Israeli ambassador appalled at ‘Der Spiegel’ columnist

German envoy says comparison of Gaza to concentration camp, “shameful.” He warns of “rising left-wing anti-Semitism”.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JPOST CORRESPONDENT

 

BERLIN – Israel’s Ambassador to Germany,Yaakov Hadas-Handelsman, weighed in on the heated row over the alleged anti-Semitism of Der Spiegel columnist Jakob Augstein and growing left-wing anti-Semitism in the Federal Republic.

Jakob Augstein

Jakob Augstein Photo: Wikimedia Commons

“That is shameful,”said Hadas-Handelsman of Augstein’s comparison between the Gaza Strip and a concentration camp. The Israeli ambassador gave a wide-ranging interview on Saturday to the daily Rheinische Post, a regional paper in Düsseldorf.

When asked whether Augstein is an anti-Semite, Hadas-Handelsman said he could not delve into the psyche of anti-Israel authors and journalists like Guenther Grass and Augstein to determine if they are anti-Semites. Continue Reading »

Morsi’s anti-Israel, anti-Semitic slurs are in the Context of Hate

The New York Times said it had obtained video of a speech by Morsi in which he urged Egyptians to “nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred” for Jews and Zionists. The paper said that months later, Morsi described Zionists as “these bloodsuckers who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs.”

 

The truth about the disgusting anti-Semitism that is at the core of the belief system of the Muslim Brotherhood government of Egypt is finally gaining the attention it deserves. As we wrote yesterday, the belated coverage given by the New York Times yesterday puts the Obama administration’s embrace of the regime of President Mohamed Morsi in an extremely unflattering light. Continue Reading »

Palestinians Foresee an Apartheid state if Netanyahu wins upcoming election

Palestinian president Abbas’ aides say PM is ‘killing’ 2-state solution and hope Obama will ‘get tougher with Netanyahu on the settlements’

Associated Press

 

Mohammed Ishtayeh, a top aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told The Associated Press on Friday that his boss has been warning that ensuring Israel’s future as a democracy with a Jewish majority will not be possible if settlement building continues and that Israel could end up with a Jewish minority ruling over an Arab majority.

Abbas, NetanyahuIshtayeh warned Israel could end up with “an apartheid style state, similar to the one of former South Africa.”

“In the long run it will be against the Israeli interests because … we Palestinians will be the majority and will struggle for equality,” he said, adding that Abbas had met repeated this message in meetings with several Israeli leaders in the past year. Continue Reading »

Aylin Kocaman on Morsi with his ‘Jews, Pigs and Apes’

We must be teachers who wipe away their hatred. We must know we are dealing with ignorance, not with an enemy. Those who disagree and favor war must not forget that if the problem is ignorance, then guns, rockets, war, rage and hatred are of no use. They just encourage the ignorant to be more hateful.

By Aylin Kocaman

 

Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s new head of state, called the Jews in 2010  “sons of apes and pigs”

6-25-12-Mohamed-Morsi_full_600

Mohamed Morsi, President of Egypt

Morsi addresses Jews in this way in a video clip that has recently appeared in the press, together with an even worse expression. Continue Reading »

View BBC ‘Hardtalk’ With Dani Dayan: ‘The 2-state solution is a mirage’

Former settler council head says Netanyahu paying lip-service to 2-state solution, saying annexation of Judea & Samaria will be ‘natural outcome.’

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Dani Dayan, former head of the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip on Friday said the two-state solution “never existed.”

Dani DayanSpeaking to Stephen Sackur on the BBC news show “Hardtalk,” Dayan said the views of the ultra-Right are “quite realistic, as Israel is beginning to understand that the two-state solution never existed, it was a mirage…you get closer to it, you reveal that it was just hot air.”

Continuing, Dayan blamed the failure not on Israel, or the settlers, but on the “refusal of the Palestinians to accept it.”

Continue Reading »

Meet Israel’s 1st illegal immigrant to become an officer of the IDF

After his illegal entry into Israel in 2005, Avi Bari overcame all obstacles and achieved his goals, one after the other.

 

Arriving illegally from the Republic of Guinea to Israel in 2005, Avi Bari overcame all obstacles that once stood in his path and became an officer in the IDF. He tells of his journey passing through Morocco to the Egyptian Sinai desert, to a brief stint in prison, to Tel Aviv and finally to an IDF base.

Second Lt. Avi BariSecond Lieutenant Avi Bari, known to his family who all remain in Guinea as Ibrahima, already enjoys a certain notoriety that he owes to his self-proclaimed status of “the first illegal immigrant to become an officer of the IDF.” Continue Reading »

Original Thinking: Recognizing Israeli diplomatic incompetence

Saving Israel from a global delegitimization campaign that has a significant diplomatic impact on our country is sufficient grounds for influential & powerful people to rally around the Jewish state and protect it from our enemies, AND and from the incompetence of our gov’t’s politicians & officials.

By BARRY SHAW

 

How is it possible for Israel to effectively present its positions to the world when its government PR organs are in such a state of disarray? Not only are they in shameful condition, they have become incapable of addressing the most basic elements of our legitimacy and policy.

Mavi Marmara incident -  Photo by Stringer Turkey, Reuters

We hear the most outlandish criticisms and resolutions used against us that go unanswered by the government. Continue Reading »

IDF to begin using its new ‘Advanced Missile Detection System’

The IDF’s Air Defense Formation’s new defensive system will operate more efficiently, detecting 99% of incoming missiles, being far more precise than the current systems, while minimizing false alarms.

By Shir Aharon Bram, IAF Website

 

Two months after the end of operation Pillar of Defense, the Air Defense Formation continues to advance its capabilities in defending Israel against missile threats. In one such development, the existing missile detection systems will soon be replaced with a newer version incorporating innovative changes.

A first successful experiment for the “David’s Sling” defense system. Minister of Defense: “The tremendous success of the Iron Dome during Operation Pillar of Defense demonstrates the immense importance of anti-missile systems” – Photo Courtesy: Israel Air Force

The new system will allow a detection of 99% of the rockets and missiles launched towards Israel and will scan the attacked area in detail, resulting in fewer false alarms interrupting citizens’ daily life. Continue Reading »

Israeli dazzles ‘American Idol’ judges

 

Following her astonishing audition, singer Shira Gavrielov is on her way to Hollywood, for the next round.

David Shear

 

“American Idol” returned for Season 12 this week and the judges kicked-off the season in fine style in New York City, where there was definitely a bit of Hebrew love going on between one contestant and judge Mariah Carey.

Shira Gavrielov in 'American Idol'

Shira Gavrielov in ‘American Idol’

Israeli-born Shira Gavrielov, a contestant who’s already had a No. 1 hit back in the Jewish state before moving to the United States, performed a great rendition of “Valerie” by the late Jewish singer Amy Winehouse. Continue Reading »

FACEBOOK VIOLATES ITS OWN PRINCIPLES with Arab Israeli Journalist’s Page

Arab Israeli journalist Khaled abu Toameh told The Jewish Press in a lengthy interview about Facebook’s bizarre treatment of his Facebook page.

Facebook has yet given a word of explanation to abu Toameh, why his page was shut down, parts of it were deleted, and then put back up.

 

 

“Fatah couldn’t stop me, Hamas couldn’t stop me, not even Facebook will stop me from continuing my work,” is what Arab Israeli journalist Khaled abu Toameh told The Jewish Press Tuesday morning, January 15, in a lengthy interview about Facebook’s bizarre treatment of his Facebook page. Continue Reading »

Bulgaria Official: No Hezbollah connection to deadly Burgas attack

Bulgarian Foreign Ministry denies Israeli reports that Burgas probe links Lebanese terror group to 2012 airport terrorist attack on Israeli tourists.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, BENNY WEINTHAL

 

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry on Friday denied a Channel 2 report alleging that an investigation, set to be made public in the near future, will link Hezbollah to the July 2012 Burgas bombing that killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver.

ZAKA worker at site of bombing. Photo by Avigdor Shatran

On Thursday, Channel 2 reported that the Bulgarian investigation found the Lebanese terror organization was behind the deadly bombing. The same day, however, a contradicting report appeared in Bulgarian media stating that Bulgaria has no evidence of Hezbollah’s involvement in the bombing.

Continue Reading »

IDF gunfire injures 2 Palestinians

Palestinian sources report one man wounded in northern Gaza by IDF gunfire & another badly hurt in refugee camp in Bethlehem.

IDF says Palestinians tried to cut Gaza border fence . Meanwhile, Palestinians set up a second outpost, this one northwest of Jerusalem.

By Elior Levy

 

Sources in Gaza reported Friday evening that a Palestinian had been injured by IDF fire near the northern Strip town of Beit Lahiya. According to the Palestinians, the man was evacuated to a local hospital with an injury to his leg and his condition was defined as moderate.

Bab al-Shams outpost, Photo EPAThe IDF said that dozens of Palestinians had gathered near the border fence in the northern Strip in an off-limits area, while rioting and trying to cut the fence. Continue Reading »

Lack of Free Speech in the Arab World & Facebook’s Support

Many Palestinian journalists, and those in the Middle East, are forced to use Facebook to publish what their own media will not accept. But the problem becomes worse when Facebook itself starts removing material that bothers dictatorships and tyrants. One can only hope that the same Facebook employee who “accidentally” removed the article will make the same mistake and and close down the accounts belonging to terrorist organizations and their leaders. It is the duty of Facebook and Western societies to side with those seeking freedom, and not to be complicit in suppressing there voices.

By Khaled Abu Toameh

 

“All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. Continue Reading »

Latest PA Blood-libel: IDF ‘Booby-Trapped Toys’ to Kill Children

According to the latest Palestinian libel against Israel, the IDF is distributing “booby-trapped toys” to Arab children

By David Lev

 

According to the latest Palestinian Authority libel against Israel, the IDF is distributing “booby-trapped toys” to Arab children. It was a take-off, said the Palestinian Media Watch organization, of an old libel, which claimed that the army was distributing “poison candies” to Arab children.

toys

According to the PMW, the libels spread by the PA against Israel have their “seasons,” and the latest “style” in libeling is the story of the booby-trapped toys. In several interviews on PA television in recent days, PA government officials have said that IDF soldiers have spread the toys in areas where they conducted patrols or exercises, apparently in the hope that children will pick them up and get blown up. Continue Reading »

Dore Gold: A code of conduct is nessecery for the Middle East

 

A code of conduct or a set of rules would either promote a real peace process or provide a clear measure for indicating that the Palestinian leadership continues to violate commitments. Issues must be addressed: incitement to violence, providing sanctuary to terrorist organizations, or halting hostile initiatives in int’l bodies such as the U.N.

By Dore Gold

In 1996, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan convened an international forum at the Hashimiyya Palace in Amman with guests from the entire Middle East as well as noted statesmen from outside the region. As a newly appointed foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I found myself invited to one of these events.

Continue Reading »