T. Belman. Boteach focuses only on what was in the adviser’s emails. But in Hillary is pro-Palestine and anti-Israel, by Jeff Dunetz, Dunetz focuses on the things Hillary did and said, even before her marriage to Bill that portrayed her own feelings. It is a horror story. It is a must read. (Note I changed his title )

By Shmuley Boteach, ALGEMEINER

It’s already been established that one of Hillary Clinton’s most trusted advisers, Sid Blumenthal, sent her dozens of anti-Israel articles, ideas and pieces of advice during her time as secretary of state. But the stream of anti-Israel advice received by Hillary was much more comprehensive than that which came from just one adviser. In the entire batch of Hillary’s emails, you will be hard pressed to find a single email that is sympathetic towards the Jewish state, from any of the people on whom she relied.

The negative, poisonous approach towards Israel throughout this cache of emails shows the atmosphere that Hillary had established around herself. These emails seem to demonstrate that a huge segment of her close advisers and confidants were attacking Israel, condemning Netanyahu, and strategizing about how to force Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria at all costs.
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By Yishai Fleisher, JPOST

Dear Mr. Ban Ki moon…We must shoot down the fallacious and hypocritical assertions of your article

No one missed the double entendre of your recent New York Times article’s title, “Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Israel,” which had the chutzpah to both accuse Israel of hotheadedness and insinuate it has an itchy trigger finger. And yet beyond this thinly-veiled smear, you went on to suggest that you had offered Israel an important “message” – that we should rush to seal a two-state deal – as if either we had never heard of this before or anyone in the region still thought it was a useful idea.

We must shoot down the fallacious and hypocritical assertions of your article.
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I have just created a Petition to Free Meir Ettinger. It is waiting for final approval but you can sign it now.

Go Here:

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/free-meir-ettinger

Ettinger has not been accused of illegal acts. Is there such a thing as an illegal opinion in a democracy?

By Daniel Pinner

Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Binyamin Netanyahu,

You were elected to lead the State of Israel and the Jewish nation primarily due to your devotion to the principle of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. And you have indeed initiated several programs which are intended to strengthen both Israel’s Jewish identity and her democratic character.

And it is precisely because of your belief in Israel as a Jewish and democratic state that Meir Ettinger’s administrative arrest – which must inevitably have been done with your agreement – is so problematic and puzzling.
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T. Belman.  61% of Israelis disagree with this statement, “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is perhaps not ideal but can continue for many years without posing a threat to Israel’s security and existence.” Therefore the pressure is building to change the status quo in favour of separation, a la Herzog, or annexation in whole or in part.

Had the questionnaire reminded Israel of the threat of abandoning the hills of Samaria, the result would have shown even more support for annexation.

Latest Peace Index examines attitudes toward Israeli policies in the West Bank; survey shows Israelis divided on whether time has come to annex land captured in 1967.

Israel Democracy Institute  February 2, 2016

• Separating from the Palestinians: Earlier this month, opposition leader Isaac Herzog recommended separating Israelis from Palestinians, including the construction of an electrified wall separating the two communities in East Jerusalem. Some 49% favor such a policy while 44% are opposed. Likud (78%) and Yisrael Beiteinu (64%) voters are most in favor of such a plan; Meretz voters (75%) are most opposed. Only 6% of Arab Israelis support the plan.
• Annexing the West Bank: When asked whether the time has come for Israel to formally annex all territories conquered during the 1967 Six-Day War, 45% of Jewish Israeli responded that Israel should. The same number (45%) opposed such action.
• Maintaining the Status Quo: A considerable majority of the Jewish public (61%) disagree with the statement that, “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is perhaps not ideal but can continue for many years without posing a threat to Israel’s security and existence.”

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The now five month old Palestinian terror campaign is entering a new phase, with direct attacks inside Israeli communities becoming a new major threat.

By Caroline B. Glick, JPOST

Amjad Sacari made no effort to hide his feelings and intentions towards Israel. The soldier in the Palestinian security forces filled his Facebook page with paeans to Saddam Hussein. Last weekend he published two posts indicating his imminent plan to carry out a terrorist attack.

In other words, if the PA forces he served had been serious about preventing their members from carrying out terrorist attacks, they could have easily prevented Sakari from driving to an IDF checkpoint between Ramallah and Beit El Sunday morning, opening fire and wounding three soldiers – one critically. Sakari, who was killed in the course of his attack, was the third member of the US-backed PA security forces who engaged in terrorism in the past two months.
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Today’s issues: Room for worship, the failures of the chairman of the opposition, the drums of war can be heard, and Hamas’ path to self-destruction.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The Jerusalem Post is pleased by Sunday’s cabinet decision allocate an area of the Western Wall to allow all streams of Judaism to worship there, in effect acknowledging that there is more than one way to be a religious Jew, and declares: “For a Jewish state which for too long has deferred to the Orthodox Jewish establishment on all sectarian as well as religious matters, it represents a symbolic victory for pluralism and a more dynamic form of Jewish religious expression.” The editor feels that “The State of Israel should be a place where all forms of Jewish expression are encouraged and given the freedom to grow and fl ourish,” and points out that  “Just as free and open markets are a boon to economies, so too will a freer religious environment encourage more vibrant Jewish religious expression. Where else should this happen but in the world’s only Jewish state?”
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By Giulio Meotti, Arutz Sheva,

[..]
Where does your optimism for a reform of the Islamic world come from?“It is a possibility, not a certainty. But I am optimistic because of the violence committed today in the name of Islam, which is creating so much tension, and it is not just committed by individuals, but by states and organizations. People are more and more afraid of radical Islam. In Egypt, in Tunisia, everywhere, there are large numbers of young Muslims who identify themselves as Muslims, but who do not want sharia, Islamic law. Just as many women do not want sharia.”

On February 1, many feminists around the world will celebrate the World Hijab Day, the International Day of the Islamic veil. “It is multiculturalism, the ideology that eliminates the rights of individuals in favor of groups, communities. Europe is committing a cultural suicide.”
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By Jonathan Ben Moshe

Not long ago Martin Sherman wrote Into the Fray: Dear Defense Minister: I respectfully – but firmly – disagree . That article was such an apologetic white wash that it actually compromised Mr. Sherman’s integrity. Whatever criticism he had to present was buried in extensive unwarranted praise of Defense Minister Ya’alon!

What leverage does Ya’alon have that makes a normally fearless Martin Sherman act like a Marshmallow?

As far as Ya’alon is concerned, not only is he an incompetent Defense Minister but he also suffers from a disgraceful, disturbing and cruel Napoleonic complex, and should have been replaced a long time ago!

Ya’alon’s removal as Defense Minister would infinitely benefit the State of Israel and the IDF!
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By MICHELLE MALKA GROSSMAN, JPOST

In a vote of confidence for Israel’s natural gas market, the consortium developing Israel’s largest gas field Leviathan announced its first sale Sunday, for a whopping $1.3 billion.

Private Israeli power giant Edeltech and its Turkish partner Zorlu Enerji agreed to a contract that would provide 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas to two plants they plan on building: the Tamar power plant, which will power the Haifa Chemicals factory, and the Solad power plant in Ashdod.
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T. Belman. Since posting this a Judge extended Ettinger’s detention for another 4 months. This is an outrage. Arab MK’s are far more dangerous to the state and also want to destroy it. Why are they not also in detention for one year? Why?

T. Belman. Curtailment of liberties in times of civil unrest or threats to national security is common in all countries. But the extent is hotly debated. For instance the when the the Patriot Act in the US in the wake of 9-11 its terms were hotly debated, with the Left staunchly in support of liberties and the Right favouring security.

The Left in Israel is dedicated to fighting for liberties also, except it has no quarrel with Administrative Detention of Jews, that violates many liberties. The Israeli Right on the other hand waxes eloquent on behalf of security but is outraged over such detention. As they say, it depends on whose ox is being gored.

A the core of these differences is whether one believes that Administrative Detention must be applied equally to citizens and non-citizens or equally to Arabs and to Jews.

I do not support Administrative Detention of the Hilltop Youths including Meir Ettinger but I do support its use against Arabs. I make this distinction easily because I think the Arabs who align with the Arab cause are an existential threat to Israel whereas the hand full of Jewish youths who are attracted to Ettinger’s ideas, present no national threat at all.

There is no question that people were murdered in Duma. Let us assume for a moment that Jews were responsible. As you know all societies are plagued with murders. Yet in the search for the murderers, western societies maintain all the civil liberties. They do not suspend them to catch and convict the murderers. Nor do they torture them to get evidence or confessions. Even if the murders are “heinous” murders.

In short, I see no justification for suspending the liberties of Meir Ettinger or other Hilltop Youths. They are not a threat to the Nation. And this applies whether any of them are suspected of killing an Arab or a Jew. In the case of Ettinger he is not suspected of killing anyone.

As long as the Arabs present a danger to our National rights or existence, I think Administrative Detention should be applied to them.

Administrative detention can be renewed forever.

by Libby Kahane, israelnationalnews.com
January 24, 2016

My grandson is in danger

The imprisonment of my grandson Meir Ettinger brings back difficult memories for me. I don’t know how many people remember that my late husband Rabbi Meir Kahane, zt”l was jailed under those same despicable administrative detention orders in May 1980.
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THE HILL

Ted Cruz took first place in the Iowa caucuses on Monday night, beating out Donald Trump.

Marco Rubio finished in third place, but his stronger-than-expected showing could be enough to move establishment Republicans to line up swiftly behind him as the candidate with the best shot to take out Trump and Cruz.
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Martin Sherman addresses Women in Green on the demographic and the geographic threats confronting Israel.

Michael Wise addresses Women in Green in support of his One-State Plan.

By Ruth King

Israel’s supporters in America from the top to the lower community organizers and from left to right agree on one subject, namely that Israel needs better hasbara.

Hasbara refers to public relations efforts to disseminate positive information to portray Israel and its policies in a glowing light.

Unfortunately most “hasbara” has the opposite effect. Even Israel’s staunchest protagonists fall into the trap of thinking that listing Israel’s numerous concessions to its enemies will soften or convince hardened anti-Semites.
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[I agree with some but not all of these points.[

Trump’s new approach to foreign policy could leave Israel twisting in the wind.

By Alexander Griffing, HAARETZ

Donald Trump declares he “will be very good to Israel.” He declares his “closeness to Judaism”. But it didn’t take long on the campaign trail for his ignorance about Israel and the region, and a superabundance of Jewish caricatures, to slip out.

Here are six reasons why Trump’s foreign policy bombast would be bad for Israel – and the Middle East as a whole.

The Middle East is a blank space on the map for him
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DEBKA

Former IDF rigs to probe for Gaza tunnels which Hamas published as an Israeli failure

Israel’s leaders are clinging to lame locutions – “good judgment and responsibility” – to avoid military action for dealing with crisis situations fast coming to a head on three extremely dangerous fronts: armed Palestinian terrorists are now tying up traffic on a major Israeli highway to the Israeli capital; southern Syria is sliding into the control of Hizballah after this Iranian proxy was permitted to amass 100,000 missiles in S. Lebanon; and, this week, Israelis living near the Gaza Strip heard Palestinians building terror tunnels under their homes.
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By Dror Eydar, ISRAEL HAYOM

They don’t stop. Even though the entire right-wing conservative camp unequivocally condemned the controversial “foreign agents” Im Tirtzu post last week (which depicted intellectuals and actors as subversive figures), the onslaught against the Right has continued. It is also worth noting that the Left does not lift a finger when its allies engage in much more provocative conduct.

Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg demonstrated leadership by suspending himself, paving the way for some serious introspection by his organization. The movement must now go beyond that and appoint a council of former activists to advise it on a regular basis. Now that the Right has clearly distanced itself from that post, we must look at the big picture. Im Tirtzu, unlike groups on the other side of the spectrum, has never slandered Israel on the world stage, never joined hands with members of the BDS movement, never tried to boycott artists or performers at certain venues, and never silenced anyone.
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In historic decision, cabinet votes to build new plaza for mixed gender prayer at Western Wall, adjacent to gender-separated Orthodox plaza • PM Benjamin Netanyahu praises plan as “creative solution” • Ultra-Orthodox officials call plan “lesser of evils.”

Shlomo Cesana, Nitzi Yakov, Yehuda Shlezinger, Yori Yalon, Israel Hayom Staff and Associated Press

A rendering of the new egalitarian prayer space to be established at the Western Wall

The cabinet voted Sunday to allow non-Orthodox Jewish prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a move advocates said marked a historic show of government support for liberal streams of Judaism.

The issue is of particular importance to the Jewish community in the United States, where the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism are dominant.

“I know this is a sensitive topic, but I think it is an appropriate solution, a creative solution,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting, where members voted on the plan.
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By Ted Belman

The JTA reported ” It (CIJA) was satisfied that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s omission of Jews in a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day was not deliberate.”

The  Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) based its case on the fact that, on the same day, the government tweeted “On this #HolocaustMemorialDay, we honor its victims & vow to fight intolerance and anti-Semitism.”

ISSUING SUCH A TWEET IN NO WAY SUGGESTS THAT THE OMISSION OF JEWS FROM THE HOLOCAUST WAS NOT DELIBERATE. IN FACT IT REINFORCES THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS DELIBERATE.

I wrote to CIJA the following:
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T. Belman. Ahrens suggests that the recognition of Palestine by by 136 states may reach critical mass if France joined them. This may lead to a UNSC resolution of recognition without being stopped by a US veto.  He argues;

“But when France, the Security Council and almost the entire world recognizes Palestine, Israel could find it harder to maintain that its approval is needed for Palestinian statehood. The family of nations will have made its near-unanimous decision.”

All such recognition ignores the Motevideo Convention signed in 1933 by all states which stipulates the requirements of statehood:

“The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: a ) a permanent population; b ) a defined territory; c ) government; and d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states.”

Whether you are a state or not does not depend on whether you are recognized as one but whether you fulfill these qualifications.

Although one might argue that Palestine has all these qualities, one would not be correct.

On April 29, 2012, just after the UN recognized Palestine as a non-member state, Amichai Cohen wrote a legal analysis of U.N. Recognition of a Palestinian State in which he wrote,

“Regarding the last condition-the ability to conduct foreign relations-the accepted interpretation of this condition is that it was intended to prevent a situation in which units that are operating within the framework of a federal regime or that are subject to any kind of agreement that prevents them from conducting foreign relations, would be recognized as independent states.”

Palestine fails because it is bound by the Oslo Accords not to conduct foreign relations. In addition it is not enough for the UN to define the territory but Palestine can only exist on territory it controls, ie Area A.

France would be neither the first European state nor the first permanent UN Security Council member to do so. Does that mean Israel can ignore Fabius’s ultimatum?

BY RAPHAEL AHREN, TOI

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas waves to the crowd during celebrations for their successful bid to win nonmember state status at the UN in Ramallah, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 (photo credit: Nasser Shiyoukhi/AP Photo)Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas waves to the crowd in Ramallah during celebrations for his successful bid to win nonmember state status for Palestine at the UN, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 (photo credit: Nasser Shiyoukhi/AP Photo)WRITERSRaphael
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