Monday, May 31, 2010

There really is only one story today. The "Freedom" Flotilla. And the coverage is overwhelming.

(Peace Activist - exactly as portrayed -
the knife is for opening the aid packages!)

(other parts of the "arsenal" of a typical peace activist)

Behind all the hype, violence and headlines, here is a useful summary of the story from the Canada-Israel Committee:
  1. Israeli sailors, attempting to board one of the six ships of the protest flotilla en route to Gaza, were attacked by dozens of activists armed with knives, metal bars, and handguns. Fearing for their lives, the Israeli soldiers had no choice but to respond. At least four Israeli personnel were wounded by various means, including by gunfire from activists.
  2. Israel made every effort to provide the flotilla organizers with an opportunity to avoid a confrontation. Israel offered to bring the flotilla into the port of Ashdod, and to transfer their aid to Gaza following appropriate security checks. The organizers rejected this offer, stating clearly that "this mission is not about delivering humanitarian supplies, it's about breaking Israel's siege." (Greta Berlin, AFP, 27 May 10).
  3. Israel gave repeated warning of the maritime blockade in effect off the coast of Gaza and that the flotilla would be turned away and brought to an Israeli port to offload their cargo.
  4. The organizers of the protest deliberately invited a confrontation with Israeli sailors. This was not an aid mission, but a PR stunt designed to undermine Israel and bolster Hamas, internationally recognized as a terrorist organization. Among the protestors were a group of highly-trained extremists with links to the Muslim Brotherhood and jihadist groups in Afghanistan.
  5. There is no blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza. In fact, Israel delivers 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid – including medical supplies, food, and water – to Gaza every week. The blockade exists to prevent unauthorized individuals and unknown cargo from entering Gaza and falling into the hands of its ruling Hamas regime.
  6. Hamas is presently smuggling in massive amounts of military supplies into Gaza to fortify its positions and continue its attacks. Under international law Israel has the right to intercept vehicles that are "believed on reasonable grounds to be carrying contraband or breaching a blockade, and after prior warning they intentionally and clearly refuse to stop, or intentionally and clearly resist visit, search or capture." (Section 67A of the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea).
In my opinion, however, if you really want to know the intent of these "peaceniks", you can forget the foregoing. and simply consider the fact that the organizers of the Flotilla turned down a very simple and basic offer by the family of kidnapped, held in isolation for 4 years with no Red Cross visits, etc., Gilad Schalit. See the first 2 paragraphs of this article from alJazeera.com- hardly a bastion of pro-Israel sentiment or propaganda.

In any event, I do not think that there is anything original I can add. I will refer you to the following excellent sources (though several of them are from the site Jihad Watch, they in turn refer to other articles). Use this information to defend Israel's actions and resist the world's shameful hypocrisy.
In the meantime, I am thinking of organizing a flotilla of my own. It will sail for Turkey. Its purpose will be to publicize the plight of the Kurds under the Turkish Government and speak for their immediate independence. And while we are there, we will hold some public discussions about the unquestioned Turkish genocide of the Armenians after World War I. But leave the clubs, knives, etc. at home - it will be a peaceful event. Let's see how the Turks handle this.

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

1. The Beat Goes On - get ready for the next in the seemingly endless series of anti-Israel events. A flotilla of the usual suspects -the so-called Freedom Flotilla - is en route to Gaza. Ostensibly, its goal is to bring thousands of tons of supplies to Gaza. I would suggest that its real goal is to try to create an international incident and embarrass Israel.
(If I had a rocket launcher........)

(will I help? uh, NO!)

The middle piece is definitely from the pro-Hamas side of the ledger - look how easily and simply the following statements are made:
"Israel launched on Dec. 27 a massive offensive in Gaza, killing more than 1434 Palestinians, a third of them children, and wounded at least 5300....

In its land, sea and ar offensive, Israel targeted hospitals, schools, mosques and government buildings and destroyed infrastructure system in Gaza, lefting Palestinians without electricity, gas and power.

But Israel imposes heavy blockade on entry of infrastracture materials under the pretext of Palestinians can use them as "weapon" materials."

No context whatsoever - Didn't Israel vacate Gaza lock, stock and barrel in 2005? Hasn't Hamas continually called for the destruction of Israel? Weren't there some rocket attacks from Gaza that happened first? (like 8,000-1,000 over the prior 8 years, aimed at civilian and infrastructure targets?) Didn't Hamas deliberately use hospitals, schools, mosques and government buildings as the infrastructure equivalent of human shields? Hasn't Hamas used everything possible, including what used to be its sewer system, to manufacture rockets?

Oh, and what's more - what about the international voices of concern for Gilad Schalit? Where are the protests against Egypt - it borders Gaza as well.

And someone please tell me what country in the world allows any ship, let alone a flotilla of ships, to simply enter its territorial waters and do what it will? I will bet that Israel will face more international condemnation for whatever steps it takes to maintain its territorial sovereignty and security than North Korea did for recently sinking that South Korean naval vessel.

And by the way - the instigating governments of Turkey, Greece, Ireland and Sweden should be ashamed of themselves. One might think that they had other, internal affairs to deal with. Like Greece - how in the world can the government of Greece be doing anything right now other than trying to figure out how not to take down the entire EU financial system? Turkey - which would not know a genocide if it hit them in the head, and which is busy snuggling up to the newest genocidal maniac on the planet - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Sweden - which is being Islamicized second by second and which will die the death of a thousand cuts? Ireland - what about its beleaguered economy, and the terrible child abuse scandals?


I have a suggestion - mind your own goddamn business. Or, in New Testament terms (if that makes it easier) - try either John 8:7 - "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." or Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

2. Symptom Of A Larger Malaise - or should I say disease. Caroline Glick, makes excellent points regarding the first story above, as well as the insidious background that allows it to flourish - Our World: Reclaiming Language from the Left. This excerpt is especially relevant:
"Over the past generation, the Left has commandeered our language. It has inverted the terminology of human rights, freedom, morality, heroism, democracy and victimization. Its perversion of language has made it nearly impossible for members of democratic, human rights respecting, moral societies to describe the threats they face from their human rights destroying, genocidal, tyrannical enemies. Thanks to the efforts of the international Left, the latter are championed as the victims of those they seek to annihilate."





4. Another Contributing Factor - sadly - The Jewish Intellectual Predicament | FrontPage Magazine


6. While This Attracts No Comment - from a country with which Israel has made peace, and which receives billions in aid from the US Government - Seraphic Secret: Egyptian TV: “We Must Get Our Children Accustomed to Hating the Jews.”



9. The 9/11 Mosque - update from the front lines - SIOA at Manhattan Community Board meeting on the 9/11 Mosque -- the fix was in - Jihad Watch - the MCB "approved" the construction of the mosque 29-9 (it apparently has no such power) - are you kidding me???

(yeah - 2001 was a long time ago - better get over it......)

10. The Last Entry - as many of you know, I try to end each day's blog posting with something humorous (at least in my eyes) or upbeat - following the general principle (as I understand it) that when the Rabbis designated which parts of the weekly Torah portion were to be read for which aliyah, the intent was that the reading did not end on a negative note. However, it's hard to be positive with the stories listed above - something about today's stories just puts me in a funk. So I am afraid that the best I can do is to post a few cartoons - maybe there's a laugh in there somewhere.




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Back on Duty - Monday, May 24, 2010

1. I Thought Obama Was A Silver-Tongued Orator - So this is either plain laziness, or deliberate obfuscation - One of Those Moments - Mark Steyn - National Review Online and Commentary » Blog Archive » Obama Won’t Say Who Killed Daniel Pearl - this is why language matters. What if one referred to 9/11 as the day the Twin Towers fell? Would that not be omitting some rather important context?

Mark Steyn is 100% correct on this one - "Pearl was decapitated on video by jihadist Muslims in Karachi on Feb. 1, 2002." I think that is as concise and accurate as that terrible event can be described.



2. The Iranian Mullah-ocracy - These guys continue to spiral out of control - and maybe even their Arab neighbors are getting the message - Pajamas Media » The Israeli-Arab Alliance Against Iran - but is it too late?


3. Mr. Sulu - Set "Dither" Speed to High - Charles Krauthammer on the latest Iranian moves and the lack of American response. See also - UN powers back new Iran sanctions.



5. Nasrallah the Denier - Nasrallah questions Shoah - Israel News, Ynetnews - meanwhile this cowardly little rat won't be seen in public for fear of getting a case of Israeli lead poisoning. In any event, this will no doubt increase his stock with the usual bunch of cockroaches that deny the Shoah.



7. Journalists Die In Israel - check that - it's Honduras - Honduran journalists ‘living in terror’: Seven killed since March 1 Posted National Post - how come this attracts no attention? But if a (leftist) journalist in Israel gets so much as a hangnail - watch out!


9. From The Department Of Redundancy Department - Hate law goes to 'most absurd level': Jewish group



11. Shall Not Perish - If the answer to the above question is in the affirmative, then we will have to thank people like the men and women serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln - Shall Not Perish | FrontPage Magazine




(read the fine print - always good advice)

13. Brave Souls Indeed!! - SEIU Storms Private Residence, Terrorizes Teenage Son of Bank of America Exec - Big Government - order up an extra large load of hero cookies for these 14 busloads of protesters. From a fair trade cookie store, of course. (Their logo says "Stronger Together" - sure, when they intimidate a teenager)




15. The Hell With Elvis Costello - Having just consigned my Elvis Costello collection to the dustbin of history - if Israel is not good enough for him, he's not good enough for me - I may now have to grab some of my son's Metallica albums - Battling On. Here is an article about Elvis and his boycott - Reality Check: About these boycotts. It will be interesting to see what Costello's wife, Canadian jazz pianist Diana Krall, will do - she is scheduled to appear in Ra'anana later this summer.

It will be extremely interesting to see what Sir Elton John decides to do about his concerts - after all, Israel is the only place in the Middle East where there are meaningful gay rights. Oh - and Carlos Santana can kiss my ass - Will Elton John Bow to Anti-Israel Pressure? Santana Gives in to Terrorists


16. Comedy Central Can Kiss My Ass As Well - Very recently, an episode of South Park containing a portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed was censored after Islamic extremists issued threats. That did not stop the very same network from posting a game on its website called "I.S.R.A.E.L. Attack" - see "You Lied to Me, Jew Producer": Comedy Central Shocker for the whole sordid story. Am I missing something, or is this hypocrisy spelled out in great big bold letters?


17. Tradition - I do not post as many things about Judaism as I probably should - but here's a good read - A Nation of Commentators - by Adam Kirsch > Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life


18. Things Are Tough - As I post this, my beloved Habs are some 7 minutes away from playoff elimination. If they do lose, it will be after having put on an amazing playoff run - made even better by the sight of my good friend, Maritime Morning host Andrew Krystal, having to walk down Spring Garden Road in Halifax wearing nothing but a Habs jersey and shorts, and accompanied by a Dixie-land Marching Band after having lost a bet against the Habs. And so, in the same way that Andrew was a good sport, I will congratulate the Philadelphia Flyers on their victory (but I'm hoping for Chicago in the Finals!!).

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Sunday, May 16, 2010

Note - Since the holiday of Shavuot will be observed this week, I will not post again until Thursday evening/Friday. I'm sure you will survive......

1. No Confusion Here - The little darling cannot complain that someone puts words in her mouth - her true colors are even more noticeable now - I mean - "Death to Israel"? Muslim student who admitted support for Jewish genocide now says, "Death to Israel" - Jihad Watch. What I think is worthy of noting is whether UCSD takes any official action against her (think if someone said "Death to Muslims" in a similar forum), whether the other student groups on campus say anything, or whether the usual suspects like the ACLU speak up. Given my limited experience in the St. Thomas University fiasco, I am not betting on anything except that nothing will be done - nothing whatsoever. Hope I'm wrong, but not betting on it.

2. Speaking Of Universities - this is very close to home - Mount Allison University, a very prominent liberal arts college in Sackville, New Brunswick (about 2 hours from here) has this little controversy on its hands. Anti-Semitism at work, says Reisman of degree uproar. The question I have is whether these professors ever protest anything else.


3. A New Superhero - Rubber Man! This is the Attorney General of the United States of America - can you answer the damn question? Nicking Our Public Discourse - Mark Steyn - National Review Online.



4. Interesting Theory - nothing to do with Israel, Judaism, antisemitism, etc. - Pajamas Media » Goldman Sachs and the Broken Windows Theory.




7. This Explains Things Pretty Well, I'm Afraid - The Rosett Report

8. Christian Zionist Support For Israel - Why Christian Zionists Really Support Israel – Forward.com


9. Come One, Come All To The Giant Public Trough - Robert Fulford: Government funding for all (even jihadis) - Full Comment


10. Did We Go Too Far? - I'm not convinced that this is genuine - White House meets with rabbis to assuage concerns on Israel | JTA - Jewish & Israel News and also this.

11. And Stay Out!! - Noam Chomsky denied entry to Israel - Israel News, Ynetnews. This does not bother me in the least. Free speech is fine for Chomsky, Finkelstein et al. - as long as what it really means is that we are free to listen to them spew their anti-Israel venom. I am not worried about the imminent demise of free speech in Israel as a result. And also, Israel has no obligation to stab itself - it's one thing if this clown goes to Egypt or Syria or Iran and speaks - but I do not think that Israel has an obligation to let this guy into its own backyard and incite the locals - and by the way, aren't the PA sponsors of this Israel's peace partners?


12. Israeli Ingenuity (Again) - knock, knock, who's there? Check this out!
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Saturday, May 15, 2010 - motzei Shabbat

1. Jewish Holiday - The Jewish holiday of Shavuot will be observed this coming week. The holiday marks the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. Some say that the holiday does not get the respect it deserves - Shavuot: The Zeppo Marx of Jewish Holidays – Forward.com. As well, it is traditional to eat dairy dishes on the holiday - want to know why? Read - Got Milk?

2. On A More Serious Note - Here is the mealy-mouthed, half-baked comment from the Muslim Students Association at UCSD regarding the burn job that David Horowitz performed on the racist student earlier this week - Muslim Students Association issues deceptive non-condemnation of UCSD student's endorsement of genocide of Jews - Jihad Watch.


3. Criticism Of B'nai Brith Canada - A former B'nai Brith Canada League for Human Rights chair speaks out on the state of BB - Full Comment - I am no more a fan of the victim card than I am of the race card - see next story.


4. Henry Gates - I was extremely critical of Professor Henry Gates of Harvard when he played the race card after his arrest in Cambridge. I was therefore quote surprised to read this - Pajamas Media » Henry Gates Deflates the Reparations Balloon - also, check out this video


5. What Will This Summer Bring? - RealClearWorld - Guns of August in the Middle East?

6. Intellectuals - Pajamas Media » Thomas Sowell Takes on ‘Intellectuals’ - which reminds me of one of my favorite sayings - adapted to be about intellectuals rather than consultants -"An intellectual is a man who knows 100 ways to make love to a woman, but does not know any women"




8. Mark Steyn - I like a lot of what Mark Steyn has to say, and his courage and forthrightness is saying it. However, he messed up with his attack on the Canadian Jewish Congress - National Post’s Full Pundit: Mark Steyn’s CJC attack “Astonishingly Disingenuous” « Canadian Jewish Congress


9. Ground Zero Developer - Pajamas Media » The Ground Zero Mosque Developer: Muslim Brotherhood Roots, Radical Dreams - better check this out further - sounds a lot like letting the Confederacy run a slave trade outlet at Gettysburg.

10. What If The Politicians Minded Their Own Business? Pajamas Media » ‘LandPeace’: A Bottom-up Approach to Peace in Israel




12. Perhaps The Best-Known Jewish Song - best line of the video - "Jews leaving food on their table to dance......"


which reminds me of the scene in the Billy Crystal movie "Memories of Me" where the Mexican band thinks that Billy Crystal and Alan King are saying "Have a Tequila" when they ask the band to play Hava Nagila..... which reminds me of this famous scene from "The Princess Bride":

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