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Friday, July 31, 2015

From Ian:

The Ayatollah's Plan for Israel and Palestine
"The flagbearer of Jihad to liberate Jerusalem."
This is how the blurb of "Palestine," a new book, published by Islamic Revolution Editions last week in Tehran, identifies the author.
The author is "Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Husseini Khamenei," the "Supreme Guide" of the Islamic Republic in Iran, a man whose fatwa has been recognized by U.S. President Barack Obama as having the force of law.
Edited by Saeed Solh-Mirzai, the 416-page book has received approval from Khamenei's office and is thus the most authoritative document regarding his position on the issue.
Khamenei makes his position clear from the start: Israel has no right to exist as a state.
He uses three words. One is "nabudi" which means "annihilation". The other is "imha" which means "fading out," and, finally, there is "zaval" meaning "effacement."
Khamenei claims that his strategy for the destruction of Israel is not based on anti-Semitism, which he describes as a European phenomenon.
His position is based on "well-established Islamic principles", he claims.
One such is that a land that falls under Muslim rule, even briefly, can never again be ceded to non-Muslims. What matters in Islam is control of a land's government, even if the majority of inhabitants are non-Muslims. Khomeinists are not alone in this belief.
Caroline Glick: Obama strikes again
Obama’s first hope was to reach a deal with his Iranian friends that would leave the Assad regime in place. But the Iranians blew him off.
They know they don’t need a deal with Obama to secure their interests. Obama will continue to help them to maintain their power base in Syria though Hezbollah and the remains of the Assad regime without a deal.
Iran’s cold shoulder didn’t stop Obama. He moved on to his Sunni friend Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
Like the Iranians, since the war broke out, Erdogan has played a central role in transforming what started out as a local uprising into a regional conflict between Sunni and Shiite jihadists.
With Obama’s full support, by late 2012 Erdogan had built an opposition dominated by his totalitarian allies in the Muslim Brotherhood.
By mid-2013, Erdogan’s Muslim Brotherhood- led coalition was eclipsed by al-Qaida spinoffs. They also enjoyed Turkish support.
And when last summer ISIS supplanted al-Qaida as the dominant Sunni jihadist force in Syria, it did so with Erdogan’s full backing. For the past 18 months, Turkey has been ISIS’s logistical, political and economic base.
Khaled Abu Toameh: Hamas's Child Abuse Camps
For the third running year, thousands of Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip are receiving military training as part of Hamas's summer camps.
The camps, which are being held under the banner "Vanguards of Liberation," are aimed at preparing children as young as 15 for fighting against Israel. More than 25,000 children have joined this year's Hamas camps, according to Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip.
What is most disturbing about this practice is that the families are not hesitant to send their children to be trained as future jihadis in the war against Israel. On the contrary, many of the families interviewed in the Palestinian media in the past few days said they were proud to see their children being taught how to use various types of weapons.
Only a few Palestinians have dared to speak out against Hamas's exploitation of children. Palestinian activist Eyad al-Atal criticized Hamas for "depriving an entire generation of Palestinians of their childhood." He said that apart from creating new supporters of the Islamic State, the military training of the children was in violation of human rights principles.
Addressing the Hamas leaders, the al-Atal said: "Teach your children how to play, how to smile, how to rejoice. Build for them an institution for education and entertainment that would raise them on the love of Palestine and not how to get themselves killed."
Dozens of West Bank settlers treated for smoke inhalation after suspected arson by Palestinians
Israeli settlers in Judea and Samaria are reporting a number of cases of violent disturbances and suspected arson on Friday as the region endures the tense aftermath of what authorities are calling a terrorist attack against a Palestinian family that left a toddler dead.
Dozens of settlers in the southern Hebron Hills community of Beit Hagai were evacuated from their homes after suffering from smoke inhalation sustained as a result of a brush fire that is believed to have been set by local Palestinians.
In total, 30 people were given treatment. Fire crews worked to bring the blaze, which crept up dangerously close to the settlers' homes, under control.
Three people were evacuated by an ambulance, while the other victims, including a Palestinian passerby who sought to help douse the blaze, suffered light injuries. (h/t NormanF)



Who Bamboozled Whom?
In Obama’s eyes, containment is a fool’s errand, and continuing to treat Iran as a pariah will simply ensure that it will never help us damp down Middle Eastern turmoil. To him, therefore, the nuclear deal is not an end in itself; it is a means to the larger end of a strategic partnership that will conduce to his sought-for “equilibrium” in the Middle East. It is only because of the president’s awareness that the very idea of such a strategic partnership is anathema to a majority of the members of Congress, as it is to America’s allies in the Middle East, that he has pretended otherwise, framing the deal as a narrowly conceived and heavily qualified arms-control agreement that will in any case not affect America’s interest in countering Iranian mischief.
Of course, the agreement is no such thing, and Congress is right to be treating it with the utmost gravity. Much of the debate centers on technical questions—on whether the inspection regime is tight enough, the snap-back mechanism reliable enough, and the enrichment quotas restrictive enough. In addition to these far-from-trivial issues, critics also point to the havoc in increased Iranian aggressiveness that the deal promises to bring to the Middle East and elsewhere. By immediately channeling upward of $150 billion to Iranian coffers, it will inevitably contribute to funding the regime’s terror network. (Significantly, a cessation of Iran’s support for terror was not a condition of sanctions relief.) And as economic ties with Europe and Asia expand, and new avenues of diplomatic and military cooperation open up with Russia and China, Iran will become ever more confident and bellicose.
The White House has replied to the latter concerns by claiming that the regime will spend its windfall on butter, not guns. “They’re not going to be able to suddenly access all the funding that has been frozen all these years,” President Obama asserted in April—and besides, he added, “a lot of that [money] would have to be devoted to improving the lives of the people inside of Iran.”
The problem: Iran’s underlying motives
Here is why you should be worried about the Iran nuclear deal: The agreement does not prevent Iran over time from threatening America and her allies with nuclear war. It does not permanently prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
But there’s more.
The most significant problem with this agreement, which is discussed far too little, is that it does nothing to address, much less curb, Iran’s expansionist, anti-Israel, anti-American motivations.
Every security expert will tell you that in order for your enemy to succeed, three preconditions have to exist: First, the enemy has to have the desire to attack; second, the enemy must have the capabilities to carry out the attack; finally, the enemy has to have the opportunity to attack.
While the Iran deal might temporarily delay the capabilities and opportunity parts of the equation, it does nothing about the most important element of the three: the very nature of its regime. An agreement that does not effectively address the root of the problem is incomplete at best, dangerous at worst.
Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, put it simply: “The international community looks at Iran as the solution; we see Iran as the problem.”
Ambassador R. James Woolsey: ‘Peace for our time’
North Korea and Iran have both orbited satellites on trajectories that appear to practice evading U.S. national missile defenses and early warning radars by flying on south polar trajectories at altitudes consistent with making a surprise EMP attack on the 48 contiguous United States. The Congressional EMP Commission warned that a nuclear EMP attack could blackout the national electric grid and other life sustaining critical infrastructures for months or years, starving America to death. "Death to America" would become reality, not merely an Iranian chant — achievable by the high-altitude detonation of a single nuclear weapon.
Because a single nuclear weapon could achieve "Death to America" by EMP attack, the Iran nuclear deal must be airtight and absolutely sure the mullahs cannot acquire — and do not now have — even one nuclear weapon. Congress should challenge the Obama Administration's claim that they have, essentially, "slam dunk" intelligence that meets this impossible standard.
Given the plethora of concessions over the last two years, Congress should now require President Obama to trash this badly flawed nuclear deal, increase sanctions, shoot down any Iranian satellites and long-range missile tests, and materially support dissidents and the majority of Iran's people who want regime change.
Congress should pass the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act to protect the national electric grid and the American people from an EMP apocalypse — immediately.
By the way, on June 13 an Iranian article — with artwork depicting a satellite making an EMP attack from above the globe — announced that Iran circumvented the international sanctions regime to acquire EMP filters, and is now making its own filters, to harden Iran's critical assets against nuclear EMP.
Dennis Ross: How to Make Iran Keep its Word
Proponents of the agreement over Iran’s nuclear program leave the impression it has no vulnerabilities and the alternative is war; opponents argue it has no virtues and there is an easy alternative—simply go back to the negotiating table and get a better deal by forcing our allies to choose between doing business with us or Iran. At this point, neither side persuades me.
The alternative to the agreement is not war but a mess with our allies. If the Iranians say they will not renegotiate the deal and will not implement the agreement unless the United States does as well, whose side will the other members of the 5+1 be on? Will the sanctions regime be sustainable under these circumstances? Alternatively, what happens if the Iranians declare they will implement the deal provided the EU and others do so? Under these circumstances, the Europeans, having committed in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to lifting their sanctions if Iran fulfills its major obligations, will proceed to carry out their side of the bargain. In either case, our allies will resist any effort on our part on our part to force them to preserve sanctions—and the historical record is not great about our imposing sanctions on European companies if their governments are resisting.
By the same token, the argument that the deal has no weaknesses and does not require any correctives is just as wrong. No agreement that permits the Iranians after fifteen years to produce highly enriched uranium (HEU) and build as large a nuclear infrastructure as they want should leave us feeling comfortable. Yes, the agreement buys us fifteen years but, should Iran begin to produce HEU, the time needed to produce weapons grade fissile material would be reduced to nearly zero.
That vulnerability is undeniable. It could be addressed if our focus became one of deterring the Iranians from cheating. President Obama emphasizes that the agreement is based on verification not trust. But our catching Iran cheating is less important than the price they know they will pay if we catch them. Deterrence needs to apply not just for the life of the deal. It becomes even more important afterwards, because Iran will be a threshold nuclear state and potentially capable of confronting the world with a nuclear weapons fait accompli.
Aaron David Miller: The ‘Truth’ About The Iran Deal
One thing that critics and defenders of the Iran nuclear agreement seem to have in common is the certainty, conviction and authority with which they present their views. It’s an historic breakthrough; no, it’s an historic catastrophe; it’s this agreement or war; and my favorite — this deal sucks; negotiations, more sanctions or threat of military force could have produced an infinitely superior one. The latter is simply unknowable. Indeed, it’s at times like these that I’m reminded of Tennyson’s wonderful quip that “there lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.”
Here are five supposed verities that, well, may or not be true.
The deal will stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
No it won’t. At best it’s an arms control agreement not a disarmament accord. And over time, some of its most important restrictions on core issues, such as advanced research on centrifuges and enrichment capacity, will end. The fact is Iran is already a nuclear weapons threshold state. And this accord will leave Tehran with an industrial-size nuclear infrastructure and the option to break out or even weaponize should it choose to do so. Will its leaders go that route? The decision that both U.S. and Israeli intelligence say they haven’t yet made is anyone’s guess.
U.S.-Israel contingency plans needed for Iranian nuclear accord aftermath
Looking ahead, it is incumbent upon the United States and Israel to prepare for the scenarios that may emerge as a result of the highly problematic nuclear accord with Iran that was just reached. The agreement poses clear risks to Israel’s national security, and at this time Israel possesses minimal opportunity to influence its impending implementation.
There are three potential scenarios that are likely to unfold in the foreseeable future for which the United States and Israel can jointly prepare with regard to Iran. Given the volatility of the Middle East’s regional turmoil, this strategic preparation would unquestionably factor in a level of unpredictability.
The first possibility, the “transformation scenario,” is the most optimistic of the three. In this case, Iran would undergo an internal transformation and emerge less radical and less threatening to Israel, and the West, by the end of the agreement. However, since the agreement will empower Iran’s core group of ideologically extreme leaders, it is unlikely that Ayatollah Khamenei’s inner circle will be replaced by a more reformed and younger generation of leaders.
The second possibility is the “North Korea scenario,” whereby Iran follows North Korea’s example and violates the agreement after a few years, breaking out toward a nuclear bomb. Albeit unlikely, it is possible that Iran several years down the line will decide that the benefits of breaking out toward a nuclear bomb outweigh the risk of the West’s response.
The third, most probable and most dangerous possibility is the “strategic patience scenario.” If this occurs, Iran will wait the agreement out for 10-15 years with the goal of emerging as a legitimate nuclear threshold state equipped with unlimited nuclear infrastructure. Once the agreement’s restrictions expire, Iran will possess near zero breakout time and emerge stronger than ever with expanded hegemonic conquests and improved nuclear expertise supported by funds received from the lifting of sanctions.
To best prepare for each of these three scenarios, I offer three policy recommendations to the United States and Israel.
Top General Gives ‘Pragmatic’ View of Iran Nuclear Deal
In his trademark to-the-point style, General Dempsey answered a barrage of questions from Republican senators that appeared intended to make him criticize the pact. The general — appearing alongside Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz, Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew — neither praised nor condemned the nuclear agreement.
Instead, he gave an assessment of both the potential and the limitations of the pact. “If followed, the deal addresses one critical and the most dangerous point of friction with the Iranian regime,” General Dempsey said. “But as I’ve stated repeatedly, there are at least five other malign activities which give us and our regional partners concern,” including the pursuit of ballistic missile technology, weapons trafficking, the use of surrogates and proxies, the use of naval mines, and undersea activity.
When Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, accused General Dempsey of “damning” the pact “with faint praise,” the general was again brief.
“First, Senator, I would ask you not to characterize my statement as tepid, nor enthusiastic, but rather pragmatic,” he said. “Relieving the risk of a nuclear conflict with Iran diplomatically is superior than trying to do that militarily.”
Ret. Admiral Stavridis: ‘You Can Drive a Truck Through’ Holes in Iran Deal
Retired Admiral James Stavridis rejected key talking points used by the Obama administration to sell the Iran nuclear deal in an interview Wednesday.
Admiral Stavridis, who served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander and is now Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, told MSNBC’s Morning Joe the deal may not catch Iranian nuclear cheating if it occurs.
“I think the top [issue] is the verification regime, which is starting to roughly resemble Swiss cheese,” Stavridis said. “You can drive a truck through some of the holes. I am very concerned about that.”
Defenders of the deal, such as Secretary of State John Kerry, have insisted the deal’s verification measures are airtight.
Stavridis expressed concern over Iran’s side deal about inspections with the IAEA, which may allow Iran to take its own environmental samples from suspicious sites.
“We need to have access to it and understand it,” Stavridis said about the side deal. “Reportedly, it puts Iran in the position of actually procuring samples as opposed to having them taken by the IAEA.” (h/t
Ret. Admiral Stavridis: 'You Can Drive a Truck Through' Holes in Iran Deal


ObamaDeal Exposed: It’s not ‘Secret’ from Congress but not in Writing
Fine and dandy, but the reasonable assumption is that someone knows about the arrangements.
Lee told the spokesman: But the notion – you said the notion that Congress hasn’t been looped in, but you haven’t been looped in because you guys haven’t read it.
Toner admitted: We haven’t received a written copy of it, but we have been briefed on the contents.
And Lee retorted: So someone with a photographic memory has looked at it and copied everything down in their brain and then repeated it up on the Hill?
Toner fidgeted and explained that “nuclear experts with much bigger degrees than I can ever attain have looked at this and their comfort level with it is good.”
But that does not answer the question, “If there is no secret deal, why isn’t a written version available?
AP Reporter Ribs State Dept Spox Over Iran Secret Deal


White House Says IAEA Will Release Report on ‘Past Military Dimensions’ of Iran Nuclear Program
The International Atomic Energy Agency will release a report on the “past military dimensions” of Iran’s nuclear program prior to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Thursday.
Earnest was referring to “side agreements” that have been made between the IAEA and Iran to clarify “past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program,” such as PMDs or the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.
Earnest said the deal struck in Vienna between Iran and world powers in which Iran received “some sanctions relief” in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program could not be implemented until the IAEA report was submitted.

Iran to IAEA: U.S. in Material Breach of Nuclear Agreement
Iran has taken action under the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last week, sending a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accusing the United States of being in “material breach” of the understandings. The letter, which was posted on the IAEA’s website yesterday, cites July 17 statements from White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest as the source of the complaint.
“The military option would remain on the table, but the fact is, that military option would be enhanced because we’d been spending the intervening number of years gathering significantly more detail about Iran’s nuclear program. So when it comes to the targeting decisions that would be made by military officials either in Israel or the United States, those targeting decisions would be significantly informed, and our capabilities improved, based on the knowledge that has been gained in the intervening years through this inspections regime.”
After quoting Earnest’s statement, the complaint continued:
The threat or use of force under any circumstances except in self-defense is a violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and such statements constitute a breach of erga omnes obligations under Article 2(4) of the Charter. Moreover, at a time when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is successfully concluded between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the P5+1, such a statement is totally unwarranted and seriously undermines the very basic principles required for its implementation that is expected to begin soon. These statements amount to a material breach of the commitments just undertaken by all JCPOA participants …
However, a complete reading of Earnest’s remark show that it was not a threat but a hypothetical.
Iran says it will ban US experts from UN nuclear inspections
Iran will not allow American or Canadian inspectors working for the U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit its nuclear facilities, an official said in remarks broadcast by state TV on Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran will only allow inspectors from countries that have diplomatic relations with it. The previously undisclosed remarks were made during a Sunday meeting with parliamentarians.
“American and Canadian inspectors cannot be sent to Iran,” said Araghchi. “It is mentioned in the deal that inspectors should be from countries that have diplomatic relations with Islamic republic of Iran.”
He also said inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency will not have access to “sensitive and military documents.”
Senior Khamenei Adviser Rejects UNSC Decision on Iranian Ballistic Missiles
Ali Akbar Velayati, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s advisor on International Affairs and a member of the Expediency Council, said that Iran rejected the UN Security Council’s decision regarding Tehran’s ballistic missiles testing, Tasnim News Agency reported on Wednesday.
He said the Council’s restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missiles testing, which he placed under the country’s defense capabilities, were unacceptable from Iran’s viewpoint.
“The recent UNSC Resolution on Iran’s defensive capabilities, specially (sic) its missiles, is unacceptable to Iran,” Fars News quoted Velayati as telling reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with a science delegation from the Non-Aligned Movement.
Velayati was referring to a recent U.N. Security Council Resolution that calls on Iran to refrain from working on its ballistic missiles program for eight years following Implementation Day of the nuclear deal.
He said the U.N. sought ton undermine Iranian sovereignty and the “Iranian-Islamic” character of the state through such resolutions.
In Wake of Iran Nuke Deal, Egypt and Saudi Arabia Sign Mutual Defense Pact
In the wake of the Iran nuclear deal, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed a pact boosting military and economic cooperation between the two leading Arab states.
On Thursday, a Saudi delegation led by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Cairo and met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, where they attended a military parade together.
“The two sides stressed the need to exert all efforts to boost security and stability in the region, and to work together to protect Arab national security,” Sisi’s office said, AFP reported.
According to the “Cairo Declaration,” both sides will work towards developing military cooperation, including establishing a Joint Arab Force, as well as enhancing joint cooperation and investment in the fields of energy, electricity and transportation, Al-Ahram reported.
Israeli diplomat: Don’t count on US Jews to unify against Iran deal
A top Israeli diplomat in the United States wrote his superiors to warn that they cannot count on the US Jewish community to oppose the Iran nuclear deal.
“At this crucial point of the Iranian issue — which for years has been at the core of Israeli foreign policy and was described countless times by the Israeli leadership as an existential threat — the Jewish community in the United States is not standing as a united front behind Israel and important parts of it are on the fence,” Yaron Sideman, the consul general in Philadelphia, wrote in a memo to Israel’s Foreign Ministry obtained by Haaretz on Thursday.
Sideman quoted a Jewish regional federation CEO as saying that campaigning against the deal could alienate the White House and Democrats, which could inhibit Jewish organizational influence.
Top French Official Contradicts Kerry on Iran Deal
The French official, Jacques Audibert, is now the senior diplomatic adviser to President Francois Hollande. Before that, as the director general for political affairs in the Foreign Ministry from 2009 to 2014, he led the French diplomatic team in the discussions with Iran and the P5+1 group. Earlier this month, he met with Democrat Loretta Sanchez and Republican Mike Turner, both top members of the House Armed Services Committee, to discuss the Iran deal. The U.S. ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, was also in the room.
According to both lawmakers, Audibert expressed support for the deal overall, but also directly disputed Kerry’s claim that a Congressional rejection of the Iran deal would result in the worst of all worlds, the collapse of sanctions and Iran racing to the bomb without restrictions.
“He basically said, if Congress votes this down, there will be some saber-rattling and some chaos for a year or two, but in the end nothing will change and Iran will come back to the table to negotiate again and that would be to our advantage,” Sanchez told me in an interview. “He thought if the Congress voted it down, that we could get a better deal.”
Putin's Aide: Upgrading S-300 Missile System for Iran Delivery
The West has long pressured Russia not to deliver its advanced S-300 missile defense system to Iran, but a senior Russian official on Thursday said the system is being upgraded ahead of delivery to the Islamic republic.
Iran's state-run media PressTV quoted Vladimir Kozhin, Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide on military and technical cooperation, saying that the system is to be modernized before being delivered to Iran. He gave no date for the delivery.
The comment refers to the fact that the original 2007 sales contract for the system was to have it delivered in 2010, but Russia withdrew its intention to sell due to pressure from the European Union (EU), which noted that UN nuclear sanctions banned the delivery.
But now with the Iran nuclear deal it would appear Russia may go ahead on the transaction, after chief executive Yan Novikov of the Russian state arms producer Almaz-Antey hinted as much in comments last month cited by PressTV.
"All restrictions have been lifted by the political authorities. When there is a contract, we will supply the system, including to Iran," Novikov said.

What If Malia Gave Obama the Ayatollah Treatment? (satire)
Obama awoke abruptly. He had been snoring in his chair in the Oval Office. He scraped his heels across the top of the Resolute desk and sprang to his feet. “Let me be clear,” he thought to himself. “I smell smoke!”
The commander-in-chief fled the West Wing and dashed upstairs to the White House residence. As he approached his eldest daughter’s bedroom door, his suspicions were confirmed.
“Open up, Malia,” Obama hollered. He knew that menacing odor personally: cigarettes.
“You’re smoking in there, aren’t you?”
“I will admit to no such activity, currently or as a matter of historical record,” the 17-year-old replied. “But I have every right to smoke tobacco — just as you used to do.”
“I have every right to see if you have cigarettes in there!” Obama insisted, pounding on Malia’s locked door. RELATED: With the Iran Deal, Obama’s Contempt for Congress Is on Full Display
“Okay,” she conceded. “You are welcome to ‘request access.’ Please write down your specific concerns and remember to ‘make available relevant information.’”
“What on Earth are you talking about?” Obama wondered, bewildered.
“I am quoting from your nuclear deal with Iran,” Malia explained. “I read the entire text to prepare for my Conflict in the Modern World class. After you take those steps, I’ll think it over for 24 to 78 days. If such stalling tactics are good enough for the ayatollahs, they are good enough for me.”
Richard Landes: Salem on the Thames
Academics like to think of themselves as autonomous thinkers, and academia—meaning literally the protected realm of free speech—gives professors not only the right to speak their minds but also, via the institution of tenure, protection against losing their livelihoods by displeasing those more powerful than themselves. The fact that civil polities treasure safe spaces for free speech attests to their progressive bona fides. Especially in our times, when new social networks can turn ominously feral, one would hope that academics and their institutions, especially small, face-to-face college communities, could return that investment and resist anonymous, predatory, crowd behavior.
Yet mob rule is precisely what happened this past semester at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, along the Thames River. Over the course of the past spring semester, philosophy professor Andrew Pessin was driven from campus based on a malevolent reading of a Facebook post in which he depicted “the situation” in Gaza as one in which the Israelis had confined a “rabid pit bull” to a cage, while animal rights activists protested for the poor beast’s release. Although Pessin didn’t specify in the text, he and a commenter did make clear that this metaphor referred to Hamas terrorists, not to the population generally.
But in an attack spearheaded by a Muslim student who in high school had begun a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, and a Muslim professor, recently appointed head of the new Global Islamic Studies Program, a small group of activists, given the run of the school paper by its editors, accused Pessin of comparing all Palestinians to rabid dogs and calling for them to be “put down.” Pessin, they claimed, “directly condoned the extermination of a people. A member of our community has called for the systematic abuse, killing, and hate of another people.” The editor who arranged for the publication of all three letters did not ask Pessin for a response in the same issue.
Times of London corrects: deletes claim that Bibi opposed Iran talks
On July 28th we asked a simple question: Can Times of London provide a source proving their claim that Israel has opposed negotiations between the world powers and Iran?
Here’s the relevant passage in the article (Huckabee likens Iran deal to Holocaust) by Times of London Middle East reporter Hugh Tomlinson.
Congress has two months in which to review the Vienna accord before voting to accept or reject it. Israel, which bitterly opposed negotiations with Iran from the outset, has been lobbying Congress for months in an attempt to block the deal.
We complained to Times of London editors, challenging the claim and noting that while Netanyahu has opposed the specific deal recently agreed upon, there is no evidence that he actually opposed talks altogether.
Times of London agreed, and deleted the passage in question. We commend their editors on responding positively to our complaint.
The significance of the BBC’s promotion of Peter Oborne’s Brotherhood washing
That 2014 BBC article made no effort whatsoever to provide audiences with information concerning the links of the organisations and individuals concerned to the Muslim Brotherhood and their common denominator of support for Hamas. A year of potential research time has now passed but whilst Oborne does mention his subjects’ links to the Muslim Brotherhood, he provides nothing in the way of concrete information about that organisation’s links to terrorism or their records of support for Hamas, its terrorism and its mission of eradicating Israel.
Oborne’s all too apparent adoption of the role of advocate for individuals and organisations supportive of the terrorist organization Hamas is not unexpected and neither, sadly, is the BBC’s decision to provide a platform – and presumably payment – for his agitprop.
But there is a deeply unsettling aspect to the BBC’s decision to promote Oborne’s whitewashing of the links of known extremists by means of the canard suggesting that all mainstream British Muslims may be subjected to exclusion and discrimination just at the time when the British government is taking on the battle of combating extremist ideology and narratives.
Simon Wiesenthal Center Calls on Frankfurt Book Fair to Ban 56 ‘Hatemongering Publishers’
Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center criticized the Frankfurt Book Fair on Thursday, urging organizers of the 2015 event to blacklist publishers inciting hatred and violence against Israel.
“These stands become focal points for imams visiting with their Koranic school classes,” the organization said in a released statement. “These hateful titles can serve as a low-tech instrument for recruitment of youth to jihad.”
The Center gave authorities behind the Frankfurt Fair a list of 56 “merchants of hate” and which countries they are from. Twenty hailed from Egypt, 19 from Syria/Lebanon, nine from Jordan/Palestinian, five from Saudi Arabia, two from Kuwait, one from Morocco, and one Arab publisher was from the United Kingdom.
The numbers were based on 251 antisemitic titles that the SWC monitored at book fairs around the world – 80 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 67 in Abu Dhabi; 53 in Muscat, Oman; 35 in Doha, Qatar; and 16 in Casablanca, Morocco.
The Center said the “Worst Offender” award goes to a publisher Dar-al-Kitab al-Arabi of Egypt, which published 78 of the 251 books identified as antisemitic.
Ohio State to stop marching band’s Holocaust spoof
Ohio State University condemned the behavior of students who wrote and distributed a song parody that ridiculed the Holocaust.
The song, titled “Goodbye Kramer,” appeared in a book of parodies updated in 2012 and circulated privately by members of the Ohio State University marching band, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The lyrics, to be sung to the tune of the 1981 Journey hit “Don’t Stop Believin,’” include references to Nazi soldiers “searching for people livin’ in their neighbor’s attic” and a “small town Jew … who took the cattle train to you know where.
In a statement, Ohio State said the songbook reflected “shocking behavior” that the school is “committed to eradicating from its marching band program.”
B’nai B’rith International, the Jewish human rights and advocacy group, condemned the song’s authors and praised the university’s response.
“It is never acceptable to trivialize Holocaust imagery,” it said in a statement Thursday. “To do so in a jovial tone and completely for the sake of offending is even more abhorrent.”
124 headstones toppled at Philadelphia cemetery
A historic Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia was vandalized, with 124 of its headstones knocked over.
The caretaker of Adath Jeshurun Cemetery discovered the toppled tombstones Thursday morning, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Johnny Gibson, who has worked at the 160-year-old cemetery for 44 years, said the vandals did not leave any markings or graffiti.
There are only a few new burials annually at the cemetery, which is in the northeastern neighborhood of Frankford and has not been vandalized in decades, according to Gibson.
“I don’t know who would do it,” he told NBC Philadelphia. “Were the people on drugs? Were they drunk? I don’t know. But you wouldn’t be in your right mind, I don’t think, to do something like this.”
IsraellyCool: Gloria Gaynor Serenades Shimon In Hebrew (Twice)
Last night, American queen of disco Gloria Gaynor, performed in Israel, but not before she dropped in on the Peres Center for Peace and displayed her Hebrew singing skills.
I am guessing it was highly appreciated, because it looks like Shimon (or someone else) asked her to repeat the performance!
She also told Shimmy “I love Israel and I am happy to be here.”
Happy to have you, Gloria.
Druze town tops Israel's high school matriculation rates
Beit Jann is number one for first time, with nearly 95 percent of students being eligible for matriculation certificate; haredi and Arab towns continue to populate bottom rungs.
The Druze village of Beit Jann Israel's highest rate of matriculation certificate eligibility among high school students in the 2013-14 school year, according to rankings released on Wednesday by the Education Ministry. The town previously came in at third and second places in the last two years, and by achieving the top spot, it has made good on a promise by its regional council chief.
In general, the rankings show towns with strong investment at the top, with haredi and Arab communities coming in lower.
According to the figures, 94.38 percent of Beit Jann students qualified for a matriculation certificate in the last school year, marking a 2.5 percent increase over the previous year. (h/t Phil)
2,000-Year-Old Coin Sheds Light on Roman Conquest of Jerusalem
A rare coin minted almost 2,000 years ago during the conquest of Jerusalem was recently found at an auction in Zurich, NRG reported. The find has helped shed light upon the Roman attitude at the time over the conquest, resulting in a large commemoration of the Roman victory over the Judean rebels.
The coin depicts a Jewess standing and peering across a palm tree and bears the inscription “IUDAEA RECEPTA,” or “Judea is re-captured.” Coins bearing this inscription were used to publicize the news of a captured territory that had been part of the Roman Empire once before.
The newly discovered coin is unlike other numerous coins minted by the Romans after the conquest of Jerusalem and the Judean province between 67-73 CE. Those coins bear the inscription “IUDAEA CAPTA” and portray a woman sitting on the floor under a palm tree or a legionnaire resting on a spear while a Jewish slave is captive at his feet.
The slight changes make all the difference. Unlike the “CAPTA” coins, which were minted to proclaim Roman victory over a new province that was being absorbed into the empire, the “RECAPTA” coin, marks a Roman conquest over a rebellion, rather than a war.


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Posted By Ian to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 06:00:00 PM

From The Forward:
Hoping to energize activists on the left to take on the battle for approval of the diplomatic deal with Iran, President Obama is invoking the memory of the Iraq war and reminding his allies of who led the nation into it.

But what many liberals hear as a powerful rallying call to avoid entering another military quagmire in the Middle East could seem tone deaf to some in the organized Jewish community.

Obama, in a conference call he convened Thursday with activists from progressive organizations, sounded alarm bells and warned against the growing power of opponents of the Iran deal who are pressuring members of Congress to vote to disapprove the agreements.

In his 20 minute appeal, Obama repeatedly weaved two themes known to strike a chord among progressives: the Iraq war, and the role of big money in Washington’s decision making process.

When put together it sounded something like this: Criticism of the deal, he said, comes “partly from the $20 million that’s being spent lobbying against the bill,” and “partly from the same columnists and former administration officials that were responsible for us getting into the Iraq war.“

The wording, though chosen carefully as not to conflate the two groups, treaded into a highly sensitive area for some in the Jewish community.

The mention of $20 million is a clear reference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is leading the lobbying efforts against the Iran deal and has raised, through a sister organization, this sum in order to fight for disapproving the agreement.

Tying AIPAC and those who pushed for military intervention in Iraq in the same argument, could be read as accepting the notion that the American Jewish community was behind the Iraq war. It is a notion the organized pro-Israel community has been trying to fight off for over a decade.

The idea that Jews laid the groundwork for the Iraq war stems, in part, from the fact that several national security and defense advisers in the Bush administration were Jewish neo-conservatives who supported the war. The organized Jewish community, however, did not call on the Bush administration to launch a military offensive against Iraq.

The reference was not lost on Jewish officials who are attuned to this sensitivity.

“Canard,” tweeted William Daroff of the Jewish Federations of North America as Obama spoke on the conference call.

And while Obama may have had no intention of giving credence to it, the pronounced equation he made between those supporting the Iraq war and those opposing the Iran deal, is likely to make many in the community feel uneasy.
As is the reference to “billionaires” bankrolling the political effort to defeat the agreement in Congress.

“You’ve got a whole bunch of folks who are big check writers to political campaigns, running TV ads, and billionaires who happily finance SuperPACs and they are putting the squeeze on members of Congress,” Obama said.

Again, Obama made no direct reference to any individual involved in funding the drive against the Iran deal, but it is clear that most of the money raised by pro-Israel groups for this campaign has come from Jewish donors.

And the Republican Jewish Coalition was quick to issue a statement condemning Obama for “demonizing” opponents of the deal and reminding Jewish leaders that when George H. W. Bush in 1991 about the power of lobbyists, he was criticized by Jewish groups for what was seen as a negative reference to the political power of Jewish Americans.
This is really contemptible. Instead of focusing on actual arguments, Obama is demonizing his opponents to his "progressive" base. And he is using the same types of lazy stereotyping evoking the Jewish lobby that one would normally see in the writings of Walt/Mearsheimer.

Characterizing those opposed to the deal as being supportive of war is slanderous as well, and many card-carrying liberals oppose the deal.

Finally, there is something both disgusting and pathetic about the supposed leader of the free world implying that his influence on Congress cannot approach that of a $20 million campaign. Obama has enormous influence and controls many levers of power, all of which he is using to push through this deal that gets worse the more you look at it. This presidential conference call is an example - no one opposing the deal can put together an initiative as effective as this, no matter how much money they have. Yet even with this incredible power, he is having problems convincing many legislators. So now he is whining that AIPAC is putting money into opposing the deal The alternative is to roll over and meekly trust that a single man knows what is best for the world. .

Is this Obama's idea of how democracy works?

The good news:
Obama’s call to arms directed at progressives could indicate that push back against the deal is greater than the White House had initially expected. The president told listeners he had spoken to members of Congress who are “getting squishy” in face of the pressure from opponents of the deal.

This conference call shows Obama's utter contempt for any other points of view, and it reveals far more about the pettiness and insecurities of Obama than about the power of the Jewish lobby that he is crying over.

(h/t EBoZ)



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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 02:12:00 PM
From Ian:

Alleged Jewish terrorists help the Islamists achieve their goals
Earlier this week, Hamas called for a “Day of Rage” on Friday to protest against what it claimed were efforts “to harm al-Aqsa Mosque” in Jerusalem. It is unlikely anybody in Israel’s security establishment was unduly bothered. Hamas has been trying for some time to heat up the West Bank, without much success. But what happened overnight in Duma, south of Nablus, entirely changes the picture.
The despicable murder of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha, in an attack that also leaves his mother, father and brother fighting for their lives, is likely to shatter the Palestinians’ indifference. The Day of Rage that seemed unlikely to bring thousands into the streets may now become a day of violent confrontation and the start of the escalation Hamas has long been seeking.
Sickeningly, the Jewish terrorists allegedly responsible for the Duma attack are helping an Islamist terror group achieve its goals.
There is, it should be stressed, no guarantee that a widespread Palestinian protest will erupt and be sustained. For years, the Palestinian masses have refrained from joining the Islamists’ efforts at escalation against Israel, for several reasons: a lack of motivation given the scars of the Second Intifada; the desire to find employment and a better quality of life; and deep disappointment in both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
Don’t let the dark side win
Can it be that this is taking place in the same country?
On a balmy Thursday, a small group of Jerusalem-area Palestinians and Israelis sat around a large table at a café near the Almog Junction on the way to the Dead Sea. The topic of this installment in their congenial monthly interfaith encounter between Muslims and Jews was the concept of heaven and hell in each religion.
A couple hours later, around 1,000 mostly Anglo music lovers of all ages gathered at Jerusalem’s Kraft Stadium for the annual Jerusalem Woodstock Revival featuring the good vibes and sounds of the 1960s. Both events symbolized the country aiming for its ideals – tolerance, understanding and freedom.
However at the same time as kippa-clad, tie-dye t-shirt wearers were grooving to the music of Cream and The Grateful Dead, three kilometers away a crazed Jewish extremist was stabbing six people who had gathered to support or participate in the Jerusalem Pride parade.
A few hours after that, two masked men – believed to be Jewish settlers, reached the Dawabsha home in the Palestinian village of Duma, broke windows, and hurled Molotov cocktails inside. The fire that resulted killed the family’s toddler, Ali Saad Dawabsha and seriously injured three members of his family.
Those incidents capped a week of unrest that can only be considered insurgence against the state of Israel – from within. Settlers hurled rocks at security forces in Beit El, after the troops began demolishing two illegal buildings. Bayit Yehudi MK Moti Yogev called to “bulldoze the Supreme Court” in response to an earlier High Court of Justice rejection of an appeal seeking to prevent their demolition.
Thursday night’s anti-gay stabbing, the Duma terror atrocity, the attacks by right-wing extremists on security forces and threats made by legislators against Israeli institutions all point to the fact that there are Jews in Israel who aren’t prepared to accept its democratic nature.
Israelly Cool: Thou Shall Not Murder
Less than 24 hours. 2 shocking acts of murder and attempted murder.
Seemingly perpetrated by fellow Jews.
The first: Stabbing of participants at yesterday’s Jerusalem gay pride parade, by a so-called “Orthodox” Jew.
The second: The murder of a toddler in an arson attack perpetrated against a palestinian family, in an apparent “price tag attack.”
I cannot not address these acts.
Both attacks had a religious element. As a religiously observant Jew, I feel compelled to speak out loudly and clearly against this desecration of G-d’s name and corruption of the ideals of the Torah from where we are taught “Thou shall not murder.”
There is no way it is G-d’s will to have His name desecrated in commission of crimes going against one of His Ten Commandments.
There are no ifs and buts about it. These are deplorable, evil acts and we need to speak out promptly and clearly against them, just like we do against palestinian terrorism.
And yes, I do consider them also to be terrorism, rather than simply “hate crimes.” True, these are not the acts of terror organizations, but rather individuals. However, this is not a prerequisite for terrorism, which can be defined as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”



PM condemns ‘horrific, heinous terror attack’ on Palestinians
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday forcefully condemned the arson attack on a Palestinian family — in which an infant was burned to death — as a “horrific, heinous” crime that is “a terror attack in every respect.”
Two homes in the Palestinian village of Duma, south of Nablus, were set alight, and the Hebrew words “Revenge” and “Long live the king messiah” were spray-painted on their walls, alongside a Star of David, overnight Thursday-Friday, apparently by Jewish extremists.
The child killed in the attack, Ali Saad Dawabsha, was 18 months old. The infant’s parents, as well as his 4-year-old brother, were all injured and evacuated to the hospital. The mother and toddler were in critical condition.
“I am shocked by this horrific, heinous act,” said Netanyahu in a statement. “This is a terror attack in every respect. The State of Israel deals forcefully with terror, regardless of who the perpetrators are.”
Ya'alon: We will not allow Jewish terrorists to harm Palestinians
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon referred to the incident and the death of baby Ali Dawabsha as "a most severe terrorist act that we cannot tolerate, and we condemn in every way."
He noted that all security forces including the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the IDF and police are carrying out a "supreme effort" to find those responsible, saying "we will pursue them until we get our hands on them."
"We will not allow Jewish terrorists to harm the lives of Palestinians across Judea and Samaria. We will fight them in every way, with every tool at our disposal."
He sent out his condolences to the Dawabsha family and requested restraint from the public "to allowing security forces to carry out their mission of capturing the murderers."
Opposition leader MK Herzog echoed a similar sentiment, calling the attack "a disaster--the worst kind of terrorism."
On his Facebook page, he added that this incident "requires national mourning." He also advised security officials to "increase vigilance and to investigate the incident with all the power available to them, including arrests and investigations to bring those responsible to justice as quickly as possible."
Bayit Yehudi leader, MK Naftali Bennett's response referred to the incident as "shocking" and flat out murder, "not a hate crime, and not a price tag attack."
He, too, called on security services to "act with determination to reach the murderers to be punished to the full extent of the law."
Invoking Holocaust, minister urges soul-searching after arson attack
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) on Friday said that Israelis must do some serious “soul-searching” after a Palestinian toddler was killed in an arson attack, likely by Jewish extremists.
“We have a lot of lessons to learn as a society as a result of the incidents of last night,” said Erdan. “The signs point to this attack being carried out by Jews. A nation whose children were burned in the Holocaust needs to do a lot of soul-searching if it bred people who burn other human beings.”
The minister urged “restraint, calm and coexistence,” in the aftermath of the attack in the village of Duma.
Two homes in the Palestinian village south of Nablus, were set alight, and the Hebrew words “Revenge” and “Long live the king messiah” were spray-painted on their walls, alongside a Star of David, overnight Thursday-Friday. The child killed in the attack, Ali Saad Dawabsha, was 18 months old. The infant’s parents, as well as his 4-year-old brother, were all injured and evacuated to the hospital. The mother and toddler were reported to be in critical condition.
The attack was condemned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli politicians.
Israel hasn't done enough to combat Jewish terrorism, Rivlin says
Israel's leadership joined their European colleagues on Friday in denouncing the deadly arson attack that claimed the life of a Palestinian toddler in the West Bank before dawn.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Friday afternoon in the wake of the terror attack in Duma and said that Israel was shocked by the act of “heinous terror.”
“We must fight together against terror, regardless of the side it comes from,” he said. He told Abbas that he directed the security services to use all means at its disposal to locate the murderers of the Palestinian baby, Ali Dawabsha.
IDF and Police Bracing for Arab Revenge after Murder of Baby near Shechem
The presumed Jewish terrorists whose arson attack killed a baby and left the other and a brother in critical condition may have set fire to the entire country.
Hamas and other Palestinian Authority groups already had planned another “day of rage” Friday because of the recent deaths of three Arab rioters who clashed with Israeli police and soldiers.
This morning’s arson attack literally poured oil on the flames.
Thousands of soldiers have been deployed to the Temple Mount, where authorities are restricting entrance for Muslim prayers Friday morning because of fears of violence. All leaves of absence for soldiers have been postponed at lest until Friday afternoon.
Doctors at Tel HaShomer Hospital in Tel Aviv are desperately trying to save the lives of the baby’s mother and a brother, who were severely burned in the pre-dawn attack.
IDF Helicopter Flew Arson Victims to Tel Aviv Hospital [video]
The IDF has released a video showing Palestinian Authority medics and Israeli soldiers working together to carry a victim of the arson-murder Friday morning to a military helicopter.
The aircraft flew to Tel HaShomer Hospital.
An 18-month-old baby dies in the “price-tag” arson, and the mother and another child are un critical condition.
The Jewish terrorists threw a Molotov cocktail into the window of the victims’ small home in the village of Duma, near Shechem. Four Jews fled the scene, according to eyewitnesses.
The IDF and police are combing Judea and Samaria to search and arrest the attackers.
IDF Forces Airlift Palestinian Victim to Israeli Hospital


Netanyahu orders PA be updated on Israeli efforts to find arsonists
The prime minister urged the swift capture of the perpetrators, apparently Jewish extremists.
The PA said earlier that it holds the Israeli government responsible for the attack in the West Bank village of Duma, in which a Palestinian baby was burned to death. Netanyahu has condemned the attack as a “horrific, heinous” crime that is “a terror attack in every respect.”
Netanyahu spoke with Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, and IDF Civil Administration head Yoav Mordechai, a statement from his office said.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu was updated that extensive searches are being carried out in the area, backed by vigorous intelligence efforts,” it said. “Prime Minister Netanyahu asked that the PA be updated on these efforts.”
EU Calls for 'Zero Tolerance' After Arson Attack
The EU urged Israel Friday to show "zero tolerance" after an arson attack in the Palestinian Authority (PA) village of Duma killed a baby and injured four others. The attack was blamed on "settlers" in Judea and Samaria, although no suspects have been arrested yet.
"The Israeli authorities should...take resolute measures to protect the local population. We call for full accountability, effective law enforcement and zero tolerance for settler violence," a spokesperson for EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogeherini said, according to AFP.
Earlier Friday, EU Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen also condemned the attack.
Jordan pans ‘ugly’ arson attack, holds Israel responsible
Jordan on Friday condemned as an “ugly crime” an arson attack by suspected Jewish extremists that killed a Palestinian toddler in the West Bank and wounded three family members.
“This ugly crime could have been avoided if the Israeli government had not ignored the rights of the Palestinian people and turned its back on peace… in the region,” government spokesman Mohammed Momani said.
Momani, who is also minister of state for media affairs, said Jordan holds Israel “responsible” for the death of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha and for all attacks on the Palestinian people.
PA: Israel responsible for baby’s death, will take to ICC
PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said the Israeli government’s support for settlements drove the attack, and urged the international community to respond. Israel’s Channel 2 said Abbas termed the attack “a war crime.”
“This is a heinous crime that wouldn’t have happened if the government didn’t defend the settlers, and insisted on building in the settlements,” he said, according to Israel Radio. Rudeineh’s comments came two days after the government approved 300 housing units in the settlement of Beit El, following an uproar over the demolition of two illegal buildings there.
Rudeineh likened the attack to the killing of East Jerusalem teenager Muhammed Abu Khdeir last summer by Jewish extremists. He urged the international community to respond not merely with words, but with actions.
The killing of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha will be one of the leading issues brought to the International Criminal Court against Israel, said Rudeineh.
Palestinian official Saeb Erekat also maintained Israel was “fully responsible.
Hamas: 'Every Israeli is now a legitimate target' following Duma terror attack
Hamas said Friday that every Israeli is now a legitimate target following the deadly terror attack in the village of Duma in which a Palestinian toddler was killed, Israel Radio reported. In an official message to the public, Hamas also called for a "day of rage" to protest the deadly terror attack and "in order to protect al-Aksa mosque."
Palestinian toddler Ali Dawabsha was killed and three members of his family injured after a molotov cocktail was thrown at their home by suspected far-right extremists, in the village of Duma, in the northern area of the West Bank, outside the city of Nablus.
Israeli and Palestinian security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank were placed on high alert following the attack.
Increased IDF forces were called into the area to help maintain security on the main roads throughout the West Bank to prevent any attempts to attack Israeli vehicles in retaliation.
Six stabbed at J'lem pride parade by same assailant who attacked parade in 2005
Six people were stabbed at the Jerusalem pride parade on Thursday evening, police said. The suspected attacker had carried out a similar attack on the parade 10 years ago.
One of the victims, a 17-year-old girl, was in very serious condition after surgery for stab wounds to the chest, though doctors said they hoped her condition would stabilize in the coming hours. A man aged 26, also stabbed in the chest, was in stable condition after surgery, according to Dr. Ofer Merin at Shaare Zedek hospital.
The suspect in the attack, an ultra-Orthodox man who was protesting against the parade, was wrestled to the ground by police and arrested.
He was named as Yishai Schlissel. Police confirmed that Schlissel is the same man who stabbed three marchers in Jerusalem’s Gay Pride parade in 2005. He was released from jail three weeks ago.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the “despicable hate crime” and vowed to protect the gay and lesbian community.
After attack on pride parade, PM condemns ‘despicable hate crime’
The prime minister led a chorus of condemnation from across the political spectrum as all parties, right, left, and ultra-Orthodox, spoke out against the attack.
“The State of Israel respects the private freedom of individuals which is a fundamental principle exercised in this country,” Netanyahu said. “We must ensure that every man and every woman can live in full security in any way that they choose. This is how we have acted in the past and this is how we will continue to act. I wish all the wounded a speedy recovery.”
“We came together today for a festive event, but the joy was shattered when a terrible hate crime occurred here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel,” he said.
“People celebrating their freedom and expressing their identity were viciously stabbed. We must not be deluded — a lack of tolerance will lead us to disaster. We cannot allow such crimes, and we must condemn those who commit and support them. I wish the injured a full and speedy recovery.”
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat vowed that freedom of expression would not by defeated by violence in the capital.
Police blasted for letting gay pride assailant strike again
Schlissel had made a series of statements following his release from prison three weeks ago, indicating that he was planning another attack on the gay pride rally.
As the chaos of the attack began to subside, a number of marchers were seen angrily confronting Edri.
“You knew he was just released from jail, and yet you did nothing to keep him away from here! Shame on the police!” one of the marchers shouted.
Pressing Edri on the issue, Channel 2 news asked why no preemptive police action had been taken, given that Schlissel had been publicly vocal about continuing his efforts to harm Israel’s LGBT community.
Following his release, Schlissel distributed a handwritten, anti-gay manifesto in which he called the pride march “shameful” and “blasphemous,” and alluded to plans to perpetrate another attack.
“It is incumbent upon every Jew to risk beatings or imprisonment and together to stop the desecration for the sanctity of His name. If we refrain from declaring war, they’ll feel free to spread this shame all over the world,” he said.
Side by side pictures showing the a suspect in a stabbing attack on July 30, 2015 and Yishai
Ten days ago, he gave an interview to an ultra-Orthodox media channel in which he said his 2005 attack was “an act of extremism… but this march has to be stopped.” The gay community wants to “despoil the people of Israel,” he said.
Bennett to ‘dramatically’ boost funding for LGBT group
Hours after a stabbing attack at Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade wounded six people, Education Minister Naftali Bennett said he plans to “dramatically” increase state funding for a group that helps LGBT minors.
Bennett, a member of the national-religious Jewish Home party, announced on Thursday night that more money would go to Israel Gay Youth, Ynet reported. He did not specify the amount of funding.
He also instructed ministry officials to draw up an educational plan to prevent incitement and violence against the gay community.
“I will not agree to have youth in the State of Israel afraid to go out into the street due to their way of life. We will respond to this attack with actions, not just words, in order to strengthen and provide tools to teenagers suffering from… homophobia at schools.”
Jerusalem chief rabbi visits victims of gay pride parade stabbing spree
Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Aryeh Stern visited on Friday the victims of Thursday's stabbing attack who were taking part in the Jerusalem pride march.
He spoke with those injured and denounced the attack as "totally contrary to the Torah" during his visit to the Hadassah Ein Karem hospital where the victims are being treated
"This is a day for prayer for the injured and for unity," said Stern
"The person that committed this sinful act is a criminal in every way, and his intention to kill Jews is something which is terrifying.
"Differences of opinion and dispute are legitimate and will continue but raising ones hand against ones fellow is forbidden"
Stern added that the religious community "does not and will not tolerate such acts," and continued saying "people who believe in the fear of Heaven are very distant from these deeds.
'Gay Parade Stabber Desecrated G-d's Name'
Leading religious Zionist Rabbi Chaim Druckman, dean of the Or Etzion Yeshiva and chairman of the center of Bnei Akiva yeshiva and ulpana religious high schools, spoke on Friday morning about the morning's arson attack and the stabbing at the gay pride parade in Jerusalem the day before.
The stabbing was committed by a haredi man named Yishai Shlissel, who just weeks earlier was released after having been in jail for stabbing three people at the same controversial march in 2005.
"Yishai Shlissel is a lowly murderer and by his (religious) outward appearance he also adds an awful desecration of G-d's name," said Rabbi Druckman.
"Our rabbis teach us that everyone who has mercy for mankind is known to be of the seed of our forefather Avraham (Abraham), and everyone who does not have mercy for mankind is known not to be of Avraham's seed. The behavior of Yishai Shlissel is the complete opposite of Jewish behavior, and he must be treated severely likely every criminal."
Gay Pride Stabber 'Does Not Recognize' Israeli Gov't
The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court extended the detention of Yishai Shlissel, the attacker who stabbed six people during Jerusalem's Gay Pride parade Thursday, by another twelve days on Friday.
Shlissel stated at the beginning of the hearing that he does not "trust" the Israeli government, and blamed it for his actions.
"I don't recognize government institutions," he stated, according to Walla! News. "The court did not act according to Torah scholars."
Until three weeks ago, Shlissel was serving time in an Israeli prison for attempted murder after carrying out a similar attack on the Jerusalem Gay Pride parade in 2005.
After pride parade stabbing, Zionist Union MK comes out
MK Itzik Shmuli of the Zionist Union party came out of the closet on Friday, a day after a stabbing attack at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade injured six people.
The lawmaker penned a column in the Hebrew language Yedioth Ahronoth daily, under the headline: “The knife is raised on my community.”
“We cannot be silent any longer,” wrote Shmuli. “We cannot be silent any longer because the knife is raised on the entire LGBT community — my community — and it won’t stop there.”
The column was Shmuli’s first public comment on his sexuality, which was the subject of some speculation last December when a prominent LGBT activist urged Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog to dismiss the closeted MK in his party.
In a column on the Mako news website, Gal Uchovsky had urged Herzog to wrestle with the “elephant in the room.”
MEMRI: Following Reports Of Death Of Lebanese Terrorist Samir Al-Quntar, MEMRI Presents Archival Statements By Him From Interviews And Addresses
Following reports that Lebanese terrorist Samir Al-Quntar has been killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Syria, MEMRI has compiled a number of his statements, from his interviews and addresses.
In 1979, Samir Al-Quntar participated in a terror attack in the Israeli city of Nahariya, kidnapping a four-year-old girl and her father from their home and killing them on a nearby beach. He was arrested and sentenced to five life sentences plus 47 years for his role in the attack; on July 16, 2008, he was released along with four other prisoners as part of an Israel-Hizbullah deal, in return for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah two years earlier.
After his release, Al-Quntar was given a hero's welcome in Lebanon, and was decorated by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Al-Jazeera TV reported his release as news and held an on-air birthday party for him, complete with cake, fireworks, and orchestra.
Following are excerpts from statements made by Al-Quntar in interviews and addresses following his release in 2008.
Terrorist fires at Israeli car in West Bank as clashes break out with IDF in Hebron
A suspected Palestinian terrorist carried out a drive-by shooting attack on an Israeli vehicle on Friday in the Binyamin region of the West Bank near Kochav Hashahar. The Israeli driver in the vehicle told the army he fired back at the gunman. There were no injuries in the incident. The army found three bullet holes in the Israeli vehicle that came under fire.
A couple of hours later, Palestinian rioters clashed with IDF soldiers in Hebron. The incident occurred near the al-Rasoul Mosque, when Palestinians on a march hurled rocks and burning tires at security forces in the area.
Soldiers responded with riot dispersal means, and fired Roger low intensity rounds at the legs of a suspect, an army spokeswoman said. He sustained a light injury, the spokeswoman added.
22 Jews Injured in 60 Arab Attacks This Week
From last Friday to this this Friday, 22 Jews were injured in 60 recorded terror attacks (see list below).
The attacks include firebombs, targeted fireworks, stone-throwing, burned fields, firebomb attacks on Jewish homes and explosive devices.
The following is a list of the attacks, compiled by HaKol HaYehudi:
Red Cross Won't Give Hamas's Response on Captives
Jacques De Maio, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's delegation in Israel and "the occupied territories," told the Hamas paper Al-Risalah Net that he had contacted Hamas about the fate of captured Israelis after receiving requests from their families.
According to De Maio, contact between the Red Cross and the families of missing Israelis currently held in Gaza has been completely covert.
The Red Cross relayed the request for details about the missing Israelis to Hamas, according to De Maio, but he refused to divulge the response given by the Hamas terrorist organization regarding their fate.
Aside from two Israelis - Avraham Mengistu and an unnamed Bedouin Israeli - who apparently entered Gaza months ago due to mental illness before being captured by Hamas, the terror group is holding the bodies of two IDF soldiers - Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin - who were killed in last summer's war.
The Red Cross representative stated that the issue of Israeli civilians being held in Gaza is not a matter for negotiations by his group according to international law.
PreOccupied Territory: Report: Oh, @&$#!, Not Again (satire)
In the day following a stabbing attack on the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade and a fatal arson attack on a Palestinian family, officials say evidence is mounting that Oh, @&$#! why is this happening again?
The stabbing yesterday, perpetrated by a man recently released after serving most of his sentence for a nearly identical attack ten years ago, and the arson last night, which killed a toddler and seriously injured other family members, strengthened the assessment among Israelis that the $#!t has seriously hit the goddamn fan.
Officials from across the political, religious, and ideological spectrum condemned each of the attacks, which many specifically called terrorism. Religious leaders were especially unequivocal in their denouncement of the stabbing, perpetrated by a Haredi man, stressing that the disgrace was made even greater by his claim that he was acting in the name of the faith, and that, Oh, mother%$#*ing hell, not this again. Additionally, the IDF vowed to apprehend those responsible for the so-called “price tag” attack on Palestinian civilians and to bring them to justice, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his personal sorrow and that of the Israeli government, to the effect that &%$#ing mother*&%$ing $%@*, but this is *&^%$ing inhumane and must not be tolerated.
Some Israeli observers tried to find a silver lining in the *)&ing shameful episodes by noting that the across-the-board revulsion to the hate crimes offers a striking contrast to the way terrorists are ebmraced, feted, and treated as national heroes by Palestinians, but those voices were drowned out by the groundswell of holy God in Heaven, how did it come to this?


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Posted By Ian to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 12:00:00 PM
Earlier this week Haaretz reported that an Ottoman-era land deed shows that the illegal Arab village of Sussiya was really on private land owned by Arabs (although it admitted that they had no permission to build on land slated for agriculture.)

Is the land privately owned by the Arab Jabor family?

If you are relying on an Ottoman land deed, then you must also rely on Ottoman law to determine the owner of the land. And, as an op-ed in the JPost shows, the Ottoman land law proves that the land has not been privately owned for well over a century.


According to the Ottoman Land Code (OLC) 1858 (Article 68), if a person to whom the land was given (tassaruf – the right to usufruct of land) was absent (mahlul) for three years and did not use or cultivate the land, or pay fees and taxes, the land reverts to the governing authority. Under the OLC, the land could be passed to legal heirs within five years after the grantee’s death, however only with the approval of the governing authority and only as long as taxes were paid. If not claimed or taxes not paid, the property reverts to the authority.

As such, according to the Ottoman Land Code, for the grantee to continue to hold some sort of property rights, the governing authority had to be paid taxes and tithes. In other words, a kushan (Ottoman land deed) is not enough; the land had to be used and taxes and fees had to be paid.

And there are many other restrictions that applied, depending on the type of land and its various categories, which are delineated in the Land Code (Article 3).

If a person cultivated an area for 10 consecutive years, he could apply for a title deed (OLC Article 78). But, if the land were abandoned (mahlul), at any time, even though he had cultivated it for a few years, he would lose his claim to ownership and the grant.

Again, even if he could apply and didn’t, or didn’t pay the taxes or the tithes, the land would revert to the governing authority.

It is clear from documents, historical and more recent observations, maps (1890-1945) and aerial photographs that the land claimed by these Arab squatters at Sussiya has not been continuously cultivated, taxes have not been paid and inheritance has not been applied for. Therefore their claims of ownership based on an Ottoman Empire land grant from 1881 are baseless.
According to this, even at the end of the Ottoman Empire the land was no longer owned by the Jobar family, but it had reverted to being state land - a status that remained under British, Jordanian and now Israeli rule.




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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 10:00:00 AM
This morning, Amnesty tweeted:




Looking at the episode in Amnesty's Gaza Platform, we see that Amnesty researched the incident itself, and while it reached a biased conclusion, the most relevant facts were purposely excluded from the tweet:


Alaa al-Assar told Amnesty International’s fieldworker that there was no fighting in the area on the day of the attack and that no one living in the al-Bayoumi building was involved in any military activities, nor affiliated politically with any faction.

However, two neighbours maintained that, following the attack, they found out that at least four members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, including a battalion commander and a communications officer, were apparently using the empty apartment in the building for some time prior to the attack. One of them was said to have been killed in the attack on the al-Bayoumi home, but his name is not known to Amnesty International and does not appear in the list of named individuals killed below. It was said that another was injured in the attack, while two others escaped and were killed in an attack on a nearby mosque. Amnesty International has been unable to verify this information.

However, even if the empty flat in the al-Bayoumi building was used by the al-Qassam Brigades, the loss of civilian life in this attack was clearly disproportionate. The survivors of the attack said that they received no warning and the Israeli army has made no statement concerning either the intended target or any warning given. The Israeli forces were under an obligation to take all feasible precautions, including – given the large number of civilians present – calling off the attack or issuing a warning to the building’s residents and those of neighbouring buildings to evacuate, before carrying out the attack.
This terrorist, Shadi Muhammad Jumaa Abu Zaher, seems to be one of the Hamas members killed in the attack. His name was not released in any list of fatalities, making him one of many Hamas militants whom Hamas hid from researchers like Amnesty to make attacks like this one appear to be purely against civilians. 100 such Hamas members have been identified so far by the Meir Amit ITIC. This research is available to everyone, including Amnesty International.



Notice how Amnesty puts in disclaimers around two independent testimonies saying that this was a Hamas command and control center, while most of its reporting in the same document quotes Gazans who accuse Israel of crimes without any questioning of their facts.

Amnesty here is knowingly lying about the laws of armed conflict. By saying that  "the loss of civilian life in this attack was clearly disproportionate" in relation to the military value of the building, without knowing what the military value was, is simply libel.

As we have shown, under international law, an attack on a communications hub in Serbia that was only knocked out for a single day was not considered a violation of the laws of armed conflict even though the number of fatalities were higher than this instance. Amnesty's claim of "clearly disproportionate" is flatly wrong. The entire reason Israel did not give warning in this case - as opposed to hundreds of other cases - was obviously because this was a high-value military target.

There was a war crime here, though.

Hamas was using the Bayoumi family and others as human shields. Amnesty gathered the evidence proving that Hamas chose a residential building to build a command center and station at least four militants there. Yet instead of blaming Hamas for putting the families at risk- precisely because international law does not tie the hands of an army when the value of a valid military  target is high - Amnesty makes up its own international law and accuses Israel of violating it.

Amnesty could have at least mentioned that two witnesses said that this was a Hamas military center. Instead, its tweet was designed to castigate Israel even though amnesty knows the facts are being badly misrepresented by this tweet. And they assume, correctly, that few will research the actual incident.

Which proves, yet again, how little Amnesty shows regard for the truth when it comes to Israel.




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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 08:00:00 AM
El Bashayer Online says that Hassan Nasrallah, head of Hezbollah, claimed in a speech that "Jewish rabbis" declared Netanyahu to be the Messiah. Nasrallah notes that the Jewish Messiah will not come from heavens but be born as a normal human being! Therefore, he says that the Messiah's first job is to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque and Netanyahu is the man who is most likely to do that according to these rabbis.

Meanwhile, a Tunisian newspaper has an article about Muslims visiting a Jewish cemetery and being upset at how it is not being taken care of. The piece is written poetically, sad at the decay in the cemetery and wistful about the people whose lives are described ion the headstones in French and Hebrew, along with symbols and pictures.


Articles that are so sympathetic to Jews are rare in Arab media.

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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/31/2015 05:30:00 AM

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