08/3/14

Taking a Broader View

Arlene from Israel

I begin with some very essential observations that go to the heart of Israel’s situation, observations that are broadly recognized among Jews here in Israel, but are not grasped by many – Jews and non-Jews alike – in the Western world:

1) The scourge of the Western world today is radical Islam, which is gaining traction in many quarters.  Israel is the only country that sees this with clear eyes and is prepared to do battle.  In taking on Hamas, we are on the front line for the world – a world that neither recognizes nor appreciates this.

2) Along with growing radical Islam there has been an incredible proliferation of anti-Semitism.  We are seeing violent actions that echo pre-Holocaust behaviors in Europe in the 1930s: A crazed mob locking Jews inside a synagogue in Paris.  This, in July 2014.  The single radical difference between the current situation and that of the Jews at the time of the Holocaust is the existence of the State of Israel.

How heavy, then, is the burden on the shoulders of little Israel.  We truly are at the center of the world, and, with the help of Heaven, we will be equal to it. But how much harder it is because we are so roundly excoriated in many venues, criticized unjustly even by some of those who profess to be our friends.  We are far from perfect, but our every action is placed under a microscope that is reserved just for us.

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Let me rush to mention here, lest anyone think otherwise, that I do recognize and appreciate that we have friends – and that heart-warming pro-Israel rallies have been held or are being planned in a host of cities, in NY, Toronto,  London, Sydney, San Francisco, Miami and elsewhere.

Credit: Tibor Deme

Yet I feel moved to point out that these wonderful rallies are a reaction to the anti-Israel sentiment that floats in the air. Celebrating Israel is hardly the norm in Western societies.

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Here I want to share a link to a rather mind-blowing video: It shows a dialogue with a Muslim Arab mother whose young child is being treated in an Israeli hospital as she speaks. She says that after her son recovers she hopes he becomes a “shahid,” a “martyr” who dies in terrorist actions against Israel, “for Jerusalem.”  “Jerusalem is ours,” this mother declares.  There is no option for sharing.

From a Western perspective this is fairly incomprehensible.  But for this Arab mother and millions just like her: “Death is natural…even from the youngest infant…we all sacrifice ourselves for Jerusalem…for us life is nothing.”

This video illuminates the mental set of those in Hamas who use human shields, and of the civilians in Gaza who are willing to die “for the cause,” believing it praise-worthy to become “martyrs” to make things difficult for Israel.

This sets up a situation that comes close to being untenable for Israel – the most moral country in the world, populated by Jews who fervently believe that it is a commandment to “choose life.”

The more Westerners can perceive the reality of this Muslim Arab mental set, the more they will understand Israel’s situation.

And so I ask you – please! – to make sure this goes viral.  I ask everyone who reads this to share it with a least three other people, along with my explanation.  It is something you can do to help Israel.

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This video highlights something else about the Muslim Arab mentality, as well: the refusal to share.  For them it’s all or nothing. Any less than “all” is considered a defeat, a dishonor.  Thus does the Western world need to understand that there is no compromise with them in negotiations.  It simply does not work.  (Any one who has been following the “peace negotiations” with Abbas – about which more soon – will have noticed that he never moderated his position.)

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A second video I share here further pinpoints the moral difference between the Muslim Arabs in Hamas and Israelis.  Jewish doctors treating Palestinian Arab children, including from Gaza:

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Truly do I wish I knew how to coherently describe what is going on now with regard to Hamas.  But the situation is terribly unclear and fluid.  There is no closure, no finality.  IDF troops have definitely pulled back from portions of Gaza, and lend the impression that the operation is close to an end.

Some troops have been pulled out and are being given a break, with the understanding that they might go back in.

Yet, today, the JPost cites a senior IDF figure thus (emphasis added):

There is no decision to stop the operation. We are preparing to attack, not only to defend.  If a decision is made that this is necessary, we will attack.”

It could not really be otherwise, as the south of Israel is still being hit rather fiercely by Hamas rockets.

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While YNet cites a senior military source (the same one?) who explains (emphasis added):

“What we are doing in the field right now is based on the lack of an agreement; it is possible an understanding will not be reached.  There are other options on the table.”

Israel is deploying forces in a temporary “security strip” along the border inside of Gaza, and is prepared to allow in large quantities of humanitarian goods, medications, etc.

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At the same time, Palestinian Arab delegations – Hamas and the PA, with other smaller groups such as Islamic Jihad – have shown up in Cairo to begin the “negotiations” that Israel will not be attending.

Other “international” figures such as Tony Blair are also present.

The agenda called for those Arab delegations to first meet amongst themselves regarding a joint position, which they would then take to the Egyptians.  And word tonight is that the delegations have already agreed:

“Cease-fire, the pullout of Israeli forces, ending the blockade, releasing the prisoners … and starting the reconstruction process..” And an end to Israeli “incursions, invasions, assassinations, house shelling and flights over the Gaza Strip.” They are also demanding free passage between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, freedom of fishing within 12 miles of the coast, reopening the Palestinian airport in the southern Gaza Strip, construction of a seaport and cancellation of buffer zones along the border with Israel.

Cute?  A pretty comprehensive list.

What happens next is anyone’s guess.  Israel is in constant touch with the Egyptians.  At some point Egypt is going to come forward with a “plan,” which will not incorporate all of the above demands but may well honor some of them.

Both the Egyptians and the US are pressuring Netanyahu to join the talks. The very excessive nature of the Arab demands surely will stiffen his back. It is terribly important that the terrorists in Gaza not be rewarded for agreeing to stop launching rockets at us, and that he hold to his position that Hamas cannot be trusted to honor commitments.

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It may be that something is transpiring behind the scenes that we are unaware of.  Our prime minister, who is under breathtaking pressure in this situation, may know what he is doing.  Who knows what “other options” he is weighing.

But I write today with an enormous sense of unease.  We cannot permit this to end badly for Israel.  And I am hardly the only one who would like to see a definitive victory.

That Hamas is still launching rockets at us means they are not yet on their knees. Their leaders are still hiding out – whether in Qatar or in tunnels under Gaza City.  As long as the heads of some of them have not been separated from their shoulders, they will emerge from their tunnels with intent of rebuilding.

The risks of a reinvigorated Hamas, which manages to secure even better weapons for next time – perhaps because demilitarization has not been genuinely enforced, not genuinely embraced by the international community – do not bear thinking about.

My friends, this is an existential issue for us.  We cannot allow ourselves to be defeated by the likes of that Palestinian Arab mother who loves death.

We here in Israel are all moving about with heavy hearts. None of this is simple for us.

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Second Lt. Hadar Goldin was buried today.  It was announced earlier in the day that he had been declared dead, and his status was no long that of MIA – i.e., kidnapped.  I wish to touch upon this only very lightly, for it is difficult and unpleasant.  Let me simply report that it was not a question of “finding” the body.  The determination of death was made via a pathologist’s report in conjunction with a rabbinical ruling on halachha.  I am convinced that Hamas had him.

08/3/14

Joe Carr is the Real Deal

By: Lloyd Marcus

Mary and I made the trek from Florida to Chattanooga, TN for me to speak/sing at a rally for Joe Carr co-sponsored by “Beat Lamar” and Conservative Campaign Committee. Tennesseans have launched an enthusiastic grassroots effort to help Carr topple incumbent Obama sycophant Sen. Lamar Alexander in the Republican primary August 7th.

I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Carr the popular Tea Party conservative. Carr is down to earth, upbeat and friendly; a farmer. You can tell a lot about a leader by the way he treats those around him. Carr possesses that Ronald Reagan gift of making whomever he is speaking with feel important; giving them his full attention. A 21 year old black member of our CCC team commented about how much he liked and connected with Carr.

This is very important folks. We desperately need spokespersons to confidently present Conservatism in a positive and inspirational way to educate and attract the low-info masses.

My goal at the rally was to fire up Carr’s troops/volunteers. However, the Carr supporters and volunteers “are” fired up. Surprisingly and refreshingly, many of Carr’s volunteers are college aged. It was great to see youths who are thinkers rather than emotion-driven, MSM and liberal professor created walking dead Obama zombies.

I generally do not enter an environment and immediately start counting the numbers of minorities represented the way liberals do. However, with team Obama insidiously using race to polarize Americans along racial lines, I could not help noticing the diverse blend of Joe Carr, Beat Lamar volunteers. Voters of varying races and ages are excited about Joe Carr.

Joe Carr truly is a conservative star who gets it. Carr knows what needs to be done and clearly has the conviction and backbone to follow through. Carr talked about the border crisis and vowed to fight the invasion. Tennessee Rep. Carr reminded the audience that his efforts helped Tennessee to enact the toughest illegal immigration laws in the country.

Joe also stated his respect for the sanctity of life. He touched on a variety of topics: lower taxes, less government regulations and restoring constitutional principles. http://bit.ly/1kabs9v

I got really excited when Carr expressed his eagerness to get to DC to help conservative senators Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and a list of others which he named off the top of his head.

Carr’s speech at the rally was unscripted folks. His bold and confident articulation of Conservatism appeared effortless as it flowed from his heart and soul without notes or a teleprompter.

Patriots, please join our Phone From Home initiative for Joe Carr at:  [email protected]

Mary and I are enjoying seeing a lot of the beautiful lush green state of Tennessee. On Monday, August 4th, we are driving to Maryville for me to speak and sing at another Joe Carr rally. Y’all come. http://on.fb.me/1qEdSeC

Joe Carr truly is the real deal.

Lloyd Marcus, Unhyphenated American

Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee

08/3/14

Restore American Expectionalism: Nullify Obama

By: Lloyd Marcus

Upon seeing the size of the crowd, the trio of middle school students scheduled to perform the Star Spangled Banner became petrified. It was the monthly U.S. Immigration Naturalization Ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland. We were backstage. Every month the ceremony was ended with me performing my original song, “Celebrate America”. I felt honored that my song was the first heard by the new Americans.

The hall overflowed with a thousand or more people; applicants extremely excited about taking their oath of allegiance to the United States of America and their supportive families, there to witness the auspicious occasion.

The kids sounded great rehearsing backstage. However, halfway through their performance center stage in front of the audience, they panicked. They stopped singing and stood there shaking. I joined the kids on stage.

I told the audience that these brave kids were prime examples of what it means to be an American. Though terrified of venturing into the new frontier of singing for such a large audience, they pressed forward and gave it their best shot. The audience erupted in cheers and applause for the kids. We all sang the Star Spangled Banner. It was an awesome moment. An immigration official sent me a very nice letter of thanks.

That ceremony happened around 16 years ago. Back then, it truly meant something extraordinarily special to be an American. At every ceremony from my vantage point on stage, I saw many applicants reciting the oath with tears streaming down their cheeks. It choked me up every time.

At numerous ceremonies, I witnessed elderly applicants raised from their wheelchairs by family members; grandchildren holding up the frail applicant’s right hand as they tearfully took the oath.

With the glow of patriotism emanating from their faces, I knew these new Americans were not particularly interested in government handouts. Clearly, they captured our Founding Father’s vision of America and enthusiastically embraced the concept of American Exceptional-ism. Their body language radiated, give us the ball of freedom and we will run with it in pursuit of our American dreams. They were eager to assimilate; to be a part of something unique and wonderful.

Fast forward to the unprecedented insolence of president Obama. In essence, he is saying screw all the patriotic America the beautiful crap; expecting immigrants to assimilate and jump through loops to become citizens. America’s borders are hereby decreed open. Period. If you can get here, you can stay here. Thus, we are experiencing a literal invasion with no end in sight.

King Obama is also threatening to wave his royal scepter, unlawfully granting amnesty to 5-6 million illegals just because it pleases his fancy to create new welfare recipients and future Democrat voters.

Despite much wailing and gnashing of teeth, nobody has had the courage to confront our vengeful king regarding his international advertising and embrace of illegals.

Finally, the great Republican senator from Alabama, Jeff Sessions said, enough! Sessions called for the House and Senate to stop Obama’s amnesty. http://bit.ly/1obhQbE

My fellow Americans, all pretense is over. With two years left of his presidency, Obama has taken off his gloves and mask. Due to his mentors, Obama disagrees with America as founded. He believes our role as “the” world leader was unjustly acquired. Can you believe this folks? Our president is hellbent on knocking America off the throne.

For this cause along with numerous high crimes and misdemeanors, Barack Hussein Obama is unworthy to lead our great nation. He must be politically nullified. We the People must rally behind Sen Jeff Sessions’ initiative.

I still remember a very old gentleman at a Naturalization ceremony. He was held up by a family member on both sides with tears of joy and a big smile on his face. He had just completed reciting his oath of allegiance.

He was happy. He was proud. He was an American!

Lloyd Marcus, Unhyphenated American

Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee

08/3/14

Obama Administration Credibility Suffers Again in Middle East Conflict

By: Roger Aronoff
Accuracy in Media

Will the latest attempt at a 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas hold? Not likely, but at least it will take the attention off the last one that Secretary of State John Kerry attempted to establish, which was met with outrage by Israelis across the political spectrum.

When Kerry visited Israel last weekend to propose yet another ceasefire, he attempted to undermine the Israelis by submitting a draft proposal that completely favored Hamas. Despite the Israelis’ outrage, including unanimous rejection by the Israeli cabinet, the American mainstream media have largely swallowed the Obama administration’s line that there was little substantive difference between the proposal drafted by Secretary Kerry and the one released by the Egyptians earlier this month. This is, quite frankly, untrue.

“Mr. Kerry and his team thought that the document reflected language that could be basically acceptable to Israel because some of it concerning border crossings and security had paralleled the November 2012 Gaza ceasefire and the Egyptian proposal this month,” reported The New York Times. “But rather than treating it as a working draft on which they could comment, American officials assert, the Israelis appeared to think it tilted too far to Hamas’s position and did not do nearly enough to address the security threat to Israel.”

But Haaretz, the newspaper in Israel that is often compared to The New York Times, but “further left,” as The Weekly Standard’s William Kristol noted, absolutely slammed Kerry, citing these highlights from the Haaretz editorial:

“The draft Kerry passed to Israel on Friday shocked the cabinet ministers not only because it was the opposite of what Kerry told them less than 24 hours earlier, but mostly because it might as well have been penned by [Hamas leader] Khaled Meshal. It was everything Hamas could have hoped for.

“The document recognized Hamas’ position in the Gaza Strip, promised the organization billions in donation funds and demanded no dismantling of rockets, tunnels or other heavy weaponry at Hamas’ disposal. The document placed Israel and Hamas on the same level, as if the first is not a primary U.S. ally and as if the second isn’t a terror group which overtook part of the Palestinian Authority in a military coup and fired thousands of rockets at Israel…”

“The secretary of state’s draft empowered the most radical and problematic elements in the region—Qatar, Turkey, and Hamas—and was a slap on the face to the rapidly forming camp of Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who have many shared interests. What Kerry’s draft spells for the internal Palestinian political arena is even direr: It crowns Hamas and issues Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with a death warrant…”

“If Kerry did anything on Friday it was to thwart the possibility of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. Instead of promoting a ceasefire, Kerry pushed it away. If this failed diplomatic attempt leads Israel to escalate its operation in Gaza, the American secretary of state will be responsible for every additional drop of blood that is spilled.”

“These words come from the heart of the peace camp in Israel,” added Kristol. “They come from one of President Obama’s strongest defenders in Israel. And they present to Barack Obama this question: How do you ask an Israeli—or a Palestinian—to die for John Kerry’s mistakes? Surely it’s time for John Kerry to go.”

Perhaps, but isn’t Kerry doing exactly what Obama wants him to do?

Slate’s Joshua Keating says that he suspects “that some of the anger being directed at Kerry is just deflecting attention from the fact that the two sides have what still seem to be irreconcilable demands.” This is an oversimplification, and equates Hamas with Israel at a time where only one side is deliberately targeting civilians, and is using its own women and children as human shields.

Jen Psaki, the State Department spokesperson, appearing on CNN’s Situation Room, said, “The facts are that the discussion, the informal draft of ideas that the secretary discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu, was based on the Egyptian proposal. The differences were so small, I don’t even think you could fill a note card with them. And that was a proposal [that] not only did the Israelis support two weeks ago, but the cabinet endorsed.”

In other words, “If you like your ceasefire agreement, you can keep your ceasefire agreement.”

A visit to an Egyptian government website, which carries a draft of their July 14 proposal, and a glance at the leaked copy of Kerry’s draft, quickly reveal the differences.

Whereas the Egyptian proposal outlined concrete actions that the “Palestinian factions” and Israel must engage in for a ceasefire, the Kerry proposal speaks in broad language about “ending all hostilities” and addressing “all security issues.” No mention is made of Hamas’ underground tunnels, or underground attacks at all.

In contrast, the Egyptian version states that “all Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip” are  “to stop all hostilities…from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by air, and sea, and land, and underground, with an emphasis on stopping the firing of rockets and various types of attacks on the border or the targeting of civilians.”

Israel claims that “Kerry’s missive breaks entirely from the Egyptian proposal, which called for an immediate ceasefire after which negotiations would commence, whereas Kerry’s document accepts Hamas’s demands for concessions prior to accepting a ceasefire,” writes Thomas Rose of Breitbart. Indeed, the Kerry “draft” proposal talked about ensuring the “social and economic livelihood” of the Gazans, and the “transfer” of “funds to Gaza for the payment of salaries for public employees.” It also talked about the “United Nations, the Arab League, the European Union, the United States, Turkey, Qatar” and others joining in a “major humanitarian assistance initiative to address the immediate needs of the people of Gaza.”

All of this, with no talk about demilitarization or the end of the brutal targeting via underground tunnels. Aren’t there times when defeating an enemy—particularly one that has as one of its stated goals that “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it”—is preferable to a ceasefire? How could this not be seen as a capitulation to Hamas? If you like your ceasefire…

08/3/14

Weekly Featurd Profile – Cynthia McKinney

Keywiki.org

Weekly Featured Profile

Cynthia McKinney

Cynthia McKinney is a former Democratic U.S. House of Representatives member from Georgia.

During her term of office, she was very close to Democratic Socialists of America.

Since leaving office, she has been openly close to Iran and the pro-Iran/North Korea Workers World Party.

The Council for a Livable World, founded in 1962 by long-time socialist activist and alleged Soviet agent, Leo Szilard, is a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to “reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and increase national security,” primarily through supporting progressive, congressional candidates who support their policies. The Council supported Cynthia McKinney in her successful House of Representatives run as candidate for Georgia.

The Communist Party USA was supportive of several candidates in the 2004 election cycle, including Frank Barbaro, Barack Obama, Betty Castor, Nancy Farmer, Inez Tenenbaum and Cynthia McKinney:

It would be helpful for each district to single out House seats that can be swung from Republican to Democrat to develop our list of key races, which includes progressive Frank Barbaro in New York and Cynthia McKinney in Georgia.
A number of exciting candidates are emerging in the Senate, in the first place Barak Obama in Illinois, and also several progressive women including Betty Castor seeking to retain retiring Bob Graham’s seat as Democrat; Nancy Farmer seeking to defeat Kit Bond in Missouri; Inez Tenenbaum seeking to retain retiring Fritz Hollings seat as Democrat.

Cynthia McKinney was one of 100 “prominent Americans” who signed an October 26, 2004 statement circulated by 911Truth.org calling on the U.S. Government to investigate 9/11 as a possible “inside job.”

…we have assembled 100 notable Americans and 40 family members of those who died to sign this 9/11 Statement, which calls for immediate public attention to unanswered questions that suggest that people within the current administration may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war.

On September 21, 2010, Cynthia McKinney attended a meeting at a midtown hotel with the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and approximately 130 members of the U.S. “peace and social justice movements,” as well as “major figures in the Black activist community.” and Workers World Party.

McKinney spoke of the history of U.S. activists that had died for their commitment to peace, justice and civil rights (including Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and both John and Robert Kennedy).

Interviewed on May 14, 2011 at the Tehran, Iran Peace Conference, Cynthia McKinney appeared on a Press TV where she stated:

“The United States, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, is the greatest purveyor of violence on the Planet…
…There was a time when we almost won. We almost won in the 1960s. But unfortunately, because we were so close to winning, the authorities fought back. We were so close to winning and then they killed John Kennedy, our president. They killed Malcom X. They killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

The interviewer asks for clarification, “They were killed by the authorities?” McKinney replies, “Yes, this is all documented.”

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