September 28, 2008

Obama, McCain and Israel Who really stands by Israel?


Obama's, McCain's worldviews provide the answer

Published YNET
09.27.08, 14:13

By Yoram Ettinger

A worldview shapes presidential attitude toward Israel as a strategic asset
or a liability and toward Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Golan
Heights. A presidential worldview determines the scope of the US posture of
deterrence in face of Middle East and global threats, which directly impacts
Israel's national security.

For example, President Nixon was not a friend of the US Jewish community and
was not a leader of pro-Israeli legislation in the US Senate. In 1968, he
received only about 15% of the Jewish vote. However, his worldview
recognized Israel's importance to US national security, as was demonstrated
in 1970, when Israel rolled back a Syrian invasion of Jordan, preventing a
pro-Soviet domino scenario into the Persian Gulf. It was Nixon's worldview
which led him to approve critical military shipments to Israel - during the
1973 War - in defiance of the Arab oil embargo and brutal pressure by the
Saudi lobby in Washington, and in spite of the Democratic pattern of the
Jewish voters.

On the other hand, President Clinton displayed an affinity toward Judaism,
the Jewish People and the Jewish State. However, his worldview accepted
Arafat as a national liberation leader, elevated him to the most frequent
guest at the White House, underestimated the threat of Islamic terrorism,
unintentionally facilitated its expansion from 1993 (first "Twin Tower"
attack) to the 9/11 terrorist tsunami, adding fuel to the fire of Middle
East and global turbulence.

How would the worldview of Obama, McCain and their advisors shape US policy
toward Israel?

1. According to McCain, World War III between Western democracies and
Islamic terror/rogue regimes is already in process. According to Obama, the
conflict is with a radical Islamic minority, which could be dealt with
through diplomacy, foreign aid, cultural exchanges and a lower US military
profile. Thus, McCain's worldview highlights – while Obama's worldview
downplays – Israel's role as a strategic ally. McCain recognizes that
US-Israel relations have been shaped by shared values, mutual threats and
joint interests and not by frequent disagreements over the Arab-Israeli
conflict.

2. According to Obama, the US needs to adopt the worldview of the Department
of State bureaucracy (Israel's staunchest critic in Washington,) pacify the
knee-jerk-anti-Israel-UN, move closer to the Peace-at-any-Price-Western
Europe and appease the Third World, which blames the West and Israel for the
predicament of the Third World and the Arabs. On the other hand, McCain
contends that the US should persist – in defiance of global odds - in being
the Free World's Pillar of Fire, ideologically and militarily.

3. According to Obama, Islamic terrorism constitutes a challenge for
international law enforcement agencies and terrorists should be brought to
justice. According to McCain, they are a military challenge and should be
brought down to their knees. Obama's passive approach adrenalizes the veins
of terrorists and intensifies Israel's predicament, while McCain's approach
bolsters the US' and Israel's war on terrorism.

4. Obama and his advisors assume that Islamic terrorism is driven by
despair, poverty, erroneous US policy and US presence on Muslim soil in the
Persian Gulf. On the other hand, McCain maintains that Islamic terrorism is
driven by ideology, which considers US values (freedom of expression,
religion, media, movement, market and Internet) and US power a most lethal
threat that must be demolished. McCain's worldview supports Israel's battle
against terrorism, demonstrating that the root cause of the Arab-Israel
conflict is not the size – but the existence - of Israel.

5. Contrary to McCain, Obama is convinced – just like Tony Blair - that the
Palestinian issue is the core cause of Middle East turbulence and
anti-Western Islamic terrorism, and therefore requires a more assertive US
involvement, exerting additional pressure on Israel. The intriguing
assumption that a less-than-100 year old Palestinian issue is the root cause
of 1,400 year old inter-Arab Middle East conflicts and Islamic terrorism,
would deepen US involvement in Israel-Palestinians negotiations and
transform the US into more of a neutral broker and less of a special ally of
Israel, which would drive Israel into sweeping concessions.

Obama's worldview would be welcomed by supporters of an Israeli rollback to
the 1949 ceasefire lines, including the repartitioning of Jerusalem and the
opening of the "Pandora Refugees' Box." On the other hand, McCain's
worldview adheres to the assumption that an Israeli retreat would convert
the Jewish State from a power of deterrence to a punching bag, from a
producer – to a consumer – of national security and from a strategic asset
to a strategic burden in the most violent, volatile and treacherous region
in the world.

The writer is a Middle Eastern and American affairs expert

http://www.acpr.org.il/people/yettinger.html

http://yoramettinger.newsnet.co.il/Front/NewsNet/newspaper.asp

September 27, 2008

Gog & Magog Starts?



The U.S. Army's European Command deployed an early-warning radar system in Israel last week along with a 120-member support team.

This is the first permanent presence in Israel of American military personnel. The high-powered radar system is meant to augment Israel's defenses against Iranian ground-to-ground missiles.

Is the actual first step in the war of Gog And Magog?

September 26, 2008

The Secret to His Success - Naomi Ragen


This is from Naomis Blog and maybe it describes how one Jew really feels...or more than one?

I got a ton of responses to my short e-mail “exchange with a reader.” Since then, I have been pondering long and hard what the reason could be for the enthusiastic, nay, evangelistic Jewish cheerleaders for Barack Hussein Obama, despite the many, many red flags that have gone up ever since he decided to run for President of the United States of America. One e-mail, in particular, opened my eyes to what could be the underlying reason. He wrote:

“You may think you are right but if McCain and Palin get elected, the U.S. will continue to go down hill, and if this country gets in worse shape financially this country will eventually blame the Jews …..”

Hmm. I never considered that. Could it be that the Jews of America are really not as comfortable there as they pretend to be? Could it be that the Reverend Wright, that home-grown anti-Semite who went to Libya to meet terrorist Qaddafi, and who gave an award to Louis Farrakhan for “leadership, ” being a heartbeat away from the Democratic nominee for President has scared the Jews of America out of their wits?

Could it be that these Jews are so incredibly grateful to Barack Obama for disassociating himself after 20 years with this anti-Semitic message and so terrified of losing his support, pushing him and his golden oratory back into the arms of people like Wright, that they are hell-bent on currying his favor and showing they are “good Jews?” (Caveat: it Obama’s throwing Wright under the bus is clearly a blatant attempt to improve his chances at gaining the Jewish vote --Farrakhan himself said on Nightline that he “admired“ Obama and understood if he needed to disassociate himself temporarily in order to win the Presidency).

Are Jews now beginning to feel the solid ground of the American haven that has sheltered them shaking beneath their feet? Is that the reason that they have listened to the golden-voiced Obama, who is really nothing more than an evangelical preacher, saying: “ Who are you going to believe, your eyes or me?” and dismissed their own vision? Are they truly so enraptured that they are willing to place all their hopes in this unknown with a very hazy past, to protect them from the Ahmadinejads, to “negotiate” for them their way out of the hellhole being dug out for them by the Muslims, and the European Union, and the U.N. and homegrown Black Antisemitism, and anti-Zionist Peace-Nowers-J-Streeters- let’s-blame-Israel-for-daring-to-existers, the Israel- should- give- up -and -give in-ers? Can it be that some American Jews are ashamed to be Israel supporters, and feel they will be safer if they side against their own people and by supporting a clearly, blatantly anti-Israel candidate they are fulfilling that need? Or is it that Obama is not so much a mesmerizing speaker, as he is a person with a message that is music to Jewish American ears; the foolish idea that they don’t have to take sides in this election. That they can be pro-Israel and elect a candidate that says his is also pro-Israel, despite so much evidence to the contrary, including a belief in “diplomacy” i.e. pushing Israel into suicidal concessions to placate enemies like Ahmadinejad, Hezbollah, and Hamas? He represents a way out of ancient Jew-hatred, a way thousands of generations of Jews hadn’t thought of? Is that the secret to his success among Jews in America?

Who are you going to believe? Your eyes, or Barack Hussein Obama?
Posted by Naomi's Blog at 11:20 PM

September 23, 2008

Our World: Your abortions or your lives!

Sep. 22, 2008
Caroline Glick , THE JERUSALEM POST

American Jews have good reason to be ashamed and angry today. As Iran moves
into the final stages of its nuclear weapons development program - nuclear
weapons which it will use to destroy the State of Israel, endanger Jews
around the world and cow the United States of America - Democratic American
Jewish leaders decided that putting Sen. Barack Obama in the White House is
more important than protecting the lives of the Jewish people in Israel and
around the world.

On Monday, the New York Sun published the speech that Republican vice
presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would have delivered at
that day's rally outside UN headquarters in New York against Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and against Iran's plan to destroy Israel. She
would have delivered it, if she hadn't been disinvited.

The rally was co-sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish
Organizations, the National Coalition to Stop Iran Now, The Israel Project,
United Jewish Communities, the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs. Its purpose was to present a united American
Jewish front against Iran's genocidal leader and against its genocidal
regime which is developing nuclear weapons with the stated intention of
committing the second Holocaust in 80 years.

Palin's speech is an extraordinary document. In its opening paragraph she
made clear that Iran presents a danger not just to Israel, but to the US.
And not just to some Americans, but to all Americans. Her speech was a
warning to Iran - and anyone else who was listening - that Americans are not
indifferent to its behavior, its genocidal ideology and the barbarity of its
regime. Rather, they are outraged.

After that opening, Palin's speech set out clearly how Iran is advancing its
nuclear project, why it must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and
why and how the regime itself must be opposed by all right thinking people -
not just Israelis and Americans - but by all people who value human freedom.


PALIN'S SPEECH was a message of national - rather than simply Republican -
resolve against Iran's nuclear weapons program and its active involvement in
global and regional terrorism. She made this point by quoting statements
that Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton has made against the Iranian regime.

The speech detailed Iran's past and current attacks against the US,
beginning with its bombing of US servicemen in Lebanon in 1983 and
continuing with Iran's proxy war against US forces in Iraq and against
Iraqis who oppose its intention of taking control of their country.

By discussing Iran's role in Iraq she not only made a convincing case for
why an American victory there is essential for defeating Iran. She also made
clear that Iran is actively making war against the US, not just Israel.

From Iran's war against Israel, the US, and freedom loving peoples
worldwide, Palin's speech turned to the regime's war against its own people.
She attacked the regime for its systematic repression of Iranian women. She
applauded the extraordinary bravery of women like Delaram Ali who risked
their lives and their families to demand basic rights for Iranian women.
Ali, she noted, was sentenced to 10 lashes and three years in prison for
having the courage to speak out. An international outcry has temporarily
suspended her sentence.

Then Palin returned to Iran's nuclear weapons program and its support for
terrorist groups pledged to Israel's destruction and to the destruction of
the US. She returned to Ahmadinejad's calls for Israel's annihilation. She
reiterated Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's solemn
promise to work with Israel to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons
and she joined her name to his promise to stand side by side with Israel to
prevent another Holocaust.

IF PALIN had been allowed to deliver this speech at Monday's rally, she
would done just what the organizers of the rally, and what the Jewish people
in Israel, America and worldwide need to have done. She would have elevated
the imperative of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the
implicit moral and strategic imperative of overthrowing the regime in
Teheran to the top of America's national security agenda. Given the massive
media attention she garners at all of her public appearances, Palin's
participation in the rally would have done more to steel Americans - across
the political spectrum - to the cause of opposing Iran than 10 UN Security
Council sanctions resolutions could do.

It was a remarkable speech, prepared by a remarkable woman. But it was not
heard. It was not heard because the Democratic Party and Jewish Democrats
believe that their partisan interest in demonizing Palin and making
Americans generally and American Jews in particular hate and fear her to
secure their votes for Obama and his running-mate Sen. Joseph Biden in the
November election is more important than allowing Palin to elevate the
necessity of preventing a second Holocaust to the top of the US's national
security agenda.

The rally's organizers invited both Clinton and Palin to speak. It was a
wise move. In light of Iran's monstrous oppression of Iranian women, had the
two most powerful women in American politics joined forces in opposing the
regime and its war against human freedom, their appearance would have sent a
message of American unity and resolve that would have reverberated not just
throughout the US and in the US presidential race, but throughout the world
and into Iran itself. But it was not to be.

The moment that Clinton found out that she was to share a stage with Palin,
she cancelled her appearance. By cancelling, she signaled to Jewish
Democrats - and Democrats in general - that opposing Palin and the
Republican Party is more important than opposing Ahmadinejad and the
genocidal regime he represents.

THE JEWISH Democrats on the rally's organizing committee got the message
loud and clear. Two of the rally's co-sponsors - the Jewish Council for
Public Affairs and the UJA Federation of New York demanded that the
Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations disinvite Palin.

The JCPA is led by Steven Gutow. Before joining the JCPA, he served as the
founding executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, which
is the Jewish support arm of the Democratic Party. The UJA Federation of New
York is led by John Ruskay, who began his Jewish communal career as an
anti-Israel "peace" activist in the radical CONAME and Breira organizations.
Among their other endeavors, CONAME and Breira opposed US military
assistance to Israel during the Yom Kippur War and called for US recognition
of the PLO after the group massacred 26 children in Ma'alot in 1974.

Gutow and Ruskay were supported in their demand to disinvite Palin by the
National Jewish Democratic Council and by the new Jewish pro-Palestinian
lobbying group J-Street.

In an attempt to assuage Gutow and Ruskay, the rally organizers invited
Biden to speak. But he had a scheduling conflict. So the organizers
contacted the Obama campaign and asked it to send a representative. The
campaign offered Congressman Robert Wexler.

But the Democrats knew that Wexler would be no match for Palin. So they
continued on the warpath, absurdly claiming that by inviting Palin (and
Clinton, Biden and Wexler), the organizers were endangering the sponsoring
organizations' tax-exempt status. That is, through Ruskay and Gutow, in
their bid to prevent Palin from appearing at the rally, the Democrats
threatened to bring down the organized Jewish community.

Never mind that the threat is absurd. The likelihood that the Internal
Revenue Service would open an investigation against every major American
Jewish organization for daring to invite Palin to a rally opposing
Ahmadinejad's appearance at the UN and Iran's stated intention of
annihilating Israel is just slightly smaller than the prospect of
Ahmadinejad wrapping himself in an Israeli flag and singing "Hatikva" on the
UN rostrum.

But no matter. The fear that these Democratic Jews would openly split the
Jewish community on the need to confront Iran frightened the organizers. The
notion that the Democratic Party, and its Jewish supporters would openly
turn their backs on the need to confront Iran to advance the political
fortunes of their party and their party's presidential slate was too much to
take. Palin was disinvited.

LIBERAL AMERICAN Jews, like liberal Americans in general, and indeed like
their fellow leftists in Israel and throughout the West, uphold themselves
as champions of human rights. They claim that they care about the underdog,
the wretched of the earth. They care about the environment. They care about
securing American women's unfettered access to abortions. They care about
keeping Christianity and God out of the public sphere. They care about
offering peace to those who are actively seeking their destruction so that
they can applaud themselves for their open-mindedness and tell themselves
how much better they are than savage conservatives.

Those horrible, war-mongering, Bambi killing, unborn baby defending,
God-believing conservatives, who think that there are things worth going to
war to protect, must be defeated at all costs. They must intimidate, attack,
demonize and defeat those conservatives who think that the free women of the
West should be standing shoulder to shoulder not with Planned Parenthood,
but with the women of the Islamic world who are enslaved by a misogynist
Shari'a legal code that treats them as slaves and deprives them of control
not simply of their wombs, but of their faces, their hair, their arms, their
legs, their minds and their hearts.

The lives of 6 million Jews in Israel are today tied to the fortunes of
those women, to the fortunes of American forces in Iraq, to the willingness
of Americans across the political and ideological spectrum to recognize that
there is more that unifies them than divides them and to act on that
knowledge to defeat the forces of genocide, oppression, hatred and
destruction that are led today by the Iranian regime and personified in the
brutal personality of Ahmadinejad. But Jewish Democrats chose to ignore this
basic truth in order to silence Palin.

They should be ashamed. The Democratic Party should be ashamed. And Jewish
American voters should consider carefully whether opposing a woman who
opposes the abortion of fetuses is really more important than standing up
for the right of already born Jews to continue to live and for the Jewish
state to continue to exist. Because this week it came to that.

caroline@carolineglick.com

ARAB Terror attack in Jerusalem

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

(IsraelNN.com) An Arab terrorist from eastern Jerusalem ran over a group of soldiers and some civilians shortly before 11 p.m. Monday night at Kikar Tzahal (IDF Square) near the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem. The terrorist was driving a private vehicle, a black BMW, when he attacked opposite the entrance to the Old City. He was shot and killed by an IDF soldier in the targeted group.

One of the victims is in serious condition, and all of the others suffered light and moderate injuries. Most of the wounded were evacuated to Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, and seven other victims were rushed to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. The victims were primarily soldiers who had gone to the Old City to participate in the nighttime selichot prayers traditionally recited before Rosh Hashanah.

Shortly after the attack, a group of young hareidi-religious Jews gathered in a spontaneous protest near the scene of the incident. Protesters threw rocks and cursed at Arab passersby, calling out condemnations of the Arab presence in Jerusalem. The small mob was dispersed within a short time.

The terrorist was under 20 years of age and a resident of Jerusalem. Initial police investigation of the incident revealed that he carried out the attack alone. However, security forces are following all leads that may indicate a connection with Palestinian Authority terrorist organizations.

Two earlier terrorist attacks in the capital this year involved a tractor and bulldozer, killing three Israelis and injuring scores of others. Both of the terrorists were Israeli Arabs from eastern Jerusalem who were working in the city.

Asked by a reporter how the police is handling the threat of such vehicle-based attacks, Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco said, "Jerusalem police are widely deployed throughout the [Muslim] month of Ramadan - an attack such as this can happen anywhere - so that we can respond quickly."

Latest U.N. atrocity against Israel

Payback time at the UN
Michael Freund - Sep 10, 2008
The Jerusalem Post

The war in Lebanon may have ended two years ago, but that hasn't stopped
the UN from exploiting the conflict to besmirch Israel. In a move that
harks back to the bad old days of UN hypocrisy and double standards vis-
à-vis the Jewish state, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is reportedly set
to demand that Israel reimburse Lebanon and Syria for damage caused
during the war against Hizbullah.

Yes, you read that correctly. The UN wants Israel to pay for having the
gall to defend itself. According to the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Ban has
prepared a report that he will present to the upcoming General Assembly
in New York. Based on calculations made by the World Bank, he will insist
that Israel cough up approximately $1 billion in "compensation" for
material and environmental harm to Lebanese society and infrastructure.

In addition, Ban will purportedly highlight the bombing of the Jiyeh
power plant 30 kilometers south of Beirut in mid-July 2006. As a result
of the attack, thousands of barrels of oil are said to have spilled into
the Mediteranean, polluting parts of the Lebanese and Syrian coastlines
and causing ecological damage to marine life.

The report is a sequel, of sorts, to one issued last fall by Ban, in
which he called on Israel "to take the necessary actions toward assuming
responsibility for prompt and adequate compensation to the government of
Lebanon." Since Israel rightly ignored that preposterous request, Ban has
now apparently decided to turn up the heat in the hopes of pressing
Jerusalem to pay.

Even for a body with such a long and remarkable record of anti-Israel
hyperbole, the UN has outdone itself this time. Ban's insistence that
Israel pay the aggressors for damage done during a war they provoked is
both morally obscene and intellectually obtuse.

Israel's actions in Lebanon did not occur in a vacuum, and it requires a
highly active imagination to overlook this basic fact.

If the Lebanese authorities allow their sovereign territory to be used as
a launching pad for attacks, as they did in the summer of 2006, they bear
responsibility for what ensues, including any damage caused as a result
of Israel 's actions taken in self-defense.

You don't need to be a moral philosopher or international legal scholar
to figure that one out.

Ban's error is that he focuses entirely on the consequences of an action
while completely ignoring its context, as though the reason for a
particular situation has no bearing on the nature of the outcome. This is
patently absurd, and would be akin to the UN demanding that the US and
its allies who invaded Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks
reimburse Osama bin Laden and the Taliban for destroying the caves in
which they hid.

Make no mistake. The UN's attempt to compel Israel to pay for bombing
Lebanon has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with a
political agenda, one that paints Israel as the unreasonable assailant
rather than the innocent victim. It is nothing less than a shameful
attempt to rewrite history, and it should not be allowed to stand.

BUT IF Ban nonetheless insists on pressing forward with the issue of
compensation, I say: Bring it on. Let's have a real debate over the
matter. We can start by working out compensation for the thousands of
rockets, mortar shells and other projectiles that were fired at Israel
from Lebanese territory during the war.

Let's add to that the loss in income from the drop in tourism, the
calling up of reserve units and the displacement of thousands of families
throughout northern Israel . Then there is the pain and suffering
inflicted on soldiers and civilians who were wounded and killed, as well
as the mental and psychological trauma endured by countless Israelis
throughout the 33 days of conflict.

Why shouldn't Syria, Lebanon and Iran be made to pay for their
sponsorship of Hizbullah and the damage it wrought? And while we're on
the subject of liability, the UN might wish to consult its lawyers. After
all, UNIFIL troops in southern Lebanon have lethargically presided over
repeated Hizbullah arms buildups while doing little to stop them, despite
the requirements of UN Security Council resolutions. Their hands aren't
entirely clean when it comes to preventing the outbreak of conflict.

You can't have it both ways, Ban. You can't invoke principles of fairness
and equity and then demand that Israel be made to pay while ignoring the
other side's culpability.

As the late US Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan once pointed out, "Everyone
is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts."

Not even the secretary-general of the United Nations.

Case filed in LA today against Bank of China

Bank of China Sued in Los Angeles Court for Aiding Terror Attacks in Israel

Suit by victims of rocket attacks and suicide bombings in the Jewish state
details how Bank of China transferred millions of dollars to Hamas and
Islamic Jihad terrorist groups, and rebuffed demand by Israeli
counterterrorism officials to halt payments

Over 100 victims of terrorist attacks carried out by the Hamas and Palestine
Islamic Jihad ("PIJ") terror organizations in Israel between 2004 and 2007
have filed an historic civil action in Los Angeles Superior Court against
China's largest bank, the Bank of China Ltd. ("BOC"). The suit, Zahavi v.
Bank of China, seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

The plaintiffs allege in their civil complaint that starting in 2003, BOC
executed dozens of wire transfers for the Hamas and PIJ totaling several
million dollars. These dollar transfers were initiated by the PIJ and Hamas
leadership in Iran and Syria, were processed through BOC's branches in the
United States and were sent on to a BOC account in China operated by a
senior operative of the Hamas and PIJ. From there, the funds were
transferred to Hamas and PIJ leaders in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and
used to carry out terrorist attacks.

In April 2005, Israeli counterterrorism officers met with officials from the
Chinese Ministry of Public Security and China's Central Bank regarding these
Hamas and PIJ wire transfers. The Israelis demanded that the Chinese
officials take action to prevent BOC from making any further such transfers.
Despite the Israeli warnings, the BOC - with the Chinese government's
approval - continued to wire terrorist funds for the Hamas and PIJ.

The plaintiffs, who are represented by attorneys Federico C. Sayre of Los
Angeles, Robert J. Tolchin of New York and Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of
Israel, include the family of Afik Zahavi, a four year-old boy who was
murdered on June 28, 2004 in a Hamas missile attack in the town of Sderot.
The toddler was on his way to nursery school when he was killed.

www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2004/Afik+Za
havi.htm
/Afik+Zahavi.htm>
/Afik+Zahavi.htm>

Other plaintiffs include the families of Emi Elmaliah, and Michael Saadon,
who were murdered on January 27, 2007 in a suicide bombing in a bakery in
Eilat. The attack was carried out by a PIJ bomber from Gaza. See:
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+200
0/Suicide+bombing+in+Eilat+bakery+29-Jan-2007.htm
ince+2000/Suicide+bombing+in+Eilat+bakery+29-Jan-2007.htm>
ince+2000/Suicide+bombing+in+Eilat+bakery+29-Jan-2007.htm>

Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner stated that: "BOC knowingly assisted Hamas
and the Islamic Jihad to carry out terrorist attacks with the full approval
of the Chinese government, and rejected requests by the Israeli government
to cease and desist. BOC even had the chutzpah to make these funds transfers
through its U.S. branches right under the nose of the Justice Department,
despite the fact that Hamas and the PIJ are designated terrorist
organizations and that such wire transfers are a crime under American law.
We expect BOC to now pay very heavily for its support for terrorism."


A copy of the complaint is available here:



http://www.snapdrive.net/qs/65ea3b0a532f

For more information please contact: Nitsana Darshan-Leitner



(US) 212-591-0073

Email: info@israellawcenter.org

September 22, 2008

Canadian Israel advocacy in turmoil



by Isi Leibler

Canadian Jews can take pride in the remarkable infrastructure of educational, religious and cultural institutions they have created. The fact that assimilation and intermarriage in Canada are far less advanced than in the United States is largely attributable to their magnificent network of Jewish day schools. Canadian Jews also have a splendid record of support for Israel and their donors are among the most generous contributors to projects in the Jewish state.

Regrettably, in recent years the community’s public advocacy on behalf of Israel has dramatically declined. This paralleled a major upsurge in anti-Semitism and demonization of Israel as a consequence of Muslim immigration and intensified hostility from the Canadian left.

The downturn had its genesis in 2004 when the principal communal fund-raisers, concerned about increased anti-Semitism and hostility to Israel, decided to supplant the traditional communal advocacy bodies - the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Canada Israel Committee - with a “more professional” organization. The new entity, the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (CIJA), was commissioned to deal exclusively with “advocacy on Canada Israel relations while the Canadian Jewish Congress would handle issues of Jewish concern.” This effectively neutralized the central role of the Canadian Jewish Congress in determining policies on Israel and antisemitism and replaced it with an undemocratic body headed by professional public relations consultants.

The federations, via the United Israel Appeal, allocate very substantial funds to the CIJA. The budget this year, including mega-salaries for the principal officers, amounts to more than $11 million.
However, from the outset, the new team of PR professionals, headed by CEO Herschel Ezrin, was soon identified as archetypical practitioners of the discredited sha shtil approach, displaying passivity and determined to maintain a low profile. Their vast financial resources concentrated on campaigns emphasizing that Israelis “are just like the rest of us Canadians”.

Their PR philosophy, depicted as a model that other communities would do well to emulate, was outlined in a surrealistic internal document circulated in 2004 titled “The 10 Commandments.” It was never formally repudiated and to this day appears to reflect CIJA policy. The document must be seen to be believed.

Commandment 5 states: “Do not directly attack or assign blame to the Palestinians or their leadership. Canadians will not tolerate - or believe - that one side is more responsible for the violence than the other.”

Commandment 6 says: “Do not ask Canadians to pick a side in the conflict or assign blame. Very few Canadians are prepared to assign blame for ongoing violence or attacks.”

Commandment 7 states explicitly: “Do not ask the government of Canada to appear - or be - more favorable to Israel… There is no support for further government support of Israel.”

Commandment 9 warns: “Do not attack the media for being biased against Israel… There is no constituency to support a public effort to attack the media.”

That such a document was not immediately condemned and withdrawn demonstrates how a group of wealthy donors, dazzled by “PR expertise,” bypassed the will of the vast majority of Canadian Jews.
The obsession to avoid “confrontation” was especially acute on the campuses where Hillel activists were explicitly directed to avoid debates, ignore Arab anti-Israeli tirades and never display examples of Islamic antisemitism to avoid offending Muslim groups.

Three years ago, the PR mavens even managed to convince the Montreal federation to cancel the annual Israel Independence Day parade out of a fear of possible anti-Israeli counter-demonstrations. Fortunately, independent communal leaders, rabbis and school principals took it upon themselves to lead a grassroots revolt to retain the dignity of the community and Independence Day parades were reinstated.

The CIJA has a virtual monopoly on Israel advocacy in Canada. The exceptions are a plucky B’nai B’rith Organization which attempts to be more assertive and a small but highly effective body known as the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research (CIJR) headquartered in Montreal. It is headed by Prof. Fred Krantz, a distinguished academic who for 30 years headed an influential program titled “The Great Books in Western Civilization” at Concordia University and the Liberal Arts College. There he opposed administration kowtowing to Arab and radical students, which climaxed in 2002 when Binyamin Netanyahu was unable to address the university because of violent campus riots.

CIJR, whose influence extends beyond Canada, operates on a shoestring budget of less than $200,000 and is staffed overwhelmingly by volunteers. Among other initiatives, it publishes a daily Internet newsletter viewed by more than 100,000 readers, which incorporates key data, original op-eds and reprints of articles relevant to activists. Its greatest success was to create an elite group of student activists willing to take up the cudgels on behalf of Israel on the campus.

Since the creation of CIJA, the Jewish establishment has totally blackballed CIJR and denied it any funding. When I accepted an invitation from Krantz to participate in CIJR’s 20th anniversary dinner, I was cautioned by various parties that I would be associating myself with an “extremist” body. However, in Montreal I discovered that far from being extreme, CIJR was a beacon of light in the world of Israel advocacy in Canada.

When introducing me to the audience, Irwin Cotler, the former Canadian minister of justice and global champion for human rights, an icon of Canadian Jewry recognized as one of the most outstanding Diaspora Jewish personalities of our time, lauded the outstanding work undertaken by the CIJR.
Equally telling was the address by Alan Baker, the Israeli ambassador to Canada, who was retiring after a four-year term. Like Cotler, Baker a former legal adviser to the Foreign Ministry, could hardly be described as an extremist. He too cast lavish praise on the CIJR as the most effective Canadian body promoting the case for Israel and, in particular, praised it for its splendid achievements on the campus. He also castigated the Jewish communal leadership for failing “to have the good judgment to appreciate an organization that is working so well in the field… and should have wider community support.”

Canadian Jewish leaders, who fear that protesting against this state of affairs will shatter the “unity” of the Canadian Jewish community, are misguided. The blind reliance of establishment machers on PR specialists who appear to dictate policy in these areas reflects a malaise in Canadian Jewish leadership and highlights a need for greater accountability and grassroots public involvement.

More importantly, if youngsters are dissuaded from confronting the scourge of moral equivalency whereby Israel’s acts of self-defense are deemed comparable to actions of its enemies, or instructed that speaking up in defense of Israel is counterproductive, then the ground is being established for future generations to distance themselves from Israel.

The time for reform is now while Canadian Jews are blessed with a prime minister who has emerged as one of Israel’s staunchest international allies. Unlike the cowardly cabal of “PR experts,” Stephen Harper is willing to publicly distinguish between Islamic fundamentalists seeking the destruction of the Jewish state and the right of Israel to defend itself. However, we cannot expect statesmen to be more pro-Israel than the self-appointed spokesmen of the Jewish community.



Ted Belman

Tzipora Malka "Tzipi" Livni - Likud Party Lackey?

Tzipora Livni is pretty much the PM now unless she can't form a coalition Government.
She has the background of a practising Attorney, which will help in all her potential future political scandels. Her apparent Mossad background will also help.

The fact that the overwhelming number of "Israeli Arabs" voted for Livni over Mofaz and basically got her the nod from Likud speaks for itself.
The enemy supports her, I cannot!

If she is successful in forming a coalition Government, three things will be evident:

1) The parties she teams up with tell us all we need to know about her willingness to deal.

2) It will keep Bibi out the PM's office.

3) Her politics on supporting the developement of a Terrorist State?

Tzipi Livni: terrorist-hunter secret of woman tipped to lead Israel?



This is an article from the TimesOnline (UK)

The frontrunner to become Israel’s next prime minister, Tzipi Livni, was a Paris agent for Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence agency, in the early 1980s when it ran a series of missions to kill Palestinian terrorists in European capitals, according to former colleagues.

They say Livni, now foreign minister, was on active service when Mamoun Meraish, a senior official in the Palestine Liberation Organisation, was shot dead by a Mossad hit squad in Athens on August 21, 1983. She was not directly involved in the killing, in which two young men on a motorcycle drew alongside Meraish’s car and opened fire, but her role in Mossad remains secret.

Shortly afterwards Livni resigned and returned to Israel to complete her law studies, citing the pressures of the job.

A quarter of a century later, Livni, 49, is poised to become prime minister amid accusations that Ehud Olmert, who has led Israel for the past 2½ years, accepted bribes from an American businessman.

An opinion poll on Friday showed that Livni had more than twice as much support inside the ruling Kadima party as Shaul Mofaz, a former defence minister who is her chief rival. Political commentators believe that Olmert will resign soon.

Livni joined Mossad after leaving the army with the rank of lieutenant and completing a year at law school. From her base in Paris she travelled throughout Europe in pursuit of Arab terrorists.

“Tzipi was not an office girl,” said an acquaintance. “She was a clever woman with an IQ of 150. She blended in well in European capitals, working with male agents, most of them ex-commandos, taking out Arab terrorists.”

Livni has never talked about her years with Mossad, but a glimpse of the nature of the work was given by her closest female partner on European assignments. “The risks were tangible,” said Mira Gal, who became head of her ministerial office. “If I made a mistake the result would be arrest and catastrophic political implications for Israel.”

Livni, a married mother of two, has enjoyed a meteoric rise in Israeli politics since she became an MP in 1999.

Her career was forged in the violent creation of Israel. Both her parents were arrested for terrorist crimes in the 1940s. Her mother Sarah, who died recently aged 85, was a leader of Irgun, the militant Zionist group that operated in Palestine at the time of the British mandate and whose exploits included train robbery.

“I was disguised as a pregnant woman and robbed a train carrying £35,000,” she said in an interview shortly before she died. “Then we blew up another train en route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.”

Livni’s father, Eitan, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for attacking a British military base. He escaped.

Livni, who unlike her parents supports a Palestinian state, would be no soft touch as prime minister. “While Tzipi is willing to give up the West Bank to the Palestinians, she is a hawk when it comes to Syria and Iran,” said a leading political commentator. “She is against withdrawal from the Golan [Heights], and once prime minister she will want to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.”

Olmert submits resignation to president



PM arrives at president's official Jerusalem residence to submit his resignation after 33 months in office. Peres thanks Olmert for his 'contribution to country', meets with Kadima, Labor, Likud and Shas representatives in effort to speed up formation of new coalition

Ronen Medzini
Latest Update: 09.22.08, 00:38 / Israel News

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at President Shimon Peres' official residence in Jerusalem Sunday evening in order to submit his resignation just 33 months after taking office.

Peres told reporters shortly after receiving the letter that he "appreciates the special way in which Olmert decided to transfer power. It was not an easy decision to make and I know this is a difficult evening for him.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the prime minister for his contribution to the people and the country and for many years of public service," the president said.

Peres added that he would make every effort to task one of the MKs with forming a new coalition prior to his departure for New York Monday night to attend the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Olmert's government has accordingly become a transit government until newly elected Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, who is expected to be tasked with assembling the next government, forms a new coalition or decides to call elections.

Following Olmert's resignation the president consulted with Kadima, Labor, Likud and Shas representatives and he is expected to hold talks with representatives from the remaining factions on Monday.

Among the Kadima members who met with Peres were ministers Meir Sheetrit and Zeev Boim and MKs Tzachi Hanegbi, Yoel Hasson and Shlomo Molla.

"We are all very distraught over Olmert's resignation, but Kadima is rallying around Livni – she is the worthy candidate to form the next government," Hanegbi told Peres.

MK Hasson said he believed Labor would eventually join a new coalition under Livni's leadership, adding "Israel needs stability at this time; it wants a government, not elections."

The Labor faction members, including ministers Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Shalom Simhon, faction chairman Eitan Cabel and MK Orit Noked, recommended that Peres task party chairman Ehud Barak with forming a new government, despite the fact that the law states that only an acting MK can become prime minister.



"We are aware of the legal obstacle, and this is why (law) professor David Libai took part in the meeting (with Peres)," Cabel said, adding that he hoped the issue would be resolved.



Ben-Eliezer told Ynet Labor was seeking a broad coalition that would include all of the Knesset's factions. "We are facing an economic, political and security tsunami – so everyone must sit together (in the coalition)," the minister said.



Likud MKs Gideon Sa'ar and Yuval Steinitz recommended that Peres charge Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu with the task of assembling the new government, while representatives from Shas, including Chairman Eli Yishai, announced following their meeting with Peres that they had not recommended anyone to assemble the next coalition



Following Livni's meeting with Barak Sunday evening, sources close the newly elected Kadima chairwoman expressed cautious optimism regarding the possibility of forming a coalition that will include Labor.

Livni reportedly told Barak that she is looking to establish a stable government that will continue along the same political path as Olmert's coalition.

The Knesset member tasked with the forming the new coalition will be given 28 days, with a possible extension of 14 days. If this person fails, the president is authorized to order a different MK to form a coalition within an additional 28 days.

Should the second MK fail to do so, the general elections will be moved up and will be held within 90 days.

On Sunday morning, Olmert informed the cabinet that he would be stepping down.

He began the weekly cabinet meeting by wishing Livni the best of luck, and pledging her his support.

"I hope she can form a coalition soon and I will give her any support she needs in the process. I know how hard it is to do, as does Barak," he added.

September 11, 2008

Expose the expulsion of 300,000 Jews from Judea and Samaria, the division of Jerusalem and the abandonment of the holy Temple Mount

UJSC.ORG
THE UNITED JEWISH STUDENT COUNCIL
strikeforisrael.com
Current project: Strike For Israel

THE UNITED JEWISH STUDENT COUNCIL - Project Strike For Israel

Student Walk Out - Thurs. Sept. 18 - 9:00 AM Local Time

Article about Walk Out
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127545

Flyer
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=df7mjrh_339k87k6dt

CONTACT US

Yosef Rabin
Director
strike4eyisrael@gmail.com

UJSC Office
office@ujsc.org
718.569.0921

http://www.ujsc.org/

September 9, 2008

American Jewish Students to Protest Olmert Plan, Jewish Silence



by Hana Levi Julian

(IsraelNN.com) A group of North American Jewish students are planning a coast-to-coast demonstration to protest the Olmert plan and the silence of American Jewish leaders, specifically over the looming threat of a second Disengagement as well as the possibility that Israel may hand sovereignty over the Temple Mount to the Palestinian Authority.

Jewish students from the sixth grade through high school were urged in an e-mail flyer sent out Tuesday to "Stand Up to Prevent…" with a graphic photo of a lone Jewish pioneer attempting to ward off an onslaught of Yassam special police forces.

According to organizer Yosef Rabin, director of the United Jewish Student Council (UJSC) the protest is set for Thursday September 18 and is scheduled to take place 10 minutes before the first class, thus comprising the first lesson of the day.

The group also sent format suggestions for the student protestors, including a list of psalms for the protestors to say (chapters 121, 130, 142), shofar blowing, singing and dancing.

The attachment also includes the order of the special prayers for the nation and land of Israel compiled by former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.

The demonstration
is expected to last approximately the length of one class period, or 45 minutes.

"We are striking in response to the silence of the Jewish leadership on the planned expulsion of 300,000 Jews from Judea and Samaria, division of Jerusalem and the abandonment of the holy Temple Mount," Rabin said in an internet chat interview with Israel National News.

"Jewish students across North America are saying No! No expelling Jews. No dividing land. No abandoning Har HaBayit (Hebrew for Temple Mount)," he said.

Blessings and Warnings from Israeli Sanhedrin

According to Rabin, Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander, a leading rabbinical judge in the nascent Sanhedrin that formed in Jerusalem several years ago and continues to struggle for mainstream recognition, has given his blessing to the project.

"Rabbi Hollander wrote, 'Shalom friends, Your plans are excellent, may HaShem bless you – and Am Yisrael – with your success…

'Considering the behavior of the majority of the people of Israel in the Land of Israel, we have no Zchuss to remain in the Land. The reasoning of Rabbi Kook [that the non-observant are doing the great mitzvah of building Eretz Israel] no longer applies: in his time they were building with the purpose of creating a Jewish State. Today the "elite" are building the for purpose of lining their pockets, and others with the purpose of destroying the Jewish identity of the State of the Jews. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Jews who do not want to stand up and support a political fight for our Jewish Birthright in the complete Holy Land of Israel right now should begin to work on the most likely result of their attitude: Millions of Jews looking for refuge.
To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

'….If Israel is not defended properly, there will surely be a catastrophe. The present "elite" are not capable of creating a deterrent which would stop the Iranians to try to A-bomb Israel. A reasonable estimate is that the people comprising the political leadership in Israel today will not use Israel's capabilities even in retaliation….

'…People – Jews – who do not want to stand up and support a political fight for our Jewish Birthright in the complete Holy Land of Israel right now should begin to work on the most likely result of their attitude: Millions of Jews looking for refuge.

'First of all – political activity to ensure a place for the survivors. Secondly – funds for their physical deployment outside the Middle East, building homes, healthcare – physical and mental healthcare, retraining facilities for adults, schooling for children – all these necessities should begin to be taken care of NOW by those who do not support a fight NOW.

'In the hopeful case when these funds are not needed, that should be used to ensure schooling in a Jewish Day School for all Jewish children. This would be the best way to prevent marrying non-Jews.

Fear Stalks the Students – 'This is Not the 60's'

Although the idea of a coast-to-coast strike itself is popular, and many students expressed interest, Rabin also noted that "many of them are very scared."

Many of the students, he said, are afraid of suspension or even being expelled from their schools, and have sent letters saying they "really want to do this but are a little nervous." Rabin added that almost every letter ended with the writer promising to try and organize something anyway, despite the fear.

"You have to remember that children in America have not known activism, unlike Israeli children, especially those living in Yesha [Gaza, Judea and Samaria –ed.]," he said. "They have never been exposed to this type of activism so the first time it is a daunting task."

In a twist completely opposite from that of the 60's, the group is counting on the older generation to get involved. "We are going to be working hard to bring parents and grandparents to strike with the students," he said, noting that this was the generation of the activism and protests of the 1960's and 1970's. "This will soften the attitude of the schools toward the kids and help calm the fears of the students.

"This is not the 60s or 70s. Boy, have times changed," he commented ruefully.

One school director wanted to commit his entire student body to the cause, he noted – but the Rosh Yeshiva nixed the plan, saying, "If the Torah U'Mesorah were to come out with the recommendation that all of these Jewish school children should take certain action, then we would certainly be involved." Without the endorsement of the national umbrella, however, the Rosh Yeshiva was unwilling to take a stand on his own.

Nationalists Form Pact to Fight Expulsion II in Israel

Residents of Judea and Samaria have formed the Samaria Pact to fight Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Vice Prime Minister Chaim Ramon's attempt to offer people money to leave their houses.

Leaders of the movement met on Monday to form a new agreement against what they called the "continuation of disgrace that took place in Gush Katif, which only brought more tragedy upon us."

Gush Emunim co-founder Benny Katzover said the group is preparing to fight against evacuations and will not wait until the last minute to fight expulsions. Yossi Dagan of Homesh First explained, "We are going from defense to offense. We will continue to build and expand."

September 5, 2008

2nd Temple-Era Wall Found on Mt. Zion


by Ze'ev Ben-Yechiel

(IsraelNN.com)
"We were here. There should be no question about it."
A 2,100-year-old section of the wall surrounding Jerusalem, dating from Hasmonean times, has been unearthed on Mount Zion, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday. The excavations have revealed part of the expanded southern city wall, from the Second Temple period, when ancient Jerusalem was at its largest.

The new findings, described by the Antiquities Authority as “exciting” and “extraordinary,” were announced during a press conference held at the excavation site on Mount Zion.

In addition to the Hasmonean wall dating to the second century B.C.E., archeologists discovered remains of a later wall, built on top of the older wall in Byzantine times (342-640 C.E.), after the older wall was mostly destroyed during the Great Revolt of the Jews against Rome in 66-70 C.E. Together, the two walls offered a rare glimpse into the boundaries of an enlarged Jerusalem, which was bigger than the Old City is today, as delineated by the Ottoman walls still standing.

The original Hasmonean wall reached at height of over 3 meters (10.5 feet) and was part of a 3.5 mile-long fortified perimeter - much longer than the 2.5 miles of today’s wall. Like many monumental structures from that period, it was built without mortar or any other adhesive. The newly unearthed wall predates the structures of Herod, including the Western Wall and the other walls surrounding the Temple Mount.

The extensive excavation has been in progress for the past year and a half, under the direction of archaeologist Yechiel Zelinger of the Israel Antiquities Authority (I.A.A.), in cooperation with the Nature and Parks Authority and with financial support provided by the Ir David (City of David) Foundation.

According to an I.A.A. press release, the project is part of the master plan for the Jerusalem City Walls National Park, aimed at preserving and exhibiting the region around the Old City of Jerusalem as an open area for tourism. The National Parks Authority plans for the remains of the ancient city walls to be incorporated into a promenade that will encircle the southern side of Mount Zion, continue along the northern bank of Gai Ben Hinnom (Valley of Hinnom), and terminate in the City of David to the south of the present-day Old City walls.

The lines of the wall that delineate Mount Zion from the west and the south were first discovered and excavated at the end of the 19th century (1894-1897) by the Palestine Exploration Fund, under the direction of the archaeologist Frederick Jones Bliss and his assistant, architect Archibald Dickie. For the excavation, the team excavated vertical shafts linked by subterranean tunnels running along the outer face of the city walls.

In the years that passed since the century-old excavations, the shafts and tunnels had filled up with soil; a year and a half ago when archaeologists were asked to determine the location of the areas that were excavated, they were unsuccessful in doing so. However, by cross-referencing the plans of the old excavations with current updated maps of the area, Yehiel Zelinger was able to locate the tunnels which the British expedition had dug.

Among the items discovered in the recent excavation were “souvenirs” left behind by the British excavators, including one of the laborer’s shoes, the top of a gas light which was used to illuminate the tunnels, and fragments of beer and wine bottles from 120 years ago. One of the beer bottle fragments was marked with the word “Jerusalem,” and, in addition to the artifacts from the British, a bowl shard was found dating from the 3rd-4th century C.E.

Yechiel Zelinger commented on the recent findings at the conference. “Having located the two city walls on Mount Zion corroborates our theory regarding the expansion of the city toward the south during these two periods, when Jerusalem reached its largest size.

“In the Second Temple period the city, with the Temple at its center, was a focal point for Jewish pilgrimage from all over the ancient world, and in the Byzantine period it attracted Christian pilgrims who came in the footsteps of the story of the life and death of their messiah. The exposure of the Hasmonean city wall and the line of fortifications from the Byzantine period, which is dated 400 years later and is right on top of the former, prove that this is the most advantageous topographic location for the defense of the city.

“The artifacts indicate that in spite of the fact that the builders of the Byzantine wall were unaware of the existence of the wall from the time of the Second Temple, they constructed their wall precisely along the same route.” Zelinger added, “the fact that after 2,100 years the remains of the first city wall were preserved to a height of three meters is amazing. This is one of the most beautiful and complete sections of construction in the Hasmonean building style to be found in Jerusalem.”

When asked about the implications of the findings for Jewish historians, Zelinger said that it was more evidence of what he considers to be an undisputable fact: "We were here. There should be no question about it."

The Olmert Monster


When I did this cartoon I thought of showing Olmert as a "Frankenstein" ...that's why he's got the bolts in his neck and the flat-top head shape. But I quickly realized that I needed to identify our out-of-control blockhead as the Golem.

The Golem was the model for Frankenstein's monster, A soulless being created by a scientist (or Rabbi). For those of you not familiar with the "the Golem" you can get the full rundown at the Jewish Virtual Library: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Golem.html

"The most well-known story of the golem is connected to Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal of Prague (1513-1609). It was said that he created a golem out of clay to protect the Jewish community from Blood Libel and to help out doing physical labor, since golems are very strong. Another version says it was close to Easter, in the spring of 1580 and a Jew-hating priest was trying to incite the Christians against the Jews. So the golem protected the community during the Easter season. Both versions recall the golem running amok and threatening innocent lives, so Rabbi Loew removed the Divine Name, rendering the golem lifeless. A separate account has the golem going mad and running away" -more

* * *
Unfortunately our Golem shows no sign of "running away"

-Dry Bones- Israel's Political Comic Strip Since 1973

September 4, 2008

Can Israel count on the USA?

The war in Georgia should be a warning to Israel. If the USA
comes to Israel's aid in a war like they just didn't in Georgia..
Israel could be alone.

This is a strong message to Israel's leadership to cast off the
political yoke of the USA and do what is right for Israel first and
each and every time!

September 2, 2008

Israel, Teshuvah and Aliyah


I have been a life long USA - Republican. I mailed out my application to switch to the Democratic party to the Board of Elections 8/29/08. Primarily because I have had enough of the appearance of indifference. I still walk a fine line between not believing in trickle down economics and curbing social programs.

As far as Israel, my future home (2014)...it may seem non-humanist, but I think Kassam rockets should be answered by return fire each time.
When the enemy fires weapons at us , we should return each rocket with a
larger response in the general direction they came from (careful not
to hit ourselves of course). Perhaps when their villages and and schools are bombed the Gaza Arabs will blame the source of their war ...themselves. Why on Earth should
we care , this is war...kill the people who are out to kill you...first. Hamas says they will only step up the bombing after any future "disengagement".
Why does Israel protect the Refugee Arab Human Shields? The USA is the
official world police not Israel. After all .. the entire Arab
population in Gaza etc are all relatives of the Terrorists and stand
by watching & cheering. Were the Residents of Dresden in WW2 all
military ...No. The US did what was neccessary! There is no reason not to strike and then expel the enemy.

Israel has the weapons and control. Yet Israel does not want control for fear of negative world opinion...from those who hate us anyway. Perhaps quietly the USA wants
Israel to to sweep in and sweep them out & set up permanent borders and annex what they want. Then the issue for the USA would become helping refugee Arabs return to Jordan etc.

The disengagement was the start of a slow suicide, but you already know that.
Meir Kahane was right. Israel must proactively create their destiny. Hashem will only allow what he wants anyway

Born a Reform Jew with little interest in Torah or Temple.
My Temple did not or would not display the Israeli Flag , they wanted to be
"Jews" but not be identified with Israel. I knew no better.

My Brother in Law went to Israel in 2003 and told me of the digs he
went to and something clicked. A connection was made. Now I
understand. I went back and reread Torah and began to very slowly teach myself
Hebrew. It is a very slow road because I can't find a Carob tree to study under...
Wenow celebrate Shabbat and Blessings more and more at home. I am trying to learn the full Kaddish, Shema and Kiddush. I feel the connection. Hashem is always there.


I am a member of the Religious right - Orange Jews. I favor Manhigut Yehudit to
lead Israel.

My Hope & Prayers are with all the Jews in Israel.