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THE WESTERN WALL
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, November 15, 2005. |
Mordechai Ben-Menachem is a Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva. Contact him at quality@acm.org |
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THE STRANGE CASE OF CUT DOWN OLIVE TREES THAT WERE NOT CUT DOWN
Posted by David Meir-Levi, November 30, 2005. |
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In December, "Spotlight on the Middle East" will air a program devoted to "Pallywood" (the palestinian authority version of Hollywood), where pure fiction and professional actors combine to create faux-news that the western world thinks is real. Israel is accused, demonized, condemned in every "pallywood" scene. Israeli soldiers (actually PA actors in Israeli uniforms) are "caught" on film by French and PA cameramen as they perpetrate "horrific human rights violations" against poor palestinians. and western viewers think that the staged events are real news because our western journalists, photojournalists, and editors never bother (or care?) to check the sources. The airing schedule for our december show will be available in a few days; meanwhile, read the article below. "Pallywood" is not just the domain of the PA. PeaceNow seems to have bought into it as well. The endless stories of the horror of IDF annihilation of whole olive groves....may be more of "Pallywood" (at least in some, many?, cases) as properly pruned and tended trees provide fodder for the mendacious cameramen who use the pruned trees as props for anti-israel accusations. It is really hard for us (at least me) to come to grips with the bona fide evidence (as summarized in our TV show and exemplified below) that news from PA sources, even via respected western journalists, may be all or in part just pure fiction. This was written by Hillel Fendel, Senior Editor at Arutz-Sheva, www.IsraelNN.com. It is called "Tree-Cutting "Libel" - Once Again, Jews Stand Accused." It appeared on November 28,2005. Once again, reports that Jewish settlers cut down Arab-owned olive trees are suspected to be a "left-wing provocation" against the Jews of Judea and Samaria. It was widely reported Sunday, in the name of Arab sources in the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, that Jewish settlers from the Shomron had chopped down 200 olive trees owned by Arabs. The Ynet site, for instance, wrote, "Palestinian sources reported that settlers from an outpost near Elon Moreh had cut down" the trees. The reports were immediately followed by condemnations of the Jewish population in the Shomron and Israel's rule there. The extremist left-wing organization "Peace Now" released a statement saying that the incident was a direct result of the lack of law enforcement in the areas and the continuing "problem of the [Jewish] outposts." However, the Yesha Council looked into the matter and said that though "we condemn all violence, including harming Palestinian property," it had found that the incident was apparently a provocation staged by extreme left-wing activists who "wish to sully their Jewish brothers, while at the same time extending their hand to terrorists." The residents of Elon Moreh, in a statement, "wish to emphasize that we have no connection with this incident, which is based on the testimony of a single Arab." A widely-published AP photo of an Arab woman weeping and embracing an allegedly chopped-down tree (similar photos were taken by Reuters, AFP, and others] shows that the trunk is intact, and that only the top branches are cut off - as if it had been purposely pruned. In fact, the Haifa-based Land of Israel Task Force says that this is exactly what happened. "The left-wingers and Arabs pulled the same trick last year," Task Force head Aviad Visuly said, "and using the same method." Photos of the trees show that the branches were sawed off in a manner that is beneficial to the trees. "Why would vandals bother sawing off each individual branch? Wouldn't they just cut down the trunk?" The branches begin growing back 2-3 months after they are cut, and grow to full size within two years. "In the meanwhile," Visuly said, "the orchard owners receive stipends from the Saudis, via the PA." Visuly said that left-wing activists look for trees that have been pruned, and then blame the Jews for cutting them. "They have even admitted to the police that they do this," he said, "such as in the case of Ein Avus near Hawara [south of Shechem]. In that incident, they blamed the people of [nearby] Yitzhar, because Yitzhar was a convenient media target. Two Jews were arrested for five days and were then released with no charges whatsoever. Today, it's convenient for them to accuse the people of Elon Moreh. If the police had an investigator who was half-fair, he would throw the case out." Two years ago, a similar story on Arutz-7 began as follows: "It led to anti-settler headlines, international embarrassment for the State of Israel, condemnations, and apologetics - and yet it all may have been one big bluff, or worse." At the time, international media reported as fact that Jews had destroyed the Arab trees, and President Katzav and Prime Minister Sharon issued statements implying that the Jews were responsible. Even the Yesha Council said that the tree-cutting had "defamed the entire sector of Jews living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza." What went under-reported was that the police began to suspect that left-wing Israelis and Arabs were behind the incident. The police even asked Rabbi Arik Asherman of the Reform Movement and an Arab who filed charges against Jewish Yesha residents to submit to lie-detector tests - but it was reported at the time that the two had refused. A Jewish National Fund expert brought in by the police concluded that no lasting damage was done to the trees, and that the tree-cutters did not "cut down" the trees, but rather "pruned" them. David Meir-Levi is an American-born Israeli, currently living in Palo Alto. His expertise is in Near Eastern studies and the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is Director of Peace and Education at Israel Peace Initiative (www.ipi-usa.org). Contact him at david_meirlevi@hotmail.com |
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A LIFE AND DEATH MESSAGE
Posted by Ken Heller, November 30, 2005. |
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The author of this article is Chinese-American General Dr. Vernon Chong, surgeon, Headquarters US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, now a retired Air Force surgeon. Professor Paul Eidelberg (eidelberg@foundation1.org), who is President of the Foundation For Constitutional Democracy, wrote this about Chong's article: The primary weakness of Israel's political, judicial, and intellectual elites is that they cannot take Islam's religious commitment to Israel's destruction seriously. This is why I am forwarding the message below. When reading this message, think of Sharon and Peres and the one hundred and more other Knesset members that belong to the "cult of peace." Think of the suicidal rulings of Chief Justice Aharon Barak that favor Arab terrorists. Think of the legions of academics that do not see that Israel's Arab enemies are, in certain respects, worse than Nazis, hence, that to negotiate with the former is no less reckless than it was to negotiate with the latter. And while reading the message below, think of all the newspaper editors and journalists that supported the "Disengagement Plan". Clearly, Israel is being undermined by what Lenin called "useful idiots". This War Is For Real! To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII). The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means. First, let's examine a few basics: 1. When did the threat to us start? Many will say September 11, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us: * Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; (Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide). 2. Why were we attacked? Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms... 3. Who were the attackers? In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims. 4. What is the Muslim population of the World? 25%. 5. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful? Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who was also Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons... Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the six million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others. Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way -- their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing -- by their own pronouncements -- killing all of us "infidels. " I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die? 6. So who are we at war with? There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other
than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid
verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win
if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.
So with that background, now to the two major questions: 1. Can we lose this war? If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions. We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean? It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is: We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet... The plan was clearly, for terrorist to attack us, until we were neutered and submissive to them. We would of course have no future support from other nations, for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see, we are impotent and cannot help them. They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do will be done. Spain is finished. The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast! If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us, if they were threatened by the Muslims If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else? The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war, and therefore are completely committed to winning, at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost. Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win So, how can we lose the war? Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by "imploding." That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose, and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win! (Emphasis added.) Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation. President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation. Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war! For the duration, we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently. And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WWII, and immediately restored them after the victory and in fact added many more since then. Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him? No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head. Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening. It concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause. Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war, perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying. We have recently had an issue, involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war, by a small group of our military police. These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein. And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters, who recently were burning Americans, and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. And still more recently, the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of American prisoners they held. Compare this with some of our press and politicians, who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners -- not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them. Can this be for real? To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned -- totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world. Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife. Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude, of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us, for many years. Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels! That translates into ALL non-Muslims -- not just in the United States , but throughout the world. We are the last bastion of defense. We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant. ' That charge is valid in at least one respect. We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world! We can't! If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the world will survive if we are defeated. And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone -- let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world?. If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little, on the established French traditions. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar? Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the "peaceful Muslims"? ? Patrick Henry --"Those that beat their swords into plowshares will do the plowing for those that don't"!! Ken Heller is a pro-Israel activist and a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of Americans For A Safe Israel. He can be reached at kayjayphilly@yahoo.com |
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DOES NO ONE CARE?
Posted by Naomi Ragen, November 30, 2005. |
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Friends, This e-mail pains me deeply to write, as I know it will pain all of you to read. Not only are the refugees from Gaza not being helped by the authorities , they are being tortured. Outlandish red tape (produce 29 years of electric bills!, prove your son actually grew up in your home!) is keeping many of them from receiving any compensation. The majority are unemployed. These people went from large, flourishing families in beautiful homes with thriving businesses to unemployed, homeless refugees. Families are being destroyed. Children are turning to drugs, parents are having heart attacks. And some teenagers have even been hospitalized in closed mental institutions. You won't believe your eyes when you read the memo below, compiled by volunteers of All4Israel, a little, all-volunteer group that is working hard to allieviate some of the misery, work that should have been borne by our government and our major Jewish organizations and their well-paid directors. SELA, with Mr. Yonatan Bassie at its head, who has personally profited by the disengagement (he owns farms that are now selling vegetables once exclusively grown in Gush Katif, he sold land to the government to house the refugees...) has been largely responsible all of this needless suffering. Every single one of those incompetents should be fired. For shame, for shame for shame, for shame. I can't believe my government has turned its own people out of their homes and has made no provision for them. People who were the bravest of us all, who suffered the most during the Intifada. Who lost so many parents, children, rabbis. These beautiful, brave families, that no Arab terrorist onslaught could destroy, are being destroyed by their own callous government. And no one cares. If you are a donor to any Jewish organization, please call them and ask why no emergency funds have been set up to help the Gaza refugees. Where are our priorities? Zalman Indig (who kindly helped me take online donations for Rachel S., every penny of which he wired directly to Israel) is the head of All4Israel. Below, he shares information gathered by his volunteers in Israel. Every blessing, Naomi Hi Zalman We had a meeting last night, We made calls to the head organizers of the Yishuvim to find out what is going on online. They spoke on the speaker phone and it was very sad for all of us. The lists are pilling up, the stories are unbelievable. None of the large organizations we know of have helped them out. They received from them sweaters and sweats, food packages or stoves but not real money. They are offered short term loans, but they are afraid to take them because they don't know when they'll be getting their compensation. Here is a story you will love. One family has lived there for 29 years. They have asked them to produce 29 years back electricity bills. Who keeps such records? The family replied that the first few years they had generators anyway and the Electrical company doesn't keep such records. SO for now their compensation is tied up. One family has a soldier in the army. They had to supply proof that he was still living at home even though he was a soldier or he would not be included in the family compensation, so they had to bring photos of him with the family, in the house in uniform!!! Should I go on? Any way I received this list, I thought maybe you can do something, be discreet with the list of course. Regards Some bios: Family 1 - 6 children - husband died less than two months ago of sudden unpredicted heart attack. Two children elementary school age + soldier son-IDF service, others older recently began work very part time. Family faces many difficulties related to what happened Family 2 -7 children - two in Yeshiva high school, one in Midrasha, two married. unemployed Family 3 -11 children -one in Yeshiva HS + four in higher education institutes. Wife very recently began teaching part-time Family 4 -7 children - one in elementary school, one in Yeshiva H.S., Four in universities, one in IDF service/ Husband is blind and wife very ill with Lupus disease. Family 5 -6 children -two in elementary school, one in yeshiva H.S., one in Midrasha , one in college , one in national service.- recently began working part-time Family 6 - 3 children in kindergarten and nurseries. Unemployed - seeking opportunity to rebuild farm business, organized temporary morning Kollel for unemployed men. Family 7 - 3 children - one in elementary school, one in yeshiva H.S., one in IDF service. Husband suffers from limiting heart disease, wife from other health problems Family 8 - 3 children - serious health problems -unemployed Family 9 - one parent family - two in IDF service - -three in Universities, God willing will have expense of wedding for daughter in month of Adar. Unemployed. Family 10 - one-parent family -two young children -- mother studying in Higher education. unemployed. Family 11 - 6 children - two in elementary school--one in high school.. unemployed (wife may start working next week part-time). Family 12 + 5 children - one in Kindergarten, one in elementary school, one in Yeshiva High school , two in IDF service, unemployed Family 13 - one parent family - + 8 children - one in Yeshiva H.S. - one in Yeshiva Gevoha, 5 in universities.- unemployed To help these families, please visit & put "For families of Gush Katif" in the comments field. http://www.all4israel.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Category&catId=54>
Or mail your checks to:
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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THE ECONOMIST RANKS MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES ON FREEDOM
Posted by Max Yas, November 30, 2005. |
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The Economist Intelligence Unit is the world's foremost provider of country, industry and management analysis. Founded in 1946 when a director of intelligence was appointed to serve The Economist, the Economist Intelligence Unit is now a leading research and advisory firm with more than 40 offices worldwide. For nearly 60 years, the Economist Intelligence Unit has delivered vital business intelligence to influential decision-makers around the globe. (source Google) If you are tired of the tsunami of anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations to the neglect of the real issues that deserve priority attention, such as genocide in Darfur, the occupation of Tibet and the 25 ungoing insurgencies on this planet, please read this letter and forward it to your friends. Shalom from Max Democracy is making inroads in the Middle-East. A survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked 19 Middle-East states plus the Palestinian Authority, based on the following criteria: Election of head of government
Surprise! Surprise! The "apartheid" State of Israel, MADE IT TO THE TOP OF THE LIST! Scored on a ten-point scale, 10 being the highest, these were the results. Israel: 8.20
This was reported by the BBC, despite their long established pro-Palestinian bias. Unbelievably Libya, at the bottom of the scale, was named the head of the UN Human Right Commission! Why so much negative concentration on Israel? Why are some Protestant churches divesting from Israel? Why is the Green Party in Great Britain following their example? The only plausible answer is: Zionism does not lead to antisemitism -- antisemitism leads to anti-Zionism. Open-minded people need not be overly concerned about divestment.
Israel's annual GDP has grown in the past 58 years from under US$ nine
million to over US$ 21 billion and investments in Israel are growing
by leaps and bounds!.
Sitting at the bottom of the table, Libya has long had a reputation as one of the world's worst violators of human rights. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's government has also long restricted freedom of expression and independent political activity. Saudi Arabia held its first ever exercise in democracy in February 2005 when it held municipal elections, but remains an absolute monarchy that has resisted pressure for reform. Syria, meanwhile, is renowned for its authoritarian rule even though there has been a degree of liberalisation under President Bashar al-Assad. Progress Though there are few surprises at the bottom of the table, the top five may raise eyebrows. It contains three of the most volatile parts of the region: Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and Iraq. BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says there is certainly a new mood in the region, but progress has been uneven. Information just received One example of how the well oiled multi-billion dollar P.R. Machine creates "facts" and sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Sadly some naive innocents fall for it: In December, "Spotlight on the Middle East" will air a program devoted to "Pallywood" (the Palestinian Authority version of Hollywood), where pure fiction and professional actors combine to create faux-news that the western world thinks is real. Israel is accused, demonised, condemned in every "Pallywood" scene. Israeli soldiers (actually PA actors in Israeli uniforms) are "caught" on film by French and PA cameramen as they perpetrate "horrific human rights violations" against poor Palestinians, and western viewers think that the staged events are real news because our western journalists, photojournalists, and editors never bother (or care?) to check the sources. Contact Max Yas at maxyas@victoria.tc.ca |
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A SECULARIST IRAN AGAINST MULLAHS' TERROR
Posted by Student Movement for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI), November 30, 2005. |
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This is an English translation of an article that appeared in the Italian "L'Opinione" today. It is called "A secularist Iran against Mullahs' terror," and is an interview by Stefania Lapenna with Aryo Pirouznia, Coordinator of the Student Movement for Democracy in Iran. The echo of Ahmadinejad's anti-Semitic statements still resounds in the international arena. And of course they have to. The new in this entire scenario, however, is the Mullahs' new target: Italy. Indeed, 15 thousand people demonstrating in front of the Islamic Republic's embassy in Rome, for the right of Israel to exist and for the freedom of the Iranian people, sufficed to provoke the Mullahs' angry reaction, who mobilized its usual professionals in front of the Italian embassy, carrying out banners with the face of the late Edoardo Agnelli. Even that effort to bring in as many fanatics as possible, resulted into a fiasco, for only about 80 or less people participated. What about the rest of the population? To know more, we asked Aryo Pirouznia, coordinator of the "Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran" (SMCCDI) and chairman of the newly-founded "Iran National Secular Party" (INSP) Aryo, welcome again. First of all, tell us shortly about the new movement, the Iran National Secular Party. Firstly, I thank you for this opportunity and the possibility to be able to bring some clarifications on what's the Iranian situation and what might be some of the future's perspective. Secondly, The INSP is a new born foundation in exile and has been founded on what SMCCDI brought in Iran's political debate and all its rich experiences. The pillars of the INSP are Secular-Democracy and the Iranism thought, which SMCCDI has promoted for several years and are now rallying millions of Iranians, especially students, the Iranian youth and women. Everyday there are more Iranians who are rallying around such positive, progressist and humanistic foundation which is the best anti-dote to the Islamist ideology and its backwardism, intolerance, believe and gender discrimination, fascism, fanatism and wage of hate and terror. INSP is an entity which should be able, as a political party, to help implementing the well known Secular-Democracy and the Iranism aspirations of millions of Iranians in the years and decades to come. Is it tied to any political ideology or orientation or is it independent? The INSP is based on Iranians popular aspirations and it is totally independent from any ideological or foreign source. The Movement has been founded to help Iran's journey in our alas very late but so needed enlightment period and to contribute in building an Iran for all Iranians, no matter of their believe, race or gender, want to live in a free country and to renew with the civilized world and to contribute to the mankind's peace and prosperity. Some other main goals of the Movement, which were introduced by SMCCDI, are the Separation of State and Religion, Separation of Power, Equality in Law, Right of Property, Meritocracy, Representative Government and Free Market. What is your approach with Islam? We should know that the Iranians of today are one of the most secularist and democracy thirsty people of the planet. They are renewing with Iranism principles instead of Islamism. They're valuing more historic figures like Cyrus the Great than Mahomet the Islamic prophet. The digital technology and the spread of satellite TVs and radio networks that broadcast to the millions of Iranians in Iran, contribute to most of the changes. What's your opinion about the recent demonstration held in Rome in front of the Islamic Republic's embassy, to protest Ahmadinejad's statements? That was an unprecedented and positive move. It took everybody including the Islamic republic's leadership in a total surprise. Many including the clerics and their Islamist technocrats, portrayed as "reformers" were believing that a country such as Italy (which has the best commercial relations with Iran) will never react and will always keep the silence in front of Islamic regime's mis-deeds. This was without understanding the change of parameters in geopolicy and especially the fed up of Italian people who still remember the dark record of fascism and intolerance. Have the Iranians inside Iran learned about this rally? And if so, what have been their reactions? My countrymen learned about this unprecedented rally mainly via a special live program of the abroad based Satellite TV network named NITV. We contacted the management of this network and gave the necessary elements while coordinating the internet download of the live program broadcasted by RAI 2. NITV was able to offer a very informative program from an Iranian opposition -- to the Islamic regime -- point of view and analysis while re-transmitting live footages shown by RAI and analysis made by Italian commentators, journalists, activists and politicians who were translated simultaneously by an NITV translator. The result was an overwhelming welcoming by millions of Iranians especially by understanding that the majority of slogans were in favor of freedom of Iranians and in condemnation of the Islamic regime for its human rights abuses and illegitimacy. The regime has protested against the rally and even summoned the Italian ambassador in Tehran. How do you think the Italian government should behave in these cases? I think that the Italian Government should maintain its new policy of firmty and while praising this unprecedented stand I would like also to thank the Italian Ambassador in Tehran for his courage. The Islamic regime should understand that Italy is no more the silent witness of the clerics crimes, some made on Italian soil, or its wage of hate. The unpopular Iranian regime must understand that Italy is a Democracy respectuous of its people's will and right of expression and it should not try to prescribe its dictatorial methods for Italy. Do you think the U.N. will finally impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic for its nuclear program and human rights record? I only hope so as I prefer to watch at this time. The UN, due to its structures, has not been a real help to Iranians so far. There are UN members that are the closest collaborators of the Islamic regime and other that fear that sanctions against the Islamic regime can create precedents for their own inculpation late on the very same grounds. The problem of the UN is very deep and it goes to the way of its composition and administration. Just to remind you that Iran was in 1948 the signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other conventions. In our days everybody know that thousands have been executed, tortured, imprisoned, stoned or lashed in Iran under various false labels and hence, the Islamic republic is still usurping Iranian Nation's Chair at the UN and is continuing its barbarian rule in total impunity. What's your take about the U.N.'s policy? Shouldn't a real United Nations -- Not a United Regimes' Structure - expel the Islamic regime's envoy from such administration and to keep the Iranian Nation's chair vacant till the nomination of a real Iranian People's Ambassador after the downfall of the current regime? Shouldn't the countries which are at each time abstaining from voting against the Islamic regime or worst those who vote contrary to condemnation of the regime think "what about Iranians?" "Why not backing Iranians in their aspiration of a total change and to bet on them for any long lasting business opportunity?" I let your readers to be judge. I let the conscience of the Mankind to judge about my countrymen's outcry. To help itself, the World should help Iranians to reach their goal and to speed up the implosion of the regime by clear messages of support for Iranians. I thank you and L' Opinione's management for such opportunity. I thank Italy's deep conscience. Contact the Student Movement for Democracy in Iran at peyk@daneshjoo.org |
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POLICE STATE, BUSINESS AS USUAL
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, November 30, 2005. |
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This is from today's Arutz-Sheva - www.IsraelNN.com. (www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=93984) "Police Still Ignoring Court Appeal to Free Youth from Jail" (IsraelNN.com) Youth jailed for anti-expulsion protests still are in jail despite recommendations from a court judge three weeks ago that they be freed. One of the youths, a 16-year-old boy from Samaria, was arrested five months ago on suspicion of blocking traffic on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv during an anti-expulsion protest. He also was charged with attacking a policeman and interfering with police duties. No witnesses were brought at a court hearing and the main evidence against him was that he sat on the side of the highway. President of Juvenile Court Abraham Sheinfeld asked the police department to drop charges that the youth attacked and interfered with police. Lawyers for the youth said police have ignored the judge's requests and have not answered letters and phone calls. 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. Contact him at zelasko@actcom.co.il |
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JUST WONDERING
Posted by Batya Medad, November 30, 2005. |
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I'm just wondering. Does anyone know if Arik Sharon is a card player? We know that Sharansky plays chess, which is a very different type of game. What do the other politicians do to keep their minds sharp or entertain themselves? And please don't say the obvious that they don't have any minds to sharpen. Seriously. Sharon is like one those circus entertainers, talking fast while shuffling the deck accordion-style, pocketing cards and pulling them out from his sleeves while our eyes are being distracted by his three ring circus. Does anyone really know what's going on? There are some really amazing things happening in the political spheres here in Israel. Some of it is actually "Moshiach-like." At least from how I see it. I've never voted for a religious party, because I don't believe that they should exist. I think that religious needs show be guarded by all. Religious and Chareidi education shouldn't be dominated by politicians of special-interest parties. And if there was an "Anglo" party of English-speaking Israelis, I wouldn't vote for it either. Immigrant needs should be the concern of all. And ditto for a party claiming to represent the yishuvim. I'm an Israeli and I expect, demand that the entire country, the entire population support settlement. All this separation, special interest groups as political parties is bad for Israeli society. So now since Sharon has decided to establish a brand new party, suddenly there's more change in the Israeli political scene than most countries see in fifty years. One of the greatest things is that the religious parties are starting to re-evaluate. Not only is the NRP, National Religious Party, (Mafdal), negotiating with the NU, National Union, but even some of the Chareidim are waking up and talking about a united block with the right wing parties. We mustn't be afraid of change. Haven't we been complaining about Israeli politics for years? Hasn't it gotten harder and harder to decide for whom to vote? The previous situation was horrendous, right? That's why they were able to implement Disengagement. Everyone agrees. So change is necessary, and apparently Sharon is our tool. Nobody would have the guts for all this, if Sharon hadn't messed up the deck and thrown the cards all over the floor. Now we have no choice. In my house we have lots of books, so the idea of painting the livingroom is overwhelming, so when just after our daughter go engaged a wall of shelves tumbled, books and all, we had no choice. And not only did we have the room painted, I bought a gorgeous new wall unit. Honestly, I should have redecorated that room years before, but it took those falling shelves and books to make me do it. Ariel Sharon has done some terrible things to our country since becoming Prime Minister. Each of his "successes" has made him more confident to do worse and worse. I think it's wonderful that he has created Kadima, his new political party. It has forced us all to look at Israeli politics and government differently. We now have a real opportunity to change, to make things better. This is our chance to deal a new hand, a winning one. Batya Medad lives in Shiloh. She can be reached by email at Shilohmuse@yahoo.com or visit her website http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/ or go to http://www.shilo.org.il This article is archived at http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2005/11/just-wondering.html |
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ADOPTING A GUSH KATIF FAMILY
Posted by Naomi Ragen, November 30, 2005. |
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Dear Friends, I woke up this morning with the following idea on how to help the precious families of Gush Katif. I would like to discuss it with all of you. What if synagogue congregations, and(why not?) pro-Israel Christian congregations all over the world adopt one family from Gush Katif and become responsible for their needs until they are back on their feet. This would include writing and speaking to family members either personally, or through a volunteer interpreter. It would include having the entire congregation write letters on behalf of the family to the Israeli bureaucrats. It would include being active in pursuing the Israeli politicians overseeing this (remember, this is an election year. Politicians are fundraising among the Jews of the world. You have leverage). It would involve sending care packages of clothing. And yes, cash. But it wouldn't be overwhelming, because it would be one family helped by hundreds of families. I would prepare an application and put it on my website for any congregation interested in participating. You could fill it out and e-mail it to me, and I would then ask local volunteers to find suitable families interested in participating. If we can make a "shidduch" between the congregations and the families that will lead to each congregation (and thousands and thousands of people all over the world) being intimately involved with the difficulties each family faces materially, politically and bureacratically, so that the powers that be will not be able to claim that all is well, that alone will be worthwhile. This is a way to give immediate help, to personalize and publicize the plight of families. If you think your congregation would participate, please let me know. Naomi 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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MUSSOLINI DESCENDANTS SUE MK PORUSH FOR DICTATOR DEFAMATION
Posted by Marlene Young, November 30, 2005. |
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[Editor's note: This is related to the next blog-ed down.]
Rome, Italy,
The Benito Mussolini Fammily Association has announced that they are dispatching their lawyers to the Rabbinic court of Fredonia to issue an injunction against MK Meir Porush for "degrading the name of Benito Mussolini by comparing the legacy of our beloved leader to that of Ariel Sharon". Contact Marlene Young at marleneyoung1@yahoo.com |
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MK MEIR PORUSH: SHARON REMINDS ME OF ITALIAN DICTATOR MUSSOLINI
Posted by Marlene Young, November 30, 2005. |
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Sharon is a dictator. Why is MK Porush the only one saying it out loud? Sharon just left Likud in the dust like so much trash, that just a few months ago he was insisting everyone must bow to and not challenge so that the Expulsion could go through, and everyone bowed, so as not to break the Likud. Now, he left to form his own party that is based on deals to give Sharon absolute power with only serfs and sycophants he rewards with jobs, appointments and threats. The new party Kadima is a mix of Labor, Meretz, and other Radical Leftists and Likud turncoats. And for a real final stab at Democracy he left a whole bunch of loyalists in Likud as spies and spoilers! And not even so much as a peep from those who know better? This is by Zvi Zrahiya (zviz@haaretz.co.il) and it appeared in Haaretz (www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/652144.html). MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) compared Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. In a Knesset hearing regarding the state of Israel's religious councils, Porush criticized the prime minister and his son, Omri, whom he claims interfered in appointments to the councils. During his speech, Porush said, "Sharon greatly reminds me of the Italian Benito Mussolini. Mussolini also left one party and established his own. He also served as prime minister until he founded a dictatorship and became a duce. Sharon is already talking about a presidential regime in order to do whatever he feels like with the state. Duce Sharon." Deputy defense minister Ze'ev Boim (Kadima), who represented the government in the hearing, hastened to request that Porush rescind his comments. "I think that these are inappropriate things to say in the Knesset," said Boim, to which Porush responded, "You should be ashamed that so many call the state of Israel 'Corruptistan.' This is much more grave." Boim responded that, considering Mussolini was an "ally of Hitler, this is unacceptable. I think you should retract your statement. It is shameful for an MK to compare any Israeli prime minister or leader with Mussolini." However, Porush would not capitulate, and repeated his claim.
Contact Marlene Young at marleneyoung1@yahoo.com
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NO DNA TESTS FOR HOLOCAUST VICTIM REMAINS IN STUTTGART
Posted by ZAKA, November 30, 2005. |
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Genetic tissues and DNA tests will not be held from the remains of Holocaust victims, recently discovered in a mass grave in the southern German city of Stuttgart. This decision was made by Ulrich Goll, justice minister of the German province of Baden-Wurtemmberg, where the mass grave was discovered. The German decision was made following a request by Rabbi Yehuda Meshi Zahav, director of ZAKA. Rabbi Meshi Zahav stated that the organization is against taking DNA samples from skeletons as this would constitute a violation of the honor of the dead, Taking DNA samples from the skeletons involves crumbling bones onto dust. Meshi Zahav Said, ZAKA appealed to the Rabbinical Center of Europe and the Stuttgart chief rabbi, as well as the German president's office.
You can donate to ZAKA -- which has been right there in Israel to
help, rescue and clean up at every terrorist attack -- at ZAKA Rescue
and Recovery, 5023-16th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11204, www.zakausa.org,
1-877-ZAKA-911. They also assisted after the flood in New Orleans. |
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JUST RELEASED: HUMAN RIGHTS OF CHRISTIANS IN PALESTINIAN SOCIETY
Posted by JCPA, November 30, 2005. |
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Announcing the publication of Justus Reid Weiner's Human Rights of Christians in Palestinian Society. On the heels of the Gaza disengagement, which was intended to enable the Palestinian Authority to improve the lives of its people, few journalists have reported on the acutely trying times facing the Christians residing in areas "governed" by the Palestinian Authority. In his book, Professor Weiner, Scholar-in-Residence at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, provides an in-depth look at the nearly uninterrupted persecution of Christians throughout the decade since the Oslo peace process began. Living amidst a xenophobic Muslim population plagued by endemic violence bordering on anarchy, the Christians have shrunk to less than 1.7 percent of the population in the Palestinian areas. "Tens of thousands have abandoned their holy sites and ancestral properties to live abroad, while those who remain do so as a beleaguered and dwindling minority," Weiner writes. "Their plight is, in part, attributable to the adoption of Muslim religious law (Sharia) in the Constitution of the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, the Christians have been abandoned by their religious leaders who, instead of protecting them, have chosen to curry favor with the Palestinian leadership." Professor Weiner's book reveals and analyzes why this persecution - largely ignored by the international community, the media, and even prominent human rights organizations - has metastasized to the extent that it threatens the very existence of this 2000-year-old community. Human Rights of Christians in Palestinian Society is available online without charge at: http://www.jcpa.org/text/Christian-Persecution-Weiner.pdf (1.4M PDF file). This 55-page monograph is also available from www.amazon.com ($15). In Israel, it is available from the Jerusalem Center (NIS 45 + NIS 15 shipping and handling) and may be ordered by fax or email. Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 13 Tel-Hai St., Jerusalem, Israel; Tel. 972-2-561-9281, Fax. 972-2-561-9112, Email: jcpa@netvision.net.il. Website: www.jcpa.org. |
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CHANGE THE SYSTEMS? MAYBE?
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, November 30, 2005. |
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On the surface this seems like a sincere attempt to come to grips with the chaos in Israeli politics. On the surface. However a look below the surface turns up an interesting fact. All those involved in this effort to restructure Israel are members of the ruling elite. (See the membership list of the CECI to appreciate what direction their new constitution might take. http://www.ceci.org.il/eng/we_members.asp ) We can safely assume that whatever system they come to will be geared to guarantee their continued control over the political and economic system of Israel. What we really have here is something more along the lines of a corporate shakeup than a serious reform movement. The powers that be are just too nervous about loosing control. With all the chaos there might accidentally be real change. The only one that I have come across that has a reasonable, consistent and practical solution to the present Israeli political structure is Professor Eidelberg. Let's hope that he will soon be in a position to initiate the fundamental changes we need to avoid total anarchy in Israel. This is called "Winds of political change in Israel" and was written by Adi Sterenberg, who is the director of the Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel (CECI). It appeared as an Opinion piece in Arutz-Sheva, November 27, 2005 (www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Views%5El215& enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat= object&enVersion=0&enZone=Views). Statistics don't lie. In 57 years of existence, there have been 30 governments in Israel, an average of about a new government every two years. That says everything. What we learn from this is that no matter who the next prime minister is - Ariel Sharon, Amir Peretz, Bibi Netanyahu - and no matter what type of coalition is formed, it's not likely to survive more than two years. Why? Because the parliamentary system in Israel is unworkable. It was established 100 years for a population of 600,000. Now there are more than ten times that number of citizens, and it simply doesn't work any more. To provide an analogy, if you have a hundred-year-old car, maybe it's time to look at the engine to see if it needs changing. As director of the Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel (CECI), we recognized that the Israeli political system is broken, and needs to be urgently fixed. To that mind, we have spearheaded the formation of the Presidential Commission for Examination of the Structure of the Government In September, President Moshe Katsav convened 70 leading Israelis in the academic, political and judicial fields to examine alternatives to Israel's government structure and system of elections. With Hebrew University President Menachem Magidor as its chairperson, the committee - whose members read like a who's who of Israeli politics and academia - has pledged to conduct its research within a year, and present its finding to Katsav. The committee - split into several sub-groups - is currently studying and researching the different structures of governments and electoral systems in democratic countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. According to CECI's founder Isaac Parviz Nazarian, "Our goal is to come up with a system to fit the character of the Israeli citizen." Why is this initiative so timely and so urgent? Because due to the current instability brought on by the political system, Israeli society is suffering and slowly eroding. Recently, I recently attended the General Assembly in Toronto and told the people that came to the CECI booth that Jerusalem is a perfect example of this erosion. Israel's capital is totally different today than it was 20 years ago under Teddy Kollek. Jerusalem is the poorest city in Israel, its facilities are falling apart, and there are problems between the religious and the secular as well as between Jews and Arabs. Why? A great deal of the problem has to do with the fact that the government ministers in charge of the city who could implement changes and improvements are replaced before they can get anything done. The presidential committee has some supporters in high places. After announcing his decision to leave the Likud last week, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told reporters, "there needs to be a change in the system of government. I recommend that you pay attention to the work that being done under the initiative of President Katsav who appointed a group of serious people to examine way to change the system in Israel. I've discussed this with the president and I absolutely think there needs to be change. "As you can see, there's no possibility to lead, you're always running into difficulties that are unsolvable and I think that it absolutely requires taking care of... If we want to accomplish things, then the system has to change." What the prime minister was proposing is not switching the current governing system for a specific alternative - but to look at all the options - the presidential system, the half-presidential system like in France, the parliamentary system - and choosing what is best for us. What Sharon is saying is that there needs to be some stability - you can't start the day with 81 coalition members and find yourself at the end of the day with 61. In the United States, there are plenty of problems with the political system, but whether or not you like President Bush, you know that he will be in charge for the next four years, barring disaster. Most of our sub-committees have met a number of times and are preparing their examination results. In a few months, we'll be giving our report to the president with our recommendations, options and alternatives, and he has pledged to pass the results on to the Knesset. Leading up to election day on March 28th, we're going to approach each party and ask them to include a plank in their party platform that pledges to take an examination of the Israeli political structure seriously. During an election period, the general public will be more open to listen to politicians calling for change. With new elections being called, it only means that the results of the committee are more urgently needed than ever. Our system of 30 governments in 57 years cannot continue unabated. A stronger Israeli political system will mean a stronger, and more stable Israel. 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. Contact him at zelasko@actcom.co.il |
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UK CHARITY FUNDING DIVERTED TO HAMAS
Posted by NGO Monitor, November 30, 2005. |
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SUMMARY: The arrest of convicted Hamas activist and alleged fundraiser Ahmad Saltana (a.k.a. Abu Asama) has focused attention on several organizations in Europe that allegedly pose as charities in order to bankroll terrorist activities. The organizations reportedly implicated in this illegal activity include the UK-based charities Human Appeal International and Interpal. The arrest of convicted Hamas activist and alleged fundraiser Ahmad Saltana (a.k.a. Abu Asama) (see Eric Silver, "Charity cash for Palestinian poor was siphoned to suicide bombers," The Independent, November 28, 2005) has focused attention on several organizations in Europe that allegedly pose as charities in order to bankroll terrorist activities. The organizations reportedly implicated in this illegal activity include the UK-based charities Human Appeal International and Interpal, as well as the Charitable Committee for Supporting Palestine (CBSP) in France, the Charitable Association for Supporting Palestinian People (ABSPP) in Italy and the Al-Aqsa Foundation in various parts of Europe. All form part of the Charity Coalition which allegedly funnels monies raised to Saltana, who in turn distributes the funds to terrorist organizations. Human Appeal International (HAI) is a UK-registered charity established in 1991, and is currently involved in providing relief for the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan. HAI operates in 17 regions (including such terrorist "hot-spots" as Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iraq, Kashmir, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Authority), with a stated mission "to promote human co-operation through programmes aimed at aiding and relieving the suffering of victims of poverty, social injustice and natural disasters." Unlike other organizations, the language in the HAI website section on "Palestine" is devoid of incitement. The appeal claims that donations are applied towards providing nourishment, scarcely hinting at any association with terrorist groups, only stating as part of their mandate to "Co-operate and co-ordinate with other relief organisations working in the same field to increase the benefits for the recipients of our help." The second UK-based charity allegedly diverting funds to terrorist cells is Interpal (also known as the Palestinian Relief & Development Fund), which justifies itself as "a non-political, non-profit making British charity that focuses solely on the provision of relief and development aid to the poor and needy of Palestine". The Interpal logo features the entire map of Israel, symbolically delegitimizing Israel's existence and claiming the entire territory for the Palestinians, thereby indicating the goal of destroying Israel. Much like Human Appeal International, Interpal texts refer to a conflict resulting in a humanitarian crisis, but stop short of attributing culpability to any party (Israel, the Palestinian Authority, or terrorist factions). Also like HAI, "INTERPAL's stated official policy is to deal with like-minded charities both in Britain and abroad in order to further its aims and objectives to provide relief and development aid to the people of Palestine." The organization claims "that it only deals with bona fide organizations -- to ensure the proper charitable use of funds as specified." Interpal also claims to be "bound by a moral obligation to ensure that the funds are used for charitable purposes", and while the organization asserts that all partner agencies receiving funding from Interpal are required to submit comprehensive documentation, including receipts and reports, no such evidence is presented on its website. The only indication that Interpal's activities might extend beyond relief work is the following statement: "Although the humanitarian needs of the refugee population is at the forefront of the Palestinian problem, the work of international NGOs is not confined to providing services and opportunities for refugees." However, Interpal's reported direct involvement in terror has been thoroughly demonstrated. Three days after the August 19, 2003 bombing of the No.2 Egged bus in Jerusalem, the United States government froze Interpal's US assets and classified the organization as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), together with several other Hamas front organizations and senior Hamas officials (including Yassin and Rantisi). The following summary was provided by the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence of the US Treasury Department: Interpal, headquartered in the UK, has been a principal charity utilized to hide the flow of money to HAMAS. Reporting indicates it is the conduit through which money flows to HAMAS from other charities, e.g., the Al Aqsa Foundation, and that it oversees the activities of other charities. For example, the Sanabil Association for Relief and Development represents Interpal in Lebanon. Reporting also indicates that Interpal is the fundraising coordinator of HAMAS, a coordination point for other HAMAS-affiliated charities. This role is of the type that includes supervising activities of charities, developing new charities in targeted areas, instructing how funds should be transferred from one charity to another, and even determining public relations policy. The British authorities, conversely, have neither frozen the assets of Interpal and HAI, nor in any way impeded their fundraising activities. Instead they were invited to a seminar in March 2005 hosted by the Department for International Development (DFID) for Islamic charities, which, according to International Development Minister Gareth Thomas, served as "a constructive and valuable part in building on and improving our partnership with these organisations". Meanwhile, the UK Charity Commission ceased its latest investigation of Interpal, citing a lack of evidence: "The American authorities were unable to provide evidence to support their allegations so the Commission has unfrozen the charity's bank accounts and closed its inquiry." (Dominic Casciani, "Islamic charity cleared of Hamas link", BBC News, September 24, 2005) In other cases, the Charity Commission has also failed to act, despite clear evidence of incitement and NGO violation of mission statements. Interpal launched a lawsuit in March 2004 against the Board of Deputies of British Jews over a report, released following the US executive decree, which highlighted the organization's involvement with terrorist groups. Bound by the findings of the Charity Commission, the Board of Deputies was forced to retract its statements. These activities form a part of a wider pattern, and, as noted in documents on the NGO Monitor website, the Charity Commission has consistently failed to take action in the face of evidence that NGOs are violating their mandates by contributing to incitement and violence. As NGO Monitor noted in its submission to the European Commission's committee considering guidelines for funding non-profits, "there is considerable evidence that 'non-profit organisations have been exploited for the financing of terrorism and for other kind of criminal abuse'." This case provides additional evidence of the abuse of their humanitarian status. NGO Monitor is published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs/ Institute for Contemporary Affairs founded jointly with the Wechsler Family Foundation The original at http://www.ngo-monitor.org/ has live links to additional material. Gerald M. Steinberg is editor of NGO Monitor and director of the Program on Conflict Management at Bar-Ilan University. Gerald M. Steinberg is editor of NGO Monitor and director of the Program on Conflict Management at Bar-Ilan University. |
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INTEL, YORK CAPITAL, KODAK AND OTHER GIANTS EXPRESS CONFIDENCE IN ISRAEL
Posted by Yoram Ettinger, November 30, 2005. |
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This is "Straight >From The Jerusalem Boardroom #99." Israel's economy has grown in the last 58 years from a $50MN annual GDP to a $120BN high-tech driven annual GDP. Israel's economy is dominated, increasingly, by knowhow and export (rather than labor and domestic) intensive industries, which has made the economy less vulnerable to security and political predicaments and much more Wall Street -- rather than Gaza Strip -- impacted. Should you wish to examine previous issues, please visit http://yoramettinger.newsnet.co.il. Enjoy it, Yoram 1. The Knesset approved a $525MN grant to INTEL for its $4.5BN new (7th) plant in Israel. Intel expands its existing plant in Kiryat Gat via a $600MN investment. Intel employs in Israel as many persons as it does in the Silicon Valley - about 7,000 (Globes, Nov. 29). 2. The NY-based $7BN YORK CAPITAL hedge fund has acquired Bank Leumi's "Psagot" (investment fund management company, which manages $6.5BN in assets) for $290MN. In June 2005, York acquired a controlling interest in Israel's Gilat Satellites for $80MN (The Marker, Nov. 28). 3. MARKSTON investment fund has acquired Bank Leumi's pension funds for $100MN, as a follow up to its October, 2005 acquisition of Bank Hapoalim's investment fund management company for $200MN, and simultaneously with its current negotiation for the acquisition of Bank Hapoalim's pension fund, estimated at $150MN (The Marker, Nov. 27-28. 4. KODAK is hiring 100 more R&D and manufacturing persons to its Israel plant (in addition to the current 1,000 employees), expecting a 6% growth there. $45MN were invested in its Israel plant (acquired for $980MN in 2005), which has been responsible fro 50% of Kodak's global growth (Globes, Nov. 23). 5. SIGMA BIOTECHNOLOGY and NDS have announced a $30MN investment EACH in the expansion of their Jerusalem plant, which will require 200 additional employees (Yedioth Achronot, Nov. 23). 6. AUSTRIA's 4BN Euro WIENER INSURANCE has acquired 40% of Israel's Carden Investment for 113 Euro (Globes, Nov. 17). 5. "The London Economist": Israel's annual GDP is expected to reach $132BN ($18,200 per capita) in 2006, compared with $105BN ($15,600 per capita) in 2003. While Israel's per capita GDP is substantially lower than Norway's ($70,400), Switzerland ($53,400), the US ($44,200), England ($38,900) and New Zealand ($26,000), one should note that the number of children per woman is substantially higher in Israel (4 per Moslem and 2.8 per Jewish women) than in most developed countries (2 and less than two per woman). (Globes Nov. 24). 6. Israel's industrial exports to the US (excluding diamonds) has risen by 13% - to $5.5BN - during Jan.-Sept. 2005. High tech and pharmaceuticals exports rose by 18% and 59% respectively (Globes Nov. 28). 7. MOTOROLA VENTURES is investing $2.5MN in CopperGate's round of $14.5MN (Globes, Nov. 24). Britain's ALTA BARKLEY joined a $10.5MN 3rd round of private placement by Israel's Mempile (Globes 16). MOTOROLA VENTURES led ($5MN) a $10MN 4th round by Israel's BroadLight (Nov. 18). CHARLES RIVER VENTURES (8th investment in Israel ) and SEQUOIA PARTNERS invested $7MN in a first round by Israel's C-Right (Globes, Nov. 21). 8. Israel's Nice has acquired the Swiss FAST VIDEO SECURITY for $21MN (Globes Nov. 18). Ambassador Yoram Ettinger is a consultant on US-Israel relations as well as the Chairman of Special Projects at the Ariel Center for Policy Research. Formerly the Minister for Congressional Affairs to Israel's Embassy in Washington, DC, Ettinger also served as Consul General of Israel to the Southwestern US. He is a former editor of Contemporary Mideast Backgrounder, and is the author of the Jerusalem Cloakroom series of reports. Contact him at yoramtex@netvision.net.il |
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MAZEL TOV, NITZANA! PLO LOSES LAST APPEAL
Posted by Naomi Ragen, November 30, 2005. |
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Friends, Many of you may know the name Nitsana Darshan-Leitner from my columns. The activist lawyer (who just had triplets!) doesn't do anything in a small way. When she represented the Ungar family, she managed together with her American co-counsel to get a $116 million dollar judgement against the PLO for the murder of this lovely young couple, which left their toddler and little baby orphans. Only miraculously did the children themselves survive the attack. The lawyer for the Hamas and PLO was none other than Ramsey Clark (good luck Saddam, now that he's taken on your case!) Recently, Clark went to the U.S. Supreme court trying to get this overturned. Today, he lost. The Supreme Court refused to hear this case. The money will go to the two little orphans, being raised by their grandparents. Now, if Nitsana can just sue the PLO for every single murder it's committed, Suha will have to move out of the Ritz. And maybe, just maybe, they won't be able to afford more terror attacks against young parents and their babies. Below, articles about the case. Efrat and Yaron Ungar were 25 years old when they were killed in June 1996 while driving home from a wedding. In the drive-by shooting near Beit Shemesh, their car was splayed with bullets which hit the car seat, but miraculously missed their baby. Blond-haired Yishai and his brother are being raised by their grandparents. Three Hamas militants were convicted in the double murder, but the family decided to sue for damages. "This was my first anti-terror case," said Darshan-Leitner. The family of Yaron Ungar, U.S. citizens, sought $250 million in damages. The case was tried in a Rhode Island Court with a co-counsel from the United States. The court's legal jurisdiction for the U.S. trial is based on the U.S. Anti-Terrorist Act passed in 1991, which grants American citizens the right to sue in district courts for acts of international terrorism. Another act, passed in 1996, allows for suits against sponsors of terrorism. Both acts were partly triggered by the murder of wheelchair-bound Leon Klinghoffer, who was shot and thrown overboard the Achille Lauro in 1985. (That case was settled out of court after 12 years.) Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General, tried to get his clients - Hamas, the PLO and the Palestinian Authority - off the hook on a plea of sovereign immunity. In a landmark ruling, in November 2002, the Rhode Island judge rejected their claim. "It was decided that the defendants have to answer under oath in court," said Darshan-Leitner. The activist lawyer is also going after the European Union, which has been handing more than $10 million a month to the PA; more than $1.5 billion since 1994. Many in Israel accuse the PA of using the money to support the PLO's Fatah Tanzim and al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade terrorist groups. Contact the Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center at info@insraellawcenter.org "Supreme Court Passes Up PLO Case," by The Associated Press, http://www.nytimes.com/, November 28, 2005. WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court refused Monday to overturn a $116 million judgment against the Palestine Liberation Organization in the deaths of a Jewish couple near the West Bank. The PLO, and its governmental entity, had been sued in federal court in Rhode Island over the 1996 drive-by shooting of Yaron Ungar, an American citizen, and his Israeli wife, Efrat, as the couple returned home from a wedding. The family's relatives argued that the PLO and Palestinian Authority provided a safe haven and operational base for the Islamic militant group Hamas, which was responsible for the attack. A judge issued a default judgment after the PLO did not respond to requests for depositions from Yasser Arafat and others. Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, the lawyer for the PLO, told justices in the appeal last month that Ungar relatives have "commenced sweeping national and international efforts" to collect the millions of dollars, including an attempt to seize Palestine's U.N. Mission building in New York. Clark said U.S. courts "'are marching off to the conflicts of the Middle East and elsewhere carrying with them the integrity of the U.S. judiciary and risking the foreign perception that U.S. courts will extend their jurisdiction globally deciding the most sensitive political questions affecting the foreign policies of the U.S. and other nations as they go." The case is Palestine Liberation Organization v. Ungar, 05-510. 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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REFORMS SEEK TO CULL 'DIET OF HATE' FROM ISLAMIC SCHOOL BOOKS
Posted by David Meir-Levi, November 30, 2005. |
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Some of you may recall the emails of a few years ago about the Palestinian Authority curriculum as a repository for Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred. For those who believed (or still believe) Nathan Brown's misleading monograph that the PA curricula were just an expression of "Palestinian Nationalism", normal for an emerging country, please read the article below. This is an Associated Press article, reviewing briefly the curricula of Moslem schools in many parts of the Moslem world. PA anti-Israel and pro-Jihad/pro-martyrdom material pervasive in its curricula is of a piece with the broad Arab and non-Arab textbooks in much of the Moslem world where critics find "a diet of hate" with textbook and curricular emphases on: Islam is superior to all other religions and is destined to replace all other religions in the world (an assertion found in the Qur'an and later Moslem religious sources - such replacement being brought about via Jihad) Other faiths threaten islam (ironic considering that almost all terrorists in the world today are Moslem, and considering that in the non-Moslem world Islam and Moslems practice their faith unobstructed, while in much of the Moslem world non-Moslems pratice their faith at the risk of their lives. But the assertion that Islam is under attack is very important because such threat to Islam justifies the most virulent and lethal type of jihad -- and defense of Islam justifies the murder of non-combatants per Qur'anic verses, making Moslem terrorism OK as long as Islam is "under attack") The need for jihad (per above: the terror war against the West and against all other religions must be portrayed as really a defensive war since these other religions and civilizations threaten Islam, and being a 'defensive war' the murder of non-combatants is OK -- not OK in an offensive war per Qur'an) Stereotypes about Israel and Israelis ranging from negative to outright baleful hatred (thus justifying the long-standing Arab/Moslem commitment to the eradication of Israel and its Jews) Note too the paragraph on Israeli curricula and some stereotyping of Arabs in negative terms. The assertion that Israeli textbooks indicate that Palestinians show no willingness to respond to Israel's offers of peace is of special interest, since it is included as part of the critique of Israeli textbooks....but the critics fail to note that the assertion is historically correct. The critics also fail to note that even the most extreme negative representations of Arabs or Palestinians in Israeli texts are in no way comparable to the hate-filled rhetoric and the diatribe of genocide that pervades some of the Arab texts re Israel and its Jews. On the brighter side, there is clearly some movement in parts of the Arab/Moslem world to bring about textbook reform. I wonder why they waited 1,350 years to do so. David ml PS. to my knowledge, this article has not yet appeared in mainstream press. Let me know if you find it anywhere where most people are likely to read it. It's called "Reforms seek to cull 'diet of hate' from Islamic school books," and is by Brian Murphy of the Associated Press. It appeared yesterday. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Page after page, the self-appointed hate hunters underline passages in Pakistani schoolbooks. They flag hard-edged Muslim views toward other faiths, such as those describing past efforts by Hindus and Christians to "erase" Muslims. They note sections that speak of martyrdom, and the duty to battle perceived religious enemies. "We are fighting for the future of Islam. Children are sometimes being force-fed a diet of hate, anger and intolerance," said Ahmad Salim, leader of a campaign to push Pakistan's education establishment to remove what activists consider extreme language and images from the curriculum. Salim's group, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, issued a report two years ago calling for broad revisions. Next month, it plans to release an updated review of all Pakistan's textbooks that reprimands authorities for failing to make serious changes. It will be the latest example of widening appeals for textbook reform across the Islamic world. Barely a whisper just a few years ago, the demands have begun to draw attention at the highest levels. Educators and activists argue that current battles against Islamic extremism are only superficial without deep revisions of schoolbooks -- similar to efforts to purge Balkan lessons of ethnic slurs following the wars of the 1990s. In Jordan -- the target of triple suicide blasts Nov. 9 claimed by al-Qaida -- another overhaul is expected in next year's textbooks; part of a process that includes making clear distinctions between terrorism and what that nation sees as legitimate struggles, such as the Palestinian intifada, or uprising. Even Saudi Arabia has started to rewrite its highly conservative lessons after worries they were encouraging homegrown radicals. Much of the concern among reformers is how students learn about jihad, or holy war -- a concept that encompasses all acts on behalf of Islam. It's clear the phrases in some textbooks pay homage -- directly or indirectly -- to violent actions. "Recognize the importance of jihad in every sphere of life," say the curriculum guidelines for Pakistan's elementary schools. Critics claim the message is often interpreted in malignant ways: strong denunciations of Pakistan's historical Hindu rivals in India or sympathy for Islamic guerrillas in Kashmir and elsewhere. In the Palestinian seventh grade Arabic language book, a 1930s protest poem called "The Martyr" includes the lines: "And the flow of blood gladdens my soul.... And who asks for a noble death, here it is." The Palestinian's 11th grade "Islamic Culture" book has dozens of appeals for Islamic solidarity to confront "enemies" such as Israel, its allies and Western culture. "The Islamic nation needs to spread the spirit of jihad and the love of self-sacrifice (martyrdom) among its sons," reads one passage. Fifth graders read: "The martyrs kiss it (the Palestinian flag) with their blood." Nearly every section of the Palestinian textbooks touches on the intifada. "Peace with Israel is not mentioned at all," according to a report by the Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace, an Israeli-American group that examines school books throughout the Middle East. "There is an incredible glorification of jihad (as holy war) throughout the entire Palestinian school curriculum," said Itamar Marcus, director of Palestinian Media Watch, a Jerusalem-based group that monitors Palestinian broadcasts and publications. Israeli textbooks have undergone extensive reforms in the past decade to remove the most overt anti-Arab bias, but Arabs are still widely portrayed as opposed to gestures for peace. Meanwhile, books used by Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews often give negative impressions of Arabs as shifty and violent. In Saudi Arabia -- the guardian of Islam's holiest sites -- textbooks reflect the kingdom's two main pillars: commitment to spread Islam and to follow its austere interpretation of the faith, known as Wahhabism. This puritanical brand of Islam has provided theological footing for the faith's most extreme edges, including al-Qaida and other terrorist cells. The Saudi lessons also spill far beyond its borders since the government funds hundreds of schools around the world. The Saudi schoolbooks have been modified in the past two years to soften the descriptions of non-Muslims, other cultures and different branches of Islam, though critics say it still has a way to go. Pressure for change came from two directions. The West, led by the United States, began serious demands for textbook reforms after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. But the overseers of Saudi education -- heavily influenced by Wahhabi clerics and scholars -- got serious about changes only after the nation's royal leaders stepped in. Muslim militants, apparently inspired by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, launched attacks on Saudi soil in May 2003 and rattled the kingdom's pro-Western leaders. In a speech last year, then-Saudi education minister Mohammed al-Rasheed told teachers and administrators to "stay away from extremism and fanaticism." A recent U.S. State Department report on global religious freedom noted Saudi Arabia has "removed some disparaging references to other religious traditions" from schoolbooks, but the kingdom was still listed among the most restrictive religious settings. The Saudi curriculum frames the world along rigid lines. Religious studies note Islam's historical bonds with Christianity and Judaism, but declare that only Muslims practice the true faith and "other religions destroy their followers." Saudi seventh graders also read that Judaism is a "corrupted religion." Lessons portray the Muslim world as under constant threat. In ninth grade, geography studies describe centuries of "malice and hatred" toward Muslims, from the Crusades to contemporary conflicts in Kashmir, Chechnya and the intifada. Such phrases were taught in Saudi classes as recently as the 2003-04 school year, according to international monitors. It's unclear whether they will be removed in the ongoing revisions. "The recent changes in the Saudi textbooks do not offer any real improvement in the level of hatred that the schoolchildren are taught," said Logan Barclift, an analyst at the Institute for Gulf Affairs, a Washington-based group that monitors politics and education in the Gulf. "As long as this continues, it will be much harder for a more tolerant view of Islam to take hold in the Arab world." Right now, Saudi education is directed by some of the most conservative forces in the kingdom. One petition, signed by some judges and clerics last year, denounced the reforms as American pressure and aimed to take "the kingdom along the path of infidels." Jordan has conducted one of the most sweeping revisions of its schoolbooks, which were also used by Palestinian children until the 1990s and had contained some of the most direct praise for martyrdom on behalf of Islam. "We want to instill in (students) positive values of accepting the 'other' and coexisting with other societies," said Jordan's education minister, Khaled Touqan. "It's true that in today's world, the reality may be far off." A look at textbooks in Islamic countries and elsewhere PAKISTAN: A 2003 study by an independent watchdog group listed dozens of examples in textbooks that it said denigrated non-Muslims -- particularly Hindus in neighboring India -- and left students receptive to "sectarianism and religious intolerance." Pakistani officials have since streamlined portions of the Islamic education material and removed some of harshest phrases, but reforms have been limited, activists claim. An updated report by the monitoring group is expected in December. EGYPT: Education minister Kamel Bahaeddin promised last year to remove textbook phrases deemed intolerant or militant. He also pledged to dismiss any teacher encouraging extremist views. Critics say the curriculum has seen few significant changes, including continued use of Quranic references to justify violence against "infidels." But the books also point out the historic bonds between Islam, Christianity and Judaism and pay special attention to Coptic Christians, who comprise about 10 percent of the population. All proposed reforms must be cleared by clerics at Al-Azhar University, the center of Sunni Muslim scholarship, which greatly influences Egyptian education. IRAQ: The new textbooks stress democracy as the foundation of civil society and remove the Saddam Hussein-era glorification of Iraq as the leading light of pan-Arab nationalism. Also presented is a more balanced view of the 1980-88 war with Iran and the later confrontations, including Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, that led to military showdowns with the West and Arab allies, according to the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. GULF STATES: The Gulf Cooperation Council, a six-nation group led by heavyweight Saudi Arabia, has been gradually cutting references that could be considered as slurs against non-Muslims or encouraging extremism. Some members, such as Kuwait, have moved faster with the reforms than other GCC states. The Saudi Education Ministry quoted Abdulilah Al-Mosarraf, director of planning and evaluation at the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, as saying the revisions are "intended to meet the challenges of the new world order and (are) unrelated to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." SYRIA: Christians and Jews are often described as sharing religious foundations with Islam. Israel and Israeli Jews, however, are dealt with harshly in the lessons. Israel is described as a country run by "Zionist gangs which threaten our very existence" by occupying the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967. "It is therefore the duty of every Muslim to unite in one rank to take back his land and honor by every means possible," said a ninth-grade text, according to a report by Joshua Landis, a University of Oklahoma history professor who has conducted extensive studies of Syrian education. ISRAEL: Israeli schoolbooks have undergone sweeping revisions since the 1990s to remove anti-Arab bias and present a more balanced view of Palestinian views and aspirations. But Palestinians are still generally portrayed as unwilling to make the concessions needed for peace. Palestinians also claim that Israeli curriculum ignores Palestinian history before the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants in present-day Israel. Schoolbooks used by ultra-Orthodox groups often reinforce negative stereotypes about Arabs, according to independent monitors. One story tells of God offering the Commandments to Arabs, but they reject them because of the injunction against stealing. "We do not want the Torah," the story goes. "We are used to stealing things from other people." UNITED STATES: American Muslims started building Islamic schools in the 1970s to preserve religious practices and cultural identity. Several of the estimated 400 full-time Muslims schools have been led by teachers from other countries. Some liberal parents have expressed concern that schools could promote traditions that clash with a democratic society, such as relegating women to subordinate roles. The debate has taken on additional urgency as major U.S. Muslim organizations seek to protect young Muslims from any radical interpretations of their faith. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmad in Islamabad, Diana Elias in Kuwait City and Jamal Halaby in Amman, Jordan, contributed to this report. David Meir-Levi is an American-born Israeli, currently living in Palo Alto. He lectures in English, Hebrew, and Spanish; his expertise is in Near Eastern studies and the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is Director of Peace and Education at Israel Peace Initiative (www.ipi-usa.org). Contact David Meir-Levi at david_meirlevi@hotmail.com |
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CONFRONTING SPAIN'S BURIED JEWISH PAST
Posted by Michael Freund, November 30, 2005. |
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Following is an article of mine from the Jerusalem Post (www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1132475651929&pagename= JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull) about the rich Jewish history of Palma de Majorca off the coast of Spain, and the failure of Spanish and Majorcan society to come to terms with what they did to the Jewish people during the time of the Inquisition. Comments may be sent to: letters@jpost.com or to me directly at msfreund@netvision.net.il Nestled along the water, bordered by tree-lined avenues and trendy shops, the old city of Palma de Majorca seems an unlikely place to discover an ongoing affront to Jewish history and faith. The popular resort town, located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain, has a number of architectural and historical treasures, which dot the landscape and serve as reminders of its vibrant past. Signs and information abound regarding the charming museums and courtyards, ancient churches, Roman ruins and arcades that offer visitors an alluring array of sights to see and experiences to enjoy. With over 20 million people per year passing through the city's international airport, local authorities are keen to preserve and even flaunt the various sites which the town has to offer, no doubt aware of their value in attracting globe-trotting tourists. There is, however, one glaring exception to this rule. In what seems like an almost willful attempt to overlook the past, hardly any effort is made to recall the city's once-thriving Jewish life, which is believed to date back as far as the 5th century CE. One could easily spend hours wandering through the narrow medieval streets, where everything from the Roman era to the Arab conquest to the Spanish monarchy enjoys its rightful place on the map, and still not encounter a single reference to the Jewish presence that once existed here. There are no signs to indicate where the town's ancient synagogues once stood, no markers to show where the Jews here once lived, nor any memorials to recall how they were victimized and killed. It is difficult not to escape the conclusion that this "oversight" is no mere coincidence. Given the manner in which Majorca's Jews were so cruelly persecuted over the centuries, it is hardly surprising that the city would prefer not to draw attention to this dark chapter in its history. As far back as 1305, anti-Jewish riots took place in Palma, and four years later, the island's first blood-libel occurred when several Jews were falsely accused of murdering a Christian child. In July 1391, a pogrom targeted Palma's Jews, hundreds of whom were massacred, and in 1435, nearly sixty years before the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, the city's entire Jewish community was forced to convert to Catholicism. The Jewish converts, however, were never accepted by their Christian neighbors, who looked down on them and referred to them as Chuetas or as "New Christians", a practice that continues even today. The Spanish Inquisition was especially active in Majorca, hunting down the Chuetas and their descendants for centuries. In 1675 and 1691, hundreds of years after their ancestors had been forced to convert, large numbers of Chuetas were executed by the Inquisition for secretly practicing Judaism. In one instance, in January 1675, a 17-year old boy who refused to renounce his belief in the G-d of Israel was burned alive in Palma by church authorities in front of a cheering crowd of 30,000 spectators. And, as late as 1856, riots erupted in Palma when several Chuetas sought to join an exclusive private club, which outraged local residents. But Palma's old city, and the site of its ancient Jewish quarter, contain not a clue, nor even a hint, regarding any of this, as though the locals prefer to live in denial rather than confront their past. A visit to the English-language website of the Palma municipality would seem to confirm this, where a search results in a brief, solitary mention of the city's Jewish quarter. Ironically enough, the only visible ancient Jewish artifact remaining in Palma can be found in a church. At the entrance to the towering La Seu cathedral stands a small glass enclosure containing two Rimonim, the decorative silver ornaments known as finials that are placed on the wooden staves of a Torah scroll. The Hebrew lettering on them is clearly visible, and the sign next to the glass says "Rimonim" in Latin letters. After gazing at them briefly, I approach two church workers and ask why the Rimonim have not been returned to Palma's Jewish community. After all, there is no doubt that they are Jewish ritual objects, and they have no place sitting behind a glass case in a church. My question is greeted with derision, which is then further compounded by the smug answer that, "we will be happy to trade them with you for something of value", as though the very idea of making a gesture of reconciliation to the island's Jews is somehow unacceptable. The church, it seems, would prefer to keep the Rimonim on display, as a type of morbid trophy to celebrate its destruction of Palma's Jews centuries ago, rather than to try to heal the wounds of the past. But what local church and city officials in Palma fail to realize is that those wounds can not be swept under the carpet or ignored. It is time for Majorca in particular, and for Spain in general, to come to terms more openly and honestly with what they did to the Jewish people. To be fair, there are Spanish cities, such as Girona, where the Jewish past is celebrated and preserved. But the fact remains that Spain does not have a national memorial to the victims of the Inquisition or the expulsion, and in places such as Palma, the Jewish presence is entirely overlooked. Indeed, Spanish schoolchildren barely learn more than the sketchiest of details about the darkest chapters in their nation's history, when the oppression of Jews was state policy. In Palma, a local group, called Llegat Jueu, and comprised largely of Chuetas, is trying to change this, working tirelessly to preserve the city's ancient Jewish legacy. They have even launched a new scholarly journal, Segell, to generate greater interest in the area's Jewish history and roots. A prominent Majorcan journalist, Miguel Segura, has bravely written articles and books highlighting his Chueta Jewish identity and challenging society to do away with lingering feelings of bigotry and intolerance against Jews and their descendants. But Spanish society itself needs to do more, much more, to confront these issues head on. Centuries may have passed since Spain's Jews were driven into exile or forced to convert, but when it comes to matters of historical truth and justice, there can be no such thing as a statute of limitations. Michael Freund is founder and Chairman of Shavei Israel (www.shavei.org), a Jerusalem-based group that reaches out and assists "lost Jews" seeking to return to the Jewish people. |
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PRIORITIES OF THE USA
Posted by Aryeh Zelasko, November 30, 2005. |
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Interesting how the humanitarians in the US State Department are so concerned about the persecution (?) of sexual degenerates in an Arab country but so unconcerned by the persecution (and on occasion execution) of religious minorities, open slavery, the treatment of women as chattel, the suppression of basic civil and political right and so much more. I guess it is just human nature to feel more sympathy for your own kind. This comes from BBC NEWS: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/ middle_east/4482892.stm) It's called "US condemns UAE gay men arrests." The US has condemned the arrests of 26 gay men during a raid on a party at a hotel in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. Washington also warned the UAE that any attempt to administer hormone or psychological treatment would break international law. Police launched on Tuesday disciplinary proceedings against an officer who published photos taken during the raid, but did not respond to the criticism. Homosexuality is illegal in the UAE. Police arrested 22 UAE men, one Indian, and three Arabs from neighbouring states at a hotel in Ghantut in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday. The authorities said 12 of the men had been dressed in women's clothes and make-up in preparation for a gay wedding. Hormone therapy A police spokesman said the foreigners were likely to be deported, while the Emirati men could be given hormone therapy if they consent. The BBC's Gulf correspondent, Julia Wheeler, says there is a suggestion that agreeing to such treatment could be used as a bargaining tool for a reduction in an individual's sentence. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said his government condemned both the arrests and government-ordered hormone and psychological treatment. "We call on the government of the United Arab Emirates to immediately stop any ordered hormone and psychological treatment and to comply with the standards of international law," he said. In the UAE there have been a number of cases of arrests of homosexuals in recent years, and a nightclub in Dubai was closed down for allowing an openly gay night to be held on its premises, our correspondent says. One religious scholar has now called on parents to be vigilant of what he called "deviant" behaviour in their children. Policeman disciplined Images of the suspects taken by a policeman on his mobile phone appeared in local newspapers shortly after the arrests. Lt Col Najm Abdullah al-Sayar said the police had launched disciplinary proceedings against the policeman. "[The officer] photographed the young men with his mobile phone while they were being arrested and distributed the pictures," he said. "He has infringed on the privacy of the people involved in the case and this is something that goes against the proper conduct of the police force. He is under investigation and may ultimately be expelled from the force." 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. Contact him at zelasko@actcom.co.il |
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THE ISRAEL ACADEMIA MONITOR
Posted by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, November 29, 2005. |
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In recent years the activities of Israeli academic extremists have drawn increasing attention and are the subject of increasing public concern. Scores of Israeli academic radicals are today active in abetting anti-Israel activities around the world, such as the recent campaign to impose an academic boycott on Israel. They are frequently the initiators of anti-Israel petition drives, "divestment" campaigns, and they turn out large numbers of anti-Israel propaganda articles in magazines and web sites, including some that are openly anti-Semitic. The critical role of Israeli academic extremists in the recent boycott attempts by professors in the U.K. and by several church groups has served to raise alarms in Israel and in the overseas Jewish communities about the activities of these people. Israeli mainstream media are increasingly taking a journalistic interest in what these people do and in the enormous damages they cause. At Israel Academia Monitor our purpose is to expose and monitor the political activities of Israeli academic extremists. We seek to bring information to light, mainly from the articles and statements of the extremists themselves, on and off Israeli campuses. Anti-Israel and occasionally anti-Jewish articles by these people appear in numerous publications around the world, including on the Internet. We archive and report about these. Some of these articles openly endorse and promote international boycotts of Israel in general and boycotts of Israeli universities in particular. Others include open endorsements of anti-Israel violence, terrorism, and recruitment of support for Israelis collaborating with anti-Israel organizations. Still others promote insurrection and mutiny by Israeli soldiers. We at Israel Academia Monitor believe in free speech and academic freedom. We also believe in the right of donors, alumni, students, journalists, taxpayers, and others to know about the political activities of Israel's tenured radicals, people whose salaries come from the public fiscal trough. Israeli universities are public taxpayer-financed institutions and owe the members of the public accountability. By publishing this information, we are aware that some, including donors to Israeli universities, will find this information disturbing, possibly shocking. We want to make it clear that we are not calling for an end to support of and donations to Israeli academic institutions. We do think that donors should be aware of how their funds are spent and how their generosity is used and sometimes misused. As part of our work, we monitor and publicize abuses and misbehavior, taken from each Israeli campus. We invite our readers to read for themselves the statements of Israeli academic extremists in their original form and to draw their own conclusions. We seek to serve as a data base and media resource for journalists and others interested in these matters. Mr. Mordechai Ben-Menachem
Mordechai Ben-Menachem is a Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva. Contact him at quality@acm.org |
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AN ARAB'S INSIGHT INTO THE ARAB WORLD
Posted by David Meir-Levi, November 29, 2005. |
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For those who cringe and wring their hands in embarrassed frustration over the horrible things that our people are doing to their people at Guantanamo and in Iraq: We are the object of calumny, threats, and massive ferocious demonstrations (where dozens are trampled to death) all over the Moslem world because there is a report (unsubstantiated as yet) that a soldier at Guantanamo mis-handled a Qur'an. They blow up their own mosques even as these are full of their own people worshipping, and copies of the Qur'an.....and no one objects. We are the object of calumny, threats, and demonstrations, accusations that we are the worst of mankind, worse than the NAZIs, because we used intimidation techniques involving humiliation and threats of torture and intimidation via large dogs (some wearing muzzles)....at Abu Ghuraib. They have a 1,000 year old tradition of bona fide torture and beheading and throat-cutting and mutilating and descrating corpses, including impalement and acid baths, with documented victims of Saddam Hussein numbering in the thousands (not to mention the well known Syrian torture technique known as "el-'Abd el-Aswad" = the black slave -- let me know if you want details of that one, not fit for a general email, or the treatment of black slaves in Sudan and Mauritania)...and narry a peep is heard from any human rights spokesperson. Per Brigitte Gabriel's comments below, we are setting ourselves up for defeat when we buy into the Islamofascist industry of propaganda that seeks to demonize us for defending ourselves against their onslaught. But this is not a new problem. "Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged" (Abraham Lincoln) David Meir-Levi PS. this does not mean that it is ok to be like them. Rather, it is incumbent upon us to see: a.) the difference between what they are saying about us and the reality of what we are doing compared to what they are doing b.) the goal of their propaganda about us, which is to justify their assault on us with lies and decontextualizations and disinformation. This article is something that everyone who ever criticizes our handling of enemy combatants at Gitmo should read. However, DO NOT watch the torture link if you are easily offended or have a weak stomach. Time Magazine is publishing a shocking interview with an Iraqi suicide bomber. It's mind-boggling to understand, but just like WWII when America came to understand and accept the barbarism of the Nazis and Japs, so must Americans come to grips with our current enemy, the Islamic militants and how they view America. To help explain this, consider Brigitte Gabriel, a native of the Arab world, and the former news anchor of World News for Middle East Television. Now a Contributing Editor for FamilySecurityMatters.com, Gabriel wants viewers and listeners to know the truth about what the Arab World thinks of Senator Durbin's remarks, the alleged so-called "abuses" at Gitmo (a joke she calls it). As a child, Gabriel's own home was destroyed by radical Islamists because she was a Christian. She spent 2 1/2 months in the hospital and then lived under-ground for 7 years with no electricity and little food. THEN she rose to become a news anchor, and later moved to the US where she's a true American success story - own business, husband, two kids, etc. This excellent OpEd by Brigitte is called "What The Arab World Thinks." Torture is accepted and even expected in the Arab world. Yes, I know what you're thinking-that's not politically correct in most mainstream media. And you know some nice Arabs who have immigrated to America. But it's the truth in the Arab world. Might makes right. Real men don't eat quiche. They prove their manhood by the way they treat their enemy. After all it's what Muhammad did to the unbelievers - Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians in the Quoran - the 'holy book' allegedly mishandled in Guantanamo prison. Arab Muslim men gain honor by shaming, belittling, abusing and torturing their enemy in the most horrific ways. Just look at how the Palestinians treat so-called collaborators by disemboweling them and hanging them upside down in Manger Square in Bethlehem. Look at the terrorist torture chambers that the coalition forces recently uncovered in Iraq. When people refer to the prisons of Saddam Hussein and his regime
they think he is the extreme exception. Not so! The truth is his
torture tactics are quite the norm in the Arab world. If you want to
see torture that is beyond what any Westerner can ever imagine please
go to ( http://www.masada2000.org/impalement.asx
They smirk because they believe that Americans have demonstrated
how stupid and weak they are by caving in to stories about
maltreatment of Guantanamo detainees. They are watching our critics in
this country and counting on them to embolden the radical Islamic
cause and weaken our resolve.
Actually, Gitmo is a joke as far as the Arabs are concerned. Prison?
You call that a prison? Let me tell you what some of the prisoners
call Guantanamo, "Al muntazah al-dini lilmujaheden al Muslimin,"
The Religious Resort for Islamic Militants.
[Note: It strikes me as tragically ironic that when my friends and
colleagues were imprisoned and tortured in North Vietnam's horrific
confinement facilities (some for over 7 years), no one in America
except their families complained. Where was the "Oh my God look what
is happening to our prisoners" crowd then? Certainly not the press,
who believed Jane Fonda when she said they were well treated;
certainly not the Johnson administration, who directly told the
families of our prisoners to 'be quiet' and not raise the awareness
of their husbands, fathers, and sons, and certainly not the GD
ACLU!). ~~ JCM]
They are given three halal meals a day in accordance to their
religious dictates. How many kosher prisons are there in the Arabic
world? None. Jews captured in the Arab world are butchered like those
obscene pictures taken in Ramallah during the frenzied slaughter of
two Israeli reservists who got lost. Remember the Palestinian man
holding his red, Jewish blood dripping hands, high above his head in
victory?
Remember Nick Berg's head being held high also?
Most of these detainees never had three meals a day in their
entire life. They are gaining weight, and are living in what they
refer to in Arabic as "Al-Jannah," paradise. They have radio,
television, soccer games, air-conditioning, clean clothes, servants,
meaning American GIs, who wait on them hand and foot. They have
Islamic chaplains and handed Qu'rans, the social hate guide against
Infidels, by people so concerned as not to offend that they wear latex
gloves and carry the book with two hands.
Many Muslims in the Middle East would gladly give up their
poverty, dictatorial governments, corrupt leaders and social bondage
to enjoy the relative luxuries Guantanamo offers. They have free
medical care, better than millions of uninsured Americans and our
military men and women serving on the jihadists' battlefield. Some of
them who couldn't afford to see an optometrist now have glasses and
can see and read their Qu'ran. Others who never had the opportunity to
see a dentist now have a free dental plan. It has become such a joke;
we even stop interrogations to let them take prayer breaks demanded by
their religion.
As an Arab, I can tell you that Illinois Democratic Senator Richard Durbin is aiding and abetting the goals and strategy of Islamic jihadists who have declared war on the United States. Where was Durbin's comparison to the Nazis when we found the torture chambers in Iraq? Where was Durbin's comparison to Soviet gulags when we found the hundreds of thousands of bodies in Saddam's mass graves?
Where was Durbin's head when he compared prisoners captured on the field of battle to the internment of Japanese American civilians during WWII? OK, apologize to unarmed citizens, not fighters with weapons in their hands. Where was Durbin when he compared Gitmo and Abu Ghraib to the industry of death that murdered 6 million Jewish men, women and children during WWII? If anything his heart and mind were in the jihadists terrorists' camp. If you see what story is being downloaded and shared by viewers of the al Jazeera web site you will find the story on Durbin's comments the winner.
If I were an Islamic terrorist I would be thanking Durbin and forwarding his views to all my fellow fanatics. His reckless comments fuel the fanatic frenzied jihadists, motivating them to blow themselves up in the midst of innocent civilians, savagely cut the heads of helpless hostages and devote themselves to killing the infidel who could be your neighbor stationed in Iraq. Just like the Quran says they should.
Dick Durbin is an unwitting champion of Islamic radical
fundamentalists. His comments should be known from this day forward
as a " Durbinization" of the facts. To demonize something grossly out
of proportion to what the enemy is doing is to Durbinize. Gitmo and
Abu Ghraib have been Durbinized and the Arab world loves it. They
laugh at Durbin because he's supporting their belief in the
destruction of our country and civilization.
The shame is Durbin doesn't have a clue as to what he's done. As far
as he's concerned, he did the right thing for the Islamic radical
detainees living high on the proverbial hog in Gitmo. What he really
did was made them laugh; laugh at us for being fools and not real
men. Now it's time to see if the voters in Illinois and his fellow
members of Congress are men and women enough to tell the Moslem world
Durbin isn't our real man.
David Meir-Levi is an American-born Israeli, currently living in Palo Alto. He lectures in English, Hebrew, and Spanish; his expertise is in Near Eastern studies and the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is Director of Peace and Education at Israel Peace Initiative (www.ipi-usa.org). Contact David Meir-Levi at david_meirlevi@hotmail.com |