Monday, January 31, 2011

1. Egypt - No pun intended given (the Biblical) Joseph's dreams about cattle, but Holy Cow!! - can anyone keep up with what is going on in Egypt - RubinReports: Egypt's Revolution: A Simple Guide.


I remember the 1979-1980 events in Iran quite clearly, and the situation unfolding in Egypt reminds me of those days in many ways. While it is fascinating to watch history unfold, I am extremely concerned about where things will lead - especially and obviously as it relates to Israel.

I do not want to overburden you with millions of links, and things are developing so quickly that it is hard to keep abreast of the latest developments, but there is a lot of very interesting reading out there if you have the time. And this is a HUGE story. I have tried to pick through what I have seen and give you what I think are the most relevant from my perspective:
The theme I am pursuing here is not to argue for the status quo or defend the repression and corruption inherent in the Mubarak regime. My concerns, stated more specifically, are (a) if the regime falls, who and what will replace it, (b) if the regime does not fall, what will Mubarak (or the Egyptian military and political elites) have to do to remain in power, and (c) what impact will (a) or (b) have on Israel?

So as to the first question - what happens if the regime falls? The unanimous sentiment is that the Muslim Brotherhood, which seems to be the only organized opposition group in Egypt, will be the eventual power broker, even if it does so through some front man like Mohammed el-Baradei (The Rosett Report » Egypt: Please, Not ElBaradei and Column One: The pragmatic fantasy).

Who/what is the Muslim Brotherhood? Take your choice:

Here's my short answer - the guys who assassinated Anwar Sadat and spawned people like Muhammad al-Zawahiri - the second in command (and some say, the real brains) of al-Qaeda. It was founded in 1928 by Hassan al Banna, a devotee of Adolf Hitler (speaking of things that did not end well). Its motto is "Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Qur'an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope." It has been the particular target of repression by Egyptian authorities on and off throughout its existence, and it is illegal under Egyptian law to belong to the organization.

If you want to see its official English language web site, go here - but be prepared for what in my view is a very slick site that makes the Brotherhood look like a combination of Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Albert Schweitzer and Nelson Mandela - and personally I do not believe any of it.

I believe that while its methods may differ from other jihad movements, the ultimate goal is the same. In my limited knowledge of Russian history, it perhaps can be compared in some manner to the difference between Stalin's approach to communism and that of Trotsky - and we all know how that ended - both for Trotsky and the world.

In any event, I sincerely doubt that the Muslim Brotherhood can in any manner be considered moderate, or, as I heard today from an Egyptian-Canadian professor being interviewed on radio, that it has renounced violence as a means of achieving its goals (I guess she missed this little tidbit - Muslim Brotherhood leader: Prepare for war with Israel - Jihad Watch).


But I am sure that will not stop the usual suspects in the West from supporting it - Ron Radosh » The New American Fans of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and RubinReports: Muslim Brotherhood Declares Jihad on America; America Declares Muslim Brotherhood is Moderate!. Or simply look at the rally held in Toronto. And can anyone seriously doubt that what the Brotherhood thinks of Israel and Jews?


As to the third question - see:
with no doubt a lot more to come in the near future.

Finally, here is a series of links about America's vital role in this whole situation:
2. Domino Theory - though the Southeast Asian Domino Theory has been called one of the really bad ideas of all time (Where Do Bad Ideas Come From? - By Stephen M. Walt | Foreign Policy - note - this is one of the co-authors of the terrible book "The Israel Lobby") - after Tunisia and Egypt, one can only wonder about Jordan - What about Jordan? and Jordanian protesters demand political reforms | Reuters.





5. More On The Pali-Papers - another whole story - would you really trust something from the Palestinian Authority and leaked through al-Jazeera. Not me.












15. Interesting Stuff - All from Tablet Magazine:
16. Why I Do This Blog - aptly summarized in this article - Our responsibility for the Jewish future - I'm just trying to do my little bit.

17. An Eye For An Eye - one of the most famous (and likely misunderstood) quotes from the Jewish Bible was read this past weekend in synagogue as part of Torah portion Mishpatim - namely:
"Exodus 21:22-25 - If men shall fight and they collide with a pregnant woman and she miscarries, but there will be no fatality, he shall surely be punished as the husband of the woman shall cause to be assessed against him, and he shall pay it by order of judges. But if there shall be a fatality, then you shall award a life for a life; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot; a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise."

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Thursday, January 27, 2011 - the "did you miss me" edition?

Hello there - have not posted in a little bit - I hope that somehow you were able to lead productive lives in the meantime......

1. The "So-Called Right of Return" - On January 18, Halifax Herald columnist Paul Schneidereit published a column entitled "Jerusalem: the Israel-Palestinian conflict's Gordian knot" (I cannot seem to find a "live link" to refer you to).

In any event, Dr. Zayid, a local and shall we say, "ardent" pro-Palestinian advocate, took exception when in his column, Mr. Schneidereit referred to the "so-called right of return". Dr. Zayid wrote the following letter to the Herald:
"Fundamental right

Paul Schneidereit, in his Jan. 18 column, makes a derisive comment about the right of return of the Palestinian refugees, calling it "the so-called right of return." The right of return of the Palestinian refugees to their homes is a fundamental right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UNGA Resolution 194, which was passed on Dec. 11, 1948.

It "resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date." This resolution has been reaffirmed, during the last 62 years, more than 100 times. Yet, sadly, this practicable date has not been allowed to be implemented, due to Israel’s predetermined policy of ethnic cleansing and dispossession.

It should be pointed out that Israel’s admission to the UN, as per UNGA Resolution 273 of May 11, 1949, was conditional on the basis of the implementation of this very resolution.

Ismail Zayid, Halifax"
I have submitted the following reply, though as yet it has not been published:
"To the Editor:

A careful analysis by an objective reader of the relevant United Nations Resolutions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, and the like will make it clear that there is no legally binding “fundamental right of return”.

Palestinian advocates often refer to the U.N. General Assembly's 1948 Resolution 194(III), which called for permitting refugees to return to their "homes," as legal support for an alleged "right of return" to Israel. Contrary to this, however, Resolution 194(III), like all other UNGA Resolutions, is nonbinding and not part of international law. Moreover, it was specifically rejected not only by Israel but also by all Arab states, which voted against it because in their eyes, it did not create a right of return and because generally the Resolution was insufficiently anti-Israel.

Further, it is disingenuous for Palestinian advocates to assert the existence of a fundamental right of return while never mentioning that it would necessarily also apply to the hundreds of thousands of Jews who, in the wake of the creation of the State of Israel, were forced to leave the Arab countries where they had lived for centuries, leaving behind billions of dollars in assets.

The resolution of the claims of all true refugees – Arab and Jewish – must be comprised in a political solution to the entire Arab-Israeli conflict."
2. A Truly Amazing Story - A week or so ago, our community had the pleasure of hosting Judie Oron. Judy's CV is chock full of achievements, but I would suggest that her greatest achievement was the decision by her and her sons to adopt two Ethiopian Jewish teenage girls - one of whom Judie had to actually physically rescue by traveling to Ethiopia during the height of a civil war and "purchase" from slavery.

I cannot really do justice to Judie's story, and would refer you to her website - http://www.judieoron.com/ - and suggest that you buy the book (no, I do not get a commission!).

But before I leave the topic, I would point out 2 things that Judy noted in her remarks. First, the world press likes to portray the Mossad, the IDF and other Israeli security forces as ruthless warriors and assassins. While I will not deal with that issue here, I will note that Judy told us that these same security forces were deeply involved in the rescue of thousands of Ethiopian Jews - at great risk to their personal safety. Second, this is the first time in history that a first-world nation removed an indigenous population from their homeland, not to exploit them - but to rescue them.


3. Seismic Activity #1 - Throughout the Arab world, the natives are restless. Starting with the "Jasmine Revolution" in Tunisia, which caused Tunisian ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia, the political unrest has spread to Egypt and Yemen. I imagine that there are a lot of very anxious rulers in the area these days. If regime changes result, the big question is what leadership will replace them and what will their policies be - Analysis: A warning to Arab dictators and ‘We’re living on a volcano,’ experts warn?

I am concerned of course, with the impact on relations with Israel - especially as it relates to Egypt and Jordan, which whom Israel has peace treaties. Here are links to a variety of stories on these potentially enormous developments:
As an aside, something that will stated frequently in the coming days is about the role of social media like Twitter and Facebook in these "uprisings" - here is a very interesting article to the contrary by Malcolm Gladwell, author of such books as "Blink", "Outliers" and "The Tipping Point" - Twitter, Facebook, and social activism: newyorker.com - I thought that the article was extremely interesting and well worth the read.


4. Seismic Activity #2 - Things are also very volatile in Lebanon, where Hezbollah stands armed to the teeth - courtesy of such peace loving nations as Syria and Iran - with thousands of missiles aimed at every part of Israel they can target. As reported in my previous postings, the Lebanese government has been toppled (of course it's Israel's fault - Nasrallah: US and Israel caused Lebanese gov't collapse) over the issue of the international probe into the assassination of late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri - ‘Khamenei ordered Hariri killing, Hizbullah takeover'

The new Prime Minister selected by Hezbollah says he is committed to ties with the US - New Lebanon PM Mikati says he's committed to US ties - but I am very concerned about any person that Hezbollah deems suitable for the post - New Lebanon PM Mikati says he's committed to US ties. This is a development that bears close scrutiny.



5. The SS St. Louis - in 2009, the Atlantic Jewish Council partnered with The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to create a very moving and educational exhibit recounting the tragic tale of the SS St. Louis - the so-called "Voyage of the Damned". Here is a link to the exhibit.

Last week, at Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum - world-famous architect Daniel Libeskind unveiled his historical monument "Wheels of Conscience". The monument is part of a project by the Canadian Jewish Congress to educate Canadians about the St. Louis incident and its impact on Canada's society and immigration history - here is an excellent column on the subject by Professor Irving Abella - Confronting our dark past - The Globe and Mail


What is especially amazing to me is that Mr. Libeskind, a child of Polish survivors of the Shoah, immigrated to Canada through Pier 21, and then returns all these years later, having achieved such phenomenal success, to unveil this important monument at that same spot where he entered Canada.


6. International Holocaust Day - Today, January 27, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day - as distinct from Yom HaShoah, this is a day mandated by the United Nations and selected to coincide with the Russian liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945 - here are some relevant and related links:

7. The Palestinian Papers - Another major news story this past week or so was the release of a massive dump of documents relative to the Palestinian-Israeli peace "process". The upshot of the documents, released by al-Jazeera, is of course to show how reasonable the Palestinians have been, the major concessions they have made, the intransigence of the Israelis, and that ultimately, the failure of that process is at Israel's feet.

Here are a variety of links from a variety of perspectives:
8. I Had To Read This Twice - to believe that it was real - UN chief condemns rights expert's 9/11 comments - UN Watch - it's about time someone exposed Richard Falk for what he is - a dangerous and biased phony.







12. Iran #1 - The Mullahs and their stooges must love all the instability in the region because it focuses attention elsewhere. But we can't divert our attention from this very serious issue:

15. Open Mouth, Reinsert Feet - Wow.......


16. Jonathan Pollard - For whatever reason, this is an issue I have never explored in depth. Maybe now that it's in the news again, I will take the time to do so - Pollard didn’t harm US, says former US deputy A-G


17. Photography - a hobby I would love to cultivate - all I can say is that it's a good thing there is digital photography these days - I usually need to take 10 shots to get one I like. In any event, here are a couple of links about Soviet photographers and the history they witnessed - Eastern Exposure and Behind the Lens.

18. NFL - Here is a tremendous play by 338 pound defensive tackle BJ Raji from the Packers' victory over the Bears in the NFC Championship. That's right - a 338 pound defensive tackle - not a 200 pound defensive back. And Raji obviously knows how to celebrate. Go Pack!

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Saturday, January 15, 2011 motzei Shabbat - Money For Nothing edition

1. Are You Kidding Me? If you, as me, thought that the Huck Finn episode in the US was bad, you will likely be, as me, appalled by this. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, which governs private broadcasters in Canada, has determined that the 1985 (yes, 1985!!) Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing" is offensive and unsuitable for airplay without editing since the lyrics use the word "faggot" three times - it came to this conclusion after a complaint from a listener in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Let me repeat part of that again - after a complaint from "a listener" - that's right - one listener. So one person complains, and that is enough for this type of absolutely ridiculous determination and ruling. They have got to be kidding - but sadly, I know they aren't. In my opinion, a stupid and dangerous precedent that does not help the issue of discrimination against gays one iota - so, in other words, a typical politically correct decision - no one is offended (except maybe people who believe in free speech), but the underlying issue is not addressed nor solved.


Time to grow up and get a thicker skin. You don't like the song - switch the station, turn off the radio, or don't buy the album (showing my age by saying that).

To that end, each year, there are numerous Gay Pride parades in Canada. I do not know the extent to which they are financed by public funds, but I do know that they certainly occur in public. I am not the biggest fan of what I think is, shall I say, the extreme flamboyance often exhibited in the parades - but I don't file a complaint - I just don't attend the parades nor watch the press coverage. Problem (of me being offended) solved as far as I am concerned.


3. Waste of Time - Tehran: Jews Massacred Iranians on Purim - don't get me wrong, the points raised in the letter to UNESCO are excellent - but expecting that agency to do anything is a waste of time, in my opinion. Let me correct that - I should have said, "expecting that agency to do anything to aid Jews or Israel is a waste of time.






7. In Memoriam - an example of the tragic history of antisemitism - This Week in History: The Jews of Basel are burnt - just in case anyone thinks that the problems of the Jewish people started with the Nazis.


8. Speaking Of That Era - the war was over but the killing went on - Nazi Death Marches: Book Details German Citizens' Role in End of War Killings - SPIEGEL ONLINE





11. Controversy - Anti-Islamist group draws fierce protests. I do not know enough about the English Defence League to judge them, but if the media description of it is correct, I would have certainly concerns about hitching my wagon to theirs. But at the same time (and to solidify the point I made in my last posting about selective outrage), I wonder how the usual groups can complain about this but never say a word about overt antisemitism when it occurs:
"The English Defence League is a far-right extremist organization," reads an open letter signed by two dozen activist groups, among them Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Queers Against Israeli Apartheid and the Canadian Arab Federation."
In any event, the President and the CEO of The Canadian Jewish Congress published a joint op-ed in the Toronto Sun, that as you can see from the link, was critical of the event and in particular, of the liaison between the Jewish Defence League of Canada and the EDL. I know that in response, Meir Weinstein, the National Director of the Jewish Defence League of Canada issued an open letter to the CJC, but I cannot seem to find a link to it so that you can read it and make your own judgements.

12. The Dangers Of Texting - not just when you are driving....

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