Netanyahu, Pollard Awaits Obama's Response

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an unprecedented move at the beginning of January 2011 finally ceded to requests from the Israeli public to write a letter to President Obama. In the letter, Netanyahu urged the President to commute Jonathan J. Pollard's life sentence.

Netanyahu stated in his letter, "since Jonathan Pollard has now spent 25 years in prison, I believe that a new request for clemency is highly appropriate."  Pollard's poor health was another major factor in Netanyahu's decision to write the letter. 

The White House has noted that they recieved the letter and are reviewing it.


Netanyahu's letter marked the first time that an Israeli Prime Minister formally called for Jonathan Pollard to be released. Many prominent U.S. officials have concurred with Netanyahu's sentiment, such as George Shultz, Michael Mukasey, and James Woolsey, and wrote similar letters to the President urging executive clemency.


Since acknowledging that they received Netanyahu's letter, the White House has been mum on the Pollard case and has not stated when the President intends to respond to Netanyahu.


Will President Obama formally respond to Netanyahu's letter or will he keep him hanging like he did the second time that the Israeli Prime Minister visited the White House? It is almost February and no response has been given by the White House. Time will tell.


In the meantime, Netanyahu will be sitting in the waiting room twiddling his thumbs. How is that for another snub.

Netanyahu, Pollard Awaits Obama's Response

Paramedic Is Called to the Scene of His Murdered Wife

One day before the Obama Administration succeeded in resuming peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, Israel was rocked by another terrorist attack.

The West blamed the attack on "militants" who were looking for an opportunity to sabotage the resumption of peace talks. For Israelis, the attack was another indication that peace with the Palestinians is an impossible reality.

In the latest terrorist attack,  a car with four people inside came under fire in the West Bank by Palestinian snipers from Hamas. When it was all over, all four people were massacred with gun shot wounds spearing their internal organs. The four occupants in the vehicle were Yitzhak Ames, 47, and his wife Tali Ames, 45, Kochava Ben- Haim, 37, and Avishai Schindler, 24.  The husband and wife had picked up two hitchhikers. While en route to their destination, the Palestinian terrorists fired on the vehicle from afar and then approached the occupants and fired on them at close range.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, all of the victims bodies were strewn on the street.

In an anguishing turn of  events, completely unaware of what he was about to discover,  Momy Ben-Haim one of the paramedics who was called to the scene of the terrorist attack was shocked to observe  his wife Kochava's body strewn on the ground. Kochava happened to be one of the doomed hitchhikers who was picked up for a ride by Mr. and Mrs. Ames.

When observing his dead wife lying motionless on the ground, Ben-Haim screamed and shouted "That’s my wife! That’s my wife!" He was taken away from the scene immediately to his home. 

Terrorist attacks in Israel are not just attacks on the victims. They are an attack on the entire nation.

If the Palestinians ever have any shot of convincing Israelis that they are committed to peace, they will have to rein in on the terror that killed these four occupants and wrecked the life of an innocent paramedic who had no way of knowing that his life would be changed forever in a matter of minutes as he embarked on the scene of unfortunately a routine terrorist attack.

Paramedic Is Called to the Scene of His Murdered Wife

Zakaria Snubs the ADL

CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Host of Fareed Zakaria GPS, made his own headline  this week when he sent shock waves across the media world announcing that he was returning an award that he received from the ADL in 2005.

The Anti-Defamation League, headed by Abraham Foxman, is one of the premier civil rights organizations in the United States whose mission is to  fight all forms of racism in particular Antisemitism.

The ADL awarded its Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize to Zakaria five years ago.

Zakaria was disturbed that the ADL opposed the building of the Ground Zero Mosque which prompted him to return the award, including a $10,000.00 stipend, to the ADL. Zakaria claimed that he could not in good conscience keep the award in light of the ADL's opposition to the Ground Zero Mosque.

Abraham Foxman responded by asserting that he was "stunned, saddened and speechless" by Zakaria's decision to return the award.

Unfortunately, Zakaria has taken his liberal agenda too far.

While it is true that the ADL does have an illustrious record in promoting and encouraging religious freedom, it can not be expected to support an institution which is funded by the very radical elements which perpetuated 9/11.

The ADL and others have made the decision to oppose the building the Ground Zero Mosque for a very legitimate reason since it correctly believes that constructing such an institution in close proximity to the ruins of the World Trade Center would be an affront to the memories of the victims of 9/1.

The founder of the Ground Zero Mosque claims that he funded the building of the Islamic center to foster interfaith dialogue. However, Faisal Abdul Rauf is notorious for spewing anti-American rhetoric.

Madeline Brooks of the American Thinker overheard Rauf   in one of his sermons denying that Muslims perpetuated 9/11. This illogical delusional mindset is consistent with an interview Rauf gave on CNN after 9/11. In the interview, Rauf blamed the U.S. for 9/11 asserting "U.S. policies were an accessory to the crime that happened. We [the U.S.] have been an accessory to a lot of innocent lives dying in the world. Osama bin Laden was made in the USA." 

Rauf has also blabbered in the past "terrorism will end only when the West acknowledges the harm it has done to Muslims."

Does Zakaria really believe in good faith that the ADL would support a Mosque  spearheaded by a terrorist-supporting Imam?

Rauf is also known to be connected to the radical Islamic terrorist sympathizer group CAIR.  His organization, Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, which raised the $4.85 million in cash dollars for the Ground Zero Mosque, is associated with Saudi Arabian leaders. 

How could anyone support the building of Mosque so close to Ground Zero funded by the very country which raised the 9/11 hijackers?

Moreover, if anyone believes that this Mosque is not going to be a conduit for the radical Islamization of America, think again.

In addition to Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, Rauf started the Cordoba Initiative. The Cordoba Initiative endorses Sharia law and monitors how each country, including America, follows Sharia law. Sharia law is a rigid system which requires that governance be based on the Koran without any democratic intervention.

Rauf is now bringing his Cordoba Initiative Saudi -backed Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow partnership to the very heart of America.

Shame on Zakaria for publicly deriding the premier Jewish civil rights organization simply because they refused to support an Islamic terrorist enterprise.

Freedom of religion does have its limits which Zakaria fails to understand.

In retrospect, it is a good thing that Zakaria returned the award to the ADL. He does not deserve to have such a distinguished award after all.

 

Zakaria Snubs the ADL

PLO Gets Upgrade in Washington

The Obama Administration  has upgraded Mahmoud Abbas's diplomatic status in Washington. His offices in DC will now be allowed to fly the PLO flag.  The flag raising privilege is granted to an entity with delegation status or embassy status. The PLO now have delegation status which means that PLO diplomats in Washington will also have diplomatic immunity although the PLO still does not have embassy status.

Unfortunately, the PLO continues to be granted these diplomatic niceties on an almost automatic basis despite the fact that Abbas has showed no commitment to making peace with Israel and has made no effort to cease anti-Israel incitement on PA TV.

On the other hand, Israel has to give away the  highway for Bibi Netanyahu to be permitted to stay at the Blair House for his meeting with President Obama. Go figure.

PLO Gets Upgrade in Washington

Memo To The United Nations

ATTENTION UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS

If you want to take a break in criticizing Israel and branding the Jewish State as a pariah country and a human rights violator even when you have no evidence to support your anti-Israel viewpoints, I found the perfect place where you can turn your human rights supporting energies while you rest up before returning your attention to Israel.

Where is that perfect place?

The USA? Nope think again.

England? Nope think again.

Australia? Nope think again.

Can't think of another place that has human rights violations other than Israel and the United States?

Well let me give you a little help.

NEWS HEADLINE: IRAN PLANS ON KILLING A PREGNANT WOMAN

 A Tehran court has ruled that a 25 year old woman convicted of adultery (who knows whether in fact this woman even committed adultery)  will be put to death by stoning. The Judge  shockingly decided to stone  Maryam Ghorbanzadeh despite the fact that she is pregnant.  Her attorney claims that Maryam will not be put to death until after she delivers. Whether or not Iran will have mercy on a pregnant woman remains to be seen. Since the ruling, Iran has made it clear that it will not stone Ghorbanzadeh but she could still be killed by other means.

Chances are not good that Ghorbanzadeh will escape death before she delivers if an Iranian Judge was sadistic enough to sentence a pregnant woman to stoning for supposedly committing adultery. Even if she escapes death until after delivery, a baby boy or  girl will most likely grow up without a mother because of a cruel and inhumane Iranian judicial system.

Ghorbanzadeh is one of many Iranian women  who have been sentenced to death or lashes for committing the crime of adultery. Iran's judicial system is so heavily  slanted in favor of  the husbands of these women that it purposefully ignores any evidence which debunks fallacious claims of adultery.  The courts in Iran accept the accusations of Iranian men that their wives have had extramarital affairs with alacrity which means that if an Iranian man wants his wife dead; all he has to do is accuse her of adultery.

Iranian women are not on the same power chain to accuse their husbands of adultery and have any expectation of being heard in Court as it is acceptable for Iranian men to have more wives and not for Iranian women to have relations with other men.

For example, 19 year old Azhar Bakri was sentenced to death because her husband accused her of having an extramarital affair. Bakri married her husband when she was only 14.  Unfortunately, Bakri has suffered unbearable abuse by the guards while in prison as she awaits her death by stoning.

Iran is a country that is replete with egregious human rights violations of the worst kind on a daily basis. The leadership has no qualms about forcing their people to accept its radical Jihadist ideology through violence.  It is a totalitarian brutal dictatorship stuck  in an incomprehensible mindset that follows rigid constricted Islamic rules that have no place in the 21st century.

To stone a pregnant woman or any woman for that matter for committing adultery (most of the time there is no evidence of adultery) in a modern day era is an outrageous miscarriage of justice and a gross encroachment of international law and human rights.

 It would therefore behoove the United Nations and its purported human rights partners to focus its wrath on the real source of human rights violations and horrific acts of violence against women in Iran.

Somehow my hunch tells me that the United Nations will continue to fall asleep at the wheel.

However, at least I gave the United Nations with an opportunity to shift gears if it gets tired in condemning Israel for building homes in East Jerusalem.

Memo To The United Nations

Pre-1967 Israel in Color

Pre-1967 Israel in Color

87 Senators Sign Letter to Obama

On June 21, 2010, eighty seven Senators signed a letter to President Obama affirming their support for the State of Israel and in particular Israel's right to defend herself. Unfortunately, Israel's right to defend herself has been questioned  and disregarded  by the international community as a result of  the fallout following the Flotilla incident.

The letter, sponsored by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, contained the following language:

"We write to affirm our support for our strategic partnership with Israel, and encourage you to continue to do so before international organizations such as the United Nations. The United States has traditionally stood with Israel because it is in our national security interest and must continue to do so."

The entire letter can be read in full here.

A similar letter was signed by seventy six Senators in April urging President Obama to stand with Israel after the President snubbed Prime-Minister Netanyahu during his last visit to the White House.

This latest letter  had a more conciliatory tone which could explain why more Senators signed the letter this time.

Nevertheless, thirteen Senators did not sign the June 21st letter.

Here are the list of the Senators who did not sign the letter:

 1) Jim Webb (D- VA)
 2) Robert Byrd (D-WV)
 3) John Kerry (D-MA)
 4) Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
 5) Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
 6) Tom Udall (D-NM)
 7) Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
 8) Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
 9) Christoper Dodd (D-CT)
10) Tom Harkin (D-IA)
11) Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
12) Jim Bunning  (R-KY)
13) Judd Gregg (R-NH)

Notice more D's in the non-signers category that R's.

87 Senators Sign Letter to Obama

Turkey's PM behind the Flotilla

Kauffmans Commentary reported on December 7, 2009 of Turkey's close ties with the Iranian regime and its opposition to procuring sanctions against Mahmoud Ahmadenijad's Iran.

The Turkish organization IHH's involvement in funding the Mavi Marmara's attempt to sabotage the Israeli blockade of Gaza is more evidence that Turkey is more and more becoming one of the bastions of radical Islamic terror in the Middle East which is a drastic significant shift from its longstanding moderate stance.

We now know that Turkey's own Prime Minister had ties to the Mavi Marmara ship that was headed for Gaza. This revelation certainly clinches the widespread perception in the Middle East that Turkey is no longer a moderate nation which Israel could count on for bilateral ties.

The New York-based publication Hamodia reported in its June 16, 2010 edition that documents seized on the ship demonstrate a connection between Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish officials and IHH.

A letter was found on the ship that was dated 10 days prior to  Mavi Marmara's departure from the Turkish port. In the letter, an IHH representative requested the assistance of  Turkish President Abdullah Gul  to free an IHH member held in Israel. This letter reveals a cozy relationship between IHH and high-level Turkish officials suggesting that the Turkish government was well aware of IHH's hidden agenda in sending the Mavi Marmara to Gaza.

Passengers on board the Mavi Marma were more revealing in their testimonies with Israeli officials. 

Some of the passengers stated that Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally knew of the Flotilla's intentions and did nothing to stop it. Those passengers stated that "the Flotilla sailed to Gaza with Erdogan's knowledge and blessings."  According to these passengers, the Turkish Prime-Minister showed a personal interest in the Flotilla hoping that it would improve his status in the Arab world which he could exploit by using a confrontation with Israel to his advantage. Apparently, documents that were found on board the Mavi Marmara tend to support the contention of these passengers.

The documents found on board the ship also link the purchase of the Mavi Marmara to Erdogan. According to the discovered documents, the Mavi Marmara had been purchased by the IHH from a Turkish firm called IDO which was funded by the Istanbul Municipality.  At the time the IDO was first formed, the Mayor of Istanbul was  none other than Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Despite the evidence which reveals the Turkish Prime Minister's support of the Flotilla, others have told Israeli officials that Erdogan knew what the Flotilla was up to and tried to stop them unsuccessfully.

Either way, a picture is emerging which once again debunks any claim that this ship could have carried peaceful activists.

In reality, it is seemingly apparent that the Flotilla on the Mavi Marmara was in fact a state-sponsored Turkish operation backed by Turkey's very own Prime Minister. 

Turkey's PM behind the Flotilla

Elton John Performs in Israel

The renown musician Elton John kept his promise and performed in Tel Aviv Thursday night to a rousing crowd of 45,000 people.

John's appearance in Israel is particularly significant because many musicians have cancelled their scheduled concerts in Israel due to pressure from the Palestinian Authority and other organizations who sympathize with the Palestinians.  Elton John refused to succumb to such pressure.

John, always an individual who beats to his own drum, told the enthusiastic crowd in Tel Aviv "Shalom, we are so happy to be back here! Ain't nothing gonna stop us from coming, baby. Musicians spread love and peace, and bring people together. That's what we do. We don't cherry-pick our conscience."

Good for you Elton.

Elton John Performs in Israel

Two Meetings a Worlds Apart

President Obama Meets with Palestinian Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on June 9, 2010. The President's Meeting with Abbas is one of the photos of the day on the White House's website.

President Obama meets with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on March 23, 2010. The following was the March 23rd photo of the day on the White House website following the Obama-Netanyahu meeting.

(This picture appeared originally on foxnews.com)

Two Meetings a Worlds Apart

IDF Saved Arab Left for Dead by Hamas

IDF Saved Arab Left for Dead by Hamas

The Flotilla Song

Ed. Note: Unfortunately, YouTube pulled the Flotilla song off their website allegedly because of a copyright infringement. But, my hunch is other forces are at play here prompting YouTube to succumb to political pressure. However, the Jewish Task Force still has a version of the song that appears on You Tube which is seen above.

The Flotilla Song

IDF Releases New Video of Mavi Marmara

IDF Releases New Video of Mavi Marmara

Terrorists on board the Mavi Marmara

Below is a video of an Israeli Navy Seal describing the violence that he encountered when boarding the ship.

We now know that the so-called activists on board the ship were not peaceful humanitarian activists. But, they were in fact connected to Al Qaeda and were armed with weaponry to be delivered to Hamas in Gaza. Worldnetdaily reported that the passengers wanted to be martyrs and chanted Jihadist slogans.

Terrorists on board the Mavi Marmara

Question and Answer of the Day

Question: If the NYPD or the LAPD or any police officer in America had his gun stolen by a criminal only to be fired upon by the gun that was once in the police officer's position, would that police officer hesitate to kill the criminal if he could in self-defense?

Answer: Of course he would  not hesitate and there would be no U.N. condemnation nor would there be any outcry from the European Union  nor would the President of the U.S. ask the police force to get their facts straight. There would be no discussion. The police officer would have the absolute right to defend himself  if he had his gun stolen or if he was beaten with metal rods or if he was thrown to the ground and assaulted.

Next Question: Why should the IDF be treated any differently when their soldiers are attacked by terrorists masked as humanitarian activists?

Answer:  Because Jews are not allowed to defend themselves in the eyes of the international community. Instead, Jewish police officers/soldiers  must permit the criminal/terrorist  to beat them to death with metal rods, thrown them overboard in the water, and steal their guns without a reprisal attack.

Question and Answer of the Day

Israel Self Defense on the Mavi Marmara

In a de ja vu moment which is so typical for the Middle East, Israel has been provoked once again by Palestinian activists to use force to defend themselves in order to spur an international  public relations incident.

This is what usually occurs. The Palestinians resort to violence. When Israel responds to defend the lives of its soldiers and citizenry, Israel is blamed improperly and unfairly  by the international community for causing the violence that was precipitated the Palestinians themselves.

Israel is now under fire for boarding a ship called the Mavi Marmara carrying Palestinian activists heading for the Gaza strip and killing at least ten people on board. The U.N. plans on holding a special session to condemn Israel. Ambassadors have been recalled to their home countries. Neighboring Turkey has issued a strong rebuke of the Israeli government.

Prime-Minister Netanyahu has canceled his visit to the White House to return to Israel to deal with the latest diplomatic upheaval plaguing Israel.

Unfortunately, as is typically the case, the criticism of Israel is unwarranted and misplaced.

Israel repeatedly asked the ship to dock in Ashdod where Israel would inspect the ship to determine if there was any security risks. If there were none, Israel would allow the materials on board to be transferred to the Gaza trip.

The so-called activists on the ship flatly refused Israel's offer and instead intended to transgress the blockade set up by the IDF to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza.

Israel was left no choice but to board the ship. After all, there was no way of knowing whether this ship was backed by Al Qaeda or other terrorist organizations. The highest level of scrutiny is absolutely necessary especially since the ship did not heed Israel's offer to dock in Ashdod.

When Israel boarded the ship, the activists  responded with violence beating the Israeli soldiers with sticks. One Israeli soldier was stabbed in the stomach. Some The activists even stole  IDF guns and opened fire on the soldiers.



Israel simply had no other alternative but to respond and defend themselves which is exactly what they did.

The ship had  no business being in a  restricted zone in the first place.  They are squarely to blame for not cooperating with the Israeli navy and they are wholly responsible for precipitating the violence on board which led to the ten deaths.

Yet, it does not matter that the activists are fully responsible for the incident.  The activists know that they can cause violence and get away with it because the international community will always blame Israel and turn a blind eye to Palestinian violence.

We definitely live in an upside down world.

Below you can see more footage of the ship commandos attacking Israeli soldiers on board.
 

Israel Self Defense on the Mavi Marmara

Video of the day

THE MOST HUMANE ARMY IN THE WORLD

Video of the day

San Diego Muslim Student Wants a Second Holocaust

 Watch the Shocking Video

San Diego Muslim Student Wants a Second Holocaust

To Freeze or not to Freeze

Ever since the recent fallout in U.S.-Israel relations over Israel's announcement that it would build 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem, Netanyahu and Obama have been going back and forth in sending mixed messages about whether there has been an agreement by the Israeli government to halt all East Jerusalem construction in order to appease both the Palestinians and Obama himself.

President Obama had insisted that Netanyahu cease all construction in East Jerusalem as a gesture to the Palestinians in order to start the Proximity Talks and as a means of repairing the much talked about rift in U.S.-Israel relations. 

In order to appease Obama and the Palestinians, the Associated Press reported towards the end of April that Netanyahu relented on his promise not to stop  building in East Jerusalem.

However, the Mayor of Jerusalem told the media during his visit to Washington a few weeks ago that building in East Jerusalem had not stopped.

Nevertheless, George Mitchell announced on Sunday that Israel agreed to a halt of all East Jerusalem Construction for a period of two years.

A day after Mitchell's euphoric announcement, Netanyahu adamantly told his Likud loyalists that there had been no agreement with the Americans to stop East Jerusalem construction and that construction in East Jerusalem would continue.

Someone is clearly dropping the ball here and playing diplomatic games.

One explanation for the  mixed messages is that Netanyahu has to cater to the opinions of the Israeli public and in particular the more hawkish wing of his coalition government which is overwhelmingly opposed to any halting of East Jerusalem Construction.  By Netanyahu making public statements in Israel which satisfies the more hawkish elements of the Israeli electorate while  privately telling Obama that he intends to stop East Jerusalem Construction, Netanyahu can stay on good terms with the Obama Administration and his own government.

On the other hand, George Mitchell and the Obama Administration have an interest in satisfying the Palestinians. It is thus also plausible that Mitchell is claiming that Netanyahu has agreed to halt East Jerusalem construction when in fact he has not.

Either way these conflicting statements about whether or not there has been a halting of East Jerusalem Construction, is counterproductive.

If Mitchell is going to make baseless statements claiming that Netanyahu has agreed to halt East Jerusalem Construction, Netanyahu will be forced to refute those claims to his own party in order to keep his government intact. There is no sensible outcome in causing an uproar in the Israeli political scene to score points with the Palestinians. Otherwise, Obama will be seen by many as the President who meddled in Israeli affairs which will have political consequences for the Obama Administration.

However, if Netanyahu is the one who is playing the diplomatic games and Mitchell has correctly stated that Netanyahu did agree to halt East Jerusalem Construction, Netanyahu will be viewed as being untrustworthy and not consistent.

Quite frankly, Netanyahu should set the record straight in both his public appearances and private conversations with the Americans that Israel will continue to build in Jerusalem regardless of any criticisms by the Obama Administration as Israel has an absolute right to build in its own capital city.

As long as these conflicting statements continue to make headlines, people are going to wonder who is telling the truth which is only bad politics for both Netanyahu and Obama.

To Freeze or not to Freeze

Summer Battlefield 2010

According to a retired Major General in the U.S. Army, Israel should prepare for war this summer.  Maj. Gen. Paul Valleley warns in a video interview on PJTV.com of the possibility of preemptive strikes, chemical attacks, and tunnel incursions to be launched by Hezbollah in  Lebanon on Israel this summer. Hezbollah reportedly has scud missiles with a 450km range which could reach northern Israel and perhaps even Tel Aviv.

Four years after the Second Lebanon War which also occurred in the summer, it has been widely believed that Hezbollah is rearming for another conflict with Israel despite the fact that U.N. Resolution 1701 called for its disarmament.

Summer Battlefield 2010