Anti-Israel attitudes do not fall into a pattern of normal political hostility of the type directed toward other countries. At their core, objections to Israel are not based on the country's policies but instead rest on Israel's very right to exist.
Hamas is not fighting Israel over a policy difference. Hamas has been quite upfront with its purpose and objectives—the end of the state of Israel and a global war against all Jews everywhere. Understood in this light, Hamas rocket barrages, like its suicide bombers, simply make the affected areas of Israel unlivable, small steps toward the achievement of the group's broader agenda.
Faced with such terror attacks, there is no country in the world that would not have garnered sympathy except Israel. The exceedingly ugly character of the marches and rallies against Israel makes it clear that what we are witnessing is global anti-Semitism.
There is precedent for the Hamas philosophy, the Nazis referred to it as seeking to make the world judenrein.
Anti-Israel protests not only in Europe, but even in American communities like Ft. Lauderdale included chants of "Go back to the ovens" and "The ovens weren't big enough."
The Europeans and their Middle Eastern friends cruelly equated the victims of Nazism with being Nazis themselves. Thus, the Europeans absolve themselves from their own historical guilt.
And the failure of the political elites to condemn such anti-Semitic behavior or even to recognize it fosters, encourages and inadvertently supports the anti-Semites. One British parliamentarian, turning the situation on its head, accused the "the Jews" of exploiting the guilt of non-Jews over the Holocaust to justify Israel's defensive operations against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
That thugs beat a Jewish girl in Paris while telling her that it was revenge for Israeli attacks on Hamas goes well beyond the traditional bounds of protest. It was clear anti-Semitism reminiscent of similar events in European history.
And the Paris attack was not an isolated event. The Turkish government's recent rhetoric has been so caustic as to make the country's Jewish population fearful for the first time in its more than 500-year history.
In several European countries, Jewish cemeteries and synagogues were vandalized.
The question for supporters and friends of Israel are, why were there no UN resolutions condemning Hamas' unilateral rocketing of Israel?Another question that should be raised is, of all the conflicts in the world, why is this the only one where the issue of proportionality is raised? Does it mean that if there was more Jewish blood shed the response would have been more acceptable?
The lesson of the Holocaust is that Israel can and should expect neither fairness, honesty or justice from the world community. Israel can only depend on itself because anti-Semitism today remains not only tenacious, it is fashionable.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
More stalling on Iran while they pursue nukes
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday urged Iran to show "willingness to engage meaningfully" with the world community and said a US envoy would join multilateral talks next week on Iran's disputed nuclear program.
"With respect to Iran, there is a clear opportunity for the Iranians, as the president expressed in his interview, to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community," Clinton told reporters.
"Whether or not that hand becomes less clenched is really up to them. But as we look at the opportunities available to us, we're going to have a very broad survey of what we think we can do," Clinton said in her first news briefing.
"In an interview with Al-Arabiya satellite television network, President Barack Obama said Monday the United States would offer Iran an extended hand of diplomacy if the Islamic Republic's leaders "unclenched their fist."
Obama said he would in the next few months lay out a general framework of policy towards Tehran, in the interview with Dubai-based satellite television network.
Susan Rice, the new US ambassador to the United Nations made her debut Monday when she pledged vigorous" and "direct" nuclear diplomacy with Iran but warned of increased pressure if Tehran refuses to halt uranium enrichment.
"With respect to Iran, there is a clear opportunity for the Iranians, as the president expressed in his interview, to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community," Clinton told reporters.
"Whether or not that hand becomes less clenched is really up to them. But as we look at the opportunities available to us, we're going to have a very broad survey of what we think we can do," Clinton said in her first news briefing.
"In an interview with Al-Arabiya satellite television network, President Barack Obama said Monday the United States would offer Iran an extended hand of diplomacy if the Islamic Republic's leaders "unclenched their fist."
Obama said he would in the next few months lay out a general framework of policy towards Tehran, in the interview with Dubai-based satellite television network.
Susan Rice, the new US ambassador to the United Nations made her debut Monday when she pledged vigorous" and "direct" nuclear diplomacy with Iran but warned of increased pressure if Tehran refuses to halt uranium enrichment.
The Pope forgives holocaust denier?
NYT Jan 28
On Saturday, the pope revoked the excommunication of four bishops from the St. Pius X Society, including Bishop Richard Williamson, who said in a television interview last week that there was no historical evidence for the Nazi gas chambers. The pope's decision has angered Jewish and liberal Catholic groups, among others.
On Saturday, the pope revoked the excommunication of four bishops from the St. Pius X Society, including Bishop Richard Williamson, who said in a television interview last week that there was no historical evidence for the Nazi gas chambers. The pope's decision has angered Jewish and liberal Catholic groups, among others.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Aipac briefing
Obama Stresses Hopes for Peace, Support for Israel
Top E.U. Official Blames Hamas for Gaza Conflict
New U.N. Ambassador: U.S. Must Be Firm With Iran
Roadside Bomb Kills Israeli Soldier Near Gaza Border
Iran Seeks to Replenish Hamas' Weapon Stocks in Gaza
Natural Gas Find Could Transform Israel's Economy
take action!
Affect Israel's future and promote U.S. interests in the Middle East by urging your members of Congress to support critical legislation.
Click here to learn about these important initiatives and to email your elected representatives.
Learn more
Click here for AIPAC analysis of issues affecting the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Obama Stresses Hopes for Peace, Support for IsraelIn a television interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya, President Barack Obama on Monday reiterated U.S. support for Israel and expressed his hopes about the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, The Washington Post reported. "Israel is a strong ally of the United States," Obama said. "They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount." The president added that the United States "cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them," stressing the need for patience in the quest for peace. Speaking before AIPAC Policy Conference delegates last June, then-Senator Obama issued a similar call for cautious optimism along the "long road to peace." Click here to watch his Policy Conference speech.
Top EU Official Blames Hamas for Gaza ConflictHamas bears full responsibility for the recent violence in Gaza, a top European Union official said Monday during a visit to the coastal strip, Agence France Presse reported. "At this time we have to also recall the overwhelming responsibility of Hamas," Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said at a press conference in Jabalya, a town in northern Gaza. "I intentionally say this here—Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Michel was in the region to announce new EU-sponsored aid and development projects for the Palestinians. The United States has also pledged its commitment to reconstructing Gaza in partnership with the Palestinian Authority.
New U.N. Ambassador: U.S. Must Be Firm With IranAmbassador Susan Rice said Monday that the United States would continue to press Iran to halt its illicit nuclear program, as called for in multiple binding U.N. Security Council resolutions, Reuters reported. "We remain deeply concerned about the threat that Iran's nuclear program poses to the region, indeed to the United States and to the entire international community," Rice, the newly-appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said after a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "Dialogue and diplomacy must go hand-in-hand with a very firm message from the United States and the international community that Iran needs to meet its obligations as defined by the Security Council and its continued refusal to do so will only cause pressure to increase." Click here to learn about Iran's quest for a nuclear weapons capability.
Roadside Bomb Kills Israeli Soldier Near Gaza BorderOne Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer was killed and three others were wounded on Tuesday when a roadside bomb detonated under an army vehicle, The Jerusalem Post reported. While no one claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred along the Gaza-Israel border, a Hamas leader said his group had not agreed to a cease-fire with Israel and that "the Zionists are responsible for any aggression." An IDF official warned that Hamas would continue to carry out attacks against Israel until a long-term truce agreement was reached. On a related note, Israeli military sources said Hamas fired a Qassam rocket into the sea on Sunday to test the range of rockets left in its arsenal after Israel's recent operation. Click here to learn about Hamas' terrorist activity in Gaza.
Iran Seeks to Replenish Hamas' Weapon Stocks in GazaAccording to Israeli intelligence assessments, Iran has renewed its efforts to supply advanced weaponry to the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post reported. The IDF is concerned that Iran will provide Hamas with long-range Fajr missiles, which have a range of 43 miles and can easily reach Tel Aviv if fired from Gaza. The IDF believes that it destroyed about 1,200 Hamas rockets during Operation Cast Lead, but estimates that the terrorist group has about 1,000 left in its arsenal, including long-range Grad-model Katyushas. Israeli intelligence officials also believe that Iran has launched an internal probe to determine why Hamas was unable to kill more Israeli soldiers in Gaza and why the terrorist group could not fire more long-range rockets deep into Israel. Iran is a prime backer of Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction.
Natural Gas Find Could Transform Israel's EconomyIsrael could be one step closer to energy independence after drilling companies announced the discovery of "extremely significant" natural gas reserves at an offshore drilling site in the Mediterranean, about 60 miles off the coast of Haifa, Israel, the Web site Israel 21c reported. One massive pocket of natural gas is estimated to contain more than three trillion cubic feet of natural gas, enough to feed Israel's energy needs for 15 years. "It can contribute a lot to the Israeli economy," said Shaya Segal of Delek Drilling company. "And give us independence with anything that has to do with natural gas." In Israel, that would mean fueling power plants with natural gas, as opposed to coal or oil fuel sources, which produce more pollution. "It's much more environmentally friendly," Segal said.
Top E.U. Official Blames Hamas for Gaza Conflict
New U.N. Ambassador: U.S. Must Be Firm With Iran
Roadside Bomb Kills Israeli Soldier Near Gaza Border
Iran Seeks to Replenish Hamas' Weapon Stocks in Gaza
Natural Gas Find Could Transform Israel's Economy
take action!
Affect Israel's future and promote U.S. interests in the Middle East by urging your members of Congress to support critical legislation.
Click here to learn about these important initiatives and to email your elected representatives.
Learn more
Click here for AIPAC analysis of issues affecting the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Obama Stresses Hopes for Peace, Support for IsraelIn a television interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya, President Barack Obama on Monday reiterated U.S. support for Israel and expressed his hopes about the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, The Washington Post reported. "Israel is a strong ally of the United States," Obama said. "They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount." The president added that the United States "cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them," stressing the need for patience in the quest for peace. Speaking before AIPAC Policy Conference delegates last June, then-Senator Obama issued a similar call for cautious optimism along the "long road to peace." Click here to watch his Policy Conference speech.
Top EU Official Blames Hamas for Gaza ConflictHamas bears full responsibility for the recent violence in Gaza, a top European Union official said Monday during a visit to the coastal strip, Agence France Presse reported. "At this time we have to also recall the overwhelming responsibility of Hamas," Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said at a press conference in Jabalya, a town in northern Gaza. "I intentionally say this here—Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Michel was in the region to announce new EU-sponsored aid and development projects for the Palestinians. The United States has also pledged its commitment to reconstructing Gaza in partnership with the Palestinian Authority.
New U.N. Ambassador: U.S. Must Be Firm With IranAmbassador Susan Rice said Monday that the United States would continue to press Iran to halt its illicit nuclear program, as called for in multiple binding U.N. Security Council resolutions, Reuters reported. "We remain deeply concerned about the threat that Iran's nuclear program poses to the region, indeed to the United States and to the entire international community," Rice, the newly-appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said after a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "Dialogue and diplomacy must go hand-in-hand with a very firm message from the United States and the international community that Iran needs to meet its obligations as defined by the Security Council and its continued refusal to do so will only cause pressure to increase." Click here to learn about Iran's quest for a nuclear weapons capability.
Roadside Bomb Kills Israeli Soldier Near Gaza BorderOne Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer was killed and three others were wounded on Tuesday when a roadside bomb detonated under an army vehicle, The Jerusalem Post reported. While no one claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred along the Gaza-Israel border, a Hamas leader said his group had not agreed to a cease-fire with Israel and that "the Zionists are responsible for any aggression." An IDF official warned that Hamas would continue to carry out attacks against Israel until a long-term truce agreement was reached. On a related note, Israeli military sources said Hamas fired a Qassam rocket into the sea on Sunday to test the range of rockets left in its arsenal after Israel's recent operation. Click here to learn about Hamas' terrorist activity in Gaza.
Iran Seeks to Replenish Hamas' Weapon Stocks in GazaAccording to Israeli intelligence assessments, Iran has renewed its efforts to supply advanced weaponry to the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post reported. The IDF is concerned that Iran will provide Hamas with long-range Fajr missiles, which have a range of 43 miles and can easily reach Tel Aviv if fired from Gaza. The IDF believes that it destroyed about 1,200 Hamas rockets during Operation Cast Lead, but estimates that the terrorist group has about 1,000 left in its arsenal, including long-range Grad-model Katyushas. Israeli intelligence officials also believe that Iran has launched an internal probe to determine why Hamas was unable to kill more Israeli soldiers in Gaza and why the terrorist group could not fire more long-range rockets deep into Israel. Iran is a prime backer of Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction.
Natural Gas Find Could Transform Israel's EconomyIsrael could be one step closer to energy independence after drilling companies announced the discovery of "extremely significant" natural gas reserves at an offshore drilling site in the Mediterranean, about 60 miles off the coast of Haifa, Israel, the Web site Israel 21c reported. One massive pocket of natural gas is estimated to contain more than three trillion cubic feet of natural gas, enough to feed Israel's energy needs for 15 years. "It can contribute a lot to the Israeli economy," said Shaya Segal of Delek Drilling company. "And give us independence with anything that has to do with natural gas." In Israel, that would mean fueling power plants with natural gas, as opposed to coal or oil fuel sources, which produce more pollution. "It's much more environmentally friendly," Segal said.
Monday, January 26, 2009
several questions
Shalom Rabbi,
Some more question and thoughts here:
1) I did some reading on Rachel's Thumb and also read Genesis again where Abraham receives the instructions.
Is there any theory why circumcising was chosen as the pact? In other words, G-d could have asked for one finger
or a tooth or for a tattoo. Do you think this was a way to prevent infection so that Abraham's descendants could
be as fertile as possible? There must have been a reason why circumcision was chosen.
Answer These videos may help.
Bris Milah and Jewish Baby namings JewU 47
Mitzvote series 2 Circumcision JewU297
The evidence is pretty conclusive that it prevents infection but i think it has more to do with the organ of procreation and the source of so many problems in society
2) On the Torah readings of this week about Moses, there is a question for discussion in the website:
"Why do you think God hardened Pharaoh's heart?"
So, it is hard for me to think that G-d does "evil" things. Why it is not the Devil that hardened Pharaoh's heart?
Answer: see
Vaera
Parshat Vaera in Exodus 14/54 JewU333
Bo
Parashat
we do not believe in the devil
see Evil vs good inclination & Freud JewU278
Devil and Judaism/ What do we believe? JewU 180
Q: I understand that it is written on the bible and we cannot complain, the if G-d's idea was to transmit the Passover
teaching, why did not the story end with 7 plagues? ( I am sorry if I am too analytical.) Is it because of the number 10?
10 plagues, 10 Commandments? But then, we have 7 Days and 12 Tribes.
A: there are 10 plagues. the rest are in parashat bo.
4) I watched your video about reincarnation and I confess that it was not clear at the end if we should believe or not.
Since the soul is eternal, it is acceptable that it can have several manifestations that could include to have a body;
on the other hand, if each soul has several bodies, which one will be given back by the time of the Resurrection?
I think one idea excludes the other. Can I conciliate them?
A: there is no one belief. general belief in eternality of the soul, most believe in resurrection . only mystics believe in reincarnation-like rabbi Gail. i don't
5) I read about the things that are forbidden in the Sabbath. Why is driving not allowed? Ok, back in time, they did not
have cars but they were allowed to move. If we are allowed to walk that is essentially to move from a place to another, what is so wrong about driving? It is changing position the same way.
A: we allow driving to synagogue. orthodox don't. it involved combustion which is forbidden.
6) Is the a reason why pomegranate to be so present in Jewish art? Pomegranate is a very efficient abortive fruit,
although it is rich in vitamin-C.
A: thought to have 613 seeeds like the mitzvote and is mentioned in deuteronomy
Some more question and thoughts here:
1) I did some reading on Rachel's Thumb and also read Genesis again where Abraham receives the instructions.
Is there any theory why circumcising was chosen as the pact? In other words, G-d could have asked for one finger
or a tooth or for a tattoo. Do you think this was a way to prevent infection so that Abraham's descendants could
be as fertile as possible? There must have been a reason why circumcision was chosen.
Answer These videos may help.
Bris Milah and Jewish Baby namings JewU 47
Mitzvote series 2 Circumcision JewU297
The evidence is pretty conclusive that it prevents infection but i think it has more to do with the organ of procreation and the source of so many problems in society
2) On the Torah readings of this week about Moses, there is a question for discussion in the website:
"Why do you think God hardened Pharaoh's heart?"
So, it is hard for me to think that G-d does "evil" things. Why it is not the Devil that hardened Pharaoh's heart?
Answer: see
Vaera
Parshat Vaera in Exodus 14/54 JewU333
Bo
Parashat
we do not believe in the devil
see Evil vs good inclination & Freud JewU278
Devil and Judaism/ What do we believe? JewU 180
Q: I understand that it is written on the bible and we cannot complain, the if G-d's idea was to transmit the Passover
teaching, why did not the story end with 7 plagues? ( I am sorry if I am too analytical.) Is it because of the number 10?
10 plagues, 10 Commandments? But then, we have 7 Days and 12 Tribes.
A: there are 10 plagues. the rest are in parashat bo.
4) I watched your video about reincarnation and I confess that it was not clear at the end if we should believe or not.
Since the soul is eternal, it is acceptable that it can have several manifestations that could include to have a body;
on the other hand, if each soul has several bodies, which one will be given back by the time of the Resurrection?
I think one idea excludes the other. Can I conciliate them?
A: there is no one belief. general belief in eternality of the soul, most believe in resurrection . only mystics believe in reincarnation-like rabbi Gail. i don't
5) I read about the things that are forbidden in the Sabbath. Why is driving not allowed? Ok, back in time, they did not
have cars but they were allowed to move. If we are allowed to walk that is essentially to move from a place to another, what is so wrong about driving? It is changing position the same way.
A: we allow driving to synagogue. orthodox don't. it involved combustion which is forbidden.
6) Is the a reason why pomegranate to be so present in Jewish art? Pomegranate is a very efficient abortive fruit,
although it is rich in vitamin-C.
A: thought to have 613 seeeds like the mitzvote and is mentioned in deuteronomy
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