Blood Libel from Al Awda co-founder Zahi Damuni

Dr. Zahi Damuni is the co-founder and the first executive director of the anti-Israel extremist group Al Awda.   He's well published, and has taught biochemistry at the university level.

You'd think he'd have some rudimentary research skills.

You'd be wrong.

Blood Libel from Al Awda co-founder Zahi Damuni 

Yesterday, Zahi Damuni  published a photo, claiming it represented the 1967 mass murder of Egyptian prisoners of war.

Blood libel.

The actual photo was taken during the Yom Kippur war, in 1973, by photographer Micha Bar-Am.  Its captioned  "Suez Canal.October 1973.  A trench with Egyptian prisoners of war captured by the Israelis along the banks of the Suez Canal."

Suez Canal.October 1973.A trench with Egyptian prisoners of war captured by the Israelis along the banks of the Suez Canal.

This modern day blood libel  has been shared over 900 times, proving again that a lie can travel half-way across the world, before the truth gets a chance to put on its pants.

Incidentally Zahi Damuni has at least 3 separate Facebook accounts.   Not suspicious at all.

Gaza Women reach for equality, pick up firearms

As a way to enhanse gender equality and personal freedom, Islamic Jihad has been training women in Gaza to use automatic weapons.

Check out the camoflauge niqabs.

Gaza Women

Gaza Women

Gaza Women

Remember this next time woman are reported killled in Gaza

Jerusalem: One of the Best Small Cities in the World.

Israel's beautiful cities and countryside continues to win accolades from travel journals and visitors alike.  Jerusalem, the capital of Israel recently made Conde Naste's short list of "Best Small Cities " in the world.

From Conde Naste: The Best Cities in the World: 2018 Readers Choice Awards

Not too long ago, you'd make the trip to Jerusalem for a handful of reasons: to seek out monuments of faith, like the Western Wall or the Dome of the Rock; to celebrate history and culture. But the city just didn’t have the cachet of Tel Aviv or Eilat; it couldn’t offer visitors fusion cuisine, or hot hotel rooftop bars—until now. You can feel the changes in the winding alleyways of Machane Yehuda Market, an open-air labyrinth of food stalls near Jerusalem's city center that was once, the chef says, “where people would buy dried fruit and discount underwear.” Now you’ll find one of the buzziest places in Jerusalem: People crowd market bars, drink Israeli wine, and eat dinner at Crave's, a kosher take on Western comfort food, or Steam Kitchen & Bar, home to freshly steamed Chinese-style buns and American-style smoked meat sandwiches.

Check out Noam Chen's images of our beautiful city of light, Jerusalem.

Photo by Noam Chen

Photo by Naom Chen

Photo by Noam Chen

Israel Under Attack. Home in Beersheva stuck by Gaza Rocket

A rocket from Gaza stuck a home in Beersheva this evening.  A mother and her 3 young children were awaken by the warning siren and had just shut the door to their shelter when the rocket hit, destroying much of the home.   The family is currently hospitalized and is being treated for shock.

Rocket Damage from Gaza

Rocket damage from Gaza

Rocket damage from Gaza

Beersheva is the largest city in southern Israel. A second rocket was launched towards Tel Aviv, but missed its mark and fell  harmlessly into the sea.  These attacks represents a significant escalation of hostilities from Gaza.

An Israel Arab Breaks the Silence

Yoseph Haddad, an Israeli Arab writes in the Jerusalem Post:

I cannot be silent, I must break my silence. I served in the IDF during the Second Intifada. It was a difficult time. I also stood at checkpoints, stood guard, arrested people and fought in the Second Lebanon War. As an Israeli Arab and IDF solider in the Golani Brigade, I served together with other Israelis: Jews of all backgrounds, Druze and Bedouin. We were all equal, we were all brothers fighting side by side and I can testify that I served in the most humane and moral army in the world, with the highest code of ethics and human values.

Haddad is the CEO of the nonprofit organization Togther – Vouch For Each Other, which "builds bridges that bring together Arabs and Jews in meaningful social connections in Israeli society" and has also been involved with Reservists on Duty

Read his story:  

It's time I break my silence:  I served in the IDF during the Second Intifada.

Hatem Bazian: The extremist member of Berkeley's Peace and Justice Commission

Its often quipped  "Two Jews, three opinions".   Not when it comes to Hatem Bazian, a man so extreme that the three leading congregational Rabbis in Berkeley, representing the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movement co-signed a letter in opposition to his appointment  as an emergency stand-in for Berkeley Councilperson Cheryl Davila.  The latter stated, in part:

“Prof. Bazian has a history of encouraging and personally engaging in speech which is offensive, uncivil and encourages demonization of others, including many citizens of Berkeley”

In spite of the controversy and concern over Bazian's divisive and inflammatory rhetoric Davila has now appointed him to the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission.   Bazian, who once infamously called for an intifada in America is now on a commission tasked with advising the City Council and the School Board  "on issues of peace and social justice."  

Cheryl Davila is a regular participant in anti-Israel protests on campus, in the streets, and in front of the local Israeli consulate.

Hatem Bazian and anti-Israel activists across the nation donated to Davila's election campaign.  

Zaytuna College congratulated Bazian on his appointment.

The local Jewish community is understandably concerned about having a man who recently retweeted anti-Semitic caricatures tasked with advising the city on matters of social justice.

John Cheney-Lippold faces the music

Occasionally, actions have consequences, even for tenured professors.

John Cheney-Lippold, a tenured American and digital studies associate professor at the University of Michigan refused to write a letter of recommendation for a student wanting to study in Israel.    

The University has launched disciplinary proceedings against Cheney-Lippold. In an Oct 3rd letter, published in the Detroit News,  Elizabeth Cole, the acting dean of UM’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts wrote:

"Your conduct has fallen far short of the University’s and College’s expectations for how LSA faculty interact with and treat students...This letter is a strong warning that your behavior in this circumstance was inappropriate and will not be tolerated."

"In the future, a student's merit should be your primary guide for determining how and whether to provide a letter of recommendation. You are not to use student requests for recommendations as a platform to discuss your personal political beliefs."

According to information obtained through a FOIA request, the Detroit News reported that Cheney-Lippold  

will not get a merit raise during the 2018-19 academic year and can't go on his upcoming sabbatical in January or another sabbatical for two years...  He could also face additional discipline, up to and including dismissal, if a similar incident occurs in the future.

Since then, it has been reported that Lucy Peterson, a graduate student instructor at  the university  also denied a student a letter of recommendation for study in Israel.

Anti-Semitism at UC Berkeley

Flyers blaming the Jewish people for sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Nominee  Brett Kavanaugh  were found  at UC Berkeley today.

From the Facebook page of Tikvah, Students for Israel:

Anti-Semitic flyers found on UC Berkeley campus near Eshleman Hall:

UC Berkeley’s tolerance of anti-Semitism preached from authoritative figures and lecturers like Hatem Bazian  shows Neo-Nazis that our campus allows for racism and enables them to publicly promote their Jewish conspiracies without challenge.

To be clear Nazi imagery on UC Berkeley’s campus is nothing new and has been an issue that Jewish students have been raising to the school administration since 2015. Despite repeated calls for action, the school has neglected to take serious measures to address this issue. Chancellor Christ, you have a serious problem…NOW is the time to take a stand. 

These repulsive anti-Semitic flyers have been appearing across the country, most recently at UC Davis

Gaza children deliberately transported to war zones

In the last few weeks, several children have been reported killed in the border clashes with Gaza.  How does this happen?  Why are children in a battle zone, instead of in school?

Sadly, the children are bought to the combat zone deliberately, either by their parents and family members

or in free buses organized by Hamas, who regards the death of children as a win important tool in their efforts to demonize Israel.

It is a war crime to use children as both combatants, and as human shields. 

We Celebrate Life. They celebrate death

Today two young families are devastated.  Four children will go to bed without a parent to tuck them in or read them a story.

This morning 2 Israelis were slaughtered by a Palestinian coworker in the Barkan Industrial park. Barkan is often hailed as an example of regional co-existence and cooperation, where Arabs and Jews have worked side by side since 1982.

KimYehezkel, 27 years old and Ziv Hajbi, 35 were tied up and shot at point plank range, execution style.  A third victim was also injured. Kim was the mother of 1 year old toddler.  Ziv was the  father of 3.

Palestinians celebrated the news of the murders by passing out candy.

Palestinians celebrating the murder of KimYehezkel and Ziv Hagbi

Palestinians celebrating the murder of KimYehezkel and Ziv Hagbi

Palestinians celebrating the murder of KimYehezkel and Ziv Hagbi

KimYehezkel's family made the decision to donate her organs, because they, and we as a people, cherish life.

Say their names.

KimYehezkel

Ziv Hagbi

Maps of Disappearing Palestine: The Prequel

The more things change....

You've likely already encountered the ubiquitous  "Maps of Disappearing Palestine" propaganda card seen at every anti-Israel event.

Meet its great-grandfather.

The subtle change in language is fascinating, and is reflective of the attempts to create a serviceable Palestinian narrative suitable for Western consumption.

The earlier map (circa 1967) refers to Arab land- the Palestinians had not yet become a "people".  It also acknowledges the area was under the British mandate- and was not an independent Palestinian state. Surprisingly the first panel documents the tremendous growth of the Arab population during the years of the mandate,  as economic migrants were drawn to the economic opportunities created by the Zionist pioneers.

The influx of workers from across the Arab world into pre-state Israel was well documented.

Robert F Kennedy, a cub reporter for the Boston Post stationed in Mandate Palestine wrote in 1948:

The Jews point with pride to the fact that over 500,000 Arabs, in the 12 years between 1932 and 1944, came into Palestine to take advantage of living conditions existing in no other Arab state. This is the only country in the Near and Middle East where an Arab middle class is in existence.

From the July 1934 Journal of Foreign Affairs:

There is a constant infiltration of Arab labor, on which there can scarcely be a practical check, from neighboring Arab lands.  It will increase as the country's prosperity increases. The crossings of the River Jordan are barred for eastward Jewish Traffic, but there is traffic westward for the Arabs of Transjordan....The Jews are not permitted to develop Transjordan; its Arab inhabitants are free to come in to Palestine to take advantage of opportunities of employment which do not exist on their home country and which have only been created in Palestine by Jewish capital and Jewish enterprise.

The second panel describes the terms of the UN partition plan,  conveniently leaving out the fact that the Jewish population agreed to the division of land, and the Arab population turned it down.  60 percent of the land allocated to the Jewish state was to be the arid desert in the Negev.

The third panel shows the aftermath of Israel's war of independence, and neglects to mention Jordan's control of the West Bank, or Egypt's control over Gaza.  Instead\ they describe it as  Palestinian Arabs  "in their own homes under Arab rule".  Contrary to the usual claims of 650,000 refugees, this  claims 400,000  "refugees in exile outside Palestine".

The last panel shows the conclusion of the 6 day war.  In this defensive war,  Israel reclaimed its historic heartland- Judea and Samaria, and captured the Sinai peninsula and Gaza. This is the map deliberately excluded from the modern incarnation- because the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt proved Israel's commitment of land for peace.

Both the 1967 map and its more modern counterpart misrepresent residency, ownership and sovereignty, and provide evidence, yet again, that while the Jewish people have history,  the Palestinian people  continually struggle to create a convincing "narrative".  Nothing has changed in 50 years.

I love a Parade. Islamic Jihad Military Parade in Gaza

The embattled Gaza strip found the time and the finances to put on a military parade today.

The event featured the peaceful protestors of Islamic Jihad, decked out in their finest.

Yes, Halloween came early to Gaza

The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, held the military parade in Gaza City to pledge solidarity to Ziad al-Nakhla as the new Secretary-General, replacing Ramadhan Shalah.

Islamic Jihad even brought out their big guns to mark the occassion.   

On the cluelessness of If Not Now

On the cluelessness of If Not Now

If you are interested in the "Palestinian perspective" you can listen to their own words

From the Twitter account of Jtruzmah

Young men from one of the units operating at the #Gaza border Friday.

“Get us to Abu Safia, Get us to Abu Safia
O Jews wait for us, O Jews wait for us, O Jews wait for us. With Knives and Molotov, with Knives and Molotov.
We will terrify you with knives and Molotov.” #Israel pic.twitter.com/YSKwDJYsHv

— Joe (@Jtruzmah) September 29, 2018