Doc's Talk: PM: Hebron violence is a pogrom

Sunday, December 07, 2008

PM: Hebron violence is a pogrom

Olmert opens cabinet meeting with attack on settlers' actions in West Bank city following evacuation of disputed house: 'As a Jew, I'm ashamed of the sights of Jews firing at Arabs in Hebron.' Cabinet approves NIS 695 milion increase to southern communities' fortification budget
Roni Sofer

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opened Sunday's cabinet meeting with an attack on Jewish settlers in Hebron, calling their violence over the weekend "a pogrom". "As a Jew, I'm ashamed of the sights of Jews firing at Arabs in Hebron. I have no other definition for what we saw but a pogrom. We are the sons of a nation which knows what a pogrom is, and I'm saying this after much thought. I have no other way to put it," he said.

West Bank Riots
Hebron shooting: 2 settlers turn themselves in / Efrat Weiss
Two Kiryat Arba residents suspected of wounding two Palestinians turn themselves in to Hebron police, say they were facing life danger when they fired at victims; Justice Minister laments security forces' inability to avert 'pogrom'
Full story
"I have asked the defense minister and other relevant elements to do all it takes, with all the strength needed and in any place controlled by the State of Israel, in order to stop this phenomenon. I hope there will be no more mercy towards the rioters among the settlers."

Olmert went on to address the situation in southern Israel, saying that "Israel has no plans to accept the violation of the truce as the terror organizations are brutally and violently doing.

"We entered the truce unenthusiastically, with hesitations, and said that if it takes place we will be able to reach a period of calm following ongoing terror. I spoke to the defense minister and the Israeli government will form a stance guaranteeing that this situation won't continue.

"We'll act firmly and reasonably, but won't hesitate, in order to restore peace," the prime minister added.

On Sunday afternoon, the cabinet approved the allotment of NIS 695 million (about $174 million) for the fortification of Gaza vicinity communities. Following the approval, some 6,000 housing units subject to rocket fire will be fortified in the coming years.

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, who led the demand for additional fortification along with the defense minister, said that "the fortification is crucial regardless of the IDF's offensive plans. The first line must always be protected."

The budget will be spent over the next three years, and the completion of the fortification of 4,400 additional housing units may take many more months, as the first stage of building bomb shelters approved last February has yet to be completed.

Livni: Person in charge of security must act
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said during the cabinet meeting that "there is no truce in Gaza. Those referring to it as a truce don't know what is going on there. The person responsible for our security must act. I'll work on the diplomatic level."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak stressed, on his part, "I'm aware of the situation in Gaza. This is a reality requiring reasoning, responsibility and diplomacy."

Teasing Livni, he added, "I know this is a hot political season and I'm aware of the residents' suffering, but the operation won't escape and I'm responsible."

A source close to Barak said that "Livni's idle chatter exceeds all good taste. Election campaign aside, when it comes to matters of security, the foreign minister should act more responsibly, instead of following the messages put in her mouth."

A Kadima source said in response that "Barak is weak and because he squinters at the radical Left, he doesn't do anything to stop the Qassam fire or the escalation in the south. Security is not achieved through restraint but through actions. Barak is not only unlikable and not very trendy; he is not even the defense minister, as far as Gaza is concerned."

Ongoing fire
The rocket fire from the Gaza Strip continued Sunday, with five Qassams and five mortar shells landing in open areas in the western Negev. Another rocket landed at the entrance to Sderot. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Six rockets and 10 mortar shells were fired into Israel over the weekend, prompting council heads in the Gaza vicinity to call for a response.

"We must respond with fire to the rocket fire from Gaza," an aide to Livni said Saturday night.

According to the foreign minister, a discussion on whether to continue the lull and under what conditions must be held now, as the truce "is anyway about to expire in a short while, and is not honored by the Palestinian side as it is. We must start rethinking what we plan to do."

Vice Premier Haim Ramon also called on the government not to wait. "The truce failed, both in terms of (kidnapped soldier) Gilad Shalit's release and in terms of the calm in the south.

"Missiles fired at the south over the weekend are an intolerable reality, and the lull must end now," he told Ynet.

PM: Conflict regarding security resolved
Also Sunday, Olmert briefed his ministers on the progress made between Education Minister Yuli Tamir, Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On and Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, regarding the conflict surrounding security details in educational facilities in Israel, saying it had been resolved.

The conflict between the ministries centered on who was to come up with the NIS 140 million (approx. $35 million) needed to fund security in schools. Sources in the Treasury confirmed that an agreement was reached; adding that it now pends the government's approval.

The National Union of Local Authorities (NULA) threatened to stage a school strike, after learning that the Public Security Ministry intended to cut back on security in schools.

Adi Eldar, head of the NULA welcomed the decision to continue funding schools' security, saying that he was "glad the government came to its senses and cancelled this delusional plan which would have placed our children in grave danger."

The NULA did warn, however, that if the Treasury "tries any tricks" they will of ahead with the planned strike.

Attila Somfalvi and Yaheli Moran Zelikovich contributed to this report

Comment: I offer a different interpretation. If you want to damage a group of people you ultimately intend to attack, you create situations and language that resonates with your population. You discredit the other group in the eyes of people who have voting power. You twist the "facts", you create new situations on the ground that damage the other group's credibility. Apply this to the"settlers"-by the way they are first Israeli citizens-they were encouraged to live in the disputed territory and now certain individuals want to discredit them-hmmm! I only suggest that it is imperative for all Israeli citizens to be skeptical of media reports, skeptical of PM statements and the government intentions.Local media have its own agenda-become more critical in your acceptance of the posts.

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The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

Doc's Talk