Dec 5, 2012
Chorus of cries continue against Netanyahu intervention in US election
The issue of Netanyahu somehow trying to influence the US elections in favor of Mitt Romney is an issue that does not seem to go away.
Whether the criticism is accurate or not, it was understandable initially Since then, Rahm Emanuel has recently criticized Netanyahu about the alleged intervention, Ehud Olmert had his two cents to add, and now the Satmar Rebbe is adding his criticism as well.
Let's not forget that the United States is the expert at influencing elections in countries all around the world, including Israel. The most blatant, perhaps, was when George Bush intervened in Israeli elections in 2002 in favor of Ariel Sharon showering him with goodies and friendship to get the voters to prefer Sharon (source: Haaretz). Simple searches on Google will allow one to discover the entire range of methods of US intervention in all sorts of foreign countries. Who doesn't remember when President Obama discussed what was going on last year in Egypt with the uprising (aka Arab Spring) and criticized Egypt urging them o do more (to the tune of ousting Mubarak), and Egypt rejected the criticism claiming Obama was intervening in their upcoming elections.
Countries try to influence things in their, perceived, favor, and that's the way it is. To say it does not happen is to be blind or ignorant. Some do it better, some do it worse, some are better at hiding it and some are worse at hiding it. But let's not play games as though Netanyahu broke a cardinal rule that the US holds so dear and sacred.
For the US to make such a big deal of this indirect intervention, at best, is silly and hypocritical. And for the Jews and Israelis to keep dredging it up and to continue keeping it alive as an issue of conflict between the US and Israel is irresponsible.
Whether the criticism is accurate or not, it was understandable initially Since then, Rahm Emanuel has recently criticized Netanyahu about the alleged intervention, Ehud Olmert had his two cents to add, and now the Satmar Rebbe is adding his criticism as well.
Let's not forget that the United States is the expert at influencing elections in countries all around the world, including Israel. The most blatant, perhaps, was when George Bush intervened in Israeli elections in 2002 in favor of Ariel Sharon showering him with goodies and friendship to get the voters to prefer Sharon (source: Haaretz). Simple searches on Google will allow one to discover the entire range of methods of US intervention in all sorts of foreign countries. Who doesn't remember when President Obama discussed what was going on last year in Egypt with the uprising (aka Arab Spring) and criticized Egypt urging them o do more (to the tune of ousting Mubarak), and Egypt rejected the criticism claiming Obama was intervening in their upcoming elections.
Countries try to influence things in their, perceived, favor, and that's the way it is. To say it does not happen is to be blind or ignorant. Some do it better, some do it worse, some are better at hiding it and some are worse at hiding it. But let's not play games as though Netanyahu broke a cardinal rule that the US holds so dear and sacred.
For the US to make such a big deal of this indirect intervention, at best, is silly and hypocritical. And for the Jews and Israelis to keep dredging it up and to continue keeping it alive as an issue of conflict between the US and Israel is irresponsible.
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Don’t pish on me, and tell me it’s raining
A Guest Post by Dr. Harold Goldmeier
WE APOLOGIZE FOR HURTING YOUR FEELINGS—NOT!!
An old
expression goes something like, “Don’t pish on me, and tell me it’s
raining.” That is exactly what some Jewish
critics of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians and Arabs do when they cry
about being called anti-Semitic for their activities and policy positions.
Professor Eva
Illouz of the Hebrew University is the latest to take up the cudgel offended at
the reaction she is getting from supporters of Israel. In a recent article in The Forward reprinted in Haaretz (November 30, 2012), she lumps
herself in with Peter Beinart, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, Avi Shlaim, and
Shlomo Sand, for doing “nothing more than (exercising) the right to think and
evaluate critically the accomplishments and failures of the state of Israel.”
There is too
little space here to document the depths of depraved criticism her fellow
travelers heap on Israel, the one-sided blame they cast, and their calls for
actions against Israel that can only lead to Israel’s vanquish and
disappearance. This is the group that the distinguished Professor proudly
claims as her like-minded colleagues.
I am not being
facetious to call her distinguished. Professor Illouz won the Best Book Award prize,
and her works on emotions, culture, and communication are translated into 15
different languages. In fact, all of the people in her claque are recognized
experts in their fields of study. They are internationally award winning
intellectuals, and, in other circumstances, Jews over which we kvell. However, they put their talents and energies
into exoteric diatribes against the Jewish State without a scintilla of sweat
for her sworn enemies and their murderous agenda.
Chomsky, son
Hebrew teachers and a former kibbutznik, wages war for decades against Israel
with vile and scurrilous claims. His recurring theme is that the creation of
Israel was “wrong and disastrous.” He regularly compares Israel’s actions to
those of the Nazis.
Butler
preceded Beinart in the boycott, disinvestment, and sanctions campaign against
Israel. She coined the colorful and sympathetic attributions of Hamas and
Hezbollah as progressive and social movements.
She is an executive member of a freedom theatre in Jenin. Its most
famous playwright and director was Juliano Mer-Khanis, gunned down by
Palestinian nationalists. He was driving with his one year old son in the car
when Mafia-like gunmen carried out their death sentence for his crime of being
an Israeli-Palestinian bringing culture and messages of peace through art to
his people (see my comments, Life In Israel, April, 2011). Butler can only
visit an “Israeli institution or an Israeli cultural event,” she has said, “in
order to use the occasion to…” bring attention to the brutality Israel wreaks
on the Palestinians. All this despite
Israel’s love and guarantees for freedom of speech where people are not
murdered for their views or their sexual orientation.
The noxious
exhalations of this liege of miserable intelligentsia are reflections not of their
dutiful commitment to the sustenance of Israel or the Jewish people, nor the
exercising of their right and obligation to honestly criticize the democratic
state when they believe it wrongheaded, misguided, or worse. Their opinions do not come from a place of
true concern for the fate of the Jews. Theirs is not guilt of anti-Semitism by
association, but guilt by collaboration with those who solely wish for the utter
destruction of Israel and the Jews.
The good
Professor Illouz self-identifies with the anti-Semitic Chomsky, et al. These
anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, euthanasic haters, give gravitas to the BDS
movement, the Holocaust deniers, the no acceptance ever of Israel’s right to
exist crazies; they swirl around those with a Jewish identity, accomplishments,
and world renown acclaim, like bees on honey exuberating in the pother of
one-sided anger and hate.
Supporters and
legitimate critics of Israel’s policies and actions through the democratic
process must never relent exposing these people for what they believe. On the
other hand, I want to adopt as an action plan the Daniel Gordis manifesto that
claims
“ It doesn’t matter if they are in Israel or outside, or if
they are Jewish or not. If they are working to end Israel, or to end it as
a Jewish and democratic State, then they are our enemies, plain and
simple. There are enemies who cannot be loved or compromised into submission,
and you need to recognize that…. YOU NEED TO SHOW US THAT YOU CARE ABOUT ISRAEL
MORE THAN YOU CARE ABOUT DIALOGUE WITH ISRAEL’S ENEMIES (emphasis added).”
I would love to be able to just
ignore you.
To
paraphrase President Kennedy, I will apologize for calling your kind
anti-Semitic if you will apologize for being so.
Harold Goldmeier is a former Research and Teaching Fellow at Harvard University where he received his doctorate. He served in the administrations of three US governors, is Managing Director of a business marketing and development company, and is managing partner of Goldmeier LLC consulting on business development, education and community development matters. He writes on Life in Israel, Arutz Sheva, American Thinker, The Times of Israel, and other publications.
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Picture of the Day
It looks like a picture of Black Friday shoppers camping outside of Best Buy or some other store waiting to rush in and get the best deals on a 50 inch television set. But it is not. These are people representing various new and small parties running for Knesset - they were camping outside of the Knesset last night in order to be able to rush in and lay claim to one of the few remaining available election letters (without needing to ask permission from a different party to use a letter already "owned").
Some of the parties that sent reps to stake out a spot for an early grab (and/or official party registration) were: Yesh Atid, Pirates, Am Shalem, tzedek Chevrati, Ichud Leumi-Bayit Yehudi, Da'am, Otzma l'Yisrael, and Koach l'Hashia (Rav Amnon Yitzchak's party) who's rep didnt sleep outside with the others but sat in his car all night...
(source: NRG)
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Quote of the Day
The new party will win at least 5 mandates...
-- Netzach party spokesperson Yaakov Friedman
It looks like the threats and bluffs are just about over, and Degel has split into two parties. The new party, Netzach, directed by Rav Shmuel Auerbach, has announced that they have come to the final decision to run for Knesset on a separate list. It still might just be a bluff until tomorrow, but they claim the decision is final. I have no idea where they think they are getting 5 mandates from, when the full UTJ list, which is mostly still intact, has always gotten 5-6 seats, and this party is only taking a percentage of that..
-- Netzach party spokesperson Yaakov Friedman
It looks like the threats and bluffs are just about over, and Degel has split into two parties. The new party, Netzach, directed by Rav Shmuel Auerbach, has announced that they have come to the final decision to run for Knesset on a separate list. It still might just be a bluff until tomorrow, but they claim the decision is final. I have no idea where they think they are getting 5 mandates from, when the full UTJ list, which is mostly still intact, has always gotten 5-6 seats, and this party is only taking a percentage of that..
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Mark Feuerstein Dresses as Cow, Raps in Hebrew for Heifer International (video)
this is strange...
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Naftali Bennet vs Tzippi Livni on CNN, Dov Lipman on IBA (video)
two interesting political videos:
the first had CNN talking with both Bennet and Livni about Israeli issues...
and the second has Rabbi Lipman talking on IBA about Yesh Atid's positions...
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Racing Home: A Hanukkah Surprise (video)
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NightOwls - Dreams (Official Music Video)
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Dec 4, 2012
Will Haredi parties be disqualified over lack of female candidates?
Will the Haredi parties be disqualified from running in the upcoming elections? It is not likely, but some people are trying to get them disqualified anyway.
Unnamed "womens rights" groups have filed a petition with the election board to disqualify the haredi parties due to their lack of inclusion of any women on their Knesset lists. "Hadarat Nashim".
There is no law, that I am aware of, that obligates any specific party to list a woman, or women as Knesset candidates, but when the two main haredi parties, and now some more minor ones as well (though Rabbi Amsalem is supposedly listing two women in his list of candidates) have never included a woman in their lists, it is clear it is due to discriminatory practice and not due to simply not having found one to include.
The election board said they will not consider the petition until after Thursday, as Thursday is the final day for the various parties to submit their lists, and only then will the board be able to analyze the lists and consider the issue.
(sources: Kikar and Bechadrei)
I don't believe the board will disqualify the haredi parties over this, but it sure is an interesting twist. I wonder how they will get around it.
Unnamed "womens rights" groups have filed a petition with the election board to disqualify the haredi parties due to their lack of inclusion of any women on their Knesset lists. "Hadarat Nashim".
There is no law, that I am aware of, that obligates any specific party to list a woman, or women as Knesset candidates, but when the two main haredi parties, and now some more minor ones as well (though Rabbi Amsalem is supposedly listing two women in his list of candidates) have never included a woman in their lists, it is clear it is due to discriminatory practice and not due to simply not having found one to include.
The election board said they will not consider the petition until after Thursday, as Thursday is the final day for the various parties to submit their lists, and only then will the board be able to analyze the lists and consider the issue.
(sources: Kikar and Bechadrei)
I don't believe the board will disqualify the haredi parties over this, but it sure is an interesting twist. I wonder how they will get around it.
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My thoughts on the construction crisis
My thoughts, in no particular order, on the recent crisis regarding the announcement of new construction:
1. The announcement of construction plans has enraged the world in a way that nothing the Palestinians have ever done enraged them before. Not terror, not targeting civilians with rockets, not unilaterally taking the vote to the UN about upgrading the PA status... just construction of homes for Jews. The reaction was a "little" overblown - threats of pulling ambassadors, calling Israeli ambassadors in for a critical word, etc.considering the way the world reacts, and has reacted, in other disturbing situations.
2. I am in favor of Israel building what and where it needs to build. Anywhere in Israel. The |Disengagement has proven that settlements are not an obstacle to peace - if the PA should ever decide to sit down and negotiate with Israel, and accept any of the many offers that have been or will be on the table, the Disengagement has proven that settlements can be dismantled fairly easily and quickly. Settlements are not the obstacle to peace, and until we have that agreement, there is no reason Jews should not be able to live in any of the areas currently controlled by Israel.
3. I don't get why Israel only announces such building plans at the most inopportune moments, or else right before elections. For the past four years Israel has only announced construction plans at the least opportune moments - when a foreign leader was in the midst of a process, or on his or her way for a visit, or like now right before elections. I know there is never a good time for Israel to make such an announcement, as the world would react horribly no matter when it was - but the only time Israel could find to do this is right before elections? Why werent these plans announced 6 months ago, or maybe 2.5 years ago? While I admire Netanyahu suddenly standing strong and saying we have the right to build, I would prefer that he would do so throughout his term as prime minister, and not just right before elections.
4. The reason the world reacts so strongly, I think, is because we have allowed them to. We have curtailed our construction due to the expected reaction of world leaders. We have given control over our country, our capital, our construction to foreign leaders. It might be good, it might be bad, but that is what it is. If we would have built when we wanted, or needed, to, and not minimized our level of construction due to concerns of foreign leaders, I don't think they would be so upset every time we then announce a construction project. Because we have given them control over when and where we build, now they are upset when we build without asking first or while ignoring what we know they would say.
5. I know the recent construction plans were announced in response to the unilateral move by the PA in the United Nations, but notice how that unilateral move was supported by most countries, but this unilateral move is criticized by some of our greatest allies.
1. The announcement of construction plans has enraged the world in a way that nothing the Palestinians have ever done enraged them before. Not terror, not targeting civilians with rockets, not unilaterally taking the vote to the UN about upgrading the PA status... just construction of homes for Jews. The reaction was a "little" overblown - threats of pulling ambassadors, calling Israeli ambassadors in for a critical word, etc.considering the way the world reacts, and has reacted, in other disturbing situations.
2. I am in favor of Israel building what and where it needs to build. Anywhere in Israel. The |Disengagement has proven that settlements are not an obstacle to peace - if the PA should ever decide to sit down and negotiate with Israel, and accept any of the many offers that have been or will be on the table, the Disengagement has proven that settlements can be dismantled fairly easily and quickly. Settlements are not the obstacle to peace, and until we have that agreement, there is no reason Jews should not be able to live in any of the areas currently controlled by Israel.
3. I don't get why Israel only announces such building plans at the most inopportune moments, or else right before elections. For the past four years Israel has only announced construction plans at the least opportune moments - when a foreign leader was in the midst of a process, or on his or her way for a visit, or like now right before elections. I know there is never a good time for Israel to make such an announcement, as the world would react horribly no matter when it was - but the only time Israel could find to do this is right before elections? Why werent these plans announced 6 months ago, or maybe 2.5 years ago? While I admire Netanyahu suddenly standing strong and saying we have the right to build, I would prefer that he would do so throughout his term as prime minister, and not just right before elections.
4. The reason the world reacts so strongly, I think, is because we have allowed them to. We have curtailed our construction due to the expected reaction of world leaders. We have given control over our country, our capital, our construction to foreign leaders. It might be good, it might be bad, but that is what it is. If we would have built when we wanted, or needed, to, and not minimized our level of construction due to concerns of foreign leaders, I don't think they would be so upset every time we then announce a construction project. Because we have given them control over when and where we build, now they are upset when we build without asking first or while ignoring what we know they would say.
5. I know the recent construction plans were announced in response to the unilateral move by the PA in the United Nations, but notice how that unilateral move was supported by most countries, but this unilateral move is criticized by some of our greatest allies.
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Quote of the Day
We should join the area of E1 to Jerusalem without concern, despite the world pressuring us....
When the world talks about a freeze in Jerusalem, I ask a freeze of what? The billions that we invest in the eastern side of the city? Stop building for Arabs, or Christians or Jews? Or, God forbid, somebody means that when an entrepreneur comes to me I must ask him what religion he is part of, in order to build in Jerusalem It is delusional. It is also against the law in the USA. I am not familiar with another city in the world who's regulator is the president of the USA..
-- Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkay
When the world talks about a freeze in Jerusalem, I ask a freeze of what? The billions that we invest in the eastern side of the city? Stop building for Arabs, or Christians or Jews? Or, God forbid, somebody means that when an entrepreneur comes to me I must ask him what religion he is part of, in order to build in Jerusalem It is delusional. It is also against the law in the USA. I am not familiar with another city in the world who's regulator is the president of the USA..
-- Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkay
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Headline of the Day
Israeli court grants first gay divorce
-- JPostIt looks like divorce beat out marriage again. While Israel does not [yet] perform marriages for gay couples, Israel now does perform divorces for gay couples. As the common refrain is when explaining why the gemara of Gittin is prior to the gemara of Kiddushin, Hashem provides the medicine before the illness...
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Bayit Yehudi Convenes to Approve Merge with National Union (video)
when it looked like the negotiations to merge were going to fall through, somehow it happened anyway. probably a good move. While the right merges to larger blocs of parties, the left (or as some say, the "center-left") continues to fraction to more and more parties vying for the same seats..
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Tel Aviv Rollers (video)
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EL AL Economy Class Plus (video)
cute ad by El Al
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Yeedle - Shiru Lamelech (video)
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