Aznar's Friends of Israel Initiative - A new voice for Israel

A new voice for Israel

16.09. 2010

http://www.zionism-israel.com/log/archives/00000758.html

 

The following are extracts of remarks by Jose María Aznar, at the US launch of the Friends of Israel Initiative on September 14, 2010 in Washington, D.C. Nobody has summarized the international attack against Israel better, and nobody has made a more eloquent case for Israel. These remarks deserve the widest possible publicity [A.I.]

..., Israel is under a new kind of attack. Not conventional war as in 1948, 56, 67 or 73. Not terrorism as we saw in the 70s, 80s and 90s. But a new kind of attack – an attack on Israel legitimacy, on her right to exist. A "soft-war", where many of its adversaries are employing legal tricks, multinational bodies, and an army of dubious NGO's to present internationally Israel as an illegitimate state, as a barbarian state, a state that should be isolated and converted into a pariah state.

We think this is intolerable. It is unjust, morally wrong, and a strategic risk -- not only for Israel and its people -- but for all of us.

Israel is an integral part of the West, and the weaker it is, the weaker the entire West will be perceived to be.

Even if we want to turn away from the traumas of 9/11, we simply do not have the luxury to choose our enemies. As Senators Baker, Dole, Daschle and Mitchell made clear in their latest report, published 5 days ago. by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the threat to our way of life from radical Islamists is real, and it has not yet been eliminated.

Let me be clear. We don't want in any case to defend any particular Israeli government or any particular set of policies or any particular party. Israelis' institutions are mature enough to defend their choices. We want to stand up for the right of Israel to exist. Judaeo-Christian values form the roots of our civilization. Delegitimizing Israel undermines our identity, warps our values and put at risk what we are and who we are.

So, dear friends, it is not only the threat that if Israel goes down, which, make no mistake, many of its enemies would like to see happen, we all go down. It is that letting Israel be demonized will lead to the deligitimation of our own cherished values. If Israel were to disappear by the force of its enemies, I sincerely doubt the West could remain as we know it.

So, I conclude: Is it craziness for a group, as I said before, of mostly Europeans and non-Jews, to say: "Enough. Stop this nonsense of making Israel responsible for all the problems in the region, if not beyond? Enough of the short-sightedness which refuses to see Israel as a cornerstone of our Western civilization?"

We do believe that far from it, it is vital. For America, for the West, for Israel. And for our children and grandchildren and the world they will inherit. Because there is still right and wrong in this complicated world. And if we allow those fundamentals to be blurred and eroded and confused, we will all be dangerously adrift.

Defending Israel today means strengthening the West, standing up for our values, and their right to exist as a normal country, a fellow democracy and a celebrated ally in our great western alliance.

I hope that you will share our vision, and will help us in bringing reason and decency back to the discussion concerning Israel.


Thank you very much

Jose María Aznar

 

 

Hamas promoot zwarte-kousen-islam en sluit losbandige cafés waar vrouwen waterpijp roken

 

De nieuwe helden van post-feministe Anje Meulenbelt in aksie.....

 

wOuTeR

__________________

 

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2010/09/hamas-keeps-curtailing-human-rights.html

Hamas keeps curtailing human rights; world keeps ignoring it (updated)

Here are some recent violations of human rights by Hamas that you will not find mentioned in the New York Times, Reuters, the Guardian or pretty much anywhere else.

This week, Hamas prevented Gaza journalists from participating in a video-conference with their West Bank counterparts and a delegation of the International Federation of Journalists in Ramallah.

Hamas shut down a restaurant/cafe called Al-Orient House because it was sponsoring concerts and other events for both men and women.

A cultural evening hosted by the Film Forum at the Samak restaurant, scheduled to be held on September 7, was shut down despite the organizers already having obtained a permit. Two of the organizers were arrested and forced to sign a pledge not to host any similar events.

On September 12th, a cultural evening organized by the Alumni Association of various Gaza community colleges was forced to end when Hamas shut it down.

The "Crazy Water Park" was shut down twice, once for three days in August and once in September. The August closing was because of "raucous concerts" but no reason was given for the more recent closing, in effect for 21 days.

Other recent closings included the Equestrian Club and the Sama Gaza coffee shop, the latter because of "mixing and hookah-smoking women."

Wow...sounds like maybe Gazans really are living in an open-air prison, with Hamas acting as the warden. Not that you will hear any well-known activists say that.

UPDATE: Hamas closed a restaurant Wednesday because a woman was smoking a water pipe.

 

 

Maxime Verhagen heeft natuurlijk gelijk en 'is stating the obvious' maar het zal de wereld wel weer in gaan als blijk van zijn pro-Israel bias. De VN 'Mensenrechtenraad' is eigenlijk niet serieus te nemen en alle vrije staten zouden er misschien maar uit weg moeten lopen, zodat duidelijk wordt dat het om een kliek van (half)dictaturen gaat die elkaar de hand boven het hoofd houden.

 

RP

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http://www.rnw.nl/nederlands/article/verhagen-regimes-verlammen-mensenrechtenraad

Verhagen: regimes verlammen Mensenrechtenraad

Gepubliceerd : 16 september 2010 - 4:38 pm | door Erik Klooster 

Landen die zelf de mensenrechten schenden, zorgen er doelbewust voor dat de VN Mensenrechtenraad in Genève niet werkelijk effectief kan zijn. Dat is de conclusie van de Nederlandse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Maxime Verhagen, in een brief over de werkzaamheid van de Mensenrechtenraad.  

Lidstaten van de Mensenrechtenraad tasten de middelen aan die de VN hebben om mensenrechten te beschermen, schrijft Verhagen aan de Tweede Kamer. Ook verzetten ze zich tegen kritiek, met een onterecht beroep op de nationale soevereiniteit.

Verhagen blikt in zijn brief terug op vier jaar Mensenrechtenraad als opvolger van de Mensenrechtencommissie. De minister vindt ook dat Israël disproportionele aandacht krijgt binnen de raad, waardoor de situatie in andere landen onderbelicht blijft. Binnen de raad was veel ophef over het onderzoek naar de oorlog in Gaza. 

Allianties 
De internationale NGO Freedom House is het grotendeels met Verhagen eens. Volgens Freedom House dekt de raad sommige ernstige mensenrechtenschendingen zelfs toe.

Zoals de afbeelding laat zien, is de meerderheid van de 47 lidstaten niet vrij, of slechts gedeeltelijk vrij. Ze zouden als blok stemmen om elkaar tegen kritiek te beschermen. Zo slaagt de raad er niet in om misstanden in landen als Iran, Sudan en Cuba aan de kaak te stellen.

Succes
De vijftiende zitting is van start gegaan en duurt tot en met 1 oktober. Nederland heeft zijn plek bij toerbeurt moeten afstaan, maar blijft zich op de achtergrond inzetten voor de raad, aldus minister Verhagen.

De bewindsman maakt ook duidelijk waar de raad wél iets heeft bereikt. Hij wijst op resoluties over geweld tegen vrouwen, de rechten van het kind en het recht op water en toiletten.

Examens
Ook de examens die landen moeten afleggen over de mensenrechten in hun eigen land zijn effectief, stelt Verhagen. Nederland kreeg overigens op een aantal punten zoals discriminatie en het asielbeleid zelf kritiek te verduren uit Genève.

Verhagen maakt zich zorgen over de grote nadruk op religieuze identiteit en godslastering. Dat gaat ten koste van de aandacht voor het individu, vreest Verhagen.

IDF doodt Hamas commandant op de Westoever

 

Zelfs het doden van een leider van de Al Qassam Brigades, de militaire vleugel van Hamas, is volgens apologeten van de Palestijnen hoogst immoreel. Het zou Hamas maar boos maken en daarme meer geweld uitlokken. Hamas probeert al jaren om ook op de Westoever de macht over te nemen, en aanslagen te plegen op Israelische doelen. Vorige week werden vier Israelische burgers, waaronder een zwangere vrouw, van dichtbij in koelen bloede doodgeschoten door Hamas. Men beloofde meer en heftigere aanslagen. Een militaire leider doden lijkt mij in zo'n geval een gepast antwoord, dat bovendien de kans dat Hamas de vredesbesprekingen kan verstoren weer een klein beetje kleiner heeft gemaakt. Het is natuurlijk een fabel dat geweld tegen Hamas de beweging sterker maakt en radikaler, en het daarom beter is haar haar gang maar te laten gaan, waarna ze zomaar vanzelf heel redelijk en gematigd zal worden en zal stoppen met het doden van burgers. De Gaza oorlog laat het omgekeerde zien: Hamas is militair te treffen en in toom te houden. Het is door de afschrikking die daarvan uit gaat, niet uit liefde voor Israel, dat zij zich sindsdien relatief koest heeft gehouden.

 

RP

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IDF kills Hamas military commander in West Bank

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=188429

By JPOST.COM STAFF
09/17/2010 08:32

 

IDF says strongman ran towards soldiers in threatening manner, ignored requests to stop, resulting in him being shot.

IDF soldiers killed a Hamas military commander overnight Thursday during security operations east of the West Bank city of Tulkarm, the IDF spokesperson's Unit said in a statement on Friday morning.

The statement said that the Hamas member, Iyad Abu Shalabiya, ran towards IDF soldiers in a threatening manner, and had ignored the IDF's requests to cease his approach, resulting in him being shot.

Miltary sources said that Shalabiya spent several years in Israeli prisons and was wanted for questioning.

Twelve other suspects were arrested during the raid.
The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

The shooting comes two days after 10 rockets and mortar shells – including two containing phosphorus – were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip as defense officials predicted that the violence would quiet down after Succot.

Rockets and shells pounded the Eshkol region throughout the day. One of the rockets – a 122-mm. Katyusha – hit just north of Ashkelon. No injuries or damage were reported.

Arabische Liga wijst "Joodse staat" af

 

Het verbaast natuurlijk niet, maar de Arabische Liga heeft de terechte eis van Israel dat de Palestijnen het als Joodse staat erkennen afgewezen, met de bekende dooddoeners dat dat ten koste zou gaan van de Arabieren in Israel en het recht op terugkeer van de vluchtelingen. Dat laatste lijkt me een terechte constatering, het eerste is flauwekul en bovendien nogal inconsequent, zo laat Elder of Ziyon zien.

 

RP

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Arab League rejects "Jewish state"

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2010/09/arab-league-rejects-jewish-state.html

 

 

From Ma'an:

Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Thursday decided to reject a demand made by Israel, asking Palestinian negotiators recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Arab League supported President Mahmoud Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Palestinian negotiators have recognized Israel's right to exist, but not as a Jewish state, which officials say would prejudice the right of return for refugees and violate the rights of Israel's non-Jewish residents.

If recognizing Israel as a Jewish state would violate the rights of non-Jews in Israel, then defining "Palestine" as Arab would likewise violate the rights of non-Arabs, and defining it is Islamic would - by their definition - mean that non-Muslims will be discriminated against.

Here are parts of the "Constitution of Palestine" that mentions the word "Arab" or "Islam":

 

ARTICLE 1
Palestine is part of the large Arab World, and the Palestinian people are part of the Arab Nation. Arab Unity is an objective which the Palestinian People shall work to achieve.

ARTICLE 4
Islam is the official religion in Palestine. Respect and sanctity of all other heavenly religions shall be maintained.
The principles of Islamic Shari'a shall be the main source of legislation.
Arabic shall be the official language.

In addition, in five instances, the constitution refers specifically to the "Palestinian Arab people" or the "Arab Palestinian people." For example,

ARTICLE 116
Laws shall be promulgated in the name of the Palestinian Arab People, and shall be published immediately in the official gazette. These laws shall come into force 30 days from the date of their publication unless the laws state otherwise.

It sounds like non-Arabs cannot become "Palestinian" and that any non-Arabs who happen to live in Palestine would be, by definition, in a lower class.

Equal rights only apply to Palestinian Arabs:

 

ARTICLE 9
All Palestinians are equal under the law and judiciary without discrimination because of race, sex, color, religion, political views, or disability.

Since all Palestinians are Arabs by their definition, this means that there would be discrimination against non-Arabs.

Furthermore, since the constitution says that "Respect and sanctity of all other heavenly religions shall be maintained," that means that the Constitution of Palestine is enshrining discrimination against other religions that are not considered "heavenly" by Islam. In other words, Hindus and Buddhists can expect to be treated in a bigoted way should they want to visit or live in any Palestinian Arab state.

Of course, every Arab state's constitution says things that are similar.

The hypocrisy behind the outrage at calling Israel "Jewish" cannot be more blatant.

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2010/09/arab-league-rejects-jewish-state.html

 

 

Op Fatah TV wordt gezongen over het veroveren van Israel

 

De nieuwste Palestijnse bijdrage aan het vredesproces, is deze videoclip:

 

Band member recites a poem:

"Fight, brother, the flag will never be lowered,
the torches will never die out."
On [Mt.] Carmel (in Israel) and in the [Jordan] Valley,
we are rocks and streams.
In Lod (Israeli city) we are poems, and in Ramle (Israeli city) - grenades.
We, my brother, shall remain the revolution of the fighting nation."

Vocalist sings:

"The Zionists went out from [their] homelands,
compounding damage and enmity.
But the Palestinian revolution awaits [them].
The orchard called us to the [armed] struggle.
We replaced bracelets with weapons.
We attacked the despicable [Zionists].
This invading enemy is on the battlefield.
This is the day of consolation of Jihad.
Pull the trigger.
We shall redeem Jerusalem, Nablus and the country."

[PA TV (Fatah), Sept. 12, 2010]

 

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Source:

PMW Bulletin - Sept. 16, 2010 "Song broadcast on PA TV: Pull the trigger - redeem the country", by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

Voorlopig rapport VN onderszoekscommissie Gaza flotilla naar Ban Ki-Moon

Counting the initial, internal IDF investigation into the matter, there have been at least five formal investigations announced into the flotilla raid, which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish citizens aboard the flagship Mavi Marmara.

 

Vijf onderzoeken naar een operatie waarbij negen doden vielen. Een operatie gericht tegen het doorbreken van een zeeblokkade van een vijandige entiteit. Uiteraard kunnen alleen Israelische legeroperaties op een dergelijke warme internationale belangstelling rekenen, en worden elders echte oorlogmisdaden gepleegd waar geen haan naar kraait.

 

RP

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The Jerusalem Post
Inquiry panel submits Gaza flotilla report to UN chief
By JPOST.COM STAFF
09/16/2010 11:54
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=188288


Inquiry headed by former New Zealand PM hands Ban preliminary report; UN spokesman: inquiry proceeding "in a positive and collegial manner."

A UN spokesman reported that an inquiry panel submitted a preliminary report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the Gaza flotilla attack on the Mavi Mamara, which left nine dead and scores wounded, AFP reported Wednesday night.

Former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and a panel which includes representatives from Israel and Turkey has begun probing the May 31 attack.

The report explained that the the UN did not provide details of the report but a spokesman for Ban said the inquiry was proceeding in "in a positive and collegial manner."

"The panel agreed that in light of the information so gathered, it would examine and identify the facts, circumstances and context of the incident and make findings and recommendations for the prevention of similar incidents in the future," a spokesman for the UN secretary general said.

The panel began its investigation in August amid a slew of inquiries and would-be probes into the flotilla incident, including the ongoing Turkel Committee in Israel, a competing UN investigation from the Human Rights Council, and an independent inquiry from a dissatisfied Turkey.

Counting the initial, internal IDF investigation into the matter, there have been at least five formal investigations announced into the flotilla raid, which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish citizens aboard the flagship Mavi Marmara.

 

Dov Preminger contributed to this report

Fosfor in mortiergranaten die vanuit Gaza op Israel zijn afgevuurd

Er was veel ophef over het gebruik van witte fosfor door Israel tijdens de Gaza oorlog. Zou het gebruik hiervan door de Palestijnen net zo hard worden veroordeeld en tot net zo veel ophef leiden? Iets in me zegt dat dat wishful thinking is.....

 

RP

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Police: Terrorists fired phosphorus shells into Israel
By YAAKOV KATZ , YAAKOV LAPPIN
15/09/2010
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=188206

 

At least 2 of the 9 mortar shells fired during the day contained phosphorus, police confirm; regional council head intends to inform UN of Geneva Convention violation.

Two phosphorous mortars were fired at southern Israel from Gaza on Wednesday, Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told The Jerusalem Post.

"A police bomb disposal team examined a number of mortars that were fired today. We can confirm that two out of the nine mortars contained phosphorous," Rosenfeld added.

Israel Police said it was not the first time that phosphorous shells had been fired at Israel from Gaza.

Haim Yalin, head of the Eshkol Regional Council where the phosphorous mortars landed reacted sharply to the news of the phosphorus mortar attacks. "These weapons have been banned by the Geneva convention. They cause burns among victims and they kill. This is an agricultural area, and we now have to explain to farmers how to deal with burns in light of the phosphorus mortars," he told the Post.

Yalin added that firefighters and paramedics operating in his area would now have prepare for further phosphorous shells. "We are preparing to go back to the situation that we faced before Operation Cast Lead, when we faced continuous mortar, rocket and sniper attacks," he said. On Thursday, Yalin will send a letter to the United Nations to alert the international body of the weapons being directed from Gaza against the civilians who reside in his regional council.

"So long as this autonomous Iranian entity in Gaza continues to exist, we will be fired on. We have received only fundamentalism from Gaza and fire," Yalin said. "There are 50,000 residents who live in this area who are thirsty for peace and a normal life. And we face a Hamas entity that is unwilling to recognize Israel. We are civilians, farmers, students, all being fired on indiscriminately."

He stressed that most of the residents in his area, who live in kibbutzim and farming villages, traditionally voted for left and center parties. "We want peace with the Palestinians, but unfortunately it is disappearing before our eyes," he said.

In the latest Palestinian attack of the day, three mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the Eshkol Regional Council region on Wednesday afternoon. Around midday, four mortar shells were fired into southern Israel, also landing in the Eshkol region. No injuries or damage were reported in either attack.

A Code Red alarm sounded in the same area about an hour after the mortar attacks, followed by a loud explosion, believed to be a Kassam-type rocket. No one was injured in the attack.

Earlier on Wednesday, two mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the same area, injuring no one. Two rockets were fired from Gaza several hours before the mortar attacks. A Kassam-type rocket exploded south of Ashkelon, causing no injuries or damage. Security forces were searching for the location of the second rocket.

Rocket attacks from Gaza have increased since before the Rosh Hashana holiday, bringing with them an Israeli military response. Predictions in the defense establishment are that Hamas will continue to carry out attacks against Israel as the peace talks progress.

On Wednesday, an IAF strike on a tunnel in Gaza killed one Palestinian and wounded four, according to Hamas security officials. The strike appeared to be retaliation for a spike in Palestinian mortar fire into Israel on Wednesday. The tunnel was intended to be used by terrorists in attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to a statement released by the IDF Spokesman's Unit. 

 

Israel boycot campagne probeert Pete Seeger af te houden van ondersteuning Arabisch-Israelische dialoog

 

Wederom blijkt dat de boycotters tegen vrede zijn en zich juist tegen initiatieven gericht op vrede en verzoening richten. Organisaties als het Arabisch-Israelische Adalah en het Israelische Comité tegen Huisvernielingen (ICAHD) zijn niet voor vrede en tegen een tweestatenoplossing. Ze zijn niet alleen tegen de bezetting, maar tegen Israels bestaansrecht en ontkennen alle Joodse rechten in het land.

 

De afgelopen jaren zijn al veel organisaties en ook kunstenaars gericht op vrede en coëxistentie getroffen door de boycotbeweging. Zie bijvoorbeeld dit filmpje op YouTube over de boycot campagne tegen Israel:

"All you need to know about the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Movement"

 

Zie verder ons artikel boycot Israel.

 

RP

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The Jerusalem Post

Boycott threatens Pete Seeger's coexistence appearance

By DAVID BRINN 
09/14/2010 04:51

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=188007

 

Seeger is slated to be featured guest of November 14 event sponsored by the Friends of the Arava Institute to raise support for desert institute.

 

Legendary 91-year-old American folk singer and civil rights pioneer Pete Seeger is still trying to "hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters," but when it comes to the Middle East conflict, anti-Israeli activists are preferring that he keep his hammer at home.

Seeger is slated to be the featured guest of With Earth and Each Other – A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East, to be broadcast online on November 14. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Arava Institute, a US-based non-profit organization with the primary goal of raising support and visibility for the Arava Institute for Environment Studies based at Kibbutz Ketura, about 40 kilometers north of Eilat.

Founded in 1996, the institute's mission is to prepare future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the region's environmental challenges.

Over 600 students, including Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, and others, have participated in the Arava Institute program.

According to the institute's director, David Lehrer, With Earth and Each Other (WEAEO) wasn't designed to be a political rally, but "to show the world that there is another side of the conflict in which people across borders are striving to work together for the betterment of all."

The hour-long show will be hosted by American stage and film actor Mandy Patinkin, who recently signed a letter of support for Israeli actors who announced they refused to perform in Ariel. It will feature performances by Seeger, and other performers including Jethro Tull front man Ian Anderson, who recently donated his proceeds from three Israeli performances to three organizations working toward Israeli- Arab coexistence.

In addition to highlighting various examples of cooperation between the people of the region under the auspices of the institute, the show, featuring both live and pre-recorded performances, will ask viewers around the world to join together at the event's conclusion to sing "Salaam (Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu)," the well-known song of peace in Hebrew and Arabic.

What could be a more positive, non-political message of coexistence than that, right? Not according to over 40 organizations, led by Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, which published a letter on Sunday calling on Seeger to "join the growing list of artists who have respected the Palestinian boycott call," referring to cancellations this summer by the likes of Elvis Costello and the Pixies.

The letter cited recent events in the Beduin village of Al- Arakib, where illegal structures have been torn down four times this year by the Israel Police. The letter also focused on the participation of the Jewish National Fund as a partner in the online presentation.

"The JNF, a partner organization in 'With Earth and Each Other,' has been engaged in the 'Judaization' of Palestine for more than 100 years. After the 1948 expulsion of two thirds of the Palestinian people from their lands, the JNF planted fast-growing non-native trees on the ruins of Palestinian villages in a deliberate attempt to prevent refugees from returning to their land."

In a separate letter to Seeger, Jeff Halper, chairman of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) wrote: "I hope that you will decide to join these artists of conscience and once again make a bold stand for justice.

The movement is gathering strength, the violators of civilized norms are fearful, and change is in the air."

Seeger, long sympathetic with Left-wing causes, has been donating some his royalties for the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" to the ICAHD for over ten years.

Halper noted that one of the JNF's most recent activities has been "the planting of a forest to cover a Beduin village [Al- Arakib] in the Negev from which the residents have been forcibly removed."

In response, the Friends of the Arava Institute issued a statement saying that the JNF is but one of 30 partner organizations involved in putting on the show. "The Jewish National Fund is not, as it has been described in some letters and articles, 'the leading partner' or 'the sponsor' of WEAEO," the statement read.

"It should be noted, however, that the Jewish National Fund, and its donors, have been strong financial supporters of the Arava Institute itself."

"Significant scholarship funding" that helps enable both Arab and Jewish students to attend the institute, "comes with the aid of the Jewish National Fund," continued the statement.

"As in its relationship with any other organization, there are, of course, times in which the Arava Institute and the Jewish National Fund disagree with regard to certain policies. However, the Arava Institute is proud of the many positive accomplishments benefiting the entire region it has achieved as a result of this partnership."

According to the Arava Institute's director Lehrer, those who are calling for Seeger to boycott the event are shooting themselves in the foot.

"Although I sympathize with some of the criticism that people have about Israeli policies regarding Palestinians and within Israel itself in terms of our Arab citizens, I don't believe the way to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and the way to create a sustainable and peaceful Middle East in which everyone lives together with equal rights and opportunity is by staging a boycott," he told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

"It's through dialoguing and that's what the Arava Institute is all about. That's what the program we're running is doing and it's what With Earth and Each Other is all about – bringing people together through dialogue. And you can't do that if you're staging a boycott."

Seeger has not yet responded to the appeals to cancel his participation in the event, but according to the Friends of the Arava Institute, it's all academic.

"No performer, including Pete Seeger, will be traveling to the Middle East for the purpose of contributing a performance segment to WEAEO," they said in a statement.

Whether Seeger – who has already recorded a spoken invitation to the event which is posted on the event's Web site ( http://www.with-earthandeachother.org/ ) – will turn his virtual performance into a virtual boycott is a virtual even bet.

 

Hamas video over 'bevrijding van Tel Aviv'

 

Onlangs nog schreef Anja Meulenbelt een lang artikel over de vredelievendheid van Hamas, dat Israel al lang vrede zou hebben aangeboden maar Israel houdt liever het sprookje in stand dat Hamas haar wil vernietigen. Deze film zal dus wel door de Mossad zijn gemaakt, want het vredelievende Hamas zou hier toch niet van durven dromen?

 

RP

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Hamas presents: 'Liberation of TA'

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3953458,00.html

(Video) Group operatives from Gaza, West Bank create video depicting 'liberation' of Israeli cities, Channel 2's news desk

Ali Waked Published: 09.13.10, 15:52

VIDEO - A new Hamas video clip has the Arab internet all a frenzy:

It depicts the "battle to free Palestine" and includes fire on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and changes to Channel 2's news anchors.

The video, which is particularly popular in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was created by two Hamas operatives from Gaza and the West Bank.

It shows a graphic simulation of the burning down of the High Court of Justice and the Bank of Israel buildings in Jerusalem, and cars with Palestinian flags driving across Ayalon Highway.

The beginning of the video shows a Palestinian refugee saying "Inshallah, the Jihad will take back the homeland."

The next image is of Palestinian students telling their teacher they want to become part of the resistance; followed by an image of an armed Palestinian outlining the liberation operation.

After Israel is successfully attacked and "liberated," Palestinians are shown walking along the Tel Aviv promenade and on its streets.

At the pinnacle moment of the video, the opening credits to Channel 2's nightly news edition appear, but anchorwoman Yonit Levy's place is taken by a Palestinian anchorman, depicted getting ready for the news broadcast declaring the "liberation of Tel Aviv and Palestine."

According to Muhammad al-Amriti, one of the video's creators, the clip was make in response to "inciting Zionist videos and videos encouraging the bombing of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"We planned to do a cartoon, but we then decided to shoot an actual film. We hope it can be aired on the satellite stations that support the resistance," he said.

His partner Eieman Hijazi, said the two used their own funds to finance the film, and urged television stations supporting the resistance to fund more films of this kind, saying he and his partner could produce such videos every three months.

 

 

Enquete onder Palestijnen over vredesonderhandelingen weinig hoopgevend

 

Vaak wordt beweerd dat een meerderheid van de Palestijnen allang een tweestatenoplossing accepteert en bereid is de gewapende strijd op te geven, als Israel maar bereid zou zijn de Palestijnen een staat te gunnen en te stoppen met de bezetting. De resultaten van deze enquete stemmen niet vrolijk, om het mild uit te drukken. Een paar voorbeelden:

With regards to rebuilding confidence in the peace process please indicate which of the following options you consider to be 'Essential', 'Desirable', 'Acceptable', 'Tolerable' or 'Unacceptable'.

Resist occupation through violence to achieve a state
Essential 36.7 Desirable 18.7 Acceptable 16.8
Tolerable  14.0 Unacceptable 13.7

With regards to the final status of Palestine and Israel please indicate which of the following you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

Historic Palestine - from the Jordan River to the sea as a national homeland for Palestinians
Essential 78.2 Desirable 12.5 Acceptable 4.3
Tolerable 3.1 Unacceptable 2.0

With regards to refugees please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

The number of refugees returning to Israel should be limited to family members and numbers agreed between Israel and Palestine
Essential 3.7 Desirable 7.8 Acceptable 11.9
Tolerable  16.9 Unacceptable 59.6

 

Right of return and compensation

Essential 87.5 Desirable 8.0 Acceptable 1.9
Tolerable 1.6 Unacceptable 1.1

 

With regards to Jerusalem please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

All of Jerusalem (East and West) should remain in Palestine
Essential 84.1 Desirable 10.3 Acceptable 2.2
Tolerable 1.6 Unacceptable 1.7

Do you believe that Palestinians and Israelis will coexist if Palestinians gain their own independent state?

Yes 16.7 Maybe 37.7 No 42.3 Don't know 3.2

RP

-----------------

Results of an Opinion Poll
Publication Date: 28 August 2010
Field work: 8-14 August 2010
Sample Size: 3,001 Palestinians in the West Bank & Gaza
Margin of error: +/-1.5 %

Arab World for Research & Development
Ramallah - Gaza, Palestine
Tele-fax: 00970-2-2950957/8
E-mail: awrad@awrad.org
Website: www.awrad.org
www.awrad.org/pdfs/English%20tables%20part%201%20peace%20August%202010.pdf

Section One: Progress and responsibility

 

With regards to responsibility for the lack of progress in the peace process please indicate what issues you consider to be Very Significant, Of Some Significance, Of Little Significance, Of No Significance, or I don't know.

The United States because of their lack of commitment to a Palestinian state
Very Significant 69.4 Of Some Significance 14.1
Of Little Significance  9.2 Of No Significance 5.0
I don't know 2.3

The Israeli people because they are not ready to make peace
Very Significant 69.3 Of Some Significance 16.2
Of Little Significance 6.7 Of No Significance 5.9
I don't know 1.9

The Palestinian people because they are divided by the political differences of Hamas and Fateh
Very Significant 68.4 Of Some Significance 14.7
Of Little Significance 5.7 Of No Significance 9.4
I don't know 1.8

Arab governments because they are divided on the future of Palestine
Very Significant 62.8 Of Some Significance 19.2
Of Little Significance  9.7 Of No Significance 6.2
I don't know 2.1

The United Nations because of failure to implement its resolutions
Very Significant 61.5 Of Some Significance 18.0
Of Little Significance  10.9 Of No Significance 6.9
I don't know 2.7

The Quartet because it is ineffective
Very Significant 58.6 Of Some Significance 19.1
Of Little Significance  11.0 Of No Significance  6.6
I don't know 4.8

The Israeli public because of their refusal to accept 1967 borders
Very Significant 57.4 Of Some Significance 21.0
Of Little Significance 10.9 Of No Significance  6.7
I don't know 4.0

The Palestinian government because they are too weak to compromise
Very Significant 51.4 Of Some Significance 20.9\
Of Little Significance 12.7 Of No Significance 11.2
I don't know 3.7

The Israeli government because they are too weak to compromise
Very Significant 22.2 Of Some Significance 13.3
Of Little Significance 16.3 Of No Significance 39.6
I don't know 8.6

Section Two: Peace progress and a final status agreement

With regards to the peace process and reaching a final status agreement, which issues do you consider to be Very Significant, Of Some Significance, Of Little Significance Of No Significance or I don't know?

Establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state
Very Significant 91.7 Of Some Significance  5.9
Of Little Significance 1.1 Of No Significance 0.9
I don't know 0.5

The status of Jerusalem
Very Significant 91.0 Of Some Significance  6.5
Of Little Significance 1.6 Of No Significance 0.5
I don't know 0.4

Security for Palestine
Very Significant 86.2 Of Some Significance 10.4
Of Little Significance 2.5 Of No Significance 0.4
I don't know 0.6

The rights of refugees
Very Significant 83.2 Of Some Significance 10.7
Of Little Significance 4.5 Of No Significance 0.9
I don't know 0.6

Settlements in the Occupied Territories
Very Significant 81.3 Of Some Significance 12.8
Of Little Significance 4.3 Of No Significance 0.9
I don't know 0.6

Agreeing to borders for Palestine
Very Significant 80.2 Of Some Significance 14.0
Of Little Significance 3.4 Of No Significance 1.7
I don't know 0.7

Rights to natural resources (water and air)
Very Significant 79.7 Of Some Significance 12.6
Of Little Significance 6.1 Of No Significance 1.0
I don't know 0.6

The management of holy sites
Very Significant 79.2 Of Some Significance 16.0
Of Little Significance 3.5 Of No Significance 0.5
I don't know 0.8

Peace between Israel and the Arab World
Very Significant 45.7 Of Some Significance 16.6
Of Little Significance 15.3 Of No Significance 18.7
I don't know 3.7

Section Three: Rebuilding confidence in the peace process

With regards to rebuilding confidence in the peace process please indicate which of the following options you consider to be 'Essential', 'Desirable', 'Acceptable', 'Tolerable' or 'Unacceptable'.

Israel should remove all check points
Essential 88.0 Desirable 9.1 Acceptable 1.8
Tolerable 0.6 Unacceptable 0.4

Israel should demolish the wall

Essential 87.7 Desirable 7.7 Acceptable 2.2
Tolerable 1.2 Unacceptable 1.2

Israel should freeze settlements in the West Bank
Essential 86.5 Desirable 9.1 Acceptable 2.1
Tolerable 0.8 Unacceptable 1.5

Israel and Egypt should lift the siege of Gaza
Essential 79.6 Desirable 11.6 Acceptable 4.1
Tolerable 3.0 Unacceptable 1.7

Israel should release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit
Essential 71.5 Desirable 14.4 Acceptable 6.5
Tolerable 3.5 Unacceptable 4.0

The Obama Administration should place a high priority on Middle East peace
Essential 65.0 Desirable 21.2 Acceptable 6.3
Tolerable 2.8 Unacceptable 4.7

EU and US should work with Egypt to end conflict between Hamas and Fateh
Essential 47.8 Desirable 28.7 Acceptable 10.7
Tolerable 5.2 Unacceptable 7.5

The Arab League should keep pushing for the Arab Peace Initiative
Essential 45.1 Desirable 25.5 Acceptable 15.0
Tolerable 7.6 Unacceptable 6.8

Resist occupation through violence to achieve a state
Essential 36.7 Desirable 18.7 Acceptable 16.8
Tolerable 14.0 Unacceptable 13.7

Achieve a state through negotiations
Essential 31.4 Desirable 24.3 Acceptable 17.2
Tolerable 12.5 Unacceptable 14.5

If there is no agreement, have an internationally supervised truce for 5 years
Essential 26.9 Desirable 21.2 Acceptable 19.0
Tolerable 15.3 Unacceptable 17.6

Resist occupation through non- violent civil disobedience to achieve a state
Essential 26.9 Desirable 22.2 Acceptable 17.8
Tolerable 11.1 Unacceptable 21.9

Armed groups should stop firing rockets from Gaza
Essential 25.9 Desirable 17.3 Acceptable 15.7
Tolerable 12.7 Unacceptable 28.4

Palestinians should continue a unilateral ceasefire to put pressure on Israel
Essential 19.3 Desirable 16.6 Acceptable 14.5
Tolerable 12.7 Unacceptable 36.9

Hamas should recognize Israel if Israel agrees to withdraw from the Occupied Territories
Essential 16.5 Desirable 13.8 Acceptable 16.2
Tolerable 17.0 Unacceptable 36.5

Israel should be allowed to build the wall on the 1967 boarder
Essential 9.5 Desirable 6.2 Acceptable 7.4
Tolerable 12.7 Unacceptable 64.2

Section Four: Final Status (The state)

 

With regards to the final status of Palestine and Israel please indicate which of the following you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

Historic Palestine - from the Jordan River to the sea as a national homeland for Palestinians
Essential 78.2 Desirable 12.5 Acceptable 4.3
Tolerable 3.1 Unacceptable 2.0

Two state solution - two states for two peoples: Israel and Palestine according to UN resolutions
Essential 17.7 Desirable 15.7 Acceptable 13.6
Tolerable 15.2 Unacceptable 37.7

One joint state - a state in which Israelis and Palestinians are equal citizens between the Jordan River and the sea.
Essential 9.6 Desirable 14.8 Acceptable 13.5
Tolerable 15.0 Unacceptable 47.1

One shared state - bi-national federal state in which Israelis and Palestinians share power
Essential 5.3 Desirable 9.3 Acceptable 12.6
Tolerable 16.5 Unacceptable 56.2

Confederation between West Bank and Jordan and between Gaza and Egypt
Essential 4.7 Desirable 8.2 Acceptable 9.8
Tolerable 13.5 Unacceptable 63.8

Which  one  of  the above-listed  scenarios  do  you  believe  is most likely to take place in the coming 10 years?
10.4% Historic Palestine - From the Jordan River to the sea as a national homeland for the Palestinians
02.4% One joint state - A state in which Israelis and Palestinians are equal citizens between the Jordan River and the sea
01.0% One shared state - Bi-national federal state in which Israelis and Palestinians share power
09.1% Two state solution - Two states for two peoples: Israel and Palestine according to UN resolutions
03.6% Confederation between West Bank and Jordan and between Gaza and Egypt
37.9% No change in the status quo will take place
26.9% The situation will only change for the worse
08.7% Don't know

Section five: Refugees

With regards to refugees please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

Right of return and compensation
Essential 87.5 Desirable 8.0 Acceptable 1.9
Tolerable 1.6 Unacceptable 1.1

Refugees who do not wish to return to Israel should be offered compensation for their loss and a choice of resettlement in Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) or another Arab country

Essential 13.1 Desirable 18.4 Acceptable 22.0
Tolerable 17.9 Unacceptable 28.6

Right of return without compensation
Essential 18.9 Desirable 19.7 Acceptable 14.7
Tolerable 12.4 Unacceptable 34.2

Return to Palestine (WB/G) within agreed borders
Essential 11.4 Desirable 15.5 Acceptable 17.8
Tolerable 19.3 Unacceptable 36.1

The number of refugees returning to Israel should be limited to family members and numbers agreed between Israel and Palestine
Essential 3.7 Desirable 7.8 Acceptable 11.9
Tolerable 16.9 Unacceptable 59.6

The UN should close the refugee camps and resettle them with compensation outside of Israel
Essential 12.6 Desirable 9.9 Acceptable 10.8
Tolerable 15.6 Unacceptable 51.0

Under Israeli recognition of the suffering of the Palestinian refugees, compensation without right of return
Essential 4.8 Desirable 6.5 Acceptable 8.1
Tolerable 12.6 Unacceptable 68.0

Which one of the above-listed  scenarios do you  believe  is most likely to take place in the coming 10 years? %
12.1% Right of return and compensation
02.7% Right of return without compensation
03.2% Refugees who do not wish to return to Israel would be offered compensation for their loss and a choice of resettlement in Palestine (West Bank Gaza) or another Arab country
01.4% The number of refugees returning to Israel would be limited to family members and numbers agreed between Israel and Palestine
01.9% Return to Palestine (WB/G) within agreed borders
01.7% Under Israeli recognition of the suffering of the Palestinian refugees, compensation without right of return
03.2% The UN would close the refugee camps and resettle them with compensation outside of Israel
45.7% No change in the status of refugees will take place
21.9% The situation for refugees will only change for the worse
06.0% Don't know

Section Six: Security

With regards to the issue of security please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

Palestine should have an army
Essential 81.7 Desirable 12.2 Acceptable 3.4
Tolerable 1.5 Unacceptable 1.1

Palestine should have a strong police force
Essential 81.0 Desirable 13.4 Acceptable 3.6
Tolerable 1.3 Unacceptable 0.7

Israel should be demilitarized, including the standing down of the military
Essential 41.0 Desirable 21.8 Acceptable 10.6
Tolerable 10.6 Unacceptable 16.0

Under the supervision of this force Palestinians will take responsibility for all security on and inside their borders
Essential 34.2 Desirable 20.9 Acceptable 17.1
Tolerable 11.7 Unacceptable 16.2

On signing a peace agreement a force of international, regional and Arab states should replace the IDF in the Occupied Territories for an agreed period
Essential 25.5 Desirable 20.6 Acceptable 17.5
Tolerable 13.0 Unacceptable 23.4

If no agreement is reached within two years this force will replace the IDF in the Occupied Territories without further delay
Essential 22.9 Desirable 21.6 Acceptable 19.0
Tolerable 15.1 Unacceptable 21.4

The international force will ensure security on the Jordanian border
Essential 22.7 Desirable 18.7 Acceptable 19.9
Tolerable 16.7 Unacceptable 22.0

Palestine should be demilitarized, including the disbanding of militias and the standing down of the military.
Essential 7.8 Desirable 5.5 Acceptable 4.0
Tolerable 7.6 Unacceptable 75.0

For an agreed period Israel will have access to the Jordanian border for reasons of security
Essential 6.2 Desirable 9.6 Acceptable 13.5
Tolerable 21.2 Unacceptable 49.5

For an agreed period Israel will have observation posts in the Palestinian state for reasons of security
Essential 5.4 Desirable 8.7 Acceptable 11.3
Tolerable 16.7 Unacceptable 57.9

Section Seven: Settlements

 

With Regards to the settlements please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

All the settlers should leave the Occupied Territories and settlements closed
Essential 90.8 Desirable 6.3 Acceptable 1.4
Tolerable 0.8 Unacceptable 0.7

Dismantle most of the settlements, move settlers to large blocks and exchange land
Essential 9.6 Desirable 9.0 Acceptable 10.0
Tolerable 17.9 Unacceptable 53.6

Settlers can stay in Palestine (WB) if they take up Palestinian citizenship
Essential 8.1 Desirable 8.6 Acceptable 11.7
Tolerable 16.7 Unacceptable 54.9

Which one of the above-listed  scenarios do you  believe  is most likely to take place in the coming 10 years?
12.7% All the settlers should leave the Occupied Territories and settlements closed
01.8% Settlers can stay in Palestine (WB) if they take up Palestinian citizenship
06.1% Dismantle most of the settlements, move settlers to large blocks and exchange land
38.9% No change in the status of settlements will take place
31.9% The situation regarding settlements will only change for the worse
08.6% Don't know

Section Eight: Borders

With Regards to the borders please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

Israel should withdraw to the 1967 boarder between Israel and Palestine
Essential 68.4 Desirable 11.7 Acceptable 6.7
Tolerable 4.5 Unacceptable 8.7

1967 border adjusted through agreement of equivalent exchange of land
Essential 15.9 Desirable 17.2 Acceptable 16.3
Tolerable 16.6 Unacceptable 34.0

Border established by the security wall
Essential 7.0 Desirable 6.0 Acceptable 6.7
Tolerable 12.1 Unacceptable 68.2

Which one of the above-listed  scenarios do you  believe  is most likely to take place in the coming 10 years?
15.0%  Israel should withdraw to the 1967 border between Israel and Palestine
04.7% 1967 border adjusted through agreement of equivalent exchange of land
03.3% Border established by the security wall
40.8% No change in the status of borders will take place
26.5% The situation on borders will only change for the worse
09.8% Don't know

Section Nine: Jerusalem

With regards to Jerusalem please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

All of Jerusalem (East and West) should remain in Palestine
Essential 84.1 Desirable 10.3 Acceptable 2.2
Tolerable 1.6 Unacceptable 1.7

Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of a Multi-faith Municipal Covenant
Essential 12.9 Desirable 15.6 Acceptable 17.5
Tolerable 14.7 Unacceptable 39.3

Jerusalem should be divided into East and West along the pre-1967 border
Essential 10.4 Desirable 10.8 Acceptable 11.9
Tolerable 16.6 Unacceptable 50.3

Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of the UN
Essential 10.8 Desirable 11.9 Acceptable 11.9
Tolerable 14.6 Unacceptable 50.9

Divide the city according to Palestinian and Israeli current neighborhoods
Essential 6.3 Desirable 9.6 Acceptable 13.1
Tolerable 16.9  Unacceptable 54.1

Which one of the above-listed  scenarios do you  believe  is most likely to take place in the coming 10 years?
08.6% All of Jerusalem (East and West) should remain in Palestine
01.6% Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of the UN
01.8% Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of  a Multi-faith Municipal Covenant
02.6% Divide the city according to Palestinian and Israeli current neighborhoods
06.6% Jerusalem should be divided into East and West along the pre-1967 border
38.1% No change in the status of Jerusalem will take place
32.9% The situation of Jerusalem will only change for the worse
07.8% Don't know

Section Ten: Holy Sites

With regards to Holy sites please indicate which of the following options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

East Jerusalem, including holy sites, under Palestinian sovereignty
Essential 82.0 Desirable 10.9 Acceptable 2.6
Tolerable 2.1 Unacceptable 2.3

Freedom of religion and free access for everyone to the holy sites. No side will have sovereignty on the holy sites. Israel will be 'guardian' of the Western Wall and the Palestinian State 'guardian' of the Islamic holy sites. The status quo of Christian holy sites will remain.
Essential 12.1 Desirable 11.9 Acceptable 14.7
Tolerable 16.5 Unacceptable 44.8

The Western Wall will be under Israeli sovereignty, Christian and Muslim holy sites, including the Temple Mount, will be under Palestinian sovereignty
Essential 9.5 Desirable 12.3 Acceptable 13.3
Tolerable 15.8 Unacceptable 49.0

Neutral body, e.g. the UN will be the guardian of the holy sites
Essential 9.3 Desirable 10.5 Acceptable 10.9
Tolerable 16.9 Unacceptable 52.4

Section Eleven: Implementation

With regards to the implementation of a peace agreement please indicate which of the following Options you consider to be Essential, Desirable, Acceptable, Tolerable or Unacceptable as part of a peace agreement.

All prisoners shall be released
Essential 90.6 Desirable 6.0 Acceptable 2.1
Tolerable 0.9 Unacceptable 0.3

Any peace agreement will be subject to a referendum by the people of Palestine
Essential 76.4 Desirable 13.4 Acceptable 5.7
Tolerable 2.5 Unacceptable 2.0

The peace agreement will be the end of conflict between both parties and enforced by both parties.
Essential 53.3 Desirable 20.9 Acceptable 11.9\
Tolerable 8.6 Unacceptable 5.3

An international body acceptable to both parties will be established to monitor and enforce the full implementation of the agreement
Essential 48.0 Desirable 22.8 Acceptable 14.7
Tolerable 9.1 Unacceptable 5.5

Section Twelve: the Mitchell Mission

 

How do you evaluate the proximity talks that are lead by the US Envoy George Mitchell?
Great Progress 1.4 Little Progress 12.3
No Progress 56.8 Regress 19.7 Don't Know 9.8

Do you think that the current proximity talks should continue or should Palestinians and Israelis engage in direct negotiations immediately?
20.8% Proximity talks should continue until Israel declares a freeze on settlements
31.0% Direct negotiations are the better option
37.7% I don't care for negotiations at this stage as they make no difference
10.5% Unsure/Don't know

If President Abbas decides to engage in direct negotiations with Israel on the final status issues, would you support him?
10.7% Yes, only if Israel commits to a freeze on settlements
09.3% Yes, only if the international community gives assurances that the process will lead to a Palestinian State within a timetable
44.8% Yes, under both of the above-mentioned conditions at the same time
07.7% Yes, without conditions.
21.6% No, I will not support these negotiations
05.8% Unsure/Don't know

What is the best mechanism to engage in a negotiation process with Israel?
34.3% Negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis with no intermediaries
06.3% Negotiations with an American mediation
31.3% An international conference under the supervision of the UN
28.2% None of the above

Which of the following documents do you prefer to be the frame of reference for the negotiations?
24.% UN resolutions
12.6% Road Map
31.9% The Arab Initiative
05.9% Other
24.9% Don't Know

In your opinion, which one of the following is the best means in terms of its capability to end the occupation and to establish a Palestinian state?
34.6% Negotiations until reaching an agreement between the two parties
25.9% Violent attacks against Israeli military and settlers
19.4% A non-violent popular uprising
06.5% Violent attacks against civilians in Israel through suicide bombers and any other means
06.2% Attacks against the Israeli military only
07.3% Other

In your opinion, do you think that the negotiations will ever lead to a Palestinian state with full sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza Strip?
Yes 18.2 Maybe 46.8 No 31.8 Don't know 3.2

Do you believe that Palestinians and Israelis will coexist if Palestinians gain their own independent state?

Yes 16.7 Maybe 37.7 No 42.3 Don't know 3.2

--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il

 

Palestijnse TV: 'zondige en vuile joden bidden bij de Klaagmuur'

 

Dit is de nieuwste Palestijnse bijdrage aan het slagen van de vredesonderhandelingen. Terwijl Abbas en Netanjahoe elkaar in Sharm al Sheikh ontmoeten, verspreidt de officiële PA TV leugens en haat over Israel en de Joden. Maar daar kijkt natuurlijk niemand meer van op.

 

RP

---------------

PMW Bulletin / Sept. 14, 2010

Click here to view PMW's new website

 

PA TV: Jews praying at Western Wall are "sin and filth"
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=3053

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

On the Jewish New Year, PA TV broadcast a documentary showing Jews praying at the Western Wall while the narrator called it "sin and filth."
The same program also described Jewish history as "false."

PA TV documentary shows visuals of Jews praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:

PA TV narrator: "They [Israelis] know for certain that our [Palestinian] roots are deeper than their false history. We, from the balcony of our home, look out over [Islamic] holiness and on sin and filth [Jews praying at the Western Wall]."

[PA TV (Fatah), Sept. 10, 2010]

Click to view PMW's reporting on the PA's continued denial of Jewish history in Jerusalem and PA's demonization of Jews and Israelis.


p:+972 2 625 4140     e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803       w: www.palwatch.org  

PMW | King George 59 | Jerusalem | Israel

 

Karel De Gucht komt bij EU weg met anti-Joodse opmerkingen

 

In bepaalde kringen wordt openlijk getwijfeld aan het nut van het woord 'antisemitisme'. Het is zo beladen door de oorlog, aldus de redenering, dat het eigenlijk niet bruikbaar is in het dagelijkse leven. Ik kwam deze visie tegen bij Jaap Hamburger van EAJG, en de 'usual suspects' als het erom gaat alles wat Israel doet uit te vergroten en wat de Palestijnen doen te bagatelliseren. En nee, moslim-antisemitisme en antisemitisme überhaupt bestaan nauwelijks nog, en wat daar volgens sommigen voor doorgaat is een begrijpelijke reactie van boze moslims vanwege de onmenselijkheden van schurkenstaat Israel, of een uitvinding van Israel om immuun te zijn voor gerechtvaardigde kritiek op haar handelen.

 

De uitspraken van Karel de Gucht onlangs hadden weinig met Israel te maken en alles met Joden, maar van antisemtisme is natuurlijk geen sprake want dat is iets van de oorlog en enge nazi's die Joden in de ovens stopten, niet van een keurige man als De Gucht. Door de nazi's en de oorlog te isoleren als een korte en heftige afwijking van het doorgaans zo redelijke Europa kunnen we de schone schijn ophouden en het diepgewortelde antisemitisme blijven ontkennen.

 

Typisch dat onderstaand artikel afkomstig is uit een Amerikaanse krant.

 

RP

---------------

 

 

Source: Wall Street Journal (Europe Reverts to Type - The EU's response to anti-Semitism? "No comment.", Bret Stephens)

If a top European mandarin mouths off about Jews and the rest of Europe's political class acts like it's no big deal, does that make them cowards, accomplices—or just politically astute? Probably all three.

Earlier this month, Karel De Gucht, the European Union's trade commissioner and a former foreign minister of Belgium, gave an interview to a Flemish radio station in which he offered the view that the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations were sure to founder on two accounts: first, because Jews are excessively influential in the U.S; second, because they are not the sorts to be reasoned with.

"Do not underestimate the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill," Mr. De Gucht said, dispensing with the usual fine-grained, face-saving distinction about the difference between a "Jewish" and an "Israel" lobby. "This is the best organized lobby, you shouldn't underestimate the grip it has on American politics—no matter whether it's Republicans or Democrats."

Nor was that all the commissioner had to say on the subject. "There is indeed a belief—it's difficult to describe it otherwise—among most Jews that they are right," he said. "And it's not so much whether these are religious Jews or not. Lay Jews also share the same belief that they are right. So it is not easy to have, even with moderate Jews, a rational discussion about what is actually happening in the Middle East."

Here, then, was a case not of "criticism of Israel" or "anti-Zionism," the usual sheets under which this sort of mentality hides. Mr. De Gucht's target was Jews, the objects of his opprobrium their malign political influence and crippled mental reflexes. If this isn't anti-Semitism, the term has no meaning.

But perhaps it no longer does, at least in Europe. "I regret that the comments that I made have been interpreted in a sense I did not intend," Mr. De Gucht said, by way of non-apology. "I did not mean in any possible way to cause offense or stigmatize the Jewish community. I want to make clear that anti-Semitism has no place in today's world."

The comment admits of two interpretations: (1) that it is insincere, and therefore an act of political expediency; (2) that it is sincere, and Mr. De Gucht thinks that casually bad-mouthing Jews doesn't quite reach the threshold of "anti-Semitism"—defined, as the saying has it, as hating Jews more than is strictly necessary.

I suspect the latter interpretation, which has an old European pedigree, is closer to the mark. But whatever Mr. De Gucht's motives, the more interesting phenomenon has been the European non-reaction. "No comment," says a spokesman for German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. "Our position on anti-Semitism is very clear but we have no comments on other people's statements," says a spokesman for Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. "High Representative [Catherine] Ashton is confident [De Gucht] didn't mean any offense, and that he apologized," says a spokeswoman for the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. "He made personal comments for which he expressed his personal regret and there is no further comment to make," says a spokesman for the European Commission.

Now imagine that Mr. De Gucht had made analogous comments about Muslims: What would have been the reaction then? Actually, it's not hard to guess. For weeks, Germany has been in an uproar over a book by Bundesbank member Thilo Sarrazin that has unflattering things to say about Muslim immigrants and what they portend for Germany's future. I have no brief for Mr. Sarrazin (who also made a somewhat cryptic comment about Jews sharing "a particular gene"). But why has Mr. Sarrazin been forced to quit the Central Bank and is now being drummed out of his Social Democratic Party at the same time that Mr. De Gucht has been given a pass?

One answer is that there are about 1.5 million Jews in the EU today, as against some 16 million Muslims, and politicians are responsive to numbers. Fair enough. The other answer is that Europe—and not just Muslim Europe—is pervasively anti-Semitic.

If that sounds over-the-top, consider that last year the Anti-Defamation League conducted a survey of European attitudes toward Jews in seven different countries. Do Jews have "too much power in the business world"? In France, 33% said this was "probably true"; in Spain it was 56%. Were Jews to some degree responsible for the global economic crisis? In Germany, 30% thought so; in Austria, 43% did. A separate 2008 Pew Survey also"very" or "somewhat" unfavorable opinion of Jews.

As part of his defense, Mr. De Gucht insisted he was only offering his "personal point of view," and not those of the European Commission as a whole. He shouldn't be so modest. He has his constituency. It's why he remains in office. It's why Europe's future is beginning to look increasingly like Europe's past.

 

 

Hamas woordvoerder Ahmad Bahr: "2,5 milioen maagden staan klaar voor martelaren"

 

Mooie bloemrijke woorden van een Hamas lid van het Palestijnse parlement. Dit is wat Hamas haar 'onderdanen' vertelt, waarmee de kinderen van Gaza opgroeien. Dit is de organisatie die feministe Anja Meulenbelt onlangs weer gepassioneerd verdedigde op haar blog en de linkse website Joop.

 

RP

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http://www.memri.org/clip_transcript/en/2605.htm

September 05, 2010

Clip No. 2605

Hamas PLC Speaker Ahmad Bahr: 2.5 Million Virgins Await the Prophets, the Righteous, and the Martyrs in a Single Palace in the Garden of Eden

Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Hamas PLC Speaker Ahmad Bahr, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on September 5, 2010.

Ahmad Bahr: It is said that 'Omar [Ibn Al-Khattab] wished to become a martyr. It is said that one day, 'Omar addressed the people: "In the Garden of Eden, there is a palace – hear me well, brothers – with 500 gates. At every gate, there are 5,000 black-eyed virgins." Brothers, 500 multiplied by 5,000 is 2.5 million.

[...]

He said that only prophets may enter this palace. He looked at the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, and said: "Blessings, oh Messenger of Allah. Only the prophets and the righteous may enter the palace." Then he turned to the tomb of Abu Bakr, and said: "Blessings on your martyrdom for the sake of Allah." Then 'Omar said: "Martyrs [enter the palace] too." Then 'Omar said, as if to himself: "Blessed be your martyrdom, oh 'Omar."

[...]

Ibn Hajar explicated a hadith, saying: When a man is having sex with his wife, he should be praying for a son who would wage Jihad for the sake of Allah. If this is the culture of the nation today, who will be able to stop it? Brothers, on the Night of Al-Qadr, bestowed upon us by Allah, I say to you: As long as we continue on this path, nobody on Earth will be able to confront the resistance, or to confront the mujahideen, those who worship Allah and seek martyrdom.

I say to you, loud and clear: the negotiations, conducted first in the US, then in Sharm Al-Sheikh, and wherever, are aimed at uprooting Islam and the resistance here in Palestine, in Gaza.

[...]

 

================

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization providing translations of the Middle East media and original analysis and research on developments in the region. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: [202] 955-9070 Fax: [202] 955-9077 E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at our website: www.memri.org

 

 

Antisemitisme en Holocaust ontkenning door Syrische schrijver op Iraanse TV

Een "fris en duidelijk geluid" uit Syrië en Iran. Helaas zijn zulke uitspraken niet interessant voor de Westerse media, in tegenstelling tot de enkele keer dat een Israelische rabbijn uit de bocht vliegt en de Palestijnen zijn vijanden noemt en die dood wenst, dan is dat voor de NRC Handelsblad (voor wie de *kuch* nuance zoekt) voorpaginanieuws.

 

RP

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MEMRI: Special Dispatch | 3219 | September 8, 2010
Syria/Iran/Lantos Archives on Anti-Semitism and Holocaust Denial
http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/2593.htm
Syrian Author Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani on Iranian TV: In Many Countries, the Jews Kill People and Mix Their Blood with the Matza of Zion; The Old Testament Describes How to Build a Crematorium

 

Following are excerpts from a TV debate on Holocaust denial, which aired on Al-Alam TV (Iran) on August 8, 2010.

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2593.htm.


Syrian author Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "I have read everything that has been written about the Holocaust, both by those who deny it and those who claim it occurred. First, those who claim that the Holocaust took place do not have any proof."

TV host: "Those who claim that it took place?"

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Yes."

TV host: "On what do they base their claims?"

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "On nothing but a lie. Those who deny [sic] the annihilation have provided weak evidence. To be honest, in the West, they do not dare to speak freely..."

TV host: "Or to conduct objective research."

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Right. They don't enjoy the same freedom as us." [...]

Syrian researcher and publisher Muhammad Shaykjani: "First of all, there is a Koranic verse that says: 'Thus, the killing of their children was presented favorably to many polytheists.'

"Those who kill children in order to use their blood to get close to the god of sacrifice have turned to killing the children of the Christians in London and Paris, in Switzerland and Austria. They were expelled from Britain when murdered children were found on one of their holidays. In Syria, they murdered a Christian priest, and the murderers were executed. In many countries, on the Matza of Zion holiday, they would kill people, take the blood of the victims, and mix it with the Matza of Zion. [...]

"They believe that God died in this annihilation, so that the Jews could live in Palestine, and their god, Yahweh, would live with them." [...]

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "The Jews mixed philosophy, religion, and politics. Throughout history, they have been continuously developing their religion in accordance with the circumstances, until they reached Zionism. Judaism has come to mean Zionism, and in recent times, Judaism has come to mean 'Holocaustism.' [...]

"According to the Torah, the Lord enjoined them to conduct a seven-day sacrificial burning. The 'burning' is a sacred ritual of worship. I consider this to be proof of the falsity of the Holocaust, and biblical evidence that they have drawn the lie of the Holocaust from the Torah. Their reliance upon the Torah proves that the Holocaust is a lie, and that it never happened. It also shows that the Holocaust doctrine is deeply engrained in their minds and in their rituals."

TV host: "On page 64 of your book, for example, you write that the Old Testament describes with great accuracy how to build a crematorium."

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Yes. There is a text describing how to build the temple for the crematorium - its pillars, its copper ornamentation, and so on."

TV host: "It describes the crematorium in detail."

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Yes. For example, its size is approximately 2 meters. Bear in mind that the incinerators in the German Nazi hospitals, in which they burned the bodies of the sick, were 2 meters, or 190 centimeters. This is similar to the incinerators which they consider to be crematoria."

TV host: "On the inner cover of the book, we read a quote by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Why did you decide to print a quote of Ahmadinejad? This is..."

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Can we present it to the camera... I was very happy when the Iranian president denied the Holocaust. Since I am convinced of the need to fight this lie, I was filled with admiration at the words of the Iranian president."

TV host: "He said: 'Israel should be wiped out of existence.'"

Muhammad Nimr Al-Madani: "Yes, that's right. First of all, the Iranian president is the first leader in the world to adopt Holocaust denial. This is a great event. Secondly, the state of Israel must be wiped out of existence, as Imam Khomeini said before." [...]

===================
For assistance, please contact MEMRI at memri@memri.org.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.

MEMRI
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
www.memri.org
 

Verhaal van de Arabische en Israel lobby in de VS

 

Na het veelgenoemde boek "De Israël lobby" van Mearsheimer en Walt is er nu een tegenhanger over de Arabische lobby. Een lobby die veel meer dan AIPAC in het duister handelt en waar de geldbedragen vele malen hoger zijn. Een lobby die de belangen verdedigt van landen als Saudi-Arabië met hun mensenrechtenschendingen, corruptie en discriminatie van vrouwen en andere religies. Landen ook die fundamentalisch-islamitische ideeën helpen verspreiden in de wereld.

 

The last-named activity ought to have turned the spotlight on Saudi Arabian double-dealing when fifteen of the nineteen suicide bombers in the 9/11 attack on American soil turned out to be Saudi nationals. Instead, the opposite occurred, as the royal family seized the opportunity to extend Arab influence in the world of ideas by pouring tens of millions of dollars into Islamic programs in American universities and other educational initiatives. The staggering sums are listed by Bard, along with descriptions of what these sums are buying in programming, from college courses through K-12 education. The influence is palpable not only in what gets taught but in what has been excluded: namely, courses on radical Islam, Arab anti-Semitism, Arab anti-Americanism, or anything else that might explain the real and present danger. What Jewish lobbying works to clarify and uncover, Arab influence has been successfully deployed to obscure.

 

RP

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A Tale of Two Lobbies

http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2010/9/8/main-feature/1/a-tale-of-two-lobbies

By Ruth R. Wisse

 

The problem of the Arab-Israel conflict begins with the term itself, which misrepresents the unilateral Arab war against Israel as a bilateral dispute. Unilateral aggression is not unheard of—when did Poland ever aggress against Germany or Russia?—but nothing in United Nations history compares in intensity or fixity with Arab belligerence toward Israel, a UN member state.

The Arab war has less to do with the scant physical space occupied by the Jewish state than with the opportunity it offers Arab leaders to consolidate their power and prestige by organizing against an external target, especially one trailing so long and encrusted a history of religious and ethnic vilification. This same politics of blame has been no less useful to Westerners like, most recently, Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer in their 2006 indictment of America's "Israel Lobby." Had these two respected academics set out to study dispassionately the role of American special-interest groups in the making of Middle East policy, they might have unearthed a fascinating contrast in the disparate way that Arabs and Jews operate. Instead, by single-mindedly fingering the Jews, they neatly drew attention away from the larger story of Arab influence-peddlers.  

Now at last comes the information missing from Walt and Mearsheimer's screed. In Mitchell Bard's The Arab Lobby, we see how, in contrast to the altogether transparent workings of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a lobby supported by tens of thousands of American citizens across political lines, the Arab lobby truly does merit being called, in Bard's subtitle, an "invisible alliance that undermines America's interests in the Middle East."

Mitchell Bard was the logical person to supply the untold story. Trained in political science, public policy, and economics, he has made a specialty of separating Middle Eastern myths from facts, and his writing, whether on academic subjects or for popular audiences, is marked by careful research and thorough documentation. The details speak for themselves.

The present book, divided into fifteen chapters, begins with the "seeds" of the Arab lobby that were sown by King Saud of Saudi Arabia in the World War II era and that still bear fruit today. The basic message to America remains remarkably consistent: We have the oil. Maintain us in power and we will guarantee your deliveries. We will also purchase American arms—to the tune, Bard writes, of $100 billion over 50 years—to keep ourselves in power and thus maintain the security of your supply.

Bard does not shrink from the term "blackmail" to describe the process whereby the Saudis have periodically threatened to close the spigot whenever Washington appears to oppose their interests and fixed habits, which happen to include the denial of human rights at home, militant opposition to Israel abroad, the global spread of extremist Islam, and support of international terror.

The last-named activity ought to have turned the spotlight on Saudi Arabian double-dealing when fifteen of the nineteen suicide bombers in the 9/11 attack on American soil turned out to be Saudi nationals. Instead, the opposite occurred, as the royal family seized the opportunity to extend Arab influence in the world of ideas by pouring tens of millions of dollars into Islamic programs in American universities and other educational initiatives. The staggering sums are listed by Bard, along with descriptions of what these sums are buying in programming, from college courses through K-12 education. The influence is palpable not only in what gets taught but in what has been excluded: namely, courses on radical Islam, Arab anti-Semitism, Arab anti-Americanism, or anything else that might explain the real and present danger. What Jewish lobbying works to clarify and uncover, Arab influence has been successfully deployed to obscure.

The research compiled by Walt and Mearsheimer for The Israel Lobby, shoddy as much of it was, was taken from publicly available sources. Arab lobbyists and their clients conduct their most serious business in secret. The U.S. State Department, where Arabists are most influential, does not declassify its cables for 25 years, and even then, Bard writes, "we do not know how much of [Arab lobbying] activity is kept secret for national-security reasons, concealed to avoid embarrassment, [or] destroyed purposely or inadvertently."

The Arab Lobby is not an elegant book, and would have benefited from editorial polishing. But it rests on a solid background of painstaking research. Some of its repetitive quality, moreover, is attributable to the unchanging nature of Arab politics. American Jews could do America—and ultimately the Arabs—no greater service than to focus on setting the record straight, and to do so by taking a page from Bard and rejecting their customary defensiveness. They are not the defendants in this case; they are rightly the plaintiffs. 

================

Ruth R. Wisse is professor of Yiddish and comparative literature at Harvard. Her books include Jews and Power (Schocken), The Modern Jewish Canon (Free Press), and a forthcoming edition of The Glatstein Chronicles (Yale).