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Seminal Posts by Ted Belman
The UN acts in violation of International Law while claiming to uphold it (13327)
Can the UN impose a solution on Israel? (31093)
Long standing US Policy on Jerusalem is anti-Israel and pro-Arab. (16838)
The "peace process" is not dead (4237)
The Church planted the seeds of the Holocaust (50933)
The conspiracy to shrink Israel (44016)
"The UN Charter is a war document, not a peace document." (28607)
Trump calls Muslim migration “the all-time biggest Trojan Horse”. (60211)
Since when did the Palestinians become entitled to a state? (52962)
The 100 year betrayal of Israel by the West (43021)
Tiny Qatar casts a giant shadow. (9258)
The Historical Jesus  (50285)
International law and the State of Israel (27613)
The truth about UNRWA (25737)
Saudi Arabia and the Peace Process (19307)
Israel Should Declare Three Nos (25030)
The West should make amends to the Jewish people for this historical injustice. (22553)
Two-State Solution or Jordan Option? Your choice. (17500)
Israel is the legal owner of all lands west of the Jordan R. (38400)
In praise of Israpundit and Ted Belman (8771)
The US and the UK cannot be trusted. (11836)
In the International Arena there is no Rule of Law, only the Rule of Power (8730)
Current Posts
February 25, 2013

Rabbi seeks Israeli religious revolution  

Tzohar leader Rabbi David Stav waging highly visible public campaign to change Chief Rabbinate from the inside. Balance of power following election results may soon tip in his favor

When Rabbi David Stav launched his official campaign last month to wrest control of Israel‘s top religious institution from its longtime hardline leadership, it was a long shot. 

But just two weeks later, Israelis went to the polls and surprisingly shifted the country toward the center of the political spectrum – creating a rare window of opportunity for the modern Orthodox rabbi to capture the title of chief rabbi and fulfill his pledge to revolutionize the contentious role that religion plays in the Jewish state.
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February 25, 2013 | 9:02 am | 3 Comments »

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Arutz Sheva Op-ed on Hagel Picked Up By Breitbart  

Breitbart reports on op-ed which exposed that Hagel called for U.S. troops to patrol the future borders between Israel and ‘Palestine’.

Remember that Samantha Power also recommended the same thing and Obama put her in his National Security Council. Ted Belman

By Elad Benari, INN

An op-ed by longtime Arutz Sheva contributor Mark Langfan has been picked up by Breitbart News.

Langfan’s op-ed, which was posted toArutz Sheva on Saturday, exposed that former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), President Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, co-authored a 2009 report that called for U.S. troops to lead a peacekeeping force that would patrol the future borders between Israel and a Palestinian state.

The report also suggested that peace could be imposed from outside by the U.S., describing arguments to the contrary as “invalid.” Breitbart published an article on the report Sunday, noting that it was previously referenced in Arutz Sheva. Read more…

February 25, 2013 | 8:52 am | 5 Comments »

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Op-Ed: Jews, Hold on to Your Guns!  

By Giulio Meotti, INN

A few days ago, David Mamet, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, published a column for Newsweek defending gun ownership and calling President Obama’s weapons control proposals “Marxist”.

The column has a very Jewish title: “Gun laws and the Fools of Chelm”. It also indirectly explains why Israel is also known as “the pistol nation”.

For visitors, it’s the most enduring impression in Israel: guns are omnipresent, tucked inside belts, slung over soldiers’ backs, clutched chest-high at checkpoints. From cafes in Tel Aviv to “settlements” in Judea and Samaria, Jews carry guns. Guns are plentiful in the street, carried by “settlers”, soldiers, and security personnel, including the mandated guards in front of schools, restaurants and malls.
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February 25, 2013 | 8:38 am | 28 Comments »

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Bennett-Lapid Axis: Genius Tactic or Gross Irresponsibility?  

Analysis: pact between the parties could be a brilliant move heralding a Zionist revolution – or a colossal blunder.

By Gil Ronen, INN

The big story currently driving the political system in Israel to distraction is the completely unexpected and unprecedented post-election pact between Bayit Yehudi, under MK Naftali Bennett, and Yesh Atid, under MK Yair Lapid. The heads of the two parties have agreed between them that neither will enter the coalition without the other. The chances that Labor (15 seats), which is extremely leftist on economic matters and suspiciously coy about diplomatic and security matters, will join Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, are extremely slim.

Given the election results, therefore, Netanyahu (with 31 seats) cannot establish a coalition if both Yesh Atid (19 seats) and Bayit Yehudi (12 seats) refuse to join it.
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February 25, 2013 | 8:06 am | 3 Comments »

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February 24, 2013

Very Good News Israel  

By Michael Ordman
The Jewish State in its true light.

In the 24th Feb 2013 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Israeli scientists have discovered a treatment for aggressive cancer tumors.
·        An Israeli researcher has found a link between the immune system and intelligence.
·        Seven Syrians wounded in their civil war fighting were treated in an Israeli hospital.
·        A gigantic Israeli green pepper has broken the Guinness World Record.
·        Intel Israel doubled its profits to $2bn and its revenue accounts for 10% of Israel’s industrial exports.
·        An exhibition by Israel artists in Rome has won the Italian Medal of Honor.
·        The BBC played the Israeli National Anthem on its longest-running radio show. Read more…
February 24, 2013 | 4:25 pm | 5 Comments »

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Pragmatism vs principle in equal burden debate  

By JONATHAN ROSENBLUM, JPOST

If A fuller integration of haredim into the IDF and economic spheres is to take place, it is necessary that the pragmatists prevail.
Haredi man overlooking IDF ceremony Photo: Marc Israel Sellem I write as someone who is convinced that haredim will one day make large contributions both to the IDF and to the Israeli economy.

When that day will dawn, however, depends to a large extent on the form of the national debate currently taking place under the slogan “equality of the burden” and, more importantly, on the direction the next government takes with respect to the issue.

There are two basic ways to approach the issue of haredi service. The first is as a matter of high principle. The second is as a practical matter. The first approach is currently represented by Yair Lapid, who spent his time in the IDF training for a career in journalism; the second is represented by former chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon.
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February 24, 2013 | 2:36 pm | 3 Comments »

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Preparing for the fall of Jordan  

Op-ed: Instead of trying to impose two-state solution, world should help establish stable Palestinian state east of Jordan River

Yoel Meltzer, YNET

As the bloodshed in Syria continues with no end in sight, more and more eyes are beginning to focus on Syria’s formerly stable southern neighbor, Jordan. After nearly two years of low level protests, the last few months have witnessed not only an upsurge in the amount of protests but also a significant change in the makeup of the protesters themselves.
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February 24, 2013 | 1:59 pm | 14 Comments »

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Bennett, Lapid reach compromise on haredi draft  

Underscoring all negotiations is the fact that Bibi needs a deal with Yacimovich, Lapid or Bennett to get a majority government.There is no way that Bibi wants another election because he will be the big loser. Bibi had given a sweetheart deal to Shas on “equal sharing” but now he is renegotiating with them more concessions. He will not let them into the government until a compromise deal is struck with Shas, Lapid and Bennett on the issue so all can be in the government. If he were to make a deal with Shas prior to the compromise being worked out acceptable to Lapid and Bennett he would jeopardize the deal. Ted Belman

By GIL HOFFMAN, JPOST

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Bayit Yehudi head Naftali Bennett at Knesset swear in, Feb 5, 2013. Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post
After three weeks of coalition talks, there has been no significant progress in negotiations between the two largest factions, Likud Beytenu and Yesh Atid, on the key issue of how to equalize the burden of IDF service.

But Yesh Atid did compromise on the issue for the first time over the weekend in ongoing talks with its political ally, Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett.
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February 24, 2013 | 9:41 am | 11 Comments »

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Analysis: The Egyptian army is making a comeback  

By ZVI MAZEL, JPOST

Ratty tents at rainy Tahrir Square in Cairo Photo: MELANIE LIDMAN Never has Egypt been so close to civil war and today it seems that only the army can prevent the worse from happening.

The Muslim Brothers and the opposition are both doing their utmost to bring the army to their side, with little success so far: Field Marshal Abd el-Fattah El-Sisi, the defense minister, never loses an opportunity to state that the army is taking no part in the political struggle and devotes its energy to protecting the country – while adding that it will not let it plunge into chaos. The opposition, in contrast, feels that only the army can bring back order – the way they want. During last Friday’s demonstrations people called on the army to “Get out of the barracks and make President Mohamed Morsi resign and call for new presidential elections.”
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February 24, 2013 | 5:22 am | 11 Comments »

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February 23, 2013

Purim Guide for the Perplexed 2013  

Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger Based on Jewish Sages, February 21, 2013
http://bit.ly/12Wc7Bn

1.  “Purimfest 1946” were the last words of Julius Streicher, the Nazi propaganda chief, as he approached the hanging gallows (Newsweekmagazine, October 28, 1946, page 46).  On October 16, 1946 (Jewish year 5707), ten convicted Nazi war criminals were hanged in Nuremberg.  An 11thNazi criminal, Hermann Goering, committed suicide in his cell. Julius Streicher’s library documented much interest in Purim and its relevance to enemies of the Jewish people.

According to the Scroll of Esther, King Ahasuerus allowed the Jews to defend themselves and hang Haman and his ten sons.  The Talmud (Megillah 16a) claims that Haman had an 11th child, a daughter, who committed suicide following her father’s demise. Read more…

February 23, 2013 | 10:02 pm | 37 Comments »

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The Dishonesty of ‘The Gatekeepers’  

Using Documentary as Manipulation

By Roz Rothstein and Roberta Seid
The JPost

Dror Moreh’s documentary, The Gatekeepers, could have been a profound film.

Instead, Moreh uses his interviews with six former directors of Israel’s top security services to send a simplistic and deeply partisan political message: If Israel withdraws from the West Bank, terrorism will subside and peace will break out.

To promote this message, the documentary engages in intellectual dishonesty and omits critical context. While most Israelis know the wider context, the average viewer probably does not, and therefore is vulnerable to the filmmaker’s biased version of the facts.

Though the film tries to portray Israel’s antiterrorism policies as counterproductive and cruel, the interviews inadvertently tell a different story. The six directors are well-spoken, deeply thoughtful, and genuinely self-critical.
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February 23, 2013 | 6:57 pm | 65 Comments »

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No breakthrough in Likud-Habayit Hayehudi talks  

Not one word is said about the pact with Lapid. Thus it is dispensable. Bennett is prepared to accept Livni as Justice Minister though is not prepared to accept her as negotiator.. I think Bennett should reverse this. Finally Bennett is stressing getting the Hareidi into the workforce rather than the IDF. With that I agree. Please vote on the new poll in right hand column. Ted Belman

Bennett’s party reiterates objection to coalition deal giving Livni control over peace negotiations

Moran Azulay, YNET

The negotiation teams of the ruling Likud party and Naftali Bennett’s Habayit Hayehudi faction met Friday morning to discuss a proposal for a way to share the burden of army service by all, drafted on behalf of Likud by Professor Eugene Kandel, who heads the National Economics Council.

A joint statement released after the meeting the sides have not reached an agreement and the gaps were still wide.

By the end of the meeting, it was clear that if the Kandle outline remained as it is, Habayit Hayehudi would not be joining Netanyahu’s coalition.
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February 23, 2013 | 7:34 am | 4 Comments »

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Into the Fray: Bennett’s buddy. Or blunder?  

By MARTIN SHERMAN, JPOST

In the interests of full disclosure, I voted for Naftali Bennett’s party in the recent election. But I am beginning to wonder…

    Have you thought what will happen if you succeed [in preventing the disengagement from Gaza]. Don’t you understand that if it happens we will disengage from you. We will say, “Your God is not our God, your land is not our Land.”Do you suppose we will simply give up what we see as our only chance for a normal life. Have you any idea how you will live in a country in which most of its inhabitants feel they have to sacrifice their lives – day after day, terror attack after terror attack – for you. – Yair Lapid, “To: The Opponents of disengagement,” June 24, 2005.
    It [the disengagement] had nothing to do with the Palestinians, demography, the desire to make peace, the relative [fatigue] of the IDF, or any other explanation that was given. There was a totally different motivation behind the disengagement. The Israelis merely felt that the settlers should be taught a lesson in humility and perhaps in democracy, too. – Yair Lapid, “Things we couldn’t say during disengagement,” May 15, 2006.

Vote Bennett, get German?

After all, when I cast my ballot for Bennett, I didn’t realize that Yael German, former Meretz member, or Ofer Shelah, the decidedly left-wing former journalist, were of part of the deal. But this is precisely the situation that has been created by Bennett’s decision to march in lock-step on the issue of national service for the ultra-Orthodox with Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid list, in which German and Shelah are in the No. 3 and No. 6 slots, respectively.
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February 23, 2013 | 6:40 am | 2 Comments »

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February 22, 2013

Another poll: LB 28, YA 24  

Maagar Poll(Maariv/Makor Rishon): Likud Beiteinu 28 Yesh Atid 24 Bayit
Yehudi 13 Shas 12 Labor 11

Dr. Aaron Lerner – IMRA 22 February 2013

The survey was conducted by Maagar – Interdisciplinary Research and
Consulting Institute Ltd., managed by Professor Yitzhak Katz. It was
commissioned by Maariv and Makor Rishon and published on 22 February.

Telephone survey of representative sample of adult Israelis (including
Arabs). The survey was carried out 21 February 2013

February 22, 2013 | 3:37 pm | 1 Comment »

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Netanyahu’s Political Cynicism will backfire  

by Isi Leibler

Without doubt, many Israelis share my disgust as they observe the deceitful and cynical machinations of those we elected to represent us in the Knesset.

Understandably, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was disappointed with the dramatic erosion in support of Likud-Beiteinu at the recent elections. Yet he remained the unchallenged leader of the nation and was uniquely positioned to create a broad coalition which could have enjoyed the support of the vast majority of the nation.

Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid seemed an obvious partner. Contrary to depiction by much of the media, Lapid is no leftist and is committed to an undivided Jerusalem and retention of the major settlement blocs, including Ariel. His parliamentary team of newcomers was far superior to the prevailing Knesset members, many of whom were elected through corrupt and dubious primaries.
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February 22, 2013 | 1:16 pm | 6 Comments »

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“Equal Burden” — A Disaster For The IDF  

Today I wrote to Naftali Bennett advising of my thoughts on “equal service”.
    You are quite right to not stress the “equal sharing”. That is not the most important principal or one that is in the interests of Israel or the Hareidi.

    But as you say we have to get them out of their cages. As you know, the army really doesn’t need them.  They are a pain in the ass for the IDF. Then there is whole problem of the arabs who refuse to be drafted. Keep in mind that the Tal law kept the Hareidi outside the IDF but there is or was no such law enabling the Arabs to avoid the Army. If Lapid is so interested in “equal service” he should start with them.
    What is really important is to get most of them out of the Kollels and into the workforce. They should be given the choice of learning a trade of other useful skills rather than to enlist.
    From a legal point of view, there may be difficulty passing laws which apply only to Arabs or only to the Hareidi..
    I am more worried about Livni as Justice Minister than I am as peace negotiator. We must get more legislation passed regarding the SC and regarding the NGO’s and so on.  We must also approve the Levy Report. We also have to neutralize the Attorney General.
    Good luck.
I swore allegiance to the army upon its foundation, in the middle of the War of Independence. I served in Samson’s Foxes, the mother of all Israeli commando units. We were an Elite unit (at least in our own eyes). We hated evaders, especially the pencil pushers in spotless uniforms who sat at offices in the rear.

I wrote the above preface so that my next sentence would be correctly understood: I am against equality of the burden![*] I object to the Haredi military service on practical as well as moral grounds.
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February 22, 2013 | 9:14 am | 12 Comments »

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Syrian Opposition Forces Reportedly Bomb Hezbollah Compounds  

Hezbollah Goes All-In On Syria

by Avi Issacharoff, The Tower

Sources in the Free Syrian Army, the main armed group fighting to overthrow the regime of Bashar al-Assad, are announcing that its soldiers have bombed two Hezbollah compounds, one in Syria and another in the Lebanese town of Hermel. If confirmed the development may mark a critical turn in Syria’s two-year war, bearing out fears that the increasingly sectarian conflict would spill over across Syria’s borders.

Yesterday FSA Chief of Staff Gen. Salim Idris gave Hezbollah an unprecedented ultimatum: withdraw its forces from Lebanon within 48 hours or face attack.
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February 22, 2013 | 8:51 am | 4 Comments »

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February 21, 2013

Yair Lapid would win new elections, poll finds  

What is Yair Lapid’s attraction. Please comment.

In the (still unlikely) event Netanyahu fails to assemble a coalition and Israelis have to vote again, Likud will plummet, setting the stage for Yesh Atid 

TOI

If Israel were to go to another round of elections, Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid party would become the largest party in Knesset and the former TV anchor would likely be named prime minister, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-Beytenu party would plummet, a poll published Thursday showed.

The poll, ordered and released by the Knesset Channel, showed that if elections were to be held now, Yesh Atid would catapult to become the largest party by an overwhelming margin, up to 30 seats from its current 19. The rightwing-Orthodox Jewish Home party would also gain, climbing from 12 to 15 seats. Read more…

February 21, 2013 | 10:31 pm | 25 Comments »

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Attacks on Jews soar 82% in France  

French Jewish Leader: “The Number of Anti-Semitic Acts Has Exploded”

“Far from raising awareness, the attacks in Toulouse and Sarcelles were followed by a dramatic increase in anti-Semitic attacks,” the report stated. Of course, the Muslims are emboldened by the depraved and coldblooded attacks of Islamic Jew hatred.
Contrary to the Muslim lies of Muslim Brotherhood groups like Hamas-CAIR, Jew hating attacks are at worldwide record levels while mythical islamophobia “hate crime” barely registers at all. Despite the realities the enemedia traffics in this Muslim mythology embarrassing themselves time and time again.
Anti-Semitic attacks soar by 82% in France Algemeiner, February 20, 2013 Read more…
February 21, 2013 | 10:02 pm | 18 Comments »

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