Doc's Talk: "Decidedly Negative"

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

"Decidedly Negative"

What's negative? Oh, I won't say everything. Should never say that. But there's a great deal that is, and the sense one gets when surveying the situation is an enormous weariness.

Let's begin with coalition formation here in Israel. PM Netanyahu was given 28 days to form that new coalition. By my calculation, his mandate from President Peres began on February 3, which brings us to this Sunday, March 3. He can then request an extension of 14 additional days. After that, if he has no government, he will have struck out.

Maybe he will get his act together. A good number of people continue to think so. (See the latest news, below.) But he'd better hustle. So far, the only one officially on board is Tzipi Livni and her party of the same name. Already there's dissension within her party, because she seemed to have passed over number two on the list, Amram Mitzna, for number three, Amir Peretz, with regard to a ministry. Although this is hardly worth belaboring, it gives a sense of how disorganized, how unpleasant, matters are.

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Good old Tzipi. She has given an interview to (the US) Channel 2's program "Meet the Press," during which she said that she objected to construction in E1, as well as in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo. We should renew negotiations with the PA, she said (although she did not indicate how that would happen if the PA was unwilling to do so) and “avoid provocations that only turn the world against us.”

No surprise that she would say this -- it's a reiteration of her earlier refrain as foreign minister. But it remains just as offensive as it was the first time around.

As to the building in Ramat Shlomo, it's been on the books for years. It was back in 2010 that a routine announcement was made about the building while VP Biden was here. The Americans went ballistic, claiming we had embarrassed the vice president, and so the project was shelved. That is, until this past December. As I write, no actual building has been started. And if Tzipi had her way, it would never start, so as to keep the US and EU content.

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Neither Bennett of Habayit Hayehudi or Lapid of Yesh Atid have yet joined the coalition. And there is question as to whether Shas will -- and whether Shas and Yesh Atid will sit together. As well as whether Lapid and Bennett will continue to honor their reputed agreement that neither would join the coalition without the other.

We are facing a world that is smoldering and close to going up in flames, and the first order of business now should be coming together in strength to cope with the threats Israel faces.

And so I have had limited patience with the fact that, at least until now, coalition discussions have reportedly revolved around such issues as whether hareidi yeshiva students will have military deferments until age 21 or age 24, whether there will be 200 exemptions or 1,000. Yes, these issues must be resolved, slowly, in my opinion. In the long run it's important for the country. But first things first.

The qualified positive news -- as I write -- is that Bennett has said that for the first time negotiations with Likud are making progress: "have finally begun to deal with essence [policies that would be adopted by the government]. This is good news."

Credit: Flash 90

The next meeting between Likud-Beitenu and Bayit Hayehudi is said to be critical. And Yesh Atid? Not part of these negotiations, apparently -- although Lapid is aware of them. He has to make a decision as to whether to also join the coalition. (That means, the way I'm reading it, that it's not that he's being excluded, which would mean Bennett broke the deal, but that it's not clear if he wants in.)

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Let's look, briefly, at some of the ways in which the world is smoldering:

The Palestinian Arab violence in Judea and Samaria has not abated, but, if anything, has increased. This is all about the prisoners, but now with a new hook. On Saturday, Arafat Jaradat, who had been arrested because of his involvement in street violence, died in the Megiddo Prison.

His death is said by Israeli authorities to be the result of heart failure. At first it was thought a heart attack killed him. An autopsy, which ruled that out, has found no evidence of foul play and no definitive reason for his death. Some signs of external injury were found that are consistent with attempts to resucusitate him -- such as broken ribs, but not sufficient to explain his death. More tests are being run.

See here for an article about how CPR resuscitation can legitimately cause broken ribs and more:

http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id=60191

The Palestinian Authority is claiming that he died as the result of torture. Declared Abbas, "Israel wants anarchy by killing our children." The funeral, attended by thousands, was in the village of Sa'ir near Hevron yesterday. Jaradat was given a 21 gun salute at his funeral. A hero. A martyr.

Credit: Guardian (uk)

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PM Netanyahu has sent messages, both directly and via third parties, to the Palestinian Authority, telling them to use their influence to cool the riots. This was seen as a way of telling Abbas that he was seen as having control here.

There are at present varying opinions at the whether the violence will cool down. Right after the funeral, it was high. Roughly 150 Arabs tossed Molotov cocktails, and improvised grenades at IDF soldiers at Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem, endangering worshippers at the Tomb as well. There were also 500 rioting in Beitunya, 100 rioting near Kalkilya, and clashes between some 50 Palestinian Arabs and Israeli security in Beit Omar. Another 200 rioted in Beit Anunu, while Hevron was the site of violence as well.

A statement by Abbas yesterday, however, is being interpreted by some as a sign that he did want to cool it without seeming to back down: "We know how to act and we won't allow them [Israelis] to drag us to their square."

Seems to me wishful thinking, as the violence has continued during the day today.

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There are two interpretations of what this violence now is about.

One position maintains that this is the beginning of a new intifada and the other, that this is a tactic being employed before Obama visits. The two positions are not mutually exclusive.

Khaled Abu Toameh says this:

"There are many signs that the Palestinian Authority is seeking to escalate tensions in the West Bank ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to the region next month.
"Although the Palestinian Authority probably does not want an all-out confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis at this stage, some Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah believe that a 'mini-intifada' would serve the Palestinians' interests, especially on the eve of Obama's visit.
"The officials hope that scenes of daily clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in the West Bank will prompt Obama to exert pressure on the Israeli government to make far-reaching concessions to the Palestinian Authority.
"This is why the Palestinian Authority leadership has been encouraging its constituents lately to wage a 'popular intifada' against Israel, each time finding another excuse to initiate confrontations between Palestinians and Israel.
"...By encouraging a 'popular intifada,' the Palestinian Authority leadership is hoping to bring the Palestinian issue back to the top of the agenda of the US Administration and Israel.
"Palestinian Authority officials have in recent months expressed concern over the lack of interest in the Palestinian issue both in the US and Israel.
"The Palestinians have been absent from speeches delivered by Obama over the past few months, and the majority of parties that ran in the last Israeli elections did not even mention the Palestinian issue.
"But now that all eyes are once again turned toward the Middle East in anticipation of Obama's planned visit, the Palestinian Authority is working hard to draw the world's attention to the Palestinian issue, and hoping to achieve its goal by encouraging clashes between Palestinian protesters and the IDF and Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
"Although the violence has thus far remained on a low flame, it is expected to intensify as the date of Obama's visit approaches." (Emphasis added)
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3598/palestinians-plan-violence
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Note that Abu Toameh says, "...the Palestinian Authority probably does not want an all-out confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis at this stage," which means they may seek a larger confrontation later.
But even if the PA intends to foment only a "mini" intifada, matters could well get out of hand.
What fascinates me is that the PA believes that by behaving violently they can gain points with Obama. They are not necessarily wrong. But how perverse is this situation. Violence works. The Palestinian Arabs should receive concessions when they've put aside violence, and show eagerness for genuine compromise, and only then.
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A Grad Katyusha rocket was fired from Gaza into Ashkelon this morning. The first time that this has happened since the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in November. No one was injured but a road was damaged.
A connection between this and the increased violence in Judea and Samaria?
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According to several sources, Assad has fled from the border area of the Golan, which is now controlled by rebel forces.
“The regime wants the rebels to take control of all villages on the border area so that Israel intervenes in the conflict, and then Assad can accuse Israel of conspiring against him,” according to Aiman Abu-Jable, an anti-Assad activist on the Israeli side of the Golan.
See here for further details:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/rebels-claim-to-control-syrian-side-of-israel-border/
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There are reports that Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah has flown to Iran for treatment for cancer. According to the Voice of Lebanon, he has severe cancer-related complications. Hezbollah is denying that he has died.
http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/02/26/hezbollah-denies-death-of-nasrallah-as-rumors-spread-he-is-in-iran-for-cancer-treatment/
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Top of the list in terms of our smoldering world is Iran/Hezbollah. But the subject is sufficiently complex so that I have decided to table serious discussion for my next posting.
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I will close with a very positive, inspiring Youtube -- "This is Israel: Resilience." We have so very much to be proud of. With all the frustrations, Israelis are special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q2nLAWVzU4&feature=player_embedded#!
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If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted.

See my website at www.arlenefromisrael.info Contact Arlene at akushner18@gmail.com

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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

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

"Decidedly Negative"

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Lost Historical Moments

WHAT Golda Meir actually said...

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

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

About Me

God Bless the USA- Lee Greenwood remembers 9-11