Stand for Israel

The Fellowship takes care of Israel's children

The Jerusalem Post reports on how the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is helping the children of Israel by building playgrounds for day care centers:

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is joining with Na'amat, Emunah and WIZO to contribute 51 Fellowship Playgrounds to 22 day care centers.

The IFCJ is funded by donations from Evangelical Christians who have a love for Israel and the relationships between Jews and Christians. The IFCJ paid NIS 1.4 million toward the project.

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, the founder and president of the IFCJ, commended the women's organizations for their work with young children.

"[We] are happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the children of Israel," he said on Tuesday. "The Fellowship will continue to initiate partnerships which will strengthen Israeli society."

The IFCJ chose to sponsor playgrounds because they promote healthy development, Eckstein said.

The teachers appreciate the new facilities, too. "Since receiving our playground, the kids are happy to go and play outside," one said.

It's not just the children and teachers who appreciate the new equipment, but the parents, too, since they help the children's motor development.

The IFCJ gives around $60m. a year to Israeli causes, particularly to poor neighborhoods that lack adequate infrastructure.

Iran's iron fist

Tehran is in a state of emergency as the government continues its increasingly brutal crackdown against protesters. Hardliners and opposition politicians are searching for a compromise behind the scenes, but Iran's supreme leader is refusing to make any concessions.

Read more...

Pat Robertson interviews Nonie Darwish

Click here to see Pat Robertson's interview with Nonie Darwish at CBN.com: Sharia Law: Tearing the West in Two

Settlements provide jobs for Palestinians

By Khaled Abu Toameh:

The last thing that Abu Mohammed al-Najjar wants is for Israel to succumb to US and European pressure and halt construction in the West Bank settlements.

As far as the 58-year-old laborer is concerned, freezing the construction would be a disaster not only for him and his family, but for thousands of other Palestinians working in various settlements in the West Bank.

Of course, this does not mean that they support Israel's policy of construction in the settlements. But for them, it's simply a matter of being able to support their families.

"I don't care what the leaders say and do," al-Najjar told The Jerusalem Post at one of the new construction sites in Ma'aleh Adumim. "I need to feed my seven children, and that's all I care about for now."

The phenomenon of Palestinians building new homes for Jewish settlers is not new. In fact, Palestinian laborers have been working in the construction business from the first day the settlements began in the West Bank.

Today, Palestinian Authority officials estimate, more than 12,000 Palestinians are employed by both Jewish and Arab contractors building new homes in the settlements.

In some cases, Palestinians have found jobs in settlements that are located near their villages and towns.

Jamal Abu Sharikheh, 27, of the village of Bet Ur al-Tahta, has been working as a construction laborer in Givat Ze'ev for the past three years.

Asked if he had any problem building homes in the settlements at a time when the international community was demanding that Israel freeze the construction work, the father of four also said he was trying to support his family "in a dignified manner."

He and most of the laborers interviewed by the Post over the past week said they had never come under pressure from fellow Palestinians to stay away from work in the settlements.

"If they want us to leave our work, they should offer us an alternative," Abu Sharikheh said. "We don't come to work in the settlements for ideological reasons or because we support the settlement movement. We come here because our Palestinian and Arab governments haven't done anything to provide us with better jobs."

Back in Ma'aleh Adumim, most of the Palestinian laborers said they had no problem revealing their identities.

"We're not doing anything wrong," explained Ibrahim Abu Tair, a 42-year-old father of eight from the village of Um Tuba, southwest of Jerusalem. "We're not collaborators and we're not terrorists. We just want to work."

He said that during the first intifada, which began at the end of 1987, some Palestinian groups tried to stop Palestinians from heading to work in the settlements.

"In the beginning there were threats and physical assaults on some workers," he noted. "But the leaders of the intifada later realized that depriving the laborers of their livelihood would have a boomerang effect on the Palestinians. That's why they allowed the workers to go to the settlements."

Even today the PA does not object to Palestinians working in settlements, although its representatives say they would like to see the Palestinians work elsewhere.

"We can't tell the workers to stay at home without providing them with solutions, "admitted a Palestinian official in Ramallah. "We're talking about thousands of families in the West Bank that rely on this work as their sole source of income."

Some of the laborers said that boycotting work in the settlements would be ineffective and pointless because their employers would have no difficulty replacing them with Chinese or other foreign workers.

"Look how many foreign workers there are inside Israel today," complained Jawdat Uwaisat, 44, of the village of Sawahreh in the Bethlehem area. "There are about 150,000 workers from different countries who have taken our places of work inside Israel. They are even bringing workers from Thailand and Turkey."

He said that he and his colleagues working for Israelis earn almost three times what they would receive doing the same work for Palestinian construction companies.

"The Palestinian employers pay us NIS 100 to NIS 150 a day," Uwaisat said. "The Israeli companies, by contrast, pay NIS 350 to NIS 450 a day. That's why many of us prefer to work for Israeli companies, even if the construction is in the settlements."

He added that even Palestinians known as supporters of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are employed as construction workers in settlements.

"I know some people from Hamas who work as construction laborers in Ariel," he said. "When people want to feed their children, they don't think twice."

While most of the laborers told the Post that they were opposed to the settlements, they nevertheless stressed that they would continue to show up for work every day.

"If you see how big some of these settlements are, you will understand why the talk about a two-state solution is kalam fadi [nonsense]," commented Iyad Mansour, 55, of the Kalandia refugee camp, who has been working in Ma'aleh Adumim for the past three years.

"These settlements are growing every day at a very fast pace," he said. "One day you see empty land, the next day you see new buildings. They are really fast in planning and building. But who knows? Maybe these settlements will one day become homes for Palestinian refugees."

UNIFIL finds rockets in Lebanon

Yaakov Katz at the Jerusalem Post recently reported:

In an effort to prevent a flare-up along the northern border, UNIFIL has increased its operations in southern Lebanon and has begun entering villages in search of Hizbullah weapons caches, according to information obtained recently by Israel.

In one recent successful operation in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon, UNIFIL peacekeepers uncovered close to 20 Katyusha rockets that were ready for launch.

UNIFIL operates under Security Council Resolution 1701, passed following the Second Lebanon War in 2006. Operations in villages have been a point of contention between UNIFIL and Israel, which said over the past three years that the peacekeeping force was failing to prevent Hizbullah's military buildup in southern Lebanon since it refrained from entering villages.

Read more... 

Support Trader Joe's!

From Powerline:

Very sadly, the tactic employed against Israeli products in Europe has now made its way to our own country, taking root in our own backyard and focusing its attention upon a grocery retailer that many of us patronize, Trader Joe's. Only the difference is that in the United States there is a significantly larger Jewish population than there is in Europe and we now find ourselves in a position to make an immediate and very positive impact on Israel's behalf.

Trader Joe's has been targeted by anti-Israel groups for boycotts, and possibly for picketing, because of their refusal to bow to pressure by anti-Israel groups who have sought to have the store's management remove Israeli products from their shelves. The group spearheading this effort nationwide is the BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN, a coalition of anti-Israel groups that is based in Pittsburgh. Regionally, they are working in concert with the Northern-California-based South Bay Mobilization Group (not our South Bay, but rather that of Northern California).

Together with other groups comprising this sinister coalition that aims to cast Israel as an Apartheid State in the vein of South Africa - a baseless charge that reflects ignorance and, most often, anti-Semitic sentiments, those targeting Trader Joe's seek to bring harm to Israel's economy and to tarnish its standing in American public opinion by mobilizing intimidating boycotts in a most offensive manner.

Here's what we can do:

Learn more about this immediate concern by reading the report issued on the StandWithUs website (StandWithUs is a Los Angeles based Israel-advocacy organization that does outstanding work).

Please make a point of shopping at Trader Joe's over the coming days and weeks. Please go out of your way to introduce yourselves to store-managers and to let them know that one of the reasons that you are patronizing their store is precisely because of their principled and courageous determination to continue selling Israeli products. Let them know that you know of many others who feel this way, who might not choose to introduce themselves personally, but who have determined to support Trader Joe's all the more so because of its decision.

Wherever you may shop - for groceries and otherwise, please consider both or either (a) going out of your way to purchase Israeli products and/or (b) thanking store-managers or proprietors for carrying Israeli products.

Gilad, we have not forgotten you!

Gilad Schalit was kidnapped by Palestinian militants back in June, 2006. On the 25th of this month, it will be exactly three years since his abduction. While there is no set date for his release, Israel sent a message to Hamas, through former President Jimmy Carter, agreeing to exchange most of the prisoners that Hamas is asking for. 

"Israel is awaiting the letter of reply from Gilad Schalit to the letter transferred to him by his parents, Noam and Aviva, in order to verify that he is still alive," Palestinian sources said. "Afterwards Israel will agree to advance the negotiations for Schalit's release and end the affair."

The sources claimed that the Israeli government was eager to see Schalit return and had therefore agreed to release many of the prisoners on the list, including senior Hamas members.

Read more...

One Iranian Family's Story

The Wall Street Journal had this story about one family's son who was killed during the cross fire violence from the crack down on protestors in Iran. His family was told they have to pay a $3000 dollar "bullet fee"—a fee for the bullet used by security forces—before they can retrieve the body:

By Farnaz Fassihi   

TEHRAN—The family, clad in black, stood at the curb of the road sobbing. A middle-aged mother slapped her cheeks, letting out piercing wails. The father, a frail man who worked as a doorman at a clinic in central Tehran, wept quietly with his head bowed.

Minutes before, an ambulance had arrived from Tehran's morgue carrying the body of their only son, 19-year-old Kaveh Alipour.

On Saturday, amid the most violent clashes between security forces and protesters, Mr. Alipour was shot in the head as he stood at an intersection in downtown Tehran. He was returning from acting class and a week shy of becoming a groom, his family said.

The details of his death remain unclear. He had been alone. Neighbors and relatives think that he got trapped in the crossfire. He wasn't politically active and hadn't taken part in the turmoil that has rocked Iran for over a week, they said.

"He was a very polite, shy young man," said Mohamad, a neighbor who has known him since childhood.

Read On...

Two Irans

Amir Taheri, an Iranian journalist and author, has this insight on the current events:

Today there are two Irans. One is prepared to support Khamenei’s bid to transform the republic into an emirate in the service of the Islamic cause. Then there is a second Iran – one that wishes to cease to be a cause and yearns to be an ordinary nation. This Iran has not yet found its ultimate leaders. For now, it is prepared to bet on Mousavi. The fight over Iran’s future is only beginning.

Iran Update

An update on the recent clashes:

But on Monday afternoon local time, sources in Tehran say protesters gathered at two main squares Haft-e Tir and Ferdowsi, prompting clashes with security forces. They were gathering to remember a young woman killed during fierce clashes on Saturday that left at least 13 dead, by official count.

The protesters who have choked the streets by the hundreds of thousands in the past week are calling for a rerun of the disputed reelection of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But the protesters are torn between their desire to challenge an election result they consider a fraud – relying on Article 27 in Iran's Constitution that says peaceful marches "may freely be held" – and their fear of more violent confrontations that won't bring them any closer to their goals.

Free Iran

Check out these photos from "Free Iran" protests in the US:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/22/iran.election/index.html#cnnSTCPhoto

The "Angel" of Iran

Over the weekend, the Iranian regime stepped up its efforts to quell demonstrators – cutting off internet service, suppressing cell phone service, and sending in the notorious Revolutionary Guards. And yet, protesters refused to clear the streets. Some observers note that cell phone and internet suppression is the regime’s attempt to repress what little information is getting out – since journalists have been banned for weeks.

The story of one protestor—a young woman named Neda Agha Soltan—has captured the imagination of the pro-democracy movement. Soltan – now known across the world as “Neda” and called the "angel" of Iran—was shot in the chest during a protest. The last moments of her life were captured on camera as would-be rescuer and her father scream for her to hang on. (CNN)

Iran threatens major crackdown on protesters

Reuters:

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a strong warning on Friday to leaders of mass street protests against a disputed presidential election that they would be responsible for any bloodshed.

His words appeared to hint at a future crackdown by authorities on rallies after the election a week ago, which Khamenei said was fairly won by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and not rigged, as defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi alleges.

Iran Protests

Widespread civil unrest and violence continues in Iran, as hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to protest the victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in what is widely believed to be a rigged election. And Iran has cracked down hard on the protestors: 20 people have been reported killed, thousands have been injured, many arrested, and reporters have been kicked out of the country. And now some are saying that Hamas is patrolling the streets of Iran's capital city, Tehran: 

"The most important thing that I believe people outside of Iran should be aware of," the young man went on, "is the participation of Palestinian forces in these riots."

Another protester, who spoke as he carried a kitchen knife in one hand and a stone in the other, also cited the presence of Hamas in Teheran.

It was ironic, this man said, that the victorious Ahmadinejad "tells us to pray for the young Palestinians, suffering at the hands of Israel."

This photo gallery tells the shocking story. Take a moment today and say a prayer for the brave people of Iran who are hungry for freedom and are literally risking their lives to speak out against a cruel, repressive, and corrupt regime.

Terror in Iran

Michael Totten on the current unrest in Iran:

The Islamic Republic regime in Iran is vividly revealing itself as an enemy of the entire world.

“Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei’s police and the Basij militia are using violence and terror to suppress the Iranian people at home. His terrorist proxies fire missiles at Israel while torturing, maiming, and murdering Palestinians. He sponsored a violent coup d’etat against the elected government in Beirut last year with his Hezbollah militia. He sponsors a terrorist insurgency against the elected government of Iraq, while his fanatical proxies shoot and kill American soldiers. A car bomb cell belonging to the regime’s Lebanese franchise was recently arrested in Azerbaijan, and more cells were rolled up in Egypt. Terrorists sponsored and encouraged by him and his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, have murdered civilians from Argentina to Japan.

Netanyahu's speech

Prime Minister Netanyahu gave a major policy speech on Sunday. Click here to see the full video.

Wright is Wrong

Reverend Jeremiah Wright explains why he believes President Obama, a former member of his congregation, will no longer speak with him:

"Them Jews ain't going to let him talk to me," Wright said. "I told my baby daughter that he'll talk to me in five years when he's a lame duck or in eight years when he's out of office. ...

"They will not let him to talk to somebody who calls a spade what it is. ... I said from the beginning: He's a politician; I'm a pastor. He's got to do what politicians do."

Of course, it is much easier to blame the Jews than figure out the real reason why Obama will not talk to Wright: the Reverend is a political mine field of offensive remarks and hatred. In the same interview, Wright also claimed that "Ethnic cleansing is going on in Gaza—the ethnic cleansing of the Zionists is a sin and a crime against humanity." No wonder Obama has distanced himself from Wright. A smarter man than Wright might be able to figure it out.

D.C. Holocaust Museum shooting

We ask for a moment of silence in your day for the security guard who lost his life today at the Washington D.C. Holocaust Museum:

A gunman opened fire inside the Holocaust Memorial Museum in the nation's capital Wednesday, shooting and killing a security guard before other officers returned fire and shot the assailant, officials said. 

The museum released a statement late Wednesday afternoon confirming that the guard, identified as Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, had died of his injuries. He had served on the museum's security staff for six years. 

"There are no words to express our grief and shock over today's events," the statement said, adding that the museum would remain closed Thursday in his honor. 

Please pray for the family of the victim and for all those who were impacted by this tragic event. As a security guard at the Holocaust Museum, he gave his life protecting the past and safeguarding the future.

IDF thwarts terror attack at security fence

The IDF stopped a major terror plot by the Janud Ansar Allah (Soldiers Loyal to Allah) organization aimed at destroying portions of Israel's security fence:

Members of the cell, some of whom had suicide bomb belts strapped around their bodies, led the horses from trucks and began planting explosive devices along the fence. They were identified by IDF soldiers on patrol, of Golani's 13th Battalion. The gunmen proceeded to open fire on the troops, while mortar fire from deep within the Gaza Strip was also directed at the soldiers.

4 terrorists were killed, but no Israeli soldiers were harmed. And, despite the terrorists' attempt to destroy the security barrier, Israel is still funneling aid into Gaza to meet humanitarian needs:

Following the attack, Israel closed the Karni crossing, the main commercial terminal between Israel and Gaza, as well as the Nahal Oz fuel depot.

However, 30,000 vaccine units against foot-and-mouth disease were transferred to Gaza via the Erez crossing, despite the thwarted attack. The IDF said that 125,000 units had been supplied to the Strip in the last three months in three separate transfers, due to the importance of preventing the outbreak of the disease.

In addition, 140 truckloads of humanitarian aid was scheduled to be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Egypt bans marriage to Israelis

Yet another story that highlights the hatred of all things Israeli and Jewish that is rampant in the Arab world:

[Egyptian attorney] Al-Wahsh has managed to extract a ruling from Egypt’s Administrative Court — which rules in disputes between citizens and the state — that would force the Egyptian government to strip Egyptians married to Israelis of their Egyptian citizenship. The May 19 ruling was met with the cheers of millions in this populous Arab country.

“This is an historic ruling,” al-Wahsh said to reporters after the ruling. “Egyptians married to Israelis are dangerous to Egypt’s national security, acting in ways that contradict the constitution of their country and Islamic laws,” he said.

(Hat tip: Solomonia)

Obama at Buchenwald

President Obama visited the site of the Buchenwald concetration camp on his trip overseas.  It is good that the President is reminding the world of the atrocities committed against the Jewish people, especially after denouncing Holocaust denial in his recent address to the Muslim world.

The President, after his visit to Buchenwald, commented:

“These sights have not lost their horror with the passage of time,” Mr. Obama said, standing alongside the group. “More than half a century later our grief and our outrage over what happened have not diminished. I will not forget what I have seen here today.”

Turning Point Three

Israel is currently engaged in a five-day civil defense drill, the largest ever in its history:

A rising and falling siren will sound Tuesday morning at 11 A.M. for a minute and a half as part of this year's Home Front Command national exercise, with all citizens encouraged to practice entering their protected rooms.

The exercise is meant to raise the public's preparedness for possible missile attacks on the country. The drill, named Turning Point 3, is being run by the Home Front Command and the National Emergency Authority. It is the largest ever emergency exercise the nation has undertaken.

In addition to the Home Front Command's request for all citizens to enter their secure rooms for 10 minutes, all educational institutions will also participate in the drill. All students will enter their schools' designated secure rooms, shelters or other protected spaces, and afterward the students will watch a special broadcast prepared by the command specifically for them.

Another terror plot averted

Four Jordanians arrested in Jordan in April had planned to perpetrate terror attacks in Israel in retaliation for Operation Cast Lead, DPA reported on Wednesday.

Read More...

Netanyahu cancels France visit

In response to inflammatory remarks about Israel by a spokesman from France's Foreign Ministry, the Israeli Prime Minister has changed his travel plans:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu cancelled a meeting with French President Nicholas Sarkozy scheduled for next week, reportedly amid anger at France for its position on the final status of Jerusalem.

Additionally, sources in the Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu wanted to distance his recent - and highly publicized - meeting with US President Barack Obama from his relations with European countries.

Israel's compromise

(CBS/AP)  Israel would dismantle nearly two dozen wildcat settlement outposts in the West Bank in the next few weeks if the U.S. drops its objections to continued building in existing, government-sanctioned settlements, officials said.

Read More... 

Another tragedy averted

Yesterday, on the anniversary of Jerusalem Day, we heard about the foiled plot to bomb a Jewish community center and a synagogue in the Bronx.  Today, the JPost reported on a plot to bomb two synagogues in Brazil:

Police seized Nazi literature, knives and three homemade explosive devices earlier this week they said were to have been set off at least two synagogues in the city of Porto Alegre, according to police Inspector Paulo Cesar Jardim.

"I have no doubt that we have aborted a major tragedy," he said.

Thank G-d for protecting these Jewish communities.

A Message from the Rabbi

A message from Rabbi Eckstein about Jerusalem Day:

Every year Israel marks Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day - the commemoration of the Holy City's miraculous liberation during 1967's Six Day War. This year's celebrations will begin tonight at sundown, which corresponds to the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar.

In the months prior to the '67 War, Israel's neighbors peppered her with extreme threats and provocations. In May, Egypt blocked the straits of Tiran, putting a stranglehold on shipping in and out of Israel's crucially important port in the southern city of Eilat. The combined armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon were poised for attack on the borders of the tiny Jewish state (which was then only 9 miles wide at its narrowest point). "The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified," Iraqi President Abdel Rahman announced, making their intentions clear in no uncertain terms: "This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy that has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear — to wipe Israel off the map."

Israel's choices were plain: She could wait for the armies that vastly outnumbered her own to invade or to fight back in self-defense. Knowing that her very existence was in peril, she chose the latter course. The resulting battle, now known as the Six Day War, ended in a stunning victory for Israel that led to the reunification of Jerusalem under Israeli rule.

Read more...

Terror attacks foiled in NY

Police and the FBI have foiled a plot to bomb a Jewish Center and synagogue in New York:

"We are Jews and we have a strong connection with Israel; we know what terrorism is; we experienced terror up-close on September 11, but we never imagined that it would end up on our doorstep," he [David Winter, Exec. Director of the Riverdale Jewish Center] said.

The four men had planned to detonate a car with plastic explosives outside the Jewish Center and to shoot military planes at the New York Air National Guard base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh with Stinger surface-to-air guided missiles, authorities said.

 

Iran testing the limits

Iran claims its Sajjl-2 missile has a range of 1,200 miles, meaning that it would be able to reach Israel and even southeastern Europe:

"Defense Minister (MostafaMohammad Najjar) has informed me that the Sajjil-2 missile, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan and it landed precisely on the target," state radio quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. He spoke during a visit to the city of Semnan, 125 miles east of the capital Tehran, where Iran's space program is centered."

...Most Western analysts believe Iran does not yet have the technology to produce nuclear weapons, including warheads for long-range missiles. A group of U.S. and Russian scientists said in a report issued Tuesday that Iran could produce a simple nuclear device in one to three years and a nuclear warhead in another five years after that.

We can only hope Iran's bark is worse than its bite. There is always the chance that it is using missile tests and open talk of its nuclear ambitions to create fear and doubt among its neighbors and establish itself as a regional power. 

But the world -- and Israel in particular -- cannot afford to underestimate Iran's capabilities. With Iran testing missiles, and the Israeli Air Force practicing MIG-29/F-16 dogfights, we can only pray for the best and have faith in G-d's plan. 

Something Rotten in Austria

I had previously posted about the hotel in Austria that refused to accept Jewish guests. It seems that Austria has had a few other anti-Semitic incidents:

Survivors of the concentration camp Ebensee were shot at and abused as they gathered to remember their liberation on May 10th. Masked neo-Nazi thugs screamed ‘Heil Hitler!’ and ‘This way for the gas!’ at ten elderly Italian men and women, who returned to the site of the concentration camp in Austria. The gang also fired air guns at a group of 15 French survivors, many dressed in the striped pajama-style uniforms they wore as inmates. One suffered a head wound while another was injured by a shot in the neck. Some of the young neo-Nazi perpetrators are now in custody awaiting trial.

 

From the White House

Want to know what was said between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu?

Read here

The Mystery of Menachem

A jug inscribed with the name "Menachem" was found in East Jerusalem.

The discovery was made at the footprint of a new girls' school being constructed in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood in the eastern part of the capital. The handle is estimated to originate somewhere between the Canaanite era (2200 - 1900 B.C.E.) and the end of the first Temple period (the 7th - 8th centuries B.C.E.).

Scientists at the Israel Antiquities Authority are now trying to decipher the identity of the "Menachem," whose name is inscribed in ancient Hebrew.

Scientists are trying to determine if the jug’s "Menachem" was a historical figure. The name means "Comfort" and remains in use today. It is a particularly popular name among Chabad Chassidim, who frequently name children after the late Lubavitsch Rebbe Menachem Mendl Schneerson.

Obama meets with Netanyahu

U.S. President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today in Washington D.C. to discuss prospects for Middle East peace.  Obama was pushing for a two-state solution, but Netanyahu was not ready to commit to anything until the Palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist:

Netanyahu said he was ready to resume peace talks with the Palestinians immediately but said any agreement depended on their acceptance of Israel's right to exist. It was not immediately clear in the way he phrased the response whether Netanyahu was demanding that as a precondition for talks.

"There's never been a time when Arabs and Israelis see a common threat the way we see it today," Netanyahu said, speaking of a sense of urgency felt throughout the Arab world about Iran's nuclear program.

 

Last Chance!

There's still time to sign our Statement of Support for Israel:

We stand in support of the State of Israel and affirm the historic relationship between the Jewish State and both the United States and the American people. The United States and Israel are united by the common goals of freedom, democracy and peace, and we support Israel’s front-line battle against the terror aimed at the heart of the West.

Like all other nations, Israel has a right to live within secure, recognized and peaceful borders. We affirm her right to protect her citizens; her identity as a Jewish and democratic state and as a homeland for the Jewish people; and we recognize her capital in Jerusalem, where she ensures the rights of all faiths in the Holy City.

Click HERE to show your support!!

Rabbi Eckstein in the Wall Street Journal

Rabbi Eckstein had an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this weekend about the Pope's recent trip to Israel:

Most Israelis seem to agree that the pope's just concluded trip to Israel wasn't a raving success. Far from healing wounds, his address at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum garnered harsh criticism for failing to adequately address the horrors memorialized there.

I see the visit in a much more positive light.

Jewish-Christian relations have always been of a wary sort, laced with mutual suspicions that have deep theological roots, and with painful memories of persecution and anti-Semitism. But in the past half-century, the church's attitude toward Jews has undergone a fundamental shift. Read More...

Media bias? What media bias?

This obviously staged photo published by the Associated Press purports to show a Palestinian man "passed out from tear gas fired by Israeli troops." Even a child might ask how, if the man is indeed unconcious, he manages to hold up the key in his left hand. But this absurdity passes by the AP without notice.

Israel isn't the problem

A good op-ed in the Sacramento Bee from Cal Thomas, telling the world what it should know already -- that terrorists need to be taken at their word:

If words mean anything, consider these from the Hamas Charter: "The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up....There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."

Hezbollah has its own charter. It says in part: "Our primary assumption in our fight against Israel states that the Zionist entity is aggressive from its inception, and built on lands wrested from their owners, at the expense of the rights of the Muslim people. Therefore our struggle will end only when this entity is obliterated. We recognize no treaty with it, no cease-fire, and no peace agreements, whether separate or consolidated."

Anyone see any wiggle room there?

Rabbi's Message

May 14, 2009

Dear Friend of Israel,

As I noted last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently appointed scholar Michael Oren as Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. This was an inspired choice. As a political and diplomatic historian, Oren has the talent and skills to manage the U.S.-Israel relationship at a particularly delicate moment.

Moreover, as a gifted and articulate spokesman equally comfortable speaking to the media or to audiences spanning America, Oren is uniquely well-suited to bring Israel’s case not only to the Obama administration and the State Department, but directly to the American people. He knows as well as anyone that - whatever takes place in the insider circles of politics, academia, and the media--American support for the Jewish state’s ongoing struggle for peace and security remains high.

Read on...

Egypt finds weapons in Sinai

More evidence of Egypt's poor border control -- it seems Hamas has been gathering a rather large arsenal to smuggle into Gaza:

Egyptian security forces uncovered an immense munitions cache near the Israeli border, the London published newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported on Friday.

An Egyptian official assessed that the 266 rockets, 51 mortar shells, 21 grenades and 43 mines uncovered in northern Sinai were meant to be smuggled to Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip.

Israel is responding by building a barrier at the Israel-Egypt border:

...there has been concern that other terrorists, including members of Hizbullah cells believed to be in the Sinai, would also try to use this section of the frontier to cross into Israel.

"The border with Gaza is basically hermetically sealed," a defense official explained Tuesday. "That is why we are concerned that the terrorists will try to infiltrate via the Egyptian border."

The Arab world likes to criticize "fortress" Israel. But Israel is surrounded by enemies and can't afford to let her guard down. This is one of those cases where good fences make good neighbors ... or at least protect you from the bad ones.

Action Alert!

On May 18, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be in Washington for his first official meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. We are forwarding to the President a statement of support for Israel that we want to include the names of at least 6,100 friends of the Jewish state. Please sign the statement today, and then forward it to your friends and family!

The Media War

The media is a very powerful instrument -- so powerful, in fact, that those who disseminate messages meant to incite hatred and violence must often be challenged in the courts.  

For example, a man in Australia has just been arrested under Australia state's racial vilification laws for producing a 10 minute, anti-Semitic film that encouraged violence:

The newspaper said the 10-minute video showed the man saying to the camera "your days are numbered" and "I will put you in the camps with the rest of them."He is also shown taunting a Jewish man outside a shopping center and calling him a "racist, homicidal maniac," the newspaper said.

Such incitement is all too common -- and is not legally challenged -- in the Muslim world, where television channels are often used to promote anti-Semitic, anti-American sentiment. Videos can be found saying that the Jews are enemies of Islam, teaching children that in the end of days, when the Muslims comes to fight the Jews, stones and trees will say, "Oh Muslim, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him (Egyptian-Saudi Koran-Memorization Channel, aired April 2009)." 

The Muslim media has even been pushing information stating that the Swine flu epidemic is part of a Zionist-American conspiracy (Iranian TV: Swine Flu - A Zionist/American Conspiracy, aired May 2009).

This type of indoctrination not only promotes hatred, but also fuels terrorism. It puts at risk our soldiers living and serving in the Middle East. The U.S. is taking action against this in the form of a House Resolution:

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fl) and Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) authored the bill, explaining that these television stations were helping foreign terrorist organizations in their objectives, including recruiting  fighters, collecting funds and disseminating propaganda.

They are demanding punitive measures be taken against the satellite carriers.

The resolution will require the U.S. government to monitor and report on these stations, including possible divestment from satellite companies that host them. The bill, H.R. 2278, was introduced on May 6th, 2009, and currently is being referred to the House Foreign Relations committee.

58.6% of Iranians would vote for Ahmadinejad

Rumors of a loss in popularity for the Iranian president may be exaggerated:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's popularity has grown among Iranian voters, a poll conducted in Teheran, 29 other provincial capitals and 32 cities has shown.

According to the results of the poll, reported by Press TV Wednesday, support for Ahmadinejad's rival, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, has remained unchanged.

The survey showed that 58.6% would vote for Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential elections, while some 21.9% would vote for Mousavi, Press TV said, citing the pro-government Web site, Rajanews.

Jewish American Heritage month

President Barack Obama has declared May 2009 to be Jewish American Heritage month:

Jewish Americans have immeasurably enriched our Nation. Unyielding in the face of hardship and tenacious in following their dreams, Jewish Americans have surmounted the challenges that every immigrant group faces, and have made unparalleled contributions. Many have broken new ground in the arts and sciences. Jewish American leaders have been essential to all branches and levels of government. Still more Jewish Americans have made selfless sacrifices in our Armed Forces. The United States would not be the country we know without the achievements of Jewish Americans.

Among the greatest contributions of the Jewish American community, however, is the example they have set for all Americans. They have demonstrated that Americans can choose to maintain cultural traditions while honoring the principles and beliefs that bind them together as Americans. Jewish American history demonstrates how America's diversity enriches and strengthens us all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2009 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to commemorate the proud heritage of Jewish Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Thank you, Mr. President. It is interesting that this was chosen almost halfway into the month of May, and right before Obama's meeting with Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu. I look forward to seeing how the White House will celebrate. Maybe mazta ball soup will be on the menu in D.C.? 

Yadlin's report

Israel's Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin has been very busy.  With Iran flaunting their nuclear aspirations, Hamas still bent on destroying Israel, Hezbollah threatening from the north, and Egypt's borders an issue of security he knows Israel is surrounded, literally, from all sides.  So what to do?

Yadlin reports that while the border with Egypt is better than before, this has not stopped the smuggling completely. Hamas can still permeate the Gaza-Egypt border and, with the uranium recently found on Egyptian turf, this is not a good thing. 

Yadlin commented that:

Gaza's Hamas rulers have been reinforcing their capabilities since Israel's offensive earlier this year...the group was unlikely to unleash a massive attack on Israel this year, but was using lessons from that offensive to prepare for a future confrontation.

Threats from the east are on Yadlin's radar as well.

"Iran is intentionally advancing its nuclear development in such a way so as not to cross any nuclear red lines by enriching low-grade uranium that is not sufficient for weapons development, but that can quickly adapt to weapons-grade uranium in such a short period of time that the process can't be sabotaged,"

Unfortunately, it seems the only thing to do is wait. Yadlin doesn't see war as a possibility in the near future, at least not between Israel and Iran. However, Hamas can play the waiting game too, and it happens to be their specialty:

According to the anonymous official, representatives in charge of Hamas negotiations are to notify the Egyptian brokers that the organization will agree to an immediate long-term ceasefire with Israel if the IDF ceases all military activity in the Gaza Strip.

In Hamas terms, "ceasefire" usually means time to re-arm and regroup. The estimate is that Hamas is willing to hold the ceasefire for 10 years. That is ten years for them to smuggle more weapons and raise more children to fight Israel.  Whether or not Israel's response should be military, she cannot stand quietly on the sidelines.

No Jews Allowed

A hotel in Austria has a "no Jews allowed" policy:

A Vienna family of seven had tried to make a reservation at the Haus Sonnenhof apartment hotel in the village of Serfaus, but the owner replied by e-mail that although the room was free, she did not want to take in Jewish guests because of "bad experiences" in the past.

This is a dangerous precedent.  The owner's choice to single out the Jewish family brings out an ugly, ancient hatred that is all too common in Europe and elsewhere.

"And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:3)  

A Visit from the Pope

The Pope is visiting Israel this week and spirits are high.  He visited Israel's main Holocaust museum, Yad VaShem, and expressed his hope that such hatred will cease to exist:

The pontiff voiced the commitment of the Church to preventing such tragedies as the Holocaust in the future, saying "the Church is committed to praying and working tirelessly to ensure that hatred will never reign in the hearts of men again."

Europa, Europa

Israel has not been able to find many friends in Europe. The Italian Foreign Minister seemed to empathize with Israel in his meeting with Avigdor Lieberman not too long ago, but that was a notable exception. 

In France recently a group of Israel's detractors -- which amounted to not much more than a vigilante mob -- took Israeli products from a supermarket. Rather than boycotting Israeli products, a common tactic of Israel's foes, they simply went into the market and stole them, as other shoppers and store management looked on and did nothing to stop them.

If they want to boycott Israel products, fine, but at least do it 100%. Stop using your cell phones (made with Israeli technology), and don't go home and text message your friends about it (a technology also developed by Israel).  In fact, make sure you get rid of your computer if it has the Intel processor, another Israeli product.

Click here to view a response video to the boycotting of Israeli (and Jewish) goods.

 

This is a peace offer?

From a New York Times article on Hamas head Khaled Meshal:

On the two-state solution sought by the Americans, he said: “We are with a state on the 1967 borders, based on a long-term truce. This includes East Jerusalem, the dismantling of settlements and the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.” Asked what “long-term” meant, he said 10 years.

Apart from the time restriction and the refusal to accept Israel’s existence, Mr. Meshal’s terms approximate the Arab League peace plan and what the Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas says it is seeking.

Charles Krauthammer (again) has Meshal's number:

The offer is not a peace but a truce that expires after 10 years. Meaning that after Israel has fatally weakened itself by settling millions of hostile Arab refugees in its midst, and after a decade of Hamas arming itself within a Palestinian state that narrows Israel to eight miles wide -- Hamas restarts the war against a country it remains pledged to eradicate. There is a phrase for such a peace: the peace of the grave.

In memory of Johanna

Tragedy hit Wesleyan University yesterday as a student , 21 year old Johanna Justin-Jinich, was shot to death inside the student bookstore where she worked. The shooter, Stephen P. Morgan, is yet to be found.

Police indictated that the crime might have been motivated by anti-Semitism:

Police told the university that Morgan expressed threats in his personal journals toward Wesleyan and its Jewish students, the school said.

I pray that her family finds the strength to get through this and that no one else gets hurt. The authorities are asking the local synagogue and Jewish community to be alert. 

Uranium in Egypt

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) released a report about finding weapons grade uranium in Egypt. Of course, this was something they knew back in 2007 but didn't release until May 5th, 2009:

In its page-long section on Egypt, the 82-page document said Cairo believes the particles could have come into the country on containers with radio isotopes but said the IAEA was continuing its investigations because "it has not yet identified the source of the uranium particles."

Egypt isn't Iran, so this isn't a problem, right?  Wrong!  Egypt sits on the border with Gaza, and Palestinians can cross over into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing. I don't think Palestinians would even know what to do with enriched uranium, and Israel certainly wouldn't allow them to build a reactor. However, this deadly material is getting dangerously close to some very dangerous people. We have to hope that this isn't a case of  "too little, too late."