentrated all their efforts on keeping Gush-Katif, pretending not to see they have lost Gush-Dan (Big Tel-Aviv) long before. And the more persistence they demonstrate to hold settlements in Gaza, the more they lose. It isn't worth calling for disobedience to authorities, blocking highways and especially spilling oil on roads. It's absolutely out of the question to declare that the possibility of a few Israelis dying now in road accidents pales in consequences of withdrawal, as Moshe Feiglin said. Feiglin couldn't find a better occasion to discredit the settlers' movement. These are tactical errors, but they are the outcome of the wrong strategy. The direction of the "main thrust" must be changed. Kipot srugot shouldn't try to keep Gush-Katif with all their might but should change the soul of Israel society. Only society changes can affect the policy of the country. Otherwise they will lose not only Gaza, but Judea and Samaria too, and Israel itself. It will happen. There is no use striving to rescue a doomed bastion while the main citadel is falling down. There is no doubt it's difficult to breath in new life and faith into the falling-to-pieces society, but it's a real task. We can find a lot of evidence in Ancient and Modern History. For example, a tiny group of true believers led by Ignacius Loyola managed to stop the splitting of of the Catholic Church in Europe and the advance of the Reformation. In our days the Moral Majority and neoconservatives in the USA could find an antidote to vulgar liberalism, held back America from degradation and prevented the defeat in cold war with the Soviet Union and later Islamists. In less than 10 years the Israeli Sefardic Party SHAS created a dynamic and powerful movement; a handful of marginals representing "Shalom Ahshav" could impose pacifist views on the intellectual elite. But if Uri Avinery and SHAS with its oriental mysticism and middle aged ceremonial rites succeeded, why can't kipot srugot with their belief in authentic Jewish values and oracles can't win the heart of Israel? They need two components for success: a clear, well formulated idea and the ability to find the way to the hearts of every Israeli either in Shenkin Street or Or-Akiva, "Russian" and "Moor", kibuznik or a student of Tel-Aviv University. It will require extraordinary resourcefulness, sophistication and even refinement. But the future of Israel is at stake and the main task of kipot srugot is to prevent a sliding to the abyss. Jewish people will not overcome the downfall of Third Temple and the second Holocaust. Who should understand it better than MAFDAL? Alexander Maistrovoy is political columnist for the Russian-language newspaper "Novosty nedely" in Israel. Contact him by email at amaist@lycos.com |
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"DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS" OR COVER FOR FANATICS?; ARAB FAKE
CIVIC GROUPS; SHARON'S SELF-CONTRADICTIONS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 30, 2005. |
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"DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS" The Pres. of Iran proposed in 1999 a "dialogue among civilizations." The UNO set up an office for it. When the Israeli Consul General arrived at one of its meetings, the Iranian speaker suddenly remembered a "previous engagement" and left the room. He would not recognize Jewish civilization, which long preceded his Shiite one. "The farce should have ended there: Any regime that refuses to recognize the legitimacy of one of its adversaries while claiming to sponsor dialogues should be laughed at." The UNO now holds meetings for an "Alliance of Civilizations." Instead of being involved in Iranian propaganda initiatives, the UNO should be involved in potentially productive matters as demanding the release of the Iranian hunger-striker. When Pres. Bush challenged the Secretary-General to demand that release, the latter claimed not to be aware of the case. A week later, his officials had not acted. The Iranian initiatives have "nothing to do with the London bombers, their handlers, and the rest of those in the Islamic world who scoff at 'dialogues' and 'alliances' and believe Jews and Christians deserve nothing short of extinction. Battling that enemy is where funds and effort should go, rather than to meaningless Turtle Bay programs." (Benny Avni, NY Sun, 7/18, p.8.) DON'T BLAME MUSLIMS, ASSERTS SAUDI A UNESCO official and former dean of the King Fahd Academy in London expressed shock at the carnage in London. He remembers fondly the huge march against the Iraq war and violence in general, an opposition that IMRA calls irresponsible. He refers to the post-9/11 terrorism, bringing a reminder from IMRA about pre-9/11 terrorism, already extensive. The official declares that only a few individuals are involved in terrorism, and terrorism is not a monopoly of one faith. Therefore he considers it unfair to be suspicious of Islam and worries about terrorism prompting hostility towards Muslims and unfair treatment of Palestinian Arabs. It is the reaction to terrorism that may cause a clash of civilization and certainly impede the integration of Muslims within Europe (IMRA, 7/17 from Arab News). One may be outraged, but only the naïve or collaborators are shocked at the carnage in London. There have been many attacks all over the world. Thousands of terrorists are fighting. Surely, many others are engineering, planning, organizing, recruiting, and fundraising for them. S. Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, etc. are devoted to it, so as to keep youth streaming to battle, as fast as regular armies liquidate them. This is not a case of a few individuals, but of worldwide jihad, in accordance with basic principles of Islam, which is to clash with other civilizations. There are a few other non-Muslim terrorist groups, as in Ireland and Ceylon, but most are Muslim, especially on the international scene, and Islamists radicalize Muslim youth. Palestinian Arab setbacks: since their case is fraudulent, and since they wholeheartedly approve of depriving the Jews of their homeland, it is they who are unfair to others and deserve setbacks. "Integration" of Muslims in Europe is a good one! Besides being a criminal and bigoted element that attacks Christian women and Jews daily, many of the Arabs boast of a coming conquest of a cowed Europe. Helping them in that goal is their general self-segregation, their refusal to integrate in other ways, and their preachers promoting hatred. The Saudi is attempting to undermine European resistance. Be alert to Muslim pretenses at opposing jihad. Instead of becoming hostile as a result of suffering their hostile presence, Europe should expel them and then pursue its own destiny with some equanimity. HAMAS CHARITY FOR EDUCATION A charity in Britain sends the money to Hamas, but denies that this helps terrorism, because, it claims (perhaps falsely) that the money is used for education. What do you think education means to Hamas? Indoctrination. It indoctrinates in hatred and terrorism. Jihad thus is fought not only by violence but also by economic means. Britain has frozen the assets of more than 100 organizations and 200 individuals, but other groups continue to funnel money to jihadists. European states have failed to fulfill pledges to combat terrorism financially and to coordinate with each other and with the US (IMRA, 7/17). SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ABANDONMENT Leftist columnist, Danny Rubinstein of "Haaretz," has second thoughts about Sharon's abandonment plan. He does not dispute it ideologically, but finds it counter-productive. Since the Arabs consider it the result of their terrorism, they are encouraged by it to step up that terrorism. Rubinstein believes this makes the plan unsatisfactory (IMRA, 7/18). "Disengagement" is a death trap for Israelis. If the issue were discussed honestly, openly, and fully, it would have been understood and unpopular from the start. There is nothing to commend it and everything to object in it. JORDAN TO HOST CONFERENCE ON THE TRUE ISLAM The YWCA is running an international conference in Jordan on "the true nature of Islam." The purpose is to eliminate prejudices. Why Jordan? The answer given is because of the ancient events that took place in what now is Jordan and because Jordan is known for religious coexistence (and, according to IMRA, because of YWCA myopia"). The program seeks to counter some of the negative publicity that befell Islam over violent acts in the name of Islam. IMRA suggests instead countering some of the terrorism (IMRA, 7/18). This sounds like a Muslim attempt to deceive the Christians and undermine Christians' awareness of jihad's threat to them and Christian self-defense. Jordan, far from being tolerant, has had antisemitic textbooks, until recently had the death penalty for selling land to Jews, and when it controlled Jerusalem, exerted pressure upon Christians, many of whom had to leave. In this era of jihad, the main problem is prejudice by Muslims, not against Islam. There should be more public information about the menace of Islamism. FATWA AGAINST BOMBING Britain's largest Sunni Muslim group issued a fatwa condemning the bombing of London as from a "perverted ideology." The group declared that no one has the right to kill others and that suicide bombing is contrary to Islam (NY Sun, 7/18, p.8). Is this the sincere start of the unheard from "moderate" Muslims or another exercise in damage control, like that conference in Jordan, where the Islamists form a large proportion of the population, and are no aberrant fringe. Another example is the earlier anti-terrorism march in London. Islamists, ever deceptive, participated in it, to defuse resentment against them. ARAB FAKE CIVIC GROUPS P.A. environmental NGOs use "ecological issues as a pretext for political and ideological attacks on Israel" and promoting disinvestments fromit. Of 21 P.A. environmental NGOs, only two are involved in environmental issues, but those two also campaign against Israel for its security fence and settlements. Israeli groups have had to suspend cooperation with the Arab ones, because the Arab ones have switched entirely from environmental issues to a propaganda war against Israel. "Such organizations continue to misappropriate their funds towards political campaigns, and repeatedly present unreliable and even false data, for example in accusing Israel of cutting down trees in order to build the security barrier. Yet international donors continue to support the NGOs' 'environmental' projects. (Donors repeat the defamation as if factual.) One group "claimed that the IDF had 'burned considerable areas of cropped lands and forbid Palestinian (Arab) farmers to reach their lands using dogs" and then 'randomly dispensed flyers on the farmers' lands informing of the Army's intention to clear all trees (mostly olive) existing along the Israeli bypass roads". In fact, a visit to the area demonstrates that no trees have been uprooted from the area around Tekoa, despite their use as a cover for terrorists to shoot at the road." (IMRA, 7/19.) Why didn't Israel clear those trees used by terrorists for cover? It would be justified. Since Israel gets accused anyway of doing so wantonly, it may a well do it when warranted. P.A. human rights organizations as well as environmental organizations are covers for propaganda against Israel. The P.A. Arabs have a totalitarian society and are waging total war against the Jewish state, because it is a Jewish state. That is a fact that I have not seen bruited in the "NY Times." Is ignorance why the foreign donors continue to allocate funds for the P.A. propaganda war? Or do the foreign donors, some of them governments, know and approve? ISRAELI SURREALISM The Jews of Israel are no more realistic than were the Jews of Poland. They believe what they are told by official sources, and don't realize the nature of their fascist rulers. They think officials follow the law, and are meek towards them. The officials, however, have hired foreigners in Israeli uniforms, to expel the Jews with brutality. They don't think the trucks are for them, just as they didn't expect to be carried away by the Nazis. They think the official date will be followed, although Barry Chamish warned that the government probably would move faster, to catch the settlers off guard. Indeed, the government now admits it will move earlier. Ordinary folk believe their leaders, whom they don't realize work with the officials. The leaders against abandonment tell soldiers to follow orders to expel their followers. The leaders arrange calm protests that do not impress the brutal government. The leaders tell their followers, whom the police tell to stop marching, to return home while the leaders appeal to the Supreme Court. Not much can be expected from the left-wing activist Court. The government has prepared extensively for expulsion, but the Jews involved have not planned extensively for resistance. They let police move freely in their communities, to watch them and prepare further. The Jews of Gaza do not have cans of gasoline near their hothouses, ready to burn them down, if expulsions goes through, so Peres and the Arabs cannot profit from them (Chamish, 7/19) or have profit as a motive for expulsion. I don't understand what dynamic it takes to overthrow an oppressive government. I do admire the bravery and high class, good nature of the people who face down the police. COURT FREES PROTESTOR An Israeli court found no evidence to support the charge of road-blocking against an older man held in prison for nine weeks, pending court appearance. "On the way to his Supreme Court hearing earlier this month, a policeman brutally pulled Eliyahu Herbst out of the car by his handcuffs, causing him to fall on the ground, and he was then dragged on the ground by his handcuffs until he was thrown into another car. He was then placed in solitary confinement without his belongings or a change of clothes, suffering humiliation in the process." (Arutz-7, 7/20.) The court acted decently in releasing the man, but failed to punish the police for this among many false arrests and brutality. The government is using ostensible police action as a cover for repression. The unnecessary roughing up of detainees and their long pre-trial imprisonment under harsh conditions are examples. In the US, police carefully tuck prisoners' heads under car roofs, as they place them inside, whereas Israeli police throw people in and pull them out onto the ground and drag them so as to hurt them. The government does not treat Arabs that way. Hence this is political. No one in Israel should be treated that way, not Jews, not Arabs. Punishment should be up to the justice system. The consequences may reverberate beyond the current injustice, itself serving a bad cause. SUPREME COURT COMES DOWN HARD ON ROAD-BLOCKING The Supreme Court ruled in favor of keeping two protest leaders in prison awaiting trial for road-blocking. It denied that that kind of civil disobedience is within the democratic tradition. It refused to be tolerant, lest it undermine Israeli democracy. IMRA reminds us that when unions block roads, the courts are lenient and the prosecutors are inactive (IMRA, 7/22). The Court's inconsistency indicates that it did not rule in favor of law and order or democracy but to stifle a political movement with which it disagrees ideologically. That is a perversion of justice and anti-democratic. It's expressed concern about democracy is hypocritical. SHARON'S ASSURANCE TO ARIEL OF BECOMING PART OF ISRAEL PM Sharon assured residents of Ariel that it would become a contiguous part of Israel. This contradicts US policy. Some observers attributed his unexpectedly right-wing statement to an attempt to head off his main competitor to head the Likud Party, Finance Min. Netanyahu. One of Sharon's Labor Party competitors, former PM Barak, said that the day after Gaza is abandoned, it would become clear that the US did not promise Israel to acquiesce in Israel's retaining Ariel or any other settlement blocs. Worse for the integrity of Sharon, Barak pointed out that Sharon knows this now, even as he gives Ariel assurances. Evidence? He omitted Ariel from the security fence (Arutz-7, 7/22). Israelis ought to be inured, by now, to Prime Ministers' assurances about security and about firm measures against the Arab enemy. Perhaps they are -- they defeat them for re-election, but the successor picks up where the predecessor left off. Who is putting the successors up to this? ISRAEL BLOCKS "HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS" One or two hundred activists for the Palestinian Arabs, calling themselves human rights activists, tried to enter Israel from Jordan. Israeli officials marked their passport rejected, and turned them back (7/22). Glad Israel was not masochist about it. CONGRESS STILL PRETENDS TO MONITOR AID TO P.A. ZOA is proud to have sponsored a bill that just passed the House. The bill supposedly links aid for the P.A. to what the P.A. does against terrorism and incitement to it, and gives Congress more opportunity to shut off such aid. ZOA thinks that the overwhelming vote for the bill indicates frustration over lack of information from the State Dept. about P.A. non-compliance with previously set conditions about terrorism and indoctrination in behalf of it. The bill requires the State Dept. to report more on P.A. compliance and releases the aid only if the President certifies that the law's conditions are met. The conditions are a list of the important ones in Oslo and Road Map. ZOA thinks that Congress would maintain more control inasmuch as the bill divides aid into quarterly disbursements, giving more frequent opportunity to cut off aid (IMRA, 7/22). ZOA is fooling itself about this, as Jewish organizations and idealistic Members of Congress tend to do. They are depending upon a dishonest State Dept. to report honestly and a dishonest President to certify honestly. The State Dept. and President routinely lie and pretend the Arabs comply. Such bills are deceptive, a self-deception by ZOA and a phony attempt by certain Members of Congress to take undeserved credit. The US never has penalized P.A. non-compliance. This bill represents the failure of the previous bills, about which Members of Congress boasted and which Jewish organizations praised. If the previous bills worked, this one would not be necessary. It is necessary because the State Dept. and President practiced deceit. U.S. COURT OF APPEALS REJECTS POLLARD'S APPEAL The Court rendered a negative verdict, after having refused to allow Pollard's attorneys to present most of their best arguments, during the oral presentation in March. A judge who expressed an antisemitic sentiment and revealed personal prejudice against Pollard (who did not speak) as considering himself "special," derided the defense's legal efforts but by consuming its limited time with hostile interruptions, did not get to hear what the panel derided in advance. The verdict rejects the several points of the appeal. The verdict upholds an earlier court assertion that Pollard filed the initial appeal too late. Many legal experts disagree. The appeal claims that timeliness is not an issue, because the original defense attorney failed to advise his client of his rights in the matter. The appeal claims the issue is grossly inadequate defense in the first place. The Court ruled that since Pollard knew what his previous attorneys did, he should have been aware of the legal consequences. That is not true if they did not advise him of the legal consequences. Again, the Court missed the obvious point. The appeal demanded an opportunity for defense counsel to inspect the sentencing docket that doomed the client. The Appeals Court denied that too. The justices thus denied elementary justice. It's the kind of ruling one would expect from the Soviet (or Israeli) system. The Pollards believe that the judges are acting politically, rather than judicially (IMRA, 7/22). Seems so, all the way through the case, here and in Israel. "JERUSALEM POST" HAS EDITORIAL LIKE MINE The PA "foreign minister has candidly reneged on the PA's road map commitments to confiscate weapons and explosives" from the illegal militias. Sec. "Rice nevertheless complimented the Palestinian leadership for taking 'important steps' against terrorism." "What 'steps' she was referring to was left to the imagination," while terrorism is escalating. The US continues being evenhanded, though one side is preparing for peace, and the other, for war (IMRA, 7/24). Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com. |
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PALESTINIANS PREPARE FLAGS FOR EMPTY SETTLEMENTS
Posted by Daily Alert, July 30, 2005. |
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This was written by Nidal al-Mughrabi and comes from Reuters. It appeared July 28, 2005 on the Reuters Foundation AlertNet website (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28192293.htm). GAZA, July 28 (Reuters) - Israel's evacuation of its settlements in the Gaza Strip will be a banner day for Palestinians. Tens of thousands of white-black-green-and-red Palestinian national flags are being sewn in workshops in Gaza City to fly over the 21 settlements, hated symbols of occupation, once the pullout starting in mid-August is complete. "Palestinian flags will tell the world that Palestinian land ... has been returned to its Palestinian owners," Ahmed Abu Dayya, owner of Gaza's biggest flag shop, said on Thursday. Abu Dayya said the Palestinian Authority had ordered 60,000 flags for the pullout. Workers at one factory have been se wing some 3,000 pennants a day, labouring to meet an Aug. 7 delivery deadline. Some 35,000 other flags will carry the logo of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement and 20,000 will be imprinted with white-and-black headresses and pictures of Abbas and the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. The work has provided sorely needed employment for hundreds of workers in the impoverished Gaza Strip, whose economy has been hit hard by more than four years of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Israel intends to demolish the settlements' red-roofed homes, dwellings the Palestinian Authority has said are impractical for meeting the housing needs of bigger Palestinian families. But both sides have yet to agree on rubble removal. Flag-making has been a booming business in Gaza, even during the Palestinian uprising. Abu Dayya said sales at his PLO Flag Shop increased during the revolt, thanks to orders by Palestinian militant groups for national flags and banners bearing the symbols of armed factions. He also sold Israeli flags to be burnt at anti-Israeli rallies. While welcoming withdrawal from land Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war, Palestinians note Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to hold on to large settlement blocs in the West Bank under any final peace treaty. The World Court describes Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank as illegal. Israel disputes this. The Daily Alerts are Prepared for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (http://www.conferenceofpresidents.org/) by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (http://www.jcpa.org/). |
| GUSH KATIF |
ANTI-DISENGAGEMENT ESSAYS
Posted by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz, July 30, 2005. |
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Those who support the government's Disengagement Plan, which would uproot the Jewish towns of Gush Katif and northern Samaria, have ready access to Israeli and international mass media and, of course, to the government offices through which the plan is being promoted and implemented. Therefore, in light of urgent events in Gush Katif and the approaching target date for implementation of the Disengagement Plan, we present our readers with the following two opposition articles, which have appeared on our Opinion pages. While both authors oppose the government's current plans for Gush Katif and Samaria, their reasons are vastly different and address various concerns of the thoughtful, pro-Israel reader. We hope that the presentation of two strikingly different viewpoints on the faults of the Disengagement will facilitate reaching the widest possible audience. Next year in Gush Katif, "Disengagement Now - No Way to Peace" by Arthur Cohn (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=5289) [Arthur Cohn is the only international film producer to have won six Academy Awards. His productions include The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, Central Station, and One Day in September.] Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for an Israeli pullout of Gaza and a few more settlements in the Shomron has found initially extensive approval among Jews in the Diaspora. At first glance, this is understandable. The absence of a credible Palestinian negotiating partner, combined with Israel's vigorous desire to create a more peaceful atmosphere in the Middle East, has made a partial segregation from the Palestinian Arabs appear to be a step in the right direction. But before we leap, let's look. Let's pay attention to the serious voices of dissent that have become stronger in the last weeks. Avi Dichter, outgoing head of Intelligence, declared a few months ago in front of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee that the evacuation of the northern Shomron would reproduce the earlier situation in the south of Lebanon, because the firing of mortar shells can be stopped only by Israeli forces on the ground. Israel's former Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, a member of the Labor party, as well as Shabtai Shavit, former head of Intelligence, stated in unison that the unilateral abandonment of the Gaza Strip under prevailing conditions would destabilize the region to a frightening degree. "The plan does not create the necessary minimum of balance that would enable long-term co-existence," said Shavit. The objections these men and others raise fall under two general headings. One is leadership. Many in Israel and abroad see Abu Mazen, the current Palestinian Authority president, as representing a basic change in the strategic goals of the Palestinians. However, Abu Mazen's past activities as a close confidante of the late Yasser Arafat and his alarmingly militant statements about the future status of Jerusalem and the "right of return" cast doubts on this. "Abu Mazen is not Arafat," Zalman Shoval, Israel's previous Ambassador in Washington, stated last month, "but his objectives - not only according to intelligence assessments, but according to his own statements, as well - are no different from those of his predecessor." Still, the Gaza pullout offers an appropriate opportunity to verify Abu Mazen's support for peace, and to test his influence for pursuing peace within the Palestinian Authority. This giant endeavor - the compulsory evacuation of some 10,000 Israeli citizens - could be set up in complete agreement and coordination with the Palestinian authorities. Lacking such agreement, the Disengagement may cause a devastating aftermath. In the absence of clear-cut accords with Abu Mazen, the security situation in Israel will decisively degrade. Outgoing Chief of General Staff Moshe Yalon said recently that in addition to Sderot, many other places will be surprised with missiles from the Gaza Strip. Terrorist groups would proclaim Israel's unilateral step as their own victory, and this is likely to aggravate future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. "Retreat without getting anything in return is liable to be interpreted by some as surrender and likely to strengthen extremist forces," former general security chief Ami Ayalon stated. The political situation will become much more complicated, and the pressure on Israel to continue making unilateral steps will - also according to the Israeli foreign minister - be enormously intensified. The pullout from Gaza now is considered as a step within the "Road Map" and no longer as a unilateral act in the absence of a Palestinian interlocutor. After the withdrawal, the United Nations, the European Union and even the United States will most probably force Israel to make additional, far-reaching, one-sided concessions. The inner discord in Israel could become huge and almost unbridgeable, especially as Israelis are getting nothing from Palestinians in return. We should not forget that the large majority who in the last elections voted for Sharon and the Likud did so because he and the party were strictly against any unilateral abandonment of territories - which is exactly the policy Sharon advocates now. He defied the will of his party that opposed the Gaza pullout and refused to conduct a referendum, even though the Israelis of Gaza confirmed that they would have accepted the results of a referendum. The Jewish ethos would be strongly tarnished. Images of dozens of synagogues and Torah centers, built with the full backing of the Israeli government, violently destroyed by the Jews themselves, will be satellite-transmitted all over the world. What terrible negative impression will such devastating pictures leave with all viewers, Jews and non-Jews alike! It is and remains incomprehensible that such a traumatic action should happen without a binding accord with the Palestinians. Finally, the Zionist ethos would be substantially enfeebled by a unilateral pullout from Gaza. A big, impressive settlement in the desert, explicitly subsidized by the government, in which barren land was made fertile in a miraculous way and in the style of Zionist pioneering spirit, is on the verge of being devastated by Israel itself. A large swath of land that had been settled by Jews in the days before the 1948 War of Independence now shall become "free of Jews" without any quid pro quo. By contrast, an orderly turnover of the Gaza Strip would allow many practical problems to be solved, such as the "fate" of the Israeli houses, farms and orchards there. On the condition that the Palestinians deliver real tradeoffs, the Disengagement could become a meaningful step towards a potential co-existence between Israel and its Palestinian neighbours. A relinquishing of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians is not to be rejected principally. An abandonment of the Gaza Strip - if done in the scope of a bilateral peace process involving Abu Mazen - would certainly weaken the strong opposition against Disengagement. The settlers' great sacrifice then would make more sense. One-sided concessions under the given circumstances are dangerously counter-productive. In this, former Minister Nathan Sharansky stands by his political credo consistently, unflinchingly, and in remarkable openness, without consideration of any potential damage his political career might suffer in Israel. Sharansky's thesis is that democracies do not war with each other, and that a peace with the Palestinians therefore can only be achieved when their authorities have implemented democratic reforms. According to him, Israel gives up far too much when it pulls out of Gaza before the Palestinian government has fulfilled its promises for democratisation and other reforms, which must include forswearing all future terrorism. It is not surprising that the backing for Sharon's disengagement program has fallen below 50 percent (the exact figure of 48 percent includes Israeli Arabs). People fail to understand why Israel does not require from the new Palestinian leaders meaningful bilateral negotiations for peace, especially as Israel prepares to do something so remarkable and unprecedented for the sake of peace. "Do Not Let Jewish History Be Erased" by Ruth Matar (www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=3964) [Ruth Matar is co-chairwoman of the grass-roots activist organization Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green).] The other day I turned on the radio and I heard Ariel Sharon say in his heavily accented English, "The Disengagement Plan is the most important item on our agenda, and with G-d's help we shall succeed." What incredible chutzpah! Sharon well knows that the Almighty promised His Holy Land to the Jewish People. This Promise certainly includes Judea, Samaria and Gaza! He can't really seriously be calling for G-d's help. Does he not realize that G-d does not change his Word? Sharon might be justified in calling on his newly found godless cronies - Shimon Peres, Yossi Sarid, Tommy Lapid, et al - to come and help him. As it is, Sharon's statement is the height of attempted obfuscation, bordering on blasphemy. Okay, let's again make this clear once and for all - Gaza is Jewish land promised by Hashem in the Bible as an everlasting inheritance; it was, in fact, apportioned to the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:47 and Judges 1:18) as part of Israel's eternal patrimony. A few examples of evidence of a Jewish presence in Gaza since Biblical times: * A beautiful remnant of the mosaic floor, dated 508/509 CE, of a Gaza synagogue. It pictured King David playing the harp. King David's name was rendered in Hebrew letters. * One of the big mosques in Gaza has a pillar that had the name Chananya Bar-Yaakov (an important figure from the days of the Hasmoneans) engraved on it. Above his name was a picture of a Menorah with a Shofar on one side, and an etrog on the other. * There is an old neighborhood in Gaza that is called by the Arabs, to this day, Harat Al-Yahud - "neighborhood of the Jews". * Israel Ben Moses Najara (1555-1625) was a prominent rabbi in Gaza. Throughout the years after his death, many Jews came to pray at his grave. Most physical evidence of the Jewish presence in Gaza since Biblical times has been deliberately erased by the Arabs, especially at the time of the first Intifada (1987-1993). The Arabs feel that if they erase such physical evidence, they will be able to convince the world of their Big Lie, that they are the original inhabitants of the Holy Land. Rabbi Najara was not only the rabbi of Gaza, but he was also a famous poet. The following is a translation of one of his most well-known poems "Yoh Ribbon Olam ve-Allemayya", a poem that appears in the Jewish prayer book, to be sung every Sabbath: "Lord of all worlds! All Your creatures praise You. Even if we lived a thousand years, we could not recount the extent of Your greatness. God, save Your people from their exile and rebuild the Temple, and there, in Jerusalem, we will really be able to sing to You!" The poetry of Rabbi Najara is beautiful, inspiring and a tribute to Hashem. But poetry can also be vile, inciting and a call to terror and violence. One of the most famous Arab poets today is Mahmoud Darwish, whose poems deal with the Arab-Jewish conflict. (By the way, Yossi Sarid, who was Minister of Education under Prime Minister Ehud Barak, made the incredible demand that the poetry of Darwish become part of the curriculum for Jewish children.) The following is from one of Darwish's most popular poems: "Dig up your dead! / Take their bones with you / and leave our land." Desecration of Jewish graves occurred already while Ehud Barak was Prime Minister. Barak allowed the burning and vandalizing of graves such as the tombs of Joseph and Joshua in Samaria, and Jewish graves in Hebron. Now, shamefully, Prime Minister Sharon is planning to make Mahmoud Darwish's poem even more of a reality. Shame on you, Ariel Sharon! Would you even contemplate digging up the bones of your beloved wife Lilly? Or of your son who died at a young age? The widely accepted and most important code of Jewish law, the Shulchan Aruch, states as follows (Yoreh De'ah , 363:1): "You are not allowed to remove the dead and the bones, not from a respectful grave to a respectful grave, not from a disrespectful grave to a disrespectful grave, and not from a disrespectful grave to a respectful one. (It goes without saying that it is not allowed to remove from a respectful grave to a disrespectful one.) The only cases where transfer of the dead would be allowed are if it was the will of the deceased, or if the remains are being transferred to Israel." Member of Knesset Gila Finkelstein of the National Religious Party delivered a speech in the Knesset on July 7, 2004, which dealt with the human suffering of Sharon's Disengagement Plan: "Who will lift up the three Cohen family children - those heroic youngsters from Kfar Darom who lost legs [in a murderous Palestinian terror attack on a school bus - ed.] - and take them out of their house, the house to which they returned after the attack when they made a courageous decision to show that terrorism had not won? The Jews of Gaza have been targeted by more than 4,200 Palestinian rockets and mortar shells in the past four years. They have been demonized and delegitimized by the media, disparaged by the Left, and threatened with expulsion by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Despite the threat of withdrawal hanging over their heads, it turns out that in the first six months of 2004, the number of Jews living in Gaza actually soared, growing at a rate three times faster than last year. (By the way, Sharon has made it clear that anybody who moves to Gaza now, will not be compensated.) I firmly believe that, as long as we remain confident in Hashem and in the justness of our cause, no power in the world can dislodge us from our Land, our Biblical patrimony. As Menachem Begin noted in his book The Revolt, "Faith is perhaps stronger than reality, for faith itself creates reality."
Nissan Ratzlav-Katz is the Opinion Editor of Arutz-7 (www.Israel
National News.com)
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ENOUGH MUSLIM VICTIMHOOD ALREADY!
Posted by Barry Shaw, July 30, 2005. |
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I am sick and tired of hearing cries of victimhood from Muslims as Islamic Jihadists carry out the most horrendous crimes worldwide. I was saddened and sickened when members of the Bigley family accused Tony Blair of having blood on his hands as we saw brother Kenneth having his severed head held up in the bloodied hands of his Muslim murderer. I was angered when the educated British Muslim who trapped Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and cut off his head, blamed Jews and Israel for driving him to carry out this piece of inhumanity. Pearl's parents have been trying to build a bridge between the West and Islam since their son's murder in 2002. They have given up in despair. They have been overwhelmed by the passionate fanaticism of Islam. I am in despair when the mayor of a great city like London can spout anti-Semitic rubbish and still keep his job. He also advocates the motivation of a Palestinian homicide bomber, while his own citizens live in fear from the same sick mind-set that has sent over twenty four thousand terror attacks against Israel. I am appalled by Christians worldwide who remain silent when Muslims falsely accuse Americans of destroying their Koran while Saudi Arabia routinely shreds Christian Bibles if found in their country. I am amazed when people describe Islam as being a religion based on peace and tolerance. It is a religion based on domination, intolerance, and submission to its creed. It is time for people to realise that the silent majority of British Muslims will remain silent until their leaders demand of them loyalty to Allah and Jihad instead of Queen and country. The opinions of most Muslims in Britain may be to condemn the terror attacks in London, but they quietly support suicide bombings in Israeli. They may protest that they support the Palestinians, but this is untrue. Palestinians are despised in all the Arab states, despite the rhetoric. The Palestinians are useful only in that they are in the vanguard of the Muslim desire to eradicate the Jewish State. Did you not notice that not one of the hundreds of Palestinian suicide bombers has been a Christian? Are they not as frustrated as their Islamic countrymen? With the excellent police and intelligence work in Britain the bombers will move over to a softer target country in Europe to continue their mayhem. However, in the threatening words of The Terminator, they'll be back! When that day comes, when the bombers and radicals return, will London and Britain be more, or less, Islamic? Barry Shaw made aliyah from Manchester, England 25 years ago with his family. Initially, he lived on various kibbutzim. He now runs a busy real estate office in Netanya. He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Netanya Terror Victims Fund. He writes the "View from Here" columns from Israel. To sign up to receive his emails, contact him at netre@matav.net.il |
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WHERE ARE ALL THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY M-16s
Posted by Tamar psion, July 29, 2005. |
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This is from Arutz-7 - www.israelnationalnews.com (ttp://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=86698). It was written by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu U.S. Gen. Wm. Ward said he cannot account for thousands of M-16 assault rifles, which Israel gave to the PA. Another official offered no clear way to stop Hamas from getting American aid money. At a Congressional subcommittee hearing of the House Appropriations committee, which is considering a bill that would provide $50 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, Congressman Mark Kirk told special envoy General William Ward, "I worry that I've seen this movie before." He explained that during the 1990s, Congress relented to pressure from former envoy Dennis Ross and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to give the rifles directly to the PA. "Under a veto threat, the Congress relented... Now, imagine how we felt a year later when we saw those -- when we saw Palestinian policemen using those M-16s to shoot Israelis.... And General Ward, do we know where all these M-16s are? Have we done an audit of all the guns we've already given the Palestinian Authority?" Ward answered, "No, we've not yet seen the audit. However... that report is supposed to be shared... and I specifically asked, 'Will we or will we not be able to have access to that report?'" Ward did not provide any further answers. Another official was not able to directly answer a question by another Congressman who asked what would be done with American aid to the PA, which plans to form a coalition with Hamas terrorists. The U.S. has classified Hamas as a terrorist organization and has barred assisting it. American envoy David Welch was not able to clarify how the American government would deal with the issue. Congressman Joe Knollenberg pointed out that Hamas has won several local council seats, including all of the seats in the Arab city of Kalkilya, adjacent to Kfar Saba. He asked, "What is the U.S. policy on interacting with Palestinian individuals... who have been elected and who are also members of terrorist organizations like Hamas?" Welch, unable to give a direct answer, said, "We're trying to work with those realities in such a manner that we don't skip over law or policy." Another subcommittee witness, James Wolfensohn, the Quartet's special envoy for Gaza, told Congressman Steven Rothman that anti-Semitism is "very limited" at the leadership level. Rothman asked, "But how about the textbooks in the schools?" which describe the entire country of Israel as "Palestine". Wolfensohn replied, "No. No. Well, that's a separate question." When asked about the Arabs accepting Israel as a Jewish state, he replied, "There are some that would accept it willingly, and there are some that, I need hardly explain to you, don't feel that." |
| GUSH KATIF |
BACK FROM GUSH KATIF
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 29, 2005. |
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This was written by Roberta Feinstein Bienenfeld of Beit Shemesh. Just back from Gush Katif (a few hours ago) but left our wayward car there as it still isn't fixed... It is very hot and humid there and there are visitors and guests everywhere. Despite the fact that noone is allowed in except for close relatives people are getting in. At the beach, the jellyfish, they tell me, are the size of big plastic bags. They are checking everyone--in and out. They say there are too many people in Gush Katif and that is why they have closed off the roads to anyone except relatives of the first degree. I am still waiting to hear the complaints from our leftist countrymen who have to show their ID cards to move anywhere on the roads down south. I can't imagine what will happen next week when everyone gets to Sderot. Will the police put up wire fences around a city as well? Everyone we spoke to there (as I hope you will all read in Tami Wiseman's article in the Jerusalem Post Magazine to appear sometime in the near future--but not this week) is full of Emunah and praying for that miracle. Unfortunately I do not think that either Yesha or any radical organizations will provide that miracle at this time. I don't know what happened to all the threats of closing down the country. I see the country still running while Gush Katif is closed down and getting tighter every day. Two nights ago we were warned of the roundup of all the illegals. Everyone was running scared. The illegals all stayed inside. I don't think it happened--yet. Last night at midnight somebody rang my doorbell. We didn't answer. Earlier in the evening someone came by trying to collect money. They said they were from Netivot and tried to get into my house. I didn't let them in or give them money. Something was suspicious about them and it was only after they left that I realized--How could a shnorrer from Netivot get past all the soldiers and police? I have gotten three calls in three days asking me to anser a survey--a political survey. Every day in Neve Dekalim the yishuv gives out another information sheet on what is happening. There are shiurim and activities everywhere and at all hours of the day. Of course one of the favorites is the kids going out to Kissufim every night to talk to the soldiers. People are getting arrested day and night but not a word of it gets to the press. A woman (on the way out) wouldn't show her identity card--off to prison. And the reports of brutality and violence also go unreported. There was also a big march on foot the night after the murder by the Gush Katif Bridge. Noone reported that either. The police/soldiers were unable to contain the 150 women (and some men) who did the marching. They were scared s....less. Yes, we were there when the chief army rabbi was there--and booed. I found it hard not to cry as I remembered the last time we stood by the same house, a large group of residents, waiting for the funeral. We were actually asked (unofficially) by at least one of the families there to come and protest by their house against moving the bodies of their loved ones from the cemetery. And we were also there when the Sephardi chief rabbi Amar gave a special shiur to the women telling them to be strong and try to keep their families together--no matter what happens and a very, very moving prayer meeting, shofar and all, where representatives of many Edot got up and read the prayers (7 times in all) . There are reporters everywhere--all looking for a scoop. The stores had run out of food--I think this is due to all the guests but had filled up a bit when we left. And of course the mortars continued to fall and the tanks to roar and the guns continue their rat-tat-tat spitting out bullets in either direction. Nothing about that in the press either--we only hear about Sderot. So good night to all--may we only hear good news. Judy Lash Balint is an investigative journalist and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). It is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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WHY ISRAELI POLICY BRUTALITY? DENIEL OF FUTURE TERRORISM
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 29, 2005. |
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MAKING SENSE OF POLICE BRUTALITY Alternative Israeli news sources record increasing false police arrests, harassment, and beatings of innocent Jews and of civilly disobedient but non-violent Jews. Israelis from the former Soviet Union remember similar tactics used on them there. It is one way of quelling dissent. If the government were decent (though foolish to pursue abandonment), it would just arrest road blockers but not beat them up, anybody suspected of opposing to abandonment, anyone who photographs the unwarranted brutality and harassment, and anybody else around. It arrests and tries to keep the people in jail without charges, and when there is no crime. The Israeli justice system permits long incarceration; the US system does not except for military prisoners. I think there is more to this behavior than just political repression. The government has recruited, trained, and unleashed police selected for Jewish or gentile hatred of observant and nationalistic Jews. Brutes unleashed don't discriminate well. They enjoy their bullying, apparently not punished for its excesses. The question is whether the Jewish state will survive long enough for its people to wake up and overthrow its statist and leftist tyranny. Its leftist political brutality precedes statehood. FALSE ANALOGY STILL WITH US London has the wrong mayor for these times. He is a Communist, and has admitted being swayed by the large number of Muslim voters in his jurisdiction. Either way, he comes up with outrageous defamation of Israelis and excuses for terrorism. He has welcomed terrorist leaders. One of his latest false comparisons is to equate Likud to Hamas. At least he denounced Hamas. But if he knows that Hamas murders innocent people, then he should know not to equate it to Likud. Ironically, the Likud Party is approving concessions to the Arabs. Mayor Livingstone recently repeated the false analogy that Israel can fight with jets, but the Palestinian Arabs have only their bodies. The purpose of that comparison is to lower Israel to the Arabs' moral plane. That is unfair, because the Arabs commit aggression and have no right to be fighting in the first place. Aggressors ought to have poorer arms. War between aggressors and victims should not be even-handed. Cops should be better armed than criminals. In the second place, the analogy reinforces the new false notion that the Muslim jihad against Israel, which somewhat misleadingly was called (including by myself) the Arab-Israel conflict, is a " Palestinian-Israeli conflict." The new name is misleading not just because there is no Palestinian people and Israel and Jordan are as much in Palestine as Arafat's Arabs, but because it intentionally narrows the scope of the conflict and makes it seem territorial rather than religious. Being religious, it involves other Arabs and Iran directly, and other Muslim states indirectly. Together, they have several times as much modern weaponry as Israel. In the third place, the analogy is false on its face. The Arab terrorists are fighting a guerrilla war. Against them, airplanes rarely are effective or discriminating enough. They rarely are used -- Israel is restrained by world public opinion to tie one hand behind its back. Public opinion, Israel fails to realize, is a potent weapon. (Hitler or Stalin once scoffed, "How many divisions has the Pope?" However, a Pope was a major factor in overthrowing Soviet Communism.) As for the Arabs, they do have more than their bodies. They have mined the roads with bombs, stabbed trusting Israelis, sprayed travelers with bullets, fired anti-tank rockets, and bombarded civilian neighborhoods with Katyusha rockets and mortars. It is criminal to let the western Palestinian Arabs, who signed peace agreements, have those means of committing war crimes. Apparently the Red Mayor wouldn't mind genocide against the Jews. MAJOR ISRAELI ECONOMIC REFORM PENDING Finance Min. Netanyahu has been reforming the Israeli economy. Now he is tackling a major reform, unbundling the two main banks' services and privatizing them. These banks have a stranglehold on the economy, and they have been strangling it. They lack the competition that might keep them on their toes. They have invested so poorly and sluggishly, as to retard the economy and absorb government bailouts. (The US bailed out its banks, too.) If the economy were freed from the banking albatross, Israel might become a wealthy country. It could afford a better defense. Unfortunately, the banks have such power over other business, the media, and politicians, that Min. Netanyahu is not getting much public support, while the banks are lobbying extensively and expensively against him (Daniel Doron, NY Sun, 5/13, p.11). His is the path to independence and survival. IRRESPONSIBLE ARMS COMPETITORS France is trying to replace the US as the main supplier of arms to the Arabs. It is offering Egypt "generous" terms for purchases. Some of the naval systems are ones that the US has denied Egypt (IMRA, 7/11). This is where the drive to make money turns antisocial. The US does not deny the Arabs much. Therefore, I suppose that those naval systems would greatly and obviously empower an aggressive Egyptian thrust against Israel. The U.S. doesn't want it to be obvious. "Generous terms" probably means slow payment at low interest, letting Egypt gradually build up a debt for those non-productive items its non-productive economy cannot afford, until it begs to be forgiven its debt. That has been the pattern of irresponsible sales and purchases. JAFFEE CENTER DENIES LIKELIHOOD OF MORE TERRORISM Despite all the years of terrorism that Oslo facilitated, the Jaffee center for Strategic Studies denies intelligence estimates that the abandonment plan would facilitate more terrorism. One part of its analysis is that by further and permanent territorial concessions, Israel would help induce the Arabs to stop the war. (This assumes limited territorial struggle, whereas the war is a holy one.) The other part is that by entering politics, Hamas, which mostly honored the semi-truce and has not made harsh declarations against Israel, lately, is joining the "mainstream" and it is "not in its interest" to continue the war (IMRA, 7/11). Hamas declared: After abandonment, war. Abbas has said likewise, but in "moderate" terms. He is a "moderate" warmonger. No Palestinian Arab "mainstream" is identified. Hamas has won over the P.A. people by providing services that the corrupt P.A. does not and by greater defiance against Israel. Hamas used the semi-truce to rearm and position itself for renewed war. It has not rejected its ideology. I find the Jaffee Center generally unrealistic in its appeasement, which usually fails. Its false premises constantly lead it to false conclusions. In this piece, it argues mostly by unsupported assertion. Failing to understand the Muslim Arabs, it does its country a disservice. FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD ARTIFACTS FOUND Excavations for a highway uncovered a nearly intact village thought to
have been destroyed with the First Temple, and accompanying artifacts
(Arutz-7, 7/11).
Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of
Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear
often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and
right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To
subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com.
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| GUSH KATIF |
CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 28, 2005. |
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Let's hear it from experts on International Law! Israel's Prime Minister Ariel (Arik) Sharon has been advised by numerous military and intelligence experts repeatedly that Israel will be attacked across the length and breadth of the land after Sharon's precipitous retreat from historically Jewish Land in Gaza/Gush Katif. Sharon has incontrovertible information that there has been a marked increase in the smuggling of heavy weapons to include explosives and ground-to-air shoulder-fired missiles, most coming across the Sinai Desert with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak's knowledge and assistance. Sharon himself has named 44 Israeli communities on the so-called Israeli side of the "Green Line" into front-line towns and cities once Sharon "ethnically cleanses" the Gaza Strip, emptying it of all Jews. Right now, Sharon's stated 'reason' for retreating from Gaza/Gush Katif is that the 22 communities are currently at risk and he doesn't want to waste troops guarding the area. Sharon deliberately choose to ignore the certainty of this attack, even confirmed by Hamas and all other Arab Muslim Terrorist organizations that they pledge to attack. What's the logic of actually doubling the number of communities at risk of being hit by missiles from a radical Islamic Palestinian state in Gaza as Global Terrorists ("Mujahadeen") pour in? And, that doubling does not factor in the increased accuracy and distance of new Rockets and Missiles flowing in from all the Islamic weapons' making countries. Sharon has repeatedly stated that he would send IDF (Israel Defense Forces) back into Gaza IF such events occur. In effect, Sharon is admitting his "Unilateral Disengagement Plan" was and is not only a farce but will be extremely dangerous to Israel, making all of Israel more vulnerable to terror attacks from a newly re-invigorated Terrorist Palestinian Authority, plus an influx heavy arms and vicious terrorists into Gaza. Sharon knows all of this because of his useless decision (except for the personal benefits it brings to him). He knows full well that Israel will come under heavy terrorist fire with predictable casualties. "Coming under fire" means that Israelis will most certainly be killed or wounded grievously, some of which has happened already. Therefore, has not Sharon conspired to knowingly commit murder against the citizens of Israel? Given that he has not offered any reason for his peremptory withdrawal and NOT obtained any concessions from the Muslim Arab Palestinian Terrorists - other than their enthusiastically pledging to continue killing Jews - until they are all gone from what the Muslims consider Islamic land. In addition to ignoring the alarming advise and opinions of his highest ranking officers in the IDF and Intelligence Services, one sees this effort to stay out of jail for personal prior assaults on Israeli law. I will add the question: Does a Prime Minister of a sovereign nation betray his nation's security and sovereignty because Queen Condi Rice, speaking for President Bush, demanded that Israel arm the Arab Muslim Palestinians under Mahmoud Abbas (aka Abu Mazen) and further demanded that Israel not respond to salvos of Rocket, Mortar and Missile attacks, suicide bombings and drive-by ambush shootings? Therefore, is it not reasonable to charge this man with pre-meditated murdered of named victims (those already killed and wounded in the bombings, mortar, rocket, missile and drive-by shootings) and those so far unnamed (those yet to be murdered or wounded) due to Sharon's decision with malice aforethought. We have already seen that Sharon issued orders to the military to NOT respond to salvos of Kassem rockets and mortars on Sderot (a town bordering the Gaza Strip). Therefore, Sharon deliberately (with malice aforethought) puts the lives of civilians in Sderot and the other 44 communities which he lists - so far - in jeopardy of loss of life, limb, shock, bodies filled with bomb bits, including the nuts and bolts the Muslim Arab Terrorists load into their bombs. Sderot is not an Israeli Army Base where Generals can choose to risk the lives of soldiers and consider them expendable. So, experts of International Law, can you charge Sharon with intent to commit murder based on the above blatant evidence? Also, for those already murdered or grievously wounded, can Sharon be charged with a capital crime and receive a commensurate sentence? Can he be charged like any other killer of people? Can we re-adopt the Biblical concept of punishment - like an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth, etc. Cannot it now be a Life for a Life; a beating for a beating - imprisonment for Police and Judges who wrongly imprisoned those rightfully protesting being evicted from their homes? What say you? SHARON'S LEGACY Israel's Prime Minister Ariel (Arik) Sharon will leave a black legacy that will shame the Jewish nation for decades, in addition to having made the nation vulnerable to Terrorist attacks by Muslim Arabs. He has Police and Army officers training their men to be thugs. They have established training camps for them to practice storming the homes of settlers and dragging out those who refuse to leave their homes. They have already been practicing how to beat civilians like common thugs who support a Police State. We already know that Sharon's entire government bureaucracy is merely one great corrupt establishment, whose servants will do anything for money and power. What will be remembered is the criminal enterprise, supported by the weak and greedy whom Sharon has gathered around himself. These are the trash of Jewish society, although they view themselves as elite. What is even more tragic is that most of the Israeli people, except for the settlers and their supporters who stood by and watched. They knew that Sharon and Shimon Peres (Head of the Left Labor Party) had lied and cheated the Jewish nation but, they refused to act expeditiously to stop them. Here we see the Leftists, Sharon's Cabinet and the Knesset (except for a handful who defied Sharon and whom he called "rebels".) One can only be reminded of the European Jews who artfully avoided seeing that the German Nazi Brown Shirt thugs were only the first wave of danger. Denial and artful avoidance runs strong in the Jewish people and, as a result, they usually pay with their lives. Sharon and his collaborators have rushed to open the gates - again - to a pagan enemy. He does this for himself and the Bush Family Dynasty and their supporters whose loyalty to Arab oil far exceeds any concern for the safety, security and sovereignty of Israel. ### "Prosecution Policy: Don't Topple the Government Tuesday," July 26, 2005, Arutz Sheva 7 - www.IsraelNationalNews.com A senior police officer speaking with Arutz-7 on condition of anonymity says there is enough evidence to indict and convict PM Sharon, but "it's unreasonable to topple a gov't over criminal cases." The source said that incontrovertible evidence exists against the Prime Minister in more than one case, but that the decision was made, together with the State Prosecution, not to pursue the cases. The investigations in question concern the $1.5 million loan by South African millionaire Cyril Kern to Sharon's sons, Kfar Malal (see below), and others. The source said that police investigators were made to understand that the policy is not to delve into cases that might incriminate the Prime Minister, in order not to destabilize the regime in Israel. Former State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg, in a recent interview he granted Yediot Acharonot upon ending his seven-year term in the post, said he did not understand why the investigation of Sharon's Kfar Malal activities was taking so long. The Kfar Malal affair was first uncovered by the business daily Globes in the summer of 2003 when it alleged that Prime Minister Sharon intervened with the Transportation Ministry on behalf of two brothers from Kfar Malal, south of Kfar Saba, whose land was being seized for use as a highway. The brothers, friends and former neighbors of Sharon, told the Prime Minister that their claims that the proposed compensation was too low were being ignored. Sharon intervened, and the brothers received some $100,000 more than had originally been set. Then Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein ordered an investigation and froze the payment of compensation. Former State Comptroller Goldberg himself investigated this issue in the past, and found that Sharon had "acted directly to promote a decision regarding farmland that led to a personal benefit for him and his relative." Arutz-7's Shimon Cohen, who spoke with the police source, said that the policy outlined by the source explains the enthusiasm with which the Prosecution is pursuing a plea-bargain deal with MK Omri Sharon, the Prime Minister's son. Much evidence, including documents, affidavits, recorded testimony and admissions, has been amassed showing that Omri activated fictitious associations to help his father beat Ehud Olmert in the Likud primaries of 1999. Despite this, and contrary to accepted practice, the Prosecution made great efforts to reach a plea bargain deal - which may even be finalized as soon as today. The fact that the Prosecution pursued a plea bargain deal, despite the relative ease with which it could have achieved a conviction, raised eyebrows in many legal circles. The deal stipulates that Omri Sharon will confess to a series of minor infractions, in exchange for the erasure of the heavier accusations against him. Two legal experts consulted by Arutz-7 differed on the ramifications of this development. One said that it appears that the Prosecution's enthusiasm for a plea bargain appears to be based on the fear that a trial will raise genuine doubts regarding the manner in which Prime Minister Sharon reached the position of Likud Party Chairman. This is an extension of the policy not to risk the toppling of the government "merely because of criminal cases." Another legal expert said that though he agrees that the Prosecution, for political reasons, has no interest in toppling the government, "the fact is that most cases end in a plea bargain agreement." He said, therefore, that the agreement made with Omri does not in itself prove the Prosecution's political leanings. The Supreme Court itself, when it reviewed Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision not to indict PM Sharon regarding the Greek Island affair, admitted that political considerations were central. Acknowledging that Sharon received different treatment than that which a regular citizen in a similar situation would have received, the Court justified this by stating that "the indictment of a Prime Minister would lead, probably immediately, to changes in the government order in the country, which would be liable to have a dramatic influence on the policy." The Supreme Court judges made this ruling despite admitting that Sharon's "explanations during the police investigation did not correspond with facts about which there is direct evidence." Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). Baruch Gordon contributed to this report. |
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ONE GAS CHAMBER SHORT OF A HOLOCAUST
Posted by Beth Goodtree, July 28, 2005. |
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Every day now, one hears the outraged cries of the Expulsion proponents at the comparisons being made between the Disengagement plan, its supporters and their tactics, and the Holocaust. It's time to analyze what they are really saying and what they are really doing. A recent news article on Arutz Sheva gave the following report: "Minister (Likud) Danny Naveh joined other government officials, issuing a condemnatory statement regarding the planned use of concentration camp uniforms and yellow stars by residents of Alei Sinai in northern Gaza. In essence, what Minister Naveh and others have said is that so long as Jews aren't marched into a gas chamber, there is no comparison. Shamefully, Dr. Motti Shalem, who directs the International School for Holocaust Studies at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem said practically the same thing: "... has no historical basis," said. "With all due respect to their evacuation, they are not being sent to death camps." (2) Sadly, both these people equate the Holocaust only with the gas chambers. But the Holocaust wasn't only about gas chambers. The Holocaust may have ended with gas chambers, but the entire Holocaust was much, much more. It was a series of behaviors and actions that destroyed people's lives because of their religion and ethnicity. Jews were expelled from their homes and their businesses taken away. This was part of the Holocaust too. In actuality, the Holocaust has been acknowledged to have started not with the gas chambers, but long before. When Hitler was arrested and jailed in 1923, he wrote Mein Kampf. In it, he blamed the Jews for Germany's political and economic problems. Is this not what is going on now, albeit with a slight variation? Ariel Sharon and his supporters in Likud, Labor and other parties are blaming an entire segment of observant Jews living in part of the aboriginal Jewish homeland for all of Israel's economic and political woes. Sharon & Co. say that the Jews living in some of the towns of Judea, Gaza and Samaria are a drain on Israel. This despite the fact that they are the producers of 70% of the country's organic produce and export 60% of the country's cherry tomatoes. In truth, the people living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza are a vital part of Israel's economy and food supply. However, this tactic of Sharon's is exactly the same one as Adolf Hitler used in the 1920's and 30's -- denying that Jews contributed greatly to the society in which they lived. The only difference is that Hitler didn't single out one segment of the Jewish population. To him, all Jews were equally guilty. However, this demonization and outright lying about the value and contributions of a group of people with specific religious beliefs was part of the Holocaust. Sharon & Co. also claim that protecting the Jews living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is too expensive. Again, he has deliberately twisted the reality. First and foremost, there is very little protection going on for those brave people, who sustain unending and unanswered rocket, missile and shooting attacks day in and day out. Then too is the buffer that the Jews living in these lands provide for the rest of Israel. They absorb the majority of attacks which would be directed at major population centers such as Tel Aviv and Ashkelon if the Arabs were to control the settlement areas. The cost of thwarting, defending and retaliating against such potential attacks, as well as the medical response needed and lives lost would far outweigh the comparatively minimal costs now. But let us return to the tactics used by the Germans as part of the Holocaust. Free speech and dissent was stifled in Hitler's Germany. In Israel today, free speech and dissent to Sharon's expulsion plan is also stifled. In Hitler's Germany, children were arrested for trivial reasons having nothing to do with actual criminal acts. In Israel today, children as young as 12 are being arrested and taken away from their parents for the basic human instinct, nay, human right, of wanting to keep their homes, lives and communities. Free travel to Jewish areas was restricted in Hitler's Germany and special identification issued. The same is being done today to the Jews of Gaza, Judea and Samaria. Demonization, blame for the country's woes, suppression of legitimate and peaceful protest, as well as suppression of dissent and specific identification cards were all tactics of the Holocaust and all are being used now by Sharon. Most recent are some new tactics being planned by Sharon to threaten the very lives of the residents of Gaza, Judea and Samaria. According to an article by Rachel Saperstein entitled "Roundups of Jews," the Sharon government plans on jeopardizing the health and continued existence of the people living in the areas planned for expulsion. Sharon's government has sporadically shut down their telephone and internet service so they cannot get word out about the atrocities being committed by him against his own citizens. Sharon is also planning to shut off their electricity and water. Does Sharon ever do this to the murderous and genocidal Arabs who bomb and attack these same people mercilessly? No. He only does it to Jews. Again, just like the Holocaust events leading up to the "final solution." So in saying that the comparison of the Expulsion to the Holocaust is wrong, is, by default, to say that all the other actions done by the Nazis short of the gas chambers, was and still is, perfectly acceptable and legitimate. How sad. End Notes (1) http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=86683
Beth Goodtree is an award-winning writer who lives in the NYC metro area. She writes political commentary/analysis, and the occasional science and humor articles. Or visit her website: http://hometown.aol.com/bgoodtree/ |
| GUSH KATIF |
HOW I BECAME AN ARMCHAIR ACTIVIST
Posted by Moshe Finberg, July 28, 2005. |
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Stop the Deportation/ Maalat HaGeula.org Help Us Help Them, Please donate generously. As Thomas Paine wrote in December of 1776, "these are the times that try men's souls." Those words were used by the great American patriot, pamphleteer, and British fringe extremist living in the Virginia settlements to speak to the consciences of other settlers in what were euphemistically referred to as "The Colonies." The "times" of which he wrote were the events leading up to the American Revolutionary War by which freedom and independence were extracted from a despotic dictator completely out of touch with his settlers. We Jews are facing a similar breakdown in the Land of Israel where a showdown of biblical proportions has been building since the very founding of the Zionist movement. Israeli citizens have finally had enough, thank G_d. They are taking to the streets by the tens of thousands to demand an end to the sell out. They are putting their bodies on the line to stop a corrupt government from giving Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah training camps and artillery fields from which rockets and mortars may be launched into major population centers just a few kilometers away. I, like many of you, am sick of the pathetic capitulations, the disrespect of the People and the Torah, the corruption of the government and the judiciary, and the lack of Jewish pride, identity, and self-respect. Many of us have said that he will give away the Land of Israel and deport Jews "only over my dead body" and have meant it. We made plans to fly to Israel to join our holy brothers and sisters on the lines to absorb some of the beatings and other abuses which the police and military are inflicting on Jews of all ages and sexes. Instead of tracking down and destroying the sources of the bullets, mortars, and bombs which are directed at Jews, police arrest and abuse minors who have taken to the streets to stop the Sharon freight train. No more, they shout! They will not buy into their parents' Israel of little faith or distinction. Children as young at 10 are clogging the system by blocking intersections, sitting in jails after they are arrested on trumped up charges by refusing to identify themselves, and then defying the courts where they are non-responsive to politically motivated trials. These children are retaking Eretz Yisrael for Am Yisrael. They are our future leaders and they are above corruption and reproach. They are well organized and have remarkable Torah faith and trust in the rightness of their actions. Their parents watch in horror at the abuse but pride at the dedication to the cause. These heroes need our money for food, water, basic necessities, and excellent lawyers to protect their civil rights much more than they need our physical presence in the Land right now. I have been informed by my contacts within the civil disobedience movement in Israel that they have the bodies and the plans to do the job. When I asked how I can be of the most help - should I come over or instead donate the cost of my trip to fund the costs of the operations in Israel, I was told by dear friends that although they want me to come, the money is more important to the current effort. I was told that the cost of my flight and travel in Israel would take care of the needs of 50 youth for 30 days. That's leverage! I cashed in my ticket and sent the money to Israeli organizations which will take good care of these youngsters. Please take their words to heart and join me in doing the same if you want to make a real difference and can't afford to both go to Israel and donate at least $1,000.00. The Israelis are prepared to sit in the hot sun all day, go for long stretches without showers or proper toilet facilities, and to sit in prison learning Torah and singing songs of praise and joy much to their jailers' dismay. Most of us are not up to that. Stay home this summer and send the money you would have spent on airfare and other travel expenses to our holy brothers and sisters on the lines. We at Maalat HaGeula (Ascendant Redemption) can help you make sure that every shekel goes to humanitarian aid to the resistance. As much as we want to be there, let's do what has been asked of us and generously give instead. Moshe Finberg is Chairman of Maalat HaGeula (Ascendant Redemption). Contact him at matt@maalathageula.org or phone him at 303.442.1276. Send checks to:
Ascendant Redemption has been determined by the I.R.S. to be an organization described in Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to it are fully deductible as provided by law. Its taxpayer identification number is 68-0522194. Stop The Deportation
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PA USES US POP CULTURE TO TEACH HATRED OF US
Posted by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, July 28, 2005. |
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This is a Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) Bulletin
In a virtually unprecedented move, Palestinian Authority Television (PA TV) broadcast a full-length American movie in the original English, with Arabic subtitles. Although introducing PA TV viewers to Western culture would appear to be a positive move, in actual fact, the film furthered the anti-American agenda of the PA. Broadcast July 25, it acted as just another 'hate America' message, albeit with a twist; the accuser was an American in an American-produced film, thereby giving greater credence to the charges. Produced in 1992, at the end of the Cold War era, Nick and Eddy in Trouble presents the United States as an imperialist tyrant, and promotes the anti-American conspiracy theories that had been common in the Communist Bloc - and are now widespread in the Arab world. The story follows Eddy, an investigative reporter who discovers that the United States is promoting and funding terrorism in "San Karbata," a fictional South American country. The goal of the US in the movie was to destabilize San Karbata's democratically elected government and to gain control of the country as a satellite state for imperialist purposes and financial gain. Throughout the movie Eddy sermonizes about the imperialist attitude that pervades the American government, leading it to commit atrocities in the name of morality. Eddy: Yeah, well, that's exactly what our government is telling us it is! 'Cause San Karbata doesn't want to be a satellite of this country, of the US, any more. They want to run their lives to suit their own lifestyles. They don't want the US controlling them any more." He reinforces the idea of a US conspiracy by specifically pointing to America's malicious intentions: "Most of the people here believe that the US is funding the Guerra rebels [the terrorists]. I understand that the US is arming these opposing parties in order to undermine the government and generally screw up the progress here." Finally the journalist has a rude awakening when he concludes that all his life he has been fooled by his own country: "It's weird how we grew up with this image of America being the good guy, when, if you research a little, you find out that our country has done some pretty crappy things to other countries to control them. It's a bummer." America is depicted as viciously interfering in international affairs through its CIA operatives around the world. "Because the CIA doesn't like the actions that the new government is taking, they are helping the Guerras [the terrorists of the story]." Finally the journalist meets the terrorists, and confirms that they are fighting for the CIA, though with a new twist. The CIA has kidnapped his family and he fights in order to save their lives: Terrorist: "I am a pawn in this game like all soldiers in all wars. We do the labor for the leaders of our countries - the leaders who own us all. They try to convince the people that they fight for morality and justice. There has never been one Goddamn war fought for morality. Its about might, resources, real estate, hummers, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Central America. It's all about money. Assholes like you know nothing about what is going on. You know nothing!! It's funny how it is not common knowledge that my family is being held in protective custody by the CIA." Eddy: "So what, you do the CIA's dirty work in exchange for...?" Terrorist: "Life. My family's lives. It's all a game. Everyone becomes a victim, not just people in Third World war-torn countries. Life is not a battle between good and evil. It is the struggle to be the assailant rather than the victim. It is what God intended. Survival of the fittest." [All quotes from Nick and Eddy in Trouble, PA TV, July 25, 2005] In choosing to resurrect this obscure anti-American film, the PA is actively and intentionally promoting the negative stereotype of America as international bully. Going beyond its routine anti-American hatred in religious sermons and newspaper editorials, the PA is reinforcing the hatred of America that is already so rampant in the PA today, this time using a subtler but very potent entertainment medium. This kind of popular entertainment in a midday time slot during the summer vacation reaches a wide audience, including and especially children. By using this movie and other media to present the US as the source of world terror, the PA is promoting a central argument in Arab anti-Western ideology. Using an American-produced movie to give credence to Arab anti-American propaganda is similar to the common PA tactic of quoting Jews to "prove" its anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda. (An example is the citing of Norman Finklestein's statements on the Holocaust, to "prove" that Jews turned the Holocaust into an industry for financial profit.) Additional dialogue from the movie Eddy: "San Karbata had a revolution three years ago. You remember the price of bananas went sky high? Well, what happened was the people got sick of the military dictatorship, and all the land down there is owned by just a few rich families. Since the main industry down there is agriculture, a majority of the people are poor... so for the average San Karbatan there is no economic opportunity, shitty living conditions, no education, bad health. I mean, life basically sucks for everyone but the military officers and the landowners. So the people got sick of it and revolted and kicked out the scumbags running the old regime, and started a new democratic government." Nick: "Typical revolution scenario." Eddy: "They want to get rid of the extreme social classes, make everyone more equal, no real poor people and no filthy rich people." Nick: "Like communism?" Eddy: "Yeah well that's exactly what our (American) government is telling us it is! 'Cause San Karbata doesn't want to be a satellite of this country, of the US, any more. They want to run their lives to suit their own lifestyles. They don't want the US controlling them any more... "Well, all the exiled supporters of the old dictatorship are trying to mess up the new government. They've set up these military training camps outside of the country and they have sent these bands of terrorists over the borders to blow away the civilians... "Most of the people here believe that the US is funding the Guerra rebels. They say that there are CIA guys falling out of the trees here. I understand that the US is arming these opposing parties in order to undermine the government and generally screw up the progress here." Lewis: "We also know how corrupt factions of the government can secretly do anything they want to without approval from the people. Our government has come a long way in three years but the CIA and the Guerras are like a bone in its side." Nick: "Big US corporations - they lost a lot of money when we took over the government." Eddy: "It's weird how we grew up with this image of America being the good guy when, if you research a little, you find out that our country has done some pretty crappy things to other countries to control them. It's a bummer." Contact Palestinian Media Watch by email at pmw@pmw.org.il or go to their website: www.pmw.org.il |
| GUSH KATIF |
EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL? THE SAGA OF TWO ISRAELI FAMILIES
Posted by Ruth Matar, July 28, 2005. |
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Dear Friends, This is the saga of two Israeli families, both of whom came home to Israel from the Diaspora. The family of Ariel Sharon made Aliyah from Russia after World War One and the Grandparent's of Shimshon Cytryn made Aliyah from United States. The legal problems of the Sharon family have been manifold, spanning many years. Until now Ariel Sharon and his two sons have been able to avoid conviction for their alleged transgressions of the law. The Cytryn family never had any legal problems in the United States, but are persecuted in Israel, because of their political opinions. I am very familiar with the legal problems of the Cytryn grandparents since they have been members of Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women In Green) for many years. In 1995, their son Shmuel Cytryn, who at that time lived with his family in Kiryat Arba, was put into Administrative Detention, where he was incarcerated for two and a half months. Administrative Detention, a procedure inherited from the British Mandate, is a device used by the Shabak (General Security Service) in order to imprison, without trial, people who are critical of the government. When a person is put in Administrative detention, he is not advised of the evidence against him, nor is he allowed to face his accusers. Shmuel Cytryn was merely told that he was a danger to the State of Israel because of his "loose tongue". I asked his mother, my friend Marilyn, what the Shabak meant by this accusation. She told me that her son Shmuel had warned various people that they should be aware of a certain man in the community, because he was a Shabak agent. Many years after Shmuel Cytryn was jailed in administrative detention, this accusation was confirmed. The man in question was Shabak agent Avishai Raviv, also known as "Champagne". Shmuel Cytryn was released from jail after two and a half months because of much pressure from civil libertarians including much opposition to this undemocratic procedure from the United States. A famous United States Civil Rights lawyer, Steven Perles, said to my friend Marilyn that her whole family should return to the United States. He believed that the Shabak would never forgive her family the unmasking of one of their agents. Sadly enough, my friend's grandson, Shimshon Cytryn, is now used as the fall guy for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's machinations to promote his Disengagement. His plan entails the deportation of 10,000 Jews from Gush Katif and northern Shomron. To accomplish this, Sharon is intent on sullying the reputation of the mainly religious settler population, which is ideologically opposed to his giving away Jewish land. Shimshon Cytryn is now sitting in jail, charged with attempted murder. In order to understand Shimshon's - the grandson - case I have to give you some background. Ariel Sharon was very interested in quartering his soldiers and police in a hotel in Gush Katif owned by Israeli Jews. Of course, it seemed advantageous for Sharon to have the expulsion forces right smack in the middle of Gush Katif. He made the owners of the hotel very generous financial offers, but as strong opponents of the Disengagement-Deportation Plan, they refused. The owners of the Palm Beach Hotel appointed Nadia Matar as the manager of the hotel, and as their legal representative. Nadia Matar spent much money which she had obtained from American donors, in order to make the 118 rooms of the hotel livable again. The owners of the hotel were enthusiastic about letting young couples with children live in the newly refurbished rooms. Ariel Sharon did not let this activity interfere with his plans. He arranged provocations against the residents of the hotel and finally had the army expel them with brute force, in the most undemocratic fashion. He now quarters police and soldiers in this hotel, which he literally stole from its rightful owners. It is interesting to note that the US Constitution, in the Bill of Rights, prohibits quartering soldiers in the homes of citizens. "No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner prescribed by law." The excuse used by the Sharon government to expel the young couples from the hotel, was the so called, "near lynching" of an Arab youth. I have discussed this "near lynching" in my previous Letters from Jerusalem. It has been proven, beyond doubt, that this was an affair staged by the Israeli media. However, Shimshon Cytryn is still imprisoned under very onerous conditions, charged with "attempted murder". He is accused of having led the "near lynching" of the Palestinian youth. (The Jerusalem Post, July 15, 2005) "The defendant had decided that he wanted to harm the injured (Palestinian) and kill him" the indictment against Cytryn claims. "To do that he armed himself with a rock, ran with the rock in hand towards where the youth was lying injured, jumped over the wall and threw the rock at his head with the intent to kill. However, Avi Yisakharov, a reporter for Reshet Bet (Israel Radio 2) appeared on the program Ha-Kol Dibburim (All Talk) and told the host of the program, Gabbi Gazit, that the "lynching victim" tells an entirely different story. He says that it was a soldier, not a settler, who hit him in his stomach and head with the butt of his M-16 rifle. The Arab youth insisted that it was not a settler but an IDF soldier. This radio program was transcribed by IFAT MEDIA INFORMATION in Hebrew, and I obtained a professional English translation. I have made this translation available in its entirety at the end of this letter. I urge you to read the transcript of this radio program. It is a MUST READ, and proves, without a doubt, Shimshon Cytryn's innocence. However, the Israeli media completely ignored this radio interview from July 4, 2005, with the Arab youth, and continues to talk about the settler, who nearly lynched an Arab youth. This is an excellent example of the Israeli media's propensity not to allow themselves to be confused by the facts. We pray that the Israeli Justice System will show more fairness. If you are as incensed as I am about this injustice perpetrated on the second generation of the Cytryn family, please express your sentiments to: Israel's Attorney General, Menachem Mazuz Faxes from a true democracy like the United States carry a great deal of weight. *** While the Cytryn family is battling the Israeli justice system, the Sharon family, although accused of many transgressions of the law, have never ever spent even one day in jail. The legal problems of the Sharon family have been manifold, spanning many years. The most often mentioned legal matter is the Greek Island Affair.
What follows is information taken from the Washington Times online:
"The affair dates back to 1998 when Sharon was minister of national
infrastructure and then foreign minister.
A contractor friend, David Appel, wanted to build a multi-billion
dollar resort on a barren Greek island, Petrokalo, 32 miles south east
of Athens.
It is a 750-acre island, half a mile from the coast. Appel
envisaged a resort of 100,000 rooms, casinos, gulf courses,
entertainment centers, sports centers and a train that would go there
from Athens airport in an undersea tunnel.
"It was a grandiose, some say megalomaniacal project," noted Mazuz.
Appel's experts estimated it would cost more than $15 billion.
Appel had difficulties obtaining the Greek island and allegedly
enlisted Sharon's help. Appel invited Greek officials to Israel and
Sharon attended a dinner in their honor.
Appel hired Sharon's son, Gilad, promised $7,500 a month and two
bonuses of $1.5 million each if the project developed. Later Appel and
Gilad Sharon signed a contract whereby the contractor would pay Gilad
Sharon $20,000 a month and, if the project developed, the $1.5
million.
Appel was indicted for bribery, under the assumption that Gilad
Sharon's work was not worth that much money and that it was actually
an indirect bribe to Sharon.
State Attorney Edna Arbel recommended charges against Ariel and
Gilad Sharon and prepared a proposed indictment before leaving to
become a Supreme Court judge."
According to the book Boomerang, Sharon, and his sidekick, attorney
Dov Weisglass hatched the disengagement plan in order to divert
attention from the charge of bribery and influence peddling in the
Greek Island Affair and other alleged crimes.
Sharon replaced Attorney General Edna Arbel with Menachem Mazuz and
had Edna Arbel kicked upstairs to the Supreme Court. Because of his
fear of being indicted Sharon is currently involved in the very
controversial political attempt to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes,
schools, synagogues and communities in Gush Katif and northern
Shomron. All of these areas are a part of the Biblical Inheritance of
the Jewish people.
Ariel Sharon has learned nothing from the Greek Island Affair.
While he is still in the process of expelling the Jews from Gush Katif
he is already negotiating with the new Arab landlords, to build a
vacation resort including a casino in the Gush Katif community of Elei
Sinai. Sharon is planning to work with three investors.
The first investor is Cyril Kern, who is closely connected to a
million-and-a-half dollar loan to Prime Minister Sharon and his sons,
a case which is still under investigation.
The second investor is a Saudi billionaire who has previously met
with Sharon to discuss the possibility of buying the Gush Katif
houses, from which Jews will be removed, for a lump sum of seven
billion dollars.
The third investor is Shmuel Flatto-Sharon, a former Knesset member
and convicted criminal.
AVI FARCHAN a resident of Elei Sinai told reporters of his fight to
hold onto his home in Yamit in the Sinai in 1982. He relocated to Elei
Sinai where he is now, once again going to be expelled from his home.
Farachan was outraged that his new home will be used by dealers.
Even the synagogue will be left intact in his home town of Elei Sinai,
so that Israeli gamblers in the proposed casino will have a place to
pray!
Farchan further said, "that the government was gambling at the
expense of the country. The casino plan," he said, "showed how the
Sharon government is motivated not by the values of the land but by
the values of money.
Have you no Jewish heart, Ariel Sharon? Have you no shame?
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Post Script - MUST READ
IFAT Media Information
Program: Ha-Kol Dibburim (It's All Talk)
Avi Yisakharov - Talk with the Palestinian Youth Who Underwent the
"Lynch" in Muassi
Gabbi Gazit: Hello to Avi Yisakharov.
Avi Yisakharov: Good morning, Gabbi
Gabbi Gazit: Well, you talked a few minutes ago with, what's the
boy's name?
Avi Yisakharov: Hilal Majaida.
Gabbi Gazit: Right, he's the victim of the lynch that almost
succeeded, but actually at the last minute remained alive. Then let's
hear about the conversation and the excerpts.
Avi Yisakharov: We will hear excerpts, of course, because this was
conducted in Arabic, so we'll try each time to give an excerpt and
then translate it. Hilal Majaida is eighteen years old, an inhabitant
of the al-Muassi area. I asked him several questions about himself, if
he ever belonged to the [terrorist] organizations, if he ever
participated in demonstrations. He said, All in all, I'm a quite
simple guy, that's what he sounded like, too.
Gabbi Gazit: How old is he, by the way?
Avi Yisakharov: Eighteen years old. I only wanted to make a living,
he explains, I wanted to earn my living without any relation to
politics, I don't understand too much about the Palestinian
organizations. That day, he explains, we went to the sea to catch
fish, that's his occupation, we spread the net, we saw there weren't
any fish, so we went to another place in the sea. Then I saw a
gathering of soldiers and residents, I went over there to see what
happened. Let's hear a short excerpt of how he describes this. So, he
explains, then he came to the place of the gathering, and he
immediately spotted next to his house a religious settler who wanted
to enter the house, so he hits him, he hit him in the head. What
happened then, Hilal Majaida tells us, here is the central passage -
one of the soldiers came and took him from there to an isolated spot,
he hits him in the stomach and in the head. I asked him: Are you sure
that this was the soldier? He said - Yes, the soldier, not any
settler, in the stomach and in the head. Let's hear his description.
So, Gabbi, according to what Hilal Majaida claimed, actually, first of
all, it was the soldier who beat him, even before we saw those famous
photographs on television, the soldier beating him with the butt of an
M-16 rifle, so he tells it.
Gabbi Gazit: Then we didn't see that on television.
Avi Yisakharov: We already didn't see this on television. Moreover,
---
Gabbi Gazit: OK. What about the clip that we saw, he tells.
Avi Yisakharov: Moreover, in fact, he doesn't remember the clip
that we saw. He was already --
Gabbi Gazit: He was already in a state of unconsciousness, right,
right.
Avi Yisakharov: Correct. Then he says: The soldier took me to that
isolated spot, he grabbed me, he pushed me against ...
Gabbi Gazit: ... that place where afterwards he's lying, where we
saw him.
Avi Yisakharov: Correct. He pushed me against the wall, he let
people beat me in the meantime, those little children came, he tells,
who beat me, until someone came from behind and hit me with a rock on
the head and I passed out. Listen. So, actually, Gabbi, Hilal
attributes, more than anything, everything that happened to him until
that moment, until that moment when he loses consciousness, to that
soldier. We don't know yet who that soldier is, we hear that the IDF
already is familiar with those claims by Hilal Majaida. Of course I
asked him if he was aware of everything that happened during this
entire period, then he's not so aware of the great commotion there was
in Israel about the lynch, about the arrest of those committing it, as
we read this morning in the newspapers, about the takeover of the
hotel. He says: I don't watch television, there are 120 channels and
there's everything there, but it's all talk, he says. What was the
damage, nevertheless? Four hours unconscious, four days in the
hospital, twelve stitches in his head, a broken left arm, a dislocated
right shoulder, headaches, nightmares while sleeping, bruises on his
back, swelling in his chest, and damaged hearing. A lot of damage was
caused to that Hilal Majaida. I wondered with him there, you know, all
in all, how does he see the future between the two peoples; after all,
Israelis rescued him. Then, first of all, he's thankful to Itzik Sadan
from Yedioth Ahronoth, the Yedioth reporter in the south who really
helped him to be extricated from there, but he already reports about
this that he wants to be a shahid [suicider]. He says that his
situation would be better if he were dead, he would be satisfied. I
asked him: Why would you be satisfied? Then he explains that life in
Muassi is no life, the settlers don't stop persecuting us, and there
won't be any peace with you Jews, because we don't like you and you
don't like us.
Ruth and Nadia Matar established Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), an activist group of women based in Jerusalem. Their website address is http://www.womeningreen.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
KISSUFIM
Posted by David Wilder, July 28, 2005. |
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I no longer know where I am. Yesterday really threw me through a loop. But I guess that's my fault. Nothing should surprise me anymore. The two stories - one: the welfare agency is planning on 'taking' children from their parents who are arrested resisting expulsion, and placing them with foster families, barring grandparents, aunts and/or uncles who will voluntarily give them a place to live, until their criminal parents are released from jail; and two: the young teenage girls, fourteen and fifteen, who must either stay in jail or live on a kibbutz, because: the cannot be sent home to Daddy, because he opposes the expulsion, and they cannot be sent to Mommy, because she lives in Gush Katif, and they cannot be left under house arrest, because at home they will continue their disruptive activities against the expulsion, and will have leave a 'negative' impression on their friends. It makes you want to cry. This is what we prayed for, for two thousand years? But, yes, there are miracles. Still, appearing before our eyes. The first, and the most amazing, in my opinion, is that people are continuing to make aliyah, continuing to come live in Israel. A few days ago a plane-load of new French immigrants arrived. This summer, if I'm not mistaken, Nefesh b' Nefesh, one of the most important organizations in existence today, is bringing some four full planes of new Israelis from America to the 'promised land.' In a few weeks, our wonderful Hebron Fund associate director, Ziva Glanz, is making aliyah with her husband Daniel and their infant. True, we lost a fabulous worker, but we're making that up with a new Israeli family. And as far as I'm concerned, the latter is much more important than the former. When people I meet, on groups touring, or via email, inform me that they're making Aliyah, well, it makes my day. There's nothing more important a Jew can do today than come live in Israel. But looking around at what's happening here in Israel, I ask myself, why would anyone in their right mind what to come live here? You've got to be crazy. And it's not a case of ignorance. Today, everything is available on internet, and just about everybody knows everything. So why are they coming? Israel, summer, 2005, is probably the last place on earth anyone would want to be. Democracy is being overrun by tyranny, the police and judicial system are fully corrupt, and the Israeli army can no longer be accurately called the IDF - the Israeli Defense Force. Rather than defending its citizens, the army is being ordered to attack and expel Jews from their homes. Now it's the IEF - the Israeli Expulsion Force. But the planes are still arriving with new batches of Israelis. Why? This morning I attended a special event at Ma'arat HaMachpela. Tamar and Koshet Menlon celebrated their son Aviel's Bar Mitzvah. The Menlon's arrived in Israel when Aviel was two, eleven years ago. At first they lived five families together in one caravan-house in Kiryat Arba. Now they have their own home. They made aliyah from North East India, a place between the former Burma and Bangladesh, and are known as Bnei Menashe - long-lost Jews from the tribe of Menashe, who have been missing since the days of the First Temple Era, thousands of years ago. Koshet Menlon, back in the old country, was a high-level administrator in the government offices of his locality. Today he works for a very low salary at a local carpentry business in Kiryat Arba. To try and make ends meet, Tamar cleans the neighborhood school every day, and sometimes also, people's homes. The Menlons, a family with five children, have little material property to speak of. A roof over their heads, clothing and food - the very basic necessities of life. But at Aviel's Bar Mitzvah I didn't see any unhappy people. Together with their family and friends, the Menlon's celebrated, not in a lost, forsaken place in the middle of nowhere. Rather, they celebrated at Ma'arat HaMachpela in Hebron. After thousands of years of being lost, these people have come home. Really home. To Hebron, the first Jewish city in Israel. When you stop and think about it, it's mind boggling. So here we have it - two very distant extremes - that can almost tear you apart. If not physically, than psychologically. The horrors of expulsion and abandonment, Israel summer, 2005, and the magnitude of Jews coming home, from America, from France, from India, from, anywhere, you name it. It's a dichotomy that's difficult to fathom. So, why? I can only suggest my answer. If you listen to, or read news concerning the present war for Gush Katif, you may have frequently heard the word, Kissufim, or the Kissufim junction. When you drive the roads to most of the Gush Katif communities, Neve Dekalim, Kfar Darom, etc, there is only one entrance, and that is via the Kissufim junction. It makes no difference if you arrive via Ashkelon or Beer Sheva; you must arrive at the Kissufim junction. Driving straight for a few minutes, passing entrances to various small moshavim and other communities, you arrive at the Kissufim checkpoint, which presently, seals off Gush Katif from the rest of the country, turning it into something of a Ghetto. From the Kissufim checkpoint, you continue on a desolate road, lined with decrepit Arab shacks, called by some, houses, which the terrorists use to take cover in order to shoot at Israelis driving on the road. (The Supreme Court forbade the army from destroying these wretched hovels, resulting in continued attacks, bloodshed and murder.) Eventually you cross over a bridge, taking you into Gush Katif proper. The Kissufim junction is currently a flashpoint - 'the place' to get to, or better put, to get through. It was the original target of last week's Moetzet Yesha march of 20,000. However, despite what you read in the press, people are still getting through. And you'll forgive me if I don't reveal how. (At least, not yet. The day will come?) In any case, Kissufim has, in the current lexicon, a special significance. But not too many people pay attention to Kissufim's real meaning. The definition of Kissufim in a Hebrew-English dictionary will likely be "yearning" or "craving." Kissufim really is a major junction, a crossroads, not only connecting Gush Katif to the rest of Israel, but also linking Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, to Eretz Yisrael, to our homeland. For thousands of years, the uttering of 'Next Year in Jerusalem,' a spiritual clinging to Hebron, to Bethlehem, to Yerushalayim, a soul-hunger so strong, so deep, so transcendental that it outlasted the most rampant, virulent anti-Semitic hate for Jews, these kissifum, these desires, they kept the Jewish people alive. Pogroms could kill the body, but they could not destroy the spirit. The spark of Eretz Yisrael, one of the essential ingredients in a Jewish soul, could not be doused. The Kissufim, the yearning for our land, for our cities, for our very soul, was stronger than the knives, axes and guns. So too today. The Kissufim junction joins so very much: it links the north and the south, Gush Katif to the rest of Israel. But even more, it signifies the dreams of Am Yisrael from time immemorial, the dream of coming home, of settling the land, of living the way a Jew is supposed to live, the way a Jew was created to live. And that is why today's events are so heart-wrenching, because they negate the very ideals that kept us going for over two millennium. Now, after having fulfilled the dream, we're going backwards, and it doesn't make any sense. But the Jewish people do not give up. The Kissufim of our fundamental nature are much stronger than dictators, generals and plainly stupid people. We've gone through it before, and been victorious. That's why Ziva and Daniel Glanz, together with thousands of others, will make Aliyah this summer, the summer of horrors, 2005, and why families like the Menlons can live they way the do here, in Eretz Yisrael, as opposed to 'the good life,' back there in the long-lost Shangri-La of North East India. Because our Kissifum, our longing, our desire, our yearning to live what we really are, these Kissufim overcome all else that may seem to stand in the way. And that is why we will not give up - not now, not ever, that is why next week, tens of thousands, and in the end, I expect, hundreds of thousands, will take to the streets, marching in one direction - from all directions, but marching in one direction, marching towards our Kissufim, the Kissufim which kept us alive through the generations, towards the Kissifum which will continue to bind us to our land - from Morag to Homesh, from Kfar Darom to Sa-Nour, from Eilat to Kiryat Shemona, the Kissufim which unite Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael, forever. With blessings from Hebron. David Wilder is spokesman of The Jewish Community of Hebron. You can contribute directly to The Jewish Community of Hebron, POB10, Kiryat Arba-Hebron 90100, hebron@hebron.org.il, 972-2-9965333 or write to The Hebron Fund, 1760 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11230, hebronfund@aol.com |
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THE WAR OF THE SONS OF DARKNESS
Posted by Time to Speak, July 28, 2005. |
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They neither know nor understand,
One of the ancient Hebrew documents found among the Dead Sea Scrolls tells of an epochal War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness. The Children of Israel from ancient times to the present day have endured and survived many a war against them by other peoples' Sons of Darkness. Now, they are under assault by the darkest of their own sons, a war proclaimed such bland names as Peace Process, Roadmap, and Disengagement.
Oh, my people!
"No Jew has the right to yield the rights of the Jewish People in
Israel. No Jew has the authority to do so. No Jewish body has the
authority to do so. Not even the entire Jewish People alive today as
the right to yield any part of Israel"
The decline in Israel's strength and standing during the last twelve years is not an achievement of the enemies bent on its destruction. It is brought about by its own Sons of Darkness who conceived and managed to impose the doctrine of surrender to those enemies, beginning with the lethal Oslo Accords and the refusal to rescind them after they were proven lethal. Now, encouraged by their own successes against their own people, they push on to the even more lethal Disengagement. [See further Issues Nos. 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51] * * * * * * * * * * * * Sharon and his inner-circle cronies invented Disengagement without even informing much less consulting those responsible for the nation's security and well-being. The IDF Chief-of-Staff first learned of it from a public news report. Israel's best interests were never a factor or even a consideration in concocting and forcing through this plan. The make-believe advantages turn out to be empty excuses. 1] There is scarcely a pretense that Disengagement will lead to peace, or even to a lower level of PLO hostility and terrorism. Mahmoud Abbas and his fellow Terror Chiefs make it clear that they regard Disengagement as a victory for terrorism, urge PLO journalists to "celebrate it", and openly plan to exploit the new scope given them for terrorist campaigns. The Sharon regime's Ambassador to the United States was recently quoted as saying that after Disengagement is complete, then Israel will demand that the PLO dismantle its terrorist structure. Such a remark is stupidity beyond the call of duty. 2] Disengagement will not free Israel of a burden of Gaza. Even while it encourages and empowers the PLO/Hamas, Israel will still have to supply them with water, utility, and other services, augmented by ever more extravagent demands on their behalf from Condoleeza Rice. Sharon cannot even go on touting his plan as "independent" of the PLO, when Rice demands "coordination" with her protege. 3] Sharon in past alleged that Disengagement would bring Israel some relief from outside pressure for concessions, and even Bush-Rice Administration permission to keep some little bits of the Land of Israel. Instead, the show of Israeli weakness contributes to an administration policy that is revealed by its recent proclamations to be egregiously pro-PLO. [See Issue No. 53] 4] It is reported that Sharon and his cronies invented Disengagement to cover up the alleged corruption and criminal frauds of Sharon and his sons Gilad and Omri. If this is so, the scheme has failed. The Attorney General declined to use the mass of evidence of improprieties committed by Ariel and Gilad Sharon, but he has indicted Omri Sharon for crooked fund-raising and campaign misconduct. News media and Osloid politicians openly state that they will turn against him once they have gotten the Disengagement for which they yearn. Shimon Peres and his party have promised to bring down the government if Disengagement is not quickly followed by the surrender of the rest of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak demands that, in view of the Sharon family's naughty ways, Sharon should retire from public life -- as soon as he has carried through the Disengagement. * * * * * * * * * * * * Sharon and his henchpersons set in place all the support they expected to need. Members of the cabinet who were firm against Disengagement were fired to prevent them from voting on it. The Osloid-Defeatist Labor Party, that the electorate had massively rejected, was brought into the government. Shimon Peres, Prince of the Sons of Darkness, became Vice Prime Minister. [See Issue No. 49] Both the IDF Chief-of-Staff and the national Chief of Intelligence were ousted for insufficient enthusiasm for the Disengagement and their posts bestowed on more compliant replacements. A supportive Attorney-General, Minister of Defense, Minister of Internal Security, Minister of Justice, and Chief of Police were installed. Most of the news media were already in place, eager to jettison any journalistic ethics that might get in the way of a plan that so perfectly matches their own anti-national and anti-religious agenda. They became instant temporary champions of a man they hate -- but only for as long as he useful to them. One of their number exhorts the media to treat Sharon as tenderly as an etrog" until the Disengagement has been accomplished. An etrog is a citron used a symbol of the fruitfulness of the Land during the week-long harvest festival of Sukkot. Those who observe this festival happily choose their etrogs and carefully preserve them. The media's modern universalists are not notably respectful of such ancestral traditions, so there may be an implied smirk in this choice of simile, along with the implication that after Sukkot/Disengagement is over then so is the role of the etrog. Organs of justice and the judiciary place the Arch-Disengager above the law. The Attorney General closes the file on Sharon's alleged serial corruptions. A senior police official explains why Sharon should be exempt from investigation: "It's unreasonable to topple a government over criminal cases . . . policy is not to delve into cases that might incriminate the Prime Minister, in order not to destabilize the regime". The Supreme Court of Israel, notorious for assuming the right to impose its own enlightened morality on society, approves this unique immunity because "the indictment of a Prime Minister would lead, probably immediately, to changes in the government order in the country, which would be liable to have a dramatic influence on the policy." Not one of the excuses for Disengagement is valid. Why, then, are Sharon and his henchpersons careening down a slide toward disaster to Israel, triumph to its enemies, dividing and endangering society and even compromising the IDF that stands guard over it? Those who contrived the Oslo Accords did not themselves believe they would bring peace -- though they tricked others into believing it. What they did believe is that that throwing away the Promised Land after it was finally redeemed would break the Jewish heart and crush the Jewish spirit. After that, their country would be free of old-fashioned traditions and observances and out-dated standards of personal morality. Perhaps the world would allow them to keep a bit of rump state in which to strut their post-Judaic post-Zionist enlightened universalism. They have not yet achieved this goal, but they are still working at it. Excerpts from "Scorched-earth Kulturkampf," by Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post, 11 July 2005: "[. . . . ] In Haaretz's Friday editorial the rationale for the Left's support of Sharon's plan was laid bare: 'The disengagement of Israeli policy from its religious fuel is the real disengagement currently on the agenda. On the day after the disengagement, religious Zionism's status will be different . . . . The real question is not how many mortar shells will fall, or who will guard the Philadelphi route, or whether the Palestinians will dance on the roofs of Ganei Tal. The real question is who sets the national agenda.' An example that reveals the anti-religious factor in the campaign as reported by IsraelNationalNews.com, 20 July 2005: "An Israel Broadcasting Authority crew traveling towards Kfar Maimon to cover the events surrounding the March to Gaza was stopped en route by police for a routine inspection. Comment: Sharon recently made a supposedly public address, at which all men wearing kippot (skull-caps of observant Jews) were denied entry. * * * * * * * * * * * * Among the closest of Sharon's cronies is Dov Weisglass, his personal attorney, his one-time government Bureau Chief, and his favored emissary to both the United States and the PLO. Weisglass is believed to be the counsellor who invented Disengagement as a jolly good way "to change the public agenda away from the media's focus on the investigation" of Sharon family corruptions. Among Weisglass's lucrative legal clients have been Arafat's personal treasurer, who is also a buddy of Omri Sharon, and the gambling casino in ancient Jericho owned by the PLO and its Austrian partners. The profits from the casino ran up to $1,000,000 a day, as hyper-secular Israelis came to donate their losings to the PLO terror-fund and other interested parties. Weissglass reportedly seeks to expand his casino-clientele via a beach-and- gambling resort to be build at Elei Sinai in Gaza, as soon as the present obstacles of Jewish homes, farms, and communities are cleared away. Other parties to the Elei Sinai renewal project include: 1] Shmuel Flatto-Sharon in his native France was convicted of embezzlement of $60,000,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. He escaped to Israel, sought immunity from extradition to France by buying himself a seat in the Knesset, and then served a nine-month prison term for the vote-buying. The twice-convicted felon comes to Elai Sinai in his silver Mercedes limousine. He is working for permits from the PLO to proceed with the gambling casino, and from the government Israel to let Israelis to lose more money there. 2] Cyril Kern, an old buddy of Sharon's and now a resident of South Africa, was an investor in the PLO's Jericho casino. His gift of $1,500,000 to the Sharon family and/or political campaign, is under investigation. 3] Martin Shlaff is an Austrian banker and financier, was an investor in the PLO's Jericho casino. He part in transferring funds to the Sharon family/campaign is under investigation. 4] Norbert Aleman, a business tycoon in Las Vegas, Nevada, the center for gambling casinos in the United States. 5] A Saudi Arabian multi-billionaire who is also interested in buying the state-of-the-art agricultural greenhouses after the Jews who built them are expelled. The head of Sharon's Disengagement Coordinating Team is Eival Giladi. He is simultaneously the Chief Executive Office of the financial Portland Trust that does business with the PLO in Gaza. Giladi raised $500,000,000 to invest in PLO housing in Gaza after the Jewish housing has been razed. The largest investor in the Portland Trust is Sir Ronald Cohen, a close associate of Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime-Minister-in-Waiting Gordon Brown. The charter of the Portland Trust commits it "to advance the interests of both the British government and the European Union". Comment: It is reported that Elei Sinai is slated to be the first Jewish community demolished. So -- What are the benefits of Disengagement? 1] Jews alienated from their own tradition can vent their spite on the Jews who remain faithful.
* * * * * * * * * * * * "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny.
The Disengagers did not bother with securing support from an element of society they regard as insignificant: The people. When mere common citizens have the temerity to resist, the response is to deprive them of elementary civil rights. -- Girls in their early teens are arrested merely for being present at an anti-Disengagement protest, and held in prison indefinitely -- sometimes in solitary confinement. Prime Minister Menahem Begin predicted that if Ariel Sharon came to power "The first time he doesn't get his way he'll put tanks around the Knesset". That perception of ruthless egomania was correct, though so far Sharon has not needed the tanks. He has never taken any meaningful action against the terrorist entity that slaughters Israelis, but he is fierce against Jews who defy his whims. Jerusalem Sharon orders IDF to use force against Jews By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff July 17th, 2005 "As disengagement gets underway Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday ordered the IDF to use 'all force' necessary to prevent Israeli Jews from entering the Gaza Strip with the intention of thwarting his 'disengagement' plan. Ha'aretz reported that as IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz was briefing the cabinet on a weekend clash between security forces and Gaza settlers at the Kissufim Crossing, Sharon interrupted and demanded the army take all measures to put down the protesters. There are mounting charges of brutality by agents of the government in the police and the prisons. Among those reported by IsraelNationalNews.com, 12 July 2005: "The Knesset Law Committee today viewed an Arutz-7 film of police beating an anti-evacuation protestor, and it demanded an investigation. The film showed police severely beating Akiva Vitkin, who was trying to block traffic on June 29 in Ramat Gan, adjacent to Tel Aviv. "One policeman motioned to his colleagues to help beat Vitkin, and they sat on him and stuck fingers in his nose and mouth, causing excessive bleeding and facial injuries. [. . . . ]" 19 July 2005: "After 54 days in jail, the court has released Eliyahu Herbst because there is no incriminating evidence against him. He was released with no limitations at all. On the other side of the scale, enforcers of Disengagement are not immune from punishment. Negev District Police Commander Niso Shacham was in charge of action against the civilian "protestors" peaceably assembled and forcibly detained within his jurisdiction. A TV-news crew filmed and recorded his instructions to a subordinate on how to deal with the "protestors". His words are as brutal, vicious, and obscene as might be expected from a Cossack leading a pogram. After the public release of his performance, Chief of Police Moshe Karadi investigated Shacham's professional demeanor and ruled that: 1. he will not in the future deal with "protestors" * * * * * * * * * * * * Citizens are denied the right to travel if the government does not like the itinerary. In cities around the Land, agents of the government tried to prevent citizens from assembling at Netivot [inside the "green line"] to protest the official sealing off entry to the Jewish towns of Gush Katif. Police stopped lawfully chartered buses, evicted the passengers, and even confiscated the licenses of the drivers.
One of the evicted passengers was former Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira, aged 80, so set off to walk to his distant destination. The usually leftist Association for Civil Rights in Israel professed itself "unable to find any law providing a legal foundation for the police action against law-abiding citizens traveling in buses". Sharon's plans for dealing with forthcoming defiance are revealed by ace investigative reporter David Bedein, Israel Resource Review, 17 July, 2005 "All this is written as a backdrop to the reality that the Israeli Army is amassing more than 40,000 troops and police near Gaza to forcibly remove Jews from their homes. The Israeli police force has purchased 500 horses from Germany to aid them in their task. Former Israeli intelligence official, Rony Shaked, now a senior correspondent for the daily newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, has written that the IDF now has specially trained dogs who can pull people out of their homes and on to the streets. And the IDF troops near Katif have been handed a document which explains under what circumstances will they be expected to open fire on protesters. The document concludes with an estimate that 300 residents and/or protesters will be killed in the process. Western media never report this stuff. * * * * * * * * * * * * To push through Disengagement, Sharon and his henchpersons had to wreck the political compact between people and government, on which the nation and its society stands. "Democracy and Disengagement", by Evelyn Gordon, The Jerusalem Post, 20 July 2005: "A friend asked me last weekend what disengagement opponents sought to accomplish by blocking roads, clashing with security personnel and urging soldiers to disobey orders. Don't they understand, she asked, that such actions merely alienate the public, and in a democracy, the key to success is winning over public opinion? I still do not know whether to laugh or cry over that question. Comment: Minister of Justice Madam Tzipi Livni classifies law-abiding opposition to government policies as "a threat to democracy". * * * * * * * * * * * * The color orange has become an emblem of defiance of the Sons of Darkness. This bit of brightness drives the Sons of Darkness to a kind of hysteria: 1] Girls were banned from praying at the Kotel [Temple wall] because they were wearing orange shirts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] have always shown matchless valor in defense of Israel and the Jewish people. Now it is being ordered to act against the Jewish people in an operation not in defense of the nation but in the service of a political plot. Many soldiers have declared that they will not be so misused. This often means a prison sentence or dismissal from service -- thereby depriving Israel of its finest defenders. The elite Golani Brigade and Givati Brigade have been exempted from Disengagement duty, for fear of mass refusal to obey. A ceremonial jump at completion of parachute training was cut short when men floating downward to their Land waved orange ribbons.
This is "A Tme to Speak -- Messages About Israel", Issue No.
55.
"A Time To Speak" appears
once a month, and each issue is on a theme that relates to Israel and
the Middle East past and present, including history, background,
current events, analysis and comment. All issues appear on its
website: http://www.israel.net/timetospeak. A complimentary
subscription to the e-mail edition is available by request to:
speak@actcom.co.il.
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| GUSH KATIF |
CONTINUING THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
Posted by Moshe and Rachel Saperstein, July 28, 2005. |
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This is a wonderful article. It's also an amazing article in that it was written by a leftist and appeared in Ha'aretz, flagship of the hate-the-religious-settlers press It was written by Nadav Shragai. After 5,860 mortar shells and Qassam rockets, as of yesterday morning - or, in the words of Gush Katif residents, 5,860 miracles - the time has come to discuss miracle NO. 5,861: the fact that most Gush Katif residents still manage to preserve their sanity and behave in a way that elicits astonishment and respect form the external enemy and those who hate them at home. Any other group would have escaped a long time ago. Kiryat Shmona practically emptied out during the Katyusha rocket period. Many people left the Dan region during the Gulf War. But nearly no one has abandoned Gush Katif, on the contrary, settlements there have grown. The residents have held onto their homes and land by their fingernails. Even when the Qassam began to fall on Sderot, and the distinction made between blood and blood screamed out to heaven - as the government hit back at the Palestinians almost every time Sderot residents were wounded and generally made do with verbal responses when the wounded were in Gush Katif - the residents there bit their lips and kept going. And when Sderot was declared a front-line community - a status that gave residents significant material benefits- and those who took a lot more, for many years, were ignored, Gush Katif residents took even this formal insult in silence. They chose to focus on splendid agricultural and Torah activities and on building a community that compares to few others. Other people would have exploded, possibly taken the law into their own hands, as some residents of Samaria, Kiryat Arba, Ariel and Jerusalem have done when confronted with lesser blows than Gush Katif has sustained. But that's not what happened in Gush Katif, where residents displayed a restraint difficult to understand, and decided to stick to the routine. Soon everything might end, and the people of Gush Katif will embark on a new path. The Israeli public would do well to engrave on its memory the noble behavior pattern of the Gush Katif residents - a type of unknown Jewish attachment to the land, in which every additional day of green grass and laundry fluttering in the wind, of planting in the greenhouse, learning Torah in the study hall and shopping in the grocery store, even when the sword is on the neck - is the fulfillment if a nearly sacred commandment. The Believe and Plant fund, to which tens of thousands of people have donated money so that Gush Katif residents can continue to plant and build until the last moment, is perhaps a strange project according to accepted Israeli normative codes. But according to Jewish codes regarding belief, such a hishtadlut (making an effort), actions that involve prayer, and prayer that involves action, the project is a unique model of courage. In the middle of this crisis and harsh reality, many Gush Katif residents still find time for some self-examination regarding the sin of secluding and distancing themselves form other crises in Israeli society. At this time, many of them are still going door to door in a personal attempt to convince people to oppose the disengagement. They insist that the slogan, "With love we will triumph" is not just a marketing device, that only love (sometimes baseless love) and dialogue will lead to a renewed engagement, and that even if disengagement is the punishment, engagement is the correction. Everyone has his own engagement. Gush Katif residents see not just engagement with territory, but primarily engagement with a different spirit - a spirit of faith, with Jewish tradition, with a different type of relationship among individuals and between each person and his G-d. The big test of Gush Katif residents after the evil, immoral and dangerous "disengagement" will be the continuation of the engagement process. Those who already have proven they are not blinded by money will need to prove, even after thy have been uprooted form their homes, that the process of engagement does not stem solely form a momentary interest. They will certainly know how to do this. Moshe Saperstein and his wife Rachel live in Neve Dekalim, Gush Katif, in the Gaza Strip. He is a Jerusalem Diarist, one of the group of Israelis who are recording their experiences living in Israel. He lost an arm while fighting in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He was again wounded in a February 2002 incident when he drove his car into a terrorist who had just shot and killed a young mother traveling in the car in front of him. He writes frequently of his physical and emotional struggles. His wife, Rachel (aka. La Passionara, La P.) works at the Girls High School in Neve Dekalim' Her recent book, "Eviction: A Gush Katif Viewpoint", with photos by Moti Sender can be ordered from www.pavilionpress.com. |
| GUSH KATIF |
WALLERSTEIN: UNITY AT HOME ABOVE
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, July 28, 2005. |
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Below is some remarks by Pinchas Wallerstein of the Yesha Council as reported in today's Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNationalNews.com) and archived at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=86651 This is total nonsense. There already exist a high level of unity amongst Jews and loyal non-Jewish Israelis. Had a referendum been held on the issues of the planed Sharon Pogrom in Gaza, over 60%, maybe close to 70%, would have voted against it. The primary and in most issues sole source of social and political contention in Israel is the minuscule but fanatic Hellenist cult that has grabbed power in Israel. It is their hate driven fanaticism that stands in the way of any civilized or rational discussion of social or political issues in the country. Who but the most barbaric of fanatics abducts children, tortures them and attempts to forcibly "reeducate" them to accept the tenets of their irrational beliefs? It is not those who are loyal to the Jewish people who have brought on this disaster. It was not loyalty to the Jewish people that motivated the fanatic haters to illegally and treasonably meet with the PLO to plot the destruction of the State of Israel. It was not those loyal to the Jewish people who brought them in to the heart of our country, armed, trained and financed the Arab murderers. It is not those loyal to the Jewish people who have unleased goon squads of psychopaths to brutalize unarmed and peaceful protesters. The pretence that there is some sort of symmetry between those loyal to the Jewish people and those who actively betray us must stop. We must suspect those who express this lie of either gross stupidity or subversion of the Jewish cause. In either case whoever promotes this nonsense has no business in speaking for us. (IsraelNN.com) Yesha Council leader Pinchas Wallerstein told Galei Tzahal (Army) Radio this morning that the struggle against the Gaza/Shomron Disengagement Plan will continue in earnest as opponents to the plan continue efforts to prevent the expulsion of Jews from their homes. Wallerstein stressed however that unity among residents of Israel is paramount, and the differences of opinion must not lead to violence or worse. In response to a question regarding dialogue with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Arab terrorists, towards a future agreement, Wallerstein stressed that first and foremost, "I am concerned regarding unity among all Jews and Israelis, to make peace amongst ourselves." Only following achieving such a reality explained Wallerstein, may be begin concerning ourselves with expanding dialogue and other peace-making efforts to "those who are currently committed to launching Kassam rockets and mortar shells at us." Wallerstein added that even "during the darkest Oslo days of the Rabin administration there were meetings, many meetings, many 'off the record' that were never publicized," warning that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has closed all avenues of dialogue with opponents to his plan, delivering a major and possibly fatal blow to democracy in Israel. When asked if he is seeking a meeting with Sharon, Wallerstein responded "I do not want to meet with him and do not expect anything from him at his point. I do however want to permit the people to decide." Aryeh Zelasko lives in Beitar Illit, south of Jerusalem. He is Director of Sales and Marketing of Israel Visit (www.israelvisit.co.il) which provides information and an internet buying facility for American visitors to Israel. |
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EXTREMISTS": THE STEREOTYPE DEEPENS; ARABS KILL ARABS, BLAME
ISRAEL; PA AMBULANCES CARRY ARMS
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 28, 2005. |
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"EXTREMISTS": THE STEREOTYPE DEEPENS "Extremist" used to be an adjective. Used as, "extremist settlers," it meant the unreasonable ones in the grouping. Its use as an adjective became abused for propaganda, to smear people merely for disagreeing with the government. Calling some people "extremist settlers" was a way of brushing off their concerns, without having to explain why one's own concerns are superior. I don't think they are superior. I think they are extremist. The major media, however, being largely of one mind on this, get away with a one-sided campaign. Now the "NY Times" is coming to use the term as a noun, as in "extremists," referring to all opponents of PM Sharon's abandonment plan, as if all were extremist. Having failed to explain the plan satisfactorily, justify it, and answer the arguments against it, but merely asserting advantages without showing why they would apply, proponents find it easier to smear their opponents as a whole. Group smear is an old technique. Before and during the Holocaust, when Jewish nationalists tried to rescue the Jews of Europe, the Established smeared them and warned supporters off. SLAVISHLY FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT LINE About half the US and Israeli citizens disagree with many of their governments' policies. US Jewish organizations have a different attitude towards the Israeli government. They defer to it, however un-Jewish or calamitous its policies. They act as if having no minds of their own. If they just wanted to show respect, they would maintain a hands-off policy, when they disagree. Why do they show respect to an un-Jewish or calamitous Israeli government? (Answer: that government has forfeited respect from the prejudiced world, and the organizations don't want to add to the disrespect.) But these organizations do more than defer to the government of Israel. They endorse its policies. When they endorse the policies of the government of Israel, they are endorsing its un-Jewish or calamitous policies. They also are assuming that the government is representative of the Israeli electorate, which it is not, and that the government has a more legitimate stewardship of the Jewish patrimony than have they. I don't think it is democratic or acting as an appropriate guardian of the Jewish homeland, which it is giving away parts of without asking for a worldwide Jewish referendum, if it even is up to us mortals to decide. AN INCONSISTENT POLICY ON GENOCIDE A friend agreed that genocide must be stopped, and the US would be justified in sending an army to stop it. On the other hand, she denies that the US was justified in sending an army to stop Saddam Hussein, who was committing genocide against the Kurds and marsh Arabs. She would have had a better case in arguing that the US was right to stop his genocide, but wrong to base the invasion on his having or planning to acquire nuclear weapons. I'd still disagree with her, but at least she would be consistent. How do such people explain their inconsistencies? DEFENSE AGAINST TERRORISM People are proposing a greater effort for defense against terrorism. By that they mean more restrictions on the entry of Islamists and monetary transfers, more guards, and more fences. But we can't guard everything, everywhere, forever. Eventually, terrorists would acquire weapons of mass-destruction. Before that, they would succeed in some bombings. Therefore, homeland defense allows for a certain level of destruction and, ultimately, failure. True defense means expelling not only Islamists but all Muslims, so they cannot become radicalized, and overthrowing the several governments that are allied with terrorists. TERRORISM AGAINST ISRAEL INCREASING The number of terrorist attacks against Israelis has risen to about 100 a week. It is getting more difficult to pretend that there is some sort of "calm" or semi-ceasefire. It also is ridiculous for PM Sharon, who insists on pursuing abandonment, to assert that he would not have his people retreat under fire, now that they are under continual fire (Arutz-7, 7/15). ARABS VICTIMIZED BY OWN PEOPLE'S TERRORISM Terrorists attacking US troops in Iraq did so as the GIs were handing out candy to children. More than 30 children were killed and a similar amount wounded. Some Arabs are getting angry at the wantonness of jihadist violence (IMRA, 7/15). Do they expect consciences from fanatical terrorists or fire safety from arsonists? PALESTINIAN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (PCHR) PCHR issued a press release about some Israeli counter-terrorism. It described all those wounded and killed by Israeli gunfire as civilians. IMRA explains that the Arabs call all their terrorists civilians, because they are not soldiers in a sovereign state's army (IMRA, 7/15). The Arabs also call all Israelis soldiers, because they had been, are eligible to become, or some day may grow up to be soldiers, even though some are discharged, some are elderly, and many don't join up. Thus the Arabs call militiamen civilians and civilians, soldiers. That is what they do with language, pervert it for propaganda. That it is an Arab human rights group makes no difference, because the human rights aspect is a facade, as it is for many Western groups. SAUDI GOVERNMENT STILL ALLOWS FUNDING OF AL-QAEDA S. Arabia still has not arrested and frozen the funds of leading financiers of al-Qaeda and similar terrorist groups. The US has appealed to the government to crack down, in vain, as the "charities" continue to finance attacks on the US forces in Iraq. The US formerly blamed only Syria for financing the attacks on it, but for the first time has named S. Arabia (IMRA, 7/16). Arab accusations rarely come from facts or possess logic. They are for shame-avoidance, which is an Arab cultural preoccupation, and for propaganda. P.A. ARABS BLAME ISRAEL FOR THEIR INTERNECINE COMBAT Both the P.A. and Hamas, which have been clashing with each other in Gaza, blame Israel for setting them at each other. They claim Israelis raids do it. They do not admit that it is their raids on Israelis that forced the IDF to pursue them. They do not show any logical connection between Israeli counter-attacks and fighting between the P.A. police and Hamas (IMRA, 7/16). MUSLIM CONSPIRACY THEORIES ON LONDON It might have been done by British intelligence but almost certainly was done by Bush and the CIA, who want to destroy London. There is no evidence of it having been done by Muslims. (There is, but it may be preliminary.) So say Muslims in London (IMRA, 7/16). If they can say this about that, why do we take them seriously about anything? Next they'll say it's revenge for the British burning of Washington, DC in the War of 1812. ABBAS PLAYS A DOUBLE GAME "Mr. Abbas pledged to do his utmost to stop the barrages, but warned that an invasion of Gaza would 'sabotage everything.'" (NY Sun, 7/18, p.8 from Associated Press.) For months, Abbas has pledged both to persuade terrorist organizations not to fire upon Israel and not to force them to desist. He also has in the P.A., praised terrorists, while to Western journalists, he condemned terrorist attacks. He is playing a double game, as did Arafat. He concurs with the terrorists' goals, for he is one of them. Even if he did not agree, how would his argumentation, not backed by force, persuade fanatics? Can no mainstream journalist figure that unlikelihood out? Considering the falsity of pledges by Arafat and himself over a 12-year period, why don't journalists ask why should anyone take his latest pledge seriously? We had learned not to take seriously the pledges of the Nazis and Communists. Why take seriously the pledges of their fellow totalitarians in the Arab world? Hitler was adept at pledging non-aggression. He is the mentor of the Arabs, who read his autobiography as a textbook. P.A. ADMITS THAT ITS AMBULANCES CARRY ARMS The P.A. has admitted that Israeli troops found a rifle hidden in a P.A. ambulance, but claims that the troops had planted it. The P.A. calls this a breach of humanitarian law. (IMRA, 7/17). Is this story likely, or a "likely story?" It is not plausible, because the P.A. many times has violated international law, as totalitarian fanatics will. Therefore, Israel does not need to make up examples. More examples would not particularly carry weight with the media, so biased are they against Israel that they have not made much of the previous violations. Indeed, despite such violations, the rest of the world demands that Israel relax its restrictions at checkpoints. My fellow Jews need to comprehend that most of the rest of the world does not mind Jews being killed, and the media does not attempt to stir consciences over it. On the other hand, the Israeli secret service does plant arms among Jewish nationalists as "evidence" of conspiring against the Arabs and leftist Jewish leaders. The secret service "lost" the evidence that would have cleared Yigal Amir for murdering Rabin, concocted an absurd story about evidence against his brother, eventually had to release the Kalahani brothers in whose car it planted a rifle, and dropped most charges against the father of a slain baby and his friends. CHURCH GROUPS CALLING FOR DIVESTMENT Although the Arabs keep murdering victims, Church groups keep financing pseudo-human rights organizations in the P.A., that make up false claims against Israel. The Church groups then cite those claims as evidence that Israel is a human rights violator, which should be punished by financial divestment. The groups do not call for divestment from the Arabs, whether the P.A., S. Arabia, Egypt that persecutes Christians, etc.. Is this Church-Arab partnership one made in Hell? Most of the Christians involved simply have accepted the false premise of the Palestinian Arabs being victimized by Israel. Christians may be waking up to the deception, as the sound of the blitz penetrates their slumber. A Christian Aid Watch group has arisen in London to counter the biased statements by Christian Aid (IMRA, 7/17 from Gerald Steinberg, Jer. Post). Unfortunately, wealthy Jews donate more to universities (which may be counter-productive) and to museums, than to defending Israel's reputation and to taking the offensive against Israel's enemies, of whom some of them must be numbered. Most of the media is not interested in showing the Arabs to be the culprits and the West to be their victims. Who will educate whom? With what means? Can't count on the government of Israel, which sympathizes more with Arabs. Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com. |
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DISENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR TO BE INVESTIGATED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES.
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, July 28, 2005. |
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David Bedein is Bureau Chief, Israel Resource News Agency. (http://Israelbehindthenews.com). In this article, he follows up on a conflict of interest scandal. It is archived at http://www.israelbehindthenews.com/#shichitut I personally doubt that any prosecutions will come out of Israel's even more corrupt unJustice system. It should be noted that until about 15 or so years ago conflict of interest was not even a crime in Israel. It was perfectly legal (and accepted) for MKs and senior officials to have financial and personal interests in the sectors they controlled or supervised. Some of the veteran MKs still can not understand what the tumult is all about when someone is exposed as in conflict of interest. Many have the attitude of: "Why in the world be a MK if you can't make a buck on it?" "Israel Knesset Controls Committee Meets and Orders Full Investigation of Eival Giladi, Prime Minister Sharon's Appointee to Coordinate Disengagment Policies". On Tuesday; July 26th, 2005, the Knesset Controls Committee met in special session to consider the case of Eival Giladi, the official appointed by the Israeli Prime Minister to coordinate all public policy aspects of disengagement among all the Israeli government offices involved in the process the police, the general secret service, the IDF, The government press office, the "Sela" office for relocation, the Prime Minster's office and the Foreign Ministry. The Knesset Controls Committee, whose mandate is to consider accountability in government service and to report to the Knesset and to the Israel State Comptroller, called into question the Giladi's conflict of interests that Israel Resource News Agency had first revealed in early July, and which was also picked up by the Makor Rishon newspaper. That conflict of interests rests with the fact that Giladi was named to his role by the Prime Minister of Israel while maintaining his role as the head of the Portland Trust, a British based non profit business development foundation whose role is to raise half a billion dollars to invest in the social and economic development of Gaza, to help Palestinians replace the Jewish community of the Katif district of Gaza after it is to be evicted. When Knesset Controls Committee chairman Dr. Yuri Shtern asked representatives of the Prime Minister's office as to the basis for appointing Giladi to his position, their only response was that they had received a letter from Gideon Meir, the deputy director of the Information Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated April 4th, 2005, stating that Giladi was "the only man qualified for the job" to coordinate the disengagement information policy for the government of Israel. Giladi was appointed to his position on April 10th, 2005. The PM office could provide no answer as to why his position was not put forward in the framework of a public tender, in order to offer the position to other candidates. The PM office could not explain why it did not go according to the law and ask for special permission to appoint such a senior government official without going through the standard tender process. Dr. Yuri Shtern, MK Uri Ariel and MK Zvulun Orlev, all members of the Knesset Controls Committee, each asked if Giladi had been asked to sign a "conflict of interest" agreement, which would prevent Giladi from entering into any situation where he might be personally benefiting from any government role that Giladi would undertake. The answer: One hour before the Knesset Controls Committee meeting, Giladi signed the proverbial "conflict of interest" agreement. Following that announcement, Ozrad Lev, former financial advisor to the Palestinian Authority and also a former high ranking Israeli intelligence officer, and the author of a seminal book on Arafat's bank accounts, testified to the Knesset Controls Committee that the appointment of Giladi represented a "built-in" conflict of interest for Giladi, and that "Giladi must choose between Portland Trust and the Israeli government". Lev mentioned the precedent of Israeli government liaison to the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Yose Ginnosar, who was later hired by PA chairman Yassir Arafat to represent Palestinian Authority business interests. Lev noted that former attorney general Elyakim Rubenstein had ruled that Ginnosar could not perform both roles at once, since the government of Israel was also in negotiation with the Palestinian Authority. The conclusion of the Knesset Controls Committee session was that the committee asked that the Knesset invoke clause 97b of the Knesset State Comptroller act, to order a mandatory Israel State Comptroller investigation into the conflict of interests posed by the PM appointment of Eival Giladi as the coordinator of Israeli government disengagement public information policies, since he is at one and the same time the head of the largest business development foundation for business development in the Palestinian Authority. The Speaker of the Knesset approved of the subject for "quick" consideration in the Knesset plenary of July 28th, 2005. If the Knesset does authorize a formal investigation of Giladi's appointment, pressure may be brought to bear on the office of the Prime Minister to suspend Giladi's position until the investigation can take its course. Aryeh Zelasko lives in Beitar Illit, south of Jerusalem. He is Director of Sales and Marketing of Israel Visit (www.israelvisit.co.il) which provides information and an internet buying facility for American visitors to Israel. |
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REFERENDUM COORDINATOR ARRESTED
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 27, 2005. |
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Yekutiel ben Yaakov, Director of the grassroots referendum to save Israel, was arrested and released on bail after several hours of interrogation by the Jerusalem police, earlier today. Ben Yaakov was charged with incitement to racism after circulating ballots that offer every Jew the right to vote on which disengagement he/she prefers: The expulsion of the Jews as is proposed by Sharon or the expulsion of hostile Arabs who refuse to accept Israeli sovereignty over the land. Ben Yaakov took full responsibility for the referendum and asked his investigators why it is considered incitement to speak of expulsion of hostile Arabs (not all Arabs) while it is not considered incitement to speak of the expulsion of every Jew form the areas in question. Ben Yaakov also asked his interrogators why they do not arrest leftist inciters such as Buki Naeh who openly incite to murder "orange settlers". Ben Yaakov said he would be proud to stand trial on these absurd allegations to prove just how far the Israeli government has gone in their battle against Judaism and democracy. Thus far close to 50,000 people have voted in the independent referendum, that offers, the "only alternative that can yet save the Jewish state, according to Ben Yaakov. Those who wish to vote can do so at http://www.mishal.org Voice of Judea Commentary: Israel still refers to itself as a democracy? Subscribe to Voice of Judea emails by sending an email request to jsid@dorsai.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
ROUNDUPS OF JEWS
Posted by Rachel Saperstein, July 27, 2005. |
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Our community phone message system is in operation most of the day. Notices of prayer meetings, protest gatherings, organized meetings between soldiers and settlers, births, deaths, controlled explosions, "take cover" because of Arab bombardment, "return to normal" (or what passes for normal here)... all these and more are reported to us. But most frightening of all was the notification last night that police and soldiers were scouring the Gush Katif communities to round up Jews who are labeled illegals - those who entered without permission, or stayed beyond the time permitted on their permits. "The police have no search warrants" the voice on the phone from the Local Council tells us, "don't let them into your home." Each day the rules become stricter, the decrees more draconian, the police more brutal. Today we were told that personal friends are no longer allowed into Gush Katif. Only close relatives - a child, a parent, a sibling - will be permitted to visit. Residents entering or leaving Gush Katif must show identification at four different checkpoints. Non-compliance, or compliance not speedy enough to suit the police, is treated brutally. My friend U., a 57-year-old grandmother, refused to show her ID and was dragged from her car by four policemen and beaten, then arrested and charged with trying to run them down with her car. Allowed to return home hours later, covered in bruises, she sat and wept. In two weeks she will be subjected to the sight of her 15-year-old son's remains being disinterred from the Katif cemetery. Mr. K. was in the act of showing his ID when a policeman demanded he turn off the motor of his vehicle. Mr. K asked to keep it running so the air conditioner could protect his small children from the intense heat. Mr. K was dragged from the vehicle and arrested for non-compliance with a police order. His children were returned to their mother. He is under house arrest at the home of a relative in Beersheba . His right to return home has been nullified. Teenagers, both residents and visitors, are routinely beaten. The fear of a beating is used as a deterrent to keep people out of the ghetto called Gush Katif. The government's heavy hand is experienced over and over. Sharon's private police force, the Nachshon Brigade of the Israel Police, trained in "following orders" practiced their skills as headbreakers arresting foreign workers. Cleansed of all feelings these uniformed thugs will be leading the forces mercilessly expelling us from our homes. In three weeks our health clinic will close down. In three weeks the sole bank will close down. In three weeks postal service will end. The government has sporadically shut down our telephone and internet service. Our electricity and water will follow. We are already filling empty cola and juice containers with water for that day. Sharon's private army and police are sweeping down on us. We are to be separated, sterilized and broken at all cost. This roundup of Jews is the first step in the eviction of Jews from Jewish Gaza and northern Samaria, to be followed by the eviction of Jews from all of Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights, east Jerusalem. To be followed by even worse? Yet we keep our spirit of humanity alive. We smile at one another. We smile though the shelves in our stores are increasingly bare. We do our laundry, change the sheets, cut the grass. We listen to Torah lectures. Thus we keep our humanity and sanity. Where are you, my fellow Jews? Where are you, my Christian friends? Where are your protests as democracy is destroyed in our holy land of Israel? Rachel Saperstein and her husband Moshe live in Neve Dekalim, Gush Katif, Gaza, Israel. She is a teacher at the Neve Dekalim ulpana and a spokeswoman for the Katif Regional Council. Her recent book, "Eviction: A Gush Katif Viewpoint", with photos by Moti Sender can be ordered from www.pavilionpress.com. |
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WAS LOND BOMBING RETALIATORY? U.S. SOWS WIND, WILL REAP WHIRLWIND
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 27, 2005. |
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WAS LONDON BOMBING RETALIATORY?
Whether to have anticipated the London bombing is under dispute. Arab commentators maintain that Britain cannot expect its troops to be attacked only in Iraq. They use Spain as an example that when a country does as the attackers demand, it no longer is attacked. They claim that much antisemitism results from Israel's allegedly harsh policies towards Palestinian Arabs and much anti-Americanism from fighting in Iraq for what the attackers believe is at Israel's bidding. The Muslims go on to accuse the Western commentators and officials of seeking to mislead their people about it. As usual, the Muslims offer no evidence for their charges of misconduct. They further label Western complaints about Islamist extremism as incitement to religious bigotry. Western commentators maintain that the attack is not a consequence of Britain's military support for the war in Iraq. They point out that the terrorists were native-born Muslims. (They might have added that Britain had just announced intent to withdraw its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.) They attribute the problem to Britain's leniency towards Islamists, enjoying free entry. I think both sides have some good points and some poor points. Westerners from countries with expeditionary forces in Iraq should not be surprised at being attacked in their home countries. What they can object to is their civilians being attacked. Nor have the Islamists a legitimate complaint against the war in Iraq, which overthrew an oppressor and dangerous imperialist. It is their religious chauvinism that objects. Their complaint that complaints about jihad being bigoted is hypocritical - jihad being holy war against other faiths is the epitome of bigotry. Expectations that native-born Muslims would not attack their own countries is misplaced national pride. Native-born Islamists are not patriotic. They cocoon themselves in ethnic enclaves and become indoctrinated in hating their countries. To Islamism is their loyalty. In Arab countries, they commit terrorism, too. Westerns are not striving to mislead their people about this, but are trying to puzzle out what is happening to them. Nor do they seek to incite hatred of Muslims. To the contrary, they still pander Muslim sentiments. Thus PM Blair and, right after 9/11, US Pres. Bush, warned the people not to take out their outrage against all Muslims. It is proper to deter vigilantes, but unwise not to explain radical Islam's evil doctrine, means, and intent. Of course Britain should have anticipated being attacked! That is what Islamists do. After having incubated and used the host country to build up, they escalate their demands and some cells will decide it is time to move on to the violence stage of jihad locally. Terrorism is a crime without excuse. Unfortunately, Islamists have no Western notion of decency. They pretend to, piggybacking onto Western concerns about racism to accuse patriots of appealing to racism. The most ludicrous Muslim argument is that Israel got the US to eliminate Iraq as a military threat to it. Israel doesn't dictate to the US, the US dictates to Israel. Hence the US is demanding Israeli withdrawals from Yesha, not Arab withdrawals. The US arms Egypt. Israel would have had the US attack Iran, Syria, and S. Arabia. Instead, the US has frozen military relations with Israel. Many more examples could be cited. Oil speaks louder than Israel. Blaming US actions on Israel reflects the bias that makes that forgery, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" popular among the Arabs. The Arabs deal in bias. They are the racists. The true explanation for the London bombing is that jihad is worldwide. Islamists attack everywhere, including countries that are not anti-Arab, such as Turkey. Sometimes they attack Jews in such countries. They don't like Israel, so they take it out on Jews. I think they like to kill; Islamism gives them a license. ISRAELI LEFTIST DOUBLE STANDARD ON VIOLENCE Israel has four kinds of political violence/provocation: (1) Arab terrorism; (2) Arab and leftist joint protests against the security fence, involving attacks on police that have taken out one policeman's eye and killed another; (3) Police and IDF brutality against Jews protesting abandonment of Gaza; and (4) A fake bomb and anti-Muslim graffiti which the government attributes to abandonment protestors without evidence and which protestors suspect is done by agents provocateurs, of whom some, or at least spies, have been uncovered. The Left is denouncing vehemently the abandonment protestors, who actually exemplify non-violence, while excusing Arab terrorism and denouncing neither gratuitous police violence nor the leftist fence protestors, who personify incivility and violence. Moshe Feiglin, a leader of anti-abandonment, suggests that if there were some violence by abandonment protestors, their movement should not feel responsible for wayward individuals,and the movement should take the offensive against the Establishment orchestration of violence. He urges them not to let themselves be delegitimized and not to appear just against something but to show leadership in what they are for, setting a vision the rest of the country can adopt. U.S. SOWING THE WIND, TO REAP WHIRLWIND The US is pressing Israel to abandon Gaza, even though Abbas has invited terrorists from Lebanon to replace the Jews. Indications are that not only would Hamas ramp up terrorism against Israel, but Islamist terrorists from all over the world would find the haven there that they were deprived of in Afghanistan. There they would train and then emerge to attack the US and Europe (Winston Mid East Report, 7/14 from Prof. Louis Rene Beres). That's why the P.A. wants an unsupervised port and airport in Gaza. ABANDONMENT PROCEEDING, LIE-BY-LIE PM Sharon pretended that Israel had the funds for the abandonment, but now is asking the US for $2.2 billion to pay for it. The Cabinet had provided for a 4-stage abandonment, so before doing later stages, it could determine whether the earlier stages are working out. However, Sharon's staff is planning for doing it in one stage. The Army wants a single stage, to forestall anticipated problems from Hamas. Hamas openly proclaims the coming eradication of the State of Israel. (That's what appeasement of Islamists leads to.) Hamas plans to wait for the settlers and press to leave, and then pound the Army with its rockets and mortars that it exploited the half-ceasefire to amass. It would claim to be forcing the Jews out. Other terrorist groups agreed to attack civilians as well as soldiers, and between Hamas volleys. The Army plans to respond with a large-scale assault, though that would mean entering civilian areas from which Hamas operates. This is likely to end the P.A. claim to be cooperating with Israel, which the Army does not believe sincere (since the P.A. does not do anything against terrorism). The attacks also are likely to scotch prospects for implementing the later stages of the presently planned abandonment and proposing additional abandonment. (It would show the true Arab intentions.) If the Army had to stand by for approval of further stages, its units would be more easily targeted and approval less likely (even from a tame Cabinet?). The US and Peres want to give tens of millions of dollars to Abbas, to employ Arabs in non-terrorist jobs. The Army expects that he would give some to terrorists and most of the rest for political patronage (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/14 from DEBKAfile). Remember, that is what he did for years, as Arafat's treasurer. WHAT THE LONDON ATTACK REALLY SHOULD REMIND US OF Most of the analogies made with the London bombing are to the British reaction now being like the one during WWII. A more important similarity is between the enemy then and now. The "Nazi beast," as FDR dubbed it, had methods and goals similar to those of the Islamists. Totalitarianism, imperialism, and genocidal antisemitism are the common elements. The Arabs (and Bosnians) were Nazi collaborators and still admire them (IMRA, 7/15 from Caroline Glick, Jer. Post, 7/14). CONDITIONS OF U.S. AID Israel asked the US for additional subsidy to relocate the Yesha bases and to build up the Galilee and Negev regions, partly to accommodate the Jewish refugees from Yesha. The US responded with approval in principle, provided the Bedouin and Druze get a share of it. This is not the purpose of the aid. Nevertheless, the government of Israel accepted the conditions (IMRA, 7/15). The Bedouin have become a fifth column and criminal element, against which the law is not enforced. How about US funds to enforce the law against them? How about no US funds and no US conditions? THE P.A. REMINDED TO DISMANTLE TERRORISM On July 14, Sec. Rice reminded the P.A. again that it is obliged to "take immediate steps" to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure (IMRA, 7/15). The news came from a State Dept. briefing, at which nobody asked the State Dept. whether it noticed that its constant reminders go unheeded, what conclusions it draws from being ignored, and what measures it intends to take against the P.A. for violating its commitments to anti-terrorism and peace. Not a single reporter asked! I haven't noticed them asking in the other briefings I read, either. Was that the 30th reminder or the 300th? Somebody ought to keep count, to show up the P.A. for not being anti-terrorist and to shame the US for pretending it is. CLASHES WITHIN THE P.A. There have been several clashes between Hamas and P.A. police. Dozens of the men and civilians have been wounded and three children have been killed (IMRA, 7/15). Some human rights organizations are keeping a record of Arab and Israeli children killed. They imply that Israeli troops killed the Arab children. This never was a fair reckoning, because the Arabs shoot wildly and do wound their own people. They also operate in civilian areas, thereby inducing civilian casualties. TERRORISTS NEGLECT FAMILIES Terrorists marry and have children, but they impose a life of hardship and flight upon them, and neglect them (IMRA, 7/15). We read of human bombs who leave behind a wife and young children. Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com. |
| GUSH KATIF |
WE SHALL OVERCOME
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 27, 2005. |
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This was written by Ze'ev Orenstein from Maale Adumin. Contact him by
email at zevinzion@yahoo.com
Over the course of my journey to Kfar Maimon and Gush Katif I witnessed events that have left me with a number of powerful messages that I have taken home with me, and I believe that they clearly express the unbelievable character and strength of the Jewish People, and should serve as a source of inspiration and hope for a brighter future for the Jewish People in the Jewish State of Israel, throughout the Land of Israel. 1) Put politics aside for a moment and ask yourself the following question: What cause would you consider important enough to put your life on hold for 3+ days, take off from work, travel hours away from your home, alone or with your spouse and children, have to live in a tent or sleep in sleeping bags, eat non-perishable foods, sit outside in unbearable heat during the day and march through the dark of night - all while going head to head with the government and security establishment? 40,000+ Jews (men, women & children - more on this in a moment) in Israel felt that the struggle over stopping Sharon's expulsion plan, and the battle over the character of the State of Israel (whether it will be a Jewish State or "A Nation like all others") were strong enough causes to warrant taking all of the above steps - and then some. 2) Children in Israel currently find themselves on summer vacation. Generally speaking, over summer vacation, children will go to camp, hang out at the mall, go to the beach, spend time with friends, or pehaps watch a movie... But of the 40,000+ Jews that participated in "The March", I would say that well over 50% (possibly as high as 60 - 75%) were under the age of 18 years old. To me, this says that the current generation of Jews loyal to the Jewish People, the Land of Israel and Torah of Israel care enough to spend their summer vacation involving themselves in the struggle over these causes, instead of just looking to have a "good time". 3) While besieged in Kfar Maimon, the spirit of the 40,000+ Jews was so incredibly high. People were singing, playing musical instruments, learning, catching up with friends, and dancing... It was as if these Jews felt some type of internal confidence, that not only was their cause just, but that in the end, we were going to succeed, and that our success would not come through fighting against our brothers, but by continuing to live as proud Jews in the Land of Israel - and letting the love for our fellow Jews, the Land of Israel and our heritage speak for themselves. 4) It's easy for me, on an intellectual or even ideological level to feel a strong connection towards the Land of Israel, as was expressed most clearly in my having made Aliyah to Israel from New York, but it is not often that I am able to connect with the Land of Israel on a physical level the way I did at Kfar Maimon and Gush Katif. Whether walking through fields to get from Netivot to Kfar Maimon, sleeping on the wet grass without a tent, sleeping bag, or blanket, walking along the Mediterranean coast of Shirat Hayam, and feeling the waves crash against me as I collected seashells, represented a type of personal bonding with the Land of Israel. I truly felt as if I had become one with the Land of Israel, and I have no doubt that that is how most people who participated in "The March" felt, as well. Many people have the misconception that the Land of Israel is just another land, merely a physical piece of territory with no intrinsic value, and not worth sacrificing for. Throughout the Torah and other major Jewish sources, it is made very clear that without the Land of Israel the Jewish People are incomplete, and they are unable to fulfill their potential as a nation. We learn how the Land of Israel is conducive to the spiritual growth of the Jewish People and is a necessary component of the upcoming redemption - a sign of whose coming is when the Landof Israel gives off its fruits, which can be seen particularly clear in Gush Katif. To have had the opportunity to re-connect with the Land of Israel has helped to recharge my batteries, and has left me on a high that will hopefully last myself, and all those who participated on "The March" through the coming month, when, with G-d's help we will all be able to celebrate the re-dedication of all of the Jewish communities in Gush Katif. 5) This was not your typical demonstration where people come for a few hours after work, chant some slogans, listen to some speeches and then go home. Many people on the left have questioned why the event couldn't have been held in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, but in asking the question they totally fail to understand the purpose of what took place at Kfar Maimon and the message that it was meant to convey. "The March" was not a rally or demonstration. The 40,000+ Jews who participated were not asking any politicians to consider a different point of view. These Jews were saying that the current situation is unacceptable, abd we are going to work towards helping to bring about a different reality ourselves. With our feet. With our bodies. With our hearts. The time for speeches has come to an end, and the Jewish people have responded to the call for action. 6) I was blessed to visit the new home of Nadia Matar, co-founder of Women in Green who has moved with her family to Kfar Yam (in Gush Katif) from Efrat. She and Women in Green have been influential in raising funds, through Minhelet Kela (The Gaza Absorption Authority), that have gone towards fixing up empty homes and structures in Gush Katif in order that Jews can move down to Gush Katif, and create a situation where there are tens of thousands of Jews living in the Gush - too many to be expelled. Nadia's home is among those that have been (or is in the process of being) refurbished. When I arrived at her home there were about a half dozen teenagers who were busily involved in building a deck for the back of her home - true Jewish labor. (Again, we see what types of activities Jewish teenagers are involved in during their summer break). This deck will allow Nadia, and many other Jews to sit in comfort while watching the waves crash against the shore, just a few feet away, with G-d's help, for many generations to come. Another thing that struck me was the contrast between the way Nadia has been portrayed in the media, and how I perceived her. According to the media in Israel, Nadia is a right-wing fanatic who represents extremist causes. What I saw was a Jew who is full of love for the Jewish People and who has devoted her life to ensuring that Israel will be a Jewish State, where the Jewish People will be able to live in all parts of the Land of Israel - proudly, as Jews are meant to do. She, along with many other special Jews who are in Gush Katif today can serve as role models as to what we, both as a nation and as individual Jews can be doing to help the Jewish People fulfill their collective destiny. 7) In Neve Dekalim, I visited another family who has also moved down to Gush Katif and will be staying there until the "victory celebration", as the mother put it. Again, she and her children all came off as being extremely positive and upbeat. This was all the more impressive when I saw the home immediately next door to theirs, which had a sizeable hole in the roof where a Qassam rocket had fallen. When I asked her about, she was able to laugh it off. Her children were among those who were helping to build the deck at Nadia's house, and who spend their days in Gush Katif at the beach, and are enjoying life to the fullest, as Jews, living in the Land of Israel. I visited the nursery in Atzmona, one of the largest in Israel, a major exporter of plants and flowers worldwide, and there one finds Jews continuing to plant, continuing to build, continuing to make the Land of Israel flourish. If there is a single message that comes out in all of these stories, it is that the spirit of the Jewish People is alive and well. Yes, we are going through a difficult time period, but I believe that the above examples clearly display that the future belongs to us, those who are loyal to teachings and heritage of the Jewish People, and to the Land of Israel. Without a doubt we are being challenged from on high, challenged to raise ourselves up to levels that we previously believed to be unattainable. We are being challenged as to how we relate to our fellow Jews, how we relate to our traditions and heritage, and how we relate to the Land of Israel - the three foundations of Religious Zionism - Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael & Torat Yisrael. After spending 24+ hours in both Kfar Maimon and Gush Katif, I have no doubt that the Jewish People will not only rise up and overcome all of the aforementioned challenges, but we will use them as the springboard towards laying the foundation for a truly Jewish State in the Land of Israel... may we see it speedily in our days. Judy Lash Balint is an investigative journalist and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). It is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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TZIKI AND HIS LONE SOLDIERS
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 27, 2005. |
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This was written by Alison Golub, a graduate student at Ben Gurion University in Beersheva. She made aliya 2 years ago from Providence, R.I. What follows is the first part of Alison's odyssey to interact with some of the soldiers stationed in Gush Katif in the weeks prior to the planned retreat from Gaza. Contact her at Alison_Golub@hotmail.com This past week has been an incredibly powerful one for me, and I've found that my entire outlook on life has qualitatively changed, as have my sleeping habits and base level of worrying. Wait, let me back up a bit, to a guy named Tziki Aud. Tziki is the head of the Information Center for new immigrants at the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem, and he spends his days fielding office visits, phone calls, and emails by the truckload from "fresh off the boat" immigrants from North and South America, France, Canada, Ethiopia, and Russia who don't know what they're doing and have no idea who to turn to next. He holds their hands and he reassures them that things will be fine, and then he picks up his seemingly magical phone and finds them a place to live, potential options for school and/or work, and a way out of their desperation and fear and aloneness. This is his day job. In every other second of his spare time, Tziki assists chayalim bodedim, or "lone soldiers." These are young Jewish boys between the ages of 18 and 23, who have chosen to leave their home countries - often very much against their parents' wishes - to come to their homeland, become Israeli citizens, and enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. Some would say this is Zionism in its purest form; after all, "real" Israelis are required to become soldiers. These chayalim bodedim have no family here; in fact, some of them don't know a soul in the country. They cannot rent an apartment because they don't get enough income from the army, and they can go long stretches without more than one or two weekends off per month. When they do get off the base, therefore, they literally have nowhere to go. That's where Tziki comes in. He picks them up from the bus station, takes them to his tiny three-bedroom apartment (where he lives with his wife and three teenaged boys, one of whom has also just entered the army), feeds them until they can't move, does their piles of laundry, and puts a pillow under their heads moments before they collapse from exhaustion. When they wake up, many hours later, they are treated like kings at his Shabbat dinner table every week. There are never less than seven to ten soldiers there every Friday, stuffing their faces hungrily with the first home-cooked meal some of them have had in weeks. And then there's always me, one of the lucky ones who managed to get an invitation to Tziki's dinner table back in the first week after making aliyah, and I have barely missed a meal there since. It's been almost two years that I've been spending my Friday nights with Tziki, his American wife, Aya, their three sons, his mother and father (a Holocaust survivor), and all the chayalim bodedim he can fit at the table. It took me a while to feel comfortable at their house, even though I became fast friends with Aya. There are still times that I feel out of place, given that I am at least seven years older than even the oldest soldier, and I know nothing about the endless macho games played at the table surrounding army units and 40-kilometer hikes and what type of gun is the best. Some of the soldiers seem to treat me like a surrogate mother, some like a sister, and most of them just spend most of the night trying to hit on me. There have also been times when I couldn't understand why I was even there, and why I was the only female besides Tziki's wife and mother at the table every week. A few months ago, he finally answered this burning question, telling me that as soon as he met me, he just knew I would fit in at his table. Apparently, that same night he came home to Aya and declared, "We have a daughter!" He calls us all his adopted children, and we delight in having an adoptive family to get us through our tribulations. I spend most of my time at the Aud house thanking my lucky stars that people like this exist in this world, and in Israel in particular. I simply don't know what I would have done without them, from the moment I made aliyah up to and including today. And I always knew that Tziki spends his time helping these soldiers, advocating for them, steering their way through the army bureaucracy, sending them care packages, and lending them money when they can't make it to their next paycheck. But not until four days ago did I truly understand what goes on behind the scenes. Judy Lash Balint is an investigative journalist and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). It is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
| GUSH KATIF |
QUIT WHILE YOU CAN
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, July 27, 2005. |
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For months, I have been urging those employed by this evil Government to quit. I do not know how the "laws" governing employees of the Junta limit them as to political activities or opinions but as with any dictatorship, laws are irrelevant. The principle is being clearly established that an employee of the Junta can not oppose it. This seems to come as a surprise to some people. What did you expect? The Junta openly allows and encourages Arabs to murder us, is planning for the extermination of all the Jewish communities in Yeshah, has built at least three large concentration camps to hold its opponents and is in active negotiations to turn over control of the economy to foreign (including Saudi) interests. Does anyone really believe they will allow a few Government paid clerics to publicly criticize them? This is not a case of throwing out the baby with the bath water. As long as people are willing to work for the Junta, it can survive. Only be massive resignations at all levels and in all sectors can the Junta and the system that created it be removed without bloodshed. Let them sit in their luxury offices and bark out orders to empty desks. Let them call up Army units without officers and troops. We have arrived at a new YAM SUF (red sea). Those who trust in the G-D of Israel will go forward and quit their Government jobs. Those who do not will perish along with their paymasters. This is a news item called "Civil Service Disciplinary Hearing for Rabbi David Druckman" from today's Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNN.com) and it is filed at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=86576 (IsraelNN.com) State Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has ordered a disciplinary hearing for Kiryat Motzkin Chief Rabbi David Druckman for his open opposition to the Gaza/Shomron Disengagement Plan. Rabbi Druckman's statements referring to "Sharon the dictator" have elicited a harsh response among the Israeli left, with disengagement opponents calling for action against rabbis on the state payroll, insisting they do not have a right to voice an opinion contrary to government policy. The attorney general's recommendation will now be forwarded to Justice Minister Tzipi Livni who will make the final determination in the case. Responding to the attorney general's announced decision, Rabbi Druckman stated he will not bow to pressure and efforts to stifle his legitimate voice of opposition will not succeed in intimidating him. Aryeh Zelasko lives in Beitar Illit, south of Jerusalem. He is Director of Sales and Marketing of Israel Visit (www.israelvisit.co.il) which provides information and an internet buying facility for American visitors to Israel. |
| GUSH KATIF |
TO THE SOLDIERS AND POLICE OFFICERS OF THE GAZA EVACUATION
Posted by IsrAlert, July 26, 2005. |
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This was written by Racheli Chajbi and was translated by Yishai and Malkah Fleisher. It appeared today in Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNN.com). Dear Soldier/Police Officer, In this letter, you will not find ideology. This is a completely personal appeal from me directly to your heart.My name is Racheli, I was born 25 years ago in Yamit [a Jewish community in Sinai which was surrendered to Egypt as part of the Camp David Accords], and since the evacuation of Yamit I have been living in Gush Katif. I live here with my husband, my two daughters, my parents, my siblings, and my grandmother - four generations who are happy to live together in a place they love so much. I turn to you with a plea that you take time to consider the action that you are being demanded to fulfill. Close your eyes and imagine the following situation: you knock on the door of the house of the Shalva family in Neve Dekalim, you hand them the evacuation order, and begin to fulfill the mission. Let us begin with the evacuation of the first generation. My grandmother, Grandma Penina, 92 years old, a Holocaust survivor, arrived in Israel on an illegal boat but was denied entry and kicked out to Cyprus. Even after she arrived in Israel, she encountered many hardships. This is her house, and she has not had another for these last 17 years. This evacuation is really not hard. She is a frail woman who does not weigh a lot, and of course, does not resist with force. But why do your eyes fill with tears when Penina's eyes express that this is not the first time that she has been kicked out of her home? In the past, she was kicked out of her home - to Auschwitz? Grandma Penina is on the bus. The evacuation of the first generation ended successfully. Now back to the house, to the second generation. My parents, my father Moshe (son of Grandma Penina), and my mother Esti, do not put up any violent resistance, but their eyes are full of tears, which tell a story. Moshe and Esti were kicked out of their house in Yamit 23 years ago. When they knocked on the door of their house and put them on buses together with their four children the eldest being 3 and a half and the youngest a few weeks old, they promised them that the bus would take them to Be'er Sheva and there they would be taken care of? With a backpack and in it a change of clothing for each child and a few cloth diapers, Mom and Dad look like refugees in every sense. It was obvious that if they came to their parents with this appearance, the Holocaust survivors' association would be too heavy a burden, and was therefore not an option. After four hours of waiting on the sidewalk of the Be'er Sheva Central Bus Station, my father Moshe turned to the police, but there too he found no salvation. After many hours of waiting, a good Jew passed by, and after receiving the negative response to his question of whether they had a place to sleep, he gathered them to his house in Ganei Tal. In those days, we lived in the foyer of the family's house, until a temporary apartment was found for us in the community of Katif. Until our house was built in N'vei Dekalim, my parents made every effort to organize their life anew. My father established a business in N'vei Dekalim, and life returned to normal, or so it seemed... Moshe and Esti are also almost on the bus, when you suddenly remember that you don't actually have any answer to the question which is hanging in the air between the two of you - 'Where to now? What is next?' Now they, too, are on the bus, and the second generation's evacuation has been completed successfully. This time, with somewhat heavier steps - you return to continue with the 3rd generation. Eleven out of twelve of my brothers and sisters live in N'vei Dekalim, from Ori, age 26, to Tiferet - the youngest one, who just finished first grade. Now, the mission may be a bit harder. Going back and forth to the bus eleven times in the heavy heat is hard, however it is even harder to withstand the looks of the children, full of fright when they see you - for they had always believed that you are supposed to protect them and give them security. Now you are ripping them out of their home, in which they were born and raised. The eleven children have been put on the bus and also the bride and the two new grooms who have joined the family. The 3rd generation evacuation has ended successfully as well. Now you return to the house, all the while the cries from the bus reverberating in your ears, your legs barely obeying your commands. Only the 4th generation evacuation remains - and this one's really child's play. Two little girls, Moriah - four-and-a-half years old, and Efrat, two-and-a-half years old - my daughters. What could be so hard about taking two little girls?! You raise the two of them together easily and carry them toward the bus, when suddenly Moriah says in tears "But I want my house," and it dawns upon you that when you finish evacuating the 4th generation, you will have erased the normal life of an entire family. When you reflect on my daughters in your hands, you think about the next generation, you think about your children, or the children that will be born to you in the future. You are struck with fear when you think about what you will tell your children when they will ask you how you served the State - will you be able to tell them that you are proud of your service for the State? Please think! No, you really don't have to disobey orders. If you received an order to lift a truck weighing many tons, you wouldn't have to disobey orders - simply your strength would not serve you in that task. The soul, too, has its limitations! I turn to your soul, to the heart of that soldier or that officer who swore to protect the State of Israel. Please think... Harv Weiner, a businessman in Dallas, Texas, is the founder and moderator of Isralert. To subscribe to IsrAlert, send an email to isralert@aol.com |
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G-D SAVE ME FROM THE POLITICALLY CORRECT
Posted by Arlene Peck, July 26, 2005. |
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You know, folks, things aren't always what they seem. The whole world is saddened and upset about the recent bombings in what was once "Jolly Olde England." The newspapers are stilled filled with the outpouring of sympathy everyone is feeling for the Brits. Sad to say, while horrific, the bombings are no big deal in the history of Islamic terrorist events, especially if one looks at the long string of similar incidents in Israel . Incidentally, around the same time Israel had another one of those suicide homicide bombings, which made the news for about ten minutes. There was hardly any mention of what people in the Jewish State were experiencing, courtesy of their own "home-grown terrorists" around the same time. To add insult to injury, the LA Times, as usual, managed to make Israel look like the aggressor when they responded to the latest flurry of missile strikes and gunfire, which resulted in the death of a 22-year-old- Israeli woman and several injuries. Just to give you an idea: "Israel Kills 6 In Strikes on Hamas" and "The army responds to militant attacks with offensives in Gaza and the West Bank, sparking fear of renewed violence before the Gaza pullout." Personally, I would rather have seen a headline saying Israel had killed 60,000 of these Hamas vermin. Do you think the names of the "special Times correspondents" being "Fayed Abu Shammalah in Gaza City" and "Maher Abukhater in the West Bank" might have anything to do with the, as usual, biased and incorrect reporting? Naw. But, why single out the L.A.Times? Even the BBC has reverted to calling these murderers "militants", "freedom fighters," "activists" and "guerrillas". I find it amazing that the Peoples Truth Forum, which is sponsoring a symposium, titled, "The Radical-Islamist threat to World Peace and National Security", to be held in Connecticut in September, was refused by CBS/infinity when PTF president, Jeffery Epstein, tried to purchase commercial time to publicize the event. It is unbelievable that, in this day and age, when we are confronted almost daily with images of these savages cutting off heads, blowing up kindergartens or torturing children, as we saw in Russia last year, that CBS would have the stupidity to issue an official statement. "Too many people might be emotionally affected by this subject matter - it's too controversial to be aired at this time." I truly believe that between the ACLU and Politically Correct in this country, we are going to destroy whatever values and grasp of reality we have left. How can the corporate idiots running these press outlets conclude that a message against terrorism is "issue" related and should go through CBS's legal department for a final decision? Thank heavens the topic is "issue related" and has been endorsed as such by several congressional representatives and senators. I find it incredible that known terror-supporting organizations, such as CAIR and their ilk, can co-opt organizations like the ACLU and use our system to sue companies like General Motors and Dell, forcing them to accede to their demands for "special favors", and get airtime glorifying Islam and terrorism, seemingly at will. And, virtually no one speaks to the issue or to the challenge to the rest of us. Yet, if recognized counter-terrorism experts try to get the same, they are denied. You betcha, "too many people might be emotionally affected by the subject matter." Folks, I pray that enough of you wake up and stop this politically correct nonsense insanity. We are in a worldwide war! A war! It is time to start acting like it. How many more bombings, infanticides, airline hijackings, and absolute chaos are we doing to stand by and just watch? How many more billions of dollars are we going into "programs" which are really good behavior money, before we realize that no matter how much we give, it is never going to be enough? The Muslim world wants nothing but the complete domination and death of every Christian and Jew who is out there! They have said so and we must take them at their word! To be fair.. we ought to remember that old adage.. not every Muslim is a terrorist.. but, every terrorist has been a Muslim! They invented the word! For decades, Israel has been told, "you give up land, and then there will be peace in the world." Finally, others are beginning to realize that no matter how much we cave in and agree to dismember the Jewish State, their demands will always be more? more... more! How long will we be onlookers, complacently watching country after country fall to Muslim demands and control? Spain, instead of reacting with bravery and nerve, tried "appeasement" and now is under the control of the terrorist. Holland - No more as we've known it. Once an "open door" to any and all request for asylum, the Dutch now have the toughest policy regarding immigration in the European Union but it may a case of "too little, too late". They left the door open for so long that the number of Muslims in the country is major and growing at a rate well beyond that of the native population because of their carrying political correctness to near extremes. The Brits are now standing by, keeping a "stiff upper lip", following "business as usual", after giving these murderers safe haven for the past decade. Now what happens? Are they going to allow themselves to become the capital of Londonistan perhaps, and continue their politically correct self-annihilation? When are they, we, Spain and the rest of the civilized world going to strike back at these vermin who are holding the world captive? How have we failed to notice that Arab nations treat their Muslim brothers (blacks, Kurds, Bedouins, or those who practice another form of Islam) far less cordially than England, Holland, Spain, the U.S. and even Israel do? Actually, places like China and India come to mind. Surprisingly, they don't seem to be on the "jihad hit-list". Could it be that the Islamic cancer, although savage and primitive, is also pragmatic and realizes their host might not be as "politically correct" in their response to outrages? The Jihadists are clever enough to realize that it is the Western nations which are ripe for intimidation and blackmail. They also discovered to their joy that, because the West doesn't comprehend who Muslims are and what the Muslim ultimate message is, that they could count on being pretty much left alone and allowed to preach, recruit, collect funds and further their messages of death and hate to the point it has reached today. While the world watched from the sidelines and the UN passed resolution after resolution against Israel, the Arab countries have successfully cleared out their Jews with massive ethnic cleansing. Iran, Syria and Egypt chased their Jews out with barely the clothes on their backs. Who is giving them the "right of return"? While at the same time, the same lovely people who gave the Jews the Holocaust, the EU, aided by the various Arab nations, kept the so-called Palestinians in wretched "refugee camps" for over fifty years. Why? Simply for propaganda purposes to maintain the hatred of Jews in the Arab street. This is a culture that I believe is frozen in time in the 7th century, where I also believe they are most comfortable and suited. Stupidly, we in the United States have deluded ourselves, that if we ignore the 7th century mentality that runs the Muslim world, and pretend that if we could only "make Israel behave", there would be world peace. Now that it is hitting on our home shores, and we are beginning to notice that every page in every paper is filled with the latest atrocity of the Arabs, worldwide, we seem to be getting the idea vaguely that maybe Israel was really telling the truth! Could it actually be possible that Israel has nothing to do with their barbaric seventh century Holy War against the world? I fear for the future, and especially fear for Israel if she does not escape the dominance of the United States and the Bush State Department. Rice, and before her, Colin Powell, is not an "honest broker". For decades, we have watched our tax money being poured into the coffers of corrupt Arab politicians and are now in the process of doing it again for Abbas. Go look again at the pictures of President Bush holding hands with the Saudi Prince! The religious rights have discovered that the Jews were only the canary in the coalmine. First they came after the "Saturday people" and now folks, sadly, but inevitably, its open season on the "Sunday People." Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She can be reached at: bestredhead@earthlink.net and www.arlenepeck.com |
| GUSH KATIF |
WHY DIDN'T WE REACH GUSH KATIF?
Posted by Moshe Feiglin, July 26, 2005. |
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The remarkable mass of people that began to stream to Gush Katif could not really have been stopped by anything less than machine guns. Certainly the fence of Kfar Maimon didnt really stop them. And certainly not the tens of tired soldiers standing opposite the huge human spearhead. The giant march could have reached Gush Katif within hours and eradicated the expulsion plan. During the three days of the march, we saw the Yesha Council and the heads of Religious Zionism in their full glory and also in their full disgrace. They managed to bring out the vast potential of the most faithful and determined public in the country. They managed to handle the logistical needs of such a huge crowd in ever-changing conditions. They managed to put together people-power of which leaders of other public sectors can only dream. But when the time came to turn the great potential concentrated in Kfar Maimon into action, it turned out that they were simply unable to do so. Whoever was part of the huge human wave that began to march toward Gush Katif had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nobody marching thought that the great wave would stop after a few hundred meters -- of its own free will. But when this holy human flood reached the gates of Kfar Maimon, the Religious Zionist leadership was highlighted in all its weakness. It wasn't the gate that stopped the marchers, nor the relatively few police and soldiers that stood opposite the tens of thousands. What stopped them was the servile mentality of their leaders. What stopped them was their leaders' feeling that in order to be "Israeli", in order to belong, to be legitimate -- they need the approval of the media, the authorization of the army, the police, the court system -- in short -- the approval of the "masters" of this Land. "We are standing here at the gate" explained Yesha Council chairman Bentzi Lieberman to the astonished marchers, "and waiting for the Chief of Staff and Chief of Police to come here so that we can negotiate with them." "Don't touch the fence," explained Effie Eitam. "In all my thirty years in the army, I've never seen such a disciplined group of people." The Chief of Staff and the Police Chief never came. They didn't have to. A servant who has not freed himself of the bars on his heart will never be able to act against the will of his master. The Yesha Council sincerely did its utmost and did it with skill. In the merit of the Yesha Council, a very important fact became clear. The forces of expulsion have no true ability to deal with our huge belief based and determined crowd when we decide to act. All the soldiers and police in the country were brought to stand opposite the gates of Kfar Maimon. There is no point in creating alternative leadership to put together a grand logistical plan at this stage. Any serious alternative leadership will immediately be arrested. The belief-based public has no choice. Every single person must become a leader. Every man and woman must be a general. The police and army cannot chase thousands of faithful people marching by foot on dirt paths and fields toward Gush Katif. If the settlers of Beit El and Shilo and the faithful of Ra'anana and Rechovot organize into small groups and simply march toward Gush Katif, there will be no expulsion. Even if they don't reach their destination, they will force all the police and army in the country to focus only on them. As the day of the planned expulsion draws near, more and more faithful will set out toward Gush Katif. The roadblockings will also once again be activated. The expulsion forces cannot deal with this type of popular and spontaneous phenomenon. And there will be no expulsion. For three days, the besieged marchers in Kfar Maimon explained to the soldiers that they must refuse their orders. The belief-based public has already taken the giant step of irreverence toward the blasphemy of the corrupt establishment. It seems as though the Creator was waiting for this same irreverence from the leaders of the holy public -- expecting them to worship Him and not the media. The main question now is if the believing public will follow G-d despite its current leaders and despite some of its rabbis. The question is, will the simple, faithful Jew negate the establishment and start to march? Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) is a group of people inside the Likud party who want to see Israel adopt a more Jewish character. Moshe Feiglin, its cofounder, has emphatically said he does not want a theocracy, but he does want a State based on Jewish values. The Manhigut Yehudit website address is http://www.manhigut.org. |
| GUSH KATIF |
WHO IS REFUSING TO SERVE?
Posted by Marlene Young, July 26, 2005. |
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THE DISENGAGEMENT PLAN IS ACTUALLY A REFUSAL-TO-SERVE-PLAN Today, in yet another effort to squash the opposition to the "disengagement", Chief of Staff Halutz announced another reason why "Rightists" should not refuse "disengagement". He declared that if those on the Right who are anti-Disengagement refuse to serve in Army for the uprooting, then the Leftists could then refuse to serve in the territories. THIS IS YET ANOTHER COMPLETE TWISTING OF REALITY AND GROSS PROPAGANDA. THE RESPONSE TO THIS LATEST CHICANERY: The Disengagement Plan itself is nothing but a large refusal to serve in the territories, that has been organized by the government and called a 'disengagement' rather than what it really is: sanctioned refusal by the left to serve. the plan itself is a refusal to serve. It is the Right, those who are against the Disengagement Plan, who want to continue to honorably serve and defend the Land of Israel. The anti-Disengagement protestors, who do not want to give away Jewish land, and who want to continue to serve in the IDF to fulfill its Charter, its legal mission to defend the land and citizens of the State of Israel, and to protect the citizens by acting against the enemy terrorists and to defend the Land of Israel, are actually refusing the refusal-plan/disengagement plan. Under the "Disengagement Plan", the Army and Police have been hijacked by Sharon, Mofaz, and Mazuz, and are being used solely to repress and defeat their political and ideological opposition within the country, as they are in socialist regimes. Only in fascist illigitimate regimes can 12 year old girls be jailed for non-violent civil disobediance as "enemies of the State" because their religious values and ideas are dangerous to the Leaders controlling the country. Sharon, Mofaz and Mazuz, led by Peres, the Arab Parties, EU and the Extreme Left, have declared their refusal to serve in the protection and security and safety of all the Jewish citizens in the State of Israel past the 1949 Armistice Lines, and that they will therefore retreat, surrender, withdraw and refuse to serve. THEY NO LONGER USE THE ARMY TO DEFEAT THE THOUSANDS OF HAMAS, ISLAMIC JIHAD, FATAH TERRORISTS, And they no longer wish to train the army to value, defend and protect their fellow citizens and country, but rather to refuse to serve it by training them to uproot its citizens and give away the land to serve the interests of the leaders in power and the enemy. If you notice, Fatah, Islamic Jihad and Fatah are left fully intact to blackmail Israeli citizens for Jerusalem and Hebron, which Peres has announced is next on the Refusal List of the Left. All Jews who have been blown up over the last four years and all IDF troops killed after being sent (NOT BY AIR BUT ON FOOT IN SMALL NUMBERS, CERTAINLY NOT 20,000) like sheep into the Jenin Ramallah Tulkarm Rafah Terror nests were nothing more than ROADKILL, like garbage, to Sharon and his Gang. Sharon and his Gang just sent 20,000 troops to act against ISRAELI CITIZEN protestors, but have NEVER sent as large a force to act in any real way to defeat the PA terrorists. After any terror attack, Sharon sends a meaningless small number of troops for a short operation, and withdraws them after one or two terrorists out of tens of thousands are apprehended, at the cost of many PRECIOUS IDF lives. Sharon and his Gang are currently misusing the Army AS NOTHING MORE THAN PARAMILITARY UNITS, to serve the interests of the Socialist Radical Left, to violate the civil and human rights of the citizens in order to retain complete control of the population and consolidate their power; to turn the Police and Army violently against their fellow citizens, so that these corrupt socialist leaders can continue their collaboration with foreign leaders and entities who prop them up. They misuse the Police and Army to serve to protect the interests of the Left's Power consolidation and corrupt financial deals with the PA, the EU and the World Bank. Contact Marlene Young by email at marleneyoung1@yahoo.com |
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LETTER FROM CHAYA'S (HAIKI'S) PARENTS ON HER IMPRISONMENT
Posted by Bryna Berch, July 26, 2005. |
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From Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNationalNews.com), July 27: "Chaya, along with two friends, ages 13 and 16, have been held in Maasiyahu Prison, and an appeal to the Supreme Court to gain their release was rejected. Supreme Court Justice Ayala Procaccia ruled that the girls could not be placed under house-arrest or confined to their communities - as is the standard practice during legal proceedings - due to the fact that her father was disqualified as a guardian for a house-arrestee because he "did not fulfill the task placed upon him" of preventing his daughter from engaging in anti-Disengagement activity of this nature." Have you ever read a better example of circular reasoning? Chaya was practicing non-violent civil disobedience - usually considered praiseworthy in a democracy. In Israel, the ordinary practice apparently would be for her to be confined to her house. But Justice Procaccia ruled that her Daddy couldn't be guardian because he hadn't prevented her from demonstrating against the Gaza expulsion. Putting aside for the moment the bizarre notion that parents must restrain their children from protesting an injustice in a non-violent way, consider this: the case hasn't come to trial. So the court has no idea of the circumstances "and the nature" of Chaya's protest. So in arresting her, they are reasoning backwards and saying that if she was protesting, the parents must have been negligent in not stopping her. This isn't a 3-year old kid. Did they even know she was going? The Courts don't like the parents' ideology - or what they assume is their ideology. So Chaya is declared a public danger and her parents are irresponsible. (I think it is admirable that they instilled a sense of values that include loyalty to Israel and to Judaism.) So does that mean that any civil disobedience - any disagreement with the government's policy - is a worse crime that bombing and maiming and killing civilians? Arab kids who throw rocks and bombs are sent back home - no one blames the Arab family. Adult terrorists are released from prison. But someone who publically disagrees with Sharon is a "Public Danger" and must be kept in prison without a trial. Sick. Sick. Sick. This letter below was written by Chaya Belogorodsky's parents. It was published in Independent Media Review and Analysis (IMRA) today. Contact IMRA by email at imra@netvision.net.il [Editor's note: See also Home page ] I am writing you in connection with my 14 year old daughter Chaya [Haiki] who has spent the past 3 weeks of her summer vacation in jail. No,no, she hasn't murdered anyone. Nor did she steal anything, assault anyone or sell drugs. All she did was go to a demonstration in " the only democracy in the middle east". Here is how it happened. On 22 Sivan 5765 {29.06.05} Chaya decided to lend moral support to her friends who went to protest Ariel Sharon's plan to expel Jews. What follows is a direct quote from the official indictment filed against Chaya. She is accused of standing on a sidewalk while her friends proceeded to block traffic. After her friends were arrested a policewoman asked Chaya to leave the area. Chaya refused, saying that she wasn't doing anything illegal, that she had every right to stand on "every inch of the Land of Israel." The policewoman, unimpressed, warned Chaya that if she didn't leave immediately she will be arrested. To which Chaya replied:" So, shut up and arrest me then". That's it. This is the case that the State of Israel has against Chaya. And, because Chaya participated in a similar demonstration once before, the State prosecutor asked the juvenile court to remand Chaya into police custody UNTIL THE END OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST HER - a process that can last for MONTHS!! What is truly unbelievable is than this unprecedented request was granted. Judge Dalya Korn wrote a 10 page dissertation about the danger to society inherent in Chaya's disregard towards the law passed in the Knesset (Sharon's expulsion law). That, combined with the fact that Chaya participated in a similar "unlawful" demonstration before, has made her into a REAL PUBLIC DANGER, thus justifying her imprisonment until the end of the legal process. To understand the severity of the above decision one must know that, as a rule, an average ADULT criminal - be he a thief, rapist, or a drug dealer - is never kept in jail until the end of proceedings. Even if he is a repeat offender, and even if he repeats the same crime while he's awaiting his trial!! The worst they usually get slapped with is a house arrest. And juvenile offenders are treated even more leniently. The above holds true for all criminals, except for those whose crimes are "IDEOLOGICALLY BASED". And, according to the State prosecutor's words, herein lies Chaya's true danger to the society. you heard it right. What is even more outrageous is that the judge agreed!! Shocked and outraged at this clearly political ruling we appealed the decision. Our appeal went all the way to the Supreme Court of Israel. Judge Procaccia, who heard the case, upheld the decision. The only leniency and compassion that comrade Procaccia agreed to show Chaya was that she could be released from jail to a house arrest - BUT NOT TO HER PARENTS' HOME. Ignoring the fact that neither of the parents has any family in Israel (we are both immigrants), comrade Procaccia declared that Chaya must be sent "far away from this area of volatile emotions if she wants to get out of jail". The most outrageous part of her decision was her agreement with the prosecution that Chaya represents a "danger to the society because of her ideological motivation". This is coming from a judge who had absolutely no problems releasing not only common criminals, but even terrorists with blood on their hands!! Over the past few months alone Israeli government released hundreds of these beasts, and even though appeals for filed against this release, Procaccia and co. upheld the decision of the government. She never made the removal of these beasts from the " area of volatile emotions" a condition for their release. They were allowed to go back home. Comrade Procaccia is sure THEY won't be dangerous to our society anymore. Just in case you think that this may have been some kind of a judicial freak mishap - don't. What is happening in Israel right now is a FULL COOPERATION between the justice system and the ruling clique aimed at breaking any minimal resistance to the proposed expulsion of Jews. There is no other way to explain comrade Procaccia's decision to keep Chaya in jail, because the maximum punishment that Chaya faces on these charges, if convicted, would be some monetary fine. And to await this punishment she must stay in jail!! What is it like for a 14 year old to be in jail? Well, for the first week - including Shabbat - Chaya was kept in solitary confinement. She was not allowed to shower or call home. We could not send her clean clothes. The food she was given was not on the level of kashrut she could eat. For the first two weeks she was not allowed to have a fan in her cell - that's in the stifling, muggy Ramle summer, with temperatures reaching the high 90's. She is bored to tears and immobilized by the heat. Once a week she has to go through the degrading procedure of her cell being searched, with male jailers rummaging through all her personal belongings. She is not allowed out of her cell in the evenings, which means she has to eat her Friday night meal in the darkness of her cell. As of now we are not allowed to bring her any food from the outside, which means she gets almost no fruits or vegetables. We are only permitted to visit her for a half hour every week.This is how this young girl is being forced to spend her summer vacation - and I could go on and on. My telephone numbers in Israel are:
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PROSECUTION POLICY: DON'T TOPPLE THE GOVERNMENT OVER CRIMINAL CHARGES
Posted by Hillel Fendel, July 26, 2005. |
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A senior police officer speaking with Arutz-7 on condition of anonymity says there is enough evidence to indict and convict PM Sharon, but "it's unreasonable to topple a gov't over criminal cases." The source said that incontrovertible evidence exists against the Prime Minister in more than one case, but that the decision was made, together with the State Prosecution, not to pursue the cases. The investigations in question concern the $1.5 million loan by South African millionaire Cyril Kern to Sharon's sons, Kfar Malal (see below), and others. The source said that police investigators were made to understand that the policy is not to delve into cases that might incriminate the Prime Minister, in order not to destabilize the regime in Israel. Former State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg, in a recent interview he granted Yediot Acharonot upon ending his seven-year term in the post, said he did not understand why the investigation of Sharon's Kfar Malal activities was taking so long. The Kfar Malal affair was first uncovered by the business daily Globes in the summer of 2003 when it alleged that Prime Minister Sharon intervened with the Transportation Ministry on behalf of two brothers from Kfar Malal, south of Kfar Saba, whose land was being seized for use as a highway. The brothers, friends and former neighbors of Sharon, told the Prime Minister that their claims that the proposed compensation was too low were being ignored. Sharon intervened, and the brothers received some $100,000 more than had originally been set. Then Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein ordered an investigation and froze the payment of compensation. Former State Comptroller Goldberg himself investigated this issue in the past, and found that Sharon had "acted directly to promote a decision regarding farmland that led to a personal benefit for him and his relative." Arutz-7's Shimon Cohen, who spoke with the police source, said that the policy outlined by the source explains the enthusiasm with which the Prosecution is pursuing a plea-bargain deal with MK Omri Sharon, the Prime Minister's son. Much evidence, including documents, affidavits, recorded testimony and admissions, has been amassed showing that Omri activated fictitious associations to help his father beat Ehud Olmert in the Likud primaries of 1999. Despite this, and contrary to accepted practice, the Prosecution made great efforts to reach a plea bargain deal - which may even be finalized as soon as today. The fact that the Prosecution pursued a plea bargain deal, despite the relative ease with which it could have achieved a conviction, raised eyebrows in many legal circles. The deal stipulates that Omri Sharon will confess to a series of minor infractions, in exchange for the erasure of the heavier accusations against him. Two legal experts consulted by Arutz-7 differed on the ramifications of this development. One said that it appears that the Prosecution's enthusiasm for a plea bargain appears to be based on the fear that a trial will raise genuine doubts regarding the manner in which Prime Minister Sharon reached the position of Likud Party Chairman. This is an extension of the policy not to risk the toppling of the government "merely because of criminal cases." Another legal expert said that though he agrees that the Prosecution, for political reasons, has no interest in toppling the government, "the fact is that most cases end in a plea bargain agreement." He said, therefore, that the agreement made with Omri does not in itself prove the Prosecution's political leanings. The Supreme Court itself, when it reviewed Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision not to indict PM Sharon regarding the Greek Island affair, admitted that political considerations were central. Acknowledging that Sharon received different treatment than that which a regular citizen in a similar situation would have received, the Court justified this by stating that "the indictment of a Prime Minister would lead, probably immediately, to changes in the government order in the country, which would be liable to have a dramatic influence on the policy." The Supreme Court judges made this ruling despite admitting that Sharon's "explanations during the police investigation did not correspond with facts about which there is direct evidence." Hillel Fendel is editor of Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNationalNews.com). This article appeared in today's Arutz-Sheva. Baruch Gordon contributed to this report. |
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YOUNG GIRLS ARE IN JAIL, SHARON AND HIS SON AREN'T
Posted by Voice of Judea, July 26, 2005. |
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Disengagement is number 1 priority. One gets the feeling that stubborn Sharon is prepared to allow all of Israel to literally go up in smoke as long as he can execute his sadistic disengagement plan. Yediot Achronot, July 25th 2005, ran a blaring front page headline: 55,000 SOLDIERS TO BE DEPLOYED IN DISSENGAGEMENT MISSION, THE LARGEST AND MOST UNPRECEDENTED MILITARY OPERATION. The headline story also quotes Sharon's threat to retaliate against civilian Arab population centers if they dare upset the disengagement process by launching attacks during the disengagement. Another article published in Yediot Achronot, July 21st 2005, reveals that Israeli prison authorities are releasing 80 prisoners per month due to lack of space to make room for "dangerous enemies of the state", such as the 3 girls aged 13,14 and 15 who are being held without bail for minor political offenses. [Editor's note: to see poster about these children on home page, Click here. ] Sharon has repeatedly stated that Israel will not disengage under fire. The fact that Sderot was bombed again yesterday by kassam rockets is of no consequence to the Israeli government that refuses to take the necessary action to stop it. In other words it is acceptable to murder Jews before and after the disengagement, as long as the disengagement is not at risk. Voice of Judea Commentary: Those who wish to protest against the outrageous arrest of the 3 girls can sign the petition at http://voiceofjudea.com/eng/petition.asp . All petitions will be given over to President Moshe Katzav. Sharon's son to enter into plea bargain It is being reported that Sharon's attorney and Mazuz are close to a plea bargain agreement, but Mazuz's office continues to demand jail time for the young Sharon while the defense is seeking community service. A plea bargain agreement is expected to be announced sometime next week. Voice of Judea Commentary: Israel under the Sharon dynasty has turned into a strange and corrupt place. On the one hand, this fat Mafioso kingpin is walking around free as his patrons attempt to carve a comfortable deal out on his behalf. On the other hand, 13 year old children are being held in jail without bail for the duration of their trial. Please sign the petition at http://voiceofjudea.com/eng/petition.asp which demands that President Moshe Katzav intervene on behalf of the release of Moriah Goldberg age 13, Chaiki Bologrodsky age 14 and Penina Ashkenazi age 16, the 3 girls who are being held without bail until the end of their trial (something that may take months). "They allegedly committed minor political crimes". This is an outrage and unprecedented even in the most totalitarian regimes. Subscribe to Voice of Judea emails by sending an email request to jsid@dorsai.org |
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HOW NOT TO PROTEST; U.S. DISTRIBUTES "MATCHES TO CHILDREN"; FOREIGN AID
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 26, 2005. |
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"FASCIST ISRAEL" A 14-year-old boy is sitting in jail. Police claim that he was photographed throwing rocks at a policeman. His attorney demanded that the police produce the photo. They refused. The judge did not require them to (Barry Chamish, 7/13). No bail in "democratic" Israel. The idea is to harass opponents of abandonment however much this violates civil liberties, and not enforce the law. In Israel, the government is the major outlaw, aside from the Arabs. HOW NOT TO PROTEST A peculiar Yesha leader got anti-abandonment protestors to wear themselves out last winter, camping out in the cold winter, across from the Knesset, to no effect. Now they are repeating that failed stunt. They are calling for 140,000 protestors to march and camp for two days in the July heat, and then build structures. Such a plan would exhaust all but youngsters. Police will attack the youth with clubs and gas, but the protest leaders instruct the youth not to bring helmets, gas masks, and defensive sticks. They would have the numbers to fend off the police, if they had the means. Chamish thinks that the plan was set up by government infiltrators in order to be defeated (Chamish, 7/13). What should be done? Israel is less democratically-minded than is Lebanon. Pretended democracies deceive their populations. There isn't enough popular support to overthrow the regime. OBEYING ORDERS TO EXPEL GAZA JEWRY The Israeli military is emphasizing the necessity to follow orders. These orders, however, are not military but politicians' orders for keeping their own power and profit at the expense of their people. The means are cruel and undemocratic (Winston Mid East analysis, 7/13). TOM FRIEDMAN VS. SETTLERS Gaza Jewish residency is a major obstacle to appeasement of the Arabs. Therefore, Tom Friedman wants them removed, as Sharon's plan would do. They are risking their safety and livelihoods to resist in ethical ways. To undermine their resistance, Mr. Friedman is smearing them. He calls them all sorts of names, from "spoiled" to "extremist," as gangsters offending Muslim symbols and harming them with violence (which his "NY Times" does not document). He blames those Jews for having put anti-Muslim graffiti on a wall, although nobody was seen doing it (and the government has agents provocateurs). Friedman apparently never found the P.A.'s extensive antisemitic graffiti, sermons, broadcasts and textbooks (nor the violence of many thousands of terrorist attacks) offensive. He is a hypocrite with a sinister agenda. To make Jewish evacuation seem sensible, Friedman describes the 8,500 Jews of Gaza as "surrounded" by more than a million Arabs. Actually, most of the Gaza Arabs live in Gaza City, which is not near most of the Jews. He describes those few Jews as having taken Israel hostage. Actually, he and the Arabs are trying to take Israel hostage. He urges the Jews to leave Territories, to preserve the Jewish character of their country, although he has never expressed an interest in his own Jewish character! It happens that the settlers particularly preserve the Jewish character of their homeland, which includes the Territories. Friedman is the mentor for the Saudi Plan and Road Map, which would strip the Jews of the Territories' Jewish heritage and make it almost impossible to defend Israel's. He is a dangerous apologist for terrorism (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/13). His priorities are warped. ISLAMISTS INFILTRATE SAUDI SCHOOLS Islamist terrorists send teachers into poor Saudi neighborhoods to recruit terrorists. The teachers also formed after-hours study groups to indoctrinate the boys in radical ideology and against moderate ideology. The terrorists give the families money, as if scholarships. But the boys may not complete their studies, imbued as they are with an itch to fight. IMRA notes that rich Saudis also become terrorists (IMRA, 7/11). U.S. DISTRIBUTES MATCHES TO CHILDREN US aid to Jordan this year is expected to be $650 million, almost half being military. The money is not conditioned upon economic reform. It comes with standard praise unrelated to reality. The US considers Jordan a partner (IMRA, 7/11). Partner in what? The Muslim Brotherhood may have its sights on the hundreds of billions of US weaponry it could acquire, by taking over S. Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. It is better that Jordan not fall under PLO control, which US support may help it to avoid. Does it? US help to the P.A. may help it take over Jordan. ISRAEL RECITES MANTRA "FM Shalom: "The international community, first and foremost the EU, must bring all its influence to bear on the Palestinian Authority to dismantle the terror infrastructure and prevent attacks during the course of the disengagement." (IMRA, 7/11.) The EU has not done so in all the years of Oslo. It has concentrated on dismantling the Jewish state. There is no basis for hoping that the EU would get the P.A. to eradicate the terrorist infrastructure and prevent terrorism during the abandonment, which is scheduled for a few weeks from now. Nor does the EU care. It works like this: Israel says that the EU must influence the P.A. to eradicate terrorism. The EU will tell the P.A. that it must eradicate terrorism. There are no consequences to the P.A. for not eradicating it. The EU and the US keep donating large sums for the P.A., which is terrorist. Is this lip service to deceive people or are those who utter the mantra deceiving themselves? SHARON SPEAKS, & SPEAKS AGAIN "There is only one body that I rely on and that is the IDF, and the message has been passed on to the political leaders. Only one body is responsible for the security of the state and its citizens and that is the State of Israel, and there will be no concessions in this area. It is the exclusive responsibility of the State of Israel and no other body will be allowed to interfere." Sharon also has said, subject to approval from his (rubberstamp Cabinet) and (bribable Knesset) that Israel eventually would leave its security over Gaza arms smuggling in Egyptian hands (IMRA, 7/12). Judge him by his increasing acquiescence to Egyptian demands. SAUDI DEFINES TERRORISM The Saudi Deputy Minister of Religious Endowments defined terrorism as any contradiction in deed or even in thought that contradicts the Koran or the Sunna (IMRA, 7/12), Thought control is totalitarian. The Saudi Minister is attempting to justify murder and to call it punishment of terrorism. FOREIGN AID Although the media reported that the G8 pledged $3 billion to the P.A., the pledge was for $9 billion. G-8 resolved: "4. We support Mr. Wolfensohn's intention to a global financial contribution of up to $3bn per year over the coming three years" $3 billion @ 3 years equals $9 billion. "I have little to say about the African nations, except to observe that the failure of the African enterprise and the debt they have accrued was primarily due to greedy black leaders who pocketed the money and impoverished their nations. Their leaders are starving their people through greed and incompetence. Too many years of drought, disease and death to overcome. The strong fight each other for power, control and money and the donor nations rarely demanded accountability or transparency for the wasted money which they knew went to dictators. "I see nothing in the $9 Billion over 3 years to the Palestinians and the $50 Billion generous dollars to Africa which will change that." (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/10.) This counter-productive $59 billion is the cost of political correctness. SAUDI PRINCE'S GIFTS Prince Alwaleed bin Talal had donated $5 million to the Carter Center and plans to donate $6 million to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. He owns the a TV network, which includes the jihadist TV channel IQRA, beamed in Arabic to the US. Although the prince has been praised for a commitment to women's rights, his station supports violence against them, as by displaying approvingly, different rods with which to beat wives. IQRA called Jews "apes and pigs" and encourages human bombing of Israelis. It broadcast the exhortation of a Saudi cleric to defeat the West by "slitting of throats and shattering skulls." Another sheikh justified spreading the faith by the sword. Programs are full of false conspiracy theories that blame infidels for the crimes of Islamists, such as 9/11. Should Pres. Carter's Center have accepted the gift? (Steven Stalinsky, NY Sun, 7/13, p.8.) Or should it have exposed the donor? Why did the Prince, whose Islamist agenda is to destroy America, donate to it? To gain influence and divert attention from jihad? Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com. |
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THE "STATE" PROBLEM
Posted by Moses Mordecai Twersky, July 26, 2005. |
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As a strong supporter of President Bush (but also a critic) and Prime Minister Sharon's "Unilateral" Disengagement from Gaza (and 4 small settlements in Northern Samaria) - they are practically in Palestinian areas) - it is important that clarity concerning Israel's sovereignty as confirmed in International Law (the incorporation of the Balfour Declaration and the Mandate in the League of Nations which was subsumed by Article 80 of the UN Charter and reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 242 and 338) be made more understandable. The "territories" are in "dispute" under international law doctrine. As the late eminent International Law Professor Julius Stone wrote "ex iniuria non oritur ius" - illegal acts cannot produce legal results. Gains made in territory under rightful self-defense are recognized in International Law. Under UNSC 242 (and 338) negotiation is required to "secure and recognized boundaries". Jerusalem is lawfully distinct from this. The vision of a Palestinian State, while a nice idea, obfuscates reality and violates clearly the "normative" Nation-State. What would be much more lucid would be an understanding of enhanced Palestinian autonomous status. The "state" business is pure artificial construction. It is encouraging false hopes for an anarchic ridden Palestinian people. This is American arrogance. Moses M. Twersky lives in Providence, Rhode Island. can be contacted by email at gdk@ids.net This appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the Jerusalem Post today. |
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LEADER REMODELING INC.
Posted by Byrna Berch, July 26, 2005. |
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In public in Israel, Sec-of-State Rice gave her toothy grin and in private she dissed the Israeli leadership - I admit not too many people have any respect left for Sharon and his milktoasts - but still nobody can make gold out of straw, and nobody can make Abu Mazen into anything but the thug he is - a thug who acts weak at home. Maybe that's because he has the same fantasies as the other terrorist gangs in PA land: with Condeleeza's help, they hope to destroy Israel. You think maybe she don't know he's a terrorist? This article was written by Yoel Marcus and appeared in Ha'aretz today. Condoleezza Rice's visit to Sycamore Ranch, with its sheep, cows and rolling green pastures, could have come straight out of a kitschy American sitcom set on a farm down South. The family sits around a dinner table piled high with wholesome food and showers one another with love. Only in this case, the honored guest ate little and talked a lot, and what she had to say was enough to put everyone off dessert, even though finishing with halvah has become a tradition. In public, Condi was all smiles. But in private, she showed herself to be one tough cookie, full of demands on Israel. "She ticked us all off," said an insider. "The chutzpah of that woman. The way she totally ignored Sharon's critical problems at home. The way she twisted our arm and said we had to make all kinds of concessions and gestures to strengthen Abu Mazen." This time, Rice's demands did not go through the Weissglas filtering system. There was no sugar to sweeten the pill or make it easier to swallow. There was no beating around the bush. Israel, she said, must supply the Palestinian Authority with weapons and ammunition. It must speed up the lines at checkpoints. It must be nice to Abu Mazen's buddies and allow them to operate [emphasis added]. As if the missiles and the Qassam rockets fired at Israeli towns every day were our doing. As if the chairman of the PA deserves some kind of compensation. One participant said Rice spoke like a teacher scolding her students. She demanded that Israel exercise restraint in responding to terror and let Abu Mazen fight Hamas, lest all of Gaza fall into its clutches. As if Israel were standing in his way. When she visited the Palestinians, she praised Abu Mazen's leadership abilities and his "war on terror." In Israel, she went on about how weak and frail he is, and urged us to strengthen him. As if Israel were Leader Remodeling Inc. Once upon a time, if you recall, Abu Mazen was a prime minister. Arafat neutered him and forced him to quit. Now, Abu Mazen is the boss. His 100 days of grace were over long ago, and there's still no sign of him getting a handle on things. Sometimes, it's true, there is strength in weakness. Once, Israel had a weak prime minister by the name of Levi Eshkol. He was so weak, he did the unbelievable: He kicked Ben-Gurion, the founder of the state, out of the party. He was so weak, he led the country into the Six-Day War, which ended in Israel's greatest victory ever. The strength of a weak leader lies in the fact that those who want him where he is will find ways to shore him up. On the other hand, they forgive him when he doesn't meet expectations. In Abu Mazen's case, the Bush administration wants to strengthen him because of his commitment to democratize the PA, whereas all we see is a man incapable of carrying out his most elementary obligation - cracking down and disarming the terrorist organizations. With Israel taking its first historic step to leave the territories, one might expect something different. Some say that a man like Abu Mazen, who has been a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization for decades and is still one of its heads, couldn't be a weakling who needs crutches to get by. They are sure he can do more than he pretends he can. We've seen this type before. Look at Ben-Gurion. He didn't need outside backing to sink the Altalena or disband the Palmach. Barak didn't need crutches to pull Israeli troops out of Lebanon overnight. Sharon didn't need outside help to decide on the evacuation of Gush Katif. These three leaders did what they did in the face of massive domestic opposition, bordering on civil war. But since the U.S. administration is doing the asking, Israel must help Abu Mazen to help himself. If he needs a blood transfusion, we can donate some. After all, we do want a strong and credible partner. But we can't replace all his blood for him. If he is really so weak that he can't curb terror, can't discuss compromise and can't come up with any painful concessions on his side, then he is not a worthy partner. Rice can rant and rave until the cows come home, but we have no factory for remodeling Palestinian leaders. We can barely manage with our own shoddy goods. |
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TISHA B'AV IS FOLLOWED BY TU B'AV
Posted by Gary Cooperberg, July 25, 2005. |
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The Jewish people, throughout our history, have always made serious mistakes and fallen short of our obligations. It was on Tisha b'Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, that the spies whom Moses sent to scout out the Land returned with their evil report. The people cried for nothing as they trusted the words of the spies above the Command of G-d. As a punishment G-d declared that since they cried for nothing on this day, in future generations they would cry for good reason. It was on this day that both Temples were destroyed. It was decreed that those who cried needlessly would all perish in the wilderness and only the next generation would merit entering the Land of Israel. It was on Tu b'Av, the fifteenth day of Av, that the last Jew of those who cried perished and the way was cleared for their children to come home. To this day we celebrate Tu b' Av as a joyous holiday. As D day approaches tension is rising and everyone is wondering how this terrible dilemma will be resolved. Certainly the government of Israel would seem to have the power to do just about anything it chooses. Yet, we have already seen that enormous numbers of ordinary citizens are prepared to endure all kinds of hardships to oppose the madness of unilateral surrender and expulsion of Jews from their homes. The morning news today announced that Israel plans to deploy around sixty thousand security personnel to make sure that the expulsion goes smoothly. If this was announced on the news, perhaps the Arabs were listening too. Did anyone ever consider that perhaps some of our charming neighbors might use this information to their advantage? If nearly the entire Israeli army is out in Gaza forcing Jews out of their homes, who is left to protect the country? What an opportune time for a carefully planned attack upon Israel by a combination of neighboring Arab nations! Clearly the government of Israel is very worried that, indeed, the majority of its citizens will physically oppose their undemocratic decision to abandon whole Jewish communities to our enemies. The press may have distorted the numbers of protesters at Kfar Maimon, but the government knows the real numbers and is terrified that it may grow much larger when the real demonstrations take place. Thus all kinds of threats, real and implied, are being publicized in the press to try to frighten Jews into submission. Jail sentences for those who dare to be in Gaza; court martialing of soldiers who conscientiously object to throwing Jews out of their homes; water cannons and other forms of physical punishment against protesters, are but a few of these draconian tactics. While it is anyone's guess as to how the next few weeks will unfold, we would all do well to stop for a moment and try to realize the unique reality that is Eretz Yisrael. Recent history itself is clear proof that this country is far more than just another political nation. There is nothing natural about the way this country was reborn, or how it has managed to survive from day to day, much less how it has managed to grow and develop in spite of enemies both within and without. Back in 1948 most of our political leaders were against the idea of declaring independence from Britain. They were afraid that we couldn't stand on our own two feet. And logically they had a good point. But statehood was declared in spite of them, and the tiny state survived in spite of the fact that all of our Arab neighbors attacked with intent to destroy us completely. So what has changed? Our Arab neighbors still seek our destruction and our political leaders are still afraid that we cannot stand on our own two feet. Given the historical reality that over the past fifty-seven years all attempts to destroy us not only failed but found us redeeming yet more of our destined homeland, and, in spite of efforts by our "allies" to mitigate our military victories, our country has continued to grow and thrive, it is a wonder that our leaders are still so afraid that we cannot stand on our own two feet. What is it that we are afraid of? Even before the effort to remove Jews from Gaza has begun, despite the fact that Sharon clearly stated that Hebron will always remain part of Israel, Peres has announced that the PA wants Hebron and thus we will eventually have to leave that too. What a remarkable peace of statesmanship for a political leader to begin negotiations for our enemies even as our tail is already between our legs as we seek to flee from Gaza. What our puny leaders consistently forget and ignore is the fact that they are not at all in control of what happens here. The rebirth of the Jewish State after nearly two thousand years of Exile is no accident. The beginning of return of Jews from all over the world to the very Land of our birth and the restoration of our ancient Hebrew tongue is no coincidence. How can any human being think to try to undo miracles of such magnitude? It is foolhardy to imagine that Jewish destiny can be stopped and changed by a Peres or a Sharon. It is simply not possible. All that will be accomplished is needless suffering which could have been avoided were we to simply recognize and honor our Jewish obligations in this Divine Process of Redemption. The local media would have its readers believe that peace is around the corner. At long last those selfish land grubbing settlers will be thrown out of the "occupied territories" and the Arabs will love us and shower us with peace. Remember that wonderful peace we enjoyed before 1967; before those land grubbing settlers were in Gaza or Judea and Samaria or even East Jerusalem? All was bliss, love and peace. Fleeing our responsibilities will never bring peace closer. On the contrary. It will only make it harder to achieve and bring terror and bloodshed to our land. The Jewish People have a heavy responsibility to our G-d, to ourselves, to our country, and to all of Mankind. Like the prophet, Jonah, we can try to flee from our responsibility, but we will never escape it. If we but open our eyes we can clearly see redemption already beginning to unfold before us. It is our destiny to bring genuine peace to all of the nations of the world. But this cannot be accomplished by trying to appease our enemies. If Sharon is willing to deploy sixty thousand soldiers to Gaza, why not use them to clear out our enemies once and for all? What folly to uproot Jews while the Arabs are murdering us! Can he not see that he has already formed a defacto partnership with those who are murdering us? This is simply madness! I don't know what will be after Tisha b'Av. I do know that it is good for Jews to be worried during these three weeks. It is a time of mourning and sadness. But I also know that soon afterwards comes Tu b'Av which is a time of gladness and rejoicing. May it be G-d's Will that this Tu b'Av, which comes out on Shabbat (August 20), that we will all have good reason to rejoice. I fully expect that this will be. Gary Cooperberg lives in Hebron. He founded and directs the Shofar project, which is funded by Christian and Jewish zionists to support Jewish aliyah to Israel. Contact him by email at gary@projectshofarorg or go to his website: http://www.projectshofar.org/ To support Project Shofar, you can send a tax deductible contribution to: Project Shofar, Inc., P.O. Box 181191 Casselberry, FL 32718. |
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MALICE AFORETHOUGHT
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 25, 2005. |
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Israel's Prime Minister Ariel (Arik) Sharon emphatically stated that withdrawal of the Jews from Gaza/Gush Katif was a formula for War. He said that while he was running for election against Amram Mitzna who was emphasizing his position on Gaza - which was to evacuate the territories of all Jews. Then, once Sharon was elected, he exposed his secret plan which was to ethnically cleanse YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza) of all Jews. That Sharon is a liar, a scoundrel and a cheat - of that there is no doubt. He has proven it - numerous times. But, worse yet, he knows very well that the Arab Muslim Palestinian Terrorists are absorbing tonnage of smuggled weapons into Gaza and the seven cities over which they were given control after the Oslo Accords were implemented. These weapons are to be launched against any and all of the inner towns and big cities of Israel. All of this was confirmed by Israeli Military Intelligence but, it made no difference to Sharon. Sharon knows that once Israeli troops are moved out of Gaza, the same so-called "foreign fighters" (Mujahadeen - fighters for Islam) killing Americans and Iraqi civilians in Iraq will pour into Gaza which will become the Global Center for "Jihadist" Terrorism. Once concentrated there, they can proselytize young Terrorists, train, arm, collect funds, arms, rockets, missiles, even armored vehicles and planes. They would be able to send forth Terrorist cells to vulnerable populations all over the world. Zarqawi has stated that he will thin out the Mujahadeen in Iraq and transfer them into Europe to elevate Al Qaeda's Global War of the radical Muslims. Sharon also knows that Jews will be vulnerable in at least 44 communities within missile range of Gaza, because he has arranged that these 44 communities have been officially declared vulnerable by law after Sharon suggested it to the Knesset. However, various Muslim countries have developed missiles and rockets with ever-increasing ranges and accuracy, so the number of Israeli civilians in their homes will be increasingly vulnerable. In effect, while knowing all of these strategic disasters in the making, Sharon has become a co-conspirator against the Jewish people of Israel. He knows that once Israeli troops are moved out of Gaza the killing of Jews will increase in various kibbutzim, Sderot, Askelon, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Beit Shemesh, the suburbs of Tel Aviv, eventually Jerusalem - from the South. With Hezb'Allah in the North receiving such arms from Syria and Iran, the cities, town and kibbutzim such as Naharyia, Haifa, Afula, Tiberias, Safed, etc. will also be vulnerable. In brief, Sharon has knowingly sentenced a large number of Jews to death or being maimed for life by radical Islamic Terrorism. Sharon has accepted marching orders from "General" Bush, despite knowing better than all others that an "Intifada" 3 will be launched. That can only be seen as the worst form of high treason. There must be a Nuremberg-type Trial and, if the facts are clear, Sharon and his followers must receive the same sentence. Knowing Jews are going to be attacked and die or be grievously wounded through your own orders goes well beyond a mistake in judgement. Nor can a former top General think that sacrificing the people as he would his men in a battle, leaves him protected. Even then, such a General who would knowingly sacrifice his men in battle would deserve a court martial at the highest level with the possibility of the highest punishment. Sharon is knowingly committing a crime against the Jewish people both in Israel and the whole world. No Prime Minister has ever been given the right to give away Land he did not own and only had temporary stewardship for safe-keeping. Some of Sharon's former soldiers believe that Sharon has gone insane. Others believe that the reason for this is the thrice born-again President Bush. If it's the latter, then Sharon may have committed high treason. Sharon has proven himself to be useless as a guide for the economy now in deep trouble. He commits to spending more than a Billion Dollars to deport 10,000 Jews (to start) from their homes and withdraw the army to new positions, this at a time the Treasury cannot pay for the welfare of the poor, sick, old, pensions, education - among other basic necessities for the Israeli people. Sharon cannot afford the increased Defense Department expenditures for foolish and dangerous gestures. Then Sharon goes begging to Bush for $2 Billion dollars, a mere token of what it will cost to evict and re-house, build schools, synagogues, farms, businesses for 10,000 men, women and children. Sharon, the Jews have died in every country because we were hated. We were mostly hated because we brought the real G-d to a pagan world. Israel was to give us respite or, at least, a chance to fight our dedicated enemies. For a moment in time, Arik, you fought as a Jew but, as time passed, we found that you were a Jew in name only. You, like many who went before you, wanted a non-Jewish secular nation. You hid it well but, you were no different from David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak - among others. Then came a thrice born-again Christian who gave you a chance to shed your Jewish skin and emerge as what you always were. Like Josephus - who accepted Rome, you found another nation to transfer your loyalty and act as their representative. That you became disloyal to your own people, spouting nonsense that your dismembering of the Jewish nation will somehow save it. Somehow, you are part of many of our past brethren - like Shabatai Zvi who led his people falsely and, when captured by the Muhammadans, quickly switched to becoming a Muslim worshiping Allah. What have you become in your transmogrification? Sharon, you are not a champion of the people because you believe in nothing other than your corpulent self. Strangely, the more you try to dispose of our Jewish Land and our Jewish Holy Sites, the stronger believing Jews become. When that corrupt womanizer and stealer of antiquities, Moshe Dayan gave away the Jewish Temple Mount to the Muslim Arabs, we real Jews should have understood the Evil you represent. I should curse the day you were born but, for a brief time, you seemed to be doing the job HaShem had in mind for you. But, then you became a corrupt politician and the poison in you boiled up. Arik, when you were General, you knew what to do. When you became a politician, you spoiled like fruit that falls on the ground and rots. You have gathered around yourself the lowest of our people. The word "trash" seems not to do them or you, justice. Sometimes, I feel I am walking with the children to the ovens. I wonder if those children are looking at you, wondering why you have betrayed them and their memory. I often think of the young soldiers who were killed in action, knowing they were fighting for their families, their homeland. I wonder what they think of their Commander-in-Chief who has betrayed the dead and now betrays the living. I would imagine that there is a special place reserved for you in Gehenna. I feel certain that you, Arik Sharon, will go howling through Hell for all eternity for what you have consciously done to the Jewish people. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
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THE SETTLERS SHOW THEIR TRUE COLORS
Posted by Professor Ya'akov Golbert, July 25, 2005. |
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The international press corps was there in force to document the bloodshed when those vicious, violent, fascistic, aggressive, gun-totin' "settlers" attacked the cops and soldiers sent to prevent them from entering Gush Katif. They really believe their own lies! They actually believe the lying image of the "settlers" that they have created over the last 38 years. Instead, they saw "settlers" doing what "settlers" really do: davening with the soldiers and the cops, playing shesh-besh (backgammon) through the fence with the soldiers and the cops, singing patriotic songs and Psalms. They allowed at least one Chabadnik in to put tefilin on the soldiers and the cops and the Chabadniks actually had the soldiers and the cops drinking vodka with them! The only violence attempted was by the government! "Break their bones," was the instruction given by of one Sharon's satrap. Sharon himself gave orders that the protesters were to be starved out: no food, no water. So 600 residents of Kfar Maimon provided food and water for some 40,000 protesters, let them use their showers and camp on their lawns. On the other hand, government spokesmen repeatedly and constantly called for "no violence" from the "settlers" who were there to protest the government's plan to violently throw the residents of Gush Katif out of their homes, farms and businesses. This article was written by Caroline Glick of the Jerusalem Post. It appeared on July 21, 2005 and is archived at www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ ShowFull&cid=1121912429096&p=1006953079897 Walking among the tens of thousands of Israeli protesters at Moshav Kfar Maimon this week was like being witness to a miracle. There in the scorching summer heat were thousands upon thousands of families with children of all ages, young men and women and elderly people, living under siege and in conditions that would make an infantryman cringe. And yet, there was no complaining. There was no shouting. There was no pushing. There was no garbage on the ground. There was no stench of any kind. What one saw in the protesters' faces and heard in each and every statement and conversation was dignity, determination, integrity, faith and a form of earthy, plainspoken and unabashed patriotism and concern for the greater good that has become an artifact of a barely remembered past for many Israelis. In witnessing this - when just outside were 20,000 soldiers and policemen, laying concertina wire along the fence penning these people in as if they were terrorists, and standing arms locked in row upon row, poised to pounce at them at the slightest provocation - it was, indeed, hard to shake off the sense that one was watching a miracle happen. The tens of thousands of law-abiding citizens - estimates of their actual numbers run between 30,000 and 60,000 - were exercising their democratic right to protest the government's plan to expel 10,000 Israelis from Gaza and northern Samaria and destroy the communities they built from sand next month. The protesters oppose this plan for moral reasons. It is simply obscene, they say, to carry out these expulsions. These people are set to be thrown out of their homes and their farms just because they are Jews. Israel receives nothing in return. These people's homes will be either destroyed or turned over to the same Palestinian terrorist forces that have been attacking them continuously for the past five years. Their hothouses and livestock are set to be turned over to the Palestinians as well. The plan's proponents argue that the expulsion of 10,000 Jews from their farms and communities in the Land of Israel is necessary to maintain Israel as a democratic, Jewish society. Yet, what these opponents of the expulsion plan experienced, in their efforts to even voice their opposition, is that in insisting on carrying out this plan - which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was reelected overwhelmingly in 2003 by promising to oppose - the government is trampling and endangering both Israel's democratic form of government and its character as a Jewish state. On Sunday evening, the day before the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip's solidarity march from Netivot to Gush Katif was set to begin, the police denied the council a permit. In so doing, the police unabashedly denied these people their democratic right to protest the policies of their government. The police's justification was the announced plan to walk to Gush Katif - on the third day of the protest. The denial of the permit to demonstrate meant that everything about the protest plan was deemed illegal. Citizens conducting demonstrations in Netivot, Kfar Maimon and Kibbutz Re'im, the first three planned stops on the march - all of which are well within the sacrosanct 1949 armistice lines - was deemed an illegal activity. Then Monday, when the council ignored this draconian announcement, the police breached the constitutional rights of tens of thousands of Israelis by intercepting privately owned buses throughout the country - from the Golan Heights to Tel Aviv to Eilat - and prevented their law-abiding passengers and drivers from exercising their right to travel freely in the State of Israel. In both of these actions, the police - with full backing from the Prime Minister's Office, the State Attorney's Office and the leftist local media - took actions that undermined Israeli democracy and its foundations as a state ruled by law and not the police.
(Jacob Richman) On the roads to Netivot on Monday and on the roads to Kfar Maimon on Tuesday and Wednesday, the police set up roadblocks to inspect cars. Cars with orange banners of solidarity with the residents set for expulsion, and cars whose passengers were identifiably religious, were pulled over and not allowed to pass. Rather than turn around and go home, the passengers said nothing of this obviously unlawful, discriminatory humiliation. They simply got out of their cars and, pushing their baby carriages and strollers, walked for kilometers under the desert sun to reach Kfar Maimon on foot. In so treating these citizens, the police clearly signaled that they view religious Jews as a threat. So much for leaving Gaza and northern Samaria in order to ensure Israel 's future as a Jewish, democratic state. AS ONE walked along the crowded road and the lawns of Kfar Maimon, one was struck by the ubiquity of the television cameras. Nearly all major news organizations in the Western world were present. In the past, when the council brought up to a quarter of a million people out to protest land giveaways, the mass demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv received barely any attention. And here were Fox and Sky News, CNN and the BBC competing with Israel's television channels for the best place to park their satellite dishes. The reason for this is clear: The world press has bought into the demonized image of the Jewish residents of Gaza, Judea and Samaria that has been largely propagated by the Israeli Left and the Israeli media. The "settlers" are viewed as violent, extremist, money-grubbing religious fanatics who threaten the foundations of Israel and block any chance for peace between Israel and its neighbors. In other words, under normal circumstances, protests by the settlers are considered unworthy of media attention. But this time, the media swallowed the bait set by the council leaders who insisted that they would march to Gush Katif. Everyone came to film the blood that would be let when the protesters clashed with the Israeli army and the police. But once they were there, far away from their air-conditioned offices and apartments in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, they had to send in the pictures of what they saw. And what they saw was the truth they have been insistently denying for the past 30 years. Namely, that these Israelis have nothing in common with their demonized image. Here were tens of thousands of peaceful protesters singing and dancing and studying together. Here they were, handing fruit and drinks to the soldiers and policemen sent to stand against them and, rather than fighting with them, they prayed with them. For the first time, perhaps ever, both the general public in Israel and the world were able to receive undistorted images of these people on their television screens. If the police's trampling of democracy by attempting to block the protesters from arriving at Netivot and Kfar Maimon weren't enough, we had the hysterical reaction of the police and the IDF to ensure that the general public understood that, like the media, the commanders of the police and the IDF had fallen for the discriminatory stereotypes of the settlers and their supporters. Arrayed against these families was a division and a half of security forces. There were more security forces laying siege to Kfar Maimon than participated in the Operation Defensive Shield in Judea and Samaria in April 2002. In the entire US invasion force of Iraq in 2003, only 20,000 troops actually participated in combat operations. As the Palestinians in Gaza continued their Kassam rocket and mortar attacks, rather than fight Israel 's enemies, the IDF deployed six combat brigades to Kfar Maimon, where the soldiers were told to lay siege on their own family members. Brig.-Gen. Gershon Hacohen, who is the division commander charged with commanding the withdrawal and expulsion from Gush Katif, laid siege to his brother, Rabbi Reem Hacohen and his family. Reem's son, a cadet at officer training school, laid siege to his parents and siblings. Thirty percent of the soldiers in the Golani Infantry Brigade live in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. These soldiers laid siege to their parents and brothers and sisters. At least one battalion commander refused to follow his order to lay barbed wire along Kfar Maimon's fence. Several commanders ordered their soldiers to remove their unit insignias and berets so that no one would recognize them. Soldiers from command courses in the IDF, who were sent with no warning to Kfar Maimon, cried when they received the orders and the soldiers standing arm to arm against the protesters cried as they were forced to lay siege to their innocent countrymen whose only offense was voicing their opposition to the expulsion plan. Sensing the impact of the demonstration, and no doubt noting that the latest polling data from the left-leaning Herzog Institute show that less than 50 percent of Israelis support the plan, Thursday morning Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the government may order the expulsion to begin immediately rather than on its scheduled date of August 17. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived Thursday afternoon to make sure that Sharon goes through with the plan in spite of the fact that doing so all but ensures that Hamas will take over Gaza. Hamas has already prepared 20,000 new uniforms for its operatives and supporters. They are planning a victory march through Gush Katif the day after the last Jew is expelled. So much for Washington 's belief that throwing Jews out of their homes simply because they are Jews will contribute to the prospects of Middle East peace. When a democratic government adopts an immoral policy, it is the duty of its loyal citizens, through acts of protest and civil disobedience, to hold up a mirror to their leaders and their fellow citizens to force them to contend with the implications of their policies. At Netivot and Kfar Maimon this week, the protesters did just that. What we saw on the one side was the dignified, humble and stubborn Zionism of the citizens set to be expelled and of their supporters. On the other side, we saw the anti-democratic and discriminatory
face of the government that stands against them. The time has come for
the people of Israel to be allowed to freely and democratically decide
which side they are on.
Ya'akov-Perez Golbert was a full professor of
law in Los Angeles until moving to Israel in 1984. He is a practicing
lawyer in Jerusalem and is a co-founder/director of Netzah Yisrael Lo
Yishaqer, (http://www.netzahyisrael.org). Contact him by email at
golbert@actcom.co.ilq
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AND THEN THEY CAME AFTER US
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, July 25, 2005. |
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Look at this snippet from a friend of mine in Ohio; it is brilliant.
Militants hide behind civilians everywhere. In my own neighborhood (just three houses away, here in Sylvania, Ohio), a family of Arabs were raided by the FBI. More than 100 guns were found in the house. And our neighbors saw many men crawling on the ground in the back yard, like commandos, practicing... something that looked very bad. My peaceful quiet upper middle class neighborhood (suburb of Toledo) is just about the last place to look for terrorist cells. Yet, here they are. The militants have become as ubiquitous as McDonalds. But how can you destroy tiny bits and pieces of militant cells when they are but scraps of people hiding under rocks all over the world? And just when one rock is uncovered, they hide under another. Tanks and infantry were not meant for this. Cruise missiles won't do the job. I'm afraid that this war on terror will last many, many generations. Meanwhile, the US devotes its resources fighting against Baathists, Sunnis, and stragglers from Syria, instead of the terrorists who are currently planning their next attack on us. WE NEED A NEW STRATEGY! Mordechai Ben-Menachem is at Ben-Gurion University. He can be reached by email at quality@computer.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
SHARON'S FRIEND TO BUILD CASINO IN GAZA
Posted by Hillel Fendel, July 25, 2005. |
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Cyril Kern, whose donations to the Sharon family have been the subject of police investigation, is one of the financial partners in a casino-to-be-built in northern Gaza if Israel withdraws. Former MK Shmuel Flatto-Sharon the major player in the plans to build the casino, revealed to Arutz-7's Itzik Wolf that among his partners are a Saudi Arabian billionaire and Kern (pictured, left). Flatto-Sharon said that he has already been in contact with the Palestinian Authority regarding his plans to build the casino on the lands of what is now Elei Sinai, one of the three Jewish communities in northern Gaza. Elei Sinai is the closest of the three to what will become, under Prime Minister Sharon's withdrawal plan, the PA-Israel border - only a couple of hundred meters away. Cyril Kern is an old war-time buddy of Ariel Sharon who has long lived in South Africa. He and the Saudi businessman recently toured the area on which the casino/resort is to be built. Flatto-Sharon said he plans to conduct talks with Israel about ensuring that the homes of Elei Sinai remain standing, to be used to house future casino employees. In 2003, the police began investigating a $1.5 million loan that Kern made to Sharon and/or his sons. The information was considered so damaging by a State Prosecution attorney that just three weeks before the national elections, she secretly faxed the story to a Ha'aretz reporter. She later explained that because she had a son of army age, she did not want Sharon to be re-elected as Prime Minister. The attorney was later forced to resign her position and pay a fine. The Saudi billionaire arrived in Israel several months ago, at the behest of Labor MK Ephraim Sneh. He met at the time with senior officials in the Prime Minister's Bureau and discussed with them the possibility of his purchasing all the houses in Gush Katif for the price of seven billion dollars. Flatto-Sharon said that the casino project will only begin after the disengagement. It will include a casino, a motel, and a five-star, 400-room hotel. The town's synagogue will remain standing for the benefit of the expected Israeli and Jewish gamblers. The former MK, who served in the 9th Knesset on an independent party list, told Wolf that he has a detailed map of Elei Sinai that he received from the PA minister Kadura Fares. Fares himself received it lately from the Israel Defense Forces. Flatto-Sharon said that half of the expected profits, which he calculates will reach a million dollars a day, "will be donated to the poor and underprivileged... for instance, the local municipal council workers who have not received salaries for several months." Wolf reported that his query on the topic to the Prime Minister's Bureau has not yet been answered. Sharon's top aide Dov Weisglass has long been accused of having conflicts of interests related to the casino in Jericho and a planned casino in Gaza. See "http://israelbehindthenews.com/Archives/ Sep-27-04.htm#NigudInteresssim" by David Bedein for details. 2. "Elei Sinai Unhappy with Casino Plans" by Hillel Fendel. Residents of Elei Sinai, the pioneering Jewish community that Ariel Sharon's friend Cyril Kern wants to turn into a PA casino, respond to the news that their town is slated to become a casino. Arutz-7 spoke with several residents, including Yamit-evictee Avi Farhan, Rabbi Yishai Bar-Hen, and others. Long-time Elei Sinai resident Avi Farhan said he's heard rumors of a casino before, but didn't know that Sharon's friend Cyril Kern was involved. "When this uprooting/expulsion plan was first mentioned by Sharon [in late 2003]," he told Arutz-7 today, "our three northern Gaza communities of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit were not involved at all. Only afterwards were we included in the plan - and this led to all sorts of rumors about casinos and the like. I said at the time that these were merely evil rumors, because it simply could not be that the government of Israel would take me and my neighbors out of our homes and lands in order to build a casino. It simply couldn't be; how low could Jews descend?" Farhan added that there was no reason in the first place to include northern Gaza in the disengagement plan: "The area on which our three communities stand was never under Arab control. Even when the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian control from 1949 to 1967, this area - from Dugit in the west until Nisanit in the east, and up to Nachal Shikmah in the north, including Netiv Haasarah (just north of the Gaza Strip) - was a buffer zone under UN control. We are located just four kilometers from one of Israel's largest power plants; this was a totally forested area, and we didn't uproot any Arabs in order to live here." Farhan said, "I say to Flatto-Sharon and to Cyril Kern and to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon: On the contrary, we're in favor of developing the area, and even with Palestinian cooperation. We can be the bridge for peace, for everyone's benefit. We are contiguous with Ashkelon in the north, and with our neighbors to the south [Arab residents of Beit Lahiya and nearby Arab cities], with whom we lived in peace for many years. I myself had a cooperative juncture - a fish restaurant - that I owned jointly with Arabs for almost 20 years, and it was a perfect example of cooperation and co-existence. About 5 years ago, Muhammed Dahlan came to eat at the restaurant, and I told him that though the left-wing Israelis are afraid of him, we are not - and that if there is some good will, the Arabs and Jews together can turn the area from Ashkelon southwards to El Arish into something that could compete with the French Riviera. But if they want to do it without us, by expelling us - it won't work, because it will bring only hostility and tension and antagonism. We can find the way for Jews to live here, just like Arabs live in Galilee." Farhan was evicted from the town of Yamit following the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty of 1979. He told Arutz-7 that he moved from Yamit to Elei Sinai at the behest of none other than Ariel Sharon. Farhan related that on his way to setting up a protest refugee camp in 1982, "Uri Bar-on, an aide of [then-Defense Minister] Arik Sharon, came to see me and said, 'Arik says that instead of protesting and starting a refugee camp, why don't you start a new community in the Erez area, in northern Gaza?' And so we did! We started the town of Elei Sinai [followed later by Dugit and Nisanit], at the behest of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon." Rabbi Yishai Bar-Hen, who has lived in Elei Sinai for eight years, told Arutz-7, "There are several things that I don't understand: If they're taking our homes for a casino, this means that all their claims that they need housing and they are too densely populated are not true. Why do they claim that we took their land and forced them out of their houses, if really they want the land just to make money? "Secondly, I'd like to know this: What do the other Jews of this country think about the fact that Jews are being forced out of their homes just so a casino can be built? Take Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan - would the Jews there be willing to leave for the benefit of a casino? ... "If this place turns into a casino, I pity the people of Sderot and Ashkelon - not only because of the Kassam rockets that can be expected, but also because of the money and values that can be expected to be swallowed up by having a casino next door..." Rabbi Bar-Hen noted with some sadness that the public struggle against the withdrawal from Gush Katif and Shomron had concentrated most only Gush Katif, and much less so on northern Gaza. "It's not too late, however," he said. "Even a phone call or a letter can help to show that the people here have not been forgotten. And even for those who have already decided to leave, a call or letter shows that people are not judging or second-guessing them, but realize how sad it is to have to leave the land that G-d gave the Jewish People - and this can have a great effect." Rabbi Bar-Hen noted that the first yeshiva to relocate to Gaza in the past several months was Yeshivat Maaleh Ephraim, in the Jordan Valley, and that it was later followed by other yeshivot that moved to Gush Katif. "The teachers and students have been here all this time," Rabbi Bar-Hen said, "and have not left. They asked me if they should participate in demonstrations and the like, and I advised them that they should simply study, from morning to night. And that's what they do, and the people here are very impressed with them. I said that they should sit here in the air-conditioned Torah study hall, and that will give the other people the strength to stand in the hot sun and protest." Hillel Fendel is editor of Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNationalNews.com), and is author of two three news items, which appeared in today's Arutz-Sheva. |
| GUSH KATIF |
MIREL'S DIARY - WEDNESDAY IN KFAR MAIMON
Posted by Naomi Ragen, July 25, 2005. |
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Friends, More from my friend Mirel on Kfar Maimon in which she discusses the morality (immorality?) of asking soldiers to refuse orders (and having her soldier son on the other side of the fence), and how it all ended. My own personal feeling is that asking our soldiers to disobey orders is criminal as well as unfeeling, and that it cannot be justified in any way. You can contact Mirel by email at mogey@barak.net.il Naomi The sun shining above wakes me up. I'm delighted to see that I actually got in a full night's sleep (Hey - 9:30 to a bit after 6 is even better than at home!) I get myself organized, see that Elchanan [who has generously invited us strangers into his home!] has left the door open for us to avail ourselves of his facilities and quietly wash up so I can say my prayers and start my day. Lucky me for the early start, 'cause by the time I finish, the lines are forming once again for our host's bathroom. I eat breakfast, and join Elchanan for a coffee. I'm actually not much of a coffee drinker, but Elchanan is so put out by my not taking anything from him, that I figure that may as well have a coffee. I feel that our hosts are being so generous it is hard for me to take advantage of it. N. [my friend] and I limit ourselves to the bathroom and the fridge and leave the showers and extras to others. People are constantly asking for outlets to recharge their cellphones as well. At one point, Elchanan laughed and told one person that if he finds a spare outlet, he's welcome to it, but at the moment they're all being used. It seems that some things were relaxed overnight, and the makolet was restocked as well. N.'s daughter comes and tells us that last night a shipment of pizza and other food supplies came in from Atzmona in Gush Katif. N. goes to do some shopping. Afterwards we head down to the morning rally. Not much that's new, more pep talks, more singing, Rav Druckman is leading us all in song. More reminders of nonviolence, patience. Reminders to drink and rest for the next leg of our journey. Reminders of activities for children and shiurim for the youths and adults. Reminders to take good care of Kfar Maimon and keep the place neat and clean. I meet someone I know. He tells me that he'd gone home the day before and snuck back in early that morning. Despite the roadblocks and cordoning, it seems that people are still making it in. (Later at home, I'm told about one family who snuck across the fields to Kfar Maimon, only to be helped by one of the soldiers who wheeled their baby carriage across the field and led them to an opening in the fence.) We're told that there is a lost and found behind the shul, so after the rally I head there to look for my water bottle with insulated bag that had disappeared the day before. On the way I see some people reading the paper. I join the crowds to see what it has to say. A bit surprised at the warm coverage, I look for the correspondent's name - and then notice that the paper is HaTzofeh Oh well, at least someone likes us As I continue to the shul, through the throngs of people I notice some soldiers among the crowds. They came in from the group ringing us to visit with some friends. I ask them what unit they're with - not my son's unit I'm glad to hear. But that makes me wonder. I send my son an SMS message - hey! If you're nearby, come visit me! Finally find the lost and found, but sadly my insulated bag is not there. On my way I hear that there's a lawyer who's giving out legal advice, what to do in case you're arrested. Since this is another big fear of mine (I'm really a straight, law-abiding citizen, very non-confrontational. Just the thought of entering a confrontation with soldiers or police ties my stomach up in knots. What can I say? I was born a real chicken), I decide to join the group. We are told that he will speak without any loudspeakers and only to small groups so as to avoid his getting into trouble. I wonder at the world we live in - where a lawyer providing free legal advice has to worry about being arrested for incitement. Now picture me - I'm standing there in my jeans skirt, orange shirt and cap, with a pouch holding all my essentials (cellphone, siddur, pen and pad with emergency numbers in case I'm arrested - G-d forbid - or something). Since I'm really big on taking notes to help me remember things, I pull out my pad and pen and begin writing down what he has to say. All of a sudden, someone begins yelling and pointing in my direction - watch out! A member of the press! I of course, deny the accusation. So I'm asked - so how come you're writing it down? I explain that I want to relay the information to other people and besides, I remember best that way. People calm down and our lawyer continues. Actually, good think I took notes, because afterwards groups of people approach me asking me to repeat what was told. One person tells me he's with a group of students and asks for pen and paper to write down key points to relay to them as well. I hear the end of the lawyer's talk one more time, and then follow him once again to another group and, and get some new pointers. Someone there sees me and laughs, told me that he's been following him around too. I guess someone else there is as nervous as me People are passing around cartons of apples - a donation from settlements in the Golan. The day before we had pears donated by the people of Kfar Maimon. Later I see someone with a giant gourd- it seems that some settlement had sent cartons of those as well (although hardly as practical, I guess those who came with cooking equipment could do something with it ). As I roam around, I bump into my niece's husband, and then someone else that I hadn't seen since I got off our bus at the Plugot intersection. She suggests a walk to the fence to see what's up. While we walk my phone rings. It's my son, the army officer. "Where are you, Ima? Going home yet?" he wants to know. I tell him where I am, and that I'll be staying one more day (I'd planned on staying till Wednesday, but with the change in program I figured I'd stay for as long as I could - my food and husband's patience should last till Thursday I figured.). Go home he begs. Not yet, but soon I promise. My heart aches for him. Anyway, my son tells me he'll be stopping by for a visit. I tell him that I 'll be waiting by the gate. As I approach the gate, I see that some of the chemical lavatories and the water tanks from the encampment have been moved here. I see this guy running up he tells us to go to the gate and stop people from leaving - people are leaving in droves. I am told to be careful - he is provocateur. But then, skeptical me thinks that anyone saying things we don't want to hear would probably be called a provocateur. I get my first view of the gate and realize I can't stay there. There is an opening near the gate where people leave and enter, but the sight of that gate handcuffed shut I find too unsettling for words. Protesters from Kfar Maimon are milling about over there. The police are grouped there too, eating ices. (Just inside the gate is a man selling ices from a cart. He shouts out: Aritkim! Artikim! 2 shekel an artik! And then adds - I love this protest, come protest every day!) I set out towards the fence where the soldiers are lined up. There are groups of kids, youths, adults around the soldiers, some playing music and singing, some offering them treats and drinks, some lecturing them about what they should or should not be doing, some just talking to them. Stickers and pamphlets are handed out. One young girl walks up and down the fence looking for a soldier to play volleyball with her over the fence. I didn't see any takers while I was there, but back home I spoke to someone who said that she saw a girl playing volleyball with soldiers over the fence, so I guess she eventually did find one. I stand next to the fence, my heart going out to these young soldiers. Although I'm facing a group of officers (and I wonder how the army gets together such a large group of officers only), they all seem pretty young to me. One young boy walks up to these poor officers standing in the hot sun and offers them some ice cubes from a bag. They all nod no thanks. Noticing a pattern, I say: What is it? You've been told not to take anything from us? One young woman soldier half nods. I don't have much patience for nonsense. I take some ice from the boy and drop it into pockets and hands and a hat someone was fanning himself with. There, I tell them. You didn't take anything. I gave, none of you took. The woman soldier is delighted, she runs the ice cube up and down her arms. She takes another cube and drops it down the back of the shirt of the soldier next to her, who stuck his hands behind him so as not to even be given a cube. They loosen up a bit. I will not tell any of these soldiers what decisions to make. I know that there are many who urge soldiers to refuse orders. It feels immoral, unethical for me to tell them what to do. Whatever they do will be hard enough. They each have to make their own decisions. I certainly will not discuss it with a soldier on duty, it feels wrong to me. I think that just the outpouring of love that they're getting speaks louder than any words telling them what their decisions should be. Besides, they are the ones who have to live with the results of whatever decision they make, not me. I begin talking to the soldiers, though. One of the soldiers talks about all the kids here. Lucky it's vacation time, she says. This way this gives the kids something to do. I'm sure that many of the kids are there because their friends are there, but their friends are there along with them because these are the values they've been brought up on- devotion to country and people, the idea that there should be no reward for terror, the idea that we are responsible for people besides ourselves. Some times I wonder what values other people are raised on - these seem such basic values. A news broadcaster gets ready for broadcast. He's set up on the back of a van near the fence. People watch him, and listen to his report - he seems to be reporting to England. He tells that many people have left, and there are now only about 2000 protesters left in Kfar Maimon. Given the fact that only around the gates and front fence there seems to be several hundred people, that statement seems rather ridiculous, and provokes angry retorts from the people around him. One frustrated young man asks him - why do you lie to people? I too wonder. What I have learned from all this - I no longer trust anything I hear on the news. I hope I'll remember that down the road. I hope even more that the news becomes eventually something that people can hear and believe. On the march and at Kfar Maimon I noticed several members of the press who walked alongside us and held serious discussions with the people around them, trying to understand where we were coming from. Many others couldn't seem to care less, and seemed more interested in presenting what they felt people wanted to hear, or just worked according to their won agenda rather than try to reach any real dialogue. My son calls, he's arrived. I go to greet him. He's arrived with a bunch of other officers - all of whom have friends and family within the compound. He looks tired. No wonder, too. Their conditions, it seems, are much worse than ours. (My son is very quiet about things, this I learned from others.) Since my family is really very important to me, I feel better and worse for having seen him. Out of respect for my son's privacy, we will let it rest at that. I return to Elchanan's lawn. On the way I pass a table with lunch set up there. Heaven help us, on this broiling day they've been giving out cholent (along with rolls and cans of pineapple). I joke and ask them if they're getting ready for Shabbat already. The many paths in Kfar Maimon are packed with people - its odd, these metropolis-like hordes of people moving about on these quiet pastoral paths. And that joker reported that we're down to 2000. Ridiculous! I sit in front of Elchanan's house watching the people walking by. I laugh with one of the girls - true, people left during the day, but there are new people there as well. They can be recognized by their fresh clothing - those of us there from the beginning look rumpled already. We begin to notice people walking around with new signs hanging from orange ribbons around their necks which read: "Ani Lo HaOyev"(I am not the enemy!) I comment that these are the most boring interesting days I have ever spent. Elchanan invites me to join him inside and get out of the sun. He tells me about the history of the area, stories from his army years, talks about the missiles that have been falling in the area lately - not just in Gush Katif, but in their general area as well. We also discuss the pleas with soldiers to refuse orders. Elchanan wants to know how many of the people now urging soldiers to refuse orders were in the army, and if so, how many of them ever refused orders. He talks of his sons, who also served in the army and were officers. He talks of the "chinuch" we've given our children to love of country and respect for the army. How do we let it all go down the drain? I agree with him. When we cried out against the left wing "sarvanim" we set in motion the problems now facing possible right wing sarvanim. We taught our children that politics aside, and army aside. How do we change our tune now when the politics now speak to us so strongly? I understand and respect the Avi Biebers, but I also understand and respect the soldiers who crying on the inside, do what they are told to do, however much it pains them. Elchanan and I wonder what next. People are getting discouraged by the hours of inactivity. People want to be DOING something, not just sitting around waiting for the next step. People are leaving. I wonder how much longer we can stay - I have a family at home and Shabbat is coming up. Elchanan wonders how the people of Kfar Maimon can host such multitudes over Shabbat. It begins to be clear that at today's afternoon rally will have to declare a move, or lose the people. The PA continues to announce that we should drink and rest to get strength for the next leg. Talk is that yes, we will be moving out tonight. We all regather on the lawn and get ourselves organized for moving out. Last trips to the bathroom. Farewells to our gracious host. Last minute we decide to leave our bags organized near the door so we don't have to "shlep" it through the afternoon rally as well. We gather on the lawn, where we are told to stand separately, men on the right, women on the left. It takes a while before all the people are gathered. I look around and can see that there are fewer people than the day before, but we still number in the tens of thousands. Rav Schapiro talks. Then we have some other speakers as well. We say the Mincha prayers and more psalms. There is a new spirit, you can see the exaltation in peoples faces as they pray. There is something very special about this praying together, thousands of people together as one. We are again and again reminded that we are gathered together for a nonviolent protest. Should we be confronted by police or soldiers blocking our way, we are to sit. Makes sense to me - someone sitting can hardly be considered threatening The final speaker gives us our marching orders - Rabbis, Knesset members and other dignitaries first, then the yeshivot with their young men, then other men, then women, and families should bring up the rear. This is it. I can feel my stomach knotting up. We hurry back to Elchanan's to pick up our bags and once more say farewell. Then we head back down to the center. The men are beginning maariv prayers. We're not sure what we should be doing - if the men are praying, do we wait, we're women, they should be before us As we stand around, we see a family in front of us. The mother looks familiar - she has some children with her. Her little boy, about 8 is crying. It seems that they're tourists from the States, who came in to Kfar Maimon for the day. The 8-year-old wants to go home! We try and reassure him - no chance of getting out right now, but soon We begin talking - no wonder the mother looks familiar - we were in college together a hundred years ago or so. Reassuring the little boy calms me down a bit, but then the voice over the PA asks us to continue. Stay in line, follow the rabbis, stay close, don't loiter. We follow the ranks of young men ahead of us. The kids around us seem thrilled, we're finally moving. The adults seem a little more tense. I send SMS messages to my family at home - now is the time to say Tehillim for us I write. I pray to Hashem that we succeed, that we make it through all right, that no one gets hurt. As we proceed towards one of Kfar Maimon's back gates, the tension mounts. We end up near an ambulance, when the procession stops. The army is not letting us through. Following our orders, we sit. I am amazed at the number of people, including women with babies pushing ahead. What is it- they want front row seats with their babies and toddlers at confrontations with the police? N. calls out to remind them that people with families should be at the back, but is generally ignored. A young man ahead of us calls out, frustrated, asking people to stop pushing ahead, there is no room. There are no megaphones to let us know what is happening ahead of us. Darkness has descended, but we are in the dark in more ways than one. After a while rumors begin filtering back. We've been stopped. The rabbis are negotiating with the police. We're not really sure what's happening. Eventually we are told to proceed. To continue the procession. We get up and continue marching past the last houses. We come to an open dust field. Looks like something prepared for a further building stage - maybe for houses for next generation Kfar Maimon dwellers. There are one or two smaller, newer houses on the large lot. Beyond the lot, a road and the back part of the security fence. There are crowds in front of a gate on the left. There are also people along the fence, and scattered through the lot. N.'s younger daughter is nervous. She is constantly checking us both, making sure that both adults are near her. We are not quite sure what it is we're supposed to do, and where we're supposed to be doing it. We decide to sit and munch on something till we figure out what exactly we're supposed to be doing. Then word comes again - follow the rabbis, do not stop at the fence. Only none of us know anymore where the rabbis are. We mill around, and eventually head to the perimeter road ahead of us. There are people all around us. Some people are grouped by the gate to our left, some are talking with the security forces behind the fence, others are walking down the road to our right. We're told to continue walking, so we head towards our right. Eventually we reach another gate. Don't see any rabbis or dignitaries here either. Not sure what to do, and feeling a bit ridiculous, we decide to sit. I get a call from my soldier son - Where are you Ima? I dunno - I' m by a gate. Which gate? he wants to know. How should I know which gate? Are you by the gate with Rav Aviner he asks. I have no idea where Rav Aviner is, I tell him, the only thing I can see by the gate is a van right outside it with a policeman and a soldier standing on its roof. My son doesn't see that, I hear the relief in my his voice. I realize we're at different gates. People are sitting around, frustrated. A young girl by the fence asks people if anyone has a working cellphone. I tell her my battery is low - Here it is Wednesday evening and it hasn't been charged since Monday morning. A policeman behind the fence commiserates with us. Asks why we didn't recharge it in Kfar Maimon. Told us that he's been keeping his phone off, only turning it on to call his wife before she goes to bed to let her know that everything is ok. On opposite sides of the fence, but in the same boat. Near us are a group of girls singing to the soldiers to the left. I find it funny - young soldiers being serenaded in the night. Near us a young man is arguing with a secular man. The secular man says that we were silly to listen to the rabbis - we should have fought with the police and broken out. He tells us that 90% of the secular population is with us- or would be if they saw that we were the winning side. If we would break through in a show of strength, all the secular would be joining us. I find that a bit naive - certainly not true about most of the secular people I work with. The argument progresses into different avenues as well. A young couple settles down next to me. The young woman falls asleep in her husband's arms, too exhausted to spread out a bedroll or anything. Sometimes even doing not much of anything can be very exhausting. Then the rumors come again. Continue marching. Proceed to the front gate. We're not sure anymore what is the quickest route. Back the way we came? To the right along the fence? Anyone know? Do we flip a coin? Almost - some people head back, some continue along the fence. N. and I walk with the girls along the fence. N. and I joke - like in Jericho, till the walls fall down? Her girls are getting tired. And frustrated. They've had enough. As we walk along, the younger one asks us to talk to the soldiers. So we call out as we pass, good night. Don't worry; you'll be home soon. Some of them nod at our words. At this point, that is all that they want - to be back home. We come across a group huddled around a police van on the perimeter road. Nothing to worry about - a young man is having a discussion with a police officer, and everyone else is gathered around to listen. We have some amazingly eloquent and intelligent young people among us. We continue our walk. There are a number of men from the border patrol lined up inside the fence (later we're told that they were there to prevent us talking to the soldiers outside the fence - not sure how true that was, because didn't see them preventing any talking). Further down there are a group of them sitting down and smoking, singing to one of their friends "Ohavim et Yaki, ohavim et Yaki" to the tune we'd been singing the "ohavim et Tzahal". We get a laugh out of it. I guess they'll be returning home with stories of their own, and the songs they've learned from us. N.'s kids have definitely had it. Our route takes us back into the village, past some young men with megaphones. N. approaches them to ask about buses back to Yerushalayim. We were told that there would be buses back to Yerushalayim on Wednesday. Where are they? The young men don't know. They ask us to continue to the gate. They sing. Neither N. nor her children are reassured. Me, I don't have many expectations any more, but at least my stomach hasn't been knotted up any more for the last while, not since I realized that there isn't going to be much excitement that night. As we near the front gates, it is well past midnight. We see lines of cars and jeeps all packed up and filled with people leaving. We sit near the front gate waiting to hear what's up. We don't hear anything, but we begin seeing people heading back towards the center of the village. What's up, we want to know. Didn't you hear? No, not a thing. They thanked us, and announced that the police were not letting us progress towards Kissufim. We should realize that what we did has been important, but most people aren't buying it. They are too frustrated. N.'s kids want to go home. It is now 12:45 - it makes no sense to head back towards Yerushalayim. All the cars leaving are full, and even if we made it into Netivot how would we continue from there? I suggest that we return to Elchanan and get a good night's sleep and continue on home the next morning. That's what we do. We find our young friends there as well. They're already settled down for the night, although still up. It seems pretty unanimous- we'll all be heading for home the next morning. Wake up Thursday. Same routine. Fewer people lining up for Elchanan's bathroom, but there are still long lines. People are cleaning up around them. I go down with N. to the center to find out about buses to Yerushalayim. They say there will be some leaving at ten. I try and find my nephew, see how he's going back, but my brother tells me that he made it back to Yerushalayim at 4 in the morning. He gives me the name and number of a friend of his who's there with a car. The friend has to get to Netivot to pick up his car, but he says he'll come pick me up from there. The people I talk to are largely frustrated, they want to know what they took off from work for. What was accomplished? I'm not sure yet how I feel. I hear rumors that while we were busy diverting security forces, a large group slipped out of another gate pretending to be going back home, but headed into Gush Katif instead. That makes me feel better. But then, while I agree that sitting around not doing much was frustrating, I'm not so sure that nothing was accomplished. Tens of thousands of people were gathered together closely with people on the outside and authorities expecting violence, injuries, even deaths. Instead, we were able to maintain order, and spread goodwill. We served to show the depths of depravity of the government and how far it had fallen from the democratic society it purports itself to be. But I learned the biggest lesson of the importance of our efforts once I left Kfar Maimon. When I headed out of Kfar Maimon, there were lines of people waiting for the free buses that the police were providing for rides to Netivot. I was waiting for Yair, my brother's friend at the gate. He called to let me know first that he was on his way, and then that he was stopped, police would not let him make the left turn from Netivot onto the road to Kfar Maimon. I told him I would walk, or hitch a ride to where he was, but please, wait for me. I saw the long lines of people waiting for the buses, but knew that no way whatsoever am I going to take advantage of the police rides to Netivot. It seemed too much to me like giving in. I started walking, and then saw a cab heading out of Kfar Maimon. I flagged him down, figuring that let it cost whatever it cost, at least I'm not taking up the police offer. I get into the car, there is someone sitting next to the driver (later I hear him tell the driver to pick up as many people as possible, he'll pay). As I open my mouth to ask how much the ride to the end of the road will cost me, the driver begins singing our praise. We were terrific! We were wonderful! He was so proud of us! The whole nation should be proud of us! As he continued singing paeans of praise, his enthusiasm and exuberance gave me a better idea of what we had accomplished. We had reached out to people all over the country and given them a symbol. In a country riddled with strife and random acts of violence, we had served as a sign of hope, a sign of the good things the people of our country are capable of as well. Each of us, who had given up vacation days, work hours or whatever, each of us plain, ordinary people had shown how together we can rise above the ordinary, and exert an influence together, that none of us has alone. Yes, it was hard to sit and do not much of anything. And yet, although I may feel that we didn't actively DO much, I think that manhigut Yesha was brilliant. Because while we didn't Do much, much was DONE. In a country riddled with violence, we were able to prove that even huge crowds of determined people can sit peacefully and LOVINGLY with the forces opposing them. I think we have to remember that along with everything else, if we keep in mind that "sinat chinam" (rampant hatred of our fellow Jew) is what brought about the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) and avat chinam (widespread love of our fellow Jew) is what will bring about the building of the next Beit HaMikdash, then Yesha's leadership which had us working 3 days on spreading Ahavat chinam was a brilliant idea! We spent 3 days showering the soldiers and police surrounding us with songs, candies, ice cubes in the heat, showering them with love. These are the same soldiers that will be used in the disengagement, should we ever come to that. Do you think that they'll be acting the same way after this experience? Many people who hadn't started out thinking on our wavelength began changing their minds because of what happened this week? Oy li, all these people who think that things have to happen instantly. Sometimes, if not most times, the most important things take time and patience. That's the way it is sometimes in building a country, and in saving a country! Chazak v'Amatz. And I for one with such levelheaded leadership, am waiting to return next time I get the call as well! Naomi Ragen is an American-born novelist and journalist who lives in Jerusalem. She can be contacted at www.naomiragen.com, where you can subscribe to her newsletter. |
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WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Posted by Alan B. Katz, July 25, 2005. |
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"Some rise by sin; others by virtue fall."
From at least as far back as the legend of King Midas, we have been warned, "Be careful what you ask for. You may get it." Time and again, we have failed to heed the Greek chorus and we could almost hear them laughing in the background, "We told you so." It is entirely likely that we are now at another such moment in history. The American President is embarked upon a noble crusade: democratization. The Palestinian Arabs may again go to the polls; this time to elect parliamentary and municipal representatives. We have encouraged this. Representative government is as mother's milk to Americans. The problem is that democratic elections are not necessarily significative of a democracy. Reliable polls indicate that Hamas and Hizbollah will emerge victorious in many of those free elections. Even if they fail to garnish a majority, it is likely they will be elected in so large a number that Mr. Abbas and Fatah may very well be forced to give them "a seat at the table" and perhaps even a place in a coalition government. Should that happen, Israel will be forced on the horns of a dilemma. It will be demanded that Israel negotiate its future with a democratically elected government comprised largely of people who remain dedicated to her destruction. The historical Arab demand that the Jewish state die by murder or suicide will no longer involve a choice. While we are celebrating - perhaps prematurely - democracy's victories in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, it would be wise to understand exactly what democratic elections may bring us. Mahmoud Abbas, known by his nom de guerre Abu Mazen, did not just spring from a shell like Venus. The man has a past. He has a history. Hailed by the West as a "moderate," he was for decades the advisor and confidante of the late Mr. Arafat, and the architect of the Palestinian war plan. There is simply no evidence that Mr. Mazen has undergone a Sadat-like metamorphosis. Rather, there are good reasons to question whether Mr. Mazen and the PA even want a two-state peace. Although Mr. Mazen has had months - and much foreign aid - to make changes, he refuses to tackle the sine qua non for advancing the peace process: destruction of the terrorist network. Since the momentous meeting at Sharm el-Sheik, Hamas, Hizbollah, etc. operate openly and in defiance of his supposed authority and continue to attack Israel. While almost all attacks have been prevented by the IDF and the security fence, the so-called PA security forces have sat on their hands as arms are smuggled into, manufactured in and carried through the streets of Gaza right under their noses. Hamas, Hizbollah, and Islamic Jihad know they are free to act as they wish as long as they don't completely muck up the current cease-fire. They are free to catch their breath and re-arm. We have President Mazen, who has repeatedly stated that he will neither let PA police fire on Palestinians nor will he disarm the terrorists, to thank for this state of affairs. Abu Mazen's plan to deal with the terrorists and released prisoners is ingenious in its simplicity: welcome them into the Palestinian security forces, make them promise in writing not to kill Israelis, and then re-arm them. Co-opt the killers rather than confront them. Has crime ever been solved by giving the criminals a badge and a gun? Not content to place the foxes in charge of the chicken coop, Abu Mazen intends to place the foxes directly in the chicken coop. What about the weapons leaking daily through the Egyptian border and manufactured in Gaza? President Mazen has that figured out: after the elections, all terrorists will be incorporated into the Palestinian political system and will have no need for terrorism, weaponry or murderous organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah. All weapons, he expects, will be turned in to the state. "When a militia turns into a political party," President Mazen recently opined, "I believe the issue of a need for arms becomes irrelevant." "There will be," he declares, "one authority, one law and one legal gun." (It has a familiar ring to it, no? "Eine volk, eine deutchland, eine fuhrer!") As though the way to fight crime is to give guns and badges to the criminals. Hamas promptly issued statements that its participation in elections "does not mean it is on the way to becoming a political party" and that it will never disarm. In the meantime, mortars continue to be fired at Israeli settlements in and out of Gaza, and teen-age homicide-bombers are sent daily on their missions of death... all under the watchful eyes of the PA security forces. A salutary beginning for a criminal democracy. Meanwhile, Palestinians are growing disenchanted with Fatah corruption and wildfire anarchy. With Hamas filling the municipal, economic and educational vacuum, its candidates are running strong everywhere. As all this unfolds, Abu Mazen's hold on the Palestinian body politic deteriorates. If peace is to have even a scintilla of hope, the Palestinian president must take on the terrorists. He must do something to assert his authority and credibility just as Ben-Gurion did when he ordered the sinking of the Altalena. If Mazen fails to sink his Altalena, i.e., exorcize the terrorists, he will fall by the wayside as so much background noise. Almost seventy years ago, on October 5, 1938, upon Neville Chamberlain's return from Munich, the great Churchill addressed the House of Commons. His words now, as then, should unnerve our complacency. He declared the Munich agreement "a total and unmitigated defeat. . . . The utmost he [Chamberlain] has been able to gain for Czechoslovakia in the matters which were in dispute has been that the German dictator, instead of snatching the victuals from the table, has been content to have them served to him course by course." Churchill's ability to distinguish between reality and wishful thinking was more inimical to Hitler's reich than the short distance between Dover and Calais. Today Israel is being force fed a Palestinian state in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. As Abu Mazen continues his plan for the piecemeal destruction of Israel - and Hamas prepares to initiate its velvet coup d'etat - Israel must resist the temptation and pressure to negotiate for its life with those who insist on her death. There is no reason to believe that today's Palestinians are less dedicated to Israel's destruction than they were five years ago. The PA's utter failure to deal with the terrorists in a meaningful way cannot be swept under the rug. Appeasement of the Palestinians is regarded as weakness. There is no easy way out of this, and the only way out requires complete destruction of the terrorists. We should recall yet another of Churchill's observations: "Mr. Chamberlain's government was given to chose between war and shame. It has chosen shame, It will surely have war." Terrorists have no place in civilized society. Not even if they are freely elected. Listen carefully now. Do you hear the Greeks? Contact Alan Katz by email at tripwire08@cs.com. This article was written April 22, 2005. |
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FIGHT THE ROOT OF TERRORISM WITH BOMBS, NOT BREAD
Posted by Alex Epstein, July 25, 2005. |
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In light of the recent suicide bombings in London, and the general inability of the West to prevent terrorist attacks, there is much talk about fighting the "root cause" of terrorism. The most popular argument is that terrorism is caused by poverty. The United Nations and our European and Arab "allies" repeatedly tell us to minimize our military operations and instead dole out more foreign aid to poor countries--to put down our guns and pick up our checkbook. Only by fighting poverty, the refrain goes, can we address the "root cause" of terrorism. The pernicious idea that poverty causes terrorism has been a popular claim since the attacks of September 11. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has repeatedly asked wealthy nations to double their foreign aid, naming as a cause of terrorism "that far too many people are condemned to lives of extreme poverty and degradation." Former Secretary of State Colin Powell agrees: "We have to put hope back in the hearts of people. We have to show people who might move in the direction of terrorism that there is a better way." Businessman Ted Turner also concurs: "The reason that the World Trade Center got hit is because there are a lot of people living in abject poverty out there who don't have any hope for a better life." Indeed, the argument that poverty causes terrorism has been central to America's botched war in Iraq--which has focused, not on quickly ending any threat the country posed and moving on to other crucial targets, but on bringing the good life to the Iraqi people. Eliminating the root of terrorism is indeed a valid goal--but properly targeted military action, not welfare handouts, is the means of doing so. Terrorism is not caused by poverty. The terrorists of September 11 did not attack America in order to make the Middle East richer. To the contrary, their stated goal was to repel any penetration of the prosperous culture of the industrialized "infidels" into their world. The wealthy Osama bin Laden was not using his millions to build electric power plants or irrigation canals. If he and his terrorist minions wanted prosperity, they would seek to emulate the United States--not to destroy it. More fundamental, poverty as such cannot determine anyone's code of morality. It is the ideas that individuals choose to adopt which make them pursue certain goals and values. A desire to destroy wealth and to slaughter innocent, productive human beings cannot be explained by a lack of money or a poor quality of life--only by anti-wealth, anti-life ideas. These terrorists are motivated by the ideology of Islamic Fundamentalism. This other-worldly, authoritarian doctrine views America's freedom, prosperity, and pursuit of worldly pleasures as the height of depravity. Its adherents resent America's success, along with the appeal its culture has to many Middle Eastern youths. To the fundamentalists, Americans are "infidels" who should be killed. As a former Taliban official said, "The Americans are fighting so they can live and enjoy the material things in life. But we are fighting so we can die in the cause of God." The terrorists hate us because of their ideology--a fact that filling up the coffers of Third World governments will do nothing to change. What then, can our government do? It cannot directly eradicate the deepest, philosophical roots of terrorism; but by using military force, it can eliminate the only "root cause" relevant in a political context: state sponsorship of terrorism. The fundamentalists' hostility toward America can translate into international terrorism only via the governments that employ, finance, train, and provide refuge to terrorist networks. Such assistance is the cause of the terrorist threat--and America has the military might to remove that cause. It is precisely in the name of fighting terrorism at its root that America must extend its fist, not its hand. Whatever other areas of the world may require U.S. troops to stop terrorist operations, we must above all go after the single main source of the threat--Iran. This theocratic nation is both the birthplace of the Islamic Fundamentalist revolution and, as a consequence, a leading sponsor of terrorism. Removing that government from power would be a potent blow against Islamic terrorism. It would destroy the political embodiment of the terrorists' cause. It would declare America's intolerance of support for terrorists. It would be an unequivocal lesson, showing what will happen to other countries if they fail to crack down on terrorists within their borders. And it would acknowledge the fact that dropping bombs, not food packages, is the only way for our government to attack terrorism at its root. Alex Epstein is a junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute (www.AynRand.org) in Irvine, CA. The Institute promotes the ideas of Ayn Rand--best-selling author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead and originator of the philosophy of Objectivism. |
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THE PRICE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS; FASCIST ISRAEL; 9 BILLION REASONS FOR TERRORISM
Posted by Richard H. Shulman, July 25, 2005. |
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TAKING THEIR WORD FOR IT People telephone police or the press, asserting that a bomb was emplaced by a certain organization. The message is publicized, as the caller had hoped. The public then accepts the claim of who emplaced the bomb. That is naïve. Sometimes, two terrorist organizations call up, both claiming responsibility for a bombing. The fact that two groups claim the same bombing suggests that at least one is lying. They seek credit with their people. The media should not oblige. Hamas used to accept responsibility for certain bombings that, I believe, were done by the PLO but the PLO was pretending to be making peace. Israel has agents provocateurs. The agents strive to rile up anti-government youth into committing crimes, so that the media and their leftist sympathizers can denounce the Right for criminality. The government is acting criminally. and yet as far as readers of the 'NY Times" are concerned, the government is legitimate and the Right is violent. Most of the right-wing youth are not violent. They keep exposing provocateurs. The Rabin regime resorted to having the provocateurs commit the violence or other unpalatable acts, themselves. This went from distorting what rabbis said, to displaying insulting posters, to beating up Arabs in the name of the Right, to shooting PM Rabin with blanks to fake an assassination attempt. The result, especially after Peres exploited the fake shooting of Rabin to have Rabin shot with real bullets on the way to, and in, the hospital, was a wave of denunciation of the Right. It seems to be happening again. There have been false accusations of settlers initiating stone-throwing against Arabs who initiated it against them. There are false stories of their planning deadly attacks. A fake bomb with a note disparaging Sharon's abandonment plan was discovered in Jerusalem's central bus station. Weighing 25 pounds, it must have been difficult to get it through the rigorous security checks. It was found just in time for prime TV coverage. The usual leftwing activists in Knesset then denounced the opponents of the abandonment plan for attempting to cause panic. They failed to state that most opponents are non-violent. How do those Knesset members know whether opponents were the ones who planted the bomb? The MKs are irresponsible to denounce people on the evidence of an anonymous note. It is as unreliable as hearsay. They may be playing into the hands of a demagogic secret service. THE PRICE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS It is due to political correctness, that immigration laws continue to allow millions of Muslim immigrants into the West, where they raise funds for terrorism, become radicalized and terrorist, and hope to subjugate their hosts. As a result of political correctness, we let Muslims make a false presentation of their religion as tolerant rather than imperialistic, so we lower our defenses. Thanks to political correctness, we fail to utilize ethnic profiling sufficiently to detect some terrorist attempts on our lives. Political correctness causes other problems, too. It has turned out to be a feature of Western civilization most detrimental to its survival. People ought to defy political correctness. But political correctness keeps them ignorant of its drawbacks. We need Presidential leadership to declare a true war on radical Islam, with Congressional help. This war should mobilize our resources from trying to defend every gathering of people to one that studies the enemy, teaches our people why it is the enemy and how to thwart it, expels Islamists, and takes the fight to the enemy. Or are we going to wait for the enemy to start blowing up our cities with nuclear weapons? When the enemy does, how valuable then to Pres. Bush would be the oil companies that have stayed his hand against S. Arabia, which finances much of the jihad against the West? 9 BILLION REASONS FOR TERRORISM Referring to the $9 billion EU pledge to the P.A., "ZOA President Morton A. Klein said, 'This aid will never stop future attacks but will only encourage more murder of Westerners and Israelis and more massacres. Churchill said it best, 'those who appease the crocodile will simply be eaten last,' Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law Professor, said, 'this clearly sends a powerful message to terrorists and potential terrorists that terrorism works. There were no grants announced to the Tibetans, who have been brutally occupied for a very long time. But the Tibetans have not resorted to terrorism. The primary cause of terrorism is not occupation, assimilation or desperation. If it was, the Tibetans would be the greatest terrorists...Terrorism will continue as long as potential terrorists believe they will benefit from using that tactic'" (IMRA, 7/12) and there are ideologies of cruel means and evil intent. PM SHARON'S MESSAGE TO JEWISH VISITORS Jewish athletes are holding their annual international contests in Israel. PM Sharon urges them to settle down in Israel, the Jewish homeland (Arutz-7, 7/12). What Jewish homeland? Most of it is in Jordan. Sharon is giving away a chunk of the rest. He is being pressed by anti-Zionists inside and outside of Israel to abandon more. The Jewish state allows terrorists to set up rocket launching sites on the border. He is letting the Egyptian army draw near. The US is arming it. The Shinui Party and Supreme Court are divesting Israel of its present Jewish identity, while Sharon allows the P.A. to divest Israel of its past Jewish identity by denying its existence and destroying Jewish artifacts on the Temple Mount. Sharon's actions make Israel uninviting to Zionists, who'd come to live, not to be slaughtered. BELGIUM: P.A. TEXTBOOKS NOT ANTISEMITIC Several European countries used to contribute funds for publishing P.A. textbooks. After studies showed the books pervasively antisemitic and militating against peace, some of those countries dropped out, leaving just Belgium. Belgium undertook its own study. The Belgium study found that the books claim that in a confidential resolution, the First Zionist Congress approved of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion." Belgium declared that it does not find offensive or antisemitic textbooks upholding this forgery and claiming that Israel adheres to the Protocols' claim that the Jewish people are trying by all manner of deceit to debase other peoples and conquer them. (Does that mean Belgium concurs with the textbooks? In any case,) Belgium is continuing to finance publication. There are many other antisemitic and anti-Israeli features in the books, such as omitting all maps of Israel, in non-recognition of the Jewish state. Those features the Belgians missed. The US is continuing to aid P.A. education handsomely, rationalizing that every educational system has its problems. The P.A. denies publishing bigotry. It counter-claims that Israeli books are the ones preaching hatred. It cited no such instances. The Belgian study put it this way: "violence from 'soldiers and settlers shooting in the streets and in schools' and 'occupation' were preventing Palestinian children from realizing democratic values." (IMRA, 7/12.) Now Belgium is blaming a non-existent occupation and a non-existent settler warfare for the lack of democracy in an autocratic Arab culture that is waging an unnecessary and cruel war. Perhaps there should be a search of Belgian textbooks for antisemitism. "JORDAN TIMES" ENDORSES VIOLENCE "People need hope for a better future before accepting to forsake violence and live in peace next to their neighbor." In other words, IMRA, points out, the "Times" is endorsing Arab terrorism against Israel (IMRA, 7/13 from Jordan Times). SHARON MAY BE PLANNING MORE VIOLENCE The Sharon regime has issued an order to the police that they may shoot protestors against the abandonment, if necessary to save their lives or if no other means works. Emanuel Winston suspects that the government is clearing in advance its intent to shoot settlers, at least one as an example to intimidate the rest. A pretext would be provided by an agent provocateur dressed as a settler ostentatiously shooting at a soldier (Winston Mid East Analysis, 7/13). How pathetic that the government of Israel has no honor and the people seem to have no recourse in what we are told is a "vibrant democracy!" TURNING CITIES OVER TO P.A. SECURITY CONTROL Having found terrorism coming from Tulkarem, Israeli troops had to move back into it, to search for terrorists and to prevent them from fanning out to attack Israelis. Despite the constant failure of relying upon the P.A. to repress terrorism in cities that Israel turned security control over to it, the IDF is planning to turn over Bethlehem to the P.A. for security control (IMRA, 7/13). Israel repeats its mistakes like automatons. Its policy is mindless. It just does not know how to tell the US to stop demanding that it pursue failed policies that lead to the murders of its own people. What excuse has the US to demand that Israel pursue failed polices that enable Arab terrorists to murder Israelis? ORIGIN OF THE ISRAEL-DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN The language for the resolutions favoring divestment from Israel is provided by P.A. NGOs to Western groups that, in turn, subsidize the extremist Arab NGOs. "The funding for these political NGOs spear-heading the anti-Israel divestment campaign comes from a variety of sources: church groups in Europe and North America (including the Mennonite Central Committee and Christian Aid), government aid agencies (including Canada, Norway, Switzerland and the EU), and foundations (such as the New Israel Fund and the Ford Foundation). These groups continue to exploit claims of support for civil society and human rights in order to further narrow political objectives." (IMRA, 7/14.) It is a sordid collaboration in anti-Zionism. Those Western groups may not want a Jewish state, which does not threaten them, but are helping to replace Israel with an Arab state, which would threaten them. IDF ETHICAL STANDARDS An IDF lieutenant was dismissed for advising his commander that he could not fulfill future orders to expel Jews from Yesha. His general found him guilty of ""choosing his missions" and "not meeting the standards of the IDF spirit and fulfilling the values of an officer." (Arutz-7, 7/14.) Antisemitism, in behalf of demagogues beholden to foreign enemies, now is the IDF spirit. I wish these military objectors would more strongly denounce the government, if not arrest it. Richard Shulman is a veteran defender of Israel on several web-based forums. His comments and analyses appear often on Think-Israel. He provides cool information and right-on-target overviews. He distributes his essays by email. To subscribe, write him at ricshulman@aol.com. |
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HOW ABOUT AN ELECTION?
Posted by Jerome S. Kaufman, July 24, 2005. |
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This was written by Isi Liebler and it appeared in The Jewish Press, July 8, 2005. Isi Liebler chairs the Diaspora-Israel relations Committee of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and is a former chairman of the governing Board of the World Jewish Congress In light of recent events, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must heed calls to hold national elections: Failure to do so makes a mockery of Israel's parliamentary system. In a humiliating defeat for the prime minister, the Knesset recently carried three consecutive motions of no confidence against the government. While technically not amounting to the requisite majority to compel Sharon to step down, Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, himself a Likud member, publicly urged him to do so and hold elections. The nation is at a critical turning point. We have been repeatedly misled and fed half-truths. Yet the prime minister still stubbornly refuses to hold a serious discourse on his controversial policies or take counsel from his colleagues. At issue are not the merits of ruling over Palestinians or retaining isolated settlements. That debate ended some time ago and the majority of Israelis now share a broad consensus that their ultimate objective must be to separate themselves from the Palestinians. Nor is the Gaza disengagement the central issue. In addition to the recent frightening warning conveyed by former chief of general staff Moshe Ya'alon, disaster scenarios are also predicted by a wide range of other distinguished military and security experts, including former Mossad heads Ephraim Halevy and Shabtai Shavit, former intelligence chief Shlomo Gazit, former IDF deputy chief of general staff, Gen. Uzi Dayan and former Air Force commander Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliyahu. In these circumstances one is left aghast at Sharon's apparent pig-headedness and autocratic behavior. We are also obliged to assess the new revelations in the book Boomerang by Raviv Orucker and Ofer Shelach, who reject the supposition that the disengagement initiative evolved from strategic deliberations at the highest level. They claim it was Sharon's lawyer and current adviser, Dov Weislass, who persuaded the prime minister that only a dramatic and drastic step of disengagement proportions could deflect criminal charges against him arising from the Greek Island scandal. They say it was Weisglass himself who "sold" the disengagement concept to the Bush administration. One would ~assume that if such allegations were unfounded, they would surely warrant libel proceedings. Yet, to date, neither the prime minister nor Weisglass has initiated any. So what is one to make out of all this? The facts on the ground certainly reinforce the critics who predict that Israel's policies are leading to disaster. This is what is happening: Terror attacks, attempted suicide bombings and the launching of Kassam rockets continue unabated. Israelis are being killed and the IDF is once again being restrained in order not to undermine the "calm." Mahmoud Abbas reiterates that he has no intention of curbing the terrorist Infrastructure or curtailing their activities. In fact, he proudly announces that he has invited Hamas ghouls to join his administration and brazenly enrolls terrorists in the PA police force that Israel is being urged to re-arm! Like Arafat, Abbas insists that the Arab right of return is non-negotiable. He refuses to take any meaningful steps to rein in the incitement that continues unabated in the schools, the mosques and the media. There is a general consensus that Hamas is poised to take control of the Palestinian region in the near future. PA ministers have explicitly threatened to unleash Intifada III unless Israel makes further unilateral concessions after disengagement. The International scene is equally troublesome. Prior to the implementation of disengagement - a time the U.S. and Europeans are supposedly "displaying restraint" in order not to create political difficulties for a domestically embattled Sharon - the Europeans have reinstated ties with the "political" wing of Hamas and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Bush administration appear to have reverted to Clintonian evenhandedness between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. is also pressing Israel to free additional prisoners despite the fact that of the 900 released to date, some have already resumed terrorist activities. Rice repeatedly reiterates that, contrary to what Sharon says, the purported commitment by President Bush to support Israel's retention of major settlement blocs is merely a gesture, because it included a caveat that any deviation from the 1949 armistice lines would require Palestinian approval. The U.S. administration continues showering paeans of praise on Abbas despite his explicit refusal to dismantle or hinder the terror infrastructure, while even his own Fatah units blatantly continue engaging in suicide bombings and other acts of terror. It is generally accepted that the government will collapse immediately after the implementation of disengagement. Therefore, although elections will not provide a panacea for Israel's problems, they would at least enable Israelis to review their options before, rather than after, withdrawal It would also allow the public to express its outrage over the failure of politicians to curb corruption and their predilection to promote personal or sectional interests above those of the nation. Above all, elections would signal that Israelis are tired of being led by people with Napoleonic delusions and that they demand that no future leader be entitled to embark - without prior consultation and pubic debate - upon a course of action that could have profound repercussions on the nation's future generations and even impact existentially on the state itself. Jerome S. Kaufman is National Secretary of the Zionist Organization of America. and host the Israel Commentary website (http://www.israel-commentary.org). |
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UK ASKING FOR MORE
Posted by Beth Goodtree, July 25, 2005. |
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In the aftermath of 9-11, every country in the world should have been examining itself to see if they were encouraging and aiding the sort of people who perpetrated the attacks. The UK was no exception. However, Great Britain was blind to the root causes of that horror, as well as its role in encouraging such future behavior. Perhaps more tragic than what happened on 7/7, the UK is still encouraging such behavior. It is never too soon to tell a victim how to stop being victimized. Unfortunately, in this case, it may already be too late. Before 24 hours had passed, Mr. Prime Minister Blair was proudly and happily awarding $3B to the longest running terror group in the world -- set up as a front line for Islam's goal of global domination and subjugation -- still buying into the greatest lie ever told. Mr. Prime Minister, let me give you an analogy, that you might better understand your fatal error. Consider Spain. In the mid 700s, the Muslims hordes invaded and conquered Christian Spain. It took until 1492 for the Christian Spaniards to drive out these marauding invaders. If the Muslims today were to demand Spain back, they'd be laughed out of the court of world opinion. Spain was never theirs; they stole it through conquest. Or consider Hitler's Germany, which had the same goals as Islam today - world conquest and domination. If the Allies had decided to give Germany a piece of your country - The United Kingdom - do you think Hitler would have stopped? Of course not. He would have taken it, and rightly so, as a sign of weakness and cowardice and pushed forward. Luckily for you the Allies didn't do to you what you are doing to Israel now. However, the Muslim and Arab invaders and conquerors are doing the same thing in another land and they are being handed it on a jewel-encrusted platter. The biggest lie ever told is that the land renamed - Palestine - by the conquering Romans from its original name of Judea, was ever Arab/Muslim land. Even one of the Arab leaders of this falsely-named "Palestinian" movement clearly stated this in an interview with Trouw newspaper on March 31, 1977: "The Palestinian people does not exist. Mr. Prime Minister, the re-conquest of Israel (formerly known as Judea, but still the same land) is not an end in and of itself, merely a first step to a much greater end. Naturally, you and yours might feel that I am only saying this because I am a Jew. So I will give you the words of a respected Arab writer, Amir Taheri, from your own Times: "...this enemy does want something specific: to take full control of your lives, dictate every single move you make round the clock and, if you dare resist, he will feel it his divine duty to kill you." And: "The aim of all good Muslims, therefore, is to convert humanity to Islam, which regulates Man's spiritual, economic, political and social moves to the last detail." And furthermore: "It is, of course, possible, as many in the West love to do, to ignore the strategic goal of the Islamists altogether and focus only on their tactical goals. These goals are well known and include driving the "Cross-worshippers" (Christian powers) out of the Muslim world, wiping Israel off the map of the Middle East, and replacing the governments of all Muslim countries with truly Islamic regimes like the one created by Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran and by the Taleban in Afghanistan." So what is that greater end? The same one as in the mid 700s when Spain was conquered by Islam: global conquest and subjugation. If this sounds fantastic to you, I suggest you start heeding the words of many prominent Muslim leaders and stop listening to your diplomats and advisors who brought you to the sorry state of 7/7. One such leader is the co-founder of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), Omar Ahmad, who said: "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faiths, but to become dominant. The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth." From a well-known Imam preaching in Boca Raton Islamic Center in Florida: "One of the basic principles of Islam is that Islam should prevail, not be prevailed over." Siding with those sworn to destroy you will not save you. My own country, America, was very friendly to the above-cited group CAIR, which is affiliated with Hamas. We even gave its representatives honored places at White House functions and made them advisors. Yet America had 9-11. This proves that appeasement will not work. Your advisors, Mr. Prime Minister, like those advising the other civilized nations, fail to understand the radical Arab/Muslim mindset. You assume our Judeo-Christian standards and values are also theirs. Such assumptions led America to nearly 3000 dead and the UK to over 50 dead. Try thinking the opposite. Here are a few examples: We value life and treat it as sacred. They do not. They extol the virtues of suicide as a way to get into Paradise if one's suicide also takes the life of a non-Muslim. We consider the killing of non-military personnel engaged in warfare as murder. The radical Arab/Muslim world has issued many fatwas or religious decrees allowing them to consider all people who aren't Muslim as military personnel (including babies, women and children) and therefore worthy of killing. Again, to get a free ride to Paradise. We believe in tolerance of other faiths. They do not, although they mislead and deceive about this, as they do so many other things. Such misleading and deception is holy work called al taqiyya, whereby you sucker your enemy into believing anything that will weaken them for the conquering. You and the other world leaders think that by forcing a sovereign nation, Israel, to relinquish her rightful land to lying terrorists who are not a separate and distinct Arab people (see above quote by Zahir Muhsein), you will solve the world's terror problem. Here is your quote: "We need to create the circumstances in which some of the critical issues in the Middle East are dealt with and sorted out." We can see by your above statement a mere two days after your tragedy that already you are blaming the Jews and Israel for your troubles, making the same fatal mistake that brought you 7/7. You have been suckered by al taqiyya into thinking that appeasement will stop the terror. In fact, it only shows weakness and a will to be conquered and deceived on your part and will accelerate the terror. You have tolerated and even encouraged radical Islam in your lands. Your academic and intellectual community, whether out of abysmal ignorance or just plain anti-Semitism, decided to boycott the free and civilized world's front line, Israel. As did your own official church. You have been playing right into Islam's goal of global conquest by giving them their first in many goals: Israel. My friend, Israel is only the beginning. Israel has been targeted by the Arabs and other Muslims because it is an affront to their Arab/Muslim hegemony in the Middle East and a direct threat to their goals of global conquest and domination. The Jews know what is like to live under the whip and heel of Islam. Many Jews lived under such conditions until as recently as a few years ago. The Jews also know quite well with whom and what we are all dealing and thus are extremely threatening to Islam's end game. Whether you like Jews and Israel or not, Israel is the front line in the war being waged by radical Islam for global domination and subjugation, which includes you and your people, Mr. Prime Minister -- no exceptions for compliant, appeasing "Crusaders." And yet, after 50+ dead and hundreds maimed, you are insisting that your front line - Israel - be given over to your mortal enemy in addition to giving your mortal enemy billions of dollars to further their cause to eventually wipe you off the face of the planet. If you still don't believe me, let me quote to you a mantra being recited all over the Arab/Muslim world: "First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people." Mr. Prime Minister, the Jews and Israel are the Saturday people and you, The Church of England and all other Christians, are the Sunday people. These murderers and conquerors proudly and loudly declare their desire to conquer you once they have conquered Israel. And you are giving it to them, thus speeding up your own demise. With this type of thinking on your part, Mr. Prime Minister, may I extend to you my premature condolences for future murderous terror attacks that you have guaranteed will come your way. End Notes http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/ printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28222 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1684970,00.html http://www.anti-cair-net.org/ http://www.americansagainsthate.com/ICBR3-10-00.htm http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/597821.html Beth Goodtree is an award-winning writer who lives in the NYC metro area. She writes political commentary/analysis, and the occasional science and humor articles. Or visit her website: http://hometown.aol.com/bgoodtree/ |
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BLUE AND ORANGE LOVE STORY COMES TO AN END WITH TERROR
Posted by Judy Lash Balint, July 24, 2005. |
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This was written by Toby Klein Greenwald of Efrat. Contact her by mail
at toby@wholefamily.com
Much has been written in the Israeli media about the love of Dov and Rachel Kol, the couple who were murdered by terrorist gunfire on Saturday night on Tzir Kissufim, the lethal route leading in and out of Gush Katif, where Tali Hatuel and her four daughters were shot dead a year ago. Our connection to Dov and Rachel was close up and personal. Rachel was the beloved aunt of Avner, son of Ruth and Chezi Cohen of Moshav Ganei Tal, who married our eldest daughter, Naama, six years ago, on the rich green lawn of the Palm Beach Hotel, overlooking the ocean at Gush Katif. Dov was a Rumanian-born non-religious left wing Tel Avivian, a media personality involved in journalism and PR. He served as a spokesman for Bituah Leumi (National social services) and for Moshe Katzav, when he was minister of Social Services. President Katzav attended the funeral. After Dov's first wife died of cancer, leaving him with an infant daughter, he ended his mourning by marrying Rachel, a good friend of his deceased wife. Rachel, a medical researcher at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, was from an Iraqi religious right wing Jerusalemite family, named Mizrachi. She raised Hila - who has now lost a second mother - as her own and they had two more. All Rachel and Dov had in common, on the surface, was their love for each other and for others. From our first meeting, Dov found an ally in my husband Yaakov, who is of the more moderate right wing political bent than some in the family, and with whom he discussed matters of state and philosophy. Dov viewed me as a colleague. I would run story ideas by him and he would suggest that I contact one or another of his media friends. When I published a first-person reflection on a mikva lady, murdered by terrorists, in Haaretz, he suggested I develop it into a full blown book. The last e-mail exchange we had was when I sent him a copy of an article I published in Jewish Action, "The Women Writers of Gush Katif", including my translations of their poetry and the experience of teaching them creative writing in the midst of the disengagement tempest. He wrote back, "This is amazing. If you were left wing, you'd be perfect." He adored our grandchildren, and our daughter even deposited their first child with Dov and Rachel, who live close by the hospital, when she went in for her second birth. Only one month ago, Dov and Rachel became grandparents for the first time, and their joy was boundless. It wasn't just Dov who was open to others. It was the Mizrachi family as well. Legendary for their warmth, humor and hospitality, Rachel's family adopted Dov as their son, all the disparateness in their world views notwithstanding. And it was not just Dov they took under their wing. Rachel's extended family by marriage includes Ashkenazim, Sepharadim, haredim, Chabadniks, kibbutzniks, national religious, settlers of various hues and versions, and ... Dov. With the marriage of our daughter, I brought the first American blood into the mix. Every family gathering - with more than 200 present - was like a meeting of the people of Israel. The extended Mizrachi family is a microcosm of the Jews of the world. The peace and love and joy and co-existence with which this extended family are imbued is like a lantern in the dark, an example of what we, the State of Israel, could be, if only we loved and cared enough. Four days before their murder, Yaakov and Dov met for coffee, as they did once a week. Dov confided in my husband the secret that he was working on an autobiography. He asked Yaakov to send him his e-mail address so he could forward the file to him. Saturday night, my husband sat down at the computer at 11:30 PM and sent Dov his address. Unknown to us, Dov and Rachel had been cut down at 11:15. We heard the midnight news that there had been a shooting attack on Tzir Kissufim, and didn't go to sleep that night. I surfed from news site to news site, looking for a crumb of more information, reluctant to call any family members in Gush Katif in the middle of the night. One site reported that the couple were from Jerusalem and had been visiting relatives for Shabbat. I knew that Rachel's family had all gathered at Ruth and Chezi's home for what - some of them thought - was perhaps their last time together in Gush Katif. And so it was. For us, the discovery came before their names were announced. Motty Sender, the Katif.net editor and a dear friend of the family, reported that he had spoken with the man who had been killed only a few days earlier, who had said to him, "I love you all, we want to live together with you, the heart is split in two. My left wing friends in Jerusalem don't understand me, don't understand what I'm doing here, but I know you and I know that you are the salt of the earth and I have to come here. " I called my husband to the computer. He read the words and said, "It's Dov and Rachel." An Israeli radio personality, a friend of Dov's, said the next morning on air that Dov had traveled to Gush Katif only because his wife wanted him to go. We knew differently. Every time we met him in Gush Katif, one could see he was filled with joy and contentment. He felt like he was in Paradise. He missed no family event there, his political views notwithstanding. In the car park at their double funeral, blue and orange ribbons flew side by side, like a mirror image to the people inside - religious and secular, right and left, Gush Katif and Tel Aviv, mingling closely, joined by sorrow and love. We can only pray that this terrible blow, leading to every Israeli newspaper being filled today with the story of love in the face of differences, is meant to hit us over the head before it's too late. Judy Lash Balint is an investigative journalist and author of "Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times" (Gefen). It is available for purchase from www.israelbooks.com |
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PERFIDY THEN AND NOW
Posted by TheRaphi, July 25, 2005. |
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This was written by Professor Paul Eidelberg. He is
a political scientist, author and lecturer; co-founder and president
of The Foundation For Constitutional Democracy and is the President of
the Yamin Israel movement.
American Jewish Organizations supports Prime Minister Sharon's plan to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes and farms in Gaza and northern Samaria and to give this land to Israel's Arab enemies, the successors of the Nazis. The parallel between now and then is no exaggeration. Israel's highest military and intelligence officials - before they were sacked - tacitly admitted that Sharon's policy of "disengagement," i.e., of retreat, hastens the Arabs' phased strategy of Israel's destruction. The Jews of Israel had better understand their Jewish enemies. As Ben Hecht has written in Perfidy, "There is no devilish deed that cannot be shined up into a patriotic necessity by the right propaganda. All that is needed is for people to believe in their duly elected leaders." But now let us ponder what Hecht says about the Silence of the American Jewish Establishment. "I have a personal involvement in this matter of how six million Jews of Europe were permitted to be slaughtered by the Germans (my emphasis). I worked with those in the United States - the only ones - who tried with all their might to break the Silence in which Europe's Jews were being exterminated... "I list the number of our notables, not to show how powerful was
the opposition of the Jewish Agency and Zionist organizations
(my emphasis). For the opposition of Jewish Authority won the day.
Although we could break the conspiracy of silence in large meeting
halls and in coast-to-coast newspapers and magazines, we could not
grab the ear of government. The slick and respectable Jewish
organizations of the United States [today AIPAC] kept this ear
plugged.
"This difference is due to the fact that protest is always a
part-time activity and respectability is a life-time job (my
emphasis). There was also another factor against us. Most of our
high-powered cohorts and endorsers were Gentiles. Out of the five
thousand Important Names we were able to pipe to our side, hardly a
handful were Important Jewish Names.
"Thus our Gentile Captains of a Thousand, after winning a battle,
felt it their duty to step aside modestly ands permit the Jewish
leaders of the land to finish the victory. We could convince our
Gentiles of our cause, but we could seldom convince them that nearly
all the fine American Jews whom they admired were the enemies of our
cause.
"There was no such confusion among these fine American Jews. They
knew on what side they were, and they stayed there, battling away
vigorously and ceaselessly on two fronts. One was the front of
Silence. Directives for this front came from Ben-Gurion, Weizmann,
et al. in Palestine (my emphasis). They were the custodians
of the Jewish future. They knew what was going on. And American Jewry
(like the doomed ones in Europe) translated their cowardly policies of
expediency and parochial politics intro the noblest Jewish
objectives."
And so it is with the Sharon. "He knows what is best for the people
- his continuation in power. He knows what is right - the ruses and
shenanigans that keep him in power. And he knows what is wrong -
anything that endangers his power."
An orthodox high school student living in Toronto, The Raphi is the webmaster of http://www.TheRaphi.com. He can be contacted by email at raphi@theraphi.com TheRaphi (http://www.theraphi.com/index.html) is a pro-Israel and pro-Zionist site; it provides news articles and essays. |
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FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME
Posted by EyeOnThePost, July 24, 2005. |
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Friends:
This alert involves two news reports by the Post within a five day
period proven to contain false allegations of Israeli killings of
Palestinians. It involves the manner in which the Post accepts and
publishes without question information from unnamed and unreliable
Palestinian sources, and then, when the lies are revealed, avoids
accepting responsibility and refrains from taking steps to even
attempt to mitigate the damage done by the publication of the false
reports in the first instance.
No Lessons Learned From Jenin - Lies And Corrections - Lies And Corrections - Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me Item 1 On July 20 EyeOnThePost noticed that in Scott Wilson's report of July 16 on the Israeli killing of 4 Hamas members in Gaza he asserted that according to Palestinian hospital officials "more than a dozen bystanders were also killed," but in his report the very next day (Sunday, July 17) from the funeral of the 4 Hamas members, he was silent on the bystanders who had supposedly been killed. We noted that since Mr. Wilson was at the cemetery for the funerals of the Hamas members the very next day, he surely must have noticed the absence of any funerals or even dead bodies of bystanders, yet he was conspicuously silent on the subject. We wrote an alert pointing out the probable false news report, and we disseminated it to our readers by email. We also sent it to all the appropriate officials at the Washington Post. We were right. On July 22, on page A2, in the corrections section (as opposed to the World News section) the following brief correction was noted: "A July 16 article incorrectly said that a dozen bystanders were killed during an Israeli rocket attack in the Gaza Strip. The bystanders were wounded." Does the word "credibility" have any meaning over there? Item 2 On July 21 we noted that the Post, relying on a false Reuters account, had reported that Jewish settlers attacked and stabbed to death a 12 year old Palestinian child. The Reuters report was based on unnamed Palestinian witnesses. It was soon discovered that the murder was committed, not by Jewish settlers, but by a Palestinian as part of a clan feud. We pointed out that the report had already been retracted by Reuters and that an arrest had already been made of a Palestinian. But the Post had been so captivated by a story making settlers appear to be murderers, even a story based on unnamed Palestinian witnesses, that it wasn't willing to wait even a short time (until an investigation that the Reuters report said was underway was completed) before publishing the libelous story. Here is the Post's reaction upon learning that it had repeated what amounted to the equivalent of a blood libel. In the July 22 "World in Brief" section (for some reason the World in Brief section for that date didn't make it to the Post's Web site, or we'd provide you with the URL) the following news item appeared: "Palestinian security forces arrested a Palestinian on suspicion of stabbing a 12 year old boy to death in the West Bank, after saying earlier that witnesses had blamed Jewish settlers. The suspect was from a family involved in a feud with the dead boy's family, police said." That's it. No mention that the Post had published the false story the day before and had left it up on their web site the entire day, uncorrected. No apology. No commitment to be more careful in the future. No explanation for why they had so quickly accepted the false account based on unnamed Palestinian witnesses without giving Israel a reasonable chance to look into it and respond. The damage done by the publication of this type of scurrilous libel cannot be undone. Although more effective steps than that taken by the Post can be employed to attempt to mitigate the damage, many readers will be left with the indelible impression that Israeli settlers are savages. Palestinian sources lying to the media is an untold story in itself. Reporters and editors repeatedly publishing those stories knowing full well that there's a very good chance that they are lies is an untold story in itself. Twice in one week the Washington Post was fooled by the lies of Palestinian witnesses. But we must ask whether they are really ever fooled, or whether it simply suits their purpose to publish these lies, even when they themselves have reason to doubt their veracity. If the Post will not learn a lesson from the repeated instances of being spoon fed lies by unreliable sources, it will continue to lose readership. Readers will conclude: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. ************************** Please provide the Post with your opinion of the quality of its reporting. Please do not copy the above Alerts or even portions of the above Alerts, because we share our analyses with the Post, and the language will be recognized. Even if you send only a two or three sentence original expression of your opinion to the Post, it will count. Be polite and be temperate in your letters so that you will not give The Post an easy excuse to ignore you. Letters can be sent to: Bo Jones, Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20071 (email: JonesB@washpost.com). Donald Graham, Chairman, same street address (email: GrahamD@washpost.com). Leonard Downie, Executive Editor, same street address (email address: DownieL@washpost.com) Philip Bennett, Managing Editor, same street address (email address BennettP@washpost.com) David Hoffman, Assistant Managing Editor for Foreign News, same street address (email address HoffmanD@washpost.com) Keith Richburg, Foreign Editor, same street address (email address: RichburgK@washpost.com) Please BCC feedback@eyeonthepost.org with your letters and email. This analysis is archived at http://www.eyeonthepost.org/Welcome.html#7-22-05) If you'd like to work with us or donate, we can use your help, so please write to us at feedback@eyeonthepost.org. For further information on EyeOnThePost, please call 301-468-2726, or visit our web site. Robert G. Samet, Chairman, EyeOnThePost, Inc. http://www.EyeOnThePost.org |
| GUSH KATIF |
THE MARCHERS OF GUSH KATIF
Posted by Emanuel A. Winston, July 24, 2005. |
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One can only be reminded of the tenacity of the Jewish fighters in the Polish Ghettos, especially Warsaw, against such incredible forces of the well-armed Nazis. The heroes of the Gush Katif March fought the heat, lack of water, violations of the right to peaceful protest by Sharon's legions. The Sharon Police and Army forces confiscated bus drivers licenses, keys and threatened them that they would never work again if they drove their chartered passengers anyway. The Sharon Police and Army strung razor barbed wire and iron fencing to stop these intrepid marchers. Sharon's thousands of Police and Army may stop the valiant marchers with baby strollers, young children and elderly who walked without their buses but, left an indelible stain on Sharon's 'Democracy'. Photos available on line commemorate their bravery, despite the brutality of the Police and Soldiers who beat them, with constant assaults - even when they were arrested. But, Sharon will not have won. He and his thugs will never be forgotten and this fight was only the first skirmish. Adolph Hitler crushed the fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto but, he too did not ultimately win. I am not necessarily comparing Sharon to Hitler because he is after all, just evicting, evacuating and deporting 10,000 Jewish men, women and children - not killing them...yet - he is making them and Jews 'inside' the "Green Line" more vulnerable to brazen attacks by Terrorists. Sharon will be remembered and hated, along with all those who supported his spoiler role in dividing the nation. I still expect to see HaShem's Hand come down on the bull-like neck of this tyrant and his followers. But, let no Jewish hand be raised against this scum, lest it be contaminated by the touch. Hopefully, we will see HaShem unleash a plague equal to those he hit Pharaoh with, against all those who made themselves the enemies of the Jewish people. Here I not only include Sharon's band of corruption but also those nations who have assisted, funded and supplied the Arab Muslims to arm and fight. Did you not see the Muslims as a plague against all of the non-Muslim nations? Did you not see HaShem's Hand as gigantic storms have been hurled at the nations, including America under President George Bush? HaShem has plenty of time to stoke the fires of the sun so the nations burn in drought and fire and the crops die. In Israel, they too are feeling HaShem's wrath as they bow to the wishes of a Rasha (wicked ruler). Except for the Remnant who defy the Rasha and the Rashayim (his followers) who will pay a terrible price. Some will remember how many Jews were slaughtered when they followed the advise of the spies and only later tried to advance into the Land HaShem had offered to them. They were chased and slaughtered by the pagans because they abandoned HaShem. Now, once again a corrupt Rasha, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel (Arik) Sharon, follows the demands of other Rashas in America to abandon the Land and pagans of Islam begin to pour rocket fire on the cities of the un-Jewish, they also will try to advance but, HaShem will not be with them. They too will be slaughtered in huge numbers and only the valorous Remnant will survive. One does not have to be a prophet to see what is coming in the near future. Mankind is spiraling down to a level where he is irretrievably disgusting in the eyes of HaShem. When we see so-called Jewish rabbis promoting marriage between man and man, we are already at the bottom of the proverbial barrel of decadence. There are always some noble men and women who reject the wicked (Rashas and their Rashayim followers). Here we find the Orange Revolutionary Marchers for Gush Katif. These are patriotic Jews from all over Israel and who are pouring in from all over the world. Even in the Tel Aviv, people have been enthusiastic about painting their belongings "Orange". The "Orange" Revolution worked for the Ukraine who supported Yevshenko. Gush Katif picked Orange as their identifying color for the setting sun over their Riviera-like beach and sand dunes, the oranges they planted..... These are the Remnant of the higher level Jewish people. Like the spirit of the Jewish fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto and those who won the War of Independence against the assault of well-equipped Arab Muslim armies, they will live on long after the Rasha are dead. May those who have attacked these good, brave and noble people be cursed. May they live in pain throughout their remaining days; may their nights be haunted with nightmares of what they have done. Let G-d's curse linger throughout their generations for what they have unleashed upon the real Jewish people. As HaShem promised Abraham and Moshe: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you." Who more than Sharon and Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres has tried to curse those pioneers and de-Judaize the nation of Israel. In the end, it will be Sharon and the evil that has gathered under his command, sometimes called Leftists, who will be cursed. The Bush Dynasty also will and has bought a curse on innocent Americans because of his unholy alliance with the pagans of Islam. We have only begun to see the hand of HaShem in the retribution that has been long in coming. The scientists will seek to explain why the storms pound; the waters flood or the fields bake to stone in drought; the rains come in cloud-bursts. Why the tectonic plates grind past each other, leaving cities leveled in each tremor but, know that only HaShem moves nature for or against. We see plagues of incurable Aides, while the plague of Islam spreads to those nations who have assisted Islamists to settle in their midst, only to be bitten by this viperous people. The Settlers of Gush Katif and YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron and Gaza) marched, along with many 'inside' the "Green Line". Their supporters and the Settlers in YESHA became separate as a higher level of Jewish civilization. Those left behind have accepted the scurrilous Sharon and Peres as their guides and models but, must accept their end as did Korach. While they all were a so-called majority, they betrayed the Jewish people and must accept what the Muslims will do to them. Emanuel Winston is a commentator and Middle East analyst. His articles appear often on Think-Israel and Gamla. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a research associate of the Freeman Center For Strategic Studies (http://www.freeman.org/online.htm). |
| GUSH KATIF |
AN ARAB CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDS WHAT MANY ISRAELI JEWS DO NOT!
Posted by Yuval Zaliouk, July 24, 2005. |
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Joseph Farah, a Christian Arab, gets it! Many get it! However, some 50% or less of Israelis do NOT get it at all! They do not get the glaring fact that by accepting the eviction of Jews from their legally owned lands and businesses just because they are Jews, means cutting the branch on which all Israelis sit, dropping with it to the precipice. The precipice our terrorist enemies prepared for us so cunningly. Here is Joseph Farah's article. It's called "No To 'disengagement'" It is archived at www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45393 It appeared on July 22, 2005. This is your wake-up call, people! Your Truth Provider,
Dear friends, Sometimes, you just have to realize when to say no to a bad idea. That's what Israel and the United States need to realize about the plan to force thousands of Jews from their homes and businesses in the Gaza Strip next month. As many as 100,000 Israelis have walked away from their families and jobs in the last few days to march to the Jewish community of Gush Katif in an attempt to save it from Israeli bulldozers. The confrontation threatens to turn Israel upside down and draw the country into a civil war. And it's no wonder. Jews who have any historical memory don't like the idea of being told by anyone - not even the Israeli or U.S. government - that they can't live in certain places because they are Jews. And make no mistake about it, that is the only reason the Jews of Gush Katif and other communities in Gaza and the West Bank are being forced out - because they are Jews. Imagine this happening in any other part of the world. Imagine any other religious or ethnic group being told they have to abandon their homes and businesses because a budding new government has no use for them. Imagine any other peaceful group of people being forced off their land because of appeasement to a terrorist enemy. It is one of the most shocking developments in my lifetime. And I say this as an Arab-American Christian and former Middle East correspondent. It is ethnic cleansing. It is racism. It is an invitation to another genocide. There is no moral or legal justification for it. Understand that these Jews took no one's land. They developed an arid wasteland unused for decades and made the desert bloom. The community of Gush Katif is so successful, so prosperous, it produces some 70 percent of all the produce consumed in Israel. And it provides some of the only decent-paying jobs to Arabs in Gaza besides the high-turnover positions of suicide bombers. Symbolically, separated by several thousand miles, I stand with the Jewish marchers on Gush Katif today. They are heroes. I wish I could be with them - even as much of the world ignores their righteous cause and the plight of the residents of Gush Katif and other Jewish communities marked for destruction. Not only is this "disengagement plan" a disaster for the good people of Gush Katif, it is a disaster for the plight of peace and freedom in the Middle East and throughout the world. Appeasement never works. Unilateral withdrawals in the face of terrorist aggression are a recipe for more terrorist aggression. Israel should have learned this lesson from its previous evacuation of military forces in southern Lebanon. It was seen by the terrorists as a military victory - not as it was intended, a goodwill gesture by civilized people. The choice facing Israel is clear today. If it wants to shatter its own national cohesion and rip its civil society apart - Jew against Jew, civilian against military - continue with plans to destroy Gush Katif. If it wants to exchange terrorist rocket attacks on an outpost in Gaza for terrorist rocket attacks on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, continue with plans to destroy Gush Katif. If it wants to hand the fanatical, murdering Islamic terrorists a victory, continue with plans to destroy Gush Katif. However, if Israel wants to respect the will of its own people - who are dead-set against this plan - it should call off the plans to evict Jews living peacefully on their own land in Gaza. If Israel wants to demonstrate to the world that Jews will not be pushed around by anyone any more, it should call off plans to evict Jews living peacefully on their own land in Gaza. If Israel wants to send a loud and meaningful signal to the entire world - a message of "Never again!" - it should call off plans to evict Jews living peacefully on their own land in Gaza. Yuval Zaliouk writes the Truth Provider columns. To subscribe, send an email to ynz@netvision.net.il |
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US FOREIGN POLICY IS IN SHAMBLES
Posted by Ted Belman, July 24, 2005. |
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The US is pressuring Israel to relinquish control over access to Gaza. This includes abandoning the Philidelphi Corridor, allowing a free port in Gaza and overland transit to the West Bank.
How absurd. It is one thing to do so as part of transforming the Middle East, it is another thing to do so when it has failed miserably in this endeavor.
The US has failed to stabilize Iraq where the death toll of civilians, politicians and diplomats is increasing. Furthermore the constitutional process is not going well. The Sunni representatives have resigned. There is lack of agreement on the exclusion of Sharia law, on Iraq not being an Arab country and on the division of resources. But there is agreement on preventing Israelis from becoming citizens.
All this seems to suggest a breakup of Iraq into three countries which is the total opposite of what the US wants. Finally it was hoped that Iraq would be a friend of the West, yet we saw last week that it has gotten into bed militarily and economically with the Iranians.
I have always been a staunch supporter of the invasion of Iraq but have to admit that from a global perspective the invasion has done more harm then good. At least Sadaam Hussein was contained with few resources.
Although the US got the Syrian military out of Lebanon, it failed to get its intelligence out. Also it has failed to get Syria to stop the influx of terrorists and arms into Iraq. The US and the UN demanded that Hezbollah disarm. There is no progress in that field whatsoever. The US has failed miserably to get Iran to stop acquiring the bomb and to stop supporting terrorism in Israel or Iraq. Ben Laden is still at large and Al Qaeda is growing. It has launched a new round of bombings including in Iraq, the UK, Lebanon and Egypt with more promised on the way in Italy, Poland and Israel to name a few. Even Saudi Arabia, America's "ally", continues to support the advancement of Wahabbism throughout the world. It also supports the insurgency in Iraq. Yet Bush continues to be a defender of Islam and still calls it a religion of peace. Finally the Roadmap is an abject failure. It remains stillborn, yet the US is not willing to issue a death certificate. The PA and Abbas have accomplished nothing except to invite Hamas into the government. Palestinian terror is increasing despite the "ceasefire." The Roadmap was intended to result in the disarming of the terrorist groups in its first stage but instead has resulted in the acceleration of their armament. The US has been powerless to prevent it or to prevent the rocket attacks against Israel The Palestinians are waging a war of annihilation against Israel and the US is pretending there is a peace process. General Ward, the US appointee to organize the Palestinian security forces, is to be withdrawn after disengagement with no successor having been appointed. And what is America's response? Israel should stop controlling access to Gaza thereby enabling Hamas to take over and enlarge its weapons factories and import more terrorists and weaponry. Unbelievable. I urge you to read Debka's report US, Britain, Egypt and Israel Are Lost for Answers to Mounting al Qaeda Offensive Al Qaeda makes no secret of its plans. It is looking forward to the free ride to its first Mediterranean base afforded by the Israeli prime minister's much-praised evacuation-disengagement plan, which goes into effect from mid-August. The terrorist group will also win a springboard to Israel and Europe across the water. Yet the only controversy in Israel over the pros and cons of the pull-back operation is confined to the domestic, political plane, the dispute between so-called right and left. Even the arguments put forward by its most avid opponents lack strategic depth. Washington and London, aside from certain anti-terror experts, are blind to the fact that by exiting from Gaza, Israel will open the Mediterranean basin to al Qaeda's spreading campaign of terror. They are pushing Israel and the Palestinians as hard as they can to make sure that Gaza's handover takes place. Rice arrived post-haste to make sure the revival of Hamas suicide attacks would not delay the operation and that the Israeli government stays squarely on course for the home run. American foreign policy is in shambles. It is losing the war on terror on all fronts. Rather than to acknowledge this and regroup, it continues to pursue failed policies including the Roadmap which only serves to make the situation worse. Finally on the home front, there is serious concern that Al Qaeda has smuggled into the US several atomic bombs, They have the intention of blowing them up in a number of American cities causing millions of casualties. What is needed is for the US to mobilize a half a million troops and to impose its will on Syria, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The half measures currently employed have proven insufficient for the task. Last, but not least, it should stop weakening Israel and strengthening the "Palestinians". The more hope it gives the Palestinians through concessions and through whitewashing reality, the more aggressive the Palestinians become. The opposite policy is required. Stop pandering to them and dash their hopes. |
| GUSH KATIF |
GUSH KATIF WOMAN, 57, ARRESTED FOR NOT SHOWING ID
Posted by Hillel Fendel, July 24, 2005. |
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Odelia Yulis, a 57-year-old woman from N'vei Dekalim, was arrested and sent to a Be'er Sheva jail last night after refusing to show her ID card on her way out of Gush Katif. She was later released. Her husband Shlomo told the story to Arutz-7: "A friend of a relative asked that my wife visit a terminal cancer patient who is hospitalized in Be'er Sheva. We had a son who died of cancer, and so when we can help out others who are in a similar situation, we try to do so. "My wife set off soon after Sabbath ended, but when she got to Kisufim, the policemen told her to produce her ID card. She said there was no reason for her to have to do so - a lawyer even told us later that even in a closed military zone, ID cards might be required in order to enter, but that there is no reason to have to identify yourself on the way out - and that she refused to be subjected to this humiliation each time. "The policeman would not let her through, and said she should move her car to the side. She said she couldn't because there were soldiers there, and then when they moved, she started up her car - and then the policeman called out, 'Arrest her!' He accused her of trying to run down the soldiers... "They told her to get out of the car, and she refused - so a few policewomen opened the door and physically dragged her out. She received a few bangs on her head and arms in the process... Then they took her to Oholei Keidar Prison in Be'er Sheva, but the prison refused to accept her without the proper papers or court orders. So then they said they would take her to Maasiyahu Prison in Ramle... "In the meantime, however, I had spoken to her, but then was unable to reach her, so I realized something had happened. So I sped down there - this was after the road had been closed and then opened after the first shooting - and met the policeman there. He was someone I knew from before, and I spoke to him very toughly, asking him if he wasn't ashamed of treating a 57-year-old woman that way... "As all this was going on, we heard of the double murder, and with everything that was going on, the order was given to bring her back to Kisufim. When she got there, they told her to sign her consent to being held under community arrest - i.e., that she should not be able to leave the town. She refused, of course. "My wife said to the policewoman who spoke to her, 'If you would put a fraction of your forces into stopping terrorism, maybe this murder wouldn't have happened.' The policewoman said, 'We told them [the citizens] not to go on that road, but they went anyway...' To which my wife replied, 'When you want to stop me from going, you had plenty of forces to do so - but you were unable to stop cars from traveling where you feared that there were terrorists?!' ... When I myself [Shlomo] traveled the road that night, there was no one there telling me not to do so... "In any event, they finally they just let her go, without any restrictions. But then we were held up because the road was closed a second time after the murder, and we finally got home at around 7 AM this morning on a bulletproof bus." Shlomo said that he generally does not show his ID card at Kisufim, and that one time it had cost him an hour-and-a-half delay. Asked if the struggle was worth the inconvenience, he replied, "Look, there's just so much humiliation you can take. If we allow them to humiliate us this way, then they'll keep on doing it more and more until our faces touch the ground. They're trying to break us, but we won't give in." Hillel Fendel is editor of Arutz-Sheva (www.IsraelNationalNews.com), and is author of these three news items, which appeared in today's Arutz-Sheva. |
| GUSH KATIF |
FIGHT
Posted by Samson Krupnick, July 24, 2005. |
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Recently, over 100 Kassam rockets were launched against Gush Katif in addition to the "Saudi" Arabian petro-dollar profit financed Wahhabi Hamas suicide slaughter attack in Netanya. We suffered dead and wounded on both accounts. Nevertheless, the two generals, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz, issued orders to proceed at once and at all costs to complete the cursed "Disengagement" disaster. Growing resentment among many Knesset and Likud party members seem to have no effect upon these two generals accustomed to giving orders and having those orders obeyed. That a majority of the Israeli public is against this disengagement, and even more against the government's dictatorial procedures and arrogant attitudes, apparently does not bother these two. We had offered a plan of moving Gush Katif to Nitzanim, the north Gush Katif in place of south Gush Katif now having suffered 5,835 Kassams attacks, with many dead and wounded and much damage. That plan was adopted by both Gush Katif members and the Prime Minister. We emphasized that all should be moved as permanent housing is made available and they would move their hot house industry. Doing it properly and with care would take a little more time, but the transition would be accepted by virtually all Jews. Arabs never lived in Gush Katif as it is mostly sand. Jewish Pioneers developed an entire farming industry in hot houses with controlled temperatures and assembly line production and packing providing almost 100% of the insect free vegetables sold in Israel. They also developed a growing export market. Moving them properly would be an excellent solution. No soldiers would be necessary to hold each other arm by arm in one long line forbidding any Jew to enter Gush Katif. Firstly, you chase away the many customers who buy their products. Secondly, you make of Gush Katif Jewish Pioneers "outlaws and criminals" facing a hostile Israel Defense Forces, whose function is to defend Jews. The respect of Israeli citizens is needed by all officials, soldiers and particularly the two rigid generals, Sharon and Mofaz. The principle of the great Sage Rabbi Akivah: "You shalt love your fellow Jew as thyself is the essence of the Torah" should apply here. Forbidding Jews to visit any part of our Land is an illegal act, regardless of who orders it. Calling it a "military zone" as a gimmik to keep Jews out of the Gush Katif is shameful. Forbidding guests to attend a wedding, Bar mitzvah, brit or other happy occasion is brutal and very much un-Jewish. These measures should be discontinued immediately. The two generals have already "gained" many enemies. An election now would certainly end the career of both of them. As to the many marchers and protesters, their position is understandable. This is our Land. There is no room for two States. The Palestine Authority has the same approach. The sole State should be Palestine. This was the goal of that mass murderer The Egyptian from Alexandria (last alias "Yasser Arafat", previous alias "Abdul Rauf el-Codbi el-Husseini") and remains the same goal of Chairman Abu Mazen. All Arab maps and books show our Land as "sacred Arab land". The late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin confided to us: "There is no room for two states here. Arabs will live here, but no independent state". All the protesters including many Rabbis oppose the vacating any of our Land, promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to their offspring for evermore. Christians insist that this is our Land and not that of the Arabs. Intelligent and knowledgeable Muslims, such as Sheikh Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi [www.amislam.com], agree that this is our Land and the Arabian peninsula the land of the Arabs. Some 50,000 or more marched in protest at the vacating of Gush Katif. Our emphasis is not to ignore but to explain that Gush Katif will move from the south of Katif to the north. Very vital now is to resume immediately the fight against mass murder as we did previously with pinpoint targeting the leaders who plan, supply and transport mass murderers ("terrorist"). Regretfully, the so called "cease fire" has given the mass murderers time to reorganize and to resupply. With the help of the Almighty we shall overcome. Samson Krupnick is Board Member and Treasurer, Root & Branch Association in Jerusalem (www.rb.org.il). He can be reached at krup@barak-online.net |
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ROOTS OF ARAB ANTI-AMERICANISM
Posted by Barry Rubin, July 24, 2005. |
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What do Arab states think about U.S. Middle East policy and what should they think about it? It is truly remarkable that misperceptions can remain so enormous in this modern age of rapid travel, internet, and satellite television. Still, whatever the extent of Western misperceptions of the region, regional ones running in the opposite direction are far more extensive. Of course, the official, public view that almost universally prevails in the Arab world and Iran--except for scattered articles by Arab liberals--is that the United States is an imperialist state which oppresses Muslims and commits all sorts of atrocities. This theme of America as the source of evil or error is repeated in schools, sermons, government statements, television, radio, the media, and the declarations of intellectuals. The radicals want to attack America; the moderates to persuade it to stop sinning. All of this goes triple for current U.S. policy and the presidency of George W. Bush. It is hated, reviled, and misrepresented; blamed for the failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and of course for the war in Iraq. No lie or epithet is to extreme to smear the United States. This apparent unanimity even persuades many in the West that either these claims are accurate or at least they represent the sincere beliefs of Arabs. Such a conclusion neglects the fact that these arguments are the result of pervasive misinformation, sponsorship by dictators seeking to blame their own defects on others or revolutionaries trying to ride hatred into power, and a pretty systematic suppression of contrary views. Yet even those factors are not the end of the story. For behind the public barrage is another level of debate which has two versions. One of these is the discussion among relatively small numbers of reform-minded Arabs and the majority of Iranians who oppose that country's Islamist regime. They cheer the Bush administration and its shift to advocating democracy, whatever reservations they make, in part for self-preservation. Its policy is seen as being in their interest because it is combating the dictatorships that so oppress them. A majority in Iraq holds similar views, seeing U.S. policy as having liberated them and now defending their lives against terrorist attacks. They may want U.S. forces to leave as soon as possible but these people are very glad that they were there. Even more fascinating, though, is what might be called the private lives of the ruling elites: what they say in secrecy behind the scenes and in their own government meetings. There, they need no rhetoric and demagoguery. If they are going to survive it is necessary to calculate what Washington is really doing and how they should respond. This assessment seems to be a mixture of fear and cynicism. In Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and most countries, they doubt the United States is really going to push hard for real change. But they are also afraid as they wonder whether the Americans really mean it. Will Washington try to change more regimes or punish them for acting as they have done for decades? As a result, they have developed a rather sophisticated strategy which includes the following elements: --Continue to propagandize against America to ensure their own people don't start thinking that real democracy, freedom, and moderation would be good. This tactic also maintains an ability to blame all the regimes' own mistakes, failures, and incompetence on others. It also lets the Arab nationalist rulers pretend to be representing also the complaints of Islamists. Such an approach is likely to work pretty well or at least, from the rulers' viewpoint, better than any alternative. Even Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi has understood this and Syria's late ruler, Hafiz al-Asad, pioneered this kind of policy under somewhat different circumstances in the 1990s. His son, Bashar, however, doesn't get it. He is trying to play on a purely pan-Arab nationalist line from a generation ago. Under the circumstances, that's a pretty dangerous mistake. To some extent, though, thinking in Washington seems to be shifting due to post-war problems in Iraq, disappointment with the new Palestinian leadership, Islamists' good showing in elections, and other factors. There is a new appreciation for the need to blend realpolitik--which means getting along with existing Arab regimes like Saudi Arabia--and support for long-term democratization. Overextended in Iraq, in terms of both public opinion and logistics, the United States is not eager for new confrontations. If nobody makes a big miscalculation--Bashar is the one most likely to do so--the existing system might well make it through the coming years--with its stagnation, dictatorships, useless ideologies, Palestinian intransigence, and all. What is happening now, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, is not so much the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning. Still, it is a start. Barry Rubin is Director of the GLORIA Center of the Interdisciplinary Center. His co-authored book, Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography, is now available in paperback and his latest book, The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East, will be published by Wiley in September. Prof. Rubin's columns can now be read online at http://gloria.idc.ac.il/columns/column.html. This essay is archived at http://gloria.idc.ac.il/columns/2005/06 14.html |
| GUSH KATIF |
JUST $10 A WEEK
Posted by Ken Heller, July 23, 2005. |
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Just $10 a week!!! That doesn't even buy you a half a tank of gas these days. That is what I am asking good, caring Jews to send to "Friends of Gush Katif"...$40 a month! When you see what is happening to our heroic people in Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron, and realize the needs that they have, your heart has to break. I don't think it is too much to sacrifice for our people who are facing great stress and impending tragedy. Their lives are about to be literally turned upside down! Even if you have donated before as I am sure many of you have, the needs are |