Letter from Israel

Calling the bluff

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:52:28 GMT

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.

The price of tomatoes

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:12:59 GMT

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?

Charities for terror

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:48:05 GMT

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?

Your money kills Israeli and Palestinian children

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:54:01 GMT

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.

A Journalist's View from Gaza

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:40:45 GMT

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.’

Sabbatical

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 05:25:33 GMT

No, the title doesn't signal an intention to convert the sometimes long breaks between my writing 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.

Darfurian Israelis

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:02:30 GMT

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 rein 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.

Trusting Fatah

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:39:18 GMT

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?

Palestinian Rights

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 05:33:55 GMT

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.

UK doctors demand more terror

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:13:46 GMT

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.

Goldilocks

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 02:14:45 GMT

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".

Blood Money

Thu, 31 May 2007 14:07:06 GMT

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.

Clean bill of health?

Thu, 17 May 2007 13:23:05 GMT

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 Medecins 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: Medecins 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, Medecins sans Frontieres 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.

Moderation

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:56:30 GMT

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.

Six Day War

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:39:04 GMT

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 )

Seminar in Israel for overseas activists

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 10:39:38 GMT

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.

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

http://IsraelSeminar.Info

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

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:25:19 GMT

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.

German discomfort at Jewish self-protection

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:20:29 GMT

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.

How will Belgian historians rate World War III?

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:54:49 GMT

I have frequently questioned how Western diplomats manage 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 on the right.

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 appointed Committee of Historians report on the role of the Belgian authorities in the persecution and deportation of the Jews during World War II.

A breath of fresh air

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 17:35:38 GMT

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, is dependant on international welfare and 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.