Doc's Talk: "Support Yaalon!"

Friday, August 21, 2009

"Support Yaalon!"

Arlene Kushner

Moshe "Bogie" Yaalon has been demonstrating courage and clarity of purpose of late. He has spoken out on a number of issues and is to be applauded for doing so. So often it happens: those who at one time seemed to support certain issues begin to view things differently once they become ministers. Or else they become strangely mute. After all, there is party allegiance to consider -- all-important for one's political future. And there is status, and the need to protect the perks of office.

We all know what I'm talking about. We've all felt the disappointment of hoping that a particular member of the government would take principled stands, only to find that he or she ultimately does not.

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But now it is becoming clear that we may have in Strategic Affairs Minister and Vice Premier Moshe Yaalon someone who actually cares more about his nation and his principles than he does about his political future.

This is not something that should go unnoticed or unsupported. In fact, Yaalon needs our support big time.

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For Zionist reasons, Yaalon was upset by the recent change in the law -- pushed through by Netanyahu -- regarding the Israel Land Authority, so that now private purchases are permitted of what has to date been Israel-owned land. He threatened to resign, and, in a deal with Netanyahu, was appointed head of a committee to decide on limits to that law.

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On Sunday, he spoke at a rally for Moshe Feiglin -- Netanyahu's ideological/political opponent and head of the Manhigut Yehudit faction within the Likud. In his speech, was which reported by Channel 2, Yaalon said:

"There are certain things we need to say – up to here. When you do things you don't believe in, you enter a slippery slope because they put pressure on you, and you keep rolling downwards."

"I, for one, am not afraid of the Americans. I believe that Jews have the right to live anywhere in the land of Israel forever."

He also criticized the far left. And it seems he singled out Peace Now, which he referred to as a "virus."

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Then on Monday, in the company of other ministers, Yaalon visited some "unauthorized" outposts in Samaria. Following the visit, he gave an interview explaining that so called "illegal" outposts are not actually "illegal," as they have approval from many sources already (as I've explained here), but just need a final approval that can still be provided -- making them fully legal.

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Well! Our prime minister is not responding positively to his minister of security. In fact, he summoned Yaalon to his office yesterday to register his discontents, which are numerous.

The prime minister's office then issued a statement:

"...the remarks made by Minister Ya'alon are unacceptable, neither in their essence nor in their style, and do not represent the government's stance.

"In the face of the pluralism of opinions in the Israeli public, the prime minister believes mutual respect and unity must be maintained. This is right for any time, and especially for these times."
And tonight Netanyahu is meeting with him again -- cutting his vacation short to do so. Reportedly he didn't like the implicit criticism of Obama and the support for the unauthorized outposts -- a position that flies in the face of Obama's demands that we take them down. (It should be mentioned -- it is surely not unrelated -- that Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Mitchell soon.) There was also, as has been made clear, distress over Yaalon's politically incorrect position with regard to the far left.

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I say bravo to Yaalon for being forthright in his positions. Wonderful indeed to know that someone high up in government is not being obsequious in his approach to the US (which is how I yesterday described
Netanyahu's decision to refrain from issuing building tenders in Judea and Samaria). A relief to hear someone say out loud that we have a right to live anywhere in the land we wish.

Yaalon should be cloned several times over. Particularly is this important as it turns out we have a prime minister who is not as attentive to the right flank of his coalition as he should be -- considering that he argued that it was because of the mandates achieved by the right that he should be given the first opportunity to try to form the coalition. Netanyahu's been slip-sliding leftward.

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Feiglin called the prime minister's summons of Yaalon an "overreaction," and I would agree.

"Ninety percent of the public agrees with what Ya'alon said, and the fact that Netanyahu is trying to scare him after saying it proves that he is acting not on behalf of the public but on behalf of the elites that control him," Feiglin said.

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Yaalon's spokesman said he knew the radio show was being taped, but that his views are clear and well known. Yaalon stands by what he said. (What? No backtracking? No hedging or double-talk? Also a pleasant state of affairs.)

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Peace Now called Yaalon "paranoid" and a "danger to Israeli democracy." This is an attempt to stifle him and read him out of the fold. In fact, this organization that legally does not exist has demanded that Netanyahu fire him.

Our self-serving, ever-political and ever-politically correct defense minister praised Peace Now (save us from this!) as "an integral part of the discourse in Israeli society."

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There is an essential "rightness" (double entendre intended) about Yaalon's positions. He must be praised for defending our prerogative in settling our land. As well, his readiness to stand independent of Obama is much welcome. How wearisome and ultimately destructive it becomes to try to please and second guess a US president who is essentially anti-Israel.

And, I would add, there is an issue of free speech in a democracy implicit in what's going on here. It is attempts to muzzle Yaalon that are properly labeled a "danger to Israeli democracy," not his speaking out. Those attempts need to be fought. Those of us who are on the right must not tolerate being relegated to the category of "kook" or "danger." It's a convenient corner into which too many of our adversaries have sought to push us.

As to the organizations on the far left, I can only concur most wholeheartedly with what Yaalon has said. I have done sufficient research to understand the ways in which these groups seek to undermine all that we stand for as a sovereign Jewish state. I will return to this issue, which is far too extensive too take on here. But you might like to take a look at my report on Adalah, for insight into what's going on:

http://www.israelbehindthenews.com/library/pdfs/InsideAdalah.pdf

Now I simply share my frequent distress at seeing far left organizations being given extraordinary latitude within our society to damage our society, all allegedly in the name of democracy. Thus, is Yaalon's forthrightness -- his readiness to take on the threat from within -- to be praised. He may have made it permissible at last to ask publicly, "What the hell is going on here?".

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And so, PLEASE! Let Bogie Yaalon know that you are grateful that he has said publicly what so many of us think, that he stands behind his principles and is willing to incur political costs to do so:

Minister for Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon

Fax: 02-6667516 Phone: 02-6408891 E-mail: myaalon@knesset.gov.il
Additionally, let Binyamin Netanyahu know that you are grateful for the principled and forthright statements of Yaalon and that you stand behind his right to espouse the positions he does without penalty:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

Fax: 02-670-5369

Phone: 03-610-9898
E-mail: pm_eng2@it.pmo.gov.il (underscore after pm)

And then, write to newspapers HERE IN ISRAEL (this is an Israeli issue!), in English and Hebrew, defending Yaalon and insisting on his right to speak out on his principles. Point out that the left would vilify him in order to silence him when his criticisms are legitimate. Do the same with blogs wherever and however it is possible.

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This is a beginning. It's clear, it's simple. It is important in fighting a fight that must be fought.

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see my website www.ArlenefromIsrael.info

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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