Well Wouldn't You Know?

(Thanks to Rhonda Spivak)

Although few would say so publicly, every one of the handful of East Jerusalem Arabs I spoke with in the last two weeks said that he would rather live under Israeli sovereignty than under Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority.

In the Arab market in the Old City of Jerusalem, I met Asem, who sells soccer jerseys and sports wear. In his shop, there is a soccer jersey with the name PALESTINE in big letters on a blue background. Asem tells me there is no national soccer team for PALESTINE, but "but we have the shirt.”

But, although he sells a soccer jersey saying PALESTINE, Asem is in no rush to have East Jerusalem become the capital of a Palestinian state under PA President Abbas. When I ask him if he would prefer to live under Abbas in a state of Palestine, rather than under Israeli sovereignty, he gives me the opposite answer of what I expected.

“No, I would rather live under Israelis than under Abbas. Abbas is a thief like Arafat was. But I would rather have Abbas than King Abdullah.”

When I ask him why he prefers to stay under Israeli rule than PA rule, he answers, “At least here I can say what I want. In Syria, if you say what you want, you can go missing forever. In Jordan too. And under Abbas, too. It is chaos there [under PA rule]. Abbas can stay in Ramallah, and stay out of Jerusalem.”

Asem’s Palestinian friend in the shop nodded in agreement. Asem did say that it’s not that he liked Israel per se, but that if given the choice, he prefers it to being ruled by the PA. He continued, “There are some nice homes in Ramallah. You know who lives in them. Abbas and his people. Not all of the other Palestinians. They are kept poor.”

Akram, a taxi driver living in Wadi Joz in East Jerusalem echoed Asam’s sentiments in wanting to remain under Israeli instead of Palestinian rule.
“Abbas, he should stay in Ramallah and not come to Jerusalem. We don’t need him here. We are different than Palestinians in Ramallah and elsewhere. They [the PA] are all “mamzerim’[bastards] and corrupt. I want to be Israeli. I have my Israeli identity card and I want to get my bituach leumi [national insurance benefit]. Who knows what it would be like to live under PA rule? But I don’t want to try it.”

Wadi Joz is a neighborhood where religious Jews have been trying to buy homes.
“There are Arabs who will sell for a lot of money but they do it quietly so no one will know. They make the deal but they make the possession date a long time away,” says Akram, who is pleased to tell me that his brother is entering the Israeli police force.

Moussa, a taxi driver waiting outside the Western wall tells me his name is “Moshey,” which is the Hebrew name for Moussa. Moussa is also definitive that he doesn’t want East Jerusalem to be a capital of a Palestinian state under Mahmoud Abbas. “It’s a balagan there in the West Bank [under Abbas]. I would keep my Israeli identity card...Baruch Hashem, I should live under the Israelis... It wouldn’t be better under Abbas.”

When Moussa says the words “ Baruch Hashem”, I can’t quite believe my ears. Did I hear you correctly saying Baruch Hashem, just like religious Jews do? Moussa smiles. “Yes, I speak like everyone else around here. I guess I picked up the expression.”

Firas, an Arab, who lives in Jerusalem’s Abu Tor neighborhood also says he isn’t in any rush to be under the PA, and is fine with the fact that there are “both Jews and Arabs who live in Abu Tor.”

“Who knows what kind of State there will be under Abbas. All my life I’ve lived under Israeli rule, so I don’t know anything else. But I don’t think my life would be better under the PA,” he says.

Good News and Cooperation

With thanks to the reporters of Good News http://www.angloraanana.com/goodnews.html

Israeli hippos (‘blue and white’) are being exported by the Ramat Gan Safari Park whose herd has taken to heart the commandment in the bible to be fruitful and multiply very seriously indeed. The latest member to travel abroad had to go just down the road to Kalkilya in the Palestinian Territory, about 1.8kms [1 mile] from Kfar Saba.

The last news was that X [she’s still waiting for her Arabic name] had settled down beautifully. The herald of a new dawn of cooperation? It would be nice to think so and obviously the hippo agrees.

Talking about hippos, and who wouldn’t, given half a chance, these behemoths are responsible for more fatal attacks on human beings than any other large animal including the big cats. But if you’re looking for public enemy #1 in this department – and we’re sure you aren’t – then it’s the lowly mosquito, arch spreader of terrible diseases of which malaria is but one, that wins out every time.

So where’s the Good News? Let's tell you. Researchers at the University of Haifa have discovered that these mini-monsters chemically detect the presence of insects that prey on mosquito eggs and these clever Haifa scientists have isolated the chemicals. So, spray the chemicals where it all happens and you have millions of pregnant mozzies flying around looking for a safe place to lay their eggs. Seeing as how they only live for about five days most of them will [hopefully] die in transit. We’re not quite there yet but we’re on the way

Israel to Head International Task Force

To fight anti Semitism and holocaust denial, 87 states have joined forces in this aim


This week a cooperation agreement between the ITF (Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research) and the ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. The ODIHR is an operative branch of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)

This year, Israel was chosen for the first time to head the ITF. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an agreement was signed today that boosts the strength of the forces in the global arena fighting against antisemitism and Holocaust denial.

This gives an enormous boost to the fight against the delegitimization of Israel and antisemitism in the world, bringing 87 states for the first time into cooperation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acted, and will continue to act, against these manifestations of hate and will promote any initiative whose purpose is to eliminate them.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that there are elements that deny the Holocaust and are preparing the next one. There is a need topreserve the memory of the Holocaust so that similar horrors and hatred will never be repeated and the world will become a safer place.

The ITF was founded about ten years ago at the initiative of the Swedish government

WEASEL Words

(Reprinted with permission from the Birmingham Recorder)

According to Wikipedia, the expression weasel words is an informal term for words and phrases that while creating a vague or ambiguous claim, give an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said. It apparently derives from the egg-eating habit of weasels, who can suck out the contents of an egg leaving the empty shell looking intact.

Therefore, words or claims that turn out to be empty upon analysis are known by this term. Unfortunately, many of these deceiving words and expressions are now in common usage among Israel’s detractors in the media and are being skillfully employed to twist the truth and actually lie about current events here.

SO-CALLLED GAZA BLOCKADE

BLOCKADE has to be the first word on our list of weasel words, because of its constant use in connection with Gaza and the untruthful portrayal of Gazan citizens as starving, without fuel, medical equipment or treatment, that appear constantly in the media. It is largely this distorted view that is leading to so much overt animosity to Israel in the world’s media which in turn leads to boycotts such as the regrettable one recently approved by the Methodist Church in the U.K.

If only it was possible here to show you the many pictures we have received of Gaza shops bursting with goods and shoppers and market-stalls stacked high with fresh produce, comparable with that available in the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem. Also there are many advertisements, circulating on the internet, for luxury restaurants and wedding halls in the Strip, illustrated by mouthwatering pictures of Cordon-Bleu meals and buffets. Events are pictured and can be seen to be attended by superbly dressed guests. Not exactly what most of the world is being shown!

Goods of every kind apart from materials that could be used for arms manufacture or the creation of bunkers and rocket-launching pads, pour into Gaza from Israel daily, through the various crossing points.. We don’t have the latest figures of supplies but the details from between May 2nd and 8th when a total of 714 truckloads, consisting of 17,060 tons of humanitarian aid went into the Strip, are typical.

Additionally, 370 medical patients and accompanying individuals from the Gaza Strip crossed into Israel during this brief period and the Judea and Sumaria region for medical treatment and 93 Palestinians entered Israel for other, various reasons. 191 staff members of international organizations crossed into the Strip and 192 crossed into Israel.

Note that this was in one week only, does it sound like a blockade? We are not denying that there are people who are suffering from general shortages there because, Hamas steals most of the supplies to be sold to the wealthier Gazans on the black-market!

Another Ship Aiming to Break the Blockade

So another ship, this time sponsored by Libya, that bastion of "human rights" and supporter of terrorism, is on its way to bring aid to the Gazan population. See location on map as of noon 14th July.

Israel has already taken a major measure to improve conditions in Gaza. In a move called a “welcome development” by the international Quartet (US, EU, UN and Russia), on 20 June, the government of Israel decided to end all restrictions on the entry of civilian goods into Gaza. Therefore,

1. There is absolutely no need for another superfluous ship to the Gaza Strip. Gaza is open to all civilian goods, a fact known the Libyan government.

Restrictions are placed only on weapons, war materiel and items that can be used for military purposes. Still, it is important that all goods are checked to ensure that they are not on the restricted list of dangerous items.

Israel allows the transfer to the Gaza Strip of approximately 800 truckloads of supplies (15,000 tons) per week. The projected amount of supplies on the ship is less than the amount that Israel transfers to Gaza in a single day. This ship has nothing to do with humanitarian aid, and everything to do with creating a provocation and a public relations exercise.

2. The organizers of the ship have been offered the opportunity to avoid an unnecessary confrontation by delivering their supplies to Gaza via the Israeli port of Ashdod or the Egyptian port of El Arish

Israel allows boats to off-load their cargo at Ashdod port for transport to both the West Bank and Gaza after appropriate screening. Anyone truly interested in sending aid to residents of Gaza can use the existing overland channels, as do all the respectable international organizations.

Recognizing that “Israel has legitimate security concerns” the Quartet declared (21 June) that it “urges all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via land crossings into Gaza. The Quartet emphasizes that there is no need
for unnecessary confrontations…”

The US State Department issued (13 June) a similar statement that refers directly to the Libyan ship:
“we are conscious of the fact that there is a Libyan aid ship en route to Gaza as we speak, and that we, along with our partners in the Quartet, urge all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected by the Government of Israel and transferred via land crossings into Gaza. We have urged the Libyan Government to avoid unnecessary confrontations. We call on all parties to act responsibly in meeting the needs of the people of Gaza.”

That is why there is absolutely no need for any “humanitarian flotillas” to Gaza. So said (21 June) Tony Blair, when referring to the Israel’s updated policy. He stated that “if we implement this policy so that the things that people are trying to bring in by flotilla you can bring in through the legitimate
existing crossings, do it that way. That is the more sensible way to do that.”

Just last Friday (9July), the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy expressed her apprehension regarding more ships headed for Gaza: "I am concerned about reports of further ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. I would like to call on all of those involved to exercise calm and restraint at this particular juncture…. An escalation of tensions and unnecessary confrontations should be avoided.”

3. The purpose of the ship is to create a provocation and to open a sea lane to Gaza that will allow the free entry of weapons and terrorists.

The ship is nothing more than an attempt by the radical axis in the region to cause the peace efforts currently being led by PM Netanyahu and President Obama to fail.

The organizers are attempting to do by creating a provocation that will embarrass Israel, as well as opening a new maritime route to Gaza for Hamas weapons and terrorists. This is not a humanitarian aspiration, but rather a hostile intent.

The proof of the fact that the goals of the organizers of the ship are political can be found in their own words. The Gaddafi Foundation published (11/6) on its website a notice reading: "Had our destination been the El Arish port, we would have spared ourselves the time and the effort, given money and sent a land convoy as we did last year."

A potential threat has already been conveyed in the words of a passenger. Atzam al-Sudani stated in an interview to al-Jazeera television that: “As Muslims, we are not afraid of death. On the contrary, we love shahada” [a martyr’s death for Allah’s sake].


4. Israel acts in accordance with international law.

The maritime blockade off the coast of Gaza was established in accordance with international law and conventions. It is designed to prevent the large-scale smuggling of weapons to be used against Israel by the Hamas terrorist organization. As Tony Blair noted (9 June) "There's no question that there are
rockets fired from Gaza and that there are people in Gaza who want to kill innocent Israelis. When it comes to security, I'm 100 percent on Israel's side. Israel has the right to inspect what goes into Gaza."

Israel: A Normal Country

I feel that I must reprint this article from last weeks Wall Street Journal. What a change from the constant barrage of hostility and deligitimisation. What a change from the repetition of polemics that have no basis in fact.

The following statement has been signed by Jose Maria Aznar, David Trimble, John R. Bolton, Alejandro Toledo, Marcello Pera, Andrew Roberts, Fiamma Nirenstein, George Weigel, Robert F. Agostinelli and Carlos Bustelo:

Hostility to the Jews has been a stain on the Western world's honor for centuries. Israel is a Western democracy and a normal country. Nonetheless, Israel has faced abnormal circumstances since its inception. In fact, Israel is the only Western democracy whose existence has been questioned by force, and whose legitimacy is still being questioned independently of its actions.

The recent flotilla crisis in the Mediterranean provided yet another occasion for Israel's detractors to renew their frenzied campaign. It was so even before the facts of that tragic incident had come to light. Eyes were blind to the reasons why Israel had to respond to the Gaza flotilla's clear provocation.

Because we believe Israel is subjected to unfair treatment, and are convinced that defending Israel means defending the values that made and sustain our Western civilization, we have decided to launch the Friends of Israel Initiative. Our goal is to bring reason and decency back to the discussion about Israel. We are an eclectic group, coming from different countries and holding different opinions on a range of issues. It goes without saying that we do not speak for the State of Israel and we do not defend every course of action that it decides upon. We are united, however, by the following beliefs, principles and aims:

First, Israel is a normal, Western democracy and should be treated as such. Its parliamentary system, legal traditions, education and scientific research facilities, and cultural achievements are as fundamental to it as to any other Western society. Indeed, in some of these areas, Israel is a world leader.

Second, attempts to question Israel's basic legitimacy as a Jewish state in the Middle East are unacceptable to people who support liberal democratic values. The State of Israel was founded in the wake of United Nations Resolution 181, passed in 1947. It also arose out of an unbroken Jewish connection to the land that stretches back thousands of years. Israel does not derive its legitimacy, as some claim, from sympathy over the Holocaust. Instead, it derives legitimacy from international law and from the same right to self-determination claimed by all nations.

Third, as a fully legitimate member of the international community, Israel's basic right to self-defense should not be questioned. Nor should it be forgotten that Israel faces unique security threats—from terror groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and from an Iran seeking nuclear weapons.

United Nations condemnations of Israel arising from last year's Goldstone Report on the recent war in Gaza, for example, ignore the security challenges that Israel faces. All democracies should oppose such campaigns, which ultimately undermine the legitimacy not merely of Israel but of the U.N. itself.

Fourth, we must never forget that Israel is on our side in the battle against Islamism and terror. Israel stands on the front line of that fight as a bulwark of Judeo-Christian values. The belief that the democratic world can sacrifice Israel in order to placate Islamism is profoundly wrong and dangerous. Appeasement failed in the 1930s and it will fail today.

Fifth, attempts by people of good faith to facilitate peace between Israel and the Palestinians are always to be supported. But outsiders should beware of attempting to impose their own solutions. Israelis and Palestinians should know how to build a viable peace on their own. We can help them, but we cannot force them.

Sixth, we must be alive to the dangers that the campaign against Israel poses in reawakening anti-Semitism. Hostility to the Jews has been a stain on the Western world's honor for centuries. It is a matter of basic self-respect that we actively confront and oppose new manifestations of an old and ugly problem.

The Friends of Israel Initiative has come together to encourage men and women of goodwill to reconsider their attitudes toward the Jewish state, and to relocate those attitudes inside the best of Western traditions rather than the worst. We urge them to recognize that it is in our own best interests that an increasingly jaded relationship between Israel and many of the world's other liberal democracies is rescued and reinvigorated before it is too late for us all.

Mr. Aznar is a former prime minister of Spain. Mr. Trimble is a former first minister of Northern Ireland. Mr. Bolton is a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mr. Toledo is a former president of Peru. Mr. Pera is a former president of the Italian Senate. Mr. Roberts is a British historian. Ms. Nirenstein is vice-president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Italian Chamber of Deputies. Mr. Weigel is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Mr. Agostinelli is managing director of the Rhône Group. Mr. Bustelo is a former minister of industry in Spain.

Hamas Sends Patients to Israel for Care

From Israel National News www.IsraelNationalNews.com comes a report that once again shows up the hypocracy of Hamas in accepting the generosity of the Israeli government

Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv treats up to 100 patients a month from Gaza, and often Hamas takes the role of middleman between Gaza residents and the Israeli hospital, Ichilov Director Professor Gabi Barabash said this week. Barabash spoke to Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara, a resident of the Druze village of Dalyat El Carmel near Haifa, who was touring the hospital and viewing its care for foreign Arab patients.

In addition to caring for patients from Gaza, the Ichilov staff treats many citizens of foreign Arab countries, including those that have no diplomatic ties with Israel. They all receive dedicated care, and the relatives who accompany them are provided with free food and a place to stay, Barabash said.

Kara praised the hospital's care at the end of the tour. Ichilov treats all of its patients equally, he said, but it is not the only one, and hospitals throughout the country send hundreds of people home to Gaza in good health each month after they arrived in Israel suffering from serious ailments.

He condemned Hamas for benefiting from the arrangement while giving nothing in return. “The time has come for Hamas to give us something small in return,” he said, “to release a single son of ours, who has been held for four years with no medical care, in exchange for the hundreds of people whose lives Israel saves every month.”

Kara called on Arab countries to take action: “I call on those Arab countries that are aware of how much we give them when it comes to medicine to call for Gilad Shalit's release as well.” Shalit's release would “make the peace talks much more meaningful,” he added.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)