Chancellor Merkel's Spokesman's Confusion

Chancelor Merkel's spokesman, Ulrich Wilhelm, said that his government "greatly regrets the recent decision to allow the construction of new homes in east Jerusalem." While I understand everyone's need to jump on the "settlement" bandwagon, the statement was made in reference to Gilo.

Well that simply won't do. It's one thing for the German Chancellor's office to make a statement regretting that Jews can't live where they want in Israel, it's quite another to get her geography completely wrong! So I wrote a letter to the Chancellor's office.

Madame Chancellor,

With all due respect, as someone who I admire as a stateswoman, it grieves me to learn that your government "greatly regrets the recent decision to allow the construction of new homes in east Jerusalem" referring specifically to the Gilo neighborhood. It must be terribly embarrassing to learn that Gilo is not anywhere near the area commonly referred to as "East Jerusalem" or more accurately, the area of Jerusalem under Jordanian control from 1948-1967.

The neighborhood of Gilo is located at the extreme southern end of Jerusalem. Gilo is part of the contiguous municipality of the City of Jerusalem. It is analogous to confusing Lichtenrade with Kaulsdorf.

Gilo is also the neighborhood that came under sniper fire from Palestinian terrorists in an adjacent village in December 2000 (http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2000/12/Pictures%20from%20Gilo-%20Community%20under%20Siege%20-%20Decemb)

I hope you can correct this faux pas in a statement in the near future.

Not my most eloquent work, but passable. Do I expect a mea culpa? Why yes, I do.

To contact the chancellor's office:
http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Webs/BK/En/Service/Contact/contact.html

Goldstone: Judge For Hire

Seriously, now. Can this get any more ridiculous?

Former South African Judge Richard Goldstone, who censured Israel for alleged war crimes while fighting Hamas terrorists, once kept a 13-year-old in jail for protesting against his country’s Apartheid policy, according to investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg.

Source.

I guess they picked him because he's a professional hatchet man. The fact that he's a Jew was only icing on the cake when the UN picked their man.

This just proves that the Cast Lead "inquiry" was stacked against Israel from beginning to end. Israel was right not to participate in this stupid nonsense.

The next move would be for Israel to "examine closely the benefit of continued membership in the United Nations." That'll make people sit up and take notice.

UPDATED: Susan G. Komen Conference in Egypt. Jews Need Not ApplyOh OK, Jews can come...

UPDATED

Statement from Nancy Goodman Brinker, Founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Breast cancer advocates from the United States and across the Middle East are meeting in Egypt from October 21-27 for breast cancer awareness events. There have been reports that some of the invited participants would not be allowed to attend these events. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has now received confirmation that all advocates, regardless of their country of origin, are invited to fully participate in events to bring breast cancer to the forefront of public discussion in the Middle East.

After we received the initial report on the situation, we launched a diplomatic effort to ensure they would be able to participate. I am pleased to report that our efforts led to confirmation that all advocates would be welcome to participate in the events.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure remains steadfast in our mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

Well played, Susan G. Komen Foundation! But will they be serving Arafat Corn Chips?


ORIGINAL:

A United States-based organization's conference on breast cancer awareness, to be hosted in Egypt, has been touted by international news networks as an example of “unprecedented cooperation” in the region. However, according to Channel 2 news, the celebration of unity may be premature, as Israeli doctors were told at the last minute that their invitations to participate had been rescinded.

Source

Should we be shocked? After all, we saw the same thing this past February when Shahar Peer was denied a travel visa to Dubai. And who is the sponsor of the event? Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Where to begin... let's start with their response:

"Susan G. Komen for the Cure was planning to have Israeli doctors join us in the collaborative events taking place this week in Egypt, when we learned at the last minute that due to factors beyond our control, the doctors will no longer participate. As a non-profit, non-governmental organization working to end suffering from breast cancer globally, including countries throughout the Middle East, our founder and global ambassadors remain committed to their long-planned trip to Israel next week to begin planning collaborative efforts in a country that has demonstrated great need."

Due to factors beyond your control? Are you joking? You are the largest breast cancer awareness group in the world. How about threaten to move the conference in its entirety to Israel so the doctors could participate? How about actually doing it? How about condemning it rather than wringing your hands and saying, "there's nothing we could do." How about making sure this crap couldn't happen in the first place?

They're coming to Israel next week? Is that some sort of consolation? Exactly what is that supposed to convey? You were coming here anyway so it's okay if the country you choose to host the conference in politicizes the event in your name?

We all know what's going to happen here. Nothing. Israel will continue to rake in real Nobel prizes, continue to push back the frontiers of medicine, continue to take the moral high road in everything they do while the Arabs continue to chip away at Israel in small, insignificant but demeaning ways. It is the organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure® that have to decide who they want to associate with, and be associated with. As far as I'm concerned, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, in refusing to take any action has demonstrated their willingness to allow their cause to become politicized, and by doing so they have abrogated themselves as a true non-profit non-governmental agency.

In other words, they're as bad as the Egyptians.

Assaf Ramon, Yeshiva Boys and Yesha

It's fun and easy to trash the religious settlers in Israel as crazy, lawbreaking, anti-government anarchists. Think about this the next time you want to condemn them for their behavior:

When they heard the explosion of the plane, only about 1.2 kilometers away, they ran out to see what had happened, taking cameras with them. They filmed the plane burning, the arrival of the emergency crews, and the hubbub around the incident.

Somehow, word of the pictures got out, and more than one news agency contacted the boys and offered to pay thousands of shekels for the exclusive footage. When the boys realized that an Air Force pilot had been killed, they consulted with their Rosh Yeshiva (rabbinical dean), Rabbi Amichai Chazan. He explained to them the importance of behaving ethically in such a situation.

The boys understood his message, and refused to sell. "I don't want to profit from this type of situation in which a soldier dies," said one student, Nehorai Hadad.

Source

And just to be clear, the yeshiva is located in Maale Hever, south of in Yehuda. Had this been over "Palestine," you can be sure the flaming wreckage - as well as Arabs dancing and handing out candies - would have been all over the media, with two-bit terrorist groups vying for credit on who "shot down" the plane.

All too often the news from Israel is full of tragic events. The story of Assaf Ramon reminds us that we don't need the Arabs to generate our tragedy for us. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Tzion.

BREAKING: Paypal "Dissociating" from NPOs and Religious Institutions in Israel

I just received this email notification from a client. After thirty minutes of phone tree runaround, I've come to the unmistakable conclusion there is a little 'divestment' going on:

We appreciate your interest in PayPal. However, PayPal has made the business decision to dissociate ourselves as a payment processor for transactions involving Politicians, Political Organizations, Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs), Religious Institutions, etc. in Israel.

This is not a decision we make lightly, and we deeply regret any inconvenience or frustration this matter may cause you. Please understand that this decision is final.

If you have questions, you may contact us at apacdd@paypal.com.

Sincerely,
Belena
PayPal Compliance Department
PayPal, an eBay Company

I am expecting a followup email from PayPal, but I'm not holding my breath. I don't really expect them to come out and say it, but the unmistakable reek of anti-Semitism is coming from this whole mess.

Caught on Film: Jews in "East" Jerusalem

Blogger Ben Atlas uncovers some inconvenient truths at the Life Magazine archives. Namely, that Jews lived in Israel before 1948 in the Old City of Jerusalem. And they were forced out. Jews? In "East" Jerusalem? Before 1967? Say it ain't so!

I've previewed three fascinating photos for you. The first is the exodus of Jews from the Old City through Shaar Tzion, a gate I have the privilege of walking through every time I visit the Old City. The second and third are photos that caught him by surprise: they are of the same street before and after the Arabs/Jordanians/Palestinians (whatever you want to call them; it makes no difference) destroyed it. His entire two-part series begins here.

The photos of the determined Haganah soldiers, proud and idealistic, makes me wonder where that attitude went. Why is it that sixty one years later Jews can be pushed around anymore - especially in our own country by our own leaders - is beyond comprehension.

Tibi Tells the Truth

(IsraelNN.com) Arab MK Ahmed Tibi said Tuesday at the Fatah conference in Beit Lehem that Israeli Arabs are part of the Palestinian nation and called on Israel to dismantle communities in Judea and Samaria.

“We are part of the Palestinian nation,” he said. “We are the original residents here and we will never leave. We own the land and we are not guests. There can be no peace with the settlements or the settlers.”

Source.

Rabbi Meir Kahane said exactly the same thing twenty years ago in They Must Go. And Tibi's right; the only difference between an Israeli Arab and a "Palestinian" Arab is what side of the armistice line they were on in 1949. Culturally they're the same. Just as they're culturally the same as 70% of the country of Jordan.

The "original" residents were the seven Cannani nations. They're long gone.

As far as not having peace with settlements or settlers, that's fine too. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.