The death of terrorist Sami Abu Diak

Sami Abu Diak was convicted in 2002 of carrying out a terror attack near Jenin that led to the deaths of three Arabs who had been suspected of collaborating with Israel. Sentenced to 3 consecutive life sentences for voluntary manslaughter and kidnapping he recently succumbed to intestinal cancer. The Palestinians have declared a "Day of Rage" in this memory.

The lies surrounding Abu Diak's life and death are proliferating across social media.

Abu Diak underwent several surgeries at Israeli taxpayer expense (confirmed by the Arab propaganda site Jadaliyya) and had been hospitalized for four years
Abu Diak is currently suffering from advanced stages of bowel cancer, as well as renal and pulmonary failure. In 2015, he was urgently transferred to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center where he suffered poisoning as a result of misdiagnosis and a medical error. This medical negligence led to the removal of 80cm of his intestines and he was consequently diagnosed with kidney and pulmonary failure.

Palestinian agitprop sites are evenly divided as to whether Sami Abu Diak died alone and in prison, or alone while in the hospital.  They are in unanimous agreement however, that his death of  colorectal cancer was Israel's fault.

Fighting for the Soul of the Democratic party

This weekend, the California Democratic Party meet in Long Beach to endorse candidates for district offices, and to make policy and platform recommendations.

True to form, extremist groups like JVP were there, in an effort to pressure the party to adopt divisive positions on Israel that serve only to marginalize the Jewish community and to demonize the world’s only Jewish state. 

Fortunately, groups such as  the Progressive Zionists of California (like them on Facebook!)and the AJC were also involved, to fight for the soul of the Democratic party, and ultimately prevailed.

 From the Progressive Zionists of California:

Progressive Zionists of California commends the California Democratic Party for upholding language on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by the Platform Committee, whose members worked tirelessly over three months to collect comments, engage in robust dialogue, and streamline language on a number of complex issues. Thank you to every delegate who voted against the proposed anti-peace amendment and for the platform language, upholding the values we hold dear as Democrats.

Despite many late nights working to find a compromise on the platform language, at the convention anti-Zionists collected signatures to attempt to get language changed through a vote at the general session, in what is known as a "floor fight." During this process, flyers distributed to gain signatures to bring the amendments to floor misrepresented the wording of the revised platform.

The floor vote, which was done first by voice and then checked visually as voting delegates held up their cards, overwhelmingly rejected the anti-Zionist's amendment, included language calling for an unprecedented “right of return” — a policy that would preclude a two-state solution.
In particular, we are pleased with the numerous rewrites of particularly troubling planks in the Platform Committee. We commend the Platform Committee in particular for their thoughtful discussion, and commitment to dialogue.

PZC founding member Susan George said, "We are pleased the party has once again rejected extremism, and decided to focus on unifying issues. 2020 is the election of a lifetime, and we must focus on keeping the tremendous gains California Democrats made in 2018, not get derailed by a divisive conversation."

We are also pleased that the party accepted an amendment to the Education plank and the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, proposed by PZC Steering Committee member Andrea Beth Damsky, to meaningfully include language encouraging education about antisemitism.

PZC is grateful to our partners:

California Legislative Jewish Caucus
Democrats For Israel Los Angeles
Democratic Majority for Israel – Official Page
AJC - Global Jewish Advocacy
JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa
Democrats for Peace in the Middle East
Zioness Movement
A Wider Bridge
ADL Long Beach/Orange County
ADL Los Angeles
CYD Jewish Caucus
Jewish Federation & Family Services, Orange County
and numerous grassroots partners for their cooperation, support, and guidance.

We look forward to working together in the future to keep the California Democratic Party free from antisemitism, to focus our attention on making our communities better for everyone.

Zaki Ghannam: Islamic Jihad Terrorist

Palestinian lies fly faster than their rockets, with roughly the same degree of accuracy.

Meet Palestinian  "organizer"  Alexandra Halaby, over 13 thousand followers, and possessor of the coveted blue checkpoint on Twitter.

Halaby tweeted  "My cousin Zaki Ghannam was killed in his home by an Israeli missile in #Gaza. Zaki was a university student in no way affiliated with Palestinian resistance. His pain is over and he is finally free from the siege of Gaza he endured most of his life. His father will never recover."

Doesn't appear that Alexandra Halaby knew her cousin quite as well as she thought.

h/t  Joe Truzman   and Michele Sabra

"Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirms the death of one of its northern branch militants, Zaki Adnan Mohammed Ghannam. He was killed by an IDF airstrike earlier today. #Gaza #Israel  "

Zaki Ghannam  "innocent" civilian

The Meir Amit  Intelligence center writes:

Zaki Muhammad Adnan Ghanam

Personal information: 25 years old

Circumstances of death: On November 12, 2019, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a number of operatives of the PIJ’s rocket unit in the northern Gaza Strip. The operatives were preparing to fire rockets (IDF Twitter account, November 12, 2019). 

The Palestinian media reported that the attack was directed against a group of “resistance” operatives in Beit Lahia (Ma’an, November 12, 2019).

Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing announced that Zaki Muhammad Adnan Ghanam was an operative in the rocket unit of the northern Gaza Strip brigade (Jerusalem Brigades website, November 12, 2019).

Israel Under Attack

Israel Under Attack.

Islamic Jihad and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip have fired over 360 rockets into southern Israel in the last several days. Schools are closed, and over a million people are living in bomb shelters. Hospitals and other emergency services in Israel are on high alert in light of the ongoing rocket attacks.

This current wave of escalation follows an earlier November 1st attack on Israel, orchestrated by the senior commander of Islamic Jihad, Baha Abu al-Ata. Early Tuesday morning,  Israeli Air Force jets struck the Gaza building where Abu al-Ata was staying, killing him. Abu al-Ata had coordinated most of the significant rocket and border attacks from Gaza, and was planning more.

Islamic Jihad Terror leader Baha Abu al-Ata.

From the IDF:

"Abu al-Ata was promoting preparations to commit immediate terror attacks in various ways towards Israeli civilian and IDF troops during the recent few days. Al-Ata trained terror squads for infiltration and sniper attacks, drone launching and rocket fire to different distances."

In retaliation, the IDF launched a series of strikes against rocket-launching squads, terrorist training compounds and a tunnel digging site in Gaza. Two dozen Palestinians have been killed-  with the majority of those killed identified as members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades.

Dozens of the rockets launched from Gaza were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system- a 90% interception rate for rockets heading toward populated areas. The remaining rockets struck homes, businesses, a nursing home, causing significant damage

Gaza death cult celebrates the anniversary of the Qassam Rocket

While Israel celebrates ways to make the world safer

Cleaner

And healthier

The Palestinians are celebrating their own  "innovation", in their own very special way.
This week marks the 18th anniversary of the first launch of the  Qassam rocket- an unguided projectile whose sole purpose is to terrorize, to murder and to main Jewish civilians.  Today's social media from Gaza is filled with poetic tomes dedicated to the Qassam

Reason # 4567 why there is no peace in the Middle  East

Everyday antisemitism. Modesto.

Everyday antisemitism.

For the past 8 weeks, repulsive antisemitic flyers have been appearing throughout the California town of Modesto.  The flyers church have appeared at local synagogue, at the Central Valley Pride Center, at a local church and at a political town hall.

Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders are meeting to formulate a response.

From Fox40

Local Rep. Josh Harder and his Republican challenger, Ted Howze, also condemned the flyers.

“This was a disgusting and cowardly act,” Harder said. “The people who are sneaking this hateful garbage into public places and houses of worship will not divide us. The Central Valley is the proud home to people of all ethnicities and faith traditions and we will stand together against discrimination in whatever form it takes.”

"America soundly defeated similar hate during World War 2, and we must always stand tall against this type of bigotry," Howze said.

Take a stand against antisemitism: Ross Farca Preliminary hearing Nov. 14, 2019

On June 7, 2019 Concord California police were contacted by the FBI,  who reported that local resident Ross Farca had made some alarming threats in an online video chat room

Farca's chilling words, as reported by the police:

"I currently own an AR 15 semi auto rifle but I can buy/make the auto sear and get the M16 parts kit.  What do you think of me doing what John Earnest  tried to do, but with a Nazi uniform, and unregistered and illegally converted "machine gun" and actually livestreaming it with Nazi music?  I would probably get a body count of like 30 kikes and then like 5 police officers because I would also decide to fight to the death.  1) you don't surrender to the ZOG 2) ever watch US prison documentaries?  Also I would not spam  full auto, I would use it for clusterfucks of Kikes. Generally you want to be on semi auto so you don't waste ammo, plus depending on target richness and need for suppression eventually I may go low on ammo so I would need to resupply from the dead officers since its 5.56"

In a separate post Farca wrote:

"Wanna see a mass shooting with a body count of over 30 sub-humans?"

Recovered from Farca's Concord home were an assault rifle, 13  rifle magazines, camouflage clothing ammunition and books about Hitler and Nazi life.

Ross Farca is now free on bail. 

The preliminary hearing, the People of the State of California vs. Ross Anthony Farcas is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 8:45 AM, in the Superior Court of Contra Costa County in Martinez.

At this preliminary Hearing, the Judge will determine if there is “probable cause” to believe that Mr. Farca committed the charges alleged in the criminal complaint. If Judge Canepa finds there is sufficient evidence, she will bind the case over for trial. If she doesn’t find sufficient evidence, the case will be dismissed. 

Community members are urged to attend.

Judge Theresa Canepa

Courtroom: Dept 35
F. A. Bray Courthouse

1020 Ward Street

Martinez, CA

The Deputy District Attorney assigned to the case, Whitnee Goins has  estimated that her presentation of the evidence, including testimony, will take about two hours

If you have any concerns about the case, please contact Detective Gregory Mahan at Gregory.mahan (at) cityofconcord.org. He welcomes your phone calls at 925-603-5817.

The District Attorney asks that your concerns be directed to the Public Information Officer, Scott Alonso at scott.alonso (at) contracostada.org or by phone at 925-957-8638 (office) or 925-536-8110 (mobile).

Weapon recovered from Ross Farca

Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs: Los Angeles Jews support Israel, worried about anti-Semitism

The Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles  has released the findings of its recent poll of  Jewish voters in Los Angeles County.  Los Angeles is home to the 3rd largest Jewish population in the world, after New York and Jerusalem.  The  poll is part of a multi-year project to survey diverse racial and ethnic communities in the county, including Asian Americans, Latinx, African Americans, and the Jewish community

1,800 Jews from across the religious and cultural spectrum were interviewed.  Of those,  83% of the sample identified as white, while 17% identified as other than white.

According to the survey, the Los Angeles  Jewish community has a high level of civic and political engagement, with  high voting rates,  high rates of charitable giving, and high rates of participation in the political process.

 67% of  Los Angeles County Jewish voters said they consider themselves critical of current policies of the Israeli government. However, nearly three quarters- thee vast majority of respondents said they consider Israel’s existence as a Jewish state to be an important value.
From the survey's key findings:

75% of respondents responded that they are concerned about signs of rising Antisemitism.

The full survey results are available here.

Israel remembers 9/11

"I can say with absolute certainty the United States would not be safe without Israel as a partner.”

The U.S. Embassy, the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) and the Jewish National Fund USA hosted a 9/11 ceremony at the KKL-JNF 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem. Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis and Chief Intelligence Officer David J. Glawe attended the ceremony. 

The Under Secretary stated:

“We best honor the memory of those we commemorate today by recommitting ourselves to the same selfless sacrifice of the first responders, the brave passengers who struggled against the terrorists, and the countless men and women who have given their lives to keep us safe.  A visit to Israel provides the opportunity to affirm our commitment to never forget and to have the United States stand with Israel and our global partners against the current manifestation of terrorism. I can say with absolute certainty the United States would not be safe without Israel as a partner.”

A wreath was laid on the memorial, emblazoned with the words “for all who endeavor to keep us safe.”   A “Tribute in Light”, similar to the one at Ground Zero in New York City featured the  illumination of beams of light that shined 1000 feet over Jerusalem.

Read  the full story here

Oakland Block the Boat Fail. 5th Anniversary edition. And Zim keeps on Truckin.

San Francisco's Arab Resource Organizing Center is celebrating the 5th anniversary of their failure to permanently prevent Zim cargo from off-loading in Oakland.

The  2014 action, dubbed "Block the boat" was a triumph of bullying, ultimately achieving nothing.  Zim trailers still abound in the Bay area.

Oakland Block the boat fail

Oakland Block the boat fail

Oakland Block the boat fail

Even in the tumultuous world of international shipping, with the on again, off again tariffs, Zim's doing just fine financially, with total revenue of $834.3 million in Q2 2019, a 3.9 % increase from last year. Thats in spite of the best efforts of the BDS holes.

In the 2nd quarter of 2019, ZIM carried 731 thousand TEUs, its' second highest carried volume ever.

Zim's doing quite well, thank you

AROC's narrative and the reality of their attempt to keep Oakland free of the scourge of olives and artichoke hearts are far removed

Rather than an action reflective of "activists working in close partnership with members of ILWU Local 10, "  as claimed by AROC, the gates to the docks were physically blocked, with activists using their bodies, their bikes, and their children to prevent workers from uploading the ships.

Yeah, nothing says "close partnership" more than yelling obscenities.

Oakland Block the Boat Bullying

Is this what solidarity looks like?
                                                                 

AROC and  the Block the Boat campaign made it clear that the "B" in BDS stood for bullying.

Its not surprising that AROC would consider this event as one of the "most successful" in US history.  Sound and fury, signifying nothing.  Wishing them many more such "victories"

Read what really happened 5 years ago at the Oakland dock here: 

No Solidarity in Oakland, as protesters bully Longshoremen

Block the Boat has morphed into Operation Annoy Zim's Customers

Swastikas in Gaza

As seen in Gaza, at the "Great Return March".  Swastika flags and  Hitler imagery.

The ideological heirs of the Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti  have utilized swastika imagery before.   They show their disdain for all of  humanity, and not just the Jewish people by displaying this symbol associated with the slaughter of millions of innocents

Governor Gavin Newsom: Draft Ethnic studies Curriculum, “will never see the light of day.”

California's Governor Gavin Newsom has unequivocally apologized for the California draft model curriculum, agreeing that it "was offensive in so many ways, particularly to the Jewish community.”

From Dan Pine, in the J Weekly, Northern California's Jewish paper:

From his office in the Capitol building, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week made a full-throated apology to California’s Jewish community for a controversial ethnic studies draft curriculum that erases the Jewish story in America and takes unsubtle digs at Israel.

The draft, said Newsom, “will never see the light of day.”

In spite of the widespread criticism, some of the drafters of the curriculum have doubled down, calling for a rally and press conference next Tuesday, and accusing the groups marginalized by the curriculum of  attempting to "dilute" it.

On her Facebook page,  Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona, an educator at the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center and one of the drafters of the curriculum, referred to those asking for inclusion as "loud ass critics",  and pointed out that anti-semitism as a form of oppression is mentioned in the draft.

Anti-semitism is mentioned only once in the 300 page model curriculum, while Islamphobia is mentioned 59 times.

According to the 2018 publication Hate Crime in California, anti-Jewish bias events rose from 104 in 2017 to 126 in 2018, an increase of 21.2 percent, while anti-Islamic bias events fell from 46  in 2017 to 28 in 2018.

The draft ethnic studies curriculum as it is written furthers discrimination and bigotry towards one of the most marginalized people in the world. Rather than mock the critics of the model draft curriculum, Cardona and her colleagues should take the time to read the public comments and take them to heart. In the meanwhile, the Jewish community and its allies are grateful for the leadership of Governor Galvin Newsom, and the California Jewish Legislative Caucus.

Vegans for Palestine: This one's for you.

For the newly formed group "Vegans for Palestine", which appears to be one person with a facebook page (I'm looking at you, Ariel!):  presenting the charming Eid greetings from starving Gaza's upscale grocery market, Meat city.

If this makes you want to buy lamb, you are a deeply disturbed human being.

Do you still believe Gaza is  "starving"?   Check out Meat City's Facebook page.  In addition to local products, they carry a variety of European, American, and  (I'm thinking BDS fail, here), Israeli products.

Snapshots from starving Gaza: Meat City Grocery

Snapshots from starving Gaza: Meat City Grocery

Business is brisk at Gaza's Meat city.

JVP's Ellen Brotsky is just fine with Model Curriculum that erases the American Jewish Experience

Jewish Voice for Peace has come out with a statement endorsing the widely discredited California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.

Of course Jewish Voice for Peace approves of the California Model Ethnic Studies Curriculum that erases Jewish identity.  They've been working hard to erase Jewish identity for years.

The document appears to have been authored by Ellen Brotsky.  Recently,  Brotsky was restrained and taken away by the police after interrupting programming at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center.

Ellen Brotsky does not represent Jewish communal interests.

JVP's Ellen Brotsky:  arrest  at the San Francisco Jewish community Center

Or perhaps you remember her assault on Jewish elders conducting a silent vigil in remembrance of victims of terror.

JVP's Ellen Brotsky: Assault on a Jewish elder

Ellen Brotsky does not represent Jewish communal interests.

Perhaps Ellen Brotsky thinks she speaks for the Jewish community, but no one else does. Ellen is as much of an outlier as her organization, which aspires to create “a wedge” within the American Jewish community, while working toward the goal of eliminating U.S. economic, military, and political aid to Israel.

JVP has infamously offered Ramadan accommodations, but not kosher food at their BDS boot camp. Not surprising- their marketing has never been directed towards Jewish community interests.

Jewish Voice for Peace does not represent Jewish interests

Brotsky and JVP dismiss the 83 civil rights, human rights, religious and education organizations  expressing concerns regarding the California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC),  berating them as "Israel-aligned" and "Zionist".   Some  classes may read some parts of Anne Frank's diary in 8th grade.  To JVP, thats sufficient Holocaust education.     JVP's  accusation of "weaponizing antisemitism" echoes that of the white nationalist movements, and their allegation that Palestinians were "forced" to immigrate to the US is just blantantly false.

Jewish Voice for Peace claims "Jewish" heritage for the sole purpose of gaining political leverage in their fight against the Israel, the state of the Jewish people.  They speak for no one except themselves. For the proponents of this bigoted curriculum to use JVP as cover for their own irresponsibility in drafting this deeply flawed curriculum is the worst kind of "Jew-washing"

Samia Shoman. The anti-Israel drafter of the California Ethnic Studies model curriculum.

The fix was in from the very beginning. The 18 member curriculum committee tasked with writing the new ethnic studies curriculum was peppered with die-hard Israel haters, including Palestinian -American educator Samia Shoman.

Samia Shoman wasted no opportunity to demonize Israel when she taught World History at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo.

Shoman's classroom was decorated with anti-Israel posters and propaganda.

Propaganda poster in Samia Shoman's classroom Hillsdale  High School

Samia Shoman's classroom featured a large Palestinian flag

Propaganda poster in Samia Shoman's classroom Hillsdale  High School

Her definition and examples of "truth", "fact", "perspective" and "narrative" were enough to make George Orwell reach for a drink.

Her  "Teaching Palestine" curriculum and its accompanying material are available online.   Her teaching incorporates the long-discredited 4 part map "Palestinian loss of land".  She spreads the Mohammed al-Durrah blood libel- the one that gave rise to the term  "Pallywood,"  writing:

"In Gaza, a French broadcast crew captured footage of a boy called Mohammed al-Durrah being shot repeatedly by Israeli forces as he clung to his father."

She rationalizes and excuses the suicide bombings that lead to thousands of Israeli civilian casualties during the second Intifada, decorating her classroom with material that glorifies the murderous attacks on pizza places, buses and cafes.  

Samia Shoman's 2011 handout to her history grade class was simply false, deliberately mischaracterizing Israel's security fence as a "485 mile long concrete barrier", used to "humiliate" the Palestinians.  

Samia Shoman: lies and indoctrination

Samia Shoman's biography describes her as a manager of English Learner and Compliance Programs in the San Mateo Union High School District. Before then, she taught high school social science in the Bay Area and poisoned minds for 16 years.

Samia Shoman's curriculum ignores truth, facts and history, excuses violence, and erases the relationship of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. Her inexcusable bias and her ready dismissal of truth make her an inappropriate choice to work with students in a classroom setting. Likewise, Shoman should have no further role in drafting the California model ethnic studies.