Doc's Talk: Saudis Way Ahead of Israel

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Saudis Way Ahead of Israel

Ariel Ben Solomon

Saudi Arabia is testing its 70 year US dependence.

Saudi Arabia has reacted with unusual bluntness to US moves at rapprochement with the kingdom's enemies in Tehran and Damascus, forcing President Barack Obama to either alter his stance or risk a breakdown in relations.

The Saudis are testing Obama, as they have seen how he tends to waver under pressure while trying to keep both sides happy.

And quietly, America's traditional allies in the region - such as Egypt , Israel, Jordan and the Gulf states - are rooting for the Saudis.

The Saudis observed how Obama was willing to compromise and settle for a deal with Syria after he had called for President Bashar Assad's removal from power two years ago. On Iran, Obama is warming to the country despite its involvement in terrorism, the fighting in Syria and its history of deception as it strives towards nuclear weapons.

The Saudis are starting to push back hard...

Saudi Snubs 'Useless Nothing' and US

1) Saudi Arabia has won a seat on the United Nations Security Council but rejected it. "The kingdom sees that the method and work mechanism and the double standards in the Security Council prevent it from properly shouldering its responsibilities towards world peace," the foreign ministry said in a statement. (The UN did not help Sunni Saudi Arabia depose the Allawite/Shiite Syrian regime!) 2) Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, said his country will make a "major shift" away from its relationship with the United States in protest over President Obama's dialogue with Iran and inaction in Syria.

Food for Thought by Steven Shamrak

By supporting the Islamist led uprising in Syria and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, ignoring the systematic unfriendly behavior of the Islamic government of Turkey, tolerating diplomatic spats coming from Pakistan and Afghanistan and not dealing with the nuclear ambitions of the Islamic Republic of Iran. President Obama has discredited himself and his administration. Friends do not trust him and enemies have become arrogant in pursuing their endeavors!

Paranoiac Barking from Iran

Iran 's Supreme Spiritual Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "we should not make a mistake in knowing the main enemy, who in the present time is global arrogance and the criminal Zionist network." In his address to the Hajj pilgrims, Khamenei mentioned Israel several times: "we should properly identify the methods of this hostile enemy which is creating discord among Muslims&" (I thought that existence of Israel unites Muslims, not "creating discord". Without Israel they would kill each other even more vigorously!)

US is the Largest Oil Producer

The US has finally surpassed Saudi Arabia as the largest oil producer in the world, after an explosion in the use of hydraulic fracking created the largest oil boom in nearly 40 years, only beaten by the production boom in Saudi Arabia between 1970 and 1974. (Will it change the US support for fake Palestinian state? I doubt it, the anti-Jewish attitude in the international political elite has deep roots!)

Peace Negotiation Means Terror Attacks!

A terror attack involving a tractor was thwarted near Jerusalem . The terrorist's brother was responsible for a similar attack in 2009. He succeeded in breaking through an IDF base's fence at A-Ram, north of the capital base's fence. Soldiers fired on him and killed him.

Israel Quietly Feeding Syrian Refugees

Among the organizations funding and distributing physical and emotional aid to the hundreds of thousands of Syrians is IsraAid. In Jordan , the group is buying and putting together large sacks of essential goods that are passed out to Syrian refugees daily. But, they are doing it discreetly.

Turkey is the Fifth Column

1) Early last year, the Erdogan government blew the cover of up to 10 Israel agents in Iran who had been meeting inside Turkey with their Mossad case officers. This story was published in The Washington Post. The article presents Israel's Mossad in an unflattering light, claiming that Israeli intelligence officers in 2010 complained to the CIA that Hakan Fidan Turkish intelligence chief was in fact "the MOIS station chief in Ankara." MOIS is Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security. 2) Ankara chooses Chinese firm over US, European firms to co-produce long-range air missiles defense systems. (Just imagine how much trouble Turkey will cause to Europe if it becomes an EU member!)

Who will be the Target?

The US Pentagon said it plans a large arms sale to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth $10.8 billion. The weapons include bunker-buster bombs and air-launched cruise missiles that can hit targets from a long distance. The weapons will be used on US-made F-15 and F-16 fighter jets. The Gulf states are very concerned about Iran and its mission to extend its influence throughout the region. (Who will the bombs be used against - Iran or Israel, or both?)

'Friendly' Neighbors

1) For at least the second time in five months, Arab residents of Beit Umar (PA controlled) have placed a Nazi flag over a major thoroughfare where Jews pass in their vehicles.

2) Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas government in Gaza, celebrated the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, on the two-year anniversary of his exchange for 1,027 jailed terrorists. He praised the terrorists who carried out recent attacks on Jews in Judea and Samaria, and called on the Arab and Islamic countries to prepare themselves for "the big Al Aqsa Intifada."

Terrorists are Released Regardless of Progress

The Israel Prisons Service published the list of 26 terrorists who will be freed as part of the latest 'gesture' to the PA. Among the terrorists on the list two Arabs who shot and killed Israeli soldier Aharon Avidar in Ramallah in February of 1985. Also on the list is a terrorist who murdered Isaac Rotenberg in Petach Tikva on March 31, 1994... (When will Israeli politicians gain self-respect and stop betraying their own people?)

Israel Must Expel Enemies Within

Arab MK, Ibrahim Sarsour (Ra'am Ta'al), praised a speech by Hamas head in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh which included a call for "popular resistance" against Israel - a phrase which Hamas uses to refer to terrorism. In his October 19 speech, Haniyeh slammed the talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as "harming the cause of resistance," and called to prepare for "the big campaign in which all of Palestine will be liberated."

PA Revealed its True Colors Again!

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas this week signed a secret cooperation agreement with President Bashar Assad. Abbas is the first Arab leader to break ranks with the united Arab front against Assad and made his move behind American backs. US Secretary of State John Kerry apparently went into his meeting with Netanyahu in Rome ignorant of what was afoot.

Quotes of the Week:

"We Muslims make the mistake of thinking Europeans really care about is, especially the Palestinians. We are wrong. Europeans simply hate the Jews more than they hate and fear us. The bitter truth is that Europeans usually intervene in a crisis only if it gives them an opportunity for Jew-bashing." - Ali Salim, a scholar based in the Middle East - Spot on! That why in my letters, I often make a point that the US and Europe are not true friends of Israel. Israel must set its own national goals, develop its own plans and implement them.

West Needs to Wake Up

by Gil Ronen

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon (Likud) said that the West needs to "wake up" from the idea that the Middle East's problems will be solved through democratization.

"The western idea of bringing what succeeded in Europe - democracy - to the Middle East , is really irrelevant," he said at a financial conference in Tel Aviv. "It stems from ignorance, from not being well acquainted with the Middle East , in large part from naïveté, confusing wishes for reality. Even if it comes from good intentions - 'We'll bring you a good idea' - it smacks of patronizing."

"I say all this because the next failure is already written on the pages of history, if the West does not wake up," he warned. "It is called 'democratization through elections.' Whoever thinks democracy can be instilled just by holding elections is simply wrong."

Yaalon said that while it is preferable that the Iranian regime disarm itself of its nuclear weapons program as "a result of diplomatic and economic pressure, or perhaps internal pressure," a credible military option must also be put before it.

Recommend Reading:

Modern History of Palestine in Maps

The Palestinian Mandate - Legalised Robbery

Ethnic Make Up of so-called Palestinians

Arab-Israel Conflict - Forgotten Facts!

Why Israel is Suspicious of United Nations?

The War on Terror - Containment Plan

The Sinai Option: Road to Permanent Peace!

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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