Israel Wiped Off The Map, Literally

January 1, 2015 - A publisher in the U.K. has accomplished what Arab nations, Muslims and anti-Semites have dreamed of since 1948. They wiped Israel off the map.

Israel was left off a map published by Collins Bartholomew, a subsidiary of publishing giant HarperCollins. "The country is not labelled on the map - bought by English-speaking schools in the majority-Muslim Gulf, while Gaza and Jordan are clearly marked," notes The Daily Mail. The publisher is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The atlas, distributed in English-speaking schools in the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries, shows the West Bank next to Gaza but with Israel not labelled.

A report on December 31st by The Tablet, a weekly Catholic newspaper based in the UK, says that The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales "accused HarperCollins of harming peace efforts in the Middle East through its production of atlases that omit Israel from their maps. Collins Middle East Atlases, which are sold to English-speaking schools in the Muslim-majority Gulf, depict Jordan and Syria extending all the way to the Mediterranean Sea."

Incredibly, Collins Bartholomew actually admitted to The Tablet that they bowed to "local preferences" by omitting Israel. In a region filled with enemies who have vowed to years to destroy the Jewish nation, inclusion of Israel on the map would have been "unacceptable" to customers in region.

The Tablet also reported that "customs officers in one Gulf nation" would only allow school atlases "to reach their intended recipient only once Israel had been struck out by hand."

To put it simply, Collins Bartholomew willingly published an inaccurate map for school children just to satisfy the political demands of paying customers. For the publisher, apparently, reality is less important than profit. Customs officers in Third World countries seem to be editors emeritus for Collins Bartholomew.

The story immediately received big media attention. Busted, embarrassed and called out for their act of deliberate regional revisionism, parent company HarperCollins apologized on Facebook: Commenters on Facebook, however, were not buying the apology.

Post by HarperCollins UK.

The apology is hollow. After all, had there not been an outcry over this, Collins Bartholomew would still be happily selling their fantasy maps sans Israel. And commenters on Facebook were not buying it:

• "Did you actually think you could get away with such revisionism and that nobody would notice? I am certain you only regret that your reprehensible actions were exposed for what they are." 
• "Apart from your appalling decision to facilitate racists, the fact remains the Rhodesia is Zimbabwe now, Ceylon is Sri Lanka and like it or not, Israel is the name of the country that you have deliberately ommited!"
• "Would you have made a map for the Gulf states with Al-Andalus replacing Spain and Portugal? If they want imaginary maps, they should have to make their own."
• "WOW, what a stupid decision. Enjoy the backlash!"

And the backlash has only just begun. One commenter provided the URL of HarperCollins authors as a list of "Books not to buy. Suggest authors move their trade elsewhere." A number of commenters are threatening to boycott of HarperCollins.

Whether or not you agree with a boycott, it seems clear now that anything - anything- published by HarperCollins or any of its subsidiaries must be questioned for accuracy - and honesty. Perhaps the best comment was made by Rick Moran in his post at American Thinker today: "The publisher had little choice - except to abandon a lucrative market or comply. I think there are some business decisions that may cost a company money, but allow it to hang on to its soul. This is one of those times."

Also See:
HarperCollins erases Israel from atlases Times of Israel
Sin of omission? HarperCollins leaves Israel off the map Al Bawaba
The Fake Map Of ‘Lost Palestinian Territory’ The Muslim Issue
UAE's Etihad Airways denies omitting Israel from in-flight map Haaretz
How Putin Manipulates Russians Using Revisionist History Forbes
Russia Propaganda Rises Again: Fake Maps Depict a Much Smaller Ukraine Daily Signal

Global Warming! Jerusalem Hit by Heaviest Snowstorm in 20 Years

Jan. 11, 2013 - Oy vay, that "global warming" sure is chilly! In these videos, we get a look at one of the heaviest snowstorms in 20 years, virtually shutting down the city of Jerusalem, Israel. The city was blanketed in white on Wednesday, January 9, 2013. See, that's how global warming works: It also makes it colder. Confused? Yes, so are the global warmists.

Netanyahu's Clear Red Line Reinterpreted

UN Photo/J Carrier

Oct. 1, 2012 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held up a cartoonish drawing of a bomb last Thursday during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.  

He was making a point: Iran's nuclear program is dangerously close to being capable of producing a nuclear weapon.

‘‘How much enriched uranium do you need for a bomb? And how close is Iran to getting it?’’ Netanyahu asked rhetorically. ‘‘Well, let me show you. I brought a diagram.’’

Netanyahu held up the drawing of a bomb with a lit fuse, and with a red marker he drew a "clear red line" through the bomb to indicate "the threshold that Iran was approaching and that Israel could not tolerate — 90 percent of the way," reported The Associated Press, "to the uranium enrichment needed to make a nuclear weapon."

Another interpretation, by Chicago News Bench

Chicago News Bench's own interpretation of Netanyahu's cartoon bomb is pictured below. We replaced the original bomb with the Danish cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.

Why? Actually, we meant no disrespect to non-violent Muslims by that. What we did mean is that, although he did not say it, Netanyahu and his advisors undoubtedly know that the Iranian bomb is an Islamic bomb.

Netanyahu is not simply up against the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon - he is trying to ward of the threat of an Islamic nuclear weapon. By that we simply mean that Iran, by way its nutjob President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has publicly and repeatedly said that the Jewish nation of Israel must be "eliminated." The reasons for that, as given by Ahmadinejad or his Iranian colleagues, is always based in their interpretation of Islam.

"Note that word—'eliminated'," wrote The Wall Street Journal on Sept. 25. "When Iranians talk about Israel, this intention of a final solution keeps coming up. In October 2005, Mr. Ahmadinejad, quoting the Ayatollah Khomeini, said Israel 'must be wiped off the map.' Lest anyone miss the point, the Iranian President said in June 2008 that Israel "has reached the end of its function and will soon disappear off the geographical domain."

Some are calling it "The Bibi Bomb" or "Bibi's Bomb" after Netanyahu's nickname. It has its own hashtag on Twitter, too: #bibibomb.

Whether or not the presentation was effective is a subject of much debate.

I'd say it was very effective, if only because it caused a lot of people to discuss the matter who might not have without the stunt.

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon felt the same way . He told Israel’s Channel 2 TV that the resulting jokes about the cartoon bomb ‘‘are maybe part of the success because it was an unforgettable speech that delivered its message,’’ and, ‘‘Today everyone is talking about it.’’

UPDATE 4: LOUD EXPLOSIONS ROCK IRANIAN CITY | CONFLICTING REPORTS CAUSE CONFUSION

November 28, 2011 - IRAN - Two mysterious explosions shook the city of Isfahan (or "Asfahan") in western Iran today, reports Ya Libnan, which quotes the semi-official Fars News Agency. The explosions are thought to have happened at or very near the Shahab-4 Ballistic missile facility.

"Two explosions have been reported in the Iranian town of Isfahan," reports JewishPress.com. "The first occurred at around 2:30 AM and was originally reported by Farsnews, until the report was taken down. Israel’s Channel 10 is reporting that a second explosion occurred not long ago at a Shahab-4 ballistic missile facility, also in Isfahan. Isfahan hosts a nuclear technology center and a uranium conversion facility, as well as a production plant which make alloys for nuclear reactors."

www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/shahab-4.htm

It is still not clear what exploded or what caused the explosions. The only thing that is certain is that there are conflicting reports and a lot of confusion about the incident, as the Israel Matzav blog reports.


This may be significant because a uranium conversion plant not far from Isfahan went became fully functional in 2004. Today's blast comes as tensions between Israel and Iran are at an all-time high, and there is much speculation that Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities in an effor to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.

An updated item from Haaretz highlights how confusing this story really is. Some of the confusion is intentional. "Speaking with Fars news agency," reports Haaretz, "Isfahan’s deputy mayor confirmed the reports and said the authorities are investigating the matter. However, after the incident was reported in Israel, the report was taken off the Fars website." (My emphasis added.)

According to The Telegraph UK, "some sources told news agencies there had been a blast on military facilities, [but] others said there had been a fireball at a petrol station. Residents of the city were independently telling relatives and friends overseas that the city had been shaken by a massive blast in the early afternoon."

Fox News is also referring to the Fars report, and added "the Pentagon and the International Atomic Energy Agency both said they had no reports of an explosions in the city, which has a uranium conversion plant nearby."

Meanwhile, Haaretz (Israel) is also reporting that North Korea has supplied Syria and Iran "with a special kind of steel used to upgrading missiles and building centrifuges for uranium enrichment, the German newspaper Die Welt reported over the weekend."

And, just as a footnote, it will be 64 years ago tomorrow that the United Nations created the modern nation of Israel. On November 29, 1947 the U.N. passed Resolution 181, which divided the British-ruled Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

Iranian General: 'Israel Must Be Wiped Off The Map'

July 25, 2011 - The genocidal tendencies of Iran are not limited to nutjob President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. One of its top military men, Basij Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naghdi, is saying that Israel must be destroyed. It's almost cliche, but still frightening, to hear this kind of hate speech from the radical Iranian regime. Oh, and he's written a poem. Here is an excerpt from a post today by Reza Kahlili: In reaction to the recent assassination of Iranian scientist Dariush Rezaiinejad, chief commander of the Basij Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naghdi stated: "The main plot for this criminal act was conceived by the American government, and since it is scared of the reaction by the Muslim world due to the uprisings in the region, it had the Zionist regime commit the heinous act....In order to protect the security of our country, we have no option but to have the Zionist regime wiped off the map." Original source: Pars Daily News... Naghdi's post appeared late this morning on Pajamas Media and is being widely quoted in the blogosphere. The mainstream media, as of 5:13 PM Chicago time, has nothing about this story. General Naghdi is not merely a proponent destroying Israel. He also fancies himself to be something of a poet, it seems. He wrote a poem called “The Youth and Soft War,” about the "soft war" being waged by the U.S. against Iran. This "soft war," he says, is being conducted via Twitter and Facebook. A line from the poem: "Bombs and missiles failed to scare me. He came back with the rumor-spreading Twitter and Facebook." More about Naghdi's poem at Payvand Iran News... RELATED: Iran's top leader names mediator in power struggle - AP (IranFocus.com) Photo: ISNA

Pollak Charges Sun-Times of "False Accusation"

October 1, 2010 - The Pollak for Congress campaign has contested a false allegation made by the Chicago Sun-Times in today’s editorial endorsing Jan Schakowsky for the 9th district. “The Sun-Times was wrong to say that Joel Pollak ‘completely runs afoul of the truth...in his effort to portray Schakowsky as insufficiently pro-Israel,’” noted Ashley Kain, Pollak’s campaign manager. “That is completely false. The Sun-Times cannot prove it. If you accuse someone of being untruthful, you had better be able to point to something they have said or done that is untrue. Apparently, the Sun-Times has confused its opinion with its facts. “Joel has always told the truth about Jan Schakowsky’s stance on Israel. He has publicly acknowledged (e.g. at his town hall meeting in Skokie on Aug. 12) that her voting record is good. Joel has, however, criticized Schakowsky's silence on certain key issues, and her questionable views and alliances. His exact position, as reflected in a statement he published on September 17th, is as follows: ‘Jan Schakowsky is not anti-Israel, but she is clearly failing to lead on Israel.’ “His evidence is the fact that Schakowsky has said (Pioneer Press, Sep. 16) that she wants the U.S. to pressure Israel into making more concessions, that she has failed to speak out against the Obama administration’s confrontational approach to Israel, and that she has failed to indicate that she would support a military option against the Iranian regime if necessary to protect the U.S. and Israel. “Joel has also pointed out that Jan Schakowsky held a fundraiser with the anti-Israel and antisemitic Helen Thomas (May 2010); traveled to embrace Manuel Zelaya, the anti-Israel and antisemitic former leader of Honduras (November 2009); and took tens of thousands of dollars from the far-left group J Street, which opposes Israel at every opportunity and which was recently revealed to be supported by George Soros and foreign donors. Those are not pro-Israel actions. “Voters can judge for themselves whether Schakowsky’s views and behavior are pro-Israel enough for the 9th district. But nothing Joel has said about Schakowsky’s stance is untrue. “We do not agree with the editorial's opinions about Joel or his opponent, but we are not protesting those--only the completely false statement about Joel's portrayal of his opponent's views on Israel. Joel has stuck to the facts. In the spirit of fairness and accuracy, the Sun-Times must issue a correction.” From a Pollak For Congress press release, October 1, 2010 RELATED: Dershowitz backs Schakowsky challenger Politico Jews Move Right 'Journalist' Helen Thomas: Jew-hater, Democrat fundraiser Big Journalism Schakowsky: Helen Thomas 'is awesome' The Hill Vote out Schakowsky: She's anti-Israel

Helen Thomas Finally Gets The Hell Out

June 7, 2010 - Last month Helen Thomas caused an instant national furor by saying that all Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine" and go back to Poland, Germany, and America and everywhere else." Thomas, White House correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, quickly felt the wrath of those offended by her insensitive comments. Many called for her resignation and called on the White House to pull her credentials. Today, the 89-year old Thomas announced that she has "retired." Bernie Madoff "retired" too, if you care to stretch the meaning of the word as much as Helen Thomas is doing today. More likely, I'm guessing, Thomas was summarily fired by Hearst. She made the anti-Israel comments on May 27 at, ironically, the White House Jewish Heritage Celebration. Imagine a reporter saying that all Mexicans should get "the hell out" of the United States at a White House Latino Heritage Celebration - or anywhere else. It was not until last weekend, however, that the video of her making those remarks surfaced on the Internet. Fox News reports today that Thomas's "retirement" announcement "came after the White House Correspondents Association decried her remarks as 'indefensible' and began to consider whether Thomas should continue to have the privilege of a front-row seat in the briefing room. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called her remarks 'offensive and reprehensible' on Monday, as other former White House spokesmen called for Thomas to be fired." Full article at Fox... (See Robert Gibbs condemn her remarks in this AP video.) Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said that Thomas's remarks were "tantamount to [advocating] religious cleansing." He went on to say that, "when you advocate that people need to be separated on the basis of their religion, and that there's a region in the world in which nobody from a certain religion, no Jew, should live, and she called it 'in Palestine,' this is a reprehensible problem. This is hatred, this is bigotry, this is prejudice." (See Fleischer's comments in this Fox News video.) Hatred is nothing news for Helen Thomas, and the Left's application of their double standard to her is long standing. In November 2000, Sarah H. Wright wrote a gushy report about Thomas with the title "Journalist Helen Thomas condemns Bush administration" at MIT News (emphasis added): Veteran journalist Helen Thomas brought the grit and whir of a White House press conference to Bartos Theater on Monday evening, speaking with passion about the media's role in a democracy whose leaders seem eager for war. Actually, the 82-year-old former United Press International reporter didn't just speak: she surged into her topic, giving everyone present an immediate sense of the grumpy wit and fierce precision that gave her reporting on American presidents Kennedy through Bush II such a competitive and lasting edge. "I censored myself for 50 years when I was a reporter," said Thomas, who is now a columnist for Hearst News Service. "Now I wake up and ask myself, 'Who do I hate today?'" Thomas self-described as being hateful, but Sarah H. Wright praised her for "grumpy wit," "fierce precision," and the ability to "surge into her topic." Wright, like other Liberals, finds hatred to be perfectly acceptable - even admirable - provided it's directed at those who are politically opposed to them. Thomas is - was - the longest serving White House correspondent. She began covering national politics in 1943 with United Press International (UPI), and became a White House correspondent in 1960. On May 17, 2000, after 57 years with the organization, Thomas resigned from UPI the day after the announcement of its acquisition by News World Communications Inc., a company founded and controlled by Unification Church leader Reverend Sun Myung Moon. She later described the change in ownership as "a bridge too far." (Source) Apparently, Thomas didn't feel it was "a bridge too far" to work for Hearst, whose corporate ancestry, once upon a time, brought us the Spanish-American War and Yellow Journalism. Hearst, however, seems to have had enough of correspondent/non-reporter Helen Thomas's big mouth and forced her to jump off of her own wobbly bridge. RELATED: Helen Thomas: The End Warner Todd Huston, Chicago Now Helen Thomas, Kinda Like Hitler a Little Bit Chicago News Bench Why Helen Thomas's Anti-Jew Remarks Were So Bad Chicago News Bench

Israel Seizes MV Rachel Corrie Flotilla Ship (w/Video)

June 6, 2010 - Breaking/Developing: New Straits Times reports from Indonesia: Israeli forces boarded and seized the MV Rachel Corrie swiftly and without meeting resistance yesterday [local time], preventing it from breaking a naval blockade of Gaza days after a similar effort turned bloody. While the 19 activists onboard, including six Malaysians, are reported to be unharmed, there are concerns that the activists will be dealt with according to Israeli laws once they reach Port Ashdod in Israel. The Jerusalem Post reported this: On Saturday [local time], commandos boarded the MV Rachel Corrie cargo ship as it made its way to the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the Israel-imposed sea blockade. Navy forces then piloted the ship into Ashdod Port where its cargo will be unloaded and allowed, after inspection, to cross by land into the Gaza Strip.The boarding took place without any violence and was carried out by sea and not by helicopters, like on Monday. Passengers aboard the Rachel Corrie – named for an American activist killed by an IDF bulldozer in the Gaza Strip in 2003 – even, according to the IDF, threw the boarding soldiers a rope off the side of the vessel. Israeli Navy Intercepts Gaza Aid Boat, Escorts Vessel to Port‎ BusinessWeek Israelis seize Irish aid ship bound for Gaza‎ Scotsman

5 PM Today, Protest Chicago Turkish Embassy, Support Israel

June 3, 2010 - How convenient: The Turkish Embassy and the Israeli Embassy are both located in the same building at 111 East Wacker Drive in Chicago. That makes it easy to (a) protest the Turkish government for its rush to condemn Israel for excercising its right to control traffic into its territory and (b) to show your support for our friend Israel as she is wrongly convicted in the court of world opinion without even the pretense of a fair hearing. The Pollak For Congress campaign will be outside the Turkish and Israeli consulates (111 E Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL) at 5 p.m., but they will most likely have a lot of company. A note from the Pollak campaign sums up the event, hours before it is scheduled to begin: We are going to stand with the U.S. and Israel, and tell the Turkish government that its new alliance with Iran and radical terrorists is dangerous and morally wrong! We expect more from a historic NATO ally. We are tired of the hypocrisy of a Turkish government that refuses to recognize the Armenian genocide or legitimate Kurdish aspirations, yet blasts the U.S. and Israel. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has been totally silent about Turkey, Iran, and the Gaza flotilla. Her close ally, J Street, blamed Israel. Join us TODAY as we stand up against terror! We wonder if Jan Schakowsky be there waving the Turkish flag.

Chicago! Stand With Israel Rally Thursday, 5 PM

A reminder from John Ruberry at Marathon Pundit, who wrote this: Friends help each other when one of them is in trouble. Israel of course is a close friend of America, and yes, our dearest ally in the Middle East. If you want to help out a friend, then show up at 111 E. Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago on Thursday at 5:00pm. The Israeli Consulate is located there, and strangely enough, so is the Turkish Consulate. Bring your American and Israeli flags, but don't worry about signs. You can pick one out at the rally site. Most of the Chicago establishment media is located within walking distance of East Wacker Drive--let's give them something to shout about. Thanks John!

How Israel Should Have Handled The Free Gaza Flotilla

If I had been in charge of the Israeli response to the recent, ill-fated 'Free Gaza' Flotilla, I would have handled it much differently. As it happens, Israeli soldiers boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships in the flotilla, and all hell broke loose when they were violently attacked. The actual violence is not Israel's big problem. Rather, it's their own failed public relations and the fact that so much of the world is eager to condemn them without even a fair hearing. What would you have done? Let's say you're a high-ranking security person in Israel's government. Three ships are heading toward your country, which is surrounded on all sides by hostile nations and has hundreds of thousands of terrorists inside its borders. The organizers of the ships are known to be sympathetic toward the terrorists, but they claim that they're only bringing "relief" materials to them: Medical supplies, toilet paper, and other items. They make it known that they will put to port in the portion of your country that is controlled by terrorists sworn to destroy you, but all you ask of the ships is that they dock elsewhere first so that you can inspect them to be certain they are not carrying weapons the your enemies. You stand firm and insist that your country be able to inspect any ship, as allowed under international law, that comes into your territory. Does that sound unreasonable? It doesn't, if you happen to be reasonable. If, however, you are an islamist muslim who hates Israel, it might irritate you. Unless, however, you're an enemy of Israel and you want to bait them into an international incident. How to do that? You load three ships with some faithful crew who are in on the plot, bring a few hundred useful idiot passengers on board, and defy the reasonable requests of the Israelis to inspect your ships. Oh, and you have a bunch of items that are "not weapons" stacked on the decks of the ships that actually could be used for mayhem. Items such as axes, long knives, steel pipes. No guns, of course, because guns would be too incriminating. Remember, your objective is to force Israel into an embarassing and "violent" encounter with "peaceful" relief workers. Israel's response was weak, and also stupid. Sure, hind sight is 20/20, but I'm amazed that Israel did not do what I'm about to say I would have done. I would have surrounded the flotilla with my naval forces and prevented them from proceeding until they allowed us to board the ships one by one and be searched. In a crucial difference from what Israel did, I would have done this in broad daylight, not at night, and made sure that the international press was present. I would have have my media people make it known that the ships were violating international law by refusing inspection. I would have kept the flotilla sitting where we stopped them, at sea, for weeks or months if necessary, providing them with food and water and medical supplies until such time that they allowed our forces to board them and peacefully inspect them. If no weapons or contraban was found, they would be allowed to proceed. If, during this standoff, any of the ships fired on our forces, we would respond with deadly fire. Instead, Israel walked into trap with its eyes wide open. The night vision videos released by the IDF are difficult to see because color and detail are washed out. The IDF videos are open to criticism of doctoring and editing. Had the international press been present, embedded if you will, it would be much more difficult for the critics of Israel to condemn video from, say, BBC or CNN or AFP. Israel might get another chance, but I fear they will blow that as well. A June 1 report in The Jerusalem Post quotes a "top Navy commander" as saying that "Israel will use more aggressive force in the future to prevent ships from breaking the sea blockade on the Gaza Strip." Did they learn nothing in the past 48 hours? They were baited into appearing violent once, and now some idiot Navy commander promises "more aggressive force?" I agree that aggressive force, if warranted, should be applied. But Israel must remember that, fairly or unfairly, they are judged differently than other nations. They must take extra care to avoid the appearance of using violence wantonly, and only the most convincing evidence will hold their critics at bay. (No pun intended.) Update, June 3: Ironically, Hamas has since refused to allow trucks filled with "aid" items from the ships into Gaza. “Hamas has refused to allow those trucks to go in,” a senior official from the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) told The Jerusalem Post, “and if the aid is so urgent, my question is, why are they not allowing it into Gaza?” (JawaReport) RELATED: Video Shows Passengers Attacking Israeli Soldiers‎ WCBS-TV Israel Transfers Mavi Marmara Cargo to Gaza‎ Arutz Sheva Israeli Boarding of Blockade Busting Ship Was Legal Fort Liberty Helsinki Principles on the Law of Maritime Neutrality Peace activists acted more like provocateurs Calgary Herald

IDF Videos Show Closeup of Violent Ship Passengers

In the top video here (taken by an Israeli Defence Force naval boat) we see the "peaceful" passengers of the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships in the 'Free Gaza' Flotilla, violently attacking IDF soldiers "who were trying to board the ship after having sent repeated requests for the boat to change course." The voices you hear in the first video are IDF personnel speaking Hebrew. In the second video, (no sound), IDF provides a closeup view. "Large groups of passengers surrounded soldiers and beat them with metal poles and chairs," writes the IDF, "and threw one soldier over the side of the ship. Some passengers grabbed pistols from the IDF soldiers and opened fire. As a result of the attacks, seven IDF soldiers were injured, and nine of the passengers were killed. The 'Free Gaza' Flotilla had publicly insisted on their non-violent intentions, however their violent attack on the IDF soldiers was clearly premeditated. They had knives, metal rods, firebombs and other items ready to use. " The IDF posted these videos on YouTube on May 31, 2010. Update, June 3: Ironically, Hamas has since refused to allow trucks filled with "aid" items from the ships into Gaza. “Hamas has refused to allow those trucks to go in,” a senior official from the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) told The Jerusalem Post, “and if the aid is so urgent, my question is, why are they not allowing it into Gaza?” (JawaReport)

Israel Preps for War with Iran, Syria Beats War Drums

February 3, 2010 - Breaking - War seems imminent in the Middle East. This report today from debka.com is very alarming: Arab voices were fanning Middle East war fever Wednesday night, Feb. 3. debkafile's military sources report that not only are Syrian leaders beating war drums - Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem said in Damascus: "Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities" - but Egyptian military sources have put out information purporting to outline Israel's preparations to strike Iran. Debka.com's article goes on, with more info, which I've put into abbreviated list form here: - Israeli Navy and the US Fifth Fleet have been charting Persian Gulf waters and Iranian shorelines "in preparation for attacks" - Israeli Defense Forces intelligence and special forces ... have been marking out routes.... to hit Iran's nuclear installations - Egyptian sources say that Saudi Arabia is [to put it in my own words] freaking out about all of this - Some of this has already been "leaked in Cairo Wednesday night to ... a publication which Egyptian intelligence often uses ..." Full Article and more details at debka.com QUESTIONS: Since this is so widely known now, will the Obama Administration talk about it? How has Hillary Clinton been involved in all of this? Will Israel soon find itself embroiled in a war with Iran and its puppet state Syria? How deeply will the U.S. get pulled in, and how will this affect our efforts on the ground in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan? RELATED: Syria: If Israelis declare war, we'll hit their cities US seeks to restore Damascus envoy Assad: Israel pushing Middle East to war Ehud Barak Warns Syria Of Confrontations, Incite Against Iran Netanyahu: If Hamas wants a deal - there will be one Analysis: negotiation with Iran an "unending waltz" After test failure, US warns Iran over defensive missiles Iranian Proxies: An Intricate and Active Web UN Gives Green Light for Israel, Syria, Iran War Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Israel's President Says Merry Christmas (Obama Refuses)

Israeli President Shimon Peres sends his wishes "each of you and all of us a happy and merry Christmas." (Videos below.) That's nice of President Peres, really very nice. He delivered his 50-second greeting in a warm, sincere tone. Contrast that to Barack Hussein Obama, who gave a chilly 3-second "Happy holidays, best wishes for the new year" via Organizing For America, his puppet socialist propaganda machine. Why is it that the president of Israel has no problem wishing Christians a "merry Christmas," but the religiously non-descript, marxist Obama just can't force himself to utter that offensive phrase?

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ALERT - LEBANON LOBS ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL

BREAKING NOW, DEVELOPING: BEIRUT (AFP) – Israel shelled southern Lebanon on Saturday after a rocket slammed into its territory in a tit-for-tat exchange of fire across their tense border, sources on both sides said. Israeli public radio said a woman was lightly injured by flying glass in her home when the rocket landed near the Israeli town of Maalot near the Lebanese border. In Lebanon, panicked residents were fleeing the border area, where loud explosions could be heard, an AFP correspondent said. FULL REPORT... More as this develops....... CNB RSS Feed

Alert: Israel Ready to Rumble With Iran

Early warning, from Investors Business Daily: Ahmadinejad Vs. Netanyahu By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY Posted Friday, February 20, 2009 Middle East: The global stage is set for a confrontation reminiscent of Churchill vs. Hitler and Reagan vs. Gorbachev. How long will Benjamin Netanyahu tolerate an Iranian nuclear threat before acting? Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clearly wants to do something with the olive branch President Barack Obama has extended to him — even if what he does is stuff it into a Shahab-3 ballistic missile and fire it at somebody....It is clear, Ahmadinejad added, that "the Iranian nation welcomes real changes." But whatever grand Barack/Mahmoud summits lie ahead may have just been dealt a pre-emptive strike, courtesy of the Israeli electorate. Bibi Netanyahu, former prime minister and current Likud Party leader, has just been asked by President Shimon Peres to form a new coalition government after the close results in the recent Knesset elections....Netanyahu used his first statement as prime minister-presumptive to send a powerful message to both Iran and the Obama administration. FULL ARTICLE... Is this a harbinger of an inevitable military clash between Israel and Iran? Stay tuned. We'll be watching this closely. Hat tip to Yid With Lid CNB RSS Feed

MUSLIM HIT LIST ON EUROPEAN JEWS

Ominious warnings for Europe and North America: Muslim hate crimes against Jews are on the rise. The current conflict in Gaza has (some) Muslims going at Jews well outside of that troubled region. In Europe, increased attacks on Jewish people by Muslims is being reported. Despite official U.S. intelligence reports denying specific threat information as a result of Israeli action in Gaza, the Northeast Intelligence Network has confirmed increased terrorist “chatter” that specifically suggests pre-operational planning by Muslim terrorist operatives against Jewish assets and people throughout North America. “Chatter,” in the lexicon of intelligence agencies, encompasses various forms of communications, from communication intercepts to postings on Arabic language message boards. (Source) And this, out of the UK, January 7: FEARS grew last night that hate-filled Islamic extremists are drawing up a “hit list” of Britain’s leading Jews — bringing the Middle East conflict terrifyingly close to home.... British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey is convinced online forum Ummah is being used to prepare a deadly backlash against UK Jews. His warning came as Europe was hit by anti-Semitic attacks over Israel’s push into the Gaza Strip. (Source) Remember when, in the wake of September 11, 2001, Muslims in the U.S. kept saying that they shouldn't be targeted? They were right to say that. So tell me, why are Jews in Europe and North America now the targets of Muslim hatred? RELATED: Global Islamic Terrorism Advisory Synagogue set ablaze and anti-Semitic assaults soar in UK following Israel's invasion of Gaza Islamic extremists have drawn up Brit Jew hit list Fears mount of Gaza conflict spill over in Europe Gaza killing sparks attacks on Jews across Europe Anti-Jewish Activities in Europe Rise After Gaza Incursion Burning car rams synagogue door in France Rise In Attacks On Europe's Jews Jews in Europe targeted over Gaza Muslims attacking Jews all over Europe Jews Not Welcome Hamas Deliberately Uses Human Shields Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

Hamas At War With Fellow Palestinians

Even as Israeli troops move into Gaza, a quiter civil war is taking place virtually behind the scenes. The islamo-fascists in control, Hamas, are moving to crush the more moderate Fatah. The Palestinian people are vicitms of Hamas, the radicals within. The Washington Post explains that "Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip has exacerbated the deep divisions between Palestinians who want to make peace with Israel and those who support Hamas' militant struggle against the Jewish state." (More via the Pittsburgh Post Gazette...) The Jerusalem Post has a similar report: The Hamas government has placed dozens of Fatah members under house arrest out of fear that they might exploit the current IDF operation to regain control of the Gaza Strip. The move came amid reports that the Fatah leadership in the West Bank has instructed its followers to be ready to assume power over the Gaza Strip when and if Israel's military operation results in the removal of Hamas rule. (More via Muslims Against Sharia...)

Iran: Let Them Eat Enriched Uranium

The Global Security Newswire reported today that President Shimon Peres believes that Iran is less of a threat now because of the global economic downturn. Peres said the need to attack Iran's nuclear facilities - which have the potential for being used to produce weapons - is less at the present time. "Iran's leadership will also have to get up tomorrow morning and give food to their children. What will they give them? Enriched uranium?" Peres said, blaming Iran's financial difficulties on the country's isolation and plummeting international oil demand. (Source: GSN) This does not mean that tensions are not still high in the region, nor that Iran has abandoned any plans for a nuclear arsenal. It would seem only to indicate that - for the time being - Iran may have moved the program down on its list of priorities.

Nuclear Iran: IAEA Charges "Total Disrespect"

History repeats itself. Just as Iraq once blocked UN inspectors, Iran continues to do the same. The Interational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is now condemning Iran for its complete refusal to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities. Question: If Iran has nothing to hide, why are working so hard to hide it? The situation has become so frustrating that even Russia is calling on Iran to come clean. Meanwhile, Iran's client Syria is using similar tactics of denial. All of this, naturally, has Israel very, very worried. Iran is showing "utter disrespect" for the U.N. nuclear watchdog by ignoring unanswered questions about its atomic programme, European powers said on Thursday....Iran's denial of an IAEA request to check design details at a research reactor under construction and its failure to provide preliminary design data for a nuclear power plant planned at Darkhovin were of particular concern, he said. Full Story from Reuters... MORE: News Center : In Focus : IAEA and Iran IAEA Broadens Probe of Syria Plans To Build Up Its Nuclear Program IAEA, ending meeting, presses Syria to cooperate Syria Accused of Iranian Tactics to Hide Covert Nuclear Activity