[Elder of Ziyon] Tuesday Links Part 2

From Ian:

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The Myth of Jewish Settlements in International Law

Yet, as absurd as the idea is, Gavison points to something nonetheless real that highlights a general problem for free societies, not merely Israel: time does tend to work in favor of processes of legal perversion, when new, sometimes scarcely-known, treaties or "norms" are increasingly given standing by transnational forums and courts with little interest or sympathy for the values and interests of free societies.
The day arrives thus when a new legal fact has been created, no matter how absurd or noxious. In respect of Article 49, that day hasn't arrived, but Palestinian agitprop is working on it.
Therefore, it is not enough for Israel to restate the law. It must explore avenues old and new – commissioning authoritative legal opinions, working to obtain a US Congressional resolution on the subject, seeking repudiation by democratic governments of the mangling of Article 49, detailed refutation of each and every contrary assertion by governments and international organizations, to name several – to prevent today's absurdity becoming tomorrow's settled law.

The 'International Community': It is what it is
The 'International Community' is what it is - much to Israel's hindrance

'In two words we trust.' If the Left–BDS–NGO–Arab axis had a backbone it would be a bodiless power called the 'International Community.' That its proportions and makeup are ill-defined hardly matters, and even may help, considering that a notional body can pack a punch above its weight.
With power and concept being what they are – inverted buddies – the less defined and real the concept the more its power to manipulate the masses. Stalin's Bolshevism and Hitler's National Socialism were never cast in stone, for good reason: from day to day it was impossible to predict what new opinion or course of action they might inspire.
Likewise the shifty, shadowy ideal called the international community. Israel, for the sin of having uncomfortable neighbours, finds itself up against an arbitrary arbiter of good and bad, one making all manner of demands on its leaders.

Israel Apartheid Week: a time where hatred is unleashed

Israel Apartheid Week can and must be challenged, so that the voices of hatred on campuses across the UK do not win. By doing this we ensure that Universities remain a place for academic freedom, and not hijacked by a small but vocal minority who treat Israel as the devil incarnate.

The view from AIPAC
So many people inside the AIPAC conference are doing such hard work to further the cause of peace in the Middle East. Detracting from their efforts is, frankly, an insult

If only the protestors outside ponied up the cost of a ticket and came to some of the sessions themselves – they may well realise how their characterisation of the event as a bunch of power-hungry, warmongering Jews talking about how they're going to oppress the Palestinians is grossly offensive, not because of the anti-Semitic stereotypes, but because so many people in here are doing such hard work to further the cause of peace in the region.
Detracting from it in such crass and ill-informed way is, frankly, an insult.

Full Text of Netanyahu Speech to AIPAC 2013

That peace must be grounded in reality. And it must be grounded in security. Israel withdrew from Lebanon. We withdrew from Gaza. We gave up territory. We got terror. We cannot allow that to happen a third time. Israel is prepared for a meaningful compromise. But as Israel's Prime Minister, I will never compromise on our security. We must work to find a realistic path forward — a measured step-by -step process in which we advance to a verifiable, durable and defensible peace.

CODEPINK Calls for Destruction of Israel at AIPAC Policy Conference Protests

Yet in a video posted by CODEPINK a woman (identified here as Jodie Evans, who is described on CODEPINK's website as the co-founder and co-director of the organization) with a loudspeaker leads a chorus of chants: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," a chant that in its very essence would infer the destruction of Israel in its entirety.

Daphne Anson: Irish4Israel Hope To Intensify Their Activities & Seek Funding To Do So

In view of the shrill and egregious demonisation of Israel emanating from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and the fact that the Irish President is no friend to the Jewish State, it's great to learn (hat tip: reader Jill) that, thanks to young Irishman Barry Williams and the Irish4Israel organisation, a vigorous pro-Israel initiative is being mooted in the Emerald Isle.

Survivor's Schindler manuscript to be published
Book to provide 'unprecedented perspective' on the man who helped save more than 1,000 Jews during World War II

Leon Leyson's "The Boy On the Wooden Box" will be published by Atheneum on Aug. 27, the publisher announced Monday. According to Atheneum, the book will provide an "unprecedented perspective" on Schindler, the German industrialist credited with helping to save more than 1,000 Jews during World War II. His story was immortalized in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning "Schindler's List."

Design icon makes Holocaust remembrance fashionable
The daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, style queen Diane von Furstenberg discusses her long-time work for the US Holocaust Museum

They seem like an odd pair: Bloomfield, a pioneer of genocide awareness and an adviser to numerous museums around the world, and von Furstenberg, one of the most successful women in fashion, who rose to fame in 1974 with the debut of her iconic wrap dress and since has created a robust empire in women's clothing and housewares.
But the two women have a bond some 20 years in the making — a bond that has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with von Furstenberg's Jewish heritage.

Israel Daily Picture: Are the Locusts Returning?
The Plague of Locusts of 1915 Was of Biblical Proportions

The photographers of the American Colony in Jerusalem conducted an extensive photographic study of the locust plague of 1915 including the life cycle of the insects, the devastation, and attempts to eradicate.

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Posted By Ian to Elder of Ziyon at 3/05/2013 06:00:00 PM