Jewish Organizations call upon the San Francisco Unified School District to drop its contract with AROC

The extremist group, Arab Resource and Organizing Center  (AROC), directed by Lara Kiswani has signed a memorandum of understanding with the San Francisco School Unified  Board to facilitate Arabic language and cultural teaching in our local public schools.  The SF Unified Boards decision is a shocking breech of responsibility towards the young people of our city.

The  6-1 vote gives AROC a 3 year contract to provide workshops once a week at five San Francisco high schools: Balboa, Galileo, Mission, Raoul Wallenberg and S.F. International. 

Lara Kiswani is infamously known for taunting a tearful student at UC Berkeley, who after expressing her desire for open communication, was subject to Kiswani's hateful retort.

“See, part of the problem with the Palestine question particularly on campus is it always gets framed as this two-sided thing and liberal democracy loves to make it seem like everyone has a right to speak, including the oppressor alongside the oppressed. … I don’t think that this form of liberal democracy really has a place in terms of real struggle. … Maybe liberal Zionists here on this campus have a hard time understanding what that means. … As long as you choose to be on that side, I’m going to continue to hate you.”

Lara Kiswani also participated in the assault on a peaceful vigil at Reem's bakery in Oakland,  prancing around with signs ripped out of the hands of Jewish seniors.

Lara Kiswani (AROC) with destroyed sign

Lara Kiswani (AROC) with destroyed sign

The 2014 AROC led campaign to prevent a Zim ship from unloading at the Oakland pier featured glorification of  gun violence

Call for violence at Arab Resource and Organizing Center Block the Boat Protest

 anti-Semitic imagery

Anti-Semitic images at Arab Resource and Organizing Center Block the Boat Protest

 and open support for the Hamas terror group.

Open support for Hamas terror group at the Arab Resource and Organizing Center Block the Boat Protest

The Arab Resource Organizing center  has sponsored a mural in San Francisco's famed Mission district, featuring the convicted PFLP terrorist  and murderer of 2 young Israeli students Rasmea Odeh

AROC mural glorifies Jew-killer Rasmea Odeh

The J Weekly has documented other examples of the extremist agenda of the Arab Resource Organizing Center, here.

The Zionist Organization of America has called upon the San Francisco School Board to cancel the contract with AROC , writing

We, like many members of the San Francisco community, were shocked and outraged to learn that on May 22, you approved a proposal to grant the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) a contract to provide training and workshops to students in San Francisco’s public high schools.  Given this group’s hateful, divisive and anti-Semitic conduct, it is impossible to fathom how you could have made this decision.    

The school district claims to be committed to building school environments that celebrate diversity, reduce prejudice, and enhance understanding between individuals and groups – going so far as to make these commitments in a 2016 resolution.  The district expressly committed in the resolution to protect the well-being of all its students and families – which must include those who are Jewish and support the State of Israel.

The Clarion project asks " Why Will San Francisco students High Schoolers Learn hate?" and urges people to contact the school board.

This group is inappropriate for our schools. The Bay Area has a large Arab-American population. Why can’t the district seek out and hire Arabic-speaking service providers from the community who are not hateful and politically-compromised?

If you are concerned please:

1) Let your Jewish Community organizations, synagogues, and social justice groups know.

2) Call the District and the Board at: 415-241-6000  to say the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows the Arab Research and Organizing Center (AROC) to teach San Francisco High School students is a bad idea.

3) Email the board and superintendent at:

EmilyMurase@sfusd.edu

RachelNorton@sfusd.edu

Hydra.Mendoza@sfusd.edu

ShamannWalton@sfusd.edu

StevonCook@sfusd.edu

MarkSanchez@sfusd.edu

MattHaney@sfusd.edu

Matthewsv@sfusd.edu

Truittk@sfusd.edu

Hamas paid the family of Layla Ghandour to blame her death on Israel.

The truth just got its pants on.

Hamas paid 8,000 NIS (over $2k, in US dollars) to the family of baby Layla Ghandour to falsely blame her death was due to Israeli tear gas. She had died from fatal blood condition that runs in her family.  Layla’s mother Mariam, herself only 17 had lost another child- Lyla's brother- to the same illness.

The death of Layla Ghandour was falsely blamed on Israel.

On May 28, IDF forces arrested a family member, Mahmoud Omar along with other members of Fatah’s armed wing the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, on terror-related charges.  He told Israeli investigators that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar paid his relatives to falsely tell the media that his baby cousin died of tear gas inhalation.

The story of the 8 month old's death immediately made headlines around the world.  Retractions are few and far between.

No one has commented on why a 17 year, who should still be in school, is married and has  had 2 babies. There is also silence on whether this girl has received any prenatal or enetic counseling on this condition which has taken two of her children.

Attorney Lamis Deek spreads Pallywood lies

You'd think an attorney would have enought of a research skill set not to spread "fake news"

Not New York attorney and anti-Israel activist Lamis Deek, apparently.  Deek  has tweeted out an 8 year old, strategically cropped photo of Palestinian children in Hebron, waiting for their lunch, using it to demonize Israel.

She has it captioned with the hashtag #ChildrenInCages
"Palestinian Children in Israeli zionist cages....a worse sort of cage . "

No lie is too egregious for the Israel haters to spread.

Ammunition Manufacturer goes Ballistic over Palestinian Lies

Black Butterfly Ammunition just realized that a photo from their ad is being used by Palestinian propagandists. 

They seem more amused than horrified.

From their Facebook page

So my ammo company has officially caused an international incident....sort of. I honestly cannot believe my sweet innocent Buzz Saw loads would do such a thing. Lol 😂 don’t believe everything you read on the internet. We have not sold any ammo for export. Oh my.....

Black Butterfly's Facebook followers are also amused

And there you have it- straight from the manufacturer  

"Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. We have not sold any ammo for export."

UPDATE.

Amusement is being replaced by incredulousness over the widespread Palestinian lies and how quickly they have spread.

Welcome to our world, Black Butterfly. Welcome to our world.

Hamas stealing Eid packages in Gaza

Gazans are speaking out about Hamas's theft of  Eid Care packages, earmarked for the communities poor.

From the StandWIthUs  Facebook page

Palestinians speak out!

A Gazan resident recently wrote that Hamas is stealing aid sent by Saudi Arabia to the people of Gaza. The letter says: "I am Mazen Abuta, citizen from Khan Younis. (I am) sending my letter to Salman, the ruler of Saudi Arabia. I swear by Allah, I have not received any help or any aid, because this aid goes only to Hamas, I swear and testify this in front of Allah."

The letter was shared in a post about how meat packages that were sent to Gaza that no one was allowed to sell but Hamas.

Original post (Arabic)

Thank you, California Legislature, for honoring Israel

Both the California State Assembly and the State Senate have passed  identical resolutions honoring Israel and her accomplishments on her 70th  anniversary.

Full text of the unanimously passed resolution follows:

Introduced by Senators Allen, Glazer, Hertzberg, Newman, Stern, and Wiener

May 01, 2018

---

Relative to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SR 109, Allen.

DIGEST KEY

---

BILL TEXT

WHEREAS, 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel, which was officially declared an independent nation on May 14, 1948; and
WHEREAS, The people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel, and the United States government established full diplomatic relations after Israel’s first election in 1949; and
WHEREAS, The establishment of the modern State of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people followed the destruction of much of the European Jewry during the Holocaust; and
WHEREAS, Israel has much to commemorate and celebrate, most notably that it has established, in its 70 years of existence, the most successful and politically stable democracy in a Middle East that continues to experience great turmoil; and
WHEREAS, The people of Israel enjoy a dynamic society with a unique and vital economic, political, cultural, and intellectual life and strive for peace with security and dignity for themselves and their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, Israel has developed some of the world’s leading universities; and
WHEREAS, Israel has developed an advanced, entrepreneurial economy, is among the world’s leaders of the high-tech industry, and is at the forefront of research and development in the fields of renewable energy sources and medicine; and
WHEREAS, Israel regularly sends humanitarian aid, search and rescue teams, mobile hospitals, and other emergency supplies to help victims of disasters around the world; and
WHEREAS, Since 2015, California and Israel have had a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which established a formal relationship between the two parties to foster economic cooperation and economic development, facilitate joint industrial research and development, and enhance business relationships and educational opportunities between all Israeli and California universities to foster job creation and incubate global solutions from joint California-Israeli innovation initiatives; and
WHEREAS, California is home to a vibrant Israeli American immigrant community; and
WHEREAS, For over 2,000 years, Jews living in other parts of the world have maintained a profound spiritual and emotional connection to the Land of Israel, and there has been continuous Jewish presence in the land comprising the modern State of Israel; and
WHEREAS, With the 70th observance culminating in May 2018, Israel will celebrate its anniversary with events marking the birth and development of the state, the struggle to find peace and security, and its hopes for the future; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate designates May 2018 as the “State of California Month of Commemoration of Israel’s 70th Anniversary”; and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate hereby commends and congratulates the people of Israel for their remarkable achievements on the occasion of Israel’s 70th anniversary; and be it further


Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Israeli Ambassador, Ron Dermer, Israeli Consul General, Shlomi Kofman, and Israeli Consul General, Sam Grundwerg as an expression of the California State Legislature’s continued admiration for Israel’s many accomplishments and best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous future.

The Band's Visit Sweeps the Tony Awards. Local Boys make good

A gentle story of co-existence is churning the stomachs of the BDS cru.

The Band's Visit- a  Broadway musical about an Egyptian band's layover in a small Israeli town has swept 10 Tony awards, including best musical, best leading acor and actress in a musical .

And the local angle:

Congratulations to Ari’el Stachel and Itamar Moses, both from Berkeley, and both graduates from Tehiyah Day School, in El Cerrito.

Snopes commentary betrays its anti-Israel bias

Earlier this month, an alarming video from a Gaza kindergarten graduation surfaced on Palestinian social media. The video,  taken at the Al-Hoda school in Gaza on May 13  shows the kindergartners dressed in army uniforms, carrying automatic weapons, storming a building with an Israeli flag and  "killing"  an  "Israeli soldier" and taking an "Orthodox Jew" hostage.

Watch the Yuval King report here:


From the Daily Wire:
WATCH: Gaza Kindergarten Graduation Features Children Staging Mock Military Attack, Hostage-Taking, And Killing Soldiers
From MEMRI
Gaza Kindergarten graduation ceremony: Kids stage mock Military Attack and Hostage taking

From the IsraellyCool Blog
WATCH: Fun & Games at Gaza Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony

The mainstream media did not find this abhorrent display of child abuse noteworthy, instead only choosing to report on events that portray Israel in the worst of all possible light.

Sadly, the urban myth buster website, Snopes, appears to have jumped on the  anti-Israel bandwagon.  Asked if the clip was authentic,   they grudgingly admitted that it was, then took great pains to spin it, claiming it only appeared on "right wing" outlets, and quoting  Khaled Elgindy  who said, in effect  occupation...conflict...Israel does it too...., and accused MEMRI  of only broadcasting extreme and inflammatory material.  Snopes ends their report with the same cliches about the conflict that dominate the mass media. 

We thought better of you, Snopes.  

Remembering Bobby Kennedy.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, in what is likely the first act of Palestinian terrorism on American soil.  Angered at Kennedy's support for Israel, a Palestinian Arab Sirhan Sirhan shot the young Senator 3 times, killing him.  It was no coincidence that the assassination took place on the first anniversary of the 6 day war

As a cub reporter for the now defunct Boston post, Robert Kennedy had traveled to pre-state Israel, documenting what he saw.   The articles are duplicated here, and are well worth reviewing.

In an interview in 1989, Sirhan  told David Frost that he felt betrayed by Kennedy.
From the New York Times:

''My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 bombers to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians'' ...

Mr. Sirhan, 44 years old, said that when he killed Mr. Kennedy, who was then the leading candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, ''I was not doing it out of personal malice toward the man, but out of concern for other people.''

Sirhan Sirhan's  concern for others appears to have been short lived.

Warren Kozack of the National Review writes:

Sirhan’s 15th and most recent parole hearing took place in 2016. He was, once again, denied. In a previous hearing in 2006, Tip Kindel, a spokesperson for the board of parole hearings, said Sirhan was “very hostile.” “He hates Americans,” Kindel said. “He continues to pose a risk for public safety.”

Israel and Iran. Contrast and Compare

As seen on Twitter

Tweeted out from the account of Benyamin Netanyahu

Tweeted out from the account of the Supreme Leader of Iran

Contrast and compare.

Has Silicon Valley's Ro Khanna swallowed the kool-aid?

Today, at Silicon Valley Congressional Representative  Ro Khanna's Fremont Town Hall, Khanna effectively placed blame for the conflict at the Gaza/Israel border on Trump and Netanyahu,  ignoring the role of the Iranian-funded Hamas terror .

It wasn't surprising- late last month, he had posted this notice on his Facebook page.

Almost immediately, thank you posts from as far away as Ramallah began pouring in- spurred on by  Jewish Voice for Peace and other anti-Israel groups.

Its not just Ro Khanna- Jewish Voice for Peace is spending increasing time and efforts on trying to  frame the message with our elected representatives.   Because only constituents can send emails, and the Congressional contact forms precludes "cut and paste" messages, JVP  asks people to call the  Washington office directly

Its time for an equal and opposite response.  Its time YOUR elected representatives heard from you.  The primary elections are June 5.  If you care about the future of Israel, make a point of knowing how the candidates stand.   Once they are elected, make sure they hear from you.  

Khanna's response to a request that he open an investigation into Israel's actions at the Gaza border: (apologies for the imperfect transcription)

Let me make a few comments about your question and the broader situation in the Middle east.

I start out by saying that the United States and Israel are allies and that Israel has always been an ally-its a key ally of the United States. It is a relationship that we value.

The first mistake that was made why in the world would you provoke violence by moving the embassy to Jerusalem.  And if you are going to move the embassy to Jerusalem  why would you do it on the day of Nakba which Palestinians and others view as a day of occupation and put salt ion the wounds. Its almost as if the government the administration was totally indifferent to the protests and the violence that was going to happen.  Total indifference.  people say protesters were coming over then they can apprehend- Israel has the right to guard its borders and apprehend its protesters but let this be clear the criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu should not be equated with a criticism of Israel or Jewish values.  Most Jewish values and most Jewish people do not support... (incomprehensible)  Imagine if people,  I don't think our own administration would go this far but who knows. Imagine if people were coming over the border from Mexico and were protesting and coming over the border  would we ever give our border guards say "shot them".  Even If they were throwing rocks over, no. We say detain them or arrest them send them back,  No one is saying Israel doesn't have the right to defend its borders but the force and  the use of force has to be proportionate.  And to say that you can't speak up. People say Ro, why are you speaking out for the human rights of people in Gaza when you care about the US Israel relationship.  Im speaking out for the human rights of people in Gaza precisely because I care about the US Israel relationship and there are many Jewish Americans and people that care about the relationship with Israel who also want to see peace and justice and the recognition of human rights.  So what I would say I would call on the progressive, the liberal, the people in Israel like in the tradition of Shimon Peres or Yitzhak Rabin, the human rights organizations within Israel which exist to hold Netanyahu and that government accountable and to...its a foreign country I can't tell them who to elect but to fight for progressive values like so many of us are fighting for in this country.  That said I still believe that Israel will remain a strong ally of the United States and I support the innovation and the technology and that relationship biut I think it will be on much solid  foundation rooted in human rights and I think Netyanyahu has done incredible damage to that relationship.

Are Medics the latest Human shields in Gaza?

On  Friday, a young medic was killed at the  Gaza border fence, allegedly while giving aid to a wounded protester.

The circumstances of the death of Razan al-Najjar are still being investigated. Was this a tragic accident, or is it a new tactic in Hamas's arsenal?

Gaza "medics" gather at the border fence

Gaza "medic" using bolt cutters  

The incident is still being investigated  by the IDF.