Thursday, November 30, 2006

Baker-Hamilton Commission-Bad Ideas All Around

Today I’m going to talk about some U.S. issues rather than things going on in Israel. With the recommendations of a bipartisan congressional commission (Also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission) on Iraq coming out, I felt it was a good time to sound off with my thoughts on some of those recommendations.

Some things I know both President Bush as well as Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki don’t want to see is a divided Iraq wherein the different ethnic and religious groups of Iraq would obtain their own largely autonomous “zones” of influence. Oil would have been shared by all parties. But, according to al Maliki that won’t help stop the bloodshed. In fact he says it will do just the opposite. I am not sure one way or the other, but on the surface of it, separating the factions and giving them areas where they hold power seems to me more reasonable than trying to force them all to live together and get along. A democracy is not going to alleviate these peoples’ problems. A dictatorship like that of Saddam Hussein is just about the only thing Muslims in general understand, and I cannot blame them much since its been that way for them for a thousand years. Islam itself promotes the idea of a single leader in most areas of life.

Regardless, I have to say although I am not a fan of President Bush, this commission headed by James Baker III, that man who famously said “F**k the Jews!”, has some recommendations that would be disastrous for Israel, but also for Saudi Arabia and for the United States. This Baker Commission is saying that there should be direct, high-level diplomacy between the U.S., Syria and Iran, encouraging these two extremist states to step up their influence in the Middle East and help to resolve the conflict in Iraq specifically.

Here’s why that’s such a bad idea.

1. Saudi Arabia (supposedly a great friend of the USA), is a Sunni Muslim nation. They don’t want to see the influence of Shiites in the Middle East grow. Therefore, they don’t want Iran having a lot of influence in Iraq. They are already troubled by Iran and Syria’s influence in Lebanon. If the U.S.A. pushes for Iranian and Syrian involvement in Iraq, this will say to the Saudis that the U.S.A. is also pushing for a broader Shiite presence in the Middle East. (This is despite the fact that the anti-Syrian government in Lebanon currently is Sunni, and is also friendly to the U.S.A.) The Saudis don’t want to see the U.S. act in what they would consider an unfriendly manner.
2. It would be undeniably bad for Israel if Syrian and Iranian influence in the Middle East grew and was encouraged by the U.S.A. This is because some of the stipulations Syria wants just to enter into diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. regarding helping in Iraq, have to do with the U.S.A. pressuring Israel to return the Golan Heights to Syria, and of course, Iran wants Israel wiped out permanently.
3. It would be bad for the U.S.A. because entering into direct negotiations with either Syria or Iran would show the Muslim world that terrorism pays. They would, indeed have bullied the U.S. (As well as Europe) into doing their bidding. Iran wants to be a nuclear power at any cost, they support terrorist organizations around the world and they have basically, on more than one occasion, told the rest of the world to f**k off. If the U.s. enters into direct diplomacy with Iran they will view it, not as a victory for their nation, but as a victory for Islam. The United States will be seen as weak, the protective walls of the “great Satan” will be viewed as crumbling. And again…extremists win in that situation.

All around the commission’s recommendations are foolish. They are appeasing to radical Islamic nations, and will do nothing to truly engender peace in the long run. Do I think the U.S. needs to remove its military forces from Iraq? Of course. I don’t think U.S. soldiers need to die over there. They’re not protecting America by being there.

On the other hand, using Iraq as a staging point to take out a belligerent and maniacally homicidal and suicidal nation like Iran just might be the smartest thing the U.S. could do.

And screw James Baker III, his commission and anyone else (Britain included) that would push for an agenda which does nothing but aid the enemies of the U.S.A. and of Israel, and is detrimental to the true safety of the world.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Fight to the Finish

King Abdullah of Jordan is an interesting man. Constantly talking about peace, constantly trying to exert some kind of influence in the Middle East, constantly “worried” about peace between Israel and the ‘Palestinians’ etc.

There’s really not that much strange about that considering that the rest of the world’s leaders want to leave a lasting legacy when it comes to brokering a real peace in the Middle East. But, Jordan’s Hashemite king doesn’t seem to really…I mean REALLY want peace in the Middle East since,

According to an article in the Jerusalem Post written by correspondent Paula Slier:

King Abdullah of Jordan said on Tuesday that he would not allow a massive influx of Palestinian refugees into his country as part of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

During a speech at the Jordanian parliament, Abdullah added that he would oppose any deal that discriminated against the Palestinians or that came at Jordan's expense, Israel Radio reported.

Jordan's king went on to say that he would help the Palestinians as far as possible in establishing an independent state on the basis of UN decisions and the peace process.

Well, I wonder why King Abdullah doesn’t want ‘Palestinian’ refugees entering Jordan? Well gee, could it have anything to do with remembering Black September? Could it be that the Jordanians… (Same peoples as the ‘Palestinians’ here)…don’t really like their brothers and sisters? Could it be that they really…like most other reasonable peoples…don’t like the thought of having attempts at overthrowing their government by people you are related to, possibly occurring yet again, as it did in September of 1970, resulting in heavy casualties and the eventual expulsion of the PLO to Lebanon?

Does it have anything to do with remembering how the PLO set up a state within a state and over 500 armed conflicts between Jordanian military forces and the PLO Fedayeen transpired?

Hmmm. Just possibly.

But, King Abdullah is ready to host a round of peace talks (of course, making sure that Jordan will not allow any peace agreement wherein ‘Palestinians’ are permitted to cross into the Hashemite Kindom) franticly noting that: "a tremendous crisis" is brewing in the Middle East.

To that, I would say: No duh Sherlock! You’re a real observant fellow now aren’t you?

But peace deals with Arabs always seem to be about ME, ME, ME, ME, MEEEEEEEE. This is what I want. Why do I want it? And why will I never compromise? (in truth), because the holy Qur’an doesn’t allow us to think that we could be beaten by Jews in three separate wars and numerous other conflicts, the holy Qur’an does’nt allow us to acknowledge that Islam is not supreme in the Middle East. The holy Qur’an doesn’t allow us to allow a non-Muslim nation to exist in what would otherwise be the world’s Islamic stronghold.

And because Jews will never submit to the Islamic Allah, there will be no true peace between the differing peoples. It has always, throughout history, been a matter of religion and not of land. The Arabs know this. The Persians know this. Even the Turks know this.

Despite the fact that they follow a religion dictated by an Angel claiming to be from G-d. Hey…it’s easy to put some truth in every lie to tickle itching ears.

Sure, King Abdullah can bluster and spout as much hot air as he wants to, but in the end, nothing will come of it.

As I said before, it’s a matter of religion…not just land. It’s a battle between Hashem and Allah…not between Isaac and Ishmael. Sure, both peoples’ blood is spilled but in the end we’re related. We’re a warring family. But it’s truly a spiritual war as I see it.

Jews know Hashem gave the Land of Canaan which became the Land of Israel, to the Jews…just as He gave the rest of the lands the Arabs now hold to them. They ought to be satisfied with the larger portion He bequeathed to them.

King Abdullah thinks wars are possibly coming. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad knows they are coming and believes he is the instrument Allah will use to bring chaos to the world, it remains for the Jews to realize that the Muslims across the world recognize that there is a spiritual battle going on.

The Muslims hold us in contempt because they KNOW we believe G-d gave us the Land of Israel and we are willing still, through our leaders, to act like Esau whom Hashem hated, willing to offer up his birthright for a bowl of stew, offering and dividing up G-d’s land for empty promises of peace.

It remains for Jews in Israel as well as the Diaspora to rally back to Hashem and seize and hold on to the promises He has made to us throughout the ages. There should be no leaning on America, Russia or any other for support or victory.

Remember what Hashem says:

"But Zion says, The L-rd has forsaken me, and my L-rd has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, even they may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you upon the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Your children shall make haste; your destroyers and those who destroyed you shall go away from you. Lift up your eyes around, and behold; all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the L-rd, you shall surely dress yourself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does. For your destruction and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall now be too narrow for your inhabitants; and those who swallowed you up shall be far away. The children who were taken away from you shall say again in your ears, The place is too narrow for me; give me room to dwell in. Then shall you say in your heart, Who has borne me these, seeing I have lost my children, a solitary, an exile, and a wanderer to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been? ... Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded; for you shall not be put to shame; for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. For your Maker is your husband; the L-rd of hosts is his name; and your redeemer the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the earth. For the L-rd has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, but a wife of youth, Can she be rejected? says your God. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercy will I gather you. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the L-rd your redeemer." (Isaiah 49:14-21; 54:4-8)

The rest of the world may moan and groan, but in the political match of poker that is being played out, Hashem is the ace that has already won us the game.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Push For Peace

Let’s talk peacemaking here. Olmert wants to talk peace, so does Abbas, so let’s do it.

First of all I find it suspect that there is sudden talk about peacemaking coming from Abbas as well as Olmert only days before a visit to the region by President Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Oh there’s pressure from the U.S.A.?! Oh! Now it’s time to talk peace.

Let me blunt here:

This goes out to Prime Minister Olmert because as Israel’s current leader you bear the brunt of responsibility for Israel’s security right now…

…a catch and R.E.L.E.A.S.E. program is not beneficial to peace. The ‘Palestinians’ in prison are there for a reason. They are terrorists bent on Israel’s destruction. Releasing them in exchange for an Israeli soldier who was not even fighting ‘Palestinians’ is reprehensible unless you plan on making sure those same ‘Palestinians’ you are releasing are either recaptured or killed. Otherwise they will be back at it in no time flat trying to kill and/or hurt Jews. You know this is true. Everyone knows it. Anyone who denies it is living in a fantasy world of their own making.

The 'Palestinians' DO NOT WANT PEACE. They want the Land of Israel to be Judenrein and they want a victory for Islam.

In a major policy speech, (According to an article by Yehuda Gruber in Reuters) “Olmert offered to ease travel restrictions on Palestinians and free up frozen funds if violence against Israel ended. He repeated his readiness to give up some occupied land for an eventual peace agreement.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, claimed responsibility for the attack, which followed the killing of two ‘Palestinians’ in an Israeli raid in the West Bank, where a truce is not in effect.

In response to the prime minister extending his hand in peace, we see what some Palestinian factions are giving in return," Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said.”

Someone please tell me at what time the ‘Palestinians’ have ever lived up to a cease fire! When have they ever truly honored their hudnas? Not just that, but the West and the Israeli leadership are delusional. It is not just ‘Palestinian’ “factions” that are spitting in Olmert’s face as he tries mistakenly to offer peace deals to these people. The regular, every day ‘Palestinian’ Arab on the street would jump at the chance to carve Olmert’s heart out with a spoon if given the chance! Just remember the popularity Hamas holds with the average ‘Palestinian.’ Just think of all the chanting of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” these ordinary, everyday ‘Palestinian’ people do (And on a regular basis!)

Wait a minute! Why are we even talking about hudnas and temporary cease fires?

You want something from us? Then make peace period damnit! None of this, “Oh we’ll agree to a peace with time limits…after that…it’s back on!” Forget that! To paraphrase Jedi Master Yoda: “Make peace or do not make peace; there is no hudna.” And if there is no peace, then go in and kick the ever loving crap out of them until you win.

Forcibly remove the enemy from your midst into other Islamic lands. (Rabbi Benny Elon has a great plan for that actually. He even has a compensation plan for those Arabs that would like to leave peacefully. It’s a heck of a lot nicer and more fair than what the Islamic countries did to Jews that THEY kicked out.) But back to the issue of hudnas…

…In case the doves out there including Olmert still don’t realize what a hudna is, let me be more clear:

A hudna is nothing more than a period of calm wherein terrorists can breathe a bit more freely, can find time to renew planning phases of attacks, and can re-arm themselves. It’s a breather until they are ready to carry on their intefadeh.

So screw that, and screw Bush and Condi Rice when it comes to pushing for peace between Israel and the ‘Palestinians’. We all know that the demands will be more “Land for Peace” stipulations. America needs to get its nose out of Israel’s affairs. Be an ally yes, but don’t tell Israel what to do. Do you do that to England? Be a friend, but not the kind that is only friends as long as Israel does your bidding.

America needs to remember that Israel is not its Middle Eastern lap dog.

But then, maybe America wouldn’t treat Israel in that fashion if Israel’s leaders, ala Olmert, didn’t behave as an eager to please mutt, allowing America to put its leash and collar on Israel, and heeling at every command from America’s own B+&%$! of the century:

Condoleeeeeeeeeeza.

Oh wait! One other thing…Israel might do well to stop asking for, and receiving money from the U.S.A. When you owe someone money you are rather beholden to them. You don’t like the U.S.A. telling you what to do? (I don’t.)

Here’s a big tip:

Stop accepting monetary aid from them. If you don’t owe them anything, you can then tell them exactly where to shove it when they and the rest of the world come calling.

 

Saturday, November 25, 2006

I know this is an old, old issue. But it is one that has come up again with the moving of the Costa Rican and El Salvadorian embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. It’s sad. These were the last two foreign embassies in the capitol of Israel and now, they have succumbed to the pressure of the Muslim Arab world and have capitulated.

But hey, they are following the example of the USA. American presidents have a history of promising to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv TO Jerusalem every election cycle. Once in office they conveniently decide to forget they ever made those promises. Or, they use the excuse as Clinton did that moving the embassy would complicate the Israeli-‘Palestinian’ conflict.

To which I say…give me a massive break. Like the conflict could get any worse than it ever has been? Like the United States needs to appease the ‘Palestinian’ people who elect known terrorist organizations to lead them? Like the U.S. needs to appease a people who REFUSED through Yassir Arafat, the best deal the ‘Palestinian’ people ever had offered to them in July of 2000 at the Camp David Summit.

Yet again, I’d like to remind my readers just what the ‘Palestinians’ refused:

Ehud Barak, then Prime Minister of Israel offered to form a ‘Palestinian’ State initially on 73% of the West Bank (that is 27% less than the Green Line borders) and 100% of the Gaza Strip. In 10 to 25 years the West Bank area would expand to 90% (94% excluding greater Jerusalem). A road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea would separate the West Bank, with free passage for ‘Palestinians’ except that Israel reserved the right to close the road for passage in case of emergency. The ‘Palestinian’ position was that the annexations would block existing road networks between major Palestinian populations. In return, the Israelis would cede 1-3 % of their territory in the Negev Desert to ‘Palestine’. Yassir Arafat rejected this proposal and did not make a counteroffer.

What is it that REALLY keeps the good ol’ U.S.A. from moving its embassy to Jerusalem? Is the United States genuinely afraid of an Islamic backlash? Are we afraid Iran, Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia will deny us their oil if the Americans really did move the embassy?

Again I say…give me a massive break.

The U.S. doesn’t even have diplomatic relations with Iran, the diplomatic relations with Syria are strained and always have been, The U.S. has nominal control over Iraq, lets see…who would the U.S. have to worry about then? Oh yeah! Saudi Arabia!

That nation from whom 90% of the 9/11 jet hijackers came from! That nation that Osama bin Laden called home for most of his life. That nation that has the most religiously intolerant leadership in just about the entire Middle East. That nation where American Christian soldiers cannot wear cross necklaces or carry a Bible. That nation that carries out Sharia, that divine law set forth in the Qur’an. (Beheadings anyone? Mmm??? Hands chopped off? Mmm?)

Yup…that great ally of the U.S. in the Middle East…Saudi Arabia!

Who here can sense my sarcasm? Raise your hands!

Ok, so the Saudis’ have a lot of oil. But they don’t share the Western outlook on life in any regard. (Does anyone seriously believe that the United States needs to be energy independent? Raise your hands yet again!) If oil is the primary reason to appease Islamic peoples who hate the United States and call the U.S. the “great Satan” on a regular basis (And not because of the U.S.’s vocal support of Israel) then hell, the U.S. should focus on making itself independent of any foreign nation’s oil supply and tell those that are stuck in a violent religion and code of law over a thousand years old to go take a flying leap, and focus on making and keeping the only true friends in the Middle East the U.S. has got.

Can anyone guess who that friend is? Continually insulting Israel by refusing to acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s declared capitol actually means refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of Israel as a Nation.

How would the U.S. feel if other nations decided to put their embassies in Houston, TX? Or how would England feel if the USA put its embassy in Liverpool?

No. The hypocrisy should end and the embassies of the Western nations at the very least should be moved to Jerusalem in recognition of Israel’s legitimacy.

The rest of the world that doesn’t wish to be Islamicized should follow suit.

So…

Hamas is saying that the Jews must evacuate Sderot according to an article in World Net Daily. Oh man, the gall! The chutzpah! The sheer, disgusting nerve of these guys!

For those of you who just don’t get it, let me put this into perspective for you, a little history lesson if you will:

 

1. Sderot started out as a little town in 1953 with a population made up largely of Persian and Kurdish Jews. (Hey these were Jews who didn’t even come from Western countries!)
2. The town lies only one kilometer (Less than a mile remember) from the border of Gaza.
3. It is still well within Israel Proper.
4. It currently has a population of slightly over twenty thousand (20,000) people ninety nine percent of whom are Jews while the remainder is non-Arab, non-Jews. There is just about no Arab presence in the town.

Now, Hamas’ current demands would be as if Mexican nationals suddenly said the tiny little town of Zapata, Texas were to be evacuated of non-Hispanic people and handed over to the Mexican government. Except Mexico might have a slightly more legitimate claim since Zapata’s population is 89% Hispanic or other Latino. It’s European “white” population is less than 0.25%!!!

But guess what? The Hispanic population of Zapata, Texas doesn’t feel that they are Mexican nationals. They live in the U.S.A. on the American side of the border and are United States citizens. Their ethnic brothers and sisters on the Mexican side of the border don’t try to claim Zapata or any other city on the American side of the border as theirs, even though historically, the United States took that land away from them and annexed it.

Hamas doesn’t have the right to demand a thing of any Israeli, especially on the Israeli side of the border. They have no legitimate right to send rocket attacks against Sderot. (And U.N. Observer Louise Arbour can go sit and spin.) Hamas is not defending anything with their rocket attacks.

No.

In fact Hamas is committing acts of war, not of resistance. Their excuse of continuing resistance against occupation is a flimsy one used on the pathetically gullible mainstream Western media. (And these guys are supposed to have journalistic standards…pshaw!)

The only thing the residents of Sderot are occupying is their own homes, their own land, and their own schools…in short they are Israelis occupying Israeli land.

It is high time Ehud Olmert and the rest of the government quit acting like cowards, afraid of every distasteful, sour glare sent their way by the rest of the world. It is high time the voice of the U.N. was completely shut out by Israel (by America too), they are ineffective and they are just not relevant anymore. A limited ground incursion into Gaza by Israeli forces is not the answer. “Creative Solutions” are not the answer.

Wiping out Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s leadership and their ability to fight completely is.

I am a huge proponent of Aliyah. I believe Israel is the home of the Jews. That will never change and is certain. Now however, an argument from me is about to arise in response to Israeli Chief Sephardi Rabbi, Shlomo Amar’s assertion that converts to Judaism should not enjoy the benefits of the Right of Return and automatically be able to become Israeli citizens.

 I would like to list a few things the Orthodox community would do well to remember:

 

1. The Chief Sephardic Rabbi (Orthodox) of Israel changed his requirements for conversion without informing American Orthodox rabbis.
2. Orthodox Judaism has not had a unified standard of conversion.
3. There are arguments about conversion between ultra-orthodox, modern orthodox and haredi orthodox sects.

I come from a Conservative background, so I usually disagree with the Orthodox community anyway on a whole host of issues, but this latest idea and proposal by Rabbi Amar is not only religiously intolerant, it is elitist and condescending.

Who gave him the right to decide part and parcel who is a Jew and who is not? If Israel were to adhere to his standards I would bet that the Jewish population would decline tremendously because by his standards only those who met with the Orthodox criteria would be considered Jewish.

“Hey we don’t go around wearing black coats and pants, black shoes and tie, black hat and a white shirt! The only way people can tell us apart from the Amish is to note that hidden under our black hats are Kippot! We’re the ones that are REALLY Jewish.”

Nonsense.

Now, I realize that is a rather inflammatory description of the Orthodox community, but honestly it grates on my nerves to no end that they presume to be the only standard bearers for the correct interpretation of the Torah. And that carries over to standards of conversion.

But now, it’s not just standards of conversion that are at issue. It’s whether converts to Judaism should be able to automatically become Israeli citizens after they convert?

My position is this:

 

1. Why not? These people made a choice to become Jews.
2. These people want to live AS Jews in Israel. How much more Zionist can you get?
3. That’s MORE Zionist and more jewishly patriotic than those in the Orthodox community in Israel which doesn’t believe Israel even has a right to exist, and doesn’t serve in the IDF because the Moshiach didn’t set the nation up himself!

I can’t stand the conceit and arrogance that people like Rabbi Amar wallow in. Let me tell you something Rabbi, people that are not born Jews but that become Jews are often more observant than those that were born to Jewish parents.

I know. I haven’t been observant my whole life, but I’ve known converts that adhered to halakhic requirements ten times more than I did, and I was born to a Jewish mother. (My dad was an Irishman.)

Oh man, I’m only HALF Jewish! But I guess I get into the brotherhood by the skin of my teeth and by halakhic law because my Mom is Jewish. Yet I tell you a lot of converts DESERVE the title of Jew more than many of us who are born as Jews if religious observance is the definition of a good Jew.

(Or should I say…Orthodox religious observance?)

And yes, notice I said “converts.” Not just non-Jews that live like Jews but have not converted. I know the difference.

More than that, I wonder just how “pure” the blood is of most Jews in the world today. Probably not very. Throughout the history of the people of Israel there have been intermarriages, sex with women and men who were not Jews, and kids born to those unions. And it didn’t always used to be, that being Jewish meant being born to a Jewish mother. But since that’s the way it is today, I think the Orthodox would do well to remember that in the Bible, Ruth was a convert to Judaism. Not only was she a convert, she was an ancestor of King David. That means she is also an ancestor to the Moshiach.

That’s right. The Moshiach has a convert as an ancestor. *GASP!*

I doubt sincerely that Ruth had to go through an “Orthodox” conversion to become a Jew. No, in fact she merely made a statement saying:

Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
Ruth, 1. 16

And from the Jerusalem Talmud:

WHITHER THOU GOEST I WILL GO: to the tent of testimony, to Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, Gibeon, and the Permanent Temple. [These were the different places where the sanctuary rested before it settled in Jerusalem.] AND WHERE THOU LODGEST I SHALL LODGE: I shall lodge overnight with the sacrifices. [According to Deuteronomy 16:7, one had to stay overnight in Jerusalem on the first night of festivals after the sacrifice had been offered.] THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, in that I will destroy all idolatry within me, and then THY GOD SHALL BE MY GOD, to pay me the reward of my labor. (Ruth Rabbah I:23)

Nope, no mention of Orthodox conversions there. Just statements signifying her intention to BE a Jew and to join herself to the people of Israel.

Let me tell you something else Rabbi, these converts in modern times, yes those JEWS you don’t recognize, will strengthen Israel, will serve in the Israeli Defense Forces and will protect your old rear-end when it comes down to conflict.

See, they don’t have a problem in recognizing that being Jewish is more than a matter of your birth.

It is unconscionable that the people of Gush Katif, plucked up by their brothers and sisters in the IDF and thrown out of their homes in order to make way for ‘Palestinian’ whiners who cannot stand the thought of Jews living in their midst, in order to somehow make peace that never comes, should still, to this day, have no permanent homes inside Israel proper.

What is it about Israeli bureaucracy that makes helping these people and living up to the government’s promises to them so hard? Everyone knows the immense bureaucracy that Israel suffers, but the point has been made by the Head of the Committee for Gush Katif, Lior Kalfa, that “Just like Dis-engagement had a deadline which was kept despite the bureaucracy, thus the rehabilitation should have a deadline which is kept despite the bureaucracy. And solutions should be implemented which do not harm the community or the family structure.”

I agree with that statement in the extreme. If the Israeli government could push through a massive expulsion of Jews from Gaza in a rather dictatorial method by Arik Sharon, it is also able to “make it happen” for the former residents of Gush Katif now. Israel’s government must live up to their promises no matter who is in power. Jews must be good to Jews.

It has been said that you must be cruel in order to be kind. Jews were unkind to Jews in order to be kind to Arab Muslims by removing the Jewish presence (horror of horrors!) from Gaza. Now, the rest of Israel must be kind to their brothers and sisters from Gush Katif. The rest of Israel should demand that these people’s plight be taken care of and expedited in the most efficient, kind and timely manner humanly possible.

I am also sickened that many major American Jewish organizations have refused to aid these people. They have raised tons of money (over $300 Million according to Arutz Sheva) for the northern part of Israel, hit by missiles from Hezbollah, even raising lots of money for Arab villages but American Jewry has by and large been unsympathetic to the Settlers who were thrown out of their homes and even now don’t have good places to live. (Homes and community buildings which have been taken over by Hamas by the way). So, kudos to you American Jews who supported the Expulsion. You’ve succeeded along with the rest of the world in aiding Israel’s enemies.

Well, surely these bleeding hearts that raise tons of money for Israeli Arab children can also see the need of the children of Gush Katif. (Or wait a minute! Perhaps these people and their children are not worthy of American Jewry’s money. After all, in the leftist elite circles in which many American Jews run, the issue of Gush Katif and the Settlers is a political liability!)

Shame on you American Jewry! Aiding your brothers and sisters should be of more importance to you than the empty smiles of people who are your friends only as long as you agree with them. I can’t stand the political stances of Gush Shalom…but I would be there for those Jews if they needed my aid…simply because they are Jews.

And shame on you mainstream Israel! Israel promised the expelled residents of Gush Katif compensation packages and new permanent housing, employment, farm land and institutions of education.

Live up to those promises.

 

 

  

  

Ok now look, I was going to take some time this morning to write an article about Iran and Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip here in the States and his comments (Which I happen to agree with) but, the Militant Islamic weirdoes in Gaza that have their people brainwashed into thinking it’s cool to act as human shields have stolen the day’s headlines and so I’ve changed the thrust of this article.

 

I mean in the morning news on Yahoo! This morning, in an article published by the Associated Press by a writer named Ibrahim Barzak (A Muslim writer no less!), there was this huge celebration by ‘Palestinian’ people and by Hamas in-particular and Hamas’ Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh celebrating the fact that lots of people showed up to block an Israeli air-strike against two different houses in the Gaza Strip that were targeted for housing terrorist weapons (I.E. bomb making supplies, rocket making supplies, etc.), and celebrating that they were able to make Israel call off the strikes, giving the ‘Palestinians’ a victory in a sense.

 

The first thing one would wonder is how did these throngs of ‘Palestinians’ even know that Israel was going to make a strike at these homes? Did Hamas tip them off? Did Fatah talk to Israeli informants and then make a mad dash to a radio station to blare the news to the faithful to gather and defend homes against the Zionist enemy?

 

No.

 

Israel routinely issues warnings to those in such homes to get out of them BEFORE a strike occurs in order to reduce or completely prevent human casualties. Bad Israel! Bad! How dare you care about human life! Remember Beit Hanoun! That’s your REAL self!

 

That’s what those who play the media game would have their readers and listeners believe anyway. But Israel really and truly does care about human life…even the lives of those who want to destroy Israel. (I bet the mainstream media didn’t mention that in Beit Hanoun after the Israeli tank shelling, that it was Israeli emergency medical personnel that came and took the wounded to Israeli hospitals to be cared for by Israeli doctors and nurses.)

 

But I digress. I’m talking about ‘Palestinian’ human shields.

 

"We are so proud of this national stand. It's the first step toward protecting our homes, the homes of our children," Haniyeh said as he made his way to the roof of the house, decorated during the night with black and green flags symbolizing the Popular Resistance Committees and Hamas groups.

 

What a hypocrite! Hamas has routinely used human shields when fighting on the ground with Israeli troops. And during those battles it didn’t matter if the human shields were willing or not. It just didn’t matter to Hamas. When kids died in street battles with Israeli soldiers, by and large it was because some stupid father or mother actually WENT to the battle site WITH their kids to see what was going on…or perhaps to become a martyr and get to Paradise that much faster. Or, the militant terrorists would run through the streets with their Kalashnikovs and duck and dodge through crowds of innocent civilians; they would get back behind the crowds and then fire through them toward the Israeli soldiers. Hamas, Fatah, the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Islamic Jihad, all of them used the same tactics. And masters of the media that they are, they spun the stories so that it appeared Israel was intentionally killing kids in the streets of Gaza.

 

Whatever.

 

It just sickens me that the likes of Haniyeh can get regular every day people to willingly come and act as human shields. And of course they think they are protecting their homes etc. from Israel. Now however, somehow I doubt that these regular everyday folks are completely stupid. I doubt that they are completely ignorant of Israel’s reasons for coming to destroy those houses with the weaponry hidden inside. No…of course these people are neither stupid nor blind.

 

It’s the West that is stupid and blind. It’s Israel’s current leaders who are stupid and blind to think that the regular, everyday ‘Palestinian’ Arab wants peace. It was these lemmings who elected Hamas in a landslide election in the first place. And it was based (Sure on the idea that Hamas wasn’t as corrupt as Fatah) but mainly on the premise that Hamas would lead them ultimately to victory over Israel.

 

It always comes down to hatred of Israel over advancement of themselves as a people.

 

Do you know why? There are NO ‘Palestinian’ people. They have no distinct culture. They are the same peoples as Iraq and Egypt. In fact their ancestry can be traced back to either country. Just take note of their family names.

 

So what we have here are willing, perverse sacrificial lambs hearing and answering the call of Haniyeh, their wolf-like, criminal shepherd. A man who knows his neck ought to be on the chopping block, but who has no problem offering up the masses in his place.

 

  "Death to Israel. Death to America," the crowds chanted. Local mosques and Palestinian TV and radio stations also mobilized supporters. It was the first time Palestinians have formed human shields to prevent an air-strike.

 

            Yeah, and these guys have the gall to still ask for American money? “Death to America!” they shout. Wake up Americans! These guys are not friends of the West any more than they are friends of Israel.

 

Those chants sure sound like those of peace makers don’t they?

 

"These Palestinian masses have come to defeat the Zionist swords which are targeting our heads and the heads of our fighters," said Nizar Rayan, a Hamas leader in northern Gaza. "Look we are defeating them," he added, pointing to Israeli warplanes overhead in the night sky.

 

Nizar Rayan is right. The ‘Palestinians’ are winning. They will continue to win their vicious war not only with the “little Satan” Israel, but joining hands with their ideological brothers the Iranians through Hizbullah, they’ll win against “the great Satan” America by proxy when the Iranian madmen get their hands on nuclear weapons.

 

They will continue to win as long as Israeli leaders care more for the opinions of Europe and Russia (Both of whom are in bed with Iran and Islam in general) than they do for the security needs of Israel.

 

With this new tactic shown by the consensus of the ‘Palestinians’, Israel will have to adopt a new strategy of her own.

 

1.      I would suggest not telling terrorists you are going to bomb them beforehand.

2.      I would suggest not allowing their bomb makers and other terrorists to leave, thereby saving their lives.

3.      I would suggest not giving people like Haniyeh the opportunity to gloat and offer up media sound bites that show Israel’s leaders looking ineffectual and wimpy.

 

If there is intelligence that shows there is infrastructure that is definitely being used to make attacks against Israel proper, attacks which are not just terrorist attacks but actual acts of war approved by the “legitimate” government of ‘Palestine’, then Israel’s leaders should act on that intelligence, give no warning, no quarter, bomb the enemy back into the stone age, and not worry about the simpering and whining of those that don’t face similar survival issues.

 

I highly doubt Haniyeh and the rest could effectively make terrorist attacks with sticks and stones. But, maybe without the means to make war, they would be forced to make peace.

 

Nah... Somehow I doubt that too. Fanaticism doesn’t know a thing about making peace…whether you’ve been bombed back into the Stone Age or you are a futuristic, high tech society.

 

It’s Sad.

 

 

 

 

It’s about time someone took Uri Avnery of the Gush Shalom movement to task over his extremely disloyal and treacherous writings which I recently read on Middle-East Online.com, a website apparently devoted to Arab and Islamic apologetics.

 First, I have to say that Mr. Avnery’s early life was commendable. He was a member of the Irgun, fought in the 1948 Israeli War of Independence (Alternatively called the 1948 Arab-Israeli War) as a member of the Samson’s Foxes Jeep Unit, during the 1950’s he was an alternative journalist publishing and editing Haolam Hazeh, he was twice a member of the Knesset.

 Now however, since 1993 he has been a leader and was indeed the founding member of the ultra left-wing peacenik movement Gush Shalom. After having read his article which was posted in Middle-East Online.com entitled “In One Word: Massacre!” it comes as no surprise that Uri Avnery is also a committed secularist with an anti-religious world view.

 It is clear that Mr. Avnery’s dovish views lend themselves dramatically well to the arguments of Israel’s enemies. It makes me truly wonder what tragic event occurred in Uri’s life to cause him to so dramatically side with the intellectual leftist elites that seem to think they have all the right answers to every question when it comes to making peace with the Arab Muslims. (And of course…every right answer for them means capitulating to and indeed, siding with the Arab Muslims and agreeing with their world view. For those of Mr. Avnery’s ilk, is it not a self-defeating, self-loathing, self-Jew-hating stance that they have taken?)

 In his article which I mentioned above, Uri Avnery makes a case against the IDF and the events the tragic events which occurred in Beit Hanoun. He says of the event:

“It was indeed an accident, a tragedy, an event and an incident. But most of all it was a massacre. M-a-s-s-a-c-r-e.

The word "accident" suggests something for which no one is to blame - like being struck by lightning. A tragedy is a sad event or situation, like that of the New Orleans inhabitants after the disaster. The event in Beit Hanoun was sad indeed, but not an act of God - it was an act decided upon and carried out by human beings.”

            What the!? Did I just read that correctly? The tank shelling of a civilian house in Beit Hanoun by an Israeli tank was deemed an accident, a mis-firing of equipment. Yes, it was an act decided upon and carried out by human beings…but the fact of the matter is that the Jerusalem Post says that:

            “the fine line between success and failure when targeting Qassam launch sites: "In this case, the distance between the two was a mere 600 meters, not a near-miss perhaps, but the kind of miss that is going to happen, due to human error, on an average of at least one in every few hundred artillery shells."

            These sort of sad tragedies occur in war situations. Civilians get killed. If anyone thinks otherwise then they have forgotten the events of World War 2 and just about every other major conflict in the past century. 

            Avnery goes on to comment:

“Any suggestion of equivalence between Qassams and artillery shells, an idea which has been adopted even by some of the Peaceniks, is completely false. And not only because there is no symmetry between occupier and occupied. Hundreds of Qassams launched during more than a year have killed one single Israeli. The shells, missiles and bombs have already killed many hundreds of Palestinians.”

            Excuse me? Occupier and occupied? Did Uri somehow miss the expulsion of Jews from Gaza? (Under a right-wing government no less!?) Just because the ‘Palestinian’ Arabs can’t get their act together and act as a responsible, honest and upright nation deserving of international recognition, just because they cannot stop their infernal Jew hatred long enough to cease continual terrorist attacks or attempts at attacks against Israel proper, just because they cannot cease arming themselves not to protect or police themselves but to build an army with which to fight Israel, leaving Israel no recourse but to still control the air-ways, the borders between Israel and Gaza, and the sea that touches Gaza…does NOT MEAN GAZA IS STILL OCCUPIED.

It is Judenrein!

            That is…until Israelis get sick to death of daily rocket attacks into Israeli population centers, leaving no alternative but to militarily go BACK into Gaza and kick the asses of the idiots who are sabotaging their own chances at peace and nation building.

            I suppose Uri thinks it is the ‘Palestinian’ people’s right to fire off rockets into Israeli cities. (And no…it doesn’t make a difference that the Kassams have not killed very many people. It’s not Israel’s fault that Islamic Jihad and Hamas can’t aim very well, or that their rockets are not too accurate.) Thank G-d they’re NOT that accurate! There would be lots more civilian deaths, Israeli civilian deaths if they were. I suppose Uri might actually be pleased to see something like that occur. After all, the poor ‘Palestinians’ would only be exacting revenge for being “occupied” right?

            I recently saw a video on CNN showing a Hamas military training camp. The previous Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim was being rebuilt and used by Hamas commanders. The cement was even supplied by Israel! Talk about ironic. When Hamas has an army sitting on Israel’s doorstep, and the war that is undoubtedly coming hits…I wonder if Uri will be so quick to side with his buddies the Izzedine al Qassam? When he’s got a Russian made Kalishnikov rifle stuck in his ear and his head is about to be blown off because he is an Israeli and a Jew, what will he think about the M.A.S.S.A.C.R.E. that the Arab Muslims want to inflict on the Zionist enemy in their midst?

           

 

It is high time that Israel retake Gaza.

With daily Kassam rocket attacks, deadly attacks that the mainstream media continually characterize as "homemade", the 'Palestinians' prove over and over and over that their goal is neither peace nor a two-state solution.

Hamas will never recognize Israel's right to exist and despite Mahmoud Abbas' hopes that filling up the Palestinian cabinet with independent "experts" will largely mean that Hamas is ceding authority to them and to Fatah, it is wise to remember that the 'Palestinian' people as a whole elected Hamas because they actually hate Israel.

The recent Kassam attack on the southern Israeli town of Sderot killed a 57 year old woman and took the limb of one of Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz's body guards, (A mangling the mainstream media only called "The serious wounding" of the Defense Minister's body guard. Somehow "serious wounding" doesn't convey the impact of losing an arm or a leg does it?)

The two larger terror groups in Gaza, Islamic Jihad and Hamas both claimed responsibility for the Kassam attack and said that it was in retaliation for the Israeli  tank shelling of a civilian house in Beit Hanoun. However, it is wise to remember that the Kassam attacks against Israel (Which take place in Israel proper) happen on an almost daily occurrence. This, despite the fact that Israel LEFT Gaza, uprooted all the Jewish settlers etc.

So what is the "struggle against the occupation" still going on for? How is Gaza being "Occupied"? The Jews left! Just like Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the 'Palestinian' people wanted! The state of Israel pulled out the carpet from under the feet of those who use "occupation" as an excuse for violence...but the violence continues. Not only that, but the security situation for Israel is now becoming intolerable. It is becoming a very, very, very dangerous situation because of continued, huge arms smuggling into Gaza from Egypt and elsewhere. Hamas has taken a page from Hizbullah and decided to Lebanoninize Gaza.

I don't see two peoples wanting to make peace. I see a war weary Israel struggling with their hands held out all day long for peace, and an Arab 'Palestinian' public in Gaza that still froths at the mouth for Israel's destruction and the oft longed for, "pushing the Jews into the sea" scenario.

For those of you who wish to detract from my arguments and say I am delusional by pointing to the catastrophe at Beit Hanoun recently when an Israeli tank shell killed 18 civilians, let me put some things into context for you.

1. Israel left Gaza to allow the 'Palestinian' people to control terrorism on their own, to develop their own lives and culture free of a Jewish presence.

2. Despite this, terror attacks increased against Israel proper, by Islamic terror groups including Islamic Jihad, Hamas and others.

3. Israel re-entered Gaza in a limited military incursion to carry out operations against those who were launching the Kassam rocket attacks which I remind readers happen almost daily against Israeli population centers.

4. The tanks shelling in Beit Hanoun appears to have been an equipment malfunction. The Jerusalem Post notes the fine line between success and failure when targeting Qassam launch sites: "In this case, the distance between the two was a mere 600 meters, not a near-miss perhaps, but the kind of miss that is going to happen, due to human error, on an average of at least one in every few hundred artillery shells."

5. There is a major difference in values between Israeli forces and the Palestinian terrorists who are operating from within Beit Hanoun. While Israel does not intentionally set out to harm innocent civilians, those who continue to launch Qassams fully intend to cause the maximum amount of death and destruction irrespective of the effectiveness or otherwise of these missiles. It is also irrespective of whether the target is military or civilian. (Although in this case I should remind you that an attack on an Israeli military base INSIDE Israel, should be considered an act of war...not of resistance.)

Israel always seems to be in trouble when Israeli leaders start listening to the grumblings of other world powers. For some reason, everyone seems to forget what really happened in 1948 when five Arab armies attacked the newly declared Jewish state the day after its declaration. They seem to forget that the 'Palestinian' Arabs left of their own free will because they thought those Arab armies would wipe out the Jews and then they could just go back to their homes and celebrate another Islamic victory. But that didn't happen. The Jews won, miraculously...due to the God of Israel's intervention I believe, and not really due too much to the help of any Western power, and the Arabs have been upset that the god of Islam was defeated. It's a slap in the face to their religion that the Jews won. I think that's the truth regardless of whether secular Israeli Jews OR Islamic fundamentalists want to admit it.

Now, the descendants of those Arabs who left, call themselves 'Palestinians' despite the fact that there was no national identity as such previous to the 1960s. They still hate the Jews and they still hate Israel. They still long for Israel to be wiped off the map and people like Iran's Ahmadenijad and Iraq's Saddam Hussein are their heroes. The international community has bought into a lie and Israel has been unwise in capitulating to almost every demand. If they capitulate further they really will push themselves back  into their pre-1967 borders leaving Israel in a very difficult to defend position. If they capitulate further after that, the Jews will have pushed themselves into the sea and will have done the Islamic terrorists' work for them. Or do Israelis in general really believe that once they have gone back to pre-1967 borders, the 'Palestinians of Gaza, armed with weapons from Egypt, won't attack together with Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Iran? The overwhelming threat of numbers together with a strategic upper hand will lend teeth and a sudden surge of bravery to those that attacked Israel before. They'll want revenge for being defeated long ago...and they'll want to prove that their religion is indeed correct.

No.  It is time to annex all of the West Bank and call the land by its rightful name...Judea/Samaria. It is time to tell the world to take a flying leap. It is time to stop leaning on the shoulder of the United States because the USA is like Egypt of old...if people will remember, the God of Israel through the prophets told Israel to stop leaning on Egypt for support in times of trouble because Egypt was a stick that would break under Israel's weight. But, the God of Israel has always been there if His people would just call on His name. It is time to trust Him again and LIVE in the land He promised.

Yes, the time to take a stand against the foolishness of the West and the bleeding heart liberals is now. It is time to retake all of Gaza.

Ah! That delightful British Limey, Tony Blair is once again spewing nonsense!

In an Associated Press article by David Stringer, British Prime Minister Tony Blair had this to say concerning his desire for Iran's development into a regional stabilizing force:

"The West should press Iran to help stem bloodshed in neighboring Iraq, and build stability across the Middle East." (I wonder if his little speech has to do with the fact that London has become Londonistan with the huge influx of Pakistani and other Muslims? Is he feeling intimidated because: "The U.K. is at the forefront of the wrath of extremists," said Magnus Ranstorp, terrorism researcher for the Swedish National Defense College in Stockholm.) ???

He got one thing correct however when he said:

"A major part of the answer to Iraq lies not in Iraq itself but outside it, in the whole of the region where the same forces are at work, where the roots of this global terrorism are to be found, where the extremism flourishes."

All well and good. Yes indeed, the answers SHOULD be found in the whole region where the same forces of extremism are found. But they won't be. Do you know why? Iranians have no love for Arabs number one. They are Persian by and large. And if you recall back in the 1980's they were involved in a long war with Iraq themselves. They have no love for the Iraqi people despite the fact that they are all Muslims.

Wait a minute! News flash Mr. Blair! The Iraqi people are almost entirely all Muslims! And they have no love for those of their own nationality! What makes you think they would accept help from Iranians!?

Sunni, Shiite, Druze...Whatever. Differences in sects. I've heard it compared to Catholic vs. Protestant fighting and then I've heard it compared to the differences between Mormon sects. But by and large you don't see Christians of any sect running around beheading one another. You might have had an awful time of it in Ireland, but the case could be argued that it was a fight between Pro-British forces and Anti-British forces there more than a real religious argument.

There have been some reports that more than half of all violent conflicts in the world today involve Muslim "extremists". I have heard that there are over 1 billion Muslims in the world. If only 10 percent of those were "extremists" that would equal what? "Ten Million Extremists?" Kinda freaky when you think about it.

Although Iran is not an Arab country, they are still quite serious about their Islam there. And Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has publicly called for the destruction of Israel.

(Of course we all know the Brits' REAL feelings about Jews. It's been no real secret since British warships turned ships full of Jewish refugees from war torn Europe back from then "Palestine" and caused most of them to perish in Hitlers ovens. Yep, that was our friends the Brits' fault right there. If you go even farther back, they were one of the first European countries to kick Jews out...such as the Expulsion of Jews from England in 1290. To be fair there have been individual men and women from Great Britain who have been stalwart friends to the Jewish people and most of them were devout Christians. But by and large the nation as a whole is quite prejudiced with their noses perpetually stuck in the air.)

Tony Blair wants to encourage the STRENGTH of a madman like Ahmadinejad and of a nation of extremists? Am I missing something here? Can the man not see the Hitler-like rhetoric? Can Mr. Blair not see that DECREASING radical Islam is better for world peace than increasing it? Encourage Ahmadinejad and you will encourage millions of other little Hitlers around the world. Encourage Ahmadinejad and you will encourage the al Assad's, the King Abdullahs, and the rest of the Muslim world that froths at the mouth for Israel's destruction.

More importantly, if you encourage Ahmadinejad, you will also encourage the Russians who are not now, nor ever truly have been friends of the West. Arms sales to Iran by Russia have never stopped. Russian advisors lurk in the halls of Tehran. And China and Russia both will stand by Iran because they like the Iranian's oil. Make no mistake, when communism fell, it didn't really fall. It went into hiding. Those in Russia who were truly in power kept their power...they just changed their name. It has always been a waiting game with the Russians and they are incredibly good at it. If they cannot beat the West now, well then they will wait, they will shape-shift, they will play googley eyes with American Presidents and allow them to see into the soul they wish them to see, and when the time is right they'll shape-shift back into the predators they always were to begin with.

The downward spiral of the world toward war begins as always...with appeasement.

The situation also begs the question...if Great Britain tries to appease the Iranians, and indeed wants to encourage them...where does that leave their tenuous relationship with Israel? More importantly...if it came down to it, would America support Great Britain's folly? Or would America support Israel? Because Israel most certainly will never appease the likes of Ahmadinejad.

I think we all know the answer to that. We would support Israel. Only it would be in word...and not in deed. But then...what's new?

I find it interesting that the Hamas led Palestinian government is now wishing to attend an international peace conference with Israel, as if this somehow makes them a legitimate peace partner.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas endorsed a statement by Arab foreign ministers calling for the peace conference during a meeting in Cairo to respond to a U.S. veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the recent Israeli Gaza offensive.
Zahar said the Palestinians had asked for the peace conference "in order to reach just and comprehensive solutions."

I can tell Minister Zahar exactly what those just and fair solutions would entail.

1. Return the kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit to the Israelis.
2. Adhere to every previous agreed upon benchmark.
3. Adhere to existing agreements already made between Israel and the Palestinian people.
4. Renounce terror as a means to gain political ground.
5. Recognize Israel's right to exist. (And mean it.)

In light of a recent call by Hamas law makers for the U.S. to pay a heavy price for supporting Israel, (a not so very veiled threat of terror against American interests,) I believe it is in Israel's best interest not to listen to terrorist groups that talk out of both sides of their mouths as Hamas is wont to do.

It is normal for Hamas (As well as other Islamic terrorists) to say one thing to the Arabic press in Arabic...and something quite different in English for their "western friends."

It is in America's interests to continue withholding  millions of dollars in international aid and tax revenues to the Palestinians as long as Hamas is in power.

For those of you who still don't know, Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization. (Read, terrorist organization, and is on the U.S. State Department's list of terror groups) The group's military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, (As if their "political wing" is somehow less responsible for terror acts), has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians as well as attacks against the Israeli military.

 Arab League statements said ministers sought a conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "according to international resolutions and the principle of 'land for peace'."

Arabs want Hamas to endorse a 2002 Arab initiative that calls for peace in exchange for land seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war -- the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

To this I would like to remind my readers that Ehud Barak, Israel's former prime minister offered Arafat a Palestinian state in the majority of the West Bank and all of the Gaza Strip with an outlying suburb of East Jerusalem as its capital. The final proposal proffered by Barak would have meant establishment of Palestinian State on 90-91% of the West Bank and the whole of the Gaza Strip. Israel would annex the resting 9-10% of the West Bank encompassing large settlement blocs, in exchange for land in the Negev. In addition, under the Israeli proposal, Israel would retain some control of the Palestinian state's borders, customs, and defense. Also included in the offer was a return of a small number of refugees and compensation for the rest, Barak also stated he would be willing accept two capitals - a Palestinian-controlled Al Quds next to an Israeli Jerusalem.

Yassir Arafat, the most recognizable Palestinian leader ever, turned down the offer. With extremists, it is always all or nothing. The principle of Land for Peace should be dead. Any Israeli leader (Including Olmert!) who would again go down this oft trodden path, is yet again believing the lies of those whos' goal has ever been to push the Jew into the Sea.

For, once pushed back into the 1967 borders, Israel will have once again placed itself into an almost indefensible position. This is a desirable thing for those that continue to wish for Israel's destruction. Once Israel has given up land for peace once again, there will be some other excuse for there to be a new intefadeh, and once again there will be no peace unless Israel gives up yet MORE land. It's a cycle that anyone with eyes to see can see.

America (And Israel too actually, Israeli leaders in particular would be wise to keep this scripture in mind) itself would be in deep folly to push the Israelis into agreements of Land for Peace, not only for religious, Biblical reasons...keeping in mind that Israel is the Apple of G-d's eye, and that in the Prophets, G-d gets rather angry with those who would divide His land...

Joel 3:2 NIV-

       I will gather all nations
       and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. ^[a]
       There I will enter into judgment against them
       concerning my inheritance, my people Israel,
       for they scattered my people among the nations
       and divided up my land.

And for my Jewish Readers:

From the Jewish Virtual Library Tanach online:

Joel chapter 4:2-

I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land.


...but also for security reasons, for maintaining a strong democracy in the Middle East. Lets face it folks...Iraq is not going to be a strong democracy any time soon. In fact I would not be surprised to see it become a country ruled by Islamic Law and be more of a theocracy. No, for America...and for the Western way of thought, Israel is the shining beacon of the Middle East. There are plenty of secular reasons to support Israel without getting all Biblical.

Hamas needs to be marginalized if not eradicated, and the Western media and Western governments should do all in their power to keep them from being seen as legitimate anywhere in the world so long as they hold Israel's demise as their primary goal rather than the good of their own people.

This past Friday, there was a gay pride event held in Jerusalem. There were all kinds of calls for the mayor of the city and the courts to prevent an actual parade, and indeed the gay community backed down and asked instead for a gay pride "event" instead. They were granted that request and the event went on in a much smaller venue.

The calls to prevent the parade came from clerics of all three major monotheistic religions and the gays went screaming about intolerance. Now, to be fair, it seems the gay community in Israel was a bit more respectful than other communities such as those in the States, in particular those in San Francisco and New York City. Only three men in the entire event in Jerusalem took their shirts off, and it was 90 degree weather. Nothing weird about that. Straight men do that all the time.

However, the gay community across the board seem to think it is all the religious conservatives fault that those who are religious don't want to have huge hedonistic displays flaunted throughout the world's most "Holy" city. I cannot say I blame those religious conservatives one bit if you have no other example to go by than other Gay Pride Parades that have been held around the world.

At a time when Israel is reeling from the recent war in Lebanon and daily rocket attacks by Palestinian terrorists, causing Israeli security forces, Jerusalem Police etc. to have to focus their attention on protecting a Gay Pride Parade instead of allowing Israel's already strained security personnel to watch out for Islamic terror is the height of selfish and disgusting behaviour on the part of the gay community in general.

Is it right for the conservatives in Israel to threaten the gay community? Of course not. But it is also not very respectful of the gay community to flaunt their sexuality in the faces of those who disagree with them. Do the Ultra-Orthodox or other Datim flaunt their sexuality? I think not. Why can't gays be gay in the privacy of their own homes? They don't have to deny that they are gay. But what is the point of thrusting yourself before someone and being like...

"Excuse me...did you know I'm gay? Well I am. I am gay. I just want you to know that. See this guy here? He's my lover. Did you know he's my lover? Well he is. In fact, I am SO proud of the fact that we are both gay and that we are gay lovers, that we are going to take off almost all of our clothing if not all, and show you how proud I am of my partner's private parts. You know why? Cause we're gay. And I want all of Jerusalem and Israel to acknowledge the beauty of my partner's private parts. And if you don't like that...well then you are homophobic, rude and totally against human rights."

It's ridiculous.

Thankfully, as I said above, the gay community in Israel showed remarkable restraint and at least marginal respect by holding their event in a secular part of the city, and by withdrawing their request for a permit to have a parade.  I applaud them for that maturity.

Following the event, and perhaps not even in connection with it, pop artist Elton John had this to say in an Associated Press interview posted on Foxnews.com:

"But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion," he said. "From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate."

Religious leaders have also failed to do anything about tensions and conflicts around the world, he said.

"Why aren't they having a conclave? Why aren't they coming together?" he asked.

John said those in his own field have been similarly lax.

 It's like the peace movement in the '60s. Musicians got through to people by getting out there and doing peace concerts, but we don't seem to do them any more," he said. "If John Lennon were alive today, he'd be leading it with a vengeance."

I have a response for Mr. Elton John. First, dude I love your singing and your music. "Daniel" was an awesome song.

Second, I am sorry to hear your views on religion. I think they are mistaken. I cannot speak for Islam, but from a Judeo/Christian perspective, there should not be any hate for those in the gay community. There are however, and should be, legitimate reasons for believing that homosexuality is a choice and is not something you are born with in your genes.

If G-d did indeed make you that way, then the entire Bible is wrong because it says G-d thinks that for a man to lie with a man as a man lies with a woman is an abomination. (Leviticus 20:13)

Why would G-d make someone that way and then say it was an abomination? An eyesore? An atrocity?

You can't have it both ways. Either the G-d of the Bible is right, and you are wrong by saying that "G-d" made you that way, Or there is some other god which no one but the gay community knows that is making everyone, and in particular making you a homosexual.

From a religious standpoint, everyone is tempted in one way or another. It is just as much a "sin" for example for a man to commit adultery as it is for a man to commit a homosexual act.  It is a man's choice whether or not he will indeed sleep with someone elses wife...just as it is his choice as to whether he will allow his lust to cause him to go to bed with another man sexually. (This could go for women too.)

You either choose to follow and believe what G-d has said, or you do not. Gays choose to not follow those rules. That's their choice, and it is not any man or woman's place to judge or condemn them. We've all slipped when it comes to following G-d and we've all gone our own way.

The difference is the gay community sees nothing wrong with being disobedient to a G-d they don't really believe exists.

In the end, we'll all find out the truth, no matter which way we choose. Whatever your choice though, you included Mr. John, you had better be right.

Oh! And one last side note: Why say that John Lennon would be leading the musical peace movement. "If only he were here now!" you say. What's stopping you from holding peace concerts Elton?

And those are my thoughts on the matter.