Cotati Acknowledges Israel's right to Exist

Go Cotati Go!!!!!!



Take that, North coast Coalition for Palestine!

The 22nd annual Cotati Accordion Festival, a multi-cultural, multi-generational musical extravaganza has made a clear and unambiguous statement of support for Israel's right to exist.

Check out that Israeli flag in their current poster. Smooth.

Can there possibly be any greater indicator of the failure of the BDS movement? Could there be any clearer indication of the irrelevance of the BDS'ers than this?

Yes, the 700,000 tourists visiting Israel last month was pretty darn impressive. Lollapalooza choosing Tel Aviv for its 2013 music festival- not bad either. Cirque du Soliel adding extra performances in Israel certainly delivered a great big screw you to the BDS'ers. Madonna kicking off her tour in Israel was a significant failure as well.

But what could symbolize the feelings of heartland America more than the Cotati Accordion festival?

No need to answer- it was meant rhetorically.

Check out the Cotati Accordion Festival, the (shhh its a secret) musical branch of the Zionist Conspiracy.
August 18 & 19, 2012
9:30am - 8:30pm both days
in La Plaza Park in Cotati, CA 94931

An Open letter to the Sacramento City Council

On August 14 the Sacramento City Council will consider a proposal to form a Sister City relationship with Ashkelon. The BDS cru has been going into overdrive to prevent this from happening. And people are fighting back.

From the Blog Random thoughts. An open Letter to the Sacramento City Council:

Dear Ashkelon City Council Members:
I am a proud citizen of both the U.S.and Israel. I grew up in Sacramento and love it, and I now reside part of the year in Sacramento and part in Jerusalem.

I understand that you are considering a Sister City relationship with the City of Sacramento, in the State of California, USA. I think that’s a great idea. However, I wanted to be sure that you know all about Sacramento’s history before you vote on the proposal.

The United States of America expanded into the West pursuant to a doctrine called “Manifest Destiny.” Manifest Destiny, which occurred in the 1800’s, involved the systematic destruction and dispersion of Native Americans and the settling of Europeans on their lands. In short, the Europeans occupied the lands of the Native Americans. These Native Americans were relegated to “reservations” and have been seeking fair remedies ever since.

Sacramento and its surrounding areas were home to several American Indian tribes who lived peacefully and in harmony with the land for centuries. In the mid-1800’s, when gold was discovered within miles of Sacramento, the area became the focus of intense settlement by Americans and European.

The Americans and Europeans settlers colonized the territory, setting up encampments and mining facilities with no regard whatsoever for the native populations. The Native Americans lost their land, their holy places, their grazing lands, and much of their culture.

As part of the Gold Rush, Asians were brought to California. Their labor was exploited and they were treated harshly. They had virtually no rights. When the famous Transcontinental Railroad was built, Chinese laborers were brought to California and were basically treated like slaves.

Among other areas, the Chinese workers worked on the right-of-way over Donner Pass. The elevation on the Pass is about 7,000 feet. They worked in the harshest winter conditions. They received inadequate shelter, little food, and were subject to terrible cold. Many were injured and died.

But for war, Sacramento would be part of Mexico today. The United States won a war against Mexico in the 1840’s. In the Treaty of Guadalupe, which Mexico was forced to sign after the war,California became part of the United States and was occupied by it.

During World War II, Japanese American citizens were treated like alien enemies. Despite the fact that they were loyal citizens and many of their sons bravely fought in the U.S. Army, they were rounded up and imprisoned in camps for the duration of the war.

The camps were in desolate parts of the American West, and the conditions were primitive. The internees were completely deprived of their rights as American citizens. There was a sizeable population of Japanese American citizens in the Sacramento area. They lost their homes, their businesses, and their farms.

Like Ashkelon, Sacramento today has a diverse population and a commitment to diversity, tolerance, and understanding. Occasionally, however, ethnic tensions come to the surface. Sacramento experiences occasional hate crimes. In fact, a number of years ago three synagogues in Sacramento were subject to arson attacks.

I am happy to report that, just like in Ashkelonand the rest of Israel, Sacramento’s community leaders act firmly against such bigotry.

You should know that Sacramento has Sister City relationships with cities in some countries with questionable behavior. For example, it has a relationship with a city in China, a country with a human rights record that has been condemned by many and that has occupied Tibet for over 50 years, with disastrous consequences for Tibetan freedom and culture.

I should point out the obvious: this is my version of the history of and the current situation in Sacramento. Others see the history of Sacramento,California, and the U.S.from different perspectives and with different emphases. There is always room for debate and discussion. As you well know, there is usually plenty of blame to go around in any dispute.

The bigger issue than arguing over the history is dealing with the present. The question when it comes to your decision whether or not to agree to a Sister City relationship with Sacramento is whether we should dwell on and become entangled in debates and bitterness over Sacramento’s past or whether we should reach out and try to embrace people today. The question is whether building relationships and understanding and friendships through a Sister City relationship is preferable to arguing over past grievances and alleged transgressions.

I can tell you that Sacramento today is full of warm, well-intentioned, decent people, much like the residents of Ashkelon. I am sure that Sacramento still makes mistakes. What community does not? But I can assure you that Sacramento is a beautiful city doing many positive things.

I think Ashkelon would gain much from being connected to the City of Sacramento and its people. Ashkelon would learn from Sacramento and Sacramento would learn from Ashkelon.

So, despite the fact that Sacramento’s past is not without its controversies, I strongly recommend that Ashkelon agree to a Sister City relationship with Sacramento. I think the people of both communities and the regions they are in will benefit greatly.


Sincerely,
Alan Edelstein

******************

Reminder: What you can do
Please email or call

Mayor Kevin Johnson
email c/o Council Operations Manager, Lisa Serna-Mayorga, serna@cityofsacramento.org

Council Members:
- Vice-Mayor Angelique Ashby, 916-808-7001, aashby@cityofsacramento.org
- Sandy Sheedy, 916-808-7002, ssheedy@cityofsacramento.org
- Steve Cohn, 916-808-7003, scohn@cityofsacramento.org
- Robert Fong, 916-808-7004, rkfong@cityofsacramento.org
- Jay Schenirer, 916-808-7005, jschenirer@cityofsacramento.org
- Kevin McCarty,916-808-7006, KMcCarty@cityofsacramento.org
- Darrell Fong, 916-808-7007, dfong@cityofsacramento.org
- Bonnie J. Pannell, 916-808-7008, bpannell@cityofsacramento.org

And if you are in Northern California, please consider showing up at the hearing on August 14th

More hate from the organizers of the Global march to Jerusalem

The colossal failure of the March 30 Global March to Jerusalem hasn’t stopped the propaganda or the plotting.

The latest thriller from the Global March website:

The Global March to Jerusalem joins the voices of concern in Jerusalem, Palestine and, indeed, the world over, about the latest as well as consequent threats to the al-Aqsa Masjid and the Dome of the Rock, as well as the Haram Sharif in Jerusalem and the policy of “Judaisation” that the Zionist leadership is pursuing with the explicit intent of removing Muslim, Christian, Arab and all other traces of non-Jewish history, culture, religion, archaeology and demography from the city of Jerusalem and all other areas under Zionist control

.

It continues (I'm paraphrasing):

Blah Blah Blah Zionists... Blah Blah Blah fanatical Zionists... Blah Blah Blah Zionist government...Blah Blah Blah Zionist-controlled Municipality...Blah Blah Blah Zionist extremists...

And launches itself into full anti-Semitic hate

These latest actions are part of the coordinated policy called “Judaisation” by the Zionist authorities. It includes the burning and defacing of Christian churches, the expulsion of Christian and Muslim Palestinians from the city of Jerusalem and from their homes throughout Palestine, the demolition of Palestinian homes, the confiscation of property, the denial of building permits, and many other forms of deliberate ethnic cleansing. This policy of Judaisation is in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) on the rights of peoples living under occupation as well as dozens of resolutions of the United Nations censuring the Zionist state.

This is the part that stopped me in my tracks:

In addition, historic Palestinian archaeological treasures dating back up to two thousand years have been demolished and covered with new structures for the purpose of effacing most of the history of Palestine, which is predominantly Muslim and Christian Arab in culture and religion. The latest examples of this malicious policy are the ongoing construction of a Jewish “Museum of Tolerance” on the religious and historic Ma’manillah cemetery, which dates back to the 7th century and where the companions of the Prophet Mohammad and thousands of the righteous, officials, scholars, notables and Jerusalemite families have been buried, as well as the destruction of palaces from the Umayyad period near al-Aqsa in the Old City.

Oh, yes. This "religious and historic" Ma’manillah cemetery they mention? It was converted into a business center nearly 70 years ago, under the supervisor of the Supreme Muslim Council. A 4 story hotel, bank and factory were to be built on the land. The remains buried in the cemetery were transferred to a spot near the tomb of al Sayid al Kurashi. Its' "religious and historic" value didn't seem to be of interest to the Grand Mufti, who sold the property to the highest bidder.

From the Palestine Post Nov. 22 1945 (h/t Elder of Ziyon)

"A member of the Supreme Muslim Council stated that the use of Moslem cemeteries in the public interest had many precedents both in Palestine and elsewhere. He quoted the case of the bab el Shira (Herrod's gate) cemetery which formerly stretched down St. Stephens gate and Jaffa cemetery which was converted into a commercial center and Queen Farida Square in Cairo which not long ago was a cemetery."

August 17 has been designated a "Hate on Israel day", with a "Stop the Judiasation of Jerusalem" theme by the usual suspects. Demonstrations are planned in NYC, Washington DC Boston, La, and elsewhere. There's plenty of time to plan a response.

Cirque du Soleil adds new shows in Israel

Its yet another in a dizzying array of BDS fails.

In spite of the bullying of the BDS-ers, who attempted to pressure Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil into cancelling their performances in Israel, the show is continuing as scheduled. The circus troop will present 21 shows in Israel between August 8 and August 25. 72,000 tickets have already been sold, and an extra performance has been added to the schedule. They are opening today at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv.

The world renowned circus began in 1984 as a group of 20 street dancers now includes over than 1,300 artists from 50 countries. This will be the first time the troop has performed in Israel

Lumish and the Culture Question

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Mike L.

I am late to the party on this business of Romney's alleged gaffes in Israel, but I find the "culture question" interesting. Some on the left, along with Palestinian "leadership," are claiming that Romney is a racist. This is hardly surprising given the fact that the most racist political movement in the west today, outside of political Islam, is the progressive-left, which ironically enough flings around charges of racism like they are confetti.

What Romney said was this:

"If you could learn anything from the economic history of the world, it's this: Culture makes all the difference," he said, citing the work of historian David Landes, the author of the book "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations."

"As I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things," Romney added. "One, I recognize the hand of providence in selecting this place."

So he was praising Jewish culture for the success of Israel, while acknowledging "the hand of providence."  Well, I don't know much about the hand of providence, but I find it refreshing that Romney is brave enough to stand up for Jewish culture and recognize that the success of Israel is mainly due to those cultures, the cultures of the Jewish people.

I fail to understand how progressive-left Jews, if they honestly have any self-respect, could take issue with such a statement. The two books involved in this unjust attack upon Romney are "Guns, Germs and Steel," by geographer Jared Diamond and "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations," by economist David Landes. The first suggests that the wealth of nations is primarily a function of access to natural resources, while the latter stresses culture as a primary source of success.

It should seem fairly obvious to any thoughtful person that both are important to the economic success, or the economic failure, of any particular society. That's obvious, is it not? The United States has been a highly successful country because of natural resources and, in part, because of the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism as outlined by Max Weber's book of that title. Weber's famous book stressed culture and Landes owes him an intellectual debt, as I suspect Richard would agree.

Palestinian citizens of Israel are, in fact, among the most economically successful Arabs anywhere in the Middle East, which is why the majority of them have no desire to live under a Palestinian government. While progressives are calling Romney a "racist" and claiming that it is the occupation that is the reason for non-Israeli Palestinian economic failure, what they cannot explain is just why it is that so much of the rest of the Arab world is likewise an economic failure despite not being subject to those mean Jews.

The truth, of course, is that any culture that venerates death is going to result in a culture of poverty, despite access to resources. The Palestinians are not a failure because they are being oppressed by the Jews. The Palestinian economic failure is due to a culture which tells them that their highest ideal should be killing Jews as noble shaheeds doing the work of Allah (Hamas) or because they have simply been taught that the Jewish people have no legitimate rights to ancient Jewish land and therefore must be fought, tooth and nail (Fatah).

It could hardly be more obvious.

Until such a time as the Palestinians stop naming sports stadiums after murderers they are going to experience disproportionate poverty. It's just common sense. Furthermore, no economy that oppresses woman and gay people can possibly compete in today's world and be successful.

Has the "occupation" negatively effected the Palestinian economy in the Gaza and Judea and Samaria? I would assume so, but that is a direct consequence of allowing themselves to be used as the primary Arab weapon against the Jews of the Middle East. If the Palestinians would work with us Jews, rather than against us, then we could help them, but we cannot do anything for them so long as they continue to send rockets into Israel.

This is their choice and that choice derives from their culture, not from our guilt, as malicious progressives, and some Jewish progressives, would have you believe.

Romney Camp Slights JVP

Poor ignored JVP must be feeling particularly self-righteous now. The "As a Jew" cru at Jewish Voice for Peace found themselves ignored at the door of the Boston headquarters of Mitt Romney when they attempted to deliver a petition, critical of Romney.

From the JVP email promoting their petition:

Romney declared that "cultural differences" were the reason the Palestinian economy is not doing as well as Israel's, without even acknowledging the Occupation.

Perhaps (gasp) JVP has a point, and the role of the "occupation" should be acknowledged.

What was life like for the Palestinians under Israel's "occupation"? From Efraim Karsh:

The larger part, still untold in all its detail, is of the astounding social and economic progress made by the Palestinian Arabs under Israeli "oppression." At the inception of the occupation, conditions in the territories were quite dire. Life expectancy was low; malnutrition, infectious diseases, and child mortality were rife; and the level of education was very poor. Prior to the 1967 war, fewer than 60 percent of all male adults had been employed, with unemployment among refugees running as high as 83 percent. Within a brief period after the war, Israeli occupation had led to dramatic improvements in general well-being, placing the population of the territories ahead of most of their Arab neighbors.
In the economic sphere, most of this progress was the result of access to the far larger and more advanced Israeli economy: the number of Palestinians working in Israel rose from zero in 1967 to 66,000 in 1975 and 109,000 by 1986, accounting for 35 percent of the employed population of the West Bank and 45 percent in Gaza. Close to 2,000 industrial plants, employing almost half of the work force, were established in the territories under Israeli rule.

During the 1970's, the West Bank and Gaza constituted the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world -- ahead of such "wonders" as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea, and substantially ahead of Israel itself. Although GNP per capita grew somewhat more slowly, the rate was still high by international standards, with per-capita GNP expanding tenfold between 1968 and 1991 from $165 to $1,715 (compared with Jordan's $1,050, Egypt's $600, Turkey's $1,630, and Tunisia's $1,440). By 1999, Palestinian per-capita income was nearly double Syria's, more than four times Yemen's, and 10 percent higher than Jordan's (one of the better off Arab states). Only the oil-rich Gulf states and Lebanon were more affluent.

But JVP, the near miraculous economic growth of the territories is only part of the story. Efraim Karsh continues (please read the full article here)

No less remarkable were advances in the Palestinians' standard of living. By 1986, 92.8 percent of the population in the West Bank and Gaza had electricity around the clock, as compared to 20.5 percent in 1967; 85 percent had running water in dwellings, as compared to 16 percent in 1967; 83.5 percent had electric or gas ranges for cooking, as compared to 4 percent in 1967; and so on for refrigerators, televisions, and cars.

Finally, and perhaps most strikingly, during the two decades preceding the intifada of the late 1980's, the number of schoolchildren in the territories grew by 102 percent, and the number of classes by 99 percent, though the population itself had grown by only 28 percent. Even more dramatic was the progress in higher education. At the time of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, not a single university existed in these territories. By the early 1990's, there were seven such institutions, boasting some 16,500 students. Illiteracy rates dropped to 14 percent of adults over age 15, compared with 69 percent in Morocco, 61 percent in Egypt, 45 percent in Tunisia, and 44 percent in Syria

.


Why did the Romney camp chose to ignore JVP? Maybe, just maybe, their reputation for providing cover for the worst anti-Semites in the neighborhood has finally caught up with them.


"Occupation" is simply a weak and long discredited straw man - the "activists" that JVP provides cover for are not willing to accept the existence of a Jewish state within any borders.

Bir Zeit Convention: Teaching American Children Hate

In Gaza and in the West bank, the culture of Jew-hate is well inculcated in children, through the educational system, the media, and through popular culture

From the Israel project

Palestinian leaders continue to promote a culture of hatred against Israel. Using media, education, and cultural structures that it controls, the PA has actively promoted religious hatred, demonization, conspiracy libels, etc. These are packaged to present Israelis and Jews as endangering Palestinians, Arabs, and all humanity. This demonization goes on in violation of the Oslo II agreement and the Road Map for Peace which explicitly called for an end to incitement.

The Palestinian Authority and the ruling Fatah Party, led by Mahmoud Abbas, name schools, summer camps and football tournaments after Palestinian terrorists while Palestinian politicians have propagated incitement over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. They also deny any Jewish historical connection to the Land of Israel or to sites holy to Jews.

The PA presents Jews as possessing inherently evil traits. Jews are said to be treacherous, corrupt, deceitful and unfaithful by nature. Forgeries and fiction masquerading as history are used to document and support the libel that Judaism is in essence racist and evil. Jews are said to be planning and executing heinous crimes, including burning Palestinians in ovens, murder, using prisoners for Nazi-like experiments, and more.

Sadly, the extremist rhetoric of the Middle East is equally at home outside the region. The 11th Bir Zeit Convention, held in the San Francisco Bay Area was promoted as a family event- but along with a trip to Great America, arts and crafts, comedy shows, pool parties, the program included an unhealthy dose of intolerance.

From an article in the J weekly by Guy Herschmann

...instead of a warm family atmosphere, I witnessed chilling anti-Israel extremism. Children were indoctrinated with anti-Israel and intolerant rhetoric. An emerging generation of activists was trained to proudly use deceit and manipulation to promote a “one-state” solution that has no room for Israel..."

Guy attended 2 panel discussions “Palestine: One State vs. Two State Solution” and “BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on American Campuses”. Of the first panel, he writes:

"The panel’s featured speakers were the Rev. Naim Ateek and the Rev. Don Wagner, both from Sabeel, a Jerusalem-based ecumenical Christian group known for its hostility to Israel. Panel moderator Ramiz Rafeedie called all supporters of Israel “your enemies.” He warned that advocating a one-state solution could alienate potential allies because it attacks the legitimacy of Zionism, so he advised audience members to refine their arguments to win supporters.

Ateek described a future Palestinian confederation with Jordan and Lebanon as a remedy for a two-state stalemate. “We need to have a third intifada,” he stated, adding that it should be “totally nonviolent.” Wagner contributed classic anti-Semitic canards, saying that Congress is “sewn up” by Zionists. Ateek’s closing statements summed up the tone of the convention: “We say no. We adamantly reject the two-state solution at any price.”

The second panel, “BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on American Campuses” was equally extreme.

Dina Omar, a Berkeley graduate and student at Columbia, joined Nora Barrows-Friedman, who writes for Electronic Intifada and al Jazeera, in laying out BDS strategies and goals.

Omar urged the audience to get BDS branded as “just one piece of a larger question of social justice.” She advocated outreach to any and all religious, racial and ethnic groups, economic justice groups, and environmentalists to insert BDS — the collective punishment of Israel — into all progressive causes. Displaying Occupy Wall Street and Free Tibet flyers emblazoned with BDS slogans, Omar urged students to “use your institutions’ symbols, rhetoric, and propaganda … to turn or flip the message or to insert your message in however subversive a way you can.”

Barrows-Friedman called the message that “people just … need to get along” an Israeli plot against Palestinians.

The speakers advised against reaching out to pro-Israel students, especially if they are Jewish. When asked whether there are any Jewish groups with whom BDS activists can work, Barrows-Friedman, who is Jewish, responded, “It depends on your level of tolerance.”

Tolerance was in short supply at the 11st Bir Zeit Society Convention. From a pamphlet distributed over the weekend, from the extremist organization "If Americans Knew"

"Those who recognize the critical importance of Israeli-Palestinian peace and truly seek a decent future for both peoples must recognize that the demand that Hamas recognize "Israel's right to exist" is unreasonable, immoral and impossible to meet"

Intolerance. Incitement. Hate. Coming to a neighborhood near you.

Dr. Barry Rubin Diagnosed with Lung Cancer (Updated)

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Anyone who reads Israel Thrives on a consistent basis knows that Professor Barry Rubin is a significant influence. For those of you who do not know, according to his Wiki page:

Rubin is a professor at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Israel, the director of the ICD Global Research in International Affairs Center, and a senior fellow at the Interdisciplinary Center's International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism. He is also Research Director of the IDC's Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy; editor of the journal Turkish Studies and the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA); and a member of the editorial board of Middle East Quarterly.

He was a deputy director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He is the co-author, with his wife, of Hating America: A History and a collection of essays entitled Loathing America.

Rubin has recently announced that he has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and this represents a loss to those of us who care about the well-being of the state of Israel, because we care about the well-being of the Jewish people.

Dr. Rubin writes:

For 2000 years my ancestors dreamed of returning to their homeland and reestablishing their sovereignty. I have had the privilege of living that dream. How amazing is that?

We have to judge ourselves by whether we’ve lived up to our ideals and done our best. Not by the accumulation of power, wealth or fame; not for failing to achieve the impossible.

I really do not have a whole lot to say other than that Dr. Rubin remains an important influence and I very much hope that he will be writing and analyzing and discussing and arguing and kvetching for many years to come.

We need your help, Professor.

Sincerely,

Michael Lumish

Update:

He's also just recently published a commonsensical solution to Obama's Jerusalem problem:

The U.S. embassy could be moved to west Jerusalem, with the existing U.S. consulate there continuing to serve east Jerusalem and the West Bank, which means also dealing with the Palestinian Authority.

This makes considerable sense. If you read the article, he draws out some complexities and problems, but Obama needs to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state of Israel.

If he cannot do that then he is not worthy of our support... in my humble opinion.

Legendary Lollapalozza Concert coming to Israel. Massive Epic BDS fail

From Billboard:

Festival organizers announced Saturday it would hold Lollapalooza Israel in Tel Aviv next year, in what will be the country's first large-scale international music festival. Israel joins Chile and Brazil as the third of the festival's international expansions.

"Lollapalooza began as music's premier traveling festival," Perry Farrell, the festival's founder and Jane's Addiction frontman said in a statement. "As a musician, I really missed the days when we were on the move. In the last few years we've widened our scope, presenting Lolla to the 'festival generation' around the world. Next stop- Tel Aviv."

The festival is slated for Aug. 20-22, 2013 and will take place in the city's Yarkon Park, Israel's largest park. The park is no stranger to big acts, and has hosted concerts from Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Organizers cited Israel's demand for live music in its decision to expand there.

"Israel is an incredibly sophisticated music market," Marc Geiger of WME Entertainment said in a statement. "Consumers have a voracious appetite for entertainment, yet there has never been a major music festival. To me, this combination screams Lollapalooza."

Perry Farrell toured Israel last year and he was intrigued by the possibilities of holding a three-day event concert.

From his interview with MTV news

"Tel Aviv goes all night long, there is no curfew, they've got all these incredible night clubs, they love dance music, Yarkon Park, can hold 60,000 people, and it's right off the beach. What else do you need?," he laughed. "They allow you to stay down at the beach and party! My crew and I, we were hanging out in the water at 4 in the morning, talking [about the idea] — I hate to say it, we had beers — we were like 'Yeah man, this is great!'"

Lollapalloza in Tel Aviv, August 20-22, 2013. Its a BDS fail of epic proportions.
Local BDS'ers have been spotted sitting in a corner, twitching softly and repeating "BDS is on a roll" over and over.

Billboard Wars. The Ann Arbor Edition

This weeks chapter in the ongoing saga of Billboard Wars takes place in Ann Arbor Michigan. Blaine Coleman, a notorious anti-Israel activist has sued the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority after they rejected his ads captioned "Boycott Israel. Boycott Apartheid,"



AATA policy states that the company reserves the right to approve all advertising and “all advertising must be considered in good taste and shall uphold the aesthetic standards as determined by AATA.” Company spokespeople have stated that Coleman's ad would make people uncomfortable and have a "negative impact" on ridership. Coleman, clearly an individual of profound sensitivities claims to have suffered mental anguish and distress as a result of AATA’s decision.

Coleman is no stranger to controversy. He was arrested after he walked into an on Ann Arbor City Council meeting carrying a sign that read “F— Israel” and stood in front of a group of visiting Boy Scouts from a local elementary School. He has been forced out of local Palestinian advocacy groups because of his behavior.



Read more about Coleman and the Ann Arbor hate Israel cru here . Curious about what Blaine Coleman has to say for himself? You can start with this line, posted in Counterpunch July 12, 2012 "...no Israeli state, big or small, will be allowed to exist." Nope, not one of the moderates.

Roman Polanski, Gore Vidal, and "Charges of Anti-Semitism"

Goddamnit, I get tired of this.

So I wander over to Tiger Beatdown, to see what the hardcore feminists are talking about, and as it happens, they're talking righteous smack about the newly late Gore Vidal, and his defense of Roman Polanski. I am still, as it happens, unbelievably angry about the spineless, unbelievable defense of Polanski exhibited by far too many Hollywood names ('rape-rape', Whoopi? WTF?), so I settle down for a quick read.

Now, apparently Vidal said this: "The idea that this girl was in her communion dress, a little angel all in white, being raped by this awful Jew, Polacko – that’s what people were calling him – well, the story is totally different now from what it was then."  And then right in the middle of the take-down of Vidal's victim-blaming and viciousness, I get this, not from Gore Vidal, but from blogger Garland Grey:

"I take charges of Anti-Semitism very seriously, but I also know that sometimes (as when people show even a sliver of support or concern for the state of Palestine and its people) accusations of such are misused to shut the conversation all the way down."

Well.

I wrote a quick response on the comment thread:

I agree that accusations of anti-Semitism were used to deflect blame in the Polanski case, and avoid confronting his actual rape and abuse of this young woman.

You should, however, be aware that the formulation used above, that accusations of anti-Semitism are used to control conversation about the Israel/Palestine conflict, is, in fact, often used to cover for actual anti-Semitism, and to provide people with an excuse for not learning the real history of the conflict, or taking responsibility for the bigotry they may speak.

It's remarkably similar to many other accusations about people 'playing the race card', and it plays a similar function.

Was there some reason for bringing in an unrelated topic to illustrate your idea that people sometimes lie about the bigotry they face? Or was it easier than explaining why you don't believe anti-Semitism was a factor in the Polanski case?

That was was much more restrained and polite than I felt like being. There's a fine line between trying educate and just wanting to break stuff, and this makes me want to break stuff. For real? Is there some way this does not break down into "I take accusations of anti-Semitism very seriously, but Jews and their friends sometimes lie about it, anyway, to shut people up, you know, like if you show any sympathy (a 'sliver') for the Palestinian people, so I guess I can dismiss this contention of Gore Vidal's without seeming like I'm not giving it enough attention, because this is just another example of using charges of anti-Semitism to make people be quiet"?

Is there another form of racism that a serious anti-oppression blogger would treat like this? I'm betting not.

It's really pretty funny, because I think Polanski is scum, so it's fairly hard to offend me when railing on him and his defenders. I wouldn't have blinked if the writer had simply said she thought Vidal was full of shit on the anti-Semitism issue re: Polanski.

Hilarious, too, is the fact that Vidal himself was an anti-Semite fond of veiling his hate in rants about Israel:

Commenting for the Huffington Post on his infamous 1986 piece "The Empire Lovers Strike Back", David Greenberg writes:

It was the kind of piece that should give pause to those who ritually deny that anti-Zionism is rooted in anti-Semitism; it should be read in full. Describing the Podhoretzs as propagandists for Israel (“in its never-ending wars against just about everyone … a predatory people”), he cast Podhoretz, who was born in the United States, as someone who would never become “an ‘assimilated American,’ to use the old-fashioned terminology.” Addressing Decter, he declared, “I’ve got to tell you I don’t much like your country, which is Israel.”

So unquestioningly has this idea been accepted, that calling anti-Semitism by name is only a way to 'shut the conversation down', that it now creeps into conversations as far afield from Israel as this. Charming. Really charming.

Stunning Pictures of This Weekend's Pride Parade In Jerusalem

Over at CIFWatch, Adam Levick posts his gorgeous pictures of the tenth annual Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade. Pinkwash this!

On Jew-Washing and BDS

The "As a Jew" cru are mighty upset at this latest expose from NGO Monitor:

On ‘Jew-Washing’ And BDS

At the Pittsburgh General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) earlier this month, a motion to adopt a boycott of three companies for doing business with Israel was hotly debated and narrowly defeated. At this Christian gathering, a group of “young Jewish activists” provided important “testimony” supporting the motion to isolate and demonize Israel.

These were the “Jew-washers” – very visible actors in many such political attacks on Israel, particularly in Christian frameworks. They are influential beyond their actual numbers, providing a convenient means for cleansing such actions from the stains of double standards, demonization and sometimes anti-Semitism against the Jewish state of Israel, and even Judaism itself.

According to one media report from Pittsburgh, “These activists were mostly affiliated with Jewish Voice for Peace, a small but vocal left-wing advocacy coalition that many describe as a ‘fringe’ group… Commissioners said their personal testimony helped undercut prevailing rhetoric on the mainstream Jewish perspective.”

In fact, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is far from the Jewish mainstream. It is a fringe of a fringe – a small anti-Zionist group, whose finances are unclear, but are almost always found at events where Jew-washing is used, particularly when boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns (BDS) are at stake. Their motivations, like their financing, are unclear and irrelevant – the fact that they provide a useful cover for non-Jews to justify gratuitous Israel-bashing is what counts.

The article by Yitzhak Santis and Gerald Steinberg concludes

"There is nothing heroic or brave about Jews giving a “kosher hechsher” to movements and ideologies such as BDS that seek to undermine the right of the Jewish people to sovereign equality. Let us call this activity by its rightful name: Jew-washing, and give priority to countering strategically and consistently its deceitful methods and destructive intent"

Divest this also explores the phenomenon of "Jew Vs Jew"

"Take for example our old friends at Jewish Voice for Peace who were omnipresent at virtually all of the big BDS votes that took place earlier this year.

If you read their writing, you’ll see that these guys are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. And given that they have spearheaded many of the most embarrassing disasters for the BDS “movement,” their ability as political operators is, at best, questionable.

But the strengths they bring to their cause derive from the very fantasy-based selfishness, bordering on sociopathy, we’ve been talking which understands that they – and only they – possess the virtues needed to be an enlightened Jew (if not a human being).

How else could they continue to bring their squalid little divestment resolutions before institutions like the Presbyterian Church when anyone with eyes can see that this issue is causing needless division within an organization facing extraordinarily difficult challenges? But what does the JVP/BDSer care about such details since, to them, the Presbyterians don’t exist (or, more accurately, they exist only to pass divestment resolutions that the boycotters can brag about to their friends).

This pathological self-involvement explains the shrill, indignant, outrage that accompanies any challenge to JVP’s claims to represent anything other than virtue, courage and all things good. And while this detachment from reality makes them vulnerable when making political decisions that require some sort of connection to the world outside their own heads, it also provides them the power to persevere, to endlessly push and push and push regardless of the number of times they lose, never mind the weakness of their arguments and the immorality of their cause"

At the Sonoma Human Rights Commission BDS hearing earlier this month, a distinguished gentleman addressed the panel, identifying himself as a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto. "I am disappointed but not surprised to see Jews acting against the interests of their people here", he began. "We also had them in the Warsaw ghetto. They were usually the last to be killed."

Even the "As a Jew" cru fell silent.

Daily Kos Jews Capitulate on Jerusalem

Mike L.

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

When thinking about the grassroots / netroots of the Democratic party and the progressive-left I tend to look at their online venues such as Daily Kos and the Huffington Post. Both of these online political blogs also contain any number of Jewish progressives who advocate for Israel in what is an exceedingly harsh environment. Progressives do not, as a rule, much like Israel and a certain percentage of them are more than willing to compare the Jews of the Middle East to Nazis or to suggest that, like apartheid South Africa, Israel must be eliminated as it is currently configured, which is to say, as a Jewish state.

I cannot help but notice, however, that in the recent kerfuffle over whether or not Jerusalem is the capital of Israel that on Daily Kos not a single "progressive Zionist" has written a diary laying out the case for why Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish state and the Jewish nation, which must remain undivided.

Not one.

Who are these people who claim to be "Zionists," yet who are ready to fork over the Old City to the Palestinians? How can one possibly claim to be "pro-Israel" and yet refuse to acknowledge 3,500 years of Jewish history in the city of Jerusalem? And if they do acknowledge 3,500 years of Jewish history in the city of Jerusalem then why will they not defend their own heritage?

There is something very flaccid about the current state of progressive-left Zionism.

They just seem so cowed by their non-Jewish friends, many of whom wouldn't lose a moment's sleep if Israel disappeared tomorrow. I have often wondered aloud as to why "progressive Zionists" are afraid to really, honestly discuss political Islam and have concluded that they have been so socially intimidated that they cannot even bring themselves to think on the subject, much less discuss it in public. What I did not quite realize until now is that this extends even to the question of Jewish sovereignty in the Jewish capital of Jerusalem.

They absolutely refuse to stand up for Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the Jewish state of Israel and this makes them something less than worthless... in my humble opinion, of course.

There was a time when I thought that giving up the Arab sections of the city of Jerusalem made sense in whatever final status agreement might be hashed out between the parties. But that was when I still thought that maybe, just maybe, the Palestinians would agree to end hostilities. They have not done so. They want to fight on, yet progressive-left Jews cannot bring themselves to face the truth of the matter.

I just find it sad and vaguely pathetic... and if that sounds harsh to you, I am sorry, but it is long past time to recognize that the Palestinians have no intention whatsoever of allowing the Jews of the Middle East to live in peace. This being the case, Israel must maintain full sovereignty over the whole of Jerusalem.

Progressive-left "Zionist" Jews should be ashamed of themselves.

Tenth Anniversary of the Bombing of Hebrew University

We remember

Benjamin Blutstein
Marla Bennett
Revital Barashi
David Gritz
David Diego Ladowski
Janis Ruth Coulter
Dina Carter
Levina Shapira
Daphna Spruch

Its 10 years since the barbaric bombing of the Hebrew University cafeteria that took the lives of 9 innocents, and injured nearly 100. Five Americans were murdered, including UC Berkeley's own Marla Bennett. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. (Yes, the same Hamas that was “democratically elected” and now governs Gaza). Yesterday, Hebrew University marked the 10th anniversary of fatal bombing.

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, spoke of the five Americans who were killed “The connections between the American and Israeli people built by Marla, Ben, Janis, David, and Dina, this closeness could not and cannot be taken away. In fact, a decade has passed and the connections we feel for each other are only stronger.”

Hebrew University President Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson said, "A decade has passed since the attack, and it is not only a time to mourn, but also a time to reflect upon the mission entrusted to us. We are entrusted with the development of knowledge that knows no shade of skin or religion. And so we say to the families, we shall endure. If depraved terrorists wish to disrupt the things upon which all human beings base their lives, they will not succeed."


To this day, I'd be willing to venture that more people in Berkeley know the name of Rachel Corrie, than of Marla Bennett. Lets change that. Lets keep the legacy of Marla Bennett alive with a donation to the Marla Bennett Jewish Learning Fellowship at UC Berkeley Hillel.

H/t Oy-bay

As summer unfolds, our thoughts turn to Marla Bennett’s life and untimely death. This July 31st will mark 10 years since Marla died, but we know you’ll agree that her memory lives on in each of us. Marla was a special person who deeply touched the lives of everyone she came in contact with. Knowing her helped shape who each of us is today. For that, and so much more, we are forever grateful.
Marla was a gifted student as well as a natural teacher. This special combination is what made her studies in Israel all the more compelling for her. We are comforted to know that Marla’s desire to learn and to teach continues to be a light in the world through the Marla Bennett Memorial fund established in her honor at Berkeley Hillel. Last year the fund raised more than $10,000 thanks to the incredible generosity of you and others like you. These funds enabled Teddy Ulansey, last year’s Fellow to spend a life-changing summer at Pardes in Israel. If you weren’t able to join us for Teddy’s Day of Learning at Hillel this past spring, we hope you’ll take the time to read her reflections of living in Israel and learning in Marla’s memory.
This summer Ben Brint, the 2012-2013 Marla Bennett Memorial Fund Award recipient, is learning at Pardes and continuing to honor Marla’s memory through study. We are already looking forward to the insights and perspectives he will gain and bring back to us from his time at Pardes at his Day of Learning scheduled for spring ‘13.
Our goal into the future remains the same: each year we hope to send at least one new Marla Bennett Memorial fellow to Israel to study in her memory. We are once again asking for your help to make this dream a reality. If each donor can make a 10% increase we will easily match and exceed the total raised last year, and secure the ability to send a fellow to Israel in the summer of 2013.
You can make a donation in the enclosed envelope, or online by visiting the Berkeley Hillel website at www.berkeleyhillel.org/donate/ and in the comment field write Marla Bennett Fellowship. Please give as generously as you can.
Thank you for your partnership in this meaningful endeavor.
Hila Abel
Alana (Hoffman) Rotter
Josh Miller
Lesley (Said) Matsa
Eileen Shelden

Epilogue:

Walid Anajas, one of the terrorists involved with orchestrating the attack on Hebrew University was one of 1,027 criminals freed by Israel in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit. He was also involved in the 2002 bombings at Jerusalem's Café Moment which killed 11, and the Sheffield Club attack in Rishon Letzion that killed 16

Dividing Nations At The Olympics

What is it about judo and the Middle East? First, Iran decided to leave their judo champion home, osenstibly because he had an iffy tummy, more probably because he was the only Iranian competitor in danger of facing an Israeli. Now, the Lebanese judo team has decided that they can't train while looking at the Israeli judo team. And the Olympic officials have decided to accomodate them, erecting screens across the gym.

This is, frankly, disgusting. It is part of an ongoing attempt to portray Israel as a uniquely transgressive nation, one which can be freely discriminated against, with accomodation from the Games themselves. And it is already being defended by anti-Israel voices such as Ben White's, and compared to boycotts against apartheid South Africa. The Olympics have made their message loud and clear this year, first through refusing to honor the memories of the Israeli athletes murdered in 1972, and now through giving in to the political posturing of Lebanon. At an event supposedly dedicated to allowing nations to meet without political burdens, in an open spirit of athletic dedication and competition, Israel, and no other nation, is being delegitimized by her enemies, with the cooperation of the IOC.

A Spectacular Post From Chas Newkey-Burden

This is something so good I just had to repost it immediately, and get it out to as many people as possible. Over at Oy Va Goy, Chas Newkey-Burden takes apart the inherent anti-Semitism of the common anti-Israel plaint that after the Shoah, the world has the right to demand more moral behavior from Jews than others.

Newkey-Burden writes: Let us strip the “they-of-all-people” argument down to its very basics: gentiles telling Jews that we killed six million of your people and that as a result it is you, not us, who have lessons to learn; that it is you, not us, who need to clean up your act. It is an argument of atrocious, spiteful insanity. Do not accept it; turn it back on those who offer it. For it is us, not you, who should know better.


Read the whole thing here.

Romney Recognizes Jerusalem

Mike L.

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has made a point during his trip to Israel to recognize that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish state. The Jerusalem Post reports:

After the speech, in comments he made before meeting the prime minister for the second time that day, for dinner, Romney made it a point to refer to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, putting distance between him and the Obama administration, whose spokesmen in recent weeks have been unable to name Israel’s capital.

This represents a very distinct contrast to the Obama administration which holds the Jewish state in such contempt, and thus the Jewish people in such contempt, that it will not even recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. How can we possibly think of Obama as a friend of Israel when he will not even recognize its capital? And what's worse, of course, is that he pretended to do so when he was running for president in 2008. In 2008 Barack Obama stood up before the Jewish people and claimed:

Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided.

So, Obama recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and then, elected to the presidency, he changed his mind. In other words, he lied to us about something as central to the hearts of the Jewish people as the status of the ancient city of Jerusalem and he did so in a way that was blatant, callous, and obvious... yet he still expects you to support him.

The fact that Obama lied was revealed as early as March, 2010, during Joe Biden's visit to that country. When the Israeli Interior Ministry announced approval for 1,600 housing units in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of north-eastern Jerusalem, suddenly not only did the Obama administration no longer consider Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel which must remain undivided, but his people said that the announcement was an "insult" and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly harangued Benjamin Netanyahu on a 45 minute phone call over the issue.

The Obama administration publicly, loudly, and in a manner intended to demonstrate "daylight" between the United States and the Jewish state told the world, particularly the Arab and Muslim worlds, that the status of Jerusalem was entirely up for grabs. Just as Obama voided 3,500 years of Jewish history in his 2009 Cairo speech when he claimed that the founding of Israel was due to the Holocaust, rather than to the long, long history of Jewish people on that land, so he voids 3,500 years of Jewish history now by implying that the capital of the Jewish nation may, or may not, actually be Jewish.

If the Palestinians had not demonstrated their ongoing intention to destroy the Jewish state of Israel through never accepting a state for themselves in peace next to the Jewish one, I might not mind if Israel felt itself so gracious as to give away Jewish land for yet another Arab state. Unfortunately the Palestinians have well-demonstrated their ongoing malice because they absolutely refuse a negotiated conclusion of hostilities. That being the case, their viciously corrupt and anti-Semitic leadership should be allowed no sovereignty in the Jewish city of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish nation long before London, Paris, or New York even existed as cities. This matters not one whit to Barack Obama who has so little respect or friendship for the Jewish people that he lied to us when he said that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of the Jewish state.

He lied directly to our faces.

Perhaps Romney can do better.

No Sh*t! Israeli toilet wins acclaim

An Israeli greentech company, Paulee Cleantech has been awarded a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant of $110,000 for their invention of a remarkable new toilet. The innovative toilet needs no water and generates its own power to turn waste into sterile, odorless compost.

Over 1.1 billion people in the world today are without access to a toilet. It has been estimated that 80 percent of human waste is released untreated into rivers and streams

Oded Halperin, one of the company’s original investors, speaking to Israel 21C describes the tolilets design:

"For the solid waste, which also can include toilet paper, we are mixing it with our chemical formula for not more than 30 seconds and it will turn immediately into odorless, sterile fertilizer. The fertilizer will be automatically dropped into a removable canister where it can be collected from time to time and than be used for field and/or home crops. The liquid waste will be sterilized separately in another reservoir, and then pumped up to flush the toilet – powered by heat energy created from the solid-waste process and stored in a battery. According to the still-secret drawings of the patent-pending device, the internally created heat would even power a light inside the stall. "

“We are one of only very, very few Israeli companies that have received any grants from this foundation,” Halperin points out

In addition, the Ramat Gan-based company is considering opportunities for raising funds from private and strategic investors as it looks to widen its potential applications to hygienic solutions for trains, airplanes, boats, motor homes and other modes of transportation."

Will Ashkelon be Sacramento's newest Sister City?

Sacramento is considering adding Ashkelon to its sister city program.
Ashkelon is more than just beautiful beaches. Its a ancient city with a richly diverse heritage.

From the Jewish Virtual library:

Ashkelon is built upon the ruins of past civilizations. This was one of five Philistine city-states (along with Gath, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod). The city also plays a role in biblical history as the place where Delilah cut Samson's hair to sap his strength (Judges XIV-XVI). Ashkelon was also a great trading center because it lay along the Via Maris, the route linking Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.

The city was first settled at the end of the third millennium B.C.E. It was conquered by the Philistines in the second half of the 12th century. After the Israelite conquest of the rest of the area, the two peoples engaged in several hundred years of conflict. After King Saul was slain by the Philistines, David lamented:

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. (II Samuel 1:20)

Even after David defeated the Philistines in much of the rest of the country, he could not dislodge them from Ashkelon. This was finally accomplished by the Assyrian conqueror Tiglath-Pileser III in 734 B.C.E. After roughly 600 years in the region, the Philistines disappeared forever.

The city passed through the hands of the region's subsequent invaders before enjoying a renaissance under the Greeks and Romans. After the Jews, under the leadership of the Maccabeans, overthrew the Greeks in the 2nd century, Ashkelon became an autonomous city. It is believed that Ashkelon was the birthplace of Herod (in 37 B.C.E.), who enlarged and beautified the city, constructing a summer house, palaces and an aqueduct. Under the Romans, Ashkelon was also granted the rare privilege of being exempt from taxes. It became a flourishing trade center and, in particular, a major wine producer.

The city became a Christian city in the Byzantine period and was captured by the Muslims in 638 C.E. The Crusaders came next in 1153, but were defeated by Saladin. Richard the Lion Heart led the Crusaders back, but they were eventually driven out in 1280 by Sultan Baybars. The city was then abandoned until 1948 when the Jews of the new State of Israel began to rebuild it. Ashkelon was reestablished as an Israeli city in 1953.

Why would anyone object to adding Ashkelon to the growing family of Sacramento's Sister cities, which include Manila, San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, Liestal, Switzerland and Hamilton, New Zealand?

Mr. Binder Clips said it best.

"Its the Jews, stupid"

The same "its the occupation" cru that protests regularly at Costco and Bed Bath and Beyond for daring to sell Soda Stream and Ahava found themselves in a quandary here. Ashkelon isn't "occupied"- its well within the green line. How could they distort history and manipulate truth to accommodate their "I hate anything Israeli" goals?

They couldn't. Easy enough. So they just invented a new name to provide cover.

And what are the stated objections of this newly formed group, consisting of the exact same members of all the local "I hate Israel" groups?

Their "logic" approaches world salad. From their website (Sorry, I don't link to hate sites)

Ashkelon discriminates against its own citizens and against Sacramentans on the basis of religion, ethnicity, and national origin.

I've been to Ashkelon. I fondly remember the glorious beaches, the caves at Bet Guvrin and the breakfast buffet at the Dan hotel. (who knew halvah came in so many varieties?) At no point was my Californian heritage or religion, ethnicity or national origin ever questioned.

**********
Whats really going on in Ashkelon:
From Der Spiegel

When a Palestinian woman gave birth to twins in an Ashkelon hospital she experiences what it is like to be the target of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Best line from the article (but please read it in its entirety):

Dr. Shmuel Zangen, the director of the hospital's neonatal unit, doesn't care who he treats. "As a doctor, I enjoy the privilege of not having to think about it," he says. "It certainly is odd that we take care of Palestinian children while they shoot at us. It's the sort of thing that only happens in the Middle East."

***************
What can you do? Drop a line to the Sacramento mayor and city Council members. Tell them you support having Ashkelon as a sister city to Sacramento.

aashby@cityofsacramento.org, ssheedy@cityofsacramento.org, scohn@cityofsacramento.org, rkfong@cityofsacramento.org, jschenirer@cityofsacramento.org, KMcCarty@cityofsacramento.org, dfong@cityofsacramento.org, bpannell@cityofsacramento.org, mayor@cityofsacramento.org,

Please plan on attending the August 14, 2012, 6pm City Council meeting when the Ashkelon proposal is scheduled to be heard.