MEMRI

The Middle East Media Research Institute

Yousuf Al-Kuwailit, who writes the editorials of the Saudi government daily Al-Rai, opined in a December 7, 2014 editorial that, despite the tension that has ostensibly prevailed between the U.S. and Iran ever since the Islamic Revolution, in practice there is secret cooperation between them. As part of this cooperation, he said, Iraq has become nothing but an arena for assuring the interests of these two countries, and Iran has been granted freedom of action in Syria and Lebanon.
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Palestinians planned to infiltrate Israel by obtaining medical permit for female suspect and dress her as pregnant woman

BY LAZAR BERMAN , TOI

Weapons uncovered by a joint Shin Bet, Police, and IDF sweep in October and November 2014 of a West Bank cell planning to use a female suicide bomber in Tel Aviv

Palestinian terror cell planning a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and other attacks was thwarted over the last several months, the Shin Bet security service said Monday.

Five suspects hailing from Jenin and the village Attil in the Tulkarem area of the West Bank planned to infiltrate into Israel by acquiring a permit for the female member of their group to receive medical care in Israel.

She was then to dress as a pregnant Jewish woman and detonate an explosive belt in Tel Aviv, the Shin Bet said in a statement.
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By Ted Belman

We all have heard that Netanyahu was under great pressure to impose a long term freeze on construction east of the greenline and even in Jerusalem. I have commented that Bennett went along with this because there was no hullabalu. It seemed to me that the freeze should have been enough to bring the government down.

NoW MK Orly Struck who is part of the Tekuma / National Union faction of Bayit Yahudi, said Jewish Home Turning into Likud B. In discussing the possible split, she confirmed that:

A point of disagreement is the building freeze in Judea and Samaria: “There was a decision by the faction to protest in front of [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and walk out of votes in the plenum as long as there was a freeze in Judea and Samaria.” This, she added, was meant to drive home to Netanyahu that for the Jewish Home, a freeze is a red line. The decision was dragged out until in the end the disagreement led to open conflict between Minister [Uri} Ariel and Bennett.”

But that was not the only thing that is contentious.
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Ted Belman. Feiglin is quite right that when Bibi accepted the two-state solution, we lost the justice of our cause. But that is not all we lost, we lost the right to build in Area C. When Bibi accepted the 10 month freeze, I bet he didn’t know that he would be forced to continue it and apply it to Jerusalem as well.

Bennett when in conversation with Indyk said “we’re inconsistent. You can’t say that you favor a Palestinian state and then build communities there.”

Dear Friends,

It is no coincidence that I have chosen the Bar Ilan University as the venue at which to present my political platform.

In all the officers’ training courses that I completed, one rule was highlighted: If you lose direction while navigating, return to the point at which you lost your way and from there, start again.

Here, in this place, where PM Netanyahu made his famous Bar Ilan speech, we lost our political and diplomatic direction.

Here, in this place, the National Camp accepted the principle of two-states for two peoples, as it were – in the very heart of our Land.
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The US-Hanukkah-Israel connection

By Yoram Ettinger, ISRAEL HAYOM

The legacy of Hanukkah has been an integral element of the American ethos; a cornerstone in the foundation of the covenant — established by the Pilgrims in the 17th century — between the American people and the vision of the reconstructed Jewish state in the land of Israel.

“Where are today’s Maccabees?” was the December 2013 title of an article by Ambassador Hank Cooper, former director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Defense Initiative: “All Americans should remember our common love of liberty, the heritage that has set the West apart. … We need modern Maccabees to preserve that heritage of liberty for our posterity.” Cooper highlighted the impact of the Hanukkah/Maccabee spirit on the Founding Fathers, such as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and Patrick Henry.
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By Zvi November

 MEMRI, the Middle East Media Research Institute that scrutinizes the Arab and Iranian media on a daily basis hosted its latest information meeting at the Yad Ben Zvi center in Jerusalem on December 11, 2014.   Two speakers, Gal Berger (Israel radio’s Palestinian affairs correspondent) and Shalom Harrari (a former Israeli army officer and Arab military power analyst who took part in some of the post Oslo accords negotiations with the Palestinians about fifteen years ago) were the two speakers who related to the current Palestinian offensive; terror attacks, demonstrations and diplomatic initiatives whose aim is to further delegitimize and isolate Israel.  Some of the main points that emerged are as follows:

1)       The Arab/Palestinian one-sided narrative claims that Jews are alien to the Middle East and have stolen Palestinian land.  Israel therefore has no right to exist.  Arabs/Palestinians must fight the Jews and drive them out of the country.  Three frightening video clips of spokesmen enunciating this inflexible (no compromises, no peace) position were shown along with a selection of Jew-hate cartoons from Palestinian Websites.  Read more…

Ted Belman. I am half way through The Israel Test. George Gilder the author says innovation creates wealth.  The Jews are by far the best innovators and free societies always benefit from their innovations.  One hundred years ago they dominated Europe and Europe prospered. The few Jews that survived went to America and America Prospered. Now its Israel’s turn.  It took a while because of the socialist mentality in Israel.  But with the influx of Jewish brains from Russia and with liberating her economy in order to put them to work, Israel took off like a rocket and is still climbing. When Israel asked the US to guarantee their bonds, the US demanded economic liberalization. This liberalization permitted Israel to become a financial center which he evisages will become the financial center of the ME.

By David Goldman, PJ MEDIA

We have heard over and over again that America is still the world’s fountain of innovation, the home of fracking and Facebook. The two “F’s” of American innovation are about to become one: The collapse of oil prices portends a collapse of the shale boom. High-yield energy bond yields have soared from 5% to 12% in the past few months, and investors are fighting to get to the door. Most unconventional oil and gas projects are unprofitable at $60 a barrel, and that’s where oil will trade for the next year or two.

Facebook is a clever gimmick, but it doesn’t do much for productivity.
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By Elder of Ziyon

An amazing story from Arutz-7:(condensed version)

Among the many new Knesset hopefuls looking to run on the staunchly nationalist [Jewish Home] party’s Knesset list is a somewhat surprising face: Anett Haskia identifies as proudly Zionist, pro-“settlements”… and a Muslim Arab.

Haskia realizes that her chances of running as a Jewish Home MK this time round are relatively slim; party members who wish to stand in the primaries have to have been members for at two and a half years, while Haskia herself is only now in the process of joining.

“But I’m still hoping for a Hanukkah miracle,” she quips, and thinks there is an outside chance that Bennett – who as part of the new party rules can unilaterally select every fifth seat on the party list – could see in her precisely the kind of candidate to simultaneously reach out to new pools of support, while still remaining committed to the party’s ideology.
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By Sarah Palin

America Asks: “Whose Side Are You On”; Necessarily Directing This At Our President

In debauched minds it is fine for our young, once potentially unifying President to boast, “I’m pretty good at killing” while speaking of his own secret kill list, but all hell breaks loose if America’s expert and experienced CIA keeps known terrorists up at night for questioning, plays annoying music to get the evil ones’ attention, and considers whatever else necessary to keep us safe. (Yuck it up much, Nobel Peacenik President?) From the cozy confines of the White House he blusters a willingness to assassinate whomever he chooses, no need for judicial balance or seasoned military brass strategy – in fact the Community Organizer canned nearly 200 of our top military officials. And leftist response to their leader’s suspiciously opaque drone game plan? Crickets.
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This appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the European Edition of The New York Times

By Eitan Chitayat, TOI

 A dreary, cloth patch sewn in the shape of a Star of David that every Jew was forced to wear in Nazi Germany along with every country the Germans conquered; every country allied with Germany ; every culture looking to expose the hated Jew.

The guilty Jew. The filthy Jew. The stealing Jew. The disgusting Jew. The less-than-human Jew. The Jew that can only do wrong – for that is, of course, all we do.

The yellow star was forced on us. Rammed down our throats. It stood for dishonor and was associated with anti-semitism as you probably know. It was to be a badge of shame like Hawthorne’s Scarlet letter. But 6 million times worse.

Today? Shame, can take a hike. Give me a yellow star. Find one and give it to me, quick.

I want to wear a yellow star above my left breast where each and every Holocaust victim was forced to don one. I want to walk around with a yellow star on every solitary piece of clothing I own. On my American Apparel V-neck, my Nike sweatshirt, Ralph Lauren sweater, my Champion hoodie, my Diesel button-down, H&M jacket, Adidas jersey and Gap blazer. I’ll wear it at the beach on my bare chest if I have to.
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By Ted Belman

An epic battle took place a week ago in Washington at the Saban Forum on the Middle East, Israel-US relations and the Arab-Israeli conflict.  You probably never learned about it because American media virtually ignored it.

The battle occurred in a conversation between Martin Indyk, and Naftali Bennett.

Bennett is the Chairman of Jewish Home Party which was part of Israel’s governing coalition until it was ended a couple of days later. He served as Minister of Economy and Minister of Religious Services, Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs. Prior to starting his career in politics in 2006 he co-founded a technology company and sold his interest to an American company for $145 million. He is adamantly opposed to the two state solution and a very strong proponent of the settler movement.
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Ted Belman: As we know, MK Ariel is thinking of leaving Jewish Home and joining MK Eli Yishai in a new right wing party John Brent one of my readers suggested that Jewish Home should welcome Yishai into their fold. I think attempts are underway to make this happen. If they are successful, Bennett could be prime minister in 5 months.
By the way, Report: Michael Oren running with Kahlon’s Kulanu party and Bennett: Former settler leader Dani Dayan joining Bayit Yehudi

Jewish Home MKs call on Tekuma members to remain in the party and accept chairman Naftali Bennett’s proposal to join without primaries.

By Orly Harari and Cynthia Blank, INN

Amidst speculation of a split, Jewish Home Knesset members issued a letter Saturday night to three members of Tekuma calling on their members to remain united with Jewish Home and not form a new party.

The letter was titled: “Do not divide the Religious Zionist movement – accept the proposal of Party Chairman Naftali Bennett.”

“Religious Zionism finds itself today on the brink of a historic decision,” Jewish Home members wrote in the letter. “The coming elections may bring Jewish Home unprecedented influence.”
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By Ted Belman

The world is totally committed to the two-state solution. European country after country is passing non-binding resolutions to recognize Palestine in principle.

The parameters of the deal which have been set in stone, notwithstanding that all issues are to be decided by negotiations, are the ’67 lines plus swaps and the division of Jerusalem. Never mind that such a deal is not good enough for the Arabs.  Hamas rejects it outright. Mahmoud Abbas, as President of the PA, is still clamoring for the so called right of return and is unwilling to recognize Israel as the home of the Jews while at the same time insisting that “Palestine” be yudenrein.

The EU has already put a boycott on goods from Judea and Samaria and is drafting legislation imposing sanctions on Israel. It is even rumored that the US is contemplating doing the same. That’s ironic considering that both want to ease sanctions on Iran.
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By: Daniel Greenfield, FPM

Next month Americans will experience the fifteenth anniversary of the time that the President of the United States shook his finger at the country and informed it, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never.”

Bill Clinton was lying. But the lie was more significant than the thing that he was lying about.

When the lie came crashing down, Clinton and his defenders deconstructed the English language, questioning the meaning of every word in his sentence rather than admit that the lie was a lie.

Given a choice between telling the truth or challenging the definitions of such words as “sex” and “is”, they decided to burn their dictionary.
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T. Belman: I disagree with this article in that the only options it lists are based on rebuilding Gaza. Remember INSS is a left of center think tank associated with Tel Aviv University. The only solution to Gaza is to resettle the homeless in other countries. Once done the refugees living there by UNRWA’s definition should be resettled elsewhere. Then the rest should be resettled and Israel should annex Gaza. End of problem.

INSS, Insight No. 641

Over three months have passed since the end of Operation Protective Edge and over a month has passed since the donor nations met in Cairo and committed themselves to infuse $5.4 billion into the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. However, any substantive reconstruction work has yet to begin, and thus the homeless in Gaza are still without a roof over their heads, while the wintry weather exacerbates the hardships. Moreover, Egypt has toughened its policy on the Rafah crossing, which is closed most of the time and has expanded its security zone along the border between the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip in order to uncover and destroy any smuggling tunnels. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ refusal to transfer salaries and budgets that the Hamas apparatus in Gaza needs to function has aggravated Hamas’ difficulties and worsened the conditions for Gazans.
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Caroline Glick lets loose

By Vic Rosenthal

Yasser Arafat waves the second Oslo agreement as Shimon Peres looks on

A lot of you liked yesterday’s post, probably because you have had more than enough of the dangerous nonsense that has become the conventional wisdom about Israel in the West. Western politicians and journalists have adopted the Arab narrative, which portrays Israel as the cause of its conflicts and its creation as a kind of original sin. Needless to say, the only acceptable ‘cure’ is to slice up and emasculate Israel so that it can more easily be gobbled up.

It’s easy to say that they are bribed and blackmailed by our enemies, afraid of or pandering to their Muslim populations, or indoctrinated by left-wing academics. All of these things are true, but there is another reason that so many in Europe and the US have adopted an ahistorical, counterfactual and immoral story as gospel.
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DO NOT BYPASS THIS VERY PERCEPTIVE ARTICLE. TRUST ME.

BY: Aaron MacLean, FREE BEACON

[..]
This ability to travel from west to east Jerusalem is something in which Israelis take great pride, as between the end of Israel’s war of independence and 1967 the low ground marked the heavily militarized ‘green line’ between Israel and territory controlled by Jordan. The Six Day War ended that. The situation since has been a source of continuing grief, not only for Palestinians, but for fashionable academics, journalists, and politicians all over the world, who deplore the state of Israel for its success, and believe that its pretensions to a pluralist liberal-democracy conceal a nationalist and colonialist reality that the world would be better off without.

In recent weeks such people have felt vindicated by a proposal from the Israeli right to pass into law a “Jewish nationhood” bill. The bill—various drafts of which would define Israel as “the nation-state of the Jewish people,” drop Arabic as an official language, and enshrine Jewish law as some sort of “inspiration” for other Israeli laws—gives the lie, in the left-wing view, to the notion that Israel is a true liberal-democracy.
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Retiring congresswoman talks with Free Beacon about national security, spending fights, and her 2016 plans

BY: Daniel Wiser, FREE BEACON

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.) knew the White House Christmas party this week would be her last chance as a member of Congress to speak directly to President Obama. She didn’t waste the opportunity.

Despite the objections of her family members, who didn’t want to be embarrassed, Bachmann said she wanted to give some “substantive comments” to the president. She waited until pictures were taken and her family walked off the stage.

“I turned to the president and I said, something to the effect of, ‘Mr. President, you need to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities, because if you don’t, Iran will have a nuclear weapon on your watch and the course of world history will change,’” she told the Washington Free Beacon.

“And he got his condescending smile on his face and laughed at me and said, ‘Well Michele, it’s just not that easy.’ And I said to him, ‘No, Mr. President, you’re the president, it will happen on your watch, and you’ll have to answer to the world for this.’ And that was it and then I left. Merry Christmas,” she said with a laugh.
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By Ted Belman

I am currently reading The Israel Test by George Gilder, which postulates that antisemitism is based on envy. It is a fabulous read and highly recommend it.

Jews do well in free markets where freedom reigns. Marxism and all forms of socialism penalizes them for succeeding where others fail.

I don’t mean this to be a review of the book but I mention it because of a certain event that it discusses.

Remember Michael Milken. He revolutionized the financial market by financing junk bonds. He believed that the financier could charge a high enough interest so that it could cover his losses providing he diversified. The establishment came down on him and forced him to cop a plea on some minor offenses for which he spent two years in jail. He was simply too successful for the enviers.

Oh and by the way, the companies that Milken financed are now worth over one trillion dollars.