Friday, September 25th, 2009 - pre-Shabbat

1. The Useless Nations - So the annual General Assembly of the Useless Nations is upon us again. Lots & lots of stories.

First - if you want to see the difference in reporting, please compare these two versions of the same story Gadhafi chastises UN for failing to prevent wars | International | Jerusalem Post and Gadhafi talks of U.N. 'inequality,' conspiracies at U.N. debut - CNN.com. Notice any difference? Why doesn't the CNN report mention that "Gadhafi Duck" tore up the UN Charter during his rambling, incoherent remarks - isn't it sort of relevant? By the way, Canada will give this idiot a smack on his way home - check this out.


Second - speaking of Gadhafi Duck, the other two idiotic stooges were also present - Chavez and Ahmadinejad. What dangerous lunatics to be allowed to be in charge of anything more than a 6 square foot sandbox in the middle of nowhere. They could be counted on to deliver obnoxious and disgraceful remarks - and they did not disappoint - U.N. 'doesn't smell of sulfur anymore,' says Chavez - CNN.com and Iran's president rails against capitalism - United Nations- msnbc.com.

(with sincere apologies to The Three Stooges)


Here is a condemnation - Commentary: Clown show at the U.N. - CNN.com - from an interesting source - the founder of TheMuslimGuy.com


Fourth - Kudos to Bibi for telling the whole unvarnished truth - Commentary » Blog Archive » A Speech for the Ages, Commentary » Blog Archive » The UN’s Shame . . . and that of American Jews and Israel's Premier Fires Back in Speech - WSJ.com - not surprisingly, it didn't play well everywhere - Palestinian factions decry Netanyahu speech | Middle East | Jerusalem Post. Also check out this piece from Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the United States.






5. Really? (Part 2) - "Islam is justice it is peace it is acceptance.. Learn something.." - Jihad Watch - Note that the person who submitted this piece of fantasy purports to live in Halifax, Nova Scotia - they walk among us!! PS - read the comments below the article.






9. Maybe Sometimes Apologies Show Weakness - Klavan On The Culture » But… But… We APOLOGIZED!!!

10. Sorry If It Takes Too Much Effort - How I’m Losing My Love For Israel – Forward.com.






15. I Keep Hearing Jackie Mason - explaining what Jews say when they cannot afford a Mercedes - "you think I'd drive a German car?" - Pajamas Media » Did Hitler and Porsche Steal the VW Beetle Design from a Jew?. Nothing would surprise me - the Nazis stole everything else that they could lay their hands on.





Monday, September 21, 2009

1. I'm Absolutely Not Surprised By This - Maybe instead of people looking for a Jew or a Zionist behind every tree, they should look for right-wing nutjobs - The company you keep. Quite frankly, this is an outrage that should provoke nothing but revulsion.



So the next time someone tells you about some earnest, peace-loving Jew who belongs to "Independent Jewish Voices", "Jews for a Just Peace" or the like and who is critical of Israel's policies on whatever, you might double-check their background and their true motivation.

2. Or This... - Hmmmm. The United Nations and "Double Standards" in the same sentence? Works for me! FrontPage Magazine - The U.N. and Double Standards.



3. Or This... - Hey - here's a thought, Jimmah. Maybe people disagree with the President just because they disagree? That doesn't make them a racist. Pajamas Media » Jimmy Carter on Bigots: Takes One to Know One and Carter's 'racism' whopper.






7. Now That I'm Finished Not Being Surprised - Pajamas Media » Islamist Terror and Stockholm Syndrome

8. The IAEA - This would be a joke if it were not so serious - IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Terror Agency - and Mohammed ElBaradei being awarded a Nobel Prize is in the same league as that prize having been awarded to Yassir Arafat.


9. Unless, Of Course, It Involves Israel -Pajamas Media » There Are Two Sides to Every Wall.

10. Liberals and Anger Management - Pajamas Media » Why Are Liberals Still Angry?


11. President Obama's New Year Greeting - I am often very critical of the President's policies on many issues. (and, by the way, I am not a racist, Jimmah). In synagogue this weekend for Rosh Hashanah, many people told me that they were impressed by the President's remarks wishing Jews a Happy New Year. I think that the remarks are very nice, so to speak, but am worried about how he will accomplish his goal of peace in the Middle East. Here is the video - what do you think?


12. Dennis Miller - I have always liked Dennis Miller, even if he was not the best commentator on Monday Night Football. Here he is on the Fox Network - dishing on ACORN and the like - a comedic turn on some serious stuff.

Friday, September 18, 2009 - A Brief Post Before Rosh Hashanah

I extend warm Rosh Hashanah greetings for health, happiness and prosperity to all visitors to this site - whether "regulars" or those who "come by chance" - thank you for your support.



Now, on to the latest posts.

1. Goldstone Fallout - In the interest of full disclosure, I will start with an admission in response to a question asked indirectly of me by someone who follows my blog - I have not yet read the report.


I have looked at small parts of it, and fully intend to review it all, but as of this moment I have not read it. I normally read source materials before commenting on them, but the size of the report has prevented me from doing so. The unspoken next question from that person is - how I can comment on the report if I have not read it?

On this issue, as is my custom on all issues, I have linked to what are, in my mind, very reputable sources. I have every confidence that those sources are well aware of the content of the report. This is clear from the many excerpts from the report that are included in their commentary. Quite frankly, I will be rather surprised (to put it mildly) if once I read the report, I come to a different conclusion.

So, with that in mind, I refer you to the following links:
2. It Never Stops - UK labor unions approve Israeli goods boycott | International | Jerusalem Post - I try my best not to utter inappropriate language on this blog, but I'm sorry - after all the vile anti-Israel material over the last couple of weeks in particular - I have no choice.


The UK Labor Unions that passed these resolutions - and their hangers-on and fellow travelers - who are too many to mention but include CUPE Ontario, the TIFF Protesters, Swedish blood libel publishers - you can all go to hell.

Those of you who know me will recognize this language as being especially mild and circumspect - if you'd like more detailed and colorful language as to my thoughts on the subject, please contact me directly.

3. This Is A Charmer Too - To the people at the United Church who were behind this brilliant initiative - United Church helped fund ‘anti-Jewish’ group - Holy Post - why don't you get on the same bus as the people and groups I referred to in item 2?

4. Want To Bet This Is True? IAEA report says Iran can now build the bomb | Iran news | Jerusalem Post - of course, the IAEA denies it, but they have the credibility of a small pebble.

5. I Hope That I Do Not Fall Into This Category - Works and Days » The Rise of the Uncouth.





8. TIFF - Great letter to the Editor in the Globe & Mail from Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan.

TIFF tactics sad, regrettable

More than a week ago, the Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation was drafted, a concerted attempt to decry TIFF’s choice of Tel Aviv as its spotlight city. I have watched with dismay as many of my colleagues have signed this open letter. The reputation of the Toronto International Film Festival has been targeted. As a long-time supporter of such an important event, I find this sad and regrettable.

For the first time in my experience of attending the festival, a tone of partisanship has been cast on a cherished oasis of civility and artistic free expression. The organizers of the Toronto declaration rashly proclaimed that this interference came from an outside government – the State of Israel – but this serious charge has never been substantiated.

A film festival is an event that should stir controversy and discussion. This should come from the films and the filmmakers themselves. Questions of national history and identity must be presented and discussed. Are the signatories of this declaration aware of the numerous Arab and Palestinian voices programmed in this year’s edition?

What I resent about the Toronto declaration is that for the first time in the history of this magnificent event, an agenda was imposed before the festival even began. The programmers were insultingly charged with shady collusion and political naivety. In fact, they were just doing their job.

Atom Egoyan, filmmaker, Toronto

9. Just As Important A Date As September 1, 1939 - Pajamas Media » Still Dis-Putin’ History After All These Years

10. Let's Not Forget Iran - Faster, Please! » Countdown to Friday

11. What Is Wrong With This Story? Apart from the obvious scandalous story, I do not believe that it targets Jews or Israel - The E. F. Hutton of Prostitution by Rich Lowry onNational Review Online. This story has even outraged Jon Stewart - see:


12. I Gotta Love You Rosh Hashanah - a follow-up to a great Passover video by the same performer

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009


I want to focus on just one thing today - the release of the so-called "Goldstone Report" - with the formal name of:

HUMAN RIGHTS IN PALESTINE AND OTHER OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES
Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict

The entire report is available here - if you can stand to read it. Here is the official response of the Israeli Government.

To absolutely no one's surprise, the UN probe alleges Israeli crimes against humanity in Gaza | Israel | Jerusalem Post. I do not even know what to say. Yet again the Useless Nations has condemned Israel based on the most tenuous "evidence" imaginable - to me, this is the now totally discredited "Jenin Massacre" on a much larger scale.

It's a big deal - even Ha'aretz, the liberal Israeli newspaper says quite correctly that 'UN report accusing Israel of war crimes is prize for terror' - Haaretz - Israel News. Also to the same effect, see -History News Network. Other fallout includes Israel girds for diplomatic war over 'biased' UN Gaza report - Haaretz - Israel News. Aluf Benn, who visited Halifax last year, penned this provocative piece - Aluf Benn / In wake of Gaza probe, how can Israel go to war again? - Haaretz - Israel News.

From a legal perspective, examine CAMERA: Goldstone Report Endorses Unreliable Witnesses and this article by Irwin Cotler, the respected Canadian expert on international law.


Meanwhile, here is background on the man behind this report - Goldstone’s Gambit: The Man Behind U.N. Report – Forward.com. And to complete the picture, Goldstone's daughter protests that Goldstone's daughter: My father is a Zionist | Israel | Jerusalem Post. Please, spare me.....

I could go on and on with linking to articles, but the foregoing gives you the idea.

Here are some vital things to remember:
  • even suggesting that Hamas and Israel are anywhere near the same moral and legal plane is simply obscene;
  • it is outrageous that the Goldstone "Fact-Finding" Mission (0f the Human Rights Council HRC) in effect prejudged Israel's "guilt" from the start. The HRC didn't even wait for the investigation to begin before declaring Israel has caused "massive violations of human rights.”
  • The Goldstone Mission's one-sided mandate focusing overwhelmingly on Israel ignored all evidence of Hamas' human rights violations past and present. The mandate of the commission was so prejudicial that many candidates refused to head the Mission, including Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland who said it was "guided not by human rights, but by politics."
  • Leading democratic members of the HRC -- including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Switzerland -- all refused to endorse the mandate for the “fact-finding” mission out of concern that it was flawed and biased.
  • The Human Rights Council has consistently discriminated against Israel. It has condemned democratic Israel more often than all the other nations of the world combined.
  • Like Canada, Israel is committed to investigating any allegation of wrongdoing and does so regularly, but could not be expected to cooperate with a UN body so profoundly prejudiced against it.
In closing, I think that this excerpt sums up matters well:

"...here we are on the eve of the Jewish days of judgment, confronted with a report written by a Jew called Goldstone providing terrorists around the world, not to mention the enemies of the Jewish state, with the very weapon they have been waiting for so impatiently. Heartbreaking."