Not only does it seem that the ships Iran was planning to send to Gaza are not likely to set sail because "of Egypt's refusal to let them come via the Suez canal", now there is talk of problems concerning those planning to sail from Lebanon. What seems to be more important to the organisers is the media hype rather than actual sailings themselves.
The Saudi newspaper “Al-Shaq Al-Awsat” is reporting today that, according to the Lebanese Minister of Transport, the women’s’ ship “Miriam” is fictitious, and the Lebanese flotilla consists of just one vessel – the French-registered “Julia”, which has taken the name “Naji El’adi”.
A source close to the flotilla, who refused to be identified, told the newspaper that the flotilla’s organizers are encountering difficulties. He added that the vessel “Naji El’adi”, which will fly the Bolivian flag, will carry just 1000 tonnes of equipment, and 16 people on board, 7 of them crew members. This comes in spite of reports that there will be 50 journalists, as well as dozens more human rights activists and European members of parliament, on board.
He also noted that another option exists: that the flotilla’s organizers will rent another boat. In any case, however, there is no expectation that the flotilla will depart from Lebanon to Cyprus in the next 2-3 days.
Throughout the day on Tuesday, maintenance work continued on the “Naji El’adi”, while soldiers from the Lebanese Army guarded the vessel and prevented people from approaching it. Workers at the port told the newspaper that cargo has not yet been loaded onto the ship.
Regarding the international perspective on the ship, the newspaper reported that a large number of foreign embassies in Beirut expressed suspicion that their citizens will participate in the flotilla, and even approached the Lebanese government about this, though this is probably not intended to achieve anything to prevent them from sailing to Gaza.
In conclusion: According to this report, it can be seen that the key operations currently being undertaken by the organizers of the Lebanese flotilla media-oriented only.
On the other hand, Samar Al-Hajj – the organizer of the women’s flotilla – was interviewed today by Al Jazeera and said that all the preparations for the departure of the ship “Miriam” have been completed, and that soon the ship will set out on its journey. It is interesting to note, however, that the very reporter from Al Jazeera that interviewed Al-Hajj expressed doubt about this.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Israel to Sign Accession Agreement with OECD
Today, Israel will formally accept the invitation to join the OECD. In spite of all the attempts to deligitmise the State of Israel, we see this as a breath of fresh air and realism.
The invitation to join the OECD attests to the organization’s recognition of Israel’s achievements, economic strength and its ability to contribute to the organization and to the global economy. Israel’s accession to the OECD will boost Israeli society and the economy and contribute to upgrading areas such as the environment, education, employment and many others.
The accession process, which began three years ago, was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, with active assistance from many other government ministries, governmental authorities, the Knesset, the Bank of Israel, the public sector, economic and social organizations, the Manufacturers’ Association, the Histadruth, universities and NGOs.
Is it too much to hope that instead of the perpetuation of lies, distortions and innuendos, we may actually see some truths and realism?
The invitation to join the OECD attests to the organization’s recognition of Israel’s achievements, economic strength and its ability to contribute to the organization and to the global economy. Israel’s accession to the OECD will boost Israeli society and the economy and contribute to upgrading areas such as the environment, education, employment and many others.
The accession process, which began three years ago, was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, with active assistance from many other government ministries, governmental authorities, the Knesset, the Bank of Israel, the public sector, economic and social organizations, the Manufacturers’ Association, the Histadruth, universities and NGOs.
Is it too much to hope that instead of the perpetuation of lies, distortions and innuendos, we may actually see some truths and realism?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Why There Has to Be A Blockade of Gaza
From the Sderot Media Center http://sderotmedia.org.il/ comes a report of a family formerly living in Gaza whose son was injured in a Kassam attack. They firmly believe the blockade of Gaza must remain.
Just when will the world wake up to the realities of life under the shadow of Hamas and how they are being conned left, right and center.
Iris Twito, the mother of two sons injured by Qassam rockets in the city of Sderot, decided to grant an exclusive interview with Sderot Media Center, following the Gaza aid flotilla fiasco. "The entire world hates us," says Iris, "but they don’t know what we’ve been through."
The Twito family is a living testament for why there is a naval blockade on Gaza. "It’s not just Sderot that is under threat today, but the whole country," said Iris. "It is vital that we stop these flotilla boats because we cannot allow Hamas to terrorize our Israeli children."
Sitting on her patio in Ashdod, with a cigarette in hand, Iris recalls the most horrifying experience a mother can go through. Three years ago, Iris’s sons Osher and Rami, then eight and 19 respectively, were walking to an ATM machine in Sderot, when the rocket alarm went off. As the two brothers frantically attempted to locate a shelter in the middle of one of Sderot's main streets, the Qassam rocket struck meters away from the two.
The exploded shrapnel sliced through the boys’ legs. Residents poured out to the street to help but another rocket alert went off, forcing everyone to flee to shelter again. Moments later, the ambulances arrived to transport the boys to the closest hospital, Ashkelon's Barzilai hospital located 20 minutes away from Sderot.
Amidst the flashing cameras at what was one of Sderot’s goriest scenes resulting from a rocket attack, Iris collapsed from the shock of seeing of her two sons lying next to each other, surrounded by a pool of their own blood. The entire city of 19,000 were subsequently shocked by the developments to follow.
The rocket attack left Osher in a coma for two weeks. The young boy had to go through intensive surgeries; his left leg had to be amputated, and doctors had to operate on a hole in his chest and his injured lungs. The older brother Rami's legs were also badly damaged and operated on.
After a year in the hospital, Osher was released in a bright red wheelchair. His right leg was still badly damaged, but a new artifical limb was fitted on his left.
"Osher goes to intensive therapy every week to this day to help adjust to walking again," said Iris. Osher, with big brown eyes and a freckled face, walks over to sit by his mother, slowly limping and murmurs hello.
Iris and her husband decided that it would be best to move the family from the heart of Hamas’s target city, Sderot, to Ashdod, Israel’s fifth largest city, that at the time located 40 kilometers (24 miles) away from the Gaza Strip was not under missile threat.
"But the rockets can reach Ashdod now too," Iris remarks fretfully. During Operation Cast Lead, Grad missiles, which are smuggled into Gaza from Iran, struck Ashdod playgrounds, kindergartens and homes, killing one Israeli woman at a bus stop and seriously injuring many more.
"Ashdod is not sheltered like Sderot" Rami explains. "Even our home doesn't have a bomb-shelter yet."
Rami, now 21 and married with two young daughters, a toddler and a baby, expressed how the last week and a half had been hard on the family. "When we heard that the flotilla from Turkey was heading to the Gaza port, we were very scared because we had no idea what kind of weapons could be on the ships."
As Iris’s youngest son, Osher, shyly cuddles up to his mother, Iris Twito reemphasizes the need for the Gaza naval blockade in order to protect innocent Israeli civilians like her family from future missile warfare.
"The government of Israel needs to ensure security for all Israelis and make sure that other Israelis are protected from the kind of tragedy that struck our family," said Iris. "Even Barack Obama at one time agreed with us. Osher met Obama two years ago," explained Iris, as Obama following the flotilla events said the territory's situation is "unsustainable." According to Iris, the US President after hearing the young boy’s harrowing story privately told him "I would do everything to defend my daughters from rocket attacks, if they were in your position."
As the Gaza flotilla was clearly only a provocation, carrying merely 10 thousand tons of aid, when Israel gave over 738,000 tons of aid in 2009 alone. This violent political stunt was only aimed at weakening Israel’s security and strengthening the Hamas military to put more families like the Twitos under threat.
Three years ago, Iris’s maternal instincts made her remove her kids from the daily horror of the Sderot rocket reality to what was a safer city. Today, under a larger missile threat, Iris’s maternal instincts are standing up against immense international pressure to lift the Gaza naval blockade implemented to protect Israeli children from going through what her two boys were forced to endure.
Just when will the world wake up to the realities of life under the shadow of Hamas and how they are being conned left, right and center.
Iris Twito, the mother of two sons injured by Qassam rockets in the city of Sderot, decided to grant an exclusive interview with Sderot Media Center, following the Gaza aid flotilla fiasco. "The entire world hates us," says Iris, "but they don’t know what we’ve been through."
The Twito family is a living testament for why there is a naval blockade on Gaza. "It’s not just Sderot that is under threat today, but the whole country," said Iris. "It is vital that we stop these flotilla boats because we cannot allow Hamas to terrorize our Israeli children."
Sitting on her patio in Ashdod, with a cigarette in hand, Iris recalls the most horrifying experience a mother can go through. Three years ago, Iris’s sons Osher and Rami, then eight and 19 respectively, were walking to an ATM machine in Sderot, when the rocket alarm went off. As the two brothers frantically attempted to locate a shelter in the middle of one of Sderot's main streets, the Qassam rocket struck meters away from the two.
The exploded shrapnel sliced through the boys’ legs. Residents poured out to the street to help but another rocket alert went off, forcing everyone to flee to shelter again. Moments later, the ambulances arrived to transport the boys to the closest hospital, Ashkelon's Barzilai hospital located 20 minutes away from Sderot.
Amidst the flashing cameras at what was one of Sderot’s goriest scenes resulting from a rocket attack, Iris collapsed from the shock of seeing of her two sons lying next to each other, surrounded by a pool of their own blood. The entire city of 19,000 were subsequently shocked by the developments to follow.
The rocket attack left Osher in a coma for two weeks. The young boy had to go through intensive surgeries; his left leg had to be amputated, and doctors had to operate on a hole in his chest and his injured lungs. The older brother Rami's legs were also badly damaged and operated on.
After a year in the hospital, Osher was released in a bright red wheelchair. His right leg was still badly damaged, but a new artifical limb was fitted on his left.
"Osher goes to intensive therapy every week to this day to help adjust to walking again," said Iris. Osher, with big brown eyes and a freckled face, walks over to sit by his mother, slowly limping and murmurs hello.
Iris and her husband decided that it would be best to move the family from the heart of Hamas’s target city, Sderot, to Ashdod, Israel’s fifth largest city, that at the time located 40 kilometers (24 miles) away from the Gaza Strip was not under missile threat.
"But the rockets can reach Ashdod now too," Iris remarks fretfully. During Operation Cast Lead, Grad missiles, which are smuggled into Gaza from Iran, struck Ashdod playgrounds, kindergartens and homes, killing one Israeli woman at a bus stop and seriously injuring many more.
"Ashdod is not sheltered like Sderot" Rami explains. "Even our home doesn't have a bomb-shelter yet."
Rami, now 21 and married with two young daughters, a toddler and a baby, expressed how the last week and a half had been hard on the family. "When we heard that the flotilla from Turkey was heading to the Gaza port, we were very scared because we had no idea what kind of weapons could be on the ships."
As Iris’s youngest son, Osher, shyly cuddles up to his mother, Iris Twito reemphasizes the need for the Gaza naval blockade in order to protect innocent Israeli civilians like her family from future missile warfare.
"The government of Israel needs to ensure security for all Israelis and make sure that other Israelis are protected from the kind of tragedy that struck our family," said Iris. "Even Barack Obama at one time agreed with us. Osher met Obama two years ago," explained Iris, as Obama following the flotilla events said the territory's situation is "unsustainable." According to Iris, the US President after hearing the young boy’s harrowing story privately told him "I would do everything to defend my daughters from rocket attacks, if they were in your position."
As the Gaza flotilla was clearly only a provocation, carrying merely 10 thousand tons of aid, when Israel gave over 738,000 tons of aid in 2009 alone. This violent political stunt was only aimed at weakening Israel’s security and strengthening the Hamas military to put more families like the Twitos under threat.
Three years ago, Iris’s maternal instincts made her remove her kids from the daily horror of the Sderot rocket reality to what was a safer city. Today, under a larger missile threat, Iris’s maternal instincts are standing up against immense international pressure to lift the Gaza naval blockade implemented to protect Israeli children from going through what her two boys were forced to endure.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Genes in kidney failure risk unlocked
Once again the Rambam Medical Center is at the forefront of discoveries that can solve chronic problems.
Chronic kidney disease affects millions in North America, with persons of African heritage being at a four-fold higher risk, and those of Hispanic heritage having a two-fold higher risk compared to the rest of the population.
Researchers in the USA working with the Rambam team recently announced that they've discovered a gene likely involved in the increased risk of kidney failure with those of African heritage.
Tremendous excitement has been growing in the scientific community worldwide, with an intense race to determine the genetic link responsible for the greatly increased risk many people of African heritage face for end-stage kidney disease and the need for dialysis or transplantation.
While much of the world has focused on the MYH9 gene, a team from the Rambam Medical Center and Technion in Haifa, Israel led by Toronto's own Dr. Karl Skorecki, has discovered that variations in a neighbouring gene, called APOL1, is much more likely to be involved.
Identifying the correct gene that puts people at risk for progressive kidney disease is necessary to understand the underlying reason for the increased risk, and to be able to find strategies to prevent or slow down kidney failure.
Chronic kidney disease affects millions in North America, with persons of African heritage being at a four-fold higher risk, and those of Hispanic heritage having a two-fold higher risk compared to the rest of the population.
Researchers in the USA working with the Rambam team recently announced that they've discovered a gene likely involved in the increased risk of kidney failure with those of African heritage.
Tremendous excitement has been growing in the scientific community worldwide, with an intense race to determine the genetic link responsible for the greatly increased risk many people of African heritage face for end-stage kidney disease and the need for dialysis or transplantation.
While much of the world has focused on the MYH9 gene, a team from the Rambam Medical Center and Technion in Haifa, Israel led by Toronto's own Dr. Karl Skorecki, has discovered that variations in a neighbouring gene, called APOL1, is much more likely to be involved.
Identifying the correct gene that puts people at risk for progressive kidney disease is necessary to understand the underlying reason for the increased risk, and to be able to find strategies to prevent or slow down kidney failure.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Palestinian Stock Exchange in Talks in Tel Aviv
Whilst there is so much talk about boycotts of Israeli products in general and products from the “settlements” in particular, the CEO of the Palestine Securities Exchange (PSE) met with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange CEO to consider ways of cooperating recently.
This according to Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 17, 2010
The last time representatives of the two stock exchanges met was in 1995, when the late Yitzhak Rabin was prime minister.
Based in Nablus, the PSE has 39 companies listed. The market is open five days a week from 10 am to 1 pm. Seven of the companies are banks, five are insurance, eight are investment firms, ten are manufacturers, and nine are service companies. The PSE only trades in stocks; there are no options or other financial instruments, because there is no demand for them.
Two months ago, the PSE CEO was a guest at the Herzog Fox Neeman law firm's Arab Business Conference, where he talked about the Palestinian capital market and options for raising money on it. Most of the participants at the conference were Israeli-Arab businessmen and Israelis who invest in the Arab sector.
It appears that as yet there is not even one Arab-owned company among the 771 companies with securities (either stocks and/or bonds) traded on the TASE in April.
Nevertheless, it seems business is business - it is good to see.
This according to Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 17, 2010
The last time representatives of the two stock exchanges met was in 1995, when the late Yitzhak Rabin was prime minister.
Based in Nablus, the PSE has 39 companies listed. The market is open five days a week from 10 am to 1 pm. Seven of the companies are banks, five are insurance, eight are investment firms, ten are manufacturers, and nine are service companies. The PSE only trades in stocks; there are no options or other financial instruments, because there is no demand for them.
Two months ago, the PSE CEO was a guest at the Herzog Fox Neeman law firm's Arab Business Conference, where he talked about the Palestinian capital market and options for raising money on it. Most of the participants at the conference were Israeli-Arab businessmen and Israelis who invest in the Arab sector.
It appears that as yet there is not even one Arab-owned company among the 771 companies with securities (either stocks and/or bonds) traded on the TASE in April.
Nevertheless, it seems business is business - it is good to see.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Odd Priorities at Work in International Aid ?
Some more food for thought on the subject of International aid to the Palestinians, a people who have had more aid per head than anyone else in the world. This, with thanks for the research to Tom Carew
An astounding Haiti-Gaza comparison does not get much media or political or NGO notice. This story is even much worse than it seems - when you look at both the populations and deaths involved.
Financial Aid
CIA population estimate is (2009) 1,551,859 people in Gaza, but 5,035,536 in Haiti. This means that PER HEAD, Gaza gets $579.95 but Haiti only $77.47.Gaza was thus pledged 7.5 TIMES as much per head after the IDF operation as Haiti after the devastating earthquake.
Death Toll
If you also look at the death toll, Haiti lost an estimated 230,000 on Jan 12, 2010, which equals US aid of $3,043.48 for every fatality. The highest allegation of the Gaza death toll is 1,417 which would equal US aid of $ 635,144.7 per fatality.
For US aid, every Gaza death is worth 209 TIMES as much as one in Haiti. Gaza lost at most under 0.0913 % of its population, but Haiti lost 4.568 %, or 50 times more. Gaza lost 1 in every 1,095, but Haiti lost 1 in every 22 people.
But then Haiti is neither Arab nor Muslim. And no oil-rich tyrants or suicide-bombers need to be appeased.
Life Expectancy
Palestinian Life Expectancy at 73.3 years is same as EU member Hungary, while their Adult Literacy at 93.8% exceeds Philippines at 93.4%.
Palestinian Incoming Remitances are $149 per head, compared with $150 in Israel, $101 for Egypt, $125 for Arab states overall, and $135 for Ireland.
Yes, there are some odd priorities at work in international aid ?
An astounding Haiti-Gaza comparison does not get much media or political or NGO notice. This story is even much worse than it seems - when you look at both the populations and deaths involved.
Financial Aid
CIA population estimate is (2009) 1,551,859 people in Gaza, but 5,035,536 in Haiti. This means that PER HEAD, Gaza gets $579.95 but Haiti only $77.47.Gaza was thus pledged 7.5 TIMES as much per head after the IDF operation as Haiti after the devastating earthquake.
Death Toll
If you also look at the death toll, Haiti lost an estimated 230,000 on Jan 12, 2010, which equals US aid of $3,043.48 for every fatality. The highest allegation of the Gaza death toll is 1,417 which would equal US aid of $ 635,144.7 per fatality.
For US aid, every Gaza death is worth 209 TIMES as much as one in Haiti. Gaza lost at most under 0.0913 % of its population, but Haiti lost 4.568 %, or 50 times more. Gaza lost 1 in every 1,095, but Haiti lost 1 in every 22 people.
But then Haiti is neither Arab nor Muslim. And no oil-rich tyrants or suicide-bombers need to be appeased.
Life Expectancy
Palestinian Life Expectancy at 73.3 years is same as EU member Hungary, while their Adult Literacy at 93.8% exceeds Philippines at 93.4%.
Palestinian Incoming Remitances are $149 per head, compared with $150 in Israel, $101 for Egypt, $125 for Arab states overall, and $135 for Ireland.
Yes, there are some odd priorities at work in international aid ?
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Hey, There's Lots of Good News!!
With so much antagonism being directed towards the State of Israel, it is good to note that no-one is feeling downcast. Life goes on so it can be reported that:
- The numbers involved in the recent gas finds are astonishing. Tamar and Dalit are thought to be worth $50 billion, and Leviathan's potential is thought to total $100 billion. The companies' costs in finding and extracting the gas are small change compared with their potential gains, like $10 billion at the outside, -and you can do the sums for yourselves. Or perhaps that
- BIG Shopping Centers is buying a portfolio of 15 strip malls in the United States, at a price of between $400 million to $450 million. Or we might mention that
- Teva Pharmaceuticals reports that sales of their proprietary drug Copaxone reached $2.8bn last year. We could remind you that
- Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) subsidiary Elta has won two contracts, worth $33 million altogether, to supply airborne maritime surveillance radar systems used by naval reconnaissance aircraft. Or we could tell you that
- This week The Azrieli Group’s public offering raised NIS 2.01 billion. Or even that
- The growth forecast for Israel has been raised to 4% for 2010 from 3.7% and to 3.8% for 2011 from 3.2% according to Morgan Stanley’s analyst Tavfik Aksoy. The new growth forecasts are higher than the 2010 forecast of 3.6% by the Ministry of Finance and the 3.7% by the Bank of Israel. Or, how about that
- The 100,000-square meter Mall of Russia, Russia’s largest, worth $1bn and owned by Africa Israel, is due to open in the fourth quarter of 2010. It will have 450 stores, and that’s not all
- Africa-Israel also reported that the Ozerkovskaya Embankment residential, office and hotel project in Moscow is on schedule. The Aquamarine Hotel was dedicated in November 2009, and apartment sales have reached 70% of the project's total number of 124 apartments. Not done yet
- Demand in the institutional tender of the bond offering by Elbit Systems Ltd. this week reached NIS 2.4 billion. The company is offering up to NIS 1.1 billion ($285 million) in Series A bonds, which will mature in 2011-2020
But the good news that we would really like you to know is that despite what you might have seen and read in the media nobody here is sitting around with their head in their hands. Quite the reverse. And there is lots more.
With thanks to Good News published from time ot time at http://www.angloraanana.com/goodnews.html
- The numbers involved in the recent gas finds are astonishing. Tamar and Dalit are thought to be worth $50 billion, and Leviathan's potential is thought to total $100 billion. The companies' costs in finding and extracting the gas are small change compared with their potential gains, like $10 billion at the outside, -and you can do the sums for yourselves. Or perhaps that
- BIG Shopping Centers is buying a portfolio of 15 strip malls in the United States, at a price of between $400 million to $450 million. Or we might mention that
- Teva Pharmaceuticals reports that sales of their proprietary drug Copaxone reached $2.8bn last year. We could remind you that
- Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) subsidiary Elta has won two contracts, worth $33 million altogether, to supply airborne maritime surveillance radar systems used by naval reconnaissance aircraft. Or we could tell you that
- This week The Azrieli Group’s public offering raised NIS 2.01 billion. Or even that
- The growth forecast for Israel has been raised to 4% for 2010 from 3.7% and to 3.8% for 2011 from 3.2% according to Morgan Stanley’s analyst Tavfik Aksoy. The new growth forecasts are higher than the 2010 forecast of 3.6% by the Ministry of Finance and the 3.7% by the Bank of Israel. Or, how about that
- The 100,000-square meter Mall of Russia, Russia’s largest, worth $1bn and owned by Africa Israel, is due to open in the fourth quarter of 2010. It will have 450 stores, and that’s not all
- Africa-Israel also reported that the Ozerkovskaya Embankment residential, office and hotel project in Moscow is on schedule. The Aquamarine Hotel was dedicated in November 2009, and apartment sales have reached 70% of the project's total number of 124 apartments. Not done yet
- Demand in the institutional tender of the bond offering by Elbit Systems Ltd. this week reached NIS 2.4 billion. The company is offering up to NIS 1.1 billion ($285 million) in Series A bonds, which will mature in 2011-2020
But the good news that we would really like you to know is that despite what you might have seen and read in the media nobody here is sitting around with their head in their hands. Quite the reverse. And there is lots more.
With thanks to Good News published from time ot time at http://www.angloraanana.com/goodnews.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)