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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Some Sanity From the Spanish Left
Pilar Rahola is a well known Spanish politician, journalist and activist and member of the far left. Her articles are published in Spain and throughout some of the most important newspapers in Latin America. She writes:
"Why don't we see demonstrations against Islamic dictatorships in London, Paris, Barcelona?
Or demonstrations against the Burmese dictatorship?
Why aren't there demonstrations against the enslavement of millions of women who live without any legal protection?
Why aren't there demonstrations against the use of children as human bombs where there is conflict with Islam?
Why has there been no leadership in support of the victims of Islamic dictatorship in Sudan?
Why is there never any outrage against the acts of terrorism committed against Israel?
Why is there no outcry by the European left against Islamic fanaticism?
Why don't they defend Israel's right to exist?
Why confuse support of the Palestinian cause with the defence of Palestinian terrorism?
And finally, the million dollar question: Why is the left in Europe and around the world obsessed with the two most solid democracies, the United States and Israel, and not with the worst dictatorships on the planet? The two most solid democracies, which have suffered the bloodiest attacks of terrorism, and the left doesn't care.
And then, to the concept of freedom. In every pro Palestinian European forum I hear the left yelling with fervour: "We want freedom for the people!"
Not true. They are never concerned with freedom for the people of Syria or Yemen or Iran or Sudan, or other such nations. And they are never preoccupied when Hammas destroys freedom for the Palestinians. They are only concerned with using the concept of Palestinian freedom as a weapon against Israeli freedom. The resulting consequence of these ideological pathologies is the manipulation of the press.
The international press does major damage when reporting on the question of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. On this topic they don't inform, they propagandize.
When reporting about Israel the majority of journalists forget the reporter code of ethics. And so, any Israeli act of self-defence becomes a massacre, and any confrontation, genocide. So many stupid things have been written about Israel, that there aren't any accusations left to level against her.
At the same time, this press never discusses Syrian and Iranian interference in propagating violence against Israel; the indoctrination of children and the corruption of the Palestinians. And when reporting about victims, every Palestinian casualty is reported as tragedy and every Israeli victim is camouflaged, hidden or reported about with disdain.
And let me add on the topic of the Spanish left. Many are the examples that illustrate the anti-Americanism and anti-Israeli sentiments that define the Spanish left. For example, one of the leftist parties in-Spain has just expelled one of its members for creating a pro-Israel website. I quote from the expulsion document: "Our friends are the people of Iran, Libya and Venezuela, oppressed by imperialism, and not a Nazi state like Israel."
In another example, the socialist mayor of Campozuelos changed Shoah Day, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, with Palestinian Nabka Day, which mourns the establishment of the State of Israel, thus showing contempt for the six million European Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
Or in my native city of Barcelona, the city council decided to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, by having a week of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Thus, they invited Leila Khaled, a noted terrorist from the 70's and current leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization so described by the European Union, which promotes the use of bombs against Israel.
This politically correct way of thinking has even polluted the speeches of president Zapatero. His foreign policy falls within the lunatic left, and on issues of the Middle East he is unequivocally pro Arab. I can assure you that in private, Zapatero places on Israel the blame for the conflict in the Middle East, and the policies of foreign minister Moratinos reflect this. The fact that Zapatero chose to wear a kafiah in the midst of the Lebanon conflict is no coincidence; it's a symbol.
Spain has suffered the worst terrorist attack in Europe and it is in the crosshairs of every Islamic terrorist organization. As I wrote before, they kill us with cell phones hooked to satellites connected to the Middle Ages. An yet the Spanish left is the most anti Israeli in the world.
And then it says it is anti Israeli because of solidarity. This is the madness I want to denounce in this conference.
Conclusion:
I am not Jewish. Ideologically I am left and by profession a journalist. Why am I not anti Israeli like my colleagues? Because as a non-Jew I have the historical responsibility to fight against Jewish hatred and currently against the hatred for their historic homeland, Israel. To fight against anti-Semitism is not the duty of the Jews, it is the duty of the non-Jews.
As a journalist it is my duty to search for the truth beyond prejudice, lies and manipulations. The truth about Israel is not told. As a person from the left who loves progress, I am obligated to defend liberty, culture, civic education for children, coexistence and the laws that the Tablets of the Covenant made into universal principles.
Principles that Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. That is to say that as a non-Jew, journalist and lefty I have a triple moral duty with Israel, because if Israel is destroyed, liberty, modernity and culture will be destroyed too.
The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn't want to accept it, is the struggle of the world."
"Why don't we see demonstrations against Islamic dictatorships in London, Paris, Barcelona?
Or demonstrations against the Burmese dictatorship?
Why aren't there demonstrations against the enslavement of millions of women who live without any legal protection?
Why aren't there demonstrations against the use of children as human bombs where there is conflict with Islam?
Why has there been no leadership in support of the victims of Islamic dictatorship in Sudan?
Why is there never any outrage against the acts of terrorism committed against Israel?
Why is there no outcry by the European left against Islamic fanaticism?
Why don't they defend Israel's right to exist?
Why confuse support of the Palestinian cause with the defence of Palestinian terrorism?
And finally, the million dollar question: Why is the left in Europe and around the world obsessed with the two most solid democracies, the United States and Israel, and not with the worst dictatorships on the planet? The two most solid democracies, which have suffered the bloodiest attacks of terrorism, and the left doesn't care.
And then, to the concept of freedom. In every pro Palestinian European forum I hear the left yelling with fervour: "We want freedom for the people!"
Not true. They are never concerned with freedom for the people of Syria or Yemen or Iran or Sudan, or other such nations. And they are never preoccupied when Hammas destroys freedom for the Palestinians. They are only concerned with using the concept of Palestinian freedom as a weapon against Israeli freedom. The resulting consequence of these ideological pathologies is the manipulation of the press.
The international press does major damage when reporting on the question of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. On this topic they don't inform, they propagandize.
When reporting about Israel the majority of journalists forget the reporter code of ethics. And so, any Israeli act of self-defence becomes a massacre, and any confrontation, genocide. So many stupid things have been written about Israel, that there aren't any accusations left to level against her.
At the same time, this press never discusses Syrian and Iranian interference in propagating violence against Israel; the indoctrination of children and the corruption of the Palestinians. And when reporting about victims, every Palestinian casualty is reported as tragedy and every Israeli victim is camouflaged, hidden or reported about with disdain.
And let me add on the topic of the Spanish left. Many are the examples that illustrate the anti-Americanism and anti-Israeli sentiments that define the Spanish left. For example, one of the leftist parties in-Spain has just expelled one of its members for creating a pro-Israel website. I quote from the expulsion document: "Our friends are the people of Iran, Libya and Venezuela, oppressed by imperialism, and not a Nazi state like Israel."
In another example, the socialist mayor of Campozuelos changed Shoah Day, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, with Palestinian Nabka Day, which mourns the establishment of the State of Israel, thus showing contempt for the six million European Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
Or in my native city of Barcelona, the city council decided to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, by having a week of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Thus, they invited Leila Khaled, a noted terrorist from the 70's and current leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization so described by the European Union, which promotes the use of bombs against Israel.
This politically correct way of thinking has even polluted the speeches of president Zapatero. His foreign policy falls within the lunatic left, and on issues of the Middle East he is unequivocally pro Arab. I can assure you that in private, Zapatero places on Israel the blame for the conflict in the Middle East, and the policies of foreign minister Moratinos reflect this. The fact that Zapatero chose to wear a kafiah in the midst of the Lebanon conflict is no coincidence; it's a symbol.
Spain has suffered the worst terrorist attack in Europe and it is in the crosshairs of every Islamic terrorist organization. As I wrote before, they kill us with cell phones hooked to satellites connected to the Middle Ages. An yet the Spanish left is the most anti Israeli in the world.
And then it says it is anti Israeli because of solidarity. This is the madness I want to denounce in this conference.
Conclusion:
I am not Jewish. Ideologically I am left and by profession a journalist. Why am I not anti Israeli like my colleagues? Because as a non-Jew I have the historical responsibility to fight against Jewish hatred and currently against the hatred for their historic homeland, Israel. To fight against anti-Semitism is not the duty of the Jews, it is the duty of the non-Jews.
As a journalist it is my duty to search for the truth beyond prejudice, lies and manipulations. The truth about Israel is not told. As a person from the left who loves progress, I am obligated to defend liberty, culture, civic education for children, coexistence and the laws that the Tablets of the Covenant made into universal principles.
Principles that Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. That is to say that as a non-Jew, journalist and lefty I have a triple moral duty with Israel, because if Israel is destroyed, liberty, modernity and culture will be destroyed too.
The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn't want to accept it, is the struggle of the world."
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Paying Tribute to the Endless Mission of the Combat Medic
Afghanistan. Battleground of the last decade for many US troops. Now that the intensity of the ground campaign in Iraq is lowering, even more boots are entrenched in this mysterious, mountainous, and vicious country. As more troops are inserted into the fighting, more are exposed to danger. As the number of casualties mounts, one branch of the service gets busier and busier. Here is a tribute article to the harrowing and ongoing life-saving mission of the Medevac combat teams of the US military.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/world/asia/13medevac.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/world/asia/13medevac.html?hp
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Even The Weather Channel is Political Now
For the last 4 days my Weather Channel, Yahoo powered Ipod application was simply saying "update failed" when I tried to check the daily weather in Jerusalem, where I work. Finally I decided to simply delete it and reload the app. When I searched for Jerusalem in the Weather Channel's database I discovered the source of my "update failed" error. It seems that I was not updated that the Weather Channel had changed the name of the capital city of my country to "West Jerusalem." The Weather Channel seems to be taking a political stance declaring the city divided.
I do not see this demarcation yet on the online version, but it is very clear on my web-linked Ipod application.
Another affront to Israel's integrity from an unexpected source.
I do not see this demarcation yet on the online version, but it is very clear on my web-linked Ipod application.
Another affront to Israel's integrity from an unexpected source.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
More Evidence Revealed About Flotilla's True Intent
'I want to be a shahid': Flotilla activist hoped for martyrdom
In footage apparently captured on board the Gaza-bound boat Mavi Marmara and released by the IDF, passenger wishes for death in confrontation with Israel troops.
For the rest of the Haaretz article go to:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/i-want-to-be-a-shahid-flotilla-activist-hoped-for-martyrdom-1.293953
In footage apparently captured on board the Gaza-bound boat Mavi Marmara and released by the IDF, passenger wishes for death in confrontation with Israel troops.
For the rest of the Haaretz article go to:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/i-want-to-be-a-shahid-flotilla-activist-hoped-for-martyrdom-1.293953
Monday, May 31, 2010
After Initial Reports of Bloodshed at Sea, it is Clear What the Gaza Flotilla's Goal Was: an Altercation with Israeli Troops
My initial perception of the flotilla has been, sadly, confirmed by their hostile actions towards the Israeli Navy and Israel's security rights at large. This is a sad day for all who truly long for peace.
This is the actual statement issued to the flotilla just prior to the forceful action taken by the Navy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6jDIQr59Sk&feature=player_embeddedhttp://
This is the actual statement issued to the flotilla just prior to the forceful action taken by the Navy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6jDIQr59Sk&feature=player_embeddedhttp://
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The "Humanitarians" on Hamas's Side
Israel Prepares to Fend Off Ships Heading to Gaza, Wall Street Journal
"Israel says it intends to prevent, by force if necessary, the ships from reaching port. It has also said that if the ships dock at an Israeli port first, it will allow the full shipment of humanitarian cargo to reach Gaza, after undergoing security checks."
Why didn't the title of this Wall Street Journal article simply state Israel's willingness to allow the aid into the Gaza strip if the "humanitarians" would simply follow the security protocol? After all, Israel is at war with the Hamas ruled Gaza strip whether these people on the aid ships notice that or not. In fact, this aid shipment would not be very different form the daily truck convoys allowed into Gaza by the Israeli military (even during the 2008/9 month-long offensive), despite this ongoing conflict.
It seems that the main point of this "humanitarian aid" flotilla is not to provide Gazans with the building supplies that they already receive and smuggle daily across the border. The clear purpose of this mission is to declare exactly which side the members of the flotilla are on in this bloody conflict over the right to exist.
The flotilla has chosen to actively support Jihadi Hamas and their entrenched ideology that Israel has no right to exist in the Middle East.
The flotilla can call their efforts "humanitarian" for the purpose of gaining world sympathy. But regardless of what is on board, the members of this flotilla are making a declaration of support for one side over another in a protracted and very violent conflict between two peoples not their own. Both Israel and Hamas will manage this challenge at the front line (make no mistake, world PR is part of the front line of this one)however they see fit.
It is about time that more of the world recognizes that Israel is not solely to blame for any humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The tragic narrative of the Arabs in the Gaza strip is filled with a complicated history. There should be no blame on Israel for putting its own security at the top of the priority list, while trying to cater to world PR during its fight for survival against Hamas.
"Israel says it intends to prevent, by force if necessary, the ships from reaching port. It has also said that if the ships dock at an Israeli port first, it will allow the full shipment of humanitarian cargo to reach Gaza, after undergoing security checks."
Why didn't the title of this Wall Street Journal article simply state Israel's willingness to allow the aid into the Gaza strip if the "humanitarians" would simply follow the security protocol? After all, Israel is at war with the Hamas ruled Gaza strip whether these people on the aid ships notice that or not. In fact, this aid shipment would not be very different form the daily truck convoys allowed into Gaza by the Israeli military (even during the 2008/9 month-long offensive), despite this ongoing conflict.
It seems that the main point of this "humanitarian aid" flotilla is not to provide Gazans with the building supplies that they already receive and smuggle daily across the border. The clear purpose of this mission is to declare exactly which side the members of the flotilla are on in this bloody conflict over the right to exist.
The flotilla has chosen to actively support Jihadi Hamas and their entrenched ideology that Israel has no right to exist in the Middle East.
The flotilla can call their efforts "humanitarian" for the purpose of gaining world sympathy. But regardless of what is on board, the members of this flotilla are making a declaration of support for one side over another in a protracted and very violent conflict between two peoples not their own. Both Israel and Hamas will manage this challenge at the front line (make no mistake, world PR is part of the front line of this one)however they see fit.
It is about time that more of the world recognizes that Israel is not solely to blame for any humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The tragic narrative of the Arabs in the Gaza strip is filled with a complicated history. There should be no blame on Israel for putting its own security at the top of the priority list, while trying to cater to world PR during its fight for survival against Hamas.
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