I understand the anger of families of terror victims who must witness the release of the murderers of their loved ones. Their tragedy and pain is a never-healing wound. However, their call for revenge, while humanly understandable is not a legal claim. The terrorists who are incarcerated are not their private prisoners but the State’s prisoners. Our legal system does not include personal family revenge. That kind of justice exists elsewhere in the world. Here’s an example. Is this what we want to be?

The release of hundreds of terrorists will not change the balance of power or increase the terror threat to Israel. There is no shortage of motivation for carrying out terror attacks. There is only a shortage of opportunity thanks to the security barrier and the actions of the IDF/Shin Bet (and the PA security forces) on the ground. They (the released terrorists) will not “start to run the show” because the current leadership will not step down. If anything it may create some tension at the top. (Abu Mazen is probably breathing a huge sigh of relief knowing that Marwan Barghouti is not on the list). Besides, the ‘heavy’ terrorists have access to phones, visits, TV, radio, legal counsel etc. (all the things denied to Shalit). Nothing could stop them from planning further attacks. If they had any new terror plot to unleash – they have already tried. Of course, if anyone of them does return to the path of terror, I sincerely hope that the IDF will arrange a meeting with their maker. After all, isn’t that their ultimate goal anyway?

The Israeli army is an open and transparent army. We are conscripted by law but we also serve knowing there is no one else to do so. We serve and risk our lives and in return expect not to be left behind in battle. It’s as simple as that. Every day Gilad was still behind bars this covenant was getting weaker. A terrible blow would have been served to Israeli society if Shalits fait would have been similar to Ron Arad. Gilat Shalit is my brother, he is my son. I want him home.

But the price!!! 1000 to 1!!! What were we thinking? Yes, in this conflict it is essentially a weakness to value human life. It is weakness to invest billions in civilian protection programs. It is the same weakness that stops us from carpet-bombing or intentionally attacking civilians, an inhibition our enemies and neighbors do not share even towards their own. The same weakness that prevented Israel from cutting off  electricity and water to Gaza. It is this weakness that our enemies exploit when hiding behind women and children while they are trying to kill us. It is the weakness that is 180 degrees opposite to the “strength” our enemies project by glorifying suicide murderers, supporting their families, holding events and naming sites in their memory. It is the weakness of a culture that abhors death rather than worshiping it, that teaches children it is best to live and not die and kill in honor and martyrdom.

There is another weakness here – that of the international community and the ICRC who have not been able to secure any information, visits, medical treatment or any verification of humane treatment of Shalit in over 5 years in captivity. Caring for human rights, I suppose, only goes one way.

Possibly the greatest gift that Judaism gave the world in our creation mythology is the notion that Human Beings are the center of the world and not merely servants to the gods, the epitome of creation and not a byproduct of it, the image of God almighty himself. The age of Humanism began at Genesis 1; 26.

Over the past few months I’ve been making the argument that policy in the Middle East will be determined by cultural norms, mores and values and not realpolitik. Realism and liberalism are out. Constructivism is in. And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. The value we hold dear more than any other – human life – And our enemies don’t.  What’s the real difference? 1000 to 1 – sounds about right to me.

And here is the real question – on which side of this equation do you want to be?

Welcome home Gilad. We missed you.

November brings with it several possible water-shed moments. Elections in Egypt (or not). The fall of the Assad regime in Syria (or not). Peaceful transition in Libya (or not). Declaration of a Palestinian state by the UN (or not). Additional riots in other countries (Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon).

What we are looking at is not merely a ‘Spring’ but more of a ‘Four Seasons’ if you will. What will be of the Arab revolution?  Several outcomes are possible:

• A liberal, Western style democracy (unlikely)
• Ongoing military dictatorship (possible)
• Islamization in varying degrees of radicalism (probable)
• failed states, fragmentation, civil war and ongoing LIC (depends on homogeneity)

To seek and acquire legitimacy the regime will fall back on common denominators, strengthen national identity (Islam and Arab unity) and unite the population against a perceived common enemy (Israel and the West). The incitement, hate education, blatant anti-Semitism and hostility towards Israel that have been prevalent in the ME for decades, even in Egypt with whom Israel has a signed peace treaty, is now baring its fruits.

It is a mistake to think that the Arab world is merely reacting to attitudes and policies that the West and Israel have been implementing for decades; A mistake and a sign of liberal racism, as though Arabs and Muslim are incapable of having independent ideology, interests and a will of their own. In the language of political scientists: mainstream Western political theories such as political realism or neo-liberal institutionalism do not apply. The key is in constructivism; in understanding that cultural norms, values and ideas are the salient ingredients in decision making for both domestic and international politics. Constructivism sees the world as a “work under construction”. Meaning, it is constantly changing and reshaping based on said cultural norms, values and ideas. Moreover, political, social and religious leaders have the ability to shape reality and bring about change. By emphasizing threats, real or imagined, creating identifications, strengthening national honor and pride and at the same time enhancing a sense of well-being leaders in essence engage in ongoing Nation Building. For the Constructivist, nations are in a constant shift. Deep change can only occur in conjunction with rooted cultural values and norms or, after a social reconstruction of values and norms.

The revolutions in the Arab world and the breakdown of the regimes in the Arab states are far from being a utopia of a democratic renaissance the New York Times and cohorts would have you think. Once again the mainstream western media is all too happy to create and shape reality in its own image rather than look at the facts at face value.

While the skeleton of the State may remain, the Middle East is divorcing itself from the artificial and externally imposed structure of a western nation-state of the post WWI era, and reverting to a more indigenous, realistic and culturally accepted form of governance to the ME – Clan, Tribe, Uma (Nation of Islam).

So here’s the thing, the law known as the “boycott law” should never have been legislated. I do not intend defending it. I think it’s stupid. I think boycotting is a bad, violent measure that should be combated in the field of public opinion, not the court of law. Abroad it is a mask for Israel haters, anti-Semites, and de-legitimizers who’s end game is not two-states-living-side-by-side-in-peace but the destruction of Israel. In Israel it is the undemocratic and unsuccessful attempt by a loud minority to force their agenda after losing in the polls. Indeed, Peace Now’s campaign to mark products manufactured or produce grown in the West Bank caused an immediate surge in their sales. Go figure.

My problem is the complete and utter disproportionate reaction to this specific piece of legislation in Israel. The amount of disinformation and exaggeration is astounding.

Jeffrey Goldberg published a column in The Atlantic titled “Maybe its time for American Jews to boycott Netanyahu“. He calls the law the “free-speech suppression bill”. ’tis not. There is no suppression of free speech in Israel. In fact, in Israel citizens, residents, foreigners, Jews and Arabs, parliamentarians, journalist’s et al. are more lose tongued against the government than in any other country I know. Can you imagine anyone standing up in Congress shouting at president Obama in an emotional voice – “you’re a pompous ass!” well, that’s what happened last week in the Knesset.

To his credit, Goldberg, a true friend and supporter of Israel added in an update to his column:

Since 1948, Israel has been a besieged state that nevertheless has, with rare exceptions, defended the right of people to say whatever they have wanted to say. This is why Israel has the freest press in the world, and why Arab members of Knesset can scream down the prime minister and not get shot. Israel’s defense of freedom of speech, even in wartime, is one of the many reasons to be proud of it. Let’s not go spoiling this record now.

Rest assured Mr. Goldberg, Mr. Foxman, the record is not spoiled. The law does not address speech at all. It does not ban any personal choice of any kind.

But you wouldn’t know that if you read the New York Times editorial this Sunday.

“Not Befitting a Democracy” cries the title – does the NYT have a list of criteria? I’d love to see it.

First paragraph:

Israel’s reputation as a vibrant democracy has been seriously tarnished by a new law intended to stifle outspoken critics of its occupation of the West Bank.

In addition to stating opinion as fact, the writer is wrong. The law is not intended to stifle criticism. The law is titled: Law Preventing Harm to the State of Israel by Means of Boycott. Anyone can criticize to their hearts’ content. The law offers the chance of restitution to anyone who has been harmed by an organized, planned and structured boycott.

Second paragraph:

The law, approved in a 47-to-38 vote by Parliament, effectively bans any public call for a boycott — economic, cultural or academic — against Israel or its West Bank settlements, making such action a punishable offense.

Again, states opinion as fact. Two more mistakes here: 1) Again, the law does not ban a public call for boycott. 2) Such action is not a punishable offense. It is not deemed criminal or carries threat of arrest or fine, rather is considered a civil wrong.

Finally in the third paragraph the NY times gets it right:

[the law]… would enable Israeli citizens to bring civil suits against people and organizations instigating such boycotts, and subject violators to monetary penalties. Companies and organizations supporting a boycott could be barred from bidding on government contracts. Nonprofit groups could lose tax benefits.

But the damage has already been done.

Later the editorial takes another turn, I had to read twice to understand.

With peace talks stalemated, Palestinians are searching for ways to keep alive their dream of a two-state solution, including a push for United Nations recognition this fall. Israel risks further isolating itself internationally with this attempt to stifle critics.

What does the first half of the sentence have to do with the second? I don’t know.

The Palestinian dream of a two-state solution? The Palestinian dream is of a State of Palestine. The day they will be willing to recognize a real two-state solution, a State of Israel where the right of self determination for the Jewish people will be exercised and a State of Palestine where the same right of self determination for the Palestinian people will be exercised – that day will be the true dawn of a new era where peace will be possible. To-date that has not occurred. Last week the quartet had been unable to reach agreed upon language precisely because of this point.

So now the NYT has also slammed the Israeli government for passing a silly law AND laid the entire blame for the stalled peace talks on its shoulders. Nice. The Palestinians are only “trying to keep their dream alive”. The Obama administration is absent from this equation.

So enough with the hysterics. The Israeli democracy is not dying or dead. It is not crumbling or slipping down a slippery slop. It is alive and kicking and sometimes makes mistakes as it is fighting for its life. And, yes, it’s still the only democracy in the Middle East. Deal with it.

To make up your own mind – here’s the actual bill.

A few months ago I wrote here why settlements are not the problem. Obviously U.S. President Barack Obama did not read my advice. I am bewildered by the worlds’ pressure on Israel to continue the moratorium on building construction in the West Bank.

Yasser Arafat negotiated with Israel for eight years without a moratorium. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas himself negotiated with Israeli governments without a moratorium. So why insist now on this relatively minor issue?

When the French Prime Minister, the British Foreign Minister, the UN General Secretary and the EU Foreign Minister, together with the American President, insist that Israel do so – how can anyone expect Abbas to be any less of a Palestinian patriot?

Once again, the West is showing its lack of understanding of honour politics and Middle-Eastern negotiation culture. It seems the “settlements” have become the big bad wolf, an obstacle to peace impossible to surmount. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to call for direct talks to hammer out an agreement within a year. Talks will include an agreed upon formula for settlements. (A formula already put forward and agreed upon twice). Yet they insist. I’m truly baffled.

Here are some other obstacles to peace the world may want to consider:

• Gilad Shalit is (illegally) imprisoned in Gaza without access to medical treatment or the Red Cross for over four years.
• Since the beginning of direct talks Palestinian terror groups, both Fatah and Hamas, have redoubled their efforts to murder Israelis. Four Israelis have been murdered. Four wounded. Six orphaned.
• Hamas (illegally) controls Gaza and with it about half of the Palestinian population (Hamas = genocidal, jihadist, radical Islamist, etc.)
• Abbas’s legitimacy to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians is questionable.
• 62 years later, there are still refugee camps in the West Bank and the PA is working against allowing 400,000 Palestinians basic civil rights in Lebanon.
• Incitement against Israelis and Jews (kill, Jihad, sacrifice, blood, martyrs etc.) is still an everyday occurrence in Palestinian television and education systems.
• The PA does not recognize Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign Jewish nation.
• Iran.

Should we wait for all these to be cleared before resuming talk?

Once again, Abbas is proving he is not interested in negotiations. He is interested in  blame.

To recap: For the first time in history an Israeli prime minister announced a moratorium on settlement construction. The same PM also announced his acceptance of the two-state solution. This too is an historic event.

But Netanyahu got nothing in return. The moratorium was in effect for 10 months. The PA decided to do everyone a favour and join the direct talks one month before the end of the moratorium. Abbas wasted nine months, but became the most sought-after, cuddled and cajoled world leader. Now he needs a ladder to be able to climb down his tree. Western leaders are pushing him further up the tree.

The PLO (Abass’ home party) urges Abbas to suspend the talks pushing him further still. But he will wait for the Arab League to make a formal announcement.

Meanwhile the Arab summit originally called for Monday Oct. 4 was postponed. I hope they are working on building a ladder. For all our sakes

On September 2^nd, Netanyahu and Abbas will sit down to talk. They will talk about borders, settlements, Jerusalem and refugees. They may even reach agreements on some of the issues. However, this conflict is not about tangible things. At the core of the conflict are non-tangible ideas – identity, belonging, honor, recognition.

Israelis have been undergoing fascinating social reconstruction since the late 1980′s (first intifada). A process that took the mainstream Israeli from “there is no such thing as a Palestinian People” to “Two States for Two Nations”. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s declaration last year at Bar Ilan University accepting the two-state solution is a culmination of this process. Indeed, the vast majority of Israelis will tell you they support a two state solution.

This process however, has not been reciprocated on the Palestinian side. Whatever the reason, no Palestinian Leader (who wishes to remain in a position of leadership) or any other Arab leader, can make statements in Arabic and in public accepting Israel’s right to exist as a free, independent and sovereign nation somewhere between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan. This would be in direct contradiction to 62 years of propaganda and vilification of Israel in the Arab world describing Zionists as thieves and usurpers and colonialists. Even today the Palestinian leadership continues with Yasser Arafat’s policy, denying any connection between the Jews and the Temple Mt. in Jerusalem. Since the singing of the Oslo accords, an entire generation of Palestinian children has grown up learning this revised version of history. Why should they make peace with Israel at all?

So, as a public service to President Abbas I would like to offer a few quotes that will help him pass the message onward and actually accept the Jewish people’s connection to the Holy Land.

From the Holy Quran:

Sura 5 verses 21-22

21. And when Musa [Moses] said to his people [Israel]: O my people! remember the favor of Allah upon you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations.

22. O my people! enter the holy land which Allah has prescribed for you and turn not on your backs for then you will turn back losers.

Sura 7 verses 137 [discussing the exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land]

And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed; and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the children of Israel because they bore up (sufferings) patiently;

Sura 10 verse 93 [discussing the events following Pharaoh interaction with Moses]

And certainly We lodged the children of Israel in a goodly abode and We provided them with good things;

Sura 17 verse 104 [after Pharaoh]

And We said to the Israelites after him: Dwell in the land: and when the promise of the next life shall come to pass, we will bring you both together in judgment

Well, you know, I’m just saying…

Lets start.

Upstream, at the Sea of Galilee, the river’s fresh waters are diverted via Israel’s National Water Carrier to the cities and farms of Israel, while dams built by Jordan and Syria claim a share of the river’s tributaries, mostly for agriculture. So today the lower Jordan is practically devoid of clean water, bearing instead a toxic brew of saline water and liquid waste that ranges from raw sewage to agricultural runoff, fed into the river’s vein like some murky infusion of tainted blood.

Israel takes all the water from the Jordan river leaving Jordan and Syria with scraps. Right? Wrong. (But what a great literary description!) Israel’s national Water Carrier draws water from the Sea of Galilee itself (not from the river) from within Israel’s pre-1967 borders at the Sapir site. It was completed in 1964 so you can’t really blame the occupation on this one. It uses on average 500 million cubic meters of water per year. Jordan draws the water from the Yarmouk – 470 million cubic meters, the second largest river in the region and the River Jordan’s 4^th tributary. In addition to other water transfers Jordan also receives 50 million cubic meters of water annually from Israel from the sea of Galille as part of the peace treaty signed in 1994. DO these numbers paint a different picture? A view of the Jordanian side of the Jordan river valley will disclose a flourishing bread-basket 100 kilometers long and 3 kilometers wide, equipped with the latest agricultural technologies, irrigation systems (the technology transferred from Israel to Jordan, beginning in the 1970′s) and cooperation between neighboring countries (including Israeli farmers tending to their orchards on Jordanian sovereign territory, but why report the good news).

Next.

One day last April, Bromberg led me to the natural spring that provides water to Auja, a Palestinian village of 4,500 people that climbs the barren hills a few miles west of the Jordan River near Jericho. Fed by winter rains, the spring was flowing from a small, boulder-strewn oasis, …. “Auja is totally dependent on this water for agriculture,” Bromberg said. “As soon as this spring dries up, there’ll be no more water for farming.” … As Bromberg and I followed the Auja spring east, we passed a complex of pumps and pipes behind a barbed-wire fence—a Mekorot well, drilled 2,000 feet deep to tap the aquifer. “Blue and white pipes,” Bromberg said. “This is what water theft looks like in this part of the world.”

This is a neat trick. Half truths and a stretch, a twist and a big lie. To drive the message home – a picture of the dried up sun-burnt village, a deserted greenhouse and a line about the swimming pools at the Jewish settlements. Nice work NG.

Indeed, Auja does dry up every summer. Here’s why:

A 2000 foot deep well doesn’t affect top-water. But this does: The blue and white sign reads: Jerusalem Water Undertaking, Ramallah and Al-Bireh District. Well no. 3/ Ein Samia. The water of Ein Samia are captured and transferred to… Ramallah.

Ein Smia is the source of the Auja stream that feeds the village Auja. If you guessed that the well is Palestinian – you guessed right.

The Olso accords allowed Israel and the Palestinian Authority to drill water wells based on an agreed formula (yes, the average Israeli uses much more water than the average Palestinian as a function of standard of living). When the Oslo process collapsed (when the Arafat decided its better to blow up Israeli school buses, restaurants, coffee shops and families having Passover dinner than sharing water with Israel) the water regime remained as did the temporary administrative division of the West Bank but the cooperation ceased. In short – it’s the Palestinians who are responsible for drying Auja.

Oh, right next to the well is a beautiful flourishing greenhouse that grow spices and olive trees. It’s a successful Palestinian enterprise, but why spoil the image of desolation and poverty. Surrounding the spring are findings of a Roman-Byzantine city with dams, aqueducts and flour mills. Very very cool. It is also one of the suggested locations of Joshua’s battle at the Ai when the Israelites entered Canaan. For future reference NG, you can find it at these coordinates: 23166/654998.

Moving on.

To meet these costs [buying water from the horrible, thieving Israeli water company] he is selling off his livestock, and his sons have taken jobs at an Israeli settlement, tending the tomatoes, melons, and other crops irrigated from the aquifer that is off-limits to Palestinian farmers.

More hogwash. 1) We already determined above that the reason Auja is drying up is because of Palestinian water drilling, not Israeli. 2) The Israeli settlements grow mostly tomatoes, grapes, dates and spices (Melons actually grow further south). They use water captured from flash floods at the Tirza water reservoir (instead of flowing to the dead sea) and reclaimed water and advanced irrigation and growing technology to optimize the use of water. Israel leads the world in reclaiming sewage water for agriculture. 75% of water flushed down Israeli toilets, dishwashers and shower drains is recycled and used in agriculture. 3) The aquifer in NOT off limits to Palestinians. This is a bold lie. Indeed, Palestinians drill and use water from the aquifer routinely, yet it is not controlled or regulated.

The caption by the photo of an Israeli couple by the shores of the Sea of Galilee reads:

Israelis relax by the Sea of Galilee, which is fed by the Jordan River and supplies a third of Israel‘s fresh water. Since 1967 Israel has blocked Syria‘s access to the lake’s shoreline.

Cheap demagoguery. Would NG publish a photo of Georgians sitting by the black sea with the caption – Georgia has blocked Russia’s access to the sea’s shoreline sine 1992.

The sentence is in essence true. Left unchecked, the Syrians would undoubtedly approach the lake and pump its waters to a drying and thirsty Syria. Thing is, they have no business being there to begin with. I’d expect NG to know a little bit more about how the borders of the modern middle east were created. Fact is, the international border in not on or in the lake. The lake was never part of Syria and the international border runs up high on the cliff. Between 1948 and 1967 Syria encroached to the water line. It is why they demand to return to the June 4, 1967 lines and not the international border.

There is more. Much more. The article is filled with shoddy research and poor journalism. What bugs me the most is that there are real problems that need to be addressed. To claim that the Palestinians receive their fair share of water is untrue. They don’t. But publishing this kind of one-sided, ludicrous depiction of reality, once again absolving the Palestinian Authority from any and all responsibility is simply absurd. It does not promote peace or understanding, only animosity.

Shame on you National Geographic.

What will Israel-Haters do if and when the Israelis and Palestinians sign a peace treaty? Seriously. When someone or something is so irredeemably evil – it can only be met with destruction. To these people, Israel is not a potential peace partner or even a respected rival. It is but a target.

What is emerging on campuses in North America and in the ultra-liberal politically correct public discourse is an unholy alliance between radicals. This combination can sometimes be comical, for example: Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (Really? Have you been to Tel Aviv?) marching together with Muslim radicals who abide by Sharia law. Thankfully the city of Toronto is showing a great deal of common sense in this matter. There is no need to explain the absurdity of this match. Comedy aside it is also dangerous. These voices are not pro-peace, they are not even pro-Palestinian. They are anti-Israeli and anti-Peace. All good people who support peace must disassociate with these groups.

In another post I wrote regarding events in Europe:

The West suffers a pathology. A habit of “sitting on the fence”, giving equal weight to both “narratives”, trying to understand the conflict through the narrow prism of the electronic media, forcing a moral equivalency where none exists, the unwillingness to criticize a cultural norm or practice or belief system as such, for a noble yet misguided political correctness – these are all leading to a devastating blow that is yet to come. A day when Westerners will wake up to discover that their world, with all its values, mores, flexibilities, pluralism, rule of law, grace, equality, understanding and compromise – is no longer. Sitting on the fence is not an option any more. Forgiving the violence of radical Islamic groups will lead to more violence.

As ‘South Park’ writers learned recently, that day is closer at hand and, it seems, crossed the ocean. .

It must be stopped. Because (quoting from Jon Stewart, yes, I know…) “Revolution Muslim, your type of hatred and intolerance – that’s the enemy”.

It is the same hatred and intolerance you will find on campuses demonstrating in rage against Israel. They are not calling for a negotiated fair and just solution. They are calling for destruction.

My favorite quote from Edmund Burk: “When bad men combine, the good must associate, else they fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle” – or, in other words – For evil to prevail good people need only to remain silent. Where there is silence, darkness and evil will prevail.

What can you do?

Be a candle in a dark room. Don’t remain silent. Support reason and common sense. And if you have friends who are ‘sitting on the fence’ ask to come over to the right side of history.

Settlements are not the problem.

Here’s why:

1. It’s been done before –
   1. 1979 – Egypt – Israel withdrew from all of Sinai (again) and dismantled all settlements.
   2. 1994 -  Jordan – Israel re-aligned on the intl. border, land swaps and long term leases were part of treaty
   3. 2000 – Lebanon – Israel re-aligned on intl. border to the last inch. (result: rocket fire and terror attacks from Lebanon by Hizbullah)
   4. 2005 – Gaza  – Israel withdrew from Gaza, dismantled all settlement plus 4 from West Bank risking civil war (result: increased rockets and terror activity from Gaza)
2. Most of the settlements are political, not ideological
3. A majority of Israelis are in favor of pulling out of West bank

Of course you can choose to ignore the facts, which everyone seems to do lately. (Somewhere in all the hype, the truth got lost. For example, Jerusalem is not West Bank, and 1600 apartments in an ultra-orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem which everyone agrees will remain part of Israel are not impeding the peace process. You know this).

Fact is – A majority of Israeli will gladly support a Palestinian State in the West bank AND Arab East Jerusalem. On one condition – that the day after the pull-out rocket don’t start flying into Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the coastal plains where 70% of Israeli population live.

Can you guarantee a “no rockets into Israel from the West Bank” Mr. President? no, you can’t. And of course, neither can Abbas. And so, the settlements are not the problem, are they? But let’s continue to say they are because it’s an easy unpopular target. Because someone advised you, Mr. President that this is an issue you can press Israel with and not loose points with the American Jewish voters.

Israel needs a strong American government they can trust so that the US can encourage, cajole, and threaten Israel to make concessions. Israel needs a strong American President they can trust so they can capitulate to his pressure. Just like a village elders will force two warring parties to compromise against their wishes but save face. They will do so out of respect to and trust of the village elders who wish to maintain harmony. Right now, Israel doesn’t trust the commander in chief because Mr. President, it seems that you don’t know what you’re doing.

Here’s why Israelis don’t trust you:

You can’t promise at AIPAC in 2008 that Jerusalem will remain undivided then steamroll Israel into dividing it.

You can’t demand from Israel to freeze 100% of settlement construction and expect the PA not to jump on the bandwagon and dig in to their positions.

You can’t turn on a bright warm smile to the Arab and Muslim world and turn a cold shoulder to Israel.

You can’t be a beacon of democracy to the world and ignore democracy in Israel.

You can’t humiliate an Israeli PM and expect Israeli to think its just business as usual.

You can’t make the Israelis bleed a little and expect the sharks to hold back.

You see Mr. President, in the Middle East, it’s a Zero Sum Game. You hurt one side to strengthen the other. One side looses the other gains. If Israel is weakened, its enemies strengthen. There is a direct correlation between your hard-line against Israel and the rise in violence and terror activity and rise in anti-Israeli rhetoric in the region. 35 rockets and 8 mortars were fired this month into Israel from Gaza. People were killed on both sides of the fence.

Mr. President, your actions are not promoting harmony but pushing this region closer to war.

this of course does not change the fact that the decision to publicize the zoning decision while the American VP was visiting is nothing short of moronic. a truly spectacularly stupid display of poor judgment and lack of political sensitivity. Eli Yishai, the minister of interior from Shas should have resigned. but of course that will require accountability, a word that doesnt exist in Hebrew (really).

A few months ago in Melmo Sweden, when violent demonstrators smashed windows of police vehicles, destroyed property and screamed for the blood of Israeli tennis players, the Swedish authorities allowed this violence as a form of “freedom of speech”.

Once again is it Sweden that continues to be the source of this vile sort of freedom of expression. An article based on alleged findings of research funded by the Swedish government in 2000 has resurfaced because the author was reminded of the issue after reading about organ trafficking scandal in New Jersey involving a local Jewish man. He then went on to claim there must be a connection! (Clearly Jews around the world are connected in this conspiracy)…  There are witnesses to the murder of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers for the purpose of harvesting their organs!

So what?! Some say, so a Swedish tabloid, known for its anti-Israeli positions published a recycled piece of rubbish and buried it in the back pages of its literary or cultural section. Who cares?!

I care and so should you.

Because there are people in the world who still believe there is a world-wide conspiracy of Jews involving the murder of non-Jews. Because there are people in world who believe the word “Jew” equals everything that is wrong and bad. Because there are countries in the Arab world that broadcast movies and TV shows in which Jews slaughter young Muslim boys to use their blood for the Passover Matza (unleavened bread). Because there are countries in the world where people believe that Jews are responsible for 9/11. Because there are countries in the world where people believe Jews are responsible for the black plague or the economy collapsing or handing out poison candy to Palestinian children.

Classic anti-Semitism, now thankfully out of style, has been replaced with vehement anti-Israeli hateful libels. The vilification, dehumanization, de-legitimization of Israel has become the weapon of choice for such people. If in the past the Jew was the scapegoat for the woes of the world today it is Israel. Every publication as this, when left unchallenged, is another blow to the legitimacy of Israel in the international arena. Don’t be confused between this kind of rhetoric and legitimate criticism. Israel, like any other democracy has made its share of mistakes and can be subjected to criticism. This is something else entirely. No country has been the target of such focused rage, diplomatic duplicity, hostile scrutiny and outrageous lies.

The Israeli government made the mistake of asking for an official apology. That won’t happen. An apology implies you did something wrong. No government can be asked to do so (even though the Swedes did do so in the past when faced with Muslim rage over the famous Mohamed cartoons, they even shut down an entire website for the same reason. The Freedom of Expression didn’t seem to hold up then). However, the Swedish government should follow the lead of its ambassador to Israel and condemn the publication. All Israel should demand is that a clear voice be heard in Stockholm against the publication, the lies within it and their implication. Alas, the government still hasn’t learned to ask me before going public with such demands.

Two forces are growing in Europe – a growing, aggressive, combative, radical version of Islam and an odious, malicious, vehement hatred of Israel. The latter may be a reaction to the former, thinking, ‘if the problem of Israel goes away, so will our problems with the Muslim world…’ This post is too short to point out the absolute fallacy and ridiculousness of such a claim.

I fear that these two forces will continue to grow as long as governments, like Sweden, continue to be silent in the face of such lies and deceit and violence.

In my post regarding the event in Melmo, I wrote: (For the full post: http://goldflame.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/19/)

The West too suffers a pathology. A habit of “sitting on the fence”, giving equal weight to both “narratives”, trying to understand the conflict through the narrow prism of the electronic media, forcing a moral equivalency where none exists, the unwillingness to criticize a cultural norm or practice or belief system as such, for a noble yet misguided political correctness – these are all leading to a devastating blow that is yet to come. A day when Westerners will wake up to discover that their world, with all its values, mores, flexibilities, pluralism, rule of law, grace, equality, understanding and compromise – is no longer. Sitting on the fence is not an option any more. Forgiving the violence of radical Islamic groups will lead to more violence. You don’t believe me? ask the citizens of Melmo.

If the governments of Europe do not wake up to reality today, they will wake up to ‘freedom of speech’ that exists in most Muslim countries tomorrow.

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