Saturday, November 28, Motzei Shabbat

1. And Then The Herald Published This - Some people apparently did not like my letter to the editor referred to in item 1 of last week's post. I would normally only post the link, but the links to the local paper expire quickly, so here are the letters:
Insulting deflection

Mark David’s vision of a world out to demonize Israel (Nov. 20 opinion piece) lends nothing of value to a rational debate. Raising the spectre of anti-Semitism as a prime motivation for chastising Israeli policy is an insulting deflection.

Few believe Israeli policies are bad because of Judaism. They are bad because Israel’s political system allows very little time for any ruling party or group to implement a long-term peace plan. It is a government constantly in flux, where unlikely coalitions seldom form consensus on the Palestinian issue. It is the actions taken by the state of Israel that rile world opinion.

Mr. David seems to believe that the rest of us don’t actually see what we clearly see. For over 50 years, the world has witnessed pain and waste in the Middle East. We know what an occupied territory looks like. We’ve seen, time and again, the thousands dead, the millions displaced, and have looked into the sunken eyes of the refugee camps.

Mr. David’s rant against the UN is a childish finger-pointing exercise, written to somehow mitigate Israel’s own bad behaviour. The point isn’t the actions of others, but the actions of Israel, and how those actions call into question Israel’s assertions that it is a co-operative, modern democracy.

Bruce Davies, Halifax

Can’t be above the law

Re: "Israel’s legitimacy under attack" by Mark David (Nov. 20).

The campaign that Israeli apologists, including Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney, are conducting to wrongly label any criticism of Israeli policies as anti-Semitism, is a charade. The policies of all countries must be open to justified criticism; Israel cannot be allowed this unique immunity from criticism that is not available to any other nation. Such criticism must not be equated with delegitimization of any state, including Israel. Critics of communism and fascism did not call for the elimination of Russia, Spain or Italy.

Israeli illegal occupation of Palestinian territories for the past 43 years defies international law and repeated Security Council resolutions. The practices throughout this illegal occupation violate virtually every article of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and are identified by international law as war crimes.

Mark David mentions the Hamas kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, but makes no mention of over 10,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, mostly without charge or trial. Rachel Corrie was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer when she was attempting to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home.

Israel must abide by the UN Charter and cannot remain above international law.

Ismail Zayid, MD, Halifax

The second letter did not surprise me in the least, since the author has made the same points in pretty much very letter he has ever sent to the Herald. Remember too, that if you go to his website, the ENTIRE map of Israel is overlaid by the word "Palestine" - no mention of Israel.

I think that the author of the first letter needs glasses, if all he can see in the Middle East is pain and waste that is clear the author believes is caused only by Israel. He must have somehow had his sight temporarily averted during the attack of 6 Arab armies against the newly declared State of Israel, the expulsion of millions of Jews from around the Middle East (and the outright theft of much of their property), constant terror raids by fedayeen into Israel, the blocking of the Straits of Tiran by Egypt in 1967 that led directly to the Six Day War, the kidnapping and murder of 11 Israeli athletes during the Munich Olympics (the frigging Olympics!), the initiation of a major war by Egypt and Syria (on the holiest day of the Jewish year for extra special effect), the Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-Iraq war, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Saddam Hussein gassing the Kurds, the treatment by the Arabs themselves of the Palestinians (does he even know what Black September was?), the terror attacks against Israeli citizens on buses, in malls and religious gatherings, constant missile attacks from Gaza against Israeli citizens (living in areas that were sovereign Israeli territory since 1948), constant and virulent antiSemitic and anti-Israel content in the official media and education systems of almost all of the Arab countries in the area, as well as from the PA, Hezbollah and Hamas, and so on (just to name some "high points"?).

(victims of the 1972 Munich Massacre)

(Image From the Iran-Iraq War)

(Hamas Missiles being readied for launching into Israel)

(Kurdish victims of Iraqi Gas Attack)

By the way, when he is looking up Black September, he should also look up Walter Duranty.

No question - must be Israel's fault.

And as for my "rant" against the UN - which was in response to something that was raised in the original item my letter responded to - was not a deflection nor written as some form of mitigation. I guess the author also has had his sight diverted from the UN's constant obsession with Israel as as manifested by resolutions and criticism that dwarf that directed against any other member state.

I suggest that the author of that first letter raises no points that lend noting of value to a rational debate.

Let me make this clear for those like the first author, who apparently can only see certain things (hence my Walter Duranty reference), and the second author, who can only repeat the same things over and over and over again.

I am just one little guy trying to stand up for Israel (which by the way, I do not do blindly), and I have my own criticisms of the policies of the Israeli Government. But in the big picture, I am a nobody.

But you can criticize Israel all you want. Just do it fairly - criticize Israel the exact same way you criticize every other country. Examples: Don't whine about the separation barrier (which has been extraordinarily effective, by the way) without whining to the same degree about similar structures elsewhere. Don't whine about a so-called "siege" of Gaza without also acknowledging that Gaza shares a border with Egypt, that for years Hamas indiscriminately rained thousands of missiles on Israeli civilian targets before Israel took concerted military action (I wonder what the author's attitude would be if a group of loud teenagers lived next door), and that the Hamas Charter makes Mein Kampf and The Protocols of the Elders of Zion look like nursery school primers.

I've got some news for the (often hypocritical) critics of Israel - Israel can take your criticism, fair or unfair. It will recognize and respect fair criticism, even if it stings, and make appropriate changes. It will place unfair criticism in the trash.

But here's the thing. Israel is here to stay. Get used to it. And in a fair and independent debate, Israel's right to exist, its accomplishments and its values can stand proudly against any other country on earth every day of the week, and twice on Sunday (though Saturday we might be in synagogue).


Oh - and one last thing - read this - please.

2. And More About That Pesky UN - I've clearly misunderstood:
3. Maybe The Letter-Writers Should Read This Book - Moderate Muslim author condemns virulent anti-Semitism infiltrating Islam - note, sometimes he criticizes Israeli policies, but that's OK

"His book points out that Israeli Arabs regularly state a preference for living in Israel rather than under Hamas or Fatah rule or other Middle East regimes. Many hold favourable views about Jews, says Fatah.

In addition, he reports that when he has randomly asked Israeli Arabs if they believe Israel is an "apartheid state," they laugh out loud."


4. Yeah, I'm Making This Up & Deflecting Things - Exposing the human rights facade



(The Honourable Jason Kenney -
Canadian Federal Minister of Citizenship,
Multiculturalism & Immigration)




9. Here Is More Criticism - I do not agree with it, but here's some criticism of Israel - Leonard Fein: Occupation Is the Issue; BDS Is a Distraction – Forward.com - want to have a meaningful, rational debate?

10. Meanwhile, How About Some Quid Pro Quo? - just a little teeny, tiny gesture - What about recognition? - Israel Opinion, Ynetnews.

11. CSI:Beirut - There are so many versions of the CSI TV show that they might as well start this one for Beirut. Last week, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, not known for its warm and fuzzy view of Israel, broadcast a lengthy report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri - CBC News - World - CBC Investigation: Who killed Lebanon's Rafik Hariri?


This has spawned a small tizzy on the Internet:
Well, the evidence is clear. It must be the work of the Mossad.......that's a joke, people. My money is on Hezbollah doing the deed, assisted and directed by Syria and Iran.

12. Time To Lighten Up - I think that this is rather funny, and also rather accurate:

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Sunday, November 21, 2010

1. They Published My Response - My response to the column last week with which I took such issue (see my previous blog entry) was in yesterday's Halifax paper - Israel’s legitimacy under attack - Letters - TheChronicleHerald.ca (the reason there is a repeated paragraph is that in the print version, the last paragraph was used as a "tease").



My original (admittedly rather long) response was edited to meet the Editor's space requirements. Here is the full version:

To the Editor:

While I am concerned for her sake about the level of rage expressed by Reverend Margaret Sager in her opinion piece published on November 13th, I was relieved to read that she is neither antisemitic nor opposed to the existence of the State of Israel. Presumably then, she is open to an honest discussion about the reality of the current international campaign to delegitimize and demonize Israel.

Whether it is the annual falsehood of Israel Apartheid Week, the various Boycott/Divestment/Sanction programs initiated against Israel by groups as diverse as Canada’s very own CUPW, and the British Association of University Teachers, the vile antisemitic hatred that emanates daily from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran – surely even Reverend Sager would admit that Israel’s very legitimacy is under attack like no other nation in the world.

Why is Israel such a target? Is it because (in the Reverend’s view), Israel denies human rights to the Palestinians or does not adhere to the rule of law?

Space does not permit me to address in detail the serious fallacies in the Reverend’s apparent assumptions. However, my response is simple - on the human rights front, if honestly examined, Israel’s record stands as a beacon not only within the Middle East, but to all of the nations of the world. As for the rule of law, in what other country in the Middle East, let alone throughout much of the world, is there truly an independent judiciary?

But perhaps there is a better contrast that sums everything up quite succinctly. The parents of Rachel Corrie, who was killed in Gaza while trying to block an Israeli military bulldozer from filling in subterranean tunnels used for arms smuggling, have sued the State of Israel and the Israel Defence Forces in an Israeli court alleging wrongful death. The parents of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, who was kidnapped from Israeli territory in 2006 have not even been allowed to contact him – Hamas has even denied the International Red Cross the right to visit him. That speaks volumes to me.

The real issue is not that Israel asserts some sort of special exemption from international law. Israel demands no special status – it simply asks to be treated in the same manner as other nations – something that is clearly not the case. Look at the obscene record of the UNHRC and its corrupt predecessor – which obsessively criticized Israel while ignoring egregious human rights violations around the world. Criticism of Israel by the United Nations and various NGOs is, much more often than not, simply a flimsy front for the enemies of Israel. How can one take the United Nations seriously when Saudi Arabia is granted membership on the new UN Women organization, or when countries like Syria and Libya have been members of the United Nations Security Council. Now there is something to be outraged about!

Reverend Sager can engage in free speech and criticize the policies of the Israeli government all she wants, provided she does so in an honest and civil manner. Israel can take it and is not afraid of it. However, I hope that the Reverend has studied antisemitism enough to know that antisemitism today is not the same as in the past – much of today’s antisemitism is deceitfully cloaked in anti-Israel statements and actions.

I also expect that in coming weeks on these pages and in her sermons to her parishioners, the Reverend will vigorously exercise her rights of free speech (not available in many countries of the world but clearly available in Canada, the United States and Israel) to criticize similar issues in other countries. However, she would be wise to remember that in the words of the late American diplomat Dean Acheson, “[f]ree speech is a restraint on the government, not an incitement for the citizens”.

In the meantime, the plain fact is that in general there is a mob mentality regarding “getting Israel”. I have great admiration for Prime Minister Harper for his principled stand in standing up for Israel – it takes guts and integrity to speak out in support of someone who is being bullied.

2. I Guess He Mis-Spoke - I'm going to make this quick, because George Galloway deserves as little attention as possible.


Galloway spoke in Halifax last week (Thursday evening) - if you were in town and had a queasy feeling, maybe that is why. The following article was in Friday's Halifax paper - Controversial ex-British MP envisions bi-national state in Israel - Metro - TheChronicleHerald.ca.

Galloway knows full well that the bi-national state he urges (and which all the peace, love and understanding types eat up without question) is nothing more than national suicide by demography for Israel. However, this is the line that particularly caught my attention - "I am not now nor have I ever been a supporter of Hamas," Galloway told The Herald’s editorial board."

I guess he forgot this little video - when you tell so many stories, I guess it's hard to keep things straight:


3. I Can't Resist - there are just no words to describe this video of George Galloway - yep, he's the guy I want to give me advice on Canada's role in Afghanistan, Canada's relations with Israel. Oh yeah - and to hand bags of cash to the leaders of Hamas.













11. Also Interesting - Brother and Sister – Forward.com


12. OK - I Like "Glee" - It is one of the very few current shows that I watch - started to watch it this season - here is an excerpt from a recent episode:

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - brief blog

1. Jews In The News - I never thought much of reality shows - they are too contrived and pander to the lowest common denominator - be that as it may - but Canadian TV just has to have its very own "Jersey Shore" - and this is what one gets - Lake Shore creators apologize for anti-Jewish trailer Posted Toronto National Post.


But please rest assured - Sibel Atlug - who no doubt is president of Mensa and possesses post-graduate degrees from all the world's great universities, had this to say about her controversial comments:

"In an interview with the National Post on Friday, Ms. Atlug tried to distance herself from her comments on the trailer.

“I don’t hate Jewish people,” she said. “I actually say I hate everybody equally. I was just poking fun at it.”

She said she would be “clarifying” her position at a press conference Tuesday before declining to comment further."

Well, now I feel better! She is an equal-opportunity hater.

The other thing that stood out to me is the typical modern-day PR driven "apology" from the producers:
“Our intention is to make provocative television,” said Maryam Rahimi, executive producer of Lake Shore, a reality series modelled on the successful format of MTV’s popular Jersey Shore. “On one hand, we received a lot of attention, but on the other hand it was not necessarily the kind of attention that we wanted. For the record, we are not a racist show. If we offended anyone in any way, we apologize.” (my emphasis)
How about a simple - "we made a serious error in judgement, and we unreservedly apologize for being so stupid"

2. Reaction to the PM's comments on antisemitism - Here are 2 rather different views:
I am submitting a response to the second item, and will include it in my next blog even if it is not published in the Herald.


4. Did You Like the TV Show "Bonanza"? - I'm pretty sure that watching the Bonanza cast sit around the conference table and read through the script was better than the above-lamented "Lakeshore" - Heym on the Range - by Ruth Ellen Gruber Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life.




6. Alert - They Walk Among Us..... - British politician: ‘Israel is the root cause of terrorism' - better increase the dosage of those meds!!


"American Jews have long prized education and knowledge. So why do we suddenly throw those values out the window when it comes to synagogue life? Is it really more inclusive to be patronized by a service aimed at the lowest common denominator? Wouldn’t it be truer to our shared values of educational excellence to invite everyone to learn these forms and take ownership of the Jewish tradition?"
8. Behind The Scenes - Entebbe Transcript Reveals Israel Was Pessimistic Mission Would Succeed - thank G-d they were wrong and had the courage to undertake the mission!

9. Which Geographically Segues Into This - (ok, it's a weak segue) - Why the star of David is rising across Africa The Jewish Chronicle

10. Nothing Like "Dry Bones" And His Amazing Ability To Get Right To The Point - here is a sample of some recent cartoons:


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November 11, 2010 - Remembrance Day

1. Solemn Day - today is a very solemn day in Canada - Remembrance Day - where we observe and remember the sacrifices of the Canadian military. This ceremony is especially poignant in Halifax, which has always been a "military town". While Canada's military has never been the size of that of the US, the UK and other larger countries - its military has played vital roles in numerous important and famous battles - Vimy Ridge in World War I, the disastrous Dieppe Raid, the Juno Beach landings on D-Day, the Battle of the Atlantic and Ortona (Italy) in World War II. The Canadian military commitment continues to this day - Korea, the Balkans, Somalia and Afghanistan.

And while the Canadian military regularly achieved important and dramatic results - they were paid for in blood. 65,000 dead and 150,000 wounded in World War I. 42,000 dead and 54,000 wounded in World War II - a lower set of numbers that probably reflects the different nature of the war. 518 killed in Korea, and another 1,000 wounded.


The casualties continue to this day with service in Afghanistan.

Take time today to remember our Canadian veterans. Do not underestimate the depth of the sacrifices nor the results they achieved. In particular, note their vital role in the fight against the evil of Nazism. Remember that their sacrifices preserved the democratic ideals we are privileged to enjoy in Canada - and which we often take for granted.


Also, as hopefully the last word on the "white poppy controversy" - the indomitable Rex Murphy - Rex Murphy: Poppies show our regret at war’s horrors, not our love for it | Full Comment | National Post

We Remember Them

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,
We remember them.
At the blowing of the wind and the chill of the winter,
We remember them.
At the opening of the Buds and in the rebirth of spring,
We remember them.
At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of Autumn,
We remember them.
At the beginning of the year and when it ends,
We remember them.
As long as we live, they too will live,
For they are now part of us as we remember them.

When lost and sick at heart,
We remember them.
When we have joy we crave to share,
We remember them.
When we have decisions that are difficult to make,
We remember them.
When we have achievements that are based on theirs,
We remember them.
As long as we live they too will live,
For they are now a part of us as we remember them.

We Remember was written by Rabbi Sylvan Kamens in the 1960's and published in 1970 in "New Prayers For The High Holy Days".



(Disaster at Dieppe - August 19, 1942)

(Canadian Casualties at Juno Beach)

(Ortona, Italy, 1943)





Also - check this out:




4. The Beat Goes On - and no one says a word or sees anything unusual (Saudi Arabia on the UN Women's Rights Agency - please!!!)......and this is just this week
5. Truth In Media - Iconic Palestinian image a hoax, says critic - World - Canoe.ca - reminds me of the quote attributed to Winston Churchill to the effect that a lie is halfway around the world before the truth has the chance to get its pants on. And, as is pointed out - this is not just a Jewish-Palestinian issue - it's much larger than that.


5A. Speaking of Truth - An open letter to Tutu




8. Can't Stop That Loving Feeling... - oops, I meant "killing" feeling - Pajamas Media » Still Killing: IRA Linked to FARC, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Taliban


9. Israel Is Not For Sale - We are not for sale

10. Yitzchak Rabin a'h - assassinated November 4, 1995 by a Jewish extremist - Why I Still Miss Yitzhak Rabin - By David Makovsky | Foreign Policy



12. Uh-oh - The Duke Of Wellington is said to have remarked that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton. If so - we'd better be concerned about our future - Pajamas Media » It’s How You Play the Game: The Fate of Western Civilization and Grade-School Soccer


13. This Defies Belief - and shows we have a long way to go on issues of racism and tolerance - No excuses for racist costumes at the Legion Joe Warmington Columnists News Toronto Sun

14. From Last Month - Security officials vet speeches of Iranians in Canada for peace conference - to the Iranians who complained - too bad - and I'd hazard a guess that it's a lot less than if the shoe was on the other foot.

15. Can't Wait - Durban III Set for New York City in September 2011 | The Weekly Standard - not to prejudge unfairly, but does anyone have any realistic expectations of fairness for this event? If so, I have some prime Florida swamp to sell you (the Brooklyn Bridge is extra).



17. Benny Morris - continues his reevaluation of the 1948 War - Benny Morris: "The 1948 War Was an Islamic Holy War"

18. A Final Tribute To Our Veterans - it's been around before, but that does not diminish its message.






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Brief Blog - Wednesday, November 3, 2010

1. Antisemitism - The Anti-Semite’s Finger


2. Caroline Glick - pulls no punches......The Age of Dissimulation
"In the end, there is only one credible explanation for the West's willingness to lie about the nature and goals of Islamic supremacism. There is only one credible explanation for the West's willingness to collaborate with Islamic supremacists as they purge the historical record of the Jewish roots of Western civilization. There is only one explanation for the West's willingness to accept the Islamic supremacist assertion that Israel is to blame for Islamic aggression against Jews and Christians alike.
But if I mention anti-Semitism, I will be attacked as a paranoid Jew."


3. A Vile Comparison - below are letters from the National Post responding to a comparison between Jews and Nazis - the disgraceful item that provoked the letters is found here - take the time to read it - in my opinion, it is written by someone who has such an incredible fundamental misunderstanding of history and current facts that one can only believe that the true motivation is rabid anti-Israel bias. Maybe she should have compared the ghettos established for North American aboriginal and First Nations people with the Warsaw Ghetto. Nah - can't delegitimize Israel with that approach!!


(Warsaw Ghetto or Gaza?)

(Warsaw Ghetto or Gaza?)

4. Poppies - As November 11 - Remembrance Day in Canada -approaches, an extremely common sight is the poppy that Canadians wear on their jackets, suits, sweaters and hats. I bought my poppy yesterday at one of the numerous temporary locations where poppies are sold (for a volunteer donation) by veterans. I took the time to chat with the man who sold me the poppy, asked about his war-time experience, then thanked him for his service to our country.


The poppy was chosen as a symbol of remembrance because of this excerpt from the famous World War I poem "In Flanders' Fields", which, incidentally was written by a Canadian (Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, who himself did not survive the war).
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I guess it is a sign of the times that one gets this story - Canadian Legion in new fight over white poppies. I would hazard a confident guess that the number of veterans who wish to romanticize war are minuscule - to quote the famous Robert E. Lee - "It is good that war is so terrible, else we should become accustomed to it."

Instead of a stupid campaign like this, people should take the time to learn about the enormous sacrifices made (in this case) by Canadian veterans in World War I, World II, Korea, the Balkans and Afghanistan - as well as in numerous peace-keeping missions. Would these people do for our country what our veterans did and what our current military continues to do? Who do they have to thank for their ability to make such a ridiculous public protest with no fear for their safety or liberty? I'm just sayin.....

5. Great Advertisement:





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