Letter from Israel

The boycott bluff: trading to good neighbourly relations

2011-01-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

The boycott bluff: trading to good neighbourly relations

DAVID FRANKFURTER

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/123187.html

The Middle East is full of contradictions. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s bluff. If you call the wrong bluff, you can end up blown to pieces. And if you miss a real opportunity, you can end up a real sucker.

“Peace activists” attack with knives and rocks. “Human Rights” groups willfully ignore the persecution of Christians. “War crimes” are attributed to self defense, but not to shooting children or pregnant mothers at point blank range. Judges condemn protection of civilian populations while ignoring the use of private homes, mosques, schools and hospitals as shields for military operations. Israel is accused of being an apartheid state, even though its minorities can live anywhere, are entitled to all the rights of the mainstream population, and are represented in parliament, in the judiciary and all walks of life. But when Palestinian President Abbas territories says "I will never allow a single Israeli to live among us on Palestinian land" and when selling land to a Jew is punishable by death, no-one even blinks.

But what about the hypocrisy of the tidal wave of delegitimization tactics aimed at Israel, by people who want to fully exploit the benefit of their contact with the Jewish state?

We are asked to shun Israeli academics and universities by a boycott movement headed by Omar Barghouti - who studies for his doctorate at Tel Aviv University. The same Palestinian Authority that asks the world not to buy produce from "settlements" approves tens of thousands of its citizens to work in those communities. Building them is an obstruction to the peace process - while the PA sends the construction workers to do the work.

So while you are being asked to deprive yourself of the unique know-how and innovation that has brought so many Israeli inventions in every field to the world, and won Israelis and Jews such a disproportionate number of Nobel and other prizes, consider the following.

In March of this year, the hugely innovative Israeli agricultural industry will hold its annual showcase event - the AgroMashov - at which hundreds of Israeli companies will present their unique achievements. Israel has long been known as an agricultural innovator. A well known example is drip irrigation systems, which were developed here, and are now exported everywhere. The organizers invited me to join a preview tour to some of the exhibitors, where I saw

a farm which had developed a unique strain of pitaya fruit,
leading edge bull sperm collection techniques (did you know that 98% of cattle were born via artificial insemination?),
the way the Hebrew University researches the best vegetation to plant in hot climate with little water,
a bee farm developing new (and surprisingly tasty!) health products,
a nursery applying modern inventory management techniques to factories around the globe supplying fresh spices, flowers and other plants to supermarkets and other outlets,
new packaging techniques for vegetables,
and more.

From this little taste, I could understand why visitors would come from all around the globe to learn, to share, to form relationships and to shop. But farmers are not the only ones who ignore anti-Israel boycott attempts. The Palestinians won't deprive themselves of the opportunity. As in every year, Palestinian farmers and industry representatives will be there in force. Around 200 have already registered. Not only that, but a large pavilion will hold exhibits specifically of Palestinian produce and farm machinery produced in the West Bank. And the delegation will be led by Palestinian Agriculture Minister, Dr. Ismail Daak.

This spirit of mutual dialogue, cooperation and trade, which is so essential if we are ever to see peace, is happening outside the spotlight of politics, and without the destructive grandstanding and double-talk of the boycott nonsense. It is not just happening in agriculture. The jewelry industry is another example of co-existence. In July, the annual Jovella jewelery exhibition will be held in Tel Aviv. For the last four years, the Peres Center for Peace has organized delegations from the West Bank to come and visit Jovella. Last year they brought 44 delegates - and another 20 Palestinians just turned up under their own steam.

So is it a bluff? And if you are a farmer or in the jewelery industry, will you lose out by listening to the anti-Israel "human rights activists" who urge you to boycott Israeli products and exhibitions, while the Palestinians are attending? Confused? Welcome to the Middle East, where real life is rarely as reported in the main stream media.

Please post your comments at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/123187.html. I read them all. David

Palestinian Media Watch censored by YouTube

2010-12-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Palestinian Media Watch censored by YouTube

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122941.html

DAVID FRANKFURTER

Itamar Marcus and his relentless team at Palestinian Media Watch have been given the strangest of back-handed compliments. In exposing the anti-Semitic hate messages broadcast by the Palestinians - especially by Palestinian Authority television and Hamas. PMW uses YouTube as a medium to "name and shame", throwing a light on Palestinian Authority funded ads, jingles, childrens' shows, musicals, sermons, quizzes, and other entertainment where Palestinians (especially children) are educated and encouraged to hate, extol violence and terror and to steer them away from any possibility of peace. These shows are intended for the Arabic speaking audience in the Palestinian territories. But PMW shows them in all their glory, translated and with commentary, so that the world can see how much pressure they will need to bring to bear to effect real change in the Palestinians if peace is ever to be a possibility.

Palestinian supporters have tried to censor the exposure of their hate and vitriol, and after many years, have finally succeeded - YouTube has closed Palestinian Media Watch's account, claiming that it has breached YouTube policy by uploading hate speech. To me it seems peculiar that YouTube would censor Palestinian Media Watch in its attempt to eradicate Palestinian hate eduction by "naming and shaming".

Now here's the rub. Everyone (including Palestinian supporters) now agree that PA Television is hate speech & incitement to violence. So much so, that it's been banned from YouTube. That same hate speech is directly paid for and closely controlled out of President Abbas' office, which is in turn largely funded by international donors - with the UK and EU leading the pack.

Aside from letting all our friends know of this preposterous situation, protesting to YouTube, and asking your local media why they don't cover this censorship, I suggest that we should ask our elected representatives why taxpayers money is being poured into violence and corruption - including the corruption of the minds of children. Why are governments propping up a regime that pushes hatred and war instead of peace? When will the world show in action that it understands what REALLY stands in the way of peace in the Arab-Israel conflict?

Please post your comments at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122941.html. I read them all. David

UNIFIL complicit in Lebanese ambush?

2010-08-04T02:30:00.000-07:00

UNIFIL complicit in Lebanese ambush?

DAVID FRANKFURTER

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122763.html

The best summary I have seen so far of the northern border incident, is by Richard Landes, writing at Pajamas Media. (Click on the link below to read it.)

Israeli Officers Ambushed on Northern Border

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 - by Richard Landes

An Israeli soldier was killed, and another wounded, by Lebanese army forces in an apparently pre-planned provocation.

Read | Comments

Most baffling, and as yet unanswered in military briefings or media coverage is the role of UNIFIL in all of this. UNIFIL has confirmed that the Israeli activity was coordinated with them, that the Lebanese army was aware of the activity, that the IDF was within Israeli territory: there was no reason for the Lebanese to open fire. So from here the questions abound.

It is clear from the photographs and videos issued by international news agencies very quickly after the clash that the incident was prepared for and staged. Photographs and footage was prepared to be sent out within minutes before the truth surfaced, leaving an indelible media impression. It is also clear from the photographs that as the scene unfolds, until seconds before the actual firing takes place, the UNIFIL forces were relaxed and at ease with the snipers and RPG gunners taking careful aim at the Israelis. Then something strange happens. A video shown on Israeli TV, taken and directly translated to Hebrew from Lebanese footage gives the Lebanese version. From about 5 seconds into the video, UNIFIL soldiers start waving and shouting at the Israelis to “stop”, “stop everything”, “get down” and “go back”. Were they staging a show for the cameras? Given that UNIFIL knew that the IDF was in Israeli territory and that there was no reason for the Lebanese to fire, why did they shout at the Israelis to stop? Wouldn’t it have been their job to uphold UN resolutions and tell the Lebanese to hold their fire?

So once again, we seem to have UN complicity in an attempt to blacken Israel. UNRWA, UNIFIL, the UNHRA, the Goldstone report, the list goes on. Every opportunity and every agency of the UN is complicit in the delegitimization of Israel. One has to wonder whether, in this environment, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will reconsider cooperating with the proposed UN inquiry into the flotilla incident.

Please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122763.html (I read them all)

Gaza: Open Air Prison?

2010-07-28T00:11:00.001-07:00

Gaza: Open Air Prison?

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122589.html

British Prime Minister, David Cameron, exploited his visit to Turkey to curry favour with his hosts, using Palestinian propaganda hype, saying that Israel’s blockade turned the Gaza strip into a “prison camp”.

Every last Israeli left Gaza long before Hamas' bloody take-over. Closing the borders and even war has not stopped the incessant rockets and terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens and border checkpoints. More than 30 terrorist attacks come out of Gaza each month.

Applying international law, Israel inspects the constant flow of goods through its borders into Gaza, in an attempt to exclude war material. Propagandists (and it seems European politicians) conveniently ignore the rules of war and international law, and claim these actions to be a form of occupation. They declare that Israel ruthlessly keeps Gazans in poverty.

Visiting international politicians and aid agency representatives are taken to view the deliberately unrepaired damage of the war Hamas provoked. Poverty stricken areas, including families living in plastic tents since their houses were destroyed in the war, are all on the carefully pre-arranged agenda. Israel is obligingly condemned. And more western tax payer money is pledged to the highest ever per capita aid program.

Although of little interest to the mainstream media, Gazan "poverty" is strongly questioned in the blogosphere. No accumulation of facts seems to be able to stop the constant flow of lies, cynically manipulated into very effective anti-Israel (and often anti-Semitic) propaganda.

Even the Palestinian media reports a very different picture. There is an abundance of both basic and luxury goods. It is not clear if it comes via the Egyptian border, underground tunnels, or the thousands of trucks that the Israelis officially allow to stream through their border crossings. But the fact is that there is plenty, and often at very attractive prices.

Ordinary Palestinian citizens say that there is enough to go around - but the Hamas apparatchiks steal it.

And what of building materials to house those wretched families? Somehow, they don't seem to rank in the Hamas list of priorities. A brand new shopping mall replete with luxury goods, aluxury hotel
fancy restaurant, an olympic size pool and a fancy jail to lock up prisoners accused of crimes such as "passing information to the Palestinian Authority" do make it into the list of latest completed projects, though.

Electricity shortages? Also an internal problem. Seems that Hamas collects electricity bills from the end user & then steals the money - expecting the Palestinian Authority and international donors to pay the Israeli suppliers. When the suppliers want their overdue money before providing more goods, who do you guess is blamed?

But those wretched Palestinians are suffering. Then again, life expectancy, infant mortality, and even cell phone penetration statistics show Gaza to be better off than other Muslim countries – and in many cases better than most places on earth!

Forgotten is the Economist report of 2004 that the West Bank and Gaza rank amongst the most obese populations in the world.

Clicking on the links embedded above will bring you to lots of reports and pictures showing the truth.

But what about the charge that Israel has turned Gaza into a large open-air jail? We all value freedom of movement. We want to be able to leave our country of residence either permanently or temporarily for vacation, to receive better medical care, to advance our education or business. But of course, we all know that no-one can get in or out. Don't we?

Israel can be forgiven for being very cautious about allowing enemy aliens through its territory - after all Hamas has officially and openly declared its intent to wipe Israel off the map and sends regular rockets across the border to remind us all. Nevertheless, many people do cross the border - usually for humanitarian reasons, often to receive medical treatment in Israeli hospitals.

But what everyone seems to forget is that Israel is not Gaza's only border. Fellow Arab country Egypt, which has supported the Palestinian cause since it was first invented, is linked to Gaza with a little more than 11 km of border, and an official crossing at Rafah.

So why an open air prison? The Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) regularly exposes the real problem in its monthly reports. Here it is from this month's bulletin:

Violations of the Right to Travel and Movement

Gaza residents are still suffering from the unavailability of passport books since November 2008 until the end of this current month. According to ICHR information obtained from officials from the Ministry of Interior of the Deposed Government, the MOI in the West Bank does not send passport books for citizens in Gaza Strip which entails depriving them from the right to travel and movement. In addition, it affects most of those in urgent need for traveling abroad for seeking medical care, university education, students and thousands of expatriates whose passports have expired and require renewal.

International travel, even via Egypt, requires a passport. The PA won't issue Gazans with passports. Gazans can't travel. That's Israel's fault. Clear?

Please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122589.html - I read them all.

Join the BUYcott

2010-07-23T07:21:00.001-07:00

Join the BUYcott

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122313.html

The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement is becoming increasingly strident, using every conceivable tactic to delegitimise Israel in every forum. Academic, trade and industrial boycotts are called - often using tricks and lies that we are all sick of hearing. Generally, the impact in economic terms is small. But often, the campaigns and counter-campaigns surrounding each proposed boycott generates so much publicity, that even unsuccessful campaigns generate significant damage to Israel's standing in the world court of public opinion.

Letters to the editor, to academic institutions or shop owners targeted, and all the "usual" activities are important. But friends around the globe who have been faced with boycotts in their local communities have told me from personal experience that there is one tactic that has consistently proved a winner. A Buycott.

Wherever a boycott is announced or threatened, local supporters go out and BUY the product involved. They let their friends know and ask them to help. And then they let the store owners know how pleased you were with the purchase. And after the boycott has failed, go back and buy again. Make the boycott a long term a bonus for the store and for Israel!

Faced with failure, Palestinians have resorted to exaggeration and barefaced lies to encourage their activists around the world to keep up the program.

Here's the latest example from the Palestinian Maan News Agency, which reports a claim by the Palestinian responsible , Omer Qabaha, that one such success of his BDS activities is that the Israeli dairy Tara has moved its manufacturing plant from "occupied" Katzrin in the Golan Heights.

So I checked, and got the following reply:

Dear David,

Tara has no factory on the Golan Heights and there were never any products marketed under the name Tara processed at the dairy processing plant on the Golan
Shabbat Shalom

Ralph Ginsberg
Israel Dairy Board

So there!

Join in a successful campaign for Israel! Ask your stores to stock Israeli products, look for them, buy them, talk about them and encourage your friends to buy them. If you are in business, look for ways to promote Israeli products in your product range or include them in your manufacturing processes. If you need a starting point, I would be pleased to help you source Israeli inputs. Then, if you are really lucky, someone will declare a boycott and help promote your business.

Please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/122313.html. I read them all.

Red Cross hosts Hamas deportees

2010-07-05T23:28:00.001-07:00

Red Cross hosts Hamas deportees
http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121951.html

The Red Cross has always been grudging in its attitude to Israel. Its decades of reluctance to accept Israel's Magen David Adom into its fold until the US Red Cross withdrew funding was a prime example. For many years, the Red Cross had pretended that its hands were tied, as Israel's Star of David emblem did not conform to its standards (while the Palestinian Red Crescent was fine).

And today, the Red Cross says it is pressuring Hamas to allow access to captured soldier Gilad Shalit. Somehow, in a perverted way, the Red Cross claims some sort of victory in its activities in the region:

"One of our main achievements is that we have been able to visit nearly everyone detained in connection to this conflict, with the exception of Gilad Shalit," Pierre Dorbes, deputy head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and the Occupied Territories, told Haaretz on Tuesday.

Dorbes conveniently forgets Ron Arad, or in fact any Israeli who has been captured in the past by Arab armies or militias. Of course the Red Cross has had access to all Israeli prisoners. Israel acts within the norms of international law and morality even toward terrorists. And the Red Cross claims the credit!

Of course, the Red Cross is powerless against rogue regimes, like Hamas - isn't it? Academic Israel hater Noam Chomsky tells us in "Turning the Tide: US intervention in Central America and the struggle for peace" that the Red Cross "in July 1982... threatened to leave El Salvador because of human rights abuses by the armed forces...".

So in Gaza, has the Red Cross ever taken such a strong stand - if not for Gilad Shalit, then for the citizens of southern Israel who were subjected to barrages of rockets and missiles? For the daily abuses of human rights in Gaza as Hamas attacks its own citizens, steals their aid, uses them as human shields, implements kangaroo court death penalties, and much more?

How does the Red Cross pressure Hamas?

In East Jerusalem, the answer is clear - although the only media to have carried the story so far is the print edition of Israel's Hebrew language Yediot Aharonot and the website of the Muslim Brotherhood. (I leave you to ask your local media why this story is of no general interest.)

To quote Yediot Aharonot "Hamas does not allow Red Cross representatives to visit captive Gilad Shalit, but it doesn't stop the international organisation from granting asylum in its East Jerusalem offices to Hamas leaders."Israel has issued deportation orders for subversive activity against four Hamas leaders. One is in an Israeli jail, waiting the outcome of a high court appeal against the order. The others are photographed being served drinks by a Red Cross employee at a table laden with refreshments in the Red Cross East Jerusalem offices, which has granted them asylum and advised the Israeli authorities that they are under Red Cross protection.

Israel has warned that they are not protected there...but if they are arrested, I can just imagine the sudden media interest and outcry.

Please post comments to http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121951.html. I read them all.

New approach on Gaza blockade

2010-06-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

New approach on Gaza blockade

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121815.html

“Obama calls for new approach on Gaza blockade” (see http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100609/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_mideast).

I think most Israelis agree with him. New rules need to be formulated, which are simple, straightforward and easy to understand.

Here’s a suggestion:

Whatever Gilad Shalit has free access to is allowed into Gaza. Whatever he is denied will also be denied. That includes visiting Red Cross staff. And access to medical care in Israel. And guns. And bullets…. Let Hamas draw up the list.

Please post your comments at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121815.html. I read them all.

Liar, Liar pants on fire!

2010-06-10T11:37:00.001-07:00

Liar, Liar pants on fire!

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121494.html

I received all these in today’s batch of emails.

Read these:

1. Abbas tells U.S. Jews: I would never deny Jewish right to the land of Israel

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/abbas-tells-u-s-jews-i-would-never-deny-jewish-right-to-the-land-of-israel-1.295293

2. Palestinian President repeats acceptance of Jews' claim to the land of Israel, citing the Koran.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/abbas-we-demand-an-end-to-gaza-siege-entire-world-stands-with-us-1.295409

THEN watch this video

3. Abbas rejects Israel as Jewish state

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPsOe9yRqTU

THEN read this:

4. Abbas not truthful to Obama; denies PA incitement

http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=2393

Who is this man trying to fool?

Please post your comments at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121494.html, I read them all.

Cleared for publication: Terrorists on board the Mavi Marmara

2010-06-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

Cleared for publication: Terrorists on board the Mavi Marmara

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121163.html

Yesterday evening (Sunday), the IDF issued the following press release in Hebrew on its website at http://dover.idf.il/IDF/News_Channels/today/10/06/0631.htm

I have translated it for you here, transliterating the names as best I can.

Cleared for publication: Terrorists on board the Mavi Marmara

Sunday, 6 June 2010, 20:33

Now released for publication: Terrorists working for organizations such as Hamas and al - Qaeda were on board the Mavi Marmara, which was stopped by the IDF on her way the Gaza strip. One of the terrorists tried to enter Gaza in order to establish and train a Hamas commando unit.

IDF website

Released this evening (Sunday) for publication: Among the passengers who were on board the ship Mavi Marmara were some directly related to terrorist activity.

Prominent among the terrorists are:

American and British citizen and Hamas activist Ken Auakip, born in 1969. His objective was to reach the Gaza Strip in order to establish and train a Hamas commando unit.

Moroccan born French citizen and Hamas activist Ahmad Aomimon, born in 1959.

Fatima Mohammadi, born in 1979 of Iranian descent, lives in the United States and is active in the “Viva Palestine” organization. She tried to bring prohibited ielectronic components into the Gaza strip.

Turkish citizen Hassan Aeinsi, born in 1982, member of a Turkish charity trust, regularly transfered financial aid to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad;

Turkish citizen Hussein Aurosh, assistant to the IHH organisation, who was supposed to arrive in the Gaza Strip to assist the transfer of members of Al Qaeda via Turkey.

Please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121163.html I read them all

What to do with the cargo?

2010-06-03T04:46:00.001-07:00

What to do with the cargo?

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121057.html

Hamas cleverly created a win-win situaton for itself in manipulating "peace activists" into creating an armada against the Gaza blockade, and injecting a group of IHH Jihadists onto one of the boats. If Israel had let the armada through, Hamas would have an effective military win, with a new open arms channel via the Mediterranean. Just a matter of time till another war - although this time with rockets that reach Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and even Cairo.

Israel chose the option of allowing Hamas a public relations win instead. I guess we are better at war than we are at PR. Instead of managing the collateral damage, we created a complete disaster.

By now the web is full of explanations of both why Israel was in the right, behaved correctly and legally and how the terrorists disguised as peace activists won the day. I don't like to bore my readers with information available elsewhere, so I simply direct you to a website set up by a collegue - one of the many good sites out there on the subject.http://www.talkgaza.com/flotillafacts/

One item that hasn't yet received much attention is the disposition of the humanitarian aid that the armada had on board. I don't want to labour the point that Israel had from the outset offered to transfer the aid overland through the channels that have seen so many thousands of tonnes of supplies transferred till now, in order to prevent the arms smuggling channel being opened up.

The issue is more interesting. Israel loaded all the expired medicines, children's toys, electric wheelchairs and miscelaneous items into trucks and sent them off to Gaza, to find that Hamas refuses to let the goods into their territory! Either an unsupervised path for goods is opened up or they don't want it! These guys are PR professionals! Once again using the suffering of their own people to create a PR disaster for Israel.

And what will we do? Probably let the goods sit around on the trucks or in a warehouse rotting, losing value, taking up valuable space and requiring resources for supervision, guarding etc. just waiting to become aother expensive PR catasrophe.

Any better ideas?

Hamas should be given a 24 hour ultimatum. If you want the goods, take them immediately. If not, we should distribute anything that meets Israeli standards to the Arabic speaking Druze and Muslim Bedouin communities who have shown their loyalty to the State of Israel over the years. After all, none of Hamas, the donors, nor the Turkish sponsors of the armada would want Jews to benefit from their efforts.

An alternative is to take a major expeditionary force of the army, dirve the goods into Gaza, unload them somewhere convenient for us and leave.

Please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/121057.html

I read them all.

Voluntary Palestinian unemployment - on the European dole (again)

2010-05-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

After decades of milking the European public to fund a corrupt and violent Palestinian regime, while deliberately keeping the average Palestinian in poverty, the cycle has started again.

With the Palestinians supposedly " proximal" to the peace table, Abbas has decided to ignore his responsibilities to peace, to his own people and to wise fiscal management. He has also decided to ignore the dire situation of the taxpaying public of his European sponsors - and sidestep the fact that whenever under Israeli " occupation" the Palestinian areas have grown economically, and whenever under Palestinian "resistance" they have declined.

Abbas has declared "voluntary" (under pain of traditional Palestinian punishments) unemployment for the 20,000 or so Palestistians gainfully employed in industries in Israeli communities- at a self estimated cost of $50m which he assumes/demands will be paid for by the European taxpayer.(Read about it here http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/pa-plans-50-million-fund-to-help-palestinians-boycott-settlements-1.292555 )

I would have thought that Europe has enough unemployment problems, without taking on new voluntary or political unemployed.

I would also have thought that the Americans would consider this as deliberate sabotage of the so-called "proximity" peace talks.

I would have also thought that after various "goodwill gestures" by the Israelis at Palestinian and US insistence, the Israeli negotiating team must be wondering if they are just wasting their time - and have once again been tricked by a duplicitous Palestinian leadership.

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/120722.html

Would he arrive in Saudi Arabia on a Muslim holiday?

2010-03-22T12:02:00.001-07:00

The Hebrew press this morning (Yediot Aharanot) reported that the UN Secretary General was deeply offended that there was no official reception other than a security detail when he arrived in Israel on Friday night.

What Chutzpah!

He arrives in the Jewish State on Shabbat & expects us to break our religious codes to greet him. According to the UN, it is deeply offensive for us to practice our religion. No surprise that we aren't allowed to defend ourselves against murderers.

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/120218.html

Buzzwords

2009-09-07T16:32:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

I have received a number of letters lately asking about progress in negotiations with the Palestinians – for peace, for settlements, to stop the rockets out of Gaza, for blockades, for recognition, for compensation for Jewish refugees from Arab lands, for resettling Palestinian refugees, for the release of Gilad Shalit.

I think that my approach to that last one (Gilad Shalit) sums up them all.

In my letter Calling the bluff of around a year ago, I advocated severely curtailing specific rights of Palestinian prisoners until our missing soldiers received their rights under international law. Would it work – at least to allow Red Cross access to Gilad Shalit? Consider the following:

On August 25, a few days before Gilad Shalit’s birthday, Israel stopped Palestinian prisoners’ visiting rights. Palestinian Ma’an News Agency reported on the measures, together with accusations that Israel was acting illegally and bending to extremist pressure.

The very same day, a Hamas delegation left for Egypt to meet with a German negotiator to try to make progress on the negotiations for Shalit’s release and Hamas “affiliates” claimed that a deal was days away.

Palestinian prisoners’ rights were immediately restored, and now we hear from Hamas that a deal is “still a long way off”.

Frankly, I am sick of hearing that Israel, after making so much effort and taking so much risk to behave in both an ethical and legal manner, has committed “war crimes”, has acted “disproportionately” or is in breach of some fancifully contorted “international law”, especially redefined to strip Israel of the right and obligation to protect its citizens.

I believe that in every field of our dealings with the Palestinians, the time has come to apply only one buzzword: “reciprocity”. The definition from Wikipedia will do for me:

In international relations and treaties, the principle of reciprocity states that favours, benefits, or penalties that are granted by one state to the citizens or legal entities of another, should be returned in kind.

David

Comments are welcome as always. Please post them at this link: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/120027.html I read them all.

Swedish sauna

2009-08-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

I am sure that you have been following the war of words between Sweden and Israel. A Swedish newspaper repeated rumor and innuendo that Israeli soldiers were harvesting organs from Palestinians. Sweden (which currently heads the EU) has refused to condemn this blood libel, confusing freedom of speech with hate speech. The Swedish Foreign Ministry even distanced itself from criticism of the article by its own Embassy staff in Israel.

Friend Gerald Steinberg argues that this is consistent with Sweden being a major sponsor of anti-Semitic NGOs which consistently defame Israel with lies, innuendo, propaganda and spin. Gerald expresses the hope that this furore will somehow teach the Swedes a lesson, and that they will stop this destructive funding.

Unfortunately, I am less optimistic. This blood libel is, in fact, consistent with Swedish government policy for over a decade.

In March of 2004, I highlighted reports from Swedish newspapers that showed that Sweden had, from 1997 to 2004, deliberately and consistently classified as secret their own reports that their donations to Arafat’s Palestinian Authority were being diverted to corruption and the creation of a police state. Why? So that they could continue to knowingly channel billions of crowns to Palestinian corruption and violence. Also hidden from view of the Parliament was tens of millions in donations to the Palestinian Negotiations Support Unit. An organization which had stopped negotiating and had become a pure Palestinian propaganda agency. Swedish politicians were “shocked” – but the money kept flowing.

Later that same year, Lisa Abramowicz and I published an article highlighting the fact that the Swedish government was funding a conference in Gothenburg aimed at finding ways to fund Palestinian terrorism.

For well over a decade, Sweden has deliberately and carefully looked for and found ways to secretly and openly fund the Palestinian propaganda and physical war against the Jews. And the Israeli government thinks that they can get the Swedes to change their ways with a bit of diplomatic pressure. They forget that the Swedes may live in a cold country, but they have proved that they can take the heat.

David

Comments are welcome as always. Please post them at this link: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/119607.html I read them all.

Capital J

2009-08-22T16:49:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Lots of electrons have been spinning the internet recently scrutinizing the website and email correspondence of the US Consulate in Jerusalem, which provides services to US citizens living in Jerusalem and the West Bank and represents the US to Arabs in those areas and to the Palestinian Authority.

The Jerusalem Consulate was established in 1844. It’s role really changed from servicing to the whole region to a more narrow focus when the US Embassy to Israel was set up in Tel Aviv. Aside from historical reasons for its location, Jerusalem has provided better security and access for staff and “customers” than many alternative places one can think of. Many of the emails that I have received ascribe more sinister reasons for the Consulate not being in Ramallah, pointing to recent changes to the website as “proving” that the US is tacitly recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of “Palestine”.

In 1995, both houses of Congress passed a law instructing the US Embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Subsequent US Presidents have cited “national security” to defer the move. The Obama administration uses every opportunity to emphasize commitment to a two State solution. It is time for the US to demonstrate commitment to the Jewish State in that solution. The US Embassy should be in Israel’s capital - Jerusalem.

David

Comments are welcome as always – please post them at the following link: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/119315.html. I read them all.

Can I really help Israel's PR? Read to the end!

2009-08-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

The Media often publish and syndicate stories regarding the Middle East which present the Palestinian narrative unchallenged by basic tests of reasonableness and without even considering the Israeli perspective. This “news” is then reproduced almost verbatim by thousands of local, national and international newspapers, radio and television outlets. Complaints of bias are met with a total lack of understanding – after all, these were just reprints of syndicated stories from “reputable” media sources.

Additionally, abuses of the terms “war crimes” and “international law” are unquestioningly quoted and repeated, without any reference to what really happened on the ground, Israel’s right and obligation to protect its citizens from the genuine war crimes perpetrated by the Palestinian terrorist regime in Gaza.

How will the UN investigation headed by Justice Goldstone be treated? It is about to issue its report, which could well lead to legal action against Israel in international courts. The frame of reference of the commission was tainted and biased from the outset, assuming that Israel had committed war crimes and that the Palestinians had not – or if they did, then they were not really worthy of attention. One member of the commission publicly admitted that she had already found Israel guilty before the commission even began, and before a single witness had been called.

It is no wonder that in this environment, Israel refused to give legitimacy to the commission by co-operating with or appearing before it.

Nevertheless, good friend Maurice Ostroff made sure that a great deal of publicly available material which supported Israel’s case was put to the commission. (You can see it at his website, together with a summary questioning the impartiality of the commission.) Gilad’s father, Noam Shalit, also testified as a private citizen. Of course, given the predisposition of the panel to find Israel guilty, it is not clear how much weight will be given to this evidence.

What is needed are facts in anticipation of this report, which will also answer the many NGO “reports” which have simply taken the Palestinian narrative as absolute truth, with no proper investigation, evidence, or consideration of the right and obligation of Israel to defend its citizens. Facts that also show that Israel is a democratic state of law, and if individual soldiers acted against Israeli or international law, that they will be duly answerable.

Most unusually, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a detailed, 164 page report analyzing just these questions. And so that the press could not claim “too long” or “too complex”, the MFA held a pro-active press briefing this week, where it presented the report to the foreign media and answered questions. Unfortunately, it would be naïve to think that the syndicated media (who have proved themselves to be no friends of Israel over the years) will use this material in a manner that will give Israel’s positions a fair reflection. (This link has both a video and a transcript of the briefing – every journalist has the opportunity to view it & feel as if they were there.)

Can anything be done? And if so by whom? I am not sure you will like my answers here.

YES something can be done; by YOU.

Write to the international media, and especially your local media now. Tell them that you are disappointed in the way that they have treated the topic in the past. Tell them that before they report on the Goldstone commission, you wanted to make sure that they had all the facts in hand so that they could make proper editorial decisions. Send them the above links and information so that they can do the research and balance their reports. Let them know that the public is watching, and after the reports are published, let them know how they went.

Comments, as usual, are welcome. Please post them here http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/119292.html (I read them all)

David

Stolen land

2009-07-21T06:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

I agree with the EU funded, anti-Israel organization MIFTAH. NGO-monitor reveals that MIFTAH fabricates evidence against Israel. They are “a political lobbying group which … despite claiming to be non-partisan, … is extremely politicized, uses Durban strategy rhetoric, characterizes terrorists as "activists" and "freedom fighters," and promotes political campaigns.”

So how can I agree with them?

They say that “Mideast Peace Can’t Be Built on Stolen Land”.

So with all the racist hoo-hah trying to stop Jews from building on legitimately purchased land in our own capital, let me ask MIFTAH to please start campaigning for the return of ALL the stolen lands over the 1967 armistice lines – starting with Jerusalem and its surrounds. For example the Palestinian “refugee camp” of Qalandiya, stolen from its legitimate Jewish owners by none other than the venerable UN. Or the other hundreds and hundreds of acres in Jerusalem specifically earmarked for Jewish settlement at the time of its legal and legitimate purchase from its original owners by the Jewish National Fund, permanently usurped by Jordan when they invaded Israel, now closely built with illegal Arab-occupied structures. Read about it here.

Maybe the first “illegal settlement” that the IDF should be called to vacate is the one first built – the UNRWA office in Qalandiya.

As usual, please post your comments here http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/119033.html . I read them all.

David

Theater of the absurd

2009-07-20T06:54:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Four items caught my attention in today’s newsbag:

1. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (a.k.a. the terrorist Abu Mazen) accused Israel of trying to “Judaicize” East Jerusalem. Excuse me! Why is it that the PA controlled Waqf won’t let Jews even move their lips in case they might pray at the edge of the Temple Mount? Exactly who is trying to push their religion and wipe out someone else’s? In which cities in the world is it illegal for the adherents of a particular religion to purchase land or live? Friends, the answer is not Israel. I believe that it is only the Arab world (including the Palestinian Authority) that is allowed to practice such racist apartheid practices.

2. And pushing this Palestinian racism with even the most absurd of arguments is the British consulate, which doesn’t seem to have shed its anti-Semitic and pro-Arab tendencies from the days of the British Mandate over Palestine. In objecting to a Jewish owned hotel venture in East Jerusalem, “The U.K. envoys also expressed concern that construction activity so close to the consulate could lead to an intelligence leak.” I guess they are not worried by Arab neighbours – but being close to Jews might make their limited brains fall out.

3. And at last something sensible. No wonder it didn’t make it to the mainstream media.

Israeli officials took a step on behalf of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, preventing 15 French diplomatic officials accompanied by Jerusalem consular officials from entering Gaza, where they hoped to take part in Bastille Day festivities.

A source stated that Israel cannot permit them to celebrate a day of freedom while Gilad Shalit, who also has French citizenship, remains hostage to Hamas terrorists, now in his fourth year of captivity.

4. Who killed Yasser Arafat? Every good Palestinian can believe his government controlled press. The Israelis are responsible for everything bad in the world, no? Palestinian Media Watch reports that there is new competition for the coveted title of Mr Evil. Seems that PLO leader (and PFLP terrorist) Ahmad Jibril told the secret that everyone has been whispering since Arafat got ill. He claims concrete evidence that jolly Yasser had AIDS, and that’s what killed him. The official PA position is, of course that the “cursed [Jewish] apes and pigs” of Israel poisoned Arafat, with permission of the US together with French medical co-conspirators. Al-Jazeera chimes in with the latest conspiracy theory that Mahmoud Abbas was the perpetrator. Who cares, you ask? The interesting thing is that the PA, which has “no power” to stop the racist anti-Jewish, anti-Israel and pro-terror incitement on its state controlled media, was able to immediately ban Al-Jazeera from the Palestinian Authority airwaves for its incitement against the hard done-by Abu Mazen.

Regards,

David

Comments welcome, as usual. Please post them here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/118772.html. I read them all.

The big truth

2009-07-15T02:43:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Over the years we have seen Israel on the losing end of an ongoing propaganda war that has increasingly besmirched its image in the media and has increasingly affected the realpolitik of the world in which we live and operate.

The pattern is consistent. The Palestinian lobby starts with a lie which is so unbelievable that we belittle it – or even ignore it. The lie is repeated often enough until the world believes it – and even our natural supporters in the Jewish Diaspora begin to adopt it, repeat it and reinforce it. It then becomes a reality we have to deal with. Eventually even the Israeli government toes the line. Frankly we are fools. And if we ever thought “never again!”, why don’t we fight back?

Let’s understand how it works. The “big lie” was most famously defined by Hitler – in fact in a “big lie” hidden within a “big lie” – he accused the Jews of using the tactic:

“…in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation… would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.” —Adolf Hitler , Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X

United States Office of Strategic Services wartime description of Hitler’s Psychological Profile showed how he used the tactic:

“His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”

And the Palestinians adopted Hitler’s ways. Amongst their own public and in the international arena.

Let’s take, as an example, the “illegal” settlements beyond the 1967 armistice line, in what is “rightful Palestinian territory”, that have become in the world’s mind the only “obstacle to peace”. If Israel would only abandon the settlements, the world would support Israel, peace would miraculously descend from heaven resolving the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, magically diffuse over the entire Middle East, and the Messianic era would usher in world peace. Leaving aside whether one thinks that settlements are a good idea, a bad idea, should be dismantled or not, are a blessing or a curse – the fundamental assumptions are simply balderdash.

The Arab world rejected Israel and launched non-stop wars and terrorist campaigns against Israel’s citizens before a single settlement existed beyond the 1967 armistice lines. At least some “post-1967 Settlements” were re-established on Jewish owned lands, where the surrounding Arab neighbours had massacred the inhabitants during one or another of these violent attempts to purge the region of Jews. There are many eminent international lawyers who would contend that the vast majority of the settlements in Judea and Samaria are perfectly acceptable under international law.

Most telling, however, is the experiment which thoroughly tested and disproved the idea that removing settlements or Jews from “Palestine” will somehow magically lead to peace. In September 2005, all the settlements in the Gaza strip were voluntarily abandoned. The Gaza strip was made completely “Judenrein” or Jew-free.

We all know the results. The world “rewarded” Israel by allowing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon address a near-empty plenum of the UN, and then promptly placed all blame for Palestinian failures on Israeli shoulders. Instead of an opportunity for state-building, the Palestinians chose a path of self-destruction and terrorist war against Israel. Rocket attacks, suicide bombings, and internal violence and corruption didn’t let up for a moment. And the infant Gaza economy was deliberately destroyed from the inside.

But, we are told, Hamas did all of this, and that the Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) led Palestinian Authority is “different”, “moderate” and “responsible”.

Another big lie.

The very same Abbas led Palestinian Authority was in power in Gaza when Israel left. Hamas didn’t come to power until June 2007 – some twenty months later! And Abbas’ Fatah political party, which also controls the Al Aqsa terrorists, has (in Arabic only, of course) consistently agreed with Hamas. Just last week, a Fatah activist once again declared on PA Television that they don’t want peace. As Fatah strong man Mahmoud Dahlan explained on PA Television in March, the Palestinians will not recognise Israel; any contrary statements are purely designed to obtain international funds and support. Is it any wonder that Abbas refuses Benjamin Netanyahu’s unconditional invitation to meet to discuss peace?

Don’t misunderstand me. I am in favour of anything that has a reasonable chance of bringing peace to our region. But Israel is being pushed to make huge one-sided high-risk concessions, for which it gets little or nothing in return; all on the basis of a web of lies that have been thoroughly disproved, but repeated often enough, loudly enough and from high enough places that the world either pretends to or really does believe.

And this is just one the most recent example of the way the Palestinians and the world have adopted Adolf Hitler’s “big lie” principle to outflank the Jews.

But how to fight back? The only way I can think of is to tell “the big truth”. Start calling out the truth loudly enough, clearly enough, often enough that it begins to stick. Call every bluff in no uncertain terms. Don’t defend. Fight back. But it takes each and every one of us to do it. Loudly. Publicly. Every time.

What truths can we tell? How should we tell them? Please post your ideas and comments at my website for everyone to read.

David

As always, your comments are welcome. Please post them at my website at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/118350.html. I read them all.

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4245 (20090715) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

Dem Joos force EU to waste taxes on Palestinians

2009-07-08T04:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

A European Commission technical assistant has created a storm by making political statements about Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, blaming Israel for the waste of European Taxpayer’s money. Al-Jazeera (amongst others) reports the unnamed official as saying “[I]t is the European taxpayers who pay most of the price of this dependence, including US 280 million dollars so far this year, because settlements prevent the PA from functioning normally.”

This Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put the clerk in his place with a well worded rebuke, delivered to the head of the EU delegation in Israel. They not only point out what utter nonsense the man uttered, that he has no place taking a political stand, that his legal assumptions are way off base, that the economic assumptions are out of line with the facts on the ground, that in fact the West Bank economy has improving – even at a time when the rest of the world economies are shrinking - and that the politics that obviously drives him to speak out are not in synch with European or even Palestinian interests.

What the Israeli government did not say is something that has been shouted out by many independent critics for years – that the EU and many European governments have DELIBERATELY AND KNOWINGLY CHOSEN to throw money at the Palestinian cause, knowing full well that it is wasted – being diverted to support violence and corruption. And every time a new report scratches away the thin veneer of respectability pasted on this blatant waste of public funds, European officials find another layer to patch it over.

This time, however, the old canard of “it’s all the Joos fault” simply reeks of base anti-Semitism.

If it is of any relevance, the Funding for Peace Coalition website or the website of the Taxpayers Alliance or my own archive will give you plenty of background about the known waste of international donations to the Palestinian cause.

David

As usual, comments are welcome. Please post them at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/118177.html

Is suicide an export commodity?

2009-06-14T12:38:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu risked his position, bowed to American pressure, defied his coalition partners and many members of his own party, and announced that Israel would accept a demilitarized Palestinian state on its borders. This was immediately rejected by the “moderate” Palestinian President Mahmoud (Abu Mazen) Abbbas and his chief negotiator Erekat.

Why does Netanyahu insist on demilitarization? Simple. Israel experimented with a Palestinian state by walking out of Gaza. After kidnappings, border attacks, weapons smugglings, a war, a cease-fire, this morning’s IDF bulletin once again reported the results.

“...continuous firing of rockets and mortar shells at Israeli Southern communities from the Gaza Strip… Last night, a Qassam rocket hit a field …Approximately 670 Qassam rockets, Mortar shells and Grad missiles were fired at Israel since the beginning of 2009.”

I guess that on behalf of Israel and its citizens, Netanyahu has decided to leave suicide to the Jihadists.

David

Please post comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/117923.html

Hamas Speaks

2009-06-11T11:32:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

In line with my mail some months ago where I said I would try to bring shorter hard to find bits of information – here is something from the government controlled Syrian Arab News Agency http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2009/06/10/230527.htm

Khaled Meshall of Hamas tells us:

1. Any intra-Palestinian peace must include an agreement allowing violence against Israel

2. The Arabs have done so much for peace with Israel that it is now Israel’s turn.

Huh?

Comments as usual to http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/117569.html please

David

Israel to open Gaza border crossings?

2009-06-10T09:37:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

The Israeli cabinet met today to discuss mounting US led international pressure for Israel to further open Gaza crossing points.

The discussion comes just a day after the IDF foiled a major border attack involving 10 Palestinian gunmen, mortars and booby-trapped horses. Apparently all part of a plan to breach the border, kill Israelis and hopefully (for them) kidnap another Israeli soldier. And it comes as we approach the 3 year anniversary of the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit - 3 years that the Palestinians have cruelly refused to meet their obligations under the Geneva Conventions to allow Red Cross access - let alone his release or even just a sign of life.

And what good would come of additional goods allowed through the border? Just two days ago, Palestinian Media Watch published translations of May 20 2009 reports by the official Palestinian Authority newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, confirming that thousands of tons of medical equipment - including 46 ambulances stripped of their equipment and painted black to be used as military vehicles - have been hijacked by Hamas for direct military use or for re-sale to the population after confiscation. So much for the humanitarian aid that Israel allows through the borders. It just supports Hamas' nefarious activities.

So does this seem auspicious timing for the US to be pressuring Israel to lower its border defences? Wouldn't the US be better off putting pressure on Hamas to conform to its obligations under international law, stop all violence against Israel and remove its jackboot from the necks of its own citizens?

What many Israelis find strange, though, is what seems to be US pressure for Israel to leave its settlements in Judea and Samaria. The broad Israeli consensus is that it would turn into another Gaza, with a Hamas take-over just a matter of time. Aside from the inevitable rocket attacks on all of Israel's civilian population, they question what would be gained by allowing the destruction of the infant West Bank economy as happened in Gaza?

David

As usual, please post your comments here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/117370.html

Abbas meets Obama insult with silence

2009-06-07T07:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Visiting Buchenwald was President Obama’s way of avoiding criticism by the Jewish community of the increasing political pressure on Israel. His speech at Buchenwald was clearly a jibe at Iran’s President Ahmadinejad – but at the same time it represented an indirect insult to the Palestinian Authority’s President, Mahmoud Abbas.

"To this day, there are those who insist the Holocaust never happened – a denial of fact and truth that is baseless and ignorant and hateful," Obama said. "This place is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts, a reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our history."

Holocaust denial (and denial of the historical connection of Jews and Christians to the Holy Land) is widespread in the Palestinian Authority. President Mahmoud Abbas’ doctoral thesis and subsequent book described the Holocaust as "The Zionist fantasy, the fantastic lie that six million Jews were killed," and claimed that the minimal number of Jews that were murdered to actually be the victims of a Zionist-Nazi plot.

Abbas seems to have lived up to his media reputation as “pragmatic”, and has not as yet publicly responded to being labeled “ignorant and hateful” by the American President. He has presumably put it on the scales against Obama’s Cairo speech; the undeniable suffering of the Palestinian people that resulted from their own warmongering, their rejection of every peace initiative and their terrorist murder of innocent Israeli civilians was equated with the herding of innocent Jewish men women and children into extermination camps for wholesale slaughter by the Nazi regime and their assistants. Keeping Palestinian silence also promotes the US abrogation of past agreements with Israel, and their demand that selective passages of certain abrogated agreements effectively be honored by Israel only. With the US adopting not just the Palestinian line but even their negotiating tactics, It is no wonder that the Israeli press are describing US and Israeli administrations to be on a collision path.

It will be interesting to see how the American Jewish community will respond to the equation.

David

I enjoy your comments. Please post them here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/117035.html

Are you still funding Gaza's skyrocketing economy?

2009-02-25T21:53:00.001-08:00

I have burned many electrons over the years highlighting reports about the abuse of financial aid to the Palestinians. The Funding for Peace Coalition probably did the most comprehensive job back in late 2004 with their report Managing European Taxpayers' Money: Supporting The Palestinian Arabs - A Study In Transparency. Not much seems to have changed since then.

The Palestinian Authority continues to be led by the same corrupt cronies, and continues to provide “terrorist insurance” payments to imprisoned murderers and their families. The Abbas led PA continues to incite violence against Israel through its public statements, television shows and hate education. And the JCPA reports that the internationally funded PA still has Hamas and other terrorists on the payroll.

In Gaza, the criminal Hamas government has been caught red handed time and again stealing international aid – either selling it back to the people to fund their war crimes, or diverting it directly to their guerilla terrorist forces. And Hamas keeps firing rockets into Israeli towns using their own human shields every day. And the smuggling tunnels bring in more weapons all the time.

James Lindsay, former legal counsel for UNRWA, issued a report Fixing UNRWA: Repairing the UN's Troubled System of Aid to Palestinian Refugees, where the recommendations are more than telling. He argues that implementing them would return Palestinians “to what most of them so desperately seek: normal lives.” Lindsay directly and indirectly argues that much of the UNRWA budgets are spent providing services to people who simply don’t need the charity, and many are not refugees, and some are not even Palestinians. In summary, Lindsay says:

No justification exists for millions of dollars in humanitarian aid going to those who can afford to pay for UNRWA services. In addition, UNRWA should make the following operational changes: halt its one-sided political statements and limit itself to comments on humanitarian issues; take additional steps to ensure the agency is not employing or providing benefits to terrorists and criminals; and allow the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), or some other neutral entity, to provide balanced and discrimination-free textbooks for UNRWA schools.

Gunnar Heinsohn of the Raphael Lemkin Institute at the University of Bremen, an institute devoted to comparative genocide research, argues quite cogently that UNRWA and other international aid exacerbate the problems of the Middle East, providing unlimited indiscriminate welfare which encourages a high birth rate, but no useful employment. The result is a “youth bulge” of young men who provide “cannon fodder” for their unscrupulous leadership to indoctrinate and send into battle against their fellow Palestinians or Israel. Heinsohn compares Gaza to other areas of conflict, where “The warring stopped because no more warriors were being born.” His recommendations parallel those of James Lindsay.

Heinsohn also points out, as have many before him, that the Arab world is well aware of the issues. “UNRWA is benevolently funded by the U.S. (31%) and the European Union (nearly 50%) -- only 7% of the funds come from Muslim sources.” They allow the West to develop the cannon fodder, while Iran, Syria and others provide the cannons.

US president Obama’s most recent proposal to provide $900 million for Gaza restoration via the Palestinian Authority flies in the face of all this evidence and professional advice that international funding feeds the conflict.

I can only wonder. During the current world economic crisis, why do Western governments continue to pour so much money into UNRWA, the PA and other Palestinian causes, knowing full well that it will never achieve its stated objectives?

Why don’t you write to your local representative and ask how much of your tax money is being handed over to the Palestinians? I am sure that you could suggest some more effective uses for your cash right now!

Comments are welcome. Please post them here http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/116744.html?mode=reply

What cease fire?

2009-02-03T13:06:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

We all know that operation “Cast Lead” (as the war in Gaza was labeled) was successful in reducing the Hamas attacks on Israel. What the media may not have mentioned is that the Palestinians are in daily breach of the cease fire, leading to inevitable Israeli responses. No doubt, as things intensify, you will hear a lot about on Israeli actions –but probably not much about the war crimes that lead up to them… continued Palestinian attacks on civilian targets, using their own women and children as human shields. The Israel Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center issued a report two days ago, detailing twelve specific cease-fire breaches in the 13 days prior. (Scroll to the bottom of the link for a table of events.) Since then, a Kassam hit Kibbutz Sha’ar Hanegev and a Grad hit Ashkelon, bringing the score to one war crime a day.

It is interesting that while Hamas claims overall responsibility and control of the Gaza strip, at least some of the attacks are being perpetrated by Mahmoud Abbas’ so called “moderate” Fatah faction – which is so generously funded by the EU and other Western governments.

Look forward to your comments. Please post them here: http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/116563.html?mode=reply

David

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/116563.html

A step toward reconciliation

2009-01-29T07:10:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

The small West Bank villiage of Naalin has been the focus of many protests against Israel's separation barrier that has been so effective in keeping suicide bombers and other terrorists out of our restaurants, buses and public places. In fact, a Google Search on "Naalin fence protest" generates over 2,000 entries. It is very encouraging to read, then, that this is just the place that a significant rapprochement is being attempted. The Israeli news service Ynet reports that a Holocaust exhibit has been constructed by the local Palestinian Land Defense Committee. Read the article. I would love to read your comments. Post them to the link here.

David

Back in the saddle?

2009-01-26T04:20:00.003-08:00

Dear Friends,

During the Gaza war, many of you wrote and asked me to resume my occasional “Letter from Israel”. I am not sure that I can explain the many reasons why I stopped writing – it’s been almost a year. But what I will try to do in answer to those many requests is write very occasional short items of interest, and see where that leads us.

I have posted two new items.

International aid stolen from the Palestinians

Jordanian news agencies report that once again, armed gunmen have seized international aid in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has been caught in the past stealing fuel, medicines and food intended for its citizens at gun point - and then blaming Israel for the "humanitarian crisis". Interesting that the Jordanians are only concerned when it is aid that THEY sent being stolen. Meanwhile, UNRWA has asked not to send aid convoys until the issue of the seized convoy is solved.

[I blogged more about this at the Terror Finance Blog, where I am a contributor]

Gazan death toll exaggerated?

The Telegraph reports that the death toll in Gaza may have been inflated. Apparently Gaza residents have told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that only around 600 Gazans were killed - and that they were mainly Hamas gunmen. They have also told firsthand about the way civilian infrastructure (including hospitals) were used as a cover for Hamas activities.

[Read the whole story in the Telegraph. Quite a contrast to what “human rights do-gooders would have us believe, eh?]

David

Back in the saddle?

2009-01-26T04:20:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

I have posted two new items.

International aid stolen from the Palestinians

[I blogged more about this at the Terror Finance Blog, where I am a contributor]

Gazan death toll exaggerated?

[Read the whole story in the Telegraph. Quite a contrast to what “human rights do-gooders would have us believe, eh?]

David

Back in the saddle?

2009-01-26T04:19:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

I have posted two new items.

International aid stolen from the Palestinians

[I blogged more about this at the Terror Finance Blog, where I am a contributor]

Gazan death toll exaggerated?

[Read the whole story in the Telegraph. Quite a contrast to what “human rights do-gooders would have us believe, eh?]

David

Back in the saddle?

2009-01-26T04:18:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

I have posted two new items.

International aid stolen from the Palestinians

[I blogged more about this at the Terror Finance Blog, where I am a contributor]

Gazan death toll exaggerated?

[Read the whole story in the Telegraph. Quite a contrast to what “human rights do-gooders would have us believe, eh?]

David

Calling the bluff

2008-07-17T03:00:00.001-07:00

Calling the bluff

By David Frankfurter

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/115165.html

The tragic close to the abduction of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser brings to our whole nation a deep sense of grief, loss and frustration. It also brings a sense of dismay and foreboding. How will we now deal with the realities of negotiating with Hamas for the return of Gilad Shalit? Have we increased the risk and price of further abductions by taking what many perceived as the only possible and moral course of action?

But grief, dismay and foreboding will not bring Gilad home, nor prevent further abductions. Is there a solution?

Palestinian treatment of our prisoners and their attacks on civilians launched from civilian neighbourhoods constitute severe breaches of the Geneva Conventions and are clear war crimes. And yet our enemies constantly distort the language and terms of human rights and international law to demonize Israel. It is time to call the Palestinian bluff.

Israel should declare that - after years of this demonization and years of our enemies playing with our emotions over Ron Arad, Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser, Gilad Shalit, Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz, Tvi Feldman and Guy Hever – it is acting against the Palestinian breaches of international law.

With no further notice, all Palestinian security prisoners should be denied all access by third parties – International Committee of the Red Cross, journalists, families – anyone. Once a prisoner is taken, his whereabouts, condition, status or even the fact of his confinement will not be confirmed or denied. Access to judicial process will be granted, but only to the point that arrest and confinement is proven legal, and to the extent that legal counsel accepts these new rules, and agrees not to leak any information except as necessary to conduct a proper defence. All other contact with the outside world, stipends from foreign governments or the Palestinian Authority, cash, gifts, letters from any source will be forbidden. All opportunities for study, or any other form of advancement or entertainment will be prevented. These people will be held prisoner under the same conditions as our boys. As soon as the fate of our missing soldiers is satisfactorily resolved; as soon as those still alive are treated according to international conventions; as soon as the Palestinians cease their war crimes, we will return to the natural compliance with those rules that we believe in and have complied with for the last 60 years.

Illegal? No doubt there will be immediate appeals to the High Court. No doubt there will be international pressure. The Government must not falter. It must immediately prepare the necessary emergency legislation to allow this track. It must filibuster and delay until it can be achieved.

We must let the world know that we are no longer prepared to be victims of its double standards.

David

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/115165.html

The price of tomatoes

2008-06-01T01:16:00.000-07:00

The price of tomatoes

By David Frankfurter

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/114754.html

Rising world food prices together with a cold snap sent the price of tomatoes skyrocketing throughout the Middle East. Haaretz columnist Amiram Cohen complained that the price of tomatoes in Tel Aviv jumped to NIS 12 for aging tomatoes and to NIS 23.30 in up-beat Ivn Givriol Street. That’s $7 a kilo! Cohen says that the problem is the way the world economy works, and suggests cutting out the long chain of middle men, and starting a vegetable patch in the balcony window box.

But is it really the fault of the economic system we have built, and is home planting the solution?

According to President Ahmadinejad manipulation by Iran’s “enemies” is the reason for a 16% inflation rate and tomatoes reaching $3.25 a kilo in Teheran : "In order to harm us, they (enemies) make plots, for instance they come and push tomato prices up in the market. They think we will give up our ideals with their plots." And his solution? Trust in Allah and the revolution. "Of course, God willing, the problem of meat, chicken and tomatoes will be solved. One should be aware that our revolution is like a bulldozer ... the enemies think by throwing a few small stones and sand they can stop this bulldozer,"

In its April Gaza Strip fact sheet, the United Nations is marginally more circumspect. While recognising that fuel transit depots and goods crossing points have been attacked, the UN completely ignores Hamas’ commandeering of fuel supplies in Gaza to create an artificial shortage. The report opens by complaining of Israeli restrictions on fuel limiting the UN’s ability to distribute food. The immediate next sentences: “Market prices increased significantly in the month of April. Tomato prices, for example, rose 156% [to NIS 3.20 or $1 a kilo].” The implication is clear. And while detailing all the hardships and health risks created by the fuel shortage, there is no mention of the ample fuel available to transport and launch incessant rockets to injure and traumatise Israeli civilians.

Meanwhile, the LA Times reports that in Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and other countries American policies are being blamed for increasing food prices. And organisations such as the Moslem Brotherhood, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Islamic Action Front and others are gaining ground amongst the poor –censuring the local regimes as well as the “enemy” for the crisis, handing out food together with their fundamentalist messages of hate.

Is commentary on the price of tomatoes still politically correct?

The price of tomatoes

2008-06-01T01:11:00.000-07:00

The price of tomatoes

By David Frankfurter

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/114754.html

But is it really the fault of the economic system we have built, and is home planting the solution?

Is commentary on the price of tomatoes still politically correct?

Charities for terror

2008-05-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

Charities for terror

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/114496.html

With court cases and wide debate surrounding the linkage between certain Islamic Charities and the funding of terror organisations, it is interesting to note that even the Palestinian Authority is worried enough to take action.

Ha'aretz reported earlier this week: "The [senior Israeli security] source noted that the PA has outlawed 300 charity organizations, most of them affiliated with Hamas, and its security forces have stepped up their monitoring of imams in West Bank mosques."

And who should know better than the Palestinian Authority on this particular topic?

David

Your money kills Israeli and Palestinian children

2008-04-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I have previously written about the Funding for Peace Coalition website (note the new address!). Their latest submission to a UK parliamentary inquiry once again documents the way international funding of the Palestinians lacks transparency or adequate controls –resulting in its diversion to corruption and violence. At the end of the day, it is used to support war crimes, including the murder of Israeli civilians and the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields. And your money is used to promote “terrorist insurance” social welfare schemes. Everyone is guilty – Europe, the US and even Japan give huge sums - both directly and indirectly.

NGO Monitor has just published a highly detailed examination of European Union (EU) funding of political NGOs in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The fifty-page report, 'Europe's Hidden Hand', shows that the EU provides tens of millions of Euros from public money to NGOs whose activities directly contradict EU policy. That is – simply another avenue where international funds promote a never ending war against Israel. I recommend that everyone read at least the Executive Summary, if not the full report of this latest publication.

And in all of this, no-one asks UNRWA to settle even a single Palestinian refugee as a citizen of anywhere. Can you imagine what it would be if the Jewish refugees of WWII or the millions of descendants Jews thrown out of Arab countries were still stateless?

Put all of this together and work out what you are going to do to put pressure on your political representatives to stop pouring money into exacerbating the Middle East conflict.

David

My archive is at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/

This letter can be seen at http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/114404.html

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A journalist's view from Gaza

2007-11-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

With rockets falling on Israel's south daily, a debate is raging whether to cut off power supply to Gaza for a short period after every rocket. A message to the Palestinian population that their fate is inter-dependent with that of Israel. If they continue to behave as enemies, they will be treated as enemies. Ironically, as the questions of morality, Israeli and international law, and effectiveness of the measure occupy more and more of the Israeli political scene and media, Sderot suffered a two hour black-out on Sunday, when a Gazan missile hit a high voltage power line in the city.

What is really going on in Gaza? Does the local population really support the incessant rocket attacks and violence against Israel? Would they prefer peace with their neighbours, as the Ramallah based Fatah government claims in the West Bank? The Hamas' election victory was brought about by a convergence of forces, and their bloody take-over had mixed local support. An unusual insight into the situation and views of the local Gaza population is provided by an interview with Gaza journalist Taghreed El-Khodary. In a short piece, she covers a wide range of topics; corruption, internal violence, coercion, Islamisation and the violence against Israel and the inevitable Israeli attempts to stop it. The whole piece is worth reading - but the telling line is no surprise to those of us that have been following the events in Gaza over the last decade:

Shockingly, a significant number of people have told me, ‘we want to go back to have Israel in direct control, like it was under occupation, before Oslo.’

David

****

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Sabbatical

2007-09-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

No, the title of this letter doesn't signal an intention to convert the sometimes long breaks between my letters into a year off. Rather, a reminder that this Wednesday night is Rosh Hashanah - and the start of a sabbatical year. The seventh year in a cycle; a great equaliser when we remember that all we have is by the grace of G-d, and we "return" it to him, allowing fields to lie fallow, making the produce available for all to take - rich or poor, and forgiving debts owed to us.

With the re-emergence of the Jewish state, the sabbatical year is being progressively reinstated. A remarkable testament to the Jewish scholars who studied and kept alive the complex laws for centuries, believing that one day the prophesies would be fulfilled, with our people returning to their ancestral land. How ridiculous it must have seemed. Even the derisory Roman name "Palaestina" had stuck to the Holy Land. As if it was more likely that the extinct Philistine enemies of Israel would return than the Jews.

As I prepared our small garden for the sabbatical year - cutting and pruning in extra measure so that the plants won't grow too wild in the coming year - I thought how lucky I was to be able to practice this ancient custom, and to be part of the fulfilment of prophesy.

Wishing all my family and friends "Shana tova". May you be inscribed and sealed for a year of happiness, health and prosperity. A year of peace for all.

David

http://dfrankfurter.livejournal.com/113672.html

Darfurian Israelis

2007-09-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

In this day and age, almost no matter where you live, it is hard to take pride in government. Here in Israel there's lots to brag about. Technological leadership, thriving economy, the warmth of our society, the way our youngsters defend their fellow citizens against attack in a never ending terror war ... but sadly, our elected leaders are not usually part of the positive images. So when they get caught doing something right, it's a noteworthy surprise. A story in today's Ha'aretz is one of those surprises.

Interior Minister, Meir Sheetrit, announced that hundreds of Darfur refugees will be granted citizenship of Israel. Estimates are that around 2,000 African refugees have found asylum in Israel, but the issue is not without its problems. With their pursuers having shifted whole new populations into the Sudanese homes and villages, they will have nowhere to go even after the fighting is over. It is clear that the 2.5 million who have been displaced cannot be absorbed by tiny Israel. It is also difficult to differentiate between economic opportunists and genuine refugees – not to mention the security risk associated with potential infiltrators from an enemy state said to harbour Al-Qaida. To date, the Israeli Muslim community has not come forward, and so those who are in Israel do not have a local community into which they easily integrate.

On the other hand, the Jewish state, which was rose out of the ashes of the Holocaust and became a haven for hundreds of thousands of Jews chased out of Arab countries and has a collective memory of exile to Rome and Babylon, dhimmitude in Arabia, the Spanish Inquisition, and European pogroms, cannot stand idly by.

Darfur is a world responsibility, and one in which it would be reasonable to expect the Arab and African nations to take a lead. Arab states, as yet have shown no inclination to reign in the racist Arab Muslims who are engaged in rape, pillage and plunder of the most barbaric dimensions. Nor have they shown the slightest inclination to protect the persecuted black Muslims. It is worse. In a most repulsive story, Egyptian border guards murdered Sudanese refugees trying to cross the border, seeking refuge in Israel. A physical "tug-of-war" with Israeli border guards over one of the refugees ended in an Egyptian "victory" after they pointed their guns at the Israelis. The poor refugee "prize" was simply dragged back over the border and clubbed to death. Nor have African nations offered succour to their Muslim and animist coreligionists. And the Western world has been equally unwilling to offer haven.

As we approach the Rosh Hashanna new year, we and the Sudanese refugees can only hope that the example set by Israel, absorbing a number so large in terms of its relative population, and granting the protection and benefits of citizenship to the stateless, will be part of fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isiah "The law will go out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Press your government to take heed and act.

David

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Trusting Fatah

2007-08-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

The constellation in the Middle East has changed. The threat of Islamic fundamentalism is not just being felt by the Western world. Arab states are also worried by Hezbollah, Hamas and a potentially nuclear Iran. That gives the Fatah leadership in Ramallah a unique opportunity to simultaneously imporove their relationships with Israel, the West and Arab states. An imperative with defeat of Hamas' bloody coup in Gaza still ringing in their ears. But can they be trusted?

Ironically, it is the Palestinian Hamas, worried that they will be left out in the cold, who have raised that question to the Palestinian public and to the world.

A report by The Funding for Peace Coalition analyses the coverage of a Hamas press conference last Tuesday, where they publicly presented documents proving the corrupt nature of Arafat, his Prime-Minister (now President) Abbas and his Finance Minister (now Prime-Minister).

Consistent with their form over the last decade, the mainstream media have largely ignored this new evidence. The Funding for Peace Coalition notes that AP did file a report - but deliberately downplayed the corruption. Seems that it's still not quite politically correct to remind the world that the Palestinian elite callously pirated foreign aid to line their own pockets at the expense of their own people. Not to mention the vast sums of stolen money used to encourage and support terrorism. Nevertheless, such revelations in Arabic are rare and newsworthy.

And the Fatah comeback is no surprise: What happened to the vast sums Hamas got from Iran and Qatar?

The real question, of course, is that with money once again flowing from the US and European taxpayer, whether the donor community will see a return on their investment in the form of proper governance, improvement of the situtaion of the average Palestinian and real peace for the region? Or, can we expect that in the tradition of the last decade, the old ways will return, Europe will turn a blind eye, the region will again erupt in violence and the international taxpayer will be bilked until the Palestinian Authority is completely covered in the slime of its own corruption?

David

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Palestinian Rights

2007-07-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Difficulties faced by Palestinian Arabs have been a focus of world attention for decades. But oppression of Palestinians by fellow Arabs barely rates a mention.

Often subject to political racism, Palestinian Arabs have been forced into refugee camp ghettos in many Arab states. Identical to the racist laws against Jews in those places, they are also unable to hold citizenship, own land, get jobs or otherwise integrate into their host states. And despite Palestinian Authority or Hamas control of Gaza, there have been no steps toward dismantling the camps there. This is a situation condoned and maintained by the UN and its institutions. If the Arab states were truly interested in helping the Palestinians, they would give them full social and economic rights.

The world appears oblivious to this apartheid policy; both East and West politically and financially encourage it. Taxpayers support it with hundreds of millions channeled annually through UNRWA to pay for basic education, housing and medical services. All of which could probably be paid for by the welfare recipients themselves, if they were only allowed to work freely and integrate into the society around.

It is outrageous that the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp in Tripoli, Lebanon, is nearly empty after months of bombing by the Lebanese army. The refugees, who were never allowed to integrate into their adopted country, have become refugees once again. In one day last week, a 16 year old was killed and a 13 year old girl was severely injured - both bystanders in the fighting between the Lebanese army and Palestinian 'militants'.

Or in Gaza; after a bloody coup, summary 'justice' is being handed out by Hamas against their Fatah rivals. Hamas allows a humanitarian disaster to accumulate, while spending fortunes importing huge supplies of advance weaponry into Gaza. Vast quantities of weapons and military equipment are smuggled in – and yet food and medicines are in short supply. It is easy to blame Israel for the poverty and distress and leave the Western taxpayer with the responsibility of picking up the pieces. No human rights group raises even an eyebrow.

Unfortunately, NGOs so vocal about Israel's infractions as she defends her citizens have more important things on their agenda than to be concerned about these innocent civilians. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Christian Aid (to name just three NGOs focusing significant resources on Palestinian issues) have yet to issue a condemnation of the attacks in Nahr el-Bared.

These same NGOs, supported by the world media, strongly criticize Israel for closing its borders to Gaza. Despite the use of these border crossings for the smuggling of weapons and terrorists that threaten her civilians, Israel assists the passage of food, medicine, stock feed and other basic necessities. In the last month I have counted reports of some 33,000 tons of solids and 1.2 million liters of liquids in these categories. Hamas response has been to attack those very border crossings, to scare away international supervisors, and force closures.

The last weeks have seen Israel release both hundreds of convicted terrorist prisoners and large sums of back taxes. Victims of violence in Gaza – civilian and militant – are receiving the best of medical care in Israel's hospitals. All this while the Kassams still rain down on the Israeli city of Sderot and its surrounds.

Those truly concerned about Palestinian welfare would best focus on making border crossings safe, allowing food and medicine to enter Gaza, allowing trade to flow in both directions; or help to stop the fighting in Lebanon; or prevent the destabilising arms build up in those two places; or end corruption in the Palestinian Authority that siphons billions in international aid away from the average Palestinian toward corruption and violence; or... the list is almost endless of important ways of helping the Palestinians which do not involve criticising Israel…unless, of course, the motivation is more sinister.

David

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UK doctors demand more terror

2007-06-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Claiming the Israeli Defence Force has "systematically flouted the fourth Geneva convention guaranteeing a civilian population unfettered access to medical services and immunity for medical staff", 130 UK Doctors have called for a boycott of the Israeli Medical Association and its expulsion from the WMA. As you ponder this, you may recall the way an employee of the Israel-bashing Medecins Sans Frontieres was caught planning to assassinate the Israeli Prime Minister. Certainly makes you wonder what motivates these good doctors to press Israel to give immunity to medical staff. And as for "guaranteeing a civilian population unfettered access to medical services", yesterday's Prime Minister's Office press release sure gives the game away - and runs a chill up my spine.

In the wake of precise intelligence information, the ISA, on May 20, 2007, at the Erez crossing, arrested two Palestinian women, who admitted to planning to perpetrate a double suicide bombing in crowded places (restaurants, events halls or any locality with a large concentration of soldiers) in Tel Aviv and Netanya. They further admitted that they were guided by Islamic Jihad, which exploited Israel's humanitarian policy; the two had received medical entry permits into Israel under false pretenses.

Fatma Yunes Hassan Zak, 39, a resident of Gaza, mother of eight children and pregnant with her ninth, had been responsible for an Islamic Jihad Gaza women's labor office for four years. She had been in contact with Islamic Jihad terrorists and coordinated contacts on their behalf with women who had volunteered to be suicide bombers.

Approximately three months ago, her niece, Ruda Ibrahim Yunes Haviv, 30, a resident of Gaza and mother of four children, sought her assistance in perpetrating a suicide attack. Zak, who decided to participate in the attack as well, contacted her Islamic Jihad liaison, who aided the two women in putting their plan into operation.

The two women attended several of their meetings with Islamic Jihad terrorists accompanied by several of their children. Zak's 19-year-old son, also an Islamic Jihad terrorist, was present as the two women were photographed – holding copies of the Quran and weapons – before setting out.

In order for Zak and Haviv to enter Israel, an Islamic Jihad terrorist obtained an authentic entry permit which indicated that Haviv was due to undergo medical tests at a Ramallah hospital, with Zak as her attending relative. The terrorist also instructed the two to go to the hospital and actually undergo the test in order to cover their story. The two women were then instructed to inform Islamic Jihad in Gaza. They were told that an operative would meet them in Ramallah, provide them with explosive belts, and accompany them into Israel. Before leaving Gaza, Zak and Haviv trained in operating explosive belts and in firing an AK-47. They were also instructed on what clothing to wear in order to allay suspicions.

David

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Goldilocks

2007-06-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

On June 6, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas announced a last-minute cancellation of the next day's meeting with Ehud Olmert. In a confidence building measure, supposed to bolster Abbas' prestige in this very 'face conscious' Middle East, Olmert was going to take a significant risk to his personal safety and hold the discussions on Palestinian territory – in the biblical town of Jericho.

The meeting was cancelled by Abbas because – depending on who you believe – the civil war in the Palestinian territories meant that Abbas would not get enough political mileage (Israel's version), or (according to the Palestinians) because Israel still won't release tax money to the Palestinians without proper safeguards to make sure it doesn't finance the murder of more Israelis. Either way, the diplomatic walls aren't tumbling down.

Refusal to meet Olmert did not, however, stop new Palestinian demands. On the day of the cancelled meeting, Abbas' troops asked Israel to open the borders, allowing Fatah to breach its signed agreements and import all sorts of illegal light weapons, tanks and rockets, so that they can rearm in their civil war against Hamas. Israeli reluctance is influenced by speculation as to how long it will take until the weapons are once again turned against Jewish civilians.

Ironically, the Fatah leadership of Arafat and then Abbas used internationally financed budgets to fund and encourage large-scale arms smuggling through the desert, via the sea, and by digging a myriad of underground tunnels. Nourishing the murder of Israeli civilians, Palestinian security forces were ordered at the time to turn a blind eye when Hamas, other radical Islamic terrorists and various gangs joined in. Hamas were just better at it, and eventually took control of the smuggling operations. And now Abbas finds himself out gunned.

And for those who wonder what the story of the three bears has to do with the chaos in Gaza? Well, the Hebrew version of the idiom "You made your bed, now you'll have to lie in it" is "You cooked the porridge, you have to eat it".

David

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Blood Money

2007-05-31T08:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Finally, a way has been found to relieve Palestinian financial isolation and suffering. New arrangements, authorized by the US, have been found to pay Palestinian Authority salaries. Money is to be deposited with the PLO and channeled via "moderate" Palestinian leaders, represented by Fatah party leader President Mahmoud Abbas and the independent Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad. The mechanism is designed to avoid funding terrorism or dreaded "extremists" (represented by the Hamas government) who reject a two-State solution. Reuters reports that the US initiative is already bearing fruit, with over $80 million in international aid from Arab countries and Europe starting to flow. In fact, "Fayyad was expected to receive enough money through the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) account to pay government workers, including members of the security forces, at least half of their normal monthly wages later this week."

So let's do a double check. I invite you to read the following extracts from the Palestinian National Charter – the official PLO doctrine. Decide for yourself if this seems to be a "moderate" organisation which accepts a two state solution and rejects violence and terrorism.

Article 2: Palestine, with the boundaries it had during the British Mandate, is an indivisible territorial unit.

Article 7: … [the Palestinian] must be prepared for the armed struggle and ready to sacrifice his wealth and his life in order to win back his homeland and bring about its liberation.

Article 9: Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. Thus it is the overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase. The Palestinian Arab people assert their absolute determination and firm resolution to continue their armed struggle and to work for an armed popular revolution for the liberation of their country and their return to it….

Article 10: Commando action constitutes the nucleus of the Palestinian popular liberation war. This requires its escalation, comprehensiveness, and the mobilization of all the Palestinian popular and educational efforts and their organization and involvement in the armed Palestinian revolution…

Article 20: …Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history…

Article 21: The Arab Palestinian people, expressing themselves by the armed Palestinian revolution, reject all solutions which are substitutes for the total liberation of Palestine…

Article 22: Zionism is…racist and fanatic in its nature, aggressive, expansionist, and colonial in its aims, and fascist in its methods. Israel is the instrument of the Zionist movement, and geographical base for world imperialism…

Article 30: Fighters and carriers of arms in the war of liberation are the nucleus of the popular army which will be the protective force for the gains of the Palestinian Arab people.

And Article 3 of the General Principles (Chapter I) of the Constitution of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (which is annexed to and regulates the Charter):

"…the armed Palestinian struggle shall be supported, and every possible effort shall be made to ensure that it continues and escalates…"

Moderate? Reject violence and terror? Accept a two state solution?

But the real test is not the theory of charters and of principles. The real test is practical. Who are the salary earners who benefit? Where does the money go?

The Funding for Peace Coalition has been issuing reports for years documenting the diversion of international aid to corruption and violence by the Palestinian Authority lead by the PLO – and especially by Fatah leaders such as Abbas and his predecessor Yasser Arafat. Despite denials by European politicians and bureaucrats, Fatah's terrorist "military wing" the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade were prime beneficiaries.

Have things changed? Who are the "government workers, including members of the security forces" who will benefit from this new funding mechanism? A little snippet of news from the Israeli Ha'aretz paper lets us in on the secret. Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades founder Khaled Shwish was arrested by the IDF two days ago, for murdering 8 Israeli civilians and injuring tens of others. This terrorist murderer is one of the many "government workers" with military rank that would be getting salary payments from the international aid channeled through "moderate" Fatah and the PLO.

Once again, the international community has found a way to fund terror and murder Jews.

David

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Clean bill of health?

2007-05-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

It is rare that one of the so-called "human rights" NGOs that support Palestinian terror are openly exposed. Watchdog NGO Monitor has reported the tendency of Medicines sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) "members [to] exploit this NGO for political goals including unsupported attacks on Israel in contradiction to the pledge to maintain independence from political powers." Of particular concern to NGO Monitor is the specialist's diagnosis: Israeli actions degrade Palestinian healthcare. Of course, Palestinian violence and terror that make the protective actions necessary do not form part of the medical record. It seems that the mental and physical health of Israeli civilians does not even get an appointment.

Today, Albawaba Middle East news service reports: Medicines sans Frontieres has been infected by the terror virus.

Palestinian charged with plan to kill Olmert
17-05-2007 , 09:12 GMT

A Palestinian man was charged Thursday in Jerusalem District Court with gathering intelligence as part of a plan to assassinate Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Masa'b Bashir, a 25-year-old resident of Dir el-Balah in the Gaza Strip, has a valid entry permit into Israel due to his work with the organization "Doctors without Borders," the Tel Aviv-based Haaretz newspaper reported.

The planning for the assassination was conducted at the initial level only, and did not become operational, the report added.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) activists in Dir el-Balah allegedly recruited Bashir, and dispatched him to gather intelligence on the security arrangements at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. He visited the site several times, and informed his PFLP handlers that the tight security would not permit the successful assassination of Olmert.

At a later stage, the PFLP decided to kill an Israeli working in archeological excavations in East Jerusalem. As part of that plan, Bashir allegedly underwent training in martial arts and firing a handgun.

Instead of their ongoing negative prognosis, Medicines sans Frontiers would be better giving a second opinion on the free medical treatment Israeli hospitals and doctors so frequently provide our Palestinian Arab neighbours.

It's Ascension Day in Switzerland today, so the phones are not being answered. But you could send your (politely worded) opinion by fax to +41 (22) 8498404.

David

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Moderation

2007-04-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

The Palestinian Authority presents itself as having a new, "moderate" coalition government, interested in the welfare of its citizens and in progressing toward peace with Israel and deserving of international aid. Meantime, here is a sample of the proof of their intentions:

· Kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is being held against all international laws with no access by the International Red Cross, and no news to his family as to his condition.

· There is no information as to the whereabouts or condition of kidnapped BBC Journalist Alan Johnston.

· March 14th 2007 - Planned car bomb attack thwarted, 19 Palestinians arrested.

· March 16th 2007 – Hamas suicide bomber arrested by Egypt.

· March 19th 2007 - Hamas sniper shoots Israel Electric Company worker near Karni crossing; Norway encourages the world to recognise the Palestinian government.

· March 30th 2007 - Hamas spokesperson calls for killing Jews.

· April 10th 2007 - Palestinians wound Israeli in drive-by shooting attack.

· April 13th 2007 - Acting Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker publicly prays: Oh Allah, Kill the Jews and Americans 'To the Very Last One'.

· April 17th2007 – Palestinians wound four Israelis in drive-by shooting attack.

· April 18th 2007 - Hamas calls for kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

· April 21st 2007 - Hamas controlled Islamic Jihad and Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades fire rockets from Gaza onto Sderot and surrounds.

· April 23rd 2007 - Gaza International School bombed.

· April 24th 2007 - Barrage of rockets fired out of Gaza onto Israeli towns; major terrorist attack thwarted by IDF.

It's all a bit hard for me to keep track of. These are just some examples …But at Elder of Ziyon: April Qassam calendar you can find a meticulous calendar of rockets out of Gaza. Well, we can agree that the Palestinians have earned their "moderate" title. They kept seven of the last 26 days rocket-free.

David

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Elder of Ziyon: April Qassam calendar

2007-04-26T04:39:00.000-07:00

Elder of Ziyon: April Qassam calendar

Six Day War

2007-04-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

As we approach the anniversary of the Six Day War, some of my friends have put up a fascinating site that shares the history, background and personal experiences at the time. Have a quick look at www.sixdaywar.co.uk. A geat resource for all of us - but especially students, teachers and journalists looking for material. Share it. (And if you have an experience you would like to have considered for inclusion, write to 5june67@gmail.com )

Best wishes

David

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Seminar in Israel for overseas activists

2007-03-18T03:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I do not usually advertise or promote events and conferences. As a founding member of the Council of Hasbara Volunteers (CoHaV), however, I am pleased to let you know about the attached seminar, and invite you to attend. Make your way to Israel, add a short vacation. Support Israel by your presence, your tourism. Meet with members of the world wide Israel advocacy community, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives responsible for Israel's image in the diaspora. An opportunity to support, learn and influence.

David

Under the auspices of CoHaV, we are planning a seminar "Learning Effective Public Diplomacy for Israel" on May 14-17, 2007 as a grass- roots program for community leadership in public diplomacy for Israel.

Full details of this seminar can be found at
http://IsraelSeminar.Info

This seminar is intended for our overseas members and the affordably priced seminar is designed for learning the intricacies of peace advocacy

The charge of $450 for hotels, meals, transportation within Israel, guides, tips, entry fees ($200 or less single supplement) and optional add-on activities can be arranged.

The seminar has been endorsed by CAMERA, Honest Reporting, ICAN - Israeli Citizens Action Network, Sonoma County Israel Action Committee, Frequent Hasbara Flyers, Take-A-Pen, Kol Emeth Israel Action Committee, Zionist Freedom Alliance and The Other Side of the Coin

If you are interested please complete the application form and release on the web site. For more information contact Etta Korenman at ettakorenman@yahoo.com

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Finland joins Germany, Belgium: Offensive for Jews to object to another holocaust

2007-03-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Israeli band Teapacks has created quite a storm with its song "Push the Button". It's been selected to represent Israel in the coming Eurovision song festival. While it does not seem (at least to me) to have sufficient artistic merit to win, stranger things have happened. But the Finnish contest organisers have made sure that it does get ample publicity. Accusing the song of being inappropriately political, the Finns are scrambling for ways to ban the song from the competition.

The lyrics are a protest against nuclear weapons in the hands of unstable political leaders. And Kobi Oz , teapacks' founder and lead singer, probably knows what he is singing about. He comes from the southern Israeli town of Sderot - now best known as a target for Palestinian rocket squads firing from the Gaza Strip.

Blogger Tundra Tabloids points out that the Finnish 1982 Eurovision entry was the group Kojo, titled "Nuku Pommin" ("Bomb Out" or better yet "Sleep while the bombs fall"), which told of the threat to Europe during the height of the Cold War when most of Europe were against the US deployment of nuclear tipped cruise and Pershing missiles. So while you ponder the hypocrisy of Finland joining the club of people offended by Jews objecting to being the victims of another holocaust, you can click the links and decide the musical merits for yourself.

David

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PS: Here are the links for the HTML deprived:

"Push the Button" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_h_rLKTLvs

"Nuko Pommin" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8HdS0ukSwk

German discomfort at Jewish self-protection

2007-03-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you to those of you who wrote me emails about the Belgian encouragement of Palestinian hatred of Israel. Unfortunately, the Belgians are not alone. Last weekend, German Bishops came on a solidarity mission to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Israel's Yad Vashem holocaust museum was a fitting place for them to visit, and so they did. And straight after, they were swept off to visit the Palestinian territories, where they promptly drew comparisons with what they had just seen - labelling it "Ghetto Ramallah", and comparing the Israeli treatment of Palestinians to German treatment of Jews.

It is hard to tell if this odious comparison was to whitewash what the Germans did in WWII, or a malicious attempt to demonise the Jewish state - or both. Certainly it shows they didn't learn much at Yad Vashem. Maybe someone should remind them. The Germans rounded up peaceful citizens and herded them into ghettos. Then they systematically annihilated them. Shot them on the spot or herded them into cattle cars to be gassed and cremated in concentration camps.

By comparison, peaceful Arab citizens of Israel (and some less than peaceful ones) benefit from every democratic right and are part of every element of society - as far as members of parliament and a minister of state. Arabs who are part of a neighbouring declared enemy territory can live anywhere in that territory that they chose. But suicide bombers, drive-by shooters, Kassam rockets and other threats must be kept out at all costs. Military action is essential to arrest or kill everyone involved in the vile Palestinian war crimes they so love to label "resistance". And I won't apologise to anyone for actions my government takes to protect me, my wife and my children. Israel has made it clear time and time again. Stretch out your hand in peace and we will grasp it. But we will not sit idly by while terrorists plot another holocaust.

Best wishes,

David

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How will Belgian historians rate World War III?

2007-03-06T05:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I have frequently questioned how Western diplomats manage to deceive themselves that they have been funding Palestinian "peace initiatives" and the basis of "good governance". Even more wondrous the self-deception when the money goes specifically toward developing a hate curriculum in schools designed to "educate" young children to Jihad and "martyrdom", reinforcing that peace is neither desirable nor an option. Wiping the Jews out of the Middle East in history, geography, in poetry, grammar, mathematics and, after graduation, by terror, murder and war.

My previous essays pointed to copiously documented reports by the Prism Group, the Funding for Peace Coalition and others. The latest new and revised 2006 year 12 textbooks have been analysed by Palestinian Media Watch. While previous negative publicity of the damage created by their funding led many European countries to withdraw from curriculum revision, the latest text books bear the inscription shown in the picture below.

The Ministry of Higher Education thanks from the bottom of its heart the international institutes and organisations and the friendly Arab states, and especially the Belgian government, for their monetary support in the curriculum project. Signed by "Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Curriculum Development Center Sept. 2006"

So what have the Belgians been funding?

Read the report yourself, and see if (like me) you agree with the conclusion:

"One of the most meaningful gauges of the ideology and aspirations of a people is the education of its youth. For this reason, the new Palestinian Authority schoolbooks introduced in the end of 2006 by the Palestinian Authority (PA) Ministry of Higher Education apparatus are a continuation of the tragic disappointment of the earlier books. Instead of seizing the opportunity to educate future generations to live in peace with Israel, the new PA schoolbooks teach their children to hate Israel and vilify Israel’s existence while they glorify terror. Instead of working to minimize the current hate, the new PA curriculum is ingraining it into the next generation’s consciousness, and packaging the war against Israel as existential, mandatory and religious."

A breathtaking coincidence is that just before sitting down to write, I read a headline from Sunday's Ha'aretz: How Belgium sacrificed its Jews to the Nazis. The story details a Belgian government appointment committee of historians report on the role of the Belgian authorities in the persecution and deportation of the Jews during World War II.

David

A breath of fresh air

2007-01-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I always hear and read of a genuine desire peace by most Israelis. Yet there seem to be no voices on the Palestinian side interested in achieving that goal. So called "moderates" like Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas talk the talk but simply don't walk the walk. They talk peace and moderation in English, but in Arabic they glorify "martyrdom", encourage their people to "turn their rifles on the occupation", create an economy that cannot sustain peace and is dependant on international welfare and then direct that welfare to violence and corruption.

A breath of fresh air is Salam Fayyad, former Finance Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, who is considered one of the few Palestinian politicians who is not corrupt. He ran as founder and leader of the new Third Way political party, and sits in the Palestinian Authority Legislative Council.

Fayyad took the unusual step of accepting an invitation to address the Herzliya Conference, in Israel. This conference is an annual event, intended to enhance national policy and contribute to the upgrading of the strategic decision-making process. An internal Israel talk-fest.

His speech is worth reading and circulating. While clearly I won't agree with every word, if he can ever become more than a lone voice, there may yet be a basis for peace in the Middle East.

Statement by Dr. Salam Fayyad
Seventh Annual Herzliya Conference
January 24th, 2007

I would like to extend my thanks to the conference organizers for inviting me to speak before you. I recognize the importance of this conference – it is the very platform where major Israeli policies have been laid out including, most recently, unilateralism in the form of the Israeli "disengagement" from the Gaza Strip. As a Palestinian, who has felt the effects of these policies, it is my hope that today I will be able to shed some light on this issue, and on how together we can chart a new, brighter, more promising future for the Middle East – not just for our two peoples.

It would have been very easy for me to focus my talk today on economics and finance. But owing to the very important role that politics play in the success or failure of any economy and indeed the future of any state, I decided instead to focus my comments on matters of politics, leaving matters of economics and finance aside for the moment.

Examining the past 6 years of this conflict, I would characterize the Israeli-Palestinian relations over this period as having been too intimate – too intimate for the Palestinians and too intimate for the Israelis. You may be stunned by this characterization, for many have characterized it as the opposite. But the nature of relations today between Israelis and Palestinians has reached levels of micromanagement, where Israel is involved in the minute details of the lives of Palestinians. It is important to remember that the entirety of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is ruled by military orders – not by politics, logic, or reason – but by military orders with "security" dictating the rules of the game. Whether through the erection of hundreds of checkpoints and roadblocks throughout the West Bank – most of which have no real security rationale, the requirement that Palestinians obtain permits to travel even within the West Bank or some of the absurd rules which are largely unknown to Israelis, the occupation has seeped into almost every aspect of Palestinian life. Take, for example, the recently announced prohibition on Palestinians riding in Israeli yellow-plated cars. While to many there is a clear security rationale, what is ignored are the ramifications of such policies. I know many Jerusalemites for whom this new policy means that they cannot transport their own relatives who happen, by the fate of war, to be characterized as "West Bankers." I also know many Palestinians – whether in Jerusalem or elsewhere – whose land has been taken away and whose families have been divided for the construction of the wall. These are the details to which few Israelis are exposed but the very reality that Palestinians continue to live and suffer from daily.

And, while I understand that in the design of these and other measures there may be a "security" rationale involved, the effect is not to create more security for Israel, but rather to create more conditions for future instability. Why? Because at its core, this conflict is NOT a security conflict with political ramifications but instead a POLITICAL conflict with security ramifications. Unfortunately, for the past six years, and arguably longer, the focus has been solely on security, ignoring the inherent link between Israel's lack of security and the Palestinians' lack of freedom. This is not a humanitarian conflict needing a humanitarian response, nor is this a security conflict requiring a security response. What we are both suffering from is a political conflict requiring a political solution.

There was once, arguably, a focus on the larger picture – beyond checkpoints, dirt mounds and permits – to major political issues: Jerusalem, borders, refugees, the settlements, etc. Unfortunately, the process took center stage and not the actual need for peace. While meetings between the two sides and with the international community abounded, what was ignored was whether progress was actually being made to end the conflict – the occupation – and give both peoples what they want: peace. Today, meetings have been reduced to discussions on small, practical (and sometimes not so practical) issues that are peripheral to the conflict. By focusing on the peripheral, we are no closer to solving our problems and hence no closer to peace. We need to broaden our view and look to politics – not only to the small issues that are not germane to the fundamental nature of this conflict.

It is easy for Israel to shrug away and do nothing. Israel – as the stronger party to this conflict – has the luxury to do nothing. But in doing nothing, Israel is doing something: it is not contributing to solving this conflict; it is making it fester. Many believe that we are stuck between doing nothing and between unilateral approaches. Yet from our experience we should now know that neither approach works: both doing nothing and acting unilaterally only serve to make matters worse.

What then should be done? We need bifocals. Yes, bifocals. By that, I mean we need clear vision to address the short term and the long term. While it is important to address the immediate concerns that preoccupy Palestinians and Israelis on a daily basis, we need to do so within a framework that provides a clear and agreed definition of where we are going and how we are going to get there. Ever so skeptical of transitional solutions, the need for a concrete definition of the "final status" was, for a long time, perceived to be a predominantly Palestinian need. But, I would argue that the adverse developments of the past few years, including the misgivings of unilateralism, have made working toward transitional arrangements in the absence of an agreed final status equally unattractive from the point of view of Israelis as well.

A peaceful solution is inevitable. It is. It is impossible to maintain the status quo because the status quo is not static; it is fluid and, unfortunately only gets worse, not better. There is no question that there will be stability when the Palestinians are given their freedom. The vision that has been laid out by President Bush and embraced by President Abbas is that of peaceful coexistence. For Israelis, this means feeling safe and secure; for Palestinians this means being free of Israeli interference and also living in safety and security. But these are just statements. What I really want to lay out for you is a vision for positive relations; not just coexistence.

Palestinians have a vision of peace. We want our state to be a qualitative addition to the region and model of democratic values and good governance. When I speak of good governance I mean it concretely – not as a lofty and unattainable goal but one in which the rule of law and not the rule of the gun will prevail. Palestinians have the highest rate of PhD holders per capita in the Arab world (I am one of those statistics), and our focus will be on creating a generation of smart, educated Palestinians who will demand no less than a credible system of laws and respect for rights. Many might ask why this has not happened already? The answer lies mainly in the occupation and the lack of freedom for the Palestinians. When you live in a context where there is no respect for laws under a suffocating and oppressive occupation, it is very difficult to demand and enforce civility.

That said, I will never use occupation as an excuse to allow ourselves to be sloppy or lax in the building of our state. As a Palestinian nationalist and someone who is committed to working to end the occupation, I will demand certain things from our independent Palestinian state on behalf of all Palestinians. I want to see a state that is free, where respect for rights is guaranteed (not simply sloganized), where education is at the fore, and where democracy is guiding principle.

These are matters that are of concern to Israel. But more importantly, I want to spell out a vision of peace with Israel. I seek a warm peace with Israel. I don't want it so warm that you are in our backyard as you are now, but I seek a warm peace. I seek strong political ties with Israel; I seek strong economic ties between the independent states of Israel and Palestine .I seek warm relations with Israelis. Yes, we seek warm relations with you. We do not want to simply get to a point where we just accept each other – we want to have warm relations where we both recognize the mutual economic, political, intellectual and spiritual benefits of living and working together. We do not want to erect walls; we want to see bridges. We do not want to close you out of our lives – we want to live with you – as your neighbors and as your equals.

At heart, I am an optimist. Why? How? After so much effort from all parties and after such spectacular failure, many question how I can persist in my optimism. The answer lies in the fact that I know that there is a great deal of depth of goodwill on both sides, and on the part of the international community.

This does not mean that the solution will be easy. It won't. If it were, obviously we would have been there. Political and other sacrifices are required and we will need to be bold and explain to our respective publics what we want and how to achieve it.

Time is running out for us. Time is not on our side. I am part of the last generation of Palestinians who see Israelis in normal settings, who meets with Israelis and who can call Israelis "friends." The cold separation coupled with the micromanagement of affairs must disappear soon, for if it does not, we will never be able to live together as equals with mutual respect. In Arabic, there is a saying which is, ironically, the opposite of its English language counterpart – "absence makes the heart grow colder". As a father and husband, I fear that our hearts are growing colder the more that we are separated. I want a future for my children and I am certain that you do too. The future that I seek is a warm, bright one for them. And I know that you share this vision too. Too much time has been wasted. It is time for us to get back on track and work to end this conflict so that our children's future can be marked by Palestinian-Israeli friendships; not Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

David

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When appeasement becomes racism

2007-01-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

It is a fundamental right of every individual to be judged equally amongst his peers. Without it, democracy becomes unsustainable. And yet, multiple standards are almost intrinsic to human nature. Double standards infect almost every realm of human endeavour. A prime example is the use of human shields.

Outlawed by the Geneva Conventions, the use of human shields is decried by all. The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan, denounced the use of human shields by guerilla rebels in refugee camps of West Timor.

So what action was taken in Palestinian villages presided over by the UN? UNWRA headquarters in Jenin was used as cover for Palestinians to shoot at IDF soldiers. Human shields were, and are, a common tool. Terrorists were even caught opening fire while taking cover behind a woman holding an UNWRA flag.

How was UN condemnation phrased on this occasion? The Weekly Standard described it well. Local UN officials fabricated an Israeli army "massacre" of "unarmed civilians" and UNRWA Commissioner General Peter Hansen gave dozens of lip-smacking interviews recounting his eye witness account of Israeli atrocities. But the Weekly Standard concluded, based on foreign journalist and international observer evidence, that Hansen "is a bald-faced liar."

This determination to vilify Israel and exonerate Palestinian fabrication is evidenced in any event where Palestinians being used as human shields are accidentally killed – whether by Israelis as collateral damage or by Palestinian "work accidents." Deep indignation is loudly shouted. By contrast, Palestinian murder of deliberately targeted Israelis is addressed by a muted voice whispering mild concern.

The Palestinians have well understood that the international the media and politicians will grant rewards for every civilian death in their struggle against Israel – whether of Jew or Arab. President Mahmoud Abbas publicly declared that Palestinians must avoid civil war, and turn their guns against Israelis. And the world declares amen to depictions of this man as a "moderate" deserving of hundreds of millions in arms and military training. Media reports adopt his language: "Jerusalem church leaders alarmed at worsening relations between two main political parties are calling for an end to violence and an urgent return to the "real priorities" of Palestinians." Code words lifted almost directly from the Palestinian leader's speeches; quickly translated: Stop killing each other and get back to killing Jews.

The human shields themselves have also reached a new level of boldness and sophistication. Knowing that Israel will avoid killing "innocent" civilians, they call for the murder of their Israeli counterparts, while protecting terrorists and arms caches with their homes and their bodies.

In recent months, Israeli security forces have used telephone calls to warn Palestinian militants and others near alleged militant safe houses and weapons caches, giving them up to a half hour to evacuate. When militia leader Mohammed Baroud got the call Saturday, he enlisted neighbors to protect his house from the Israeli military. They've now set up a system of shifts to protect the house around the clock.

"This kind of [peaceful] resistance cannot replace the rocket resistance," says Jamila Shanti, a female member of Hamas who helped organize a permanent presence of female human shields around the house. "The popular resistance is to protect the people from the bombing. The rocket resistance is to confront the Israeli machinery." (http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1120/p01s02-wome.html)

The US, on the other hand, solves the dilemma by simply following the rules of war. According to the Geneva conventions, as Kofi Anan pointed out in Timor, armies are not required to protect human shields. Whether in Afghanistan, Iraq, or more recently Somalia, the results have been devastating. But the world quietly applies the international standard, as long as the attacker is "one of us." Israel, as "the other," must respect human shields deliberately hiding terrorists and their weapons. Palestinians, "the lesser," are not up to these international ethical norms. Using human shields and murdering civilians are minor faults which cannot be allowed to distract the flow of international aid.

However you slice it – that's racism.

David

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Sick of hearing about wars in the Middle East?

2007-01-16T00:38:00.000-08:00

Spend 4 minutes and 21 seconds looking at this video clip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5tDDkvXSI8

David

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Israel - country of refuge

2006-12-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

Several friends have written asking how I felt about the wide publicity given to the Neturei Karta "Rabbis" who attended Iran's Holocaust denial conference. Frankly, these people are so marginal that (as one Rabbi interviewed on army radio here put it) "they don't even represent their own wives". They should just be ignored. But I guess they got so much publicity that it's hard to dismiss them. As Joel Stein said in the LA times in another context: "That controversy never would have happened if Gentiles simply realized that absolutely no one ever listens to rabbis. If we did, kids who went to Hebrew school would actually speak Hebrew."

Friend Joy Wolfe reported her community's reaction to one of the notorious "Rabbis" who went to shake Ahmadinejad's hand in Iran. Her Manchester community has branded Ahron Cohen a persona non grata. The burial society even returned Cohen's dues, refusing to guarantee him a Jewish burial. A demonstration outside his home brought together Jews of all walks of life. A historic day, with the Zionist Federation waving Israeli flags and singing Hatikva, while standing next to anti-Zionist Satmar Hassidim who were equally appalled by the antics of their offspring sect. The Satmar community have made it clear that he is no longer welcome in the Synagogue he used to attend, and the local shopkeepers won't serve him.

Joy reports that Cohen is seeking refuge overseas - and is considering Israel. It's probably the only country where Cohen, now in his 80's, will be able to get a Jewish burial when the time comes. Ironic, eh?

David

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Random checkpoints

2006-12-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I mentioned in October that the world is beginning to treat Palestinian complaints about Israel's security barrier as sour grapes over difficulties terrorists face in trying to murder Israeli women and children. But the fence is not complete, and used alone it is far from perfect.

Never dissuaded from duping naïve politicians and the media, I have seen many reports of pressure on Israel to stop what is presented by the Palestinian propaganda machine as "random checkpoints" in the West Bank. It is clearly true that when the IDF sets up a roadblock anywhere, it disrupts daily life. They are used when specific intelligence indicates a need to protect Israeli citizens.

Attached is a rare report where the IDF gives specific insight into its modus operandi. It is similar to the arrest of Israeli Arab Warud Qasem, caught in the West Bank transporting a bomb intended to blow up a restaurant in my home town.

I wonder what extra proof the world needs to admit that, like the security fence, Israeli patrols and roadblocks are a direct consequence of Palestinian terror attempts?

David

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December 3rd, 2006
IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE

Two terrorists planning a suicide bombing arrested yesterday near Jenin

Now released for publication: Two Palestinian terrorists involved in the planning of executing suicide bombing against Israel were arrested yesterday, December 2nd 2006, by an IDF force in a temporary checkpoint near the village of Qaffin, west of Jenin.

The two are Osmat Tsabah, 19 and Ahmed Tahama, 21

An infidel interprets Islam

2006-11-20T03:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

The British PM, Tony Blair, made a significant foreign policy speech on Monday (November 13, 2006), at the London Lord Mayor's banquet. He outlined his "whole Middle-East strategy". After stating Israel/Palestine "is the core", Blair drew a direct line to Teheran.

"Iran is being confronted over its nuclear weapons ambitions... [T]hey are using the pressure points in the region to thwart us. So they help the most extreme elements of Hamas in Palestine; Hizbollah in the Lebanon; Shia militia in Iraq. That way, they put obstacles in the path to peace, paint us, as they did over the Israel/Lebanon conflict, as the aggressors, inflame the Arab street and create political turmoil in our democratic politics."

Blair's solution to the nuclear threat, global terror and and the Israel-Palestinian dispute is simple: appeal to moderate Islam. His introduction was the base. "In this century, a new and unconventional enemy has appeared: a global terrorism, based on a thoroughly warped misinterpretation of Islam, which is fanatical and deadly."

My question is this: Where is this moderate Islam? Why is an "infidel" explaining that global terrorism is a warped misinterpretation of Islam? Shouldn't it be Muslim's speaking for (not to mention protecting) their own religion? Where are the masses of Muslims who are leading or at least joining the war on terror? And I don't mean lapsed or secular Muslims - I mean religious Muslims.

My studies of comparative religion in high school and the memory of the Muslims I met at university create a dissonance between what I thought was Islam, and what I see today. On the other hand, the Islamist vision of dominating the world as the sole religion has been openly and clearly declared, and is being brought to implementation stage. It is not dissimilar to the vision of the Crusaders, which led to the pogroms of the Middle Ages. Not too different to the Catholic vision that created the Inquisition. And I guess that its political edge is parallel to the vision of the 1,000 year Reich.

David
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Self-selection: anti-Semitic academics face extinction

2006-11-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

The news from Israel has been rather depressing lately. Unacceptable military blunders on all fronts. Our enemies' double war crimes of deliberately attacking civilians from civilian neighbourhoods pointedly ignored, while an accident that we apologise for loudly condemned. Not enough that "wipe Israel off the map" Ahmadinejad in Iran is developing the bomb – six other Arab states announce that they intend going nuclear too. And the icing on the cake: a report from the Israeli Ynet news site. Although the UK academic boycott of Israel was voted down, it seems that UK academics and institutions are quietly refusing to have anything to do with Israelis. No consideration for the politics or the multiculturalism of the institutions they disdain, nor of the damage to the Arab students at those institutions. No recognition of Israel's right to exist – or at least protect its citizens from being slaughtered. Depressing.

Then I received the latest newsletter of Israel 21c. The news site comes out almost every day with a new wonder – describing the fruits of modern Israeli science and technology. It set me thinking about all the Jewish Nobel prize winners; about the disproportionate Israeli contribution to modern science. Computers, medicine, biotechnology, nanotechnology, renewable energy; Israelis are at the forefront.

It is not a coincidence that this Jewish state called Israel rose out of the ashes of an attempt by European and Arab states to eradicate their Jews. Indeed, many of Jewish hospitals, schools, universities and clubs around the world grew out of an unwillingness of the general society to educate, hire or socialize with Jews. They quickly grew into the finest institutions – a model for others that far surpassed their anti-Semitic rivals.

In the "publish or perish" academic world, access to and participation in the development of new ideas is critical. And if the inventiveness of Israeli scholarship and achievement is withheld, these academics and their journals will miss out. They may not become second rate and wither on the vine, but is it too much to dream that they will be overshadowed by those who meet their Israeli counterparts on an equal footing?

Wherever practical, let every supporter of Israel direct academic achievements, papers, studies, grants and donations to people and institutions that demonstrate honest and true academic freedom.

Let's make sure that these misguided academics – whether they shun the Jewish state and its citizens out of misguided political correctness, jealousy of their Israeli counterparts' achievements, or simple anti-Semitism – will not have a part in the miracle of modern Israel and its scientific discoveries.

Let the anti-Semites self-select themselves out of the race. Preferably out of the human race.

David

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Where is all that "humanitarian aid"?

2006-11-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Truckload after truckload of food, medicines and "humanitarian aid" pass through the border crossings into Gaza. It is part of an Israeli policy to minimise the suffering of Gaza citizens, while their democratically elected Hamas government shoots rockets at Israeli civilians, attacks the IDF troops who keep the border crossings open and smuggles huge stockpiles of weapons, readying themselves to provoke a massive conflict with Israel on the lines of the recent Hizbollah attack and the ensuing war in Lebanon.

Here are the latest two examples.

On November 2nd, 210 truckloads of food, medical supplies and other basic commodities were transferred to the Gaza Strip through the Karni crossing. In addition, 250 calves, 39 truckloads of medical equipment and 42,000 kg of flour went through the Sufa crossing.
On November 5th, 185 truckloads of food, medical supplies, basic commodities and raw materials were transferred to the Gaza Strip through the Karni crossing. In addition, 400,000 liters of diesel fuel, 90,000 liters of gasoline and 175 tons of natural gas went through the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.

With the constant flow of supplies into Gaza, one has to wonder about the frequent reports of rampant poverty in Gaza. And where does all the money come from for the weapons smuggling, terrorist and politician salaries, and the luxurious lifestyles of the elite?

The website of watchdog organization the Funding for Peace Coalition is full of reports of Palestinian corruption – including at border crossings. It brought plenty of proofs from the Arafat-Abbas regimes, and implies that corruption has simply transferred its master since the rise of Hamas.

And opening this morning's newspaper confirms the worst. As the original report was in Hebrew, I attach a translation for you. In short, international donations to hospitals and aid agencies are being diverted to the pockets of individuals and to the purchase of arms and payment of terrorist salaries. And some of the "aid" is not donations at all – just a method of smuggling, using the black market to line the pockets of the corrupt and feed the Hamas war machine.

One has to wonder the value of the "international observers" placed at the border crossings. One also has to wonder at the value of so-called international mechanisms to bypass the Hamas government and provide aid directly to the needy elements of the population.

Where is the international outcry from governments, aid agencies and human rights organizations about the siphoning off of international aid to corruption and violence? It seems that the world has accepted that the only result of Palestinian autonomy in Gaza is to be corruption, poverty and war. And based on reports of those same agencies, not surprisingly, Israel is to blame.

David

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Israel investigates: Have "donations" to hospitals gone to Hamas?

Overseas and local intelligence services investigate how documents from international organizations and governments were forged and attached to deliveries that found their way to Hamas.
By ITAMAR EICHNER, Yediot Aharonot, November 6, 2006
Translated by David Frankfurter

Exclusive: The [Israeli] Government Coordinator of Activities in the Palestinian Territories and intelligence services are conducting a joint investigation, following suspicions that Palestinians have forged documents in order to transfer humanitarian donations into the Palestinian territories, and from there they ended up in the hands of the Hamas government.

Additional parties, both in Israel and overseas, are involved in the highly secret investigation. The main suspicion is that standing behind the "donated" forgeries are Islamists, looking for a way around the Israeli embargo on the transfer of aid to Hamas. Those elements successfully forged permits from governments and overseas humanitarian agencies. Included are genuine donations intended for hospitals and humanitarian agencies in the Palestinian Authority. The "permits" were attached to containers of food, medicines, clothing, etc. and transported through to Palestinian Authority controlled territories, after receiving Israeli government approval.

The suspicions are that the real destinations of the "donations" were for the private use of the forgers, or for sale with the proceeds being transferred to Hamas. Some of the cases are personal corruption, although some give rise to suspicions of fraud involving the Hamas government.

The use of fictional donors has been revealed, with telephone numbers on the "permits" being incorrect or disconnected. In one case the Government Coordinator of Activities in the Palestinian Territories contacted the donor, in order to confirm that he in fact transferred the donation to the Palestinians. The donor denied ever having made any such donation. The donations with forged permits came are suspected to have come from several different countries, including the UK, Germany, Austria, Jordan, Spain, Canada and South Korea.

Last night, Security Service sources confirmed the investigation and said that the it was multi-faceted. Shlomo Dror, spokesperson for the Coordinator of Activities in the Palestinian Territories, responded to the report yesterday evening: "Suspicions were aroused regarding the bona-fides of certain donations, concerning the way they were transferred and the organizations that stand behind them, and the matter is under investigation on our behalf."

Training tomorrow's terrorists

2006-10-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

It's now out that the American security coordinator in the territories, General Keith Dayton, has been giving secret training to the Palestinian Presidential Guard. It's part of his program to provide "support" to the Palestinian Fatah faction in its internal struggle with Hamas.

The initial training was conducted by American military instructors in a military camp near Jericho, for some 400 men. And now Dayton has asked the Quartet to put in place a program that will have Egyptian, British and perhaps even Jordanian instructors to train the force loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, helping it to grow to some 6,000 men.

Dayton seems to have managed to help his masters to forget the history of the Presidential Guard and its elite Force 17 unit, and is probably hoping that the Quartet will also have a spot of amnesia.

He has also sidestepped the conclusions of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that, before the addition of more than 35,000 troops in the last 3 years, the Palestinian Security Services were overstaffed, out of control, and an insurmountable burden on the Palestinian economy. Of greater concern, though, is that Force 17 is well known for its involvement in terror activities.

In this context, the experience of previous US training efforts is of interest. Journalist Mathew Kalman revealed in the San Francisco Chronicle in early 2005 that as far back as 1998, the CIA spent tens of millions of dollars, contracting secret training for hundreds of Palestinian Security Service personnel, including members of Force 17. Kalman managed to get hold of this "graduation picture" of one of those courses. Look at the fellow kneeling fourth from the left in the front row. Kalman identified him as Raafat Bajali – a member of the terrorist Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who was killed in a "work accident", while making a bomb. Fortunately, he took fellow Al-Aksa terrorist Nedal Zedok with him

And standing in the back row, second from the left, is Khaled Abu Nijmeh. He was one of Bethlehem's most-wanted Palestinian militants in the city, suspected of involvement in a string of suicide bombings and shooting attacks against Israelis. In May 2002, he was one of 13 gunmen escorted from the Church of the Nativity siege in Bethlehem, flown to Cyprus and then to exile in Europe. Several of his fellow deportees received their salaries from the Palestinian Security Service payroll. Nijmeh proudly told Kalman of his membership in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades alongside his job as first sergeant in Palestinian General Intelligence. He was very pleased with the CIA training that helped him learn the trade. "I was not alone. Many Palestinian security people were trained by the Americans. We hope they will continue helping us."

Well, now that our memories have faded a little, it seems that Nijmeh's prayers are being answered. The Americans are once again training tomorrow's terrorists.

David

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What makes you understand that you have the right to think that way?

2006-10-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Israel's security fence has dropped from the news lately. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy's recent declaration somewhat explains the loss of interest. I have significantly evolved on the matter of the separation fence. Although the wall was a moral and ethical problem for me, when I realised terror attacks were reduced by 80 percent in the areas where the wall was erected, I understood I didnt have the right to think that way, said Douste-Blazy.

How does it work? By making it harder to cross from the Palestinian Authority areas into Israel, smuggling is reduced, with traffic channelled through monitored border crossing points. Before the fence was erected, Israeli security managed to prevent around 30% of attempted terrorist attacks. Today, the number is closer to 95%. A case study is young 20 year old Israeli Arab Warud Qasem (pictured). Qasem worked in our local Ra'anana supermarket as a cashier. Her cousin was an illegal Palestinian worker in Ra'anana's Spaghettim restaurant. Three months ago, she was joined Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades. [You will recall that Al-Aksa is an official organ of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, and that many of its active terrorists received salaries and benefits from internationally funded Palestinian Authority budgets.] Qasem was able to use her citizenship and familiarity with Israel to help weapons smuggling and to pinpoint terror targets. She recruited her cousin in a plan to plant a bomb in the Spaghettim Restaurant. But, asked to smuggle the 7 kilogram bomb into Israel in her car (which has Israeli license plates) she demurred, because the border police were likely to catch her. The bomb was driven around the West Bank, searching for a way around the fence into Israel, when Qasem was arrested with it in her possession. She is now facing charges - our town's citizens having been saved from attack by the security fence and the ever alert Israeli security services.

Of course, the intrepid Kofi Anan has never been one to let facts, public opinion or the potential saving of the lives of innocent civilians stand in the way of demonizing Israel. In his fading days as UN Secretary General, the ever intrepid crusader for the rights of Palestinians to murder Jews has found yet another way to divert even more UN resources to the Palestinian international propaganda campaign. He is initiating an office to collect data and testimonies on damages caused by the separation fence to Palestinians in the West Bank. This "Register of Damage" is to be set up in Vienna, and is intended to serve possible future international adjudication. The office would simply collect and register claims, without any an evaluation or assessment of the loss or damage claimed. "The office of the Register of Damage would not be a compensation commission nor a claims-resolution facility, nor would it be a judicial or quasi-judicial body," said Anan, adding that "Israel also has an obligation to compensate, in accordance with the applicable rules of international law, all natural or legal persons having suffered any form of material damage as a result of the wall's construction."

It would be naïve to ask what data collection Anan is undertaking to create a "Register of Damage" caused by Palestinian terror against Israeli civilians. It would be laughable to expect the UN to prepare a mechanism for potential compensation from the international funders and institutions (including the UN) who underwrote that terror for years.

Needless to say, if the Palestinians stopped the violent and criminal attacks against Israeli civilians, there would be no data to collect. There would be no damage to record. There would be no fence. Instead, there would be a basis for the peace that every Israeli yearns for. If only Anan would use UN influence and resources to resolve the Middle East dispute, instead of perpetuating it.

I guess, if confronted, the Secretary General might just paraphrase Douste-Blazy.

David

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Developing Palestinian export markets

2006-09-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Europe has long invested in the, trying to improve the situation of the average Palestinian. European aid is aimed at improving civil institutions to provide proper governance and to develop economic opportunity; in short, an environment where the people will demand a path to prosperity and peace with its neighbours.

Unfortunately, the evidence is that most of the aid was diverted to corruption and violence. Few political or economic fruits flowered from the liberal flow of money and verbal fertilizer. The average Palestinian barely subsisted, let alone participated in any new and growing industries.

Materials captured by the IDF in Lebanon reveal that the Palestinians have finally found a successful export product. Indeed, one created by a home grown industry nurtured and encouraged by European taxpayer funded aid monies.

Hezbollah has learned from the Palestinians the value of hate material aimed at children. It uses colouring and picture/story books to instill the virtue of killing Jews and joining the "resistance" at an early age. Here is an example. A few crayons will add colour to Hezbollah soldiers crossing the border, abducting Israeli soldiers.

The Funding for Peace Coalition and Palestinian Media Watch have long documented the way internationally funded budgets of official Palestinian Authority institutions were used to ensure that education to terror starts early.

The headline in this morning's Israeli Yediot Aharonot newspaper announces the reward the Palestinians are receiving for this knowledge and skills transfer: "Hizbollah is preparing Hamas for a battle with Israel in Gaza."

David

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Where is the media focusing your attention?

2006-09-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Attention on the Palestinian Authority currently centres around speculation as to whether some sort of coalition government will be formed between Fatah and Hamas, in order to create a pretense at moderation. Western leaders can't seem to wait to be able to send more of their taxpayers' cash to support the institutionalised Palestinian corruption and violence that has been cultivated over the last decade.

Meanwhile, the IDF is focused on more practical activities. Press releases that don't get much play tell of weapons cashes and weapons smuggling tunnels uncovered almost daily - usually hidden in civilian structures and areas. Katyusha rockets continue to fall on southern Israel - although IDF action has slowed the pace and make it more difficult for Israeli population centres to be hit.

Documents recently captured by the IDF show Palestinian charities are centres of propaganda for war and anti-Semitic hatred disseminated in schools and throughout Palestinian society. Palestinian Media Watch reports that, as was the case under the Fatah regime, PA funded television is once again regularly broadcasting propaganda videos encouraging Palestinian men and women to "martyr" themselves in terror attacks against Israelis. The hope that a Palestinian unity government (whether or not funded with western money) will somehow magically create serious advances toward peace seems just a little misplaced.

And as for international aid having the effect of relieving poverty, other IDF releases are telling.

The IDF has confiscated around $1.3m in cash destined for terrorist activities. The IDF put it nicely "...the Palestinian Authority has no system of supervision over moneychangers, and they are therefore free to make such transfers without any fear of sanctions or limitations." Translated? A totally uncontrolled black market allows money to freely flush through. Of course, this in itself is an indicator that at least part of the economic distress of the Palestinian Authority is due to a deliberate decision not to control or collect taxes from large segments of that society. [I wrote about the PA's lack of tax enforcement in the The Frankfurter Plan.] Flushing more money into an uncontrolled system is hardly a path to economic responsibility.

Of course, another prime economic complaint of the Palestinians is their inability to rely on trade or border crossings with Israel. While this no doubt creates economic stress, another IDF press release illustrates exactly where the blame lies. With a long history of border crossings being used as corridors for the passage of equipment and people on their way to commit terrorist attacks, one can understand heightened security procedures. If in the middle of the Israeli city of Ra'anana I have my car searched and a metal detector passed over my body every time I want to enter the local shopping mall - then one might expect slightly higher security at any border crossing. In this Palestinian created reality, indignity at delays at a border crossing with a sworn enemy is a little laughable. But to complain of closures when these critical border crossings are the very target of Hamas government sponsored terrorists? I suggest a more appropriate reaction would be gratitude for the humanity of operating a border crossing at all!

It is unusual for the IDF to release information about foiled terrorist attacks, and as the press release is not available on-line, I will attach it here.

WWW.IDF.IL

September 14^th 2006

IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCMENT

PRC operative arrested in Gaza revealed the location of the tunnel which was to be used in Karni attack

Majed Fahmi Salameh Kambaz, 29, is a resident of the Saja'iya neighborhood in the city of Gaza. Kambaz is a member of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization, which is involved in attacks on IDF forces and Israeli civilians. Kambaz was arrested in a joint IDF and ISA operation in the Gaza Strip on August 14^th 2006.

During his investigation Kambaz gave ISA and Israel Police officials exact information on the location of a tunnel being dug by PRC terrorists in the direction of the Karni crossing. The organization planned to carry out a large-scale terror attack on the crossing by planting explosives in the tunnel- under the crossing and under the IDF administration building located in the compound. Assisted by the information Kambaz disclosed, the IDF in cooperation with the ISA, carried out a search operation in the area of Karni and on August 27^th discovered the 13 meter-deep shaft and 150 meter-long tunnel near the crossing.

Due to the many security alerts regarding the intentions of terror organizations to carry out an attack on the crossing, the crossing has been intermittently closed over the past months as part of the activity to thwart such attempts. The Karni crossing is one of the main lifelines of the Palestinian population- allowing the passage of merchandise and medical supplies in and out of the Gaza Strip. Its targeting by the terror organizations, along with other crossings such as Erez and Kerem Shalom, is a deliberate attempt by terrorists to weaken the Palestinian economy. The targeting of these crossings which are reopened again and again after attacks is a cynical exploitation of the Israeli effort to ease the daily lives of Palestinian civilians who are not involved in terror activity.

It should be noted that despite the uncovering of this particular tunnel, the threat of terror against the crossing still exists.

Kambaz also told of his involvement in the terror attack on the Karni crossing on January 13^th 2005, in which six Israeli civilians were murdered. The attack was the result of the cooperation of senior terrorists from the Hamas, PRC and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades organizations. The attack itself was directed from the rooftop of Kambaz's house by senior PRC terrorist Mamtaz Dugmush, among others.
Kambaz gave investigators information on his involvement, along with other PRC operatives, in the murder of Mousah Arafat, former Head of Military Intelligence in the Palestinian Authority. Kambaz himself was part of the cell that broke into Arafat's home and was present at the time of the murder. The murder was carried out with the assistance of the Hamas terror organization. Fauzi Alqara, a senior Hamas terrorist, supplied equipment to the cell for the purpose of the murder. The murder is one example of the close cooperation between Hamas and the PRC, and of their joint efforts to undermine the Fatah organization's activity in the Gaza Strip.
Among his activities under PRC leadership, Kambaz underwent military training in the Gaza Strip, transferred weaponry to operatives, fired anti-tank missiles at IDF forces and enlisted suicide bombers for attacks.

David

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Back from vacation

2006-09-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Rosh Hashanna is almost here, and I am back after a bit of a spell from my letters.

It's been an eventful year personally. A first grandchild, an engagement and Naomi and Aryeh, whom I told you about in my letter Beyond the call of duty are now married. Having taken some vacation to enjoy the event, it gave me an opportunity to look back on the year in some perspective as well as spend some precious time with visiting family.

It's been a pretty eventful year with Israel's enemies too. Rocket wars in the north and south, kidnappings, attacks of all sorts, diplomatic pressures. No doubt I will get back in the saddle and share my perspectives again soon.

Meantime, I hope and pray for a year of blessing, prosperity, good health and most importantly peace for you, your families and all of Israel.

Shana Tova,

David

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FW: Well, it's over for now

2006-08-23T00:10:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

A month ago, I wrote a letter "Plan your next vacation", saying

.....Meantime, there are practical things that you can do to help. First, pray for us and for the brave soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces. Then plan your next vacation. Now. As soon as this war is over, get on a plane and help the tourist industry of northern Israel recover. Rent a car, take a room in a small bed & breakfast, a meal here, a souvineer there. Drive around the Galilee and the Golan Heights. Buy a sandwich or a felafel for lunch. Take in a movie after a visit to the Baha'i gardens and the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology and Space in Haifa. Nothing fancy. Let the people of the north know that just as they can rely on the IDF to get the job done, they can rely on their friends around the world. Call now, and book a room for "as soon as it's over".

Well, now it's over. Rochelle and I went out for dinner in Netanya. A favourite summer vacation spot French Jews, the place was hopping late ino the evening. Boisterous, noisy and fun. The restaurants on the promenade were full. A street fair in full swing. Jumping castles and tramplines for the kids. Holiday happiness and laughter in the air.

Friends touring in the north report that things are much quieter there. The northern economy took a much larger knock. But slowly things are returning to normal. The artist colony and judaica shops of Safed have re-opened. The "Zimmerim" in the Gallillee are once again providing accomodation with their special family hospitality. The boats are once again taking tourists out on the Kineret. And my future son-in-law recovered most of his clothes from his bombed-out Nahariya laundromat. But the tourists have not yet arrived in the numbers that are needed to support recovery of that important industry.

So - wherever you are in the world, book your tickets. Come and visit; Jerusalem, Eilat, Tel Aviv, Safed, Haifa, Kiriyat Shmona, the Golan Heights ... wherever you go in Israel will provide a treasure of memories. And for my many Israeli readers - even a day trip up North before the summer vacation ends will recharge you batteries - and stimulate the economy.

David

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UK appoints Iranian cats to watch the cream

2006-08-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

The Terror Finance blog has just posted an item that must be causing quite some embarrassment in the UK. The blog focuses on the flow of British materiel to terrorists in Lebanon. The story was broken by Mathew Kalman in the San Francisco Chronicle, but quickly found its way into slickly avoided Parliamentary questions.

Special night vision goggles, were provided to the Iranian drug squad, so they could better curb the flow of drugs through its territory into Britain. One has to admire the way in which the Iranian drug squad so effectively adopted the British sense of fair play. We know that before a duel, the cultured Duke makes sure that his opponent is equally armed with a loaded pistol or the sword of his choice. So, the Iranians handed the goggles straight over to Hezbollah's militants -who are classified by the UK as a proscribed terrorist organisation, and are known to raise huge sums through the drug trade. The Iranians certainly put some sportsmanship in the game. Not to mention that Hezbollah also used the goggles and drug deals to gather intelligence before launching rockets onto innocent Israeli civilians.

I wonder other European materiel Hezbollah uses in committing its war crimes? At least we can be confident that it has good use for the "gift of 50 sets of body armour to the Iranian Counter-Narcotics border police .... to fight the trafficking of heroin and opiates," because "...60 per cent. of all heroin entering the UK transits Iran. Iran is actively involved in the fight against drug trafficking..." (as the UK Minister for the Middle East, Dr Kim Howells, so proudly detailed to his parliament in March of this year).

David

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