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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. (11837)
In the International Arena there is no Rule of Law, only the Rule of Power (8730)
Current Posts
February 18, 2013

IDF claims victory in Pillar of Defense social-media war  

Social-media experts say official Israel effectively conveyed its narrative to unprecedented numbers

By DAVID SHAMAH, TOI

Last November’s Operation Pillar of Defense — in which Gaza terrorists fired some 1,500 rockets at Israel, and the Israeli air force flew a similar number of raids at terror targets — was notable for a number of reasons.

The eight-day conflict, which ended with an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire that has held for the three months since, saw six Israelis killed, about 170 Palestinians killed (120 of whom were engaged in terrorism, according to the IDF), Gaza rocket fire hitting as far north as Rishon Lezion, and the Iron Dome defense system intercepting 84% of the rockets at which it was fired. It also marked the first time Israel beat the Palestinians in hasbara — public diplomacy — said Sascha Dratwa, the IDF director of new media.
Read more…

February 18, 2013 | 6:05 am | 4 Comments »

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February 17, 2013

Good News Israel -Feb 17  

 In the 17th Feb 2013 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
 
·        Israeli scientists have developed a cure for a disease causing millions of genetic deformities.
·        Israel’s new parliament will have a larger proportion of women than those of the USA or UK.
·        Israeli surfers saved 8 children from drowning in Hawaii.
·        Israeli 3D printers can now print your false teeth.
·        An Israeli company won the top award at the Munich CleanTech Conference.
·        Israel exported 60 million flowers to Europe for Valentine’s Day.
·        The UN heard first hand about the fruits of Israeli technology.
 
February 17, 2013 | 3:20 pm | 4 Comments »

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How Europe Bankrolls Terror  

By Nasser Weddady, NYT

WHEN northern Mali fell to terrorists and foreign militants last April, a debate began over the causes of the country’s chaotic collapse. Many argued that it was a direct byproduct of NATO’s 2011 intervention in Libya, which sent thousands of well-armed men across the Sahara to Mali. Others pointed to Mali’s internal corruption and ethnic divisions. But little was said about the most important factor: Europeans have knowingly bankrolled Islamist radicals with ransom payments since at least 2003.

Sixteen years before the 9/11 attacks, the United States sold Iran weapons indirectly in the hopes of freeing American hostages held by Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah. The Iran-contra debacle taught America, among other things, that paying ransom money only emboldens terrorist groups and their backers. Yet when confronted with the same challenge, European leaders have failed to heed that lesson, and have filled the coffers of terrorist groups for at least a decade.
Read more…

February 17, 2013 | 1:23 pm | 2 Comments »

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Yoram Ettinger responds to penetrating questions  

Israel on the Brink

by Jerry Gordon and Mike Bates (February 2013)

INTERVIEW

Mike Bates: Good afternoon and welcome to Your Turn. This is Mike Bates. With me in the studio is Jerry Gordon, Senior Editor of the New English Review and its blog, the Iconoclast. He is also the author of the book, The West Speaks. Jerry Gordon, welcome to Your Turn.

Bates: Ambassador Ettinger, let’s begin with the recent Israeli elections for the Knesset. Prime Minister Netanyahu may be about to announce a new coalition government. What can you tell us about how Israeli law frames the composition of their parliament and what surprises occurred among the contending parties in the elections?
Read more…

February 17, 2013 | 10:09 am | 3 Comments »

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Coalition building  

By Ted Belman

I am fascinated by coalition talks this time around.

Lapid doesn’t want Shas and so Netanyahu doesn’t want Lapid. Unfortunately for Netanyahu he is confronted by a pact between Lapid and Bennett in which they are in or out of the government together. They represent 31 mandates against Netanyahu’s 32.

Of course Netanyahu could accede to their request and form a government with a 63 seat majority and leave Shas and everyone else out. He obviously doesn’t want to do this. Such a coalition would work well together. Bennett is against the two state solution but will likely accept Netanyahu’s Bar Ilan formulation simply because nothing will come of it. So far in talks Bennet does not appear to make annexation of Area C a demand. Lapid on the other hand also accepts the formulation, an undivided Jerusalem and building in settlement blocs providing negotiations commence in six months. He is unlikely to leave government if they don’t.
Read more…

February 17, 2013 | 9:15 am | 15 Comments »

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February 16, 2013

Obama’s Middle East travel plans  

From Caroline Glick

This week on the Tribal Update, the satirical webcast produced weekly by Latma, the Hebrew-language satirical media criticism website I run, we bring you a behind the scenes look at how Obama and his advisers arrived at their decision to have the President visit Israel next month.

We also bring you an interview with EU representative Johann Phlegmat who discusses the EU’s dilemma in adding Hezbollah to its list of terrorist groups. We also have an in-depth report on the unfounded allegations that a pedophile rapist is on the loose in the ultra-Orthodox town Modiin Illit.
Here’s the whole episode.
Here’s the Obama sketch as a separate clip.
Enjoy and spread far and wide.

Latma is  funded by donations to the David Horowitz Freedom Center’s Israel Security Project which I direct. If you would like to contribute to our work, which is funded entirely by viewer contributions, please go to this link.

February 16, 2013 | 10:53 am | 6 Comments »

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US government funding radical Israeli NGOs’ information operations  

By Caroline Glick

pro-Israel demo embassy Tel Aviv.jpg

Earlier this month NGO Monitor released its report on foreign government funding of radical political Israeli NGOs which work to undermine Israel’s international standing and subvert Israeli society. Along with the usual European suspects who give millions of shekels (or Euros or pounds) to Israeli groups like this, it works out that the US government is also funding extremely radical organizations, courtesy of American taxpayers. Notably, the three groups that reported receiving funding from the US are all in the business of waging political warfare campaigns directed at the Israeli public.

According to the report, in accordance with the NGO Transparency Law which requires NGOs to report on donations received from foreign governments, three Israeli NGOs received funding from the US. Read more…
February 16, 2013 | 10:41 am | 6 Comments »

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Into the Fray: Intellectual warriors, not slicker diplomats  

By MARTIN SHERMAN, JPOST

Israel’s greatest strategic challenge, its gravest strategic failure, its grimmest strategic danger is the (mis)conduct of its public diplomacy.
Soldiers [illustrative] Photo: Ben HartmanWar is a continuation of politics by other means. – Carl von Clausewitz, On War, 1832

Politics is war conducted by other means. – David J. Horowitz, The Art of Political War, 2000

Frederick the Great, who reigned as king of Prussia (1740-1786), famously remarked that “Diplomacy without arms is like music without instruments.” Today, over two centuries later, it would appear this relationship has been entirely reversed, and that “Arms without diplomacy is like music without instruments.”

Arms without diplomacy
Read more…

February 16, 2013 | 3:15 am | 26 Comments »

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February 13, 2013

State of the Union Address on Foreign Policy: Careful Phrasing Conceals Disasters  

By Barry Rubin

While the State of the Union message was overwhelmingly domestically oriented, the foreign policy sections were most interesting. I’ll review them here.

The president began in the same neo-patriotic mode used in the second inaugural address, with a special emphasis on thanking U.S. troops. He used the imagery of the end of World War Two paralleling the return of troops from Iraq to promote his idea that the American economy must be totally restructured.

Obama defined his main successes—careful to credit the military (whose budget he seeks to cut deeply and whose health benefits he’s already reduced) rather than his usual emphasis on taking the credit for himself—were the following points:
Read more…

February 13, 2013 | 9:56 pm | 11 Comments »

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Ground breaking insulin pill nearing market  

By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel 21C

For 100 years, scientists searched for a way to deliver insulin orally instead of by injection. Now an Israeli team claims it’s found the solution. Phase 2 clinical trials are coming.

Swallowing a pill is much more palatable for diabetics than getting an injection. Photo via Shutterstock

Swallowing a pill is much more palatable for diabetics than getting an injection. Photo via Shutterstock* 

Jerusalem’s Oramed Pharmaceuticals is one step closer to putting a groundbreaking oral insulin capsule on the market for people with Type 2 diabetes. The company is about to begin Phase 2 clinical trials on 147 people at about a dozen medical centers in the United States.
Read more…

February 13, 2013 | 8:39 pm | 6 Comments »

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Obama’s Most Dishonest State of the Union Address  

By Daniel Greenfield, FPM

In 1986, at the closing session of the Communist Party shindig in the Karl Marx Theater in Havana, Castro had declared, “Let no one think that what I have here is a lengthy speech; it is the party’s program.” He then went on to speak for 7 hours and 10 minutes.

Obama’s ridiculous 6600-word marathon is also not a lengthy speech; it is the party’s program. The professional flatterers and fawners in the media have long since given up describing the teleprompter-in-chief as a talented speaker. These days Obama gives speeches that not only sound like they were read from a teleprompter, but also written by a teleprompter.

The obscene performance began with a celebration of an economic recovery that exists only in Washington, D.C., which has grown fat on the money that its corrupt political interests have stolen from the rest of the country, and ended by comparing a woman waiting in line to vote for him with a police officer who risked his life to stop a mad gunman.
Read more…

February 13, 2013 | 8:04 pm | 13 Comments »

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A leader can’t play fast and loose with his base  

Seasoned politician such as Netanyahu should have known he’d pay a price for ‘two states’ speech

Elyakim Haetzni, YNET

The Likud party continues to look for the reason it was almost overthrown, but there are many reasons behind its failure in the recent elections. The main reason is the loss of faith. The prime minister made so many contradicting promises he did not fulfill that his supporters and haters alike gave up on trying to figure out the riddle: “Who are you, Mr. Netanyahu?”
Read more…

February 13, 2013 | 3:29 pm | 20 Comments »

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February 12, 2013

The Newest Charge of the Speech Brigade  

By Stephen Plaut

The Likud government and its leftist Attorney General continue to jihad against freedom of speech in Israel. The Likud has always been devoted to defending freedom of speech for Arab fascists and for Jewish anti-Israel radical leftists, just not for anyone else. Under the Likud *much like under the Labor Party Mensheviks), the Kahanists were criminalized and denied freedom of speech. People making “insensitive” or “racist” comments or having insensitive bumper stickers or Tee shirts were arrested, but only if they were being insensitive towards Arabs. Likudian Israel still enforces Israel’s
ridiculous “anti-racism” laws that allow the police to arrest Jews making anti-Arab comments. All of Israel is subject to a “speech code.”
Read more…

February 12, 2013 | 2:38 pm | 10 Comments »

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Meotti: “The Pope was Not a Friend of the Jews”  

By Giulio Meotti, ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

Pope Benedict XVI just resigned and Israel’s chief rabbis have already lauded the relations the Pontifex cultivated with the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

The contrary is the case. The Pope has not been a friend of the Jewish people and he supported the world’s most important source of anti-Semitism: the Palestinianism.

The proof is in the Pope’s travel in Israel in 2009, when Benedict most went closely in touch with the Israelis.

The Vatican authorities avoided calling the “State of Israel” by name but preferred to use the empty denomination “Holy Land”. And the Pope presented the Arabs as “victims” and the Israelis as “oppressors”. It was clear from the Pope’s speeches in Bethlehem and its surroundings that the Catholic attitude to the Jewish people remains unchanged since the Second World War.
Read more…

February 12, 2013 | 9:48 am | 13 Comments »

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Jewish leaders praise Pope for stance on Israel  

By JEREMY SHARON, SAM SOKOL, JPOST

As Pope Benedict resigns, Sephardi Chief Rabbi says he should be remembered for battle against anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial.
Pope Benedict embraces President Peres in Jerusalem, May 11, 2009

Pope Benedict embraces President Peres in Jerusalem, May 11, 2009 

Tributes to Pope Benedict’s attitude and approach to the Jewish people and Israel during his tenure as the head of the Roman Catholic Church came quickly following his decision to resign on Monday.

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the pilgrims at the end of a holy mass on the Islinger field near Regensburg.
Read more…

February 12, 2013 | 9:33 am | Comments »

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Netanyahu’s coalition options seen to be closing  

Put another way, Bibi is losing control. Apparently Lapid and Bennett have agreed to join the government or not, together. Between them they have 31 seats to Bibi’s 32 seats. They are both putting the squeeze on Shas and Bibi. This pact prevents Bibi from creating a right wing coalition of 61 seats.

From my point of view, it is good that Shas be cut down to size. I want the religious Zionists to have more power and I want the Hereidi to go to work. But I don’t think that the focus on equal service is the right focus. Instead, I think the focus should be to getting them out of the Yeshivas, save for the brightest, and into the work force.

Yet, Arutz Sheva reports, Bayit Yehudi ‘will be Netanyahu’s First Coalition Partner’

    Sources close to Bennett said that Bayit Yehudi is the right party for bridging the gaps between the hareidim and Yesh Atid on hareidi enlistment, “because of our familiarity with both the military world and the Torah world.”

Ted Belman

By GIL HOFFMAN, JPOST

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s efforts to build a broad national unity government suffered multiple setbacks on Monday when his potential coalition partners refused to compromise on key issues.

The first setback occurred when Netanyahu met Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tel Aviv. While both sides declined to reveal what was discussed at the meeting, both said afterward that Bayit Yehudi would continue coordinating coalition strategy with Yesh Atid.
Read more…

February 12, 2013 | 9:25 am | 5 Comments »

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February 11, 2013

Can Obama’s Israel visit restart the peace process?  

By Pinhas Inbari, WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS

President Barak Obama is expected to visit Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan in March. While Washington announced that he would not bring a peace plan to the area, the timing and the itinerary suggest that peace negotiations with the Palestinians will be high on the president’s agenda, in addition to other pressing issues like Iran and Syria.

Obama’s move is reminiscent of the beginning of his first term, when the newly elected president chose Mahmoud Abbas as the first world leader to telephone and declared the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian problem to be at the top of his foreign policy agenda. Asian powers like Japan and South Korea, who anticipated that this time around America would shift its priorities to the Far East, may be in for a disappointment.
Read more…

February 11, 2013 | 3:04 pm | 18 Comments »

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Bennett apology to PM’s wife paves way for meeting  

It bothers me that Bennett was forced to apologize as a condition of being in the government. While Bibi has every right to consult his wife. it another matter when he empowers her to enter the fray on his behalf. Bennett has every right to be pissed off with her meddling. But is it right that Bibi should make a Bennett apology as a precondition to entering the coalition. Ted Belman

By GIL HOFFMAN, JPOST

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will hold a long-awaited meeting with Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett on Monday in Tel Aviv, after Bennett took to the airwaves to apologize to Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, for saying that he had endured “a course on terror” with her.

The prime minister has met with the leaders of all of the Knesset’s 12 parties since the January 22 election, except Bayit Yehudi. Even though the Likud had announced Thursday evening that Netanyahu would meet with Bennett at the beginning of this week, Netanyahu’s office did not even call Bennett’s associates to organize the meeting until Bennett apologized.
Read more…

February 11, 2013 | 8:56 am | 1 Comment »

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Pinkas: Obama understands the gaps are unbridgable  

Alon Pinkas, former Consul General in New York,weighs in on the peace process and Obama’s visit:

    Obama is not really naïve, nor is he surrounded by dreamers. American policy may lack sophistication or creativity at times, but the president is under no illusions when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. He is well aware of the difficulties involved in implementing the “two-state” model at this stage and understands that the gap between Israel and the Palestinians is too wide at this point.
    Read more…
February 11, 2013 | 8:42 am | 6 Comments »

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February 10, 2013

“The Real Meaning of the Obama Visit to Israel and U.S.-Israel Relations in Obama’s Second Term.”  

After going along with Obama, it is now said in the United States that Netanyahu tried to undermine Obama or didn’t cooperate.

By: Barry Rubin, Rubin Reports

The international media is speculating on Obama’s visit scheduled for late March. The argument is that he would not come unless he gets some breakthrough, that is, some Israeli concession, and he wouldn’t leave happy unless he received one.

So what would this concession be? The most likely candidate would be a freeze on constructing building within existing settlements, as Israel gave him three years ago. At that time, despite a ten-month freeze, the Palestinian Authority only came to talks at the last minute, offered nothing, and then quickly demanded another freeze. In other words, Israel did precisely what Obama asked and got nothing in return, either from his government or the Palestinians.
Read more…

February 10, 2013 | 9:17 pm | 14 Comments »

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