UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem

Written by Jay Sekulow, in Foreign Policy  

UNRWA Has Changed the Definition of Refugee.  The U.N.'s agency for Palestinians should stop playing word games and do its job

UNRWA was founded in 1949 through U.N. General Assembly Resolution 302 at the conclusion of the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948, aiming for “the alleviation of the conditions of starvation and distress among the Palestine refugees” from that conflict. The agency defines Palestinian refugees as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”

In 1965, UNRWA changed the eligibility requirements to be a Palestinian refugee to include third-generation descendants, and in 1982, it extended it again, to include all descendants of Palestine refugee males, including legally adopted children, regardless of whether they had been granted citizenship elsewhere. This classification process is inconsistent with how all other refugees in the world are classified, including the definition used by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the laws concerning refugees in the United States.

Under Article I(c)(3) of the 1951 U.N. Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, a person is no longer a refugee if, for example, he or she has “acquired a new nationality, and enjoys the protection of the country of his new nationality.” UNRWA’s definition of a Palestinian refugee, which is not anchored in treaty, includes no such provision.

Sekulow concludes with a quote from Lt. Gen. Alexander Galloway,  1952 director of UNRWA in Jordan:

It is perfectly clear that Arab nations do not want to solve the Arab refugee problem. They want to keep it as an open sore, as an affront against the United Nations and as a weapon against Israel. Arab leaders don’t give a damn whether the refugees live or die.

Read this important article here, and ask yourself and your elected representative, why is America the number one funder of this travesty?

The USA is the top funder of UNRWA

Stop Hate at San Francisco State

San Francisco State has long been described as one of the most anti-Semitic universities in America.  The situation came to a rolling boil last year, leaving frustrated students to take out a lawsuit in Federal court, alleging that the University administration ignored abuses directed towards Jewish students on campus.

Take a minute and sign a petition organized by StandWithUs urging the SFSU leadership to protect Jewish,  Israeli and pro-Israel students on campus

The text of the petition follows:

To SFSU and CSU leadership,

For too long, Jewish students have faced unacceptable intolerance and hate at San Francisco State University (SFSU).

From protesters shouting down the Mayor of Jerusalem in violation of the First Amendment, to Hillel being actively excluded from a "Know Your Rights" fair, to an official SFSU department Facebook page opposing the inclusion of Zionists on campus, the climate for Jewish students at SFSU is deeply problematic. Some are even afraid to openly wear Jewish symbols on campus.

The Jewish community had petitioned the SFSU Administration for years to demand action, and while some progress has been made, administrators continue to drag their feet on a number of key issues. You have yet to make any official statement about the Know Your Rights Fair and have failed to remove offensive content posted on the official Facebook page of the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas (AMED) Studies Department.

The Jewish community deserves a safe learning environment, just like all other communities at SFSU. This includes the many Jewish students who believe in Israel's right to exist and see Israel as an important part of their identity.

As such, we call on you the leadership of SFSU and CSU to:

1. Make a clear statement condemning the exclusion of Hillel from the Know Your Rights Fair in February, 2017, as contrary to the values of the University.

2. Establish clear regulations stating that official SFSU department Facebook pages must adhere to university policy, and ensure that the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas (AMED) Studies Department removes its offensive Facebook post.

3. Make a clear statement that any effort to exclude and/or marginalize Jewish students and organizations based on their support for Israel's existence will not be tolerated at SFSU.

Please sign the petition here

Stop Intolerance and Hate at San Francisco StateWrite to San Francisco State and Demand Action Against Intolerance

The Palestinian Alphabet

Is glorification of violence second nature to the Palestinians?   Gotta love the "Palestinian  Alphabet", suitable for framing and hanging in the littlest jihadi's nursery.

Its filled with images of  such childhood favorites as guns, grenades and bullets, and includes a map from the "river to the sea".

Another generation of Palestinian children is being poisoned by hate.

Jewish National Fund: Helping families affected by arson fires in Israel

As of this week

Hamas arson attacks in numbers:

 7413 acres of land burned  

1,364 fires caused by incendiary devices

10-12 million NIS worth of damage by arson attacks 

1,832 people have been treated for trauma.

These numbers increase each day.

Do you want to help?   The Jewish National Fund is leading a series of nationwide town hall events to learn more about the crisis, and about how the diaspora  community  can help.

As of now, there is nothing scheduled locally- we will let you know if that changes.

Fromm August 19 through August 30, the  Jewish National Fund invites you to learn the truth about the Gaza Border Crisis. In a series of town hall meetings across the country, you can hear first-hand from a mother, a young pioneer, and a farmer - residents of the Gaza border communities - who will share their personal stories of living under attack.

TOWN HALL SCHEDULE

Sunday, Aug 19

Los Angeles

 Stephen S. Wise Synagogue

15500 Stephen S Wise Dr.

Los Angeles, CA 90077

10am – 12noon

Register Now

Monday, Aug 20

Phoenix

Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus

12701 N. Scottsdale Rd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85254  

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Register Now

Tuesday, Aug 21 

Las Vegas

Temple Beth Sholom

10700 Havenwood Ln

Las Vegas, NV 89135

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Register Now

Wednesday, Aug 22

Denver

Temple Sinai

3509 S Glencoe St

Denver, CO 80237

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Register Now

Thursday, Aug 23

Chicago

Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah

3220 Big Tree Lane 

Wilmette, Illinois 60091

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Register Now

Sunday Aug 26

S. Florida

Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center

20400 NE 30th Ave

Aventura, FL 33180

6:30pm

Register Now

Monday Aug 27

Washington DC

Charles E. Smith Day School

Upper School Campus

11710 Hunters Lane

Rockville MD 208527pm

Register Now

Tuesday, Aug 28

Boston

Temple Israel of Boston

477 Longwood Ave

Boston, MA 02215

6:30pm

Register Now

Wednesday, Aug 29

Southern NJ

Shirat Hayam
700 North Swarthmore Avenue, Ventor, NJ 08406

1pm

Register Now

Wednesday, Aug 29

Philadelphia

Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El

1001 Remington Road

Wynnewood, PA 19096

6pm

Register Now

Thursday, Aug 30

New York

Park East Synagogue

164 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10021

8am – 10am

Register Now

The JNF is also collecting donations here

Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter takes home the Gold!

Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter has won the gold medal in the 10,000 meter run at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin. 

“This is really an honor to my country, an honor to my family and an honor for myself for the work that I’m doing,” declared Lonah.

Lonah has been living in Israel since 2008, arriving in the country to work at the Kenyan consulate.  A local track coach, Moti Mizrahi first discovered her running in a Herzilah park.

She later trained with coach Dan Salpeter,  who she eventually married.  They have a young son together.  She became an Israeli citizen in 2016. 

Gaza's newest luxury resort: The White Chalet

A new luxury resort, the White Chalet, has opened up in Gaza.  It features lush manicured lawns, a volleyball court, a swimming pool, and stunning architecture. 

White Chalet Luxury Resort Gaza

White Chalet Luxury Resort Gaza

White Chalet Luxury Resort Gaza

White Chalet Luxury Resort Gaza

Poolside dining at the White Chalet Luxury Resort,Gaza

Yet, just yesterday, Lynn Gottleib of the Rabbinic Council of Jewish Voice for Peace posted "Israel does not permit building materials to come into Gaza."

Lynn's not keeping up.

From Cogat:
Since the establishment of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM), over 6.5 million tons of construction materials have entered into the Gaza Strip. These building materials have helped the development of the construction sector in the Gaza Strip, where more than 100,000 housing units have been refurbished or renovated, and another 10,000 new units are currently in various stages of construction.

In spite of continued agression from Gaza, essential humanitarian aid and building supplies enter Gaza nearly every day.  What is not diverted by the Iranian funded Hamas terror group is used to  build homes, schools, civic infrastructure, and apparently luxury resorts.

The Truth Optional World of Gaza's Dr. Basem Naim

Dr. Basem Naim is head of the Council on International Relations in Gaza , and the former minister of Health in Gaza.

He's among the top tier of Hamas.  He knows better. When he lies, he does so deliberately.

                                         

Today, Basem Naim tweeted out a photo of the instagram famous daughter of an American basketball player, claiming she was Bayan Abu Khammash, a toddler allegedly killed in an Israeli airstrike.  While the truth was struggling to get its pants on, the image went viral.

The "Ace" family,  who are active on social media have not yet issued a statement over the shameless misappropriation and exploitation of their child's image

This is not the first time Dr. Basem Naim has used his Twitter account to spread misinformation.

Another Jump the Shark Moment from JVP

The latest email from Jewish Voice for Peace's Deputy Directory Stefanie Fox may be a jump the shark moment for the anti-Israel group.  The subject line reads  "Why is the ADL training ICE in Israel?"  Maybe Stefanie is secretly hoping you don't bother to read the rest of her offering.  (Spoiler alert: they aren't)

Stephanie claims ICE has been learning techniques and tools from the Israeli military.  She doesn't care if Peter Edge was in Israel studying cyber-security or attempting to learn from Israel's remarkable sucess at curtailing human trafficking.  If it involves Israel, it must be made to be nefarious.  Stefanie Fox spews typical JVP vitriole:   "The real-world results of these trips have been Israeli & US officials sharing “worst practices” -- deportation and detention, shoot-to-kill policies, massive spying and surveillance -- that have become the go-to policies of agencies like ICE."    

Why the hyperbole?  Because 3 years ago, during the Obama administration the Deputy Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations, one man,  Peter Edge joined a delegation to Israel sponsored by the ADL.

From Peter Edge's Linked in profile:

The ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) directorate is a critical asset in the ICE mission, responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the illegal movement of people and goods into, within and out of the United States.
HSI investigates immigration crime, human rights violations and human smuggling, smuggling of narcotics, weapons and other types of contraband, financial crimes, cybercrime and export enforcement issues. ICE special agents conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation.
In addition to ICE criminal investigations, HSI oversees the agency's international affairs operations and intelligence functions. HSI consists of more than 10,000 employees, consisting of 6,700 special agents, who are assigned to more than 200 cities throughout the U.S. and 47 countries around the world.

JVP claims to have made a FOIA request, but they aren't sharing the report.   JVP's not going to tell us, because their mission is to erode support, not only for Israel but for all Jewish institutions.  

One man from the Homeland Security Investigations team visits Israel during the Obama Administration,  3 years ago.  This is what JVP calls the "Deadly exchange."

For more information about the anti-Semitic undertones of JVP's Deadly exchange campaign, read Andrew Bennett's essay  The Antisemitism of the so-called Jewish Voice for Peace.

California Burns. Israel Burns

California faces its worse wildfire season ever, with hundreds of thousands of acres scorched, with homes and businesses destroyed, and lives tragically lost. Ten thousand miles away in Israel the fires burning have a different and terribly tragic twist- each of them was deliberately set by Hamas terrorists.

Photographs of this man-made tragedy are on display at the United Nation in New York until August 10, organized by Israel's Mission to the UN. The exhibit is called "The Effects of Arson Kites on the South of Israel.”

More photos of Israel's devastated southlands  are available at the Jerusalem Post

In other BDS News: SodaStream shares skyrocket on 'most successful quarter' ever

Doug Henwood, writing for Mondoweiss (no, I don't link to hate-sites) once asked the question  SodaStream: is BDS hitting where it hurts?

The answer is a resounding NO.

The Israel-based company, the subject to BDS ire for daring to promote peaceful co-existence and engagement said sales of sparkling water makers increased 22 percent, to over 1 million during the quarter.   Sales of gas refill units grew 17 percent, to a record 9.7 million.

This week, SodaStream stock rose 26 % after its successful earnings report.

  

According to Investors Business Daily:

Profit spiked 78% to $1.14 a share on 31% revenue growth to $171 million, according to Zacks Investment Research. SodaStream earnings and sales crushed consensus for 71 cents a share and $149 million. It was the fourth straight quarter of accelerating sales growth.

The stock had its best day in over two years.

Empirical Evidence of BDS fail

In a note to investors SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum wrote  "We are extremely pleased to be reporting the most successful quarter in our Company's history" 

Hamzeh Daoud resigns as Stanford RA

If Hamzeh Daoud assumed the outcry over his threatening posts would die down, he was wrong.

From Inside Higher Ed: After Threat of Violence, Calls to Fire RA

From the Jewish Journal: More Expletive-Laden Anti-Zionist Social Media Posts Emerge from Stanford Student Who Threatened Violence Against Zionists

From the Times of Israel  Stanford urged to act against student who said he’d ‘physically fight Zionists’

From the National Review: Stanford Student Threatens Violence against Pro-Israel Students
From Stanford's own school paper: A statement from SCR on Hamzeh Daoud’s threat

As of today, Hamzeh Daoud has since stepped down from his position as a resident assistant, to the relief of Jewish and Israeli students on campus.

Stanford University issued the following statement on Aug. 3, 2018.statement regarding Hamzeh Daoud Facebook post

We have heard many expressions of profound concern in recent days over the issues surrounding a Facebook post by a Stanford student scheduled to be a resident assistant (RA) in the upcom his staff position as an RA, expressing deep regret for the original post and recognizing the importance of promoting healing across the many communities that make up the Stanford community.ing 2018-19 academic year.

The university has been engaged with the student author of the post, and he has made the decision to step down from his staff position as an RA, expressing deep regret for the original post and recognizing the importance of promoting healing across the many communities that make up the Stanford community.

As we have said before but cannot emphasize strongly enough, threats of physical violence have absolutely no place in the Stanford community. Students must feel physically safe in our student residences and be able to voice their views on our campus without fear of retaliation. However, in addition to physical safety, it is essential that all students feel a deep and abiding sense of welcome and belonging in our campus community.

The effects of the original post have continued rippling through our campus community and beyond. There have been many expressions of concern for the safety of Jewish students at Stanford. There also have been expressions of concern at the social media campaigns, including death threats, which have been targeting the author of the post, along with concern for the well-being of other communities as they return to campus this fall. Staff in multiple parts of the university have been working over the last many days to check in with students and extend our support to them.

Daoud will be seeking therapy.

Going Postal: The latest BDS Fail

The latest BDS Fail will have the Israel haters going postal

This years Hanukkah stamp will be offered as a joint issue with Israel, with an Oct. 16 ceremony in Newport, R.I. It is based on a beautiful paper-cut design by Tamar Fishman.

According to the Postal Service:

“Fishman made a pencil sketch of the design then cut the two-dimensional image on white paper with a fine blade. She chose blue-purple and green papers for the background to highlight the central design. Behind the menorah is a shape reminiscent of an ancient oil jug that represents the heart of the Hanukkah miracle. Additional design elements include dreidels — spinning tops used to play a children’s game during the holiday — and a pomegranate plant with fruit and flowers.” 

The stamp designer is USPS art director Ethel Kessler

Amnesty International's ill-suited spokesmodel

Amnesty International features Gaza "social media activist' Farah Baker on its Facebook page, as an example of the deprivation and suffering in the coastal enclave.  Its a curious choice.

Farah is a member of Gaza's social media club and has a highly visible presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The newly engaged 20 year-old has done a fine job chronicling the life of a well-off teenager Gaza.

Farah Baker, rather than being a poster child for the impoverished of Gaza, instead is an example of the privilege and position that exist for the elite of Gaza, making it no different than any other society.

Farah and her I phone have given us a glimpse of the Gaza beyond the staged media reports

Gaza is not simply the land of eternal victimhood- of refugee camps and ruin that Amnesty International wants you to imagine.  Its also a land of restaurants, resorts, and shops, as documented by Farah Baker and her I phone.  Farah has inadvertently given us a rare glimpse of reality of Gaza beyond the bias of Amnesty International. 

Arab Woman appointed Dean at Hebrew University

In another massive failure of Apartheid in Israel, a Christian Arab Prof. Mona Khoury-Kassabri has been appointed dean of the Hebrew University School of Social Work.

She is the first Arab woman to be appointed dean at the Hebrew University. Dr. Khoury-Kassabri 's research addresses "both the factors underlying youth violence, and the ways to prevent victimization and perpetration and promote the welfare and rights of children."

Berkeley City Councilperson Cheryl Davila nominates Hatem Bazian to be her Emergency Stand-in

In a discussion on helping children get through disasters, Fred Rogers related this story. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

The Berkeley City Council is currently in the process of nominating 'helpers"- emergency stand-ins  for the Council, in the event of catastrophe.  Berkeley City Council representative from District 2, Cheryl Davila has nominated  Hatem Bazian, a contributor to her election campaign, for this role.

Hatem Bazian's history of inflammatory, divisive rhetoric make him completely unsuited for this position.

Listen to Hatem Bazian 's own words. Hatem Bazian has called for an intifada- a violent uprising- in America. He attempted (and failed) to organize a blockade of the Israeli consulate in San Francisco.

He has promoted violence.  "The only language the slave master understands is the language of violence". He has promoted harassment of our elected officials "We need to translate our strength into the harassment of the political leadership." He has used social media to spread anti-Semitic memes.

Could Cheryl Davila have picked a person less likely to unify a community shattered by disaster?

CALL TO ACTION:

Tomorrow (July 24th, 2018) the Berkeley City Council will vote on whether or not to appoint anti-Semitic UC Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian as a "Standby Officer" to replace one of the Councilors in case of emergency.

Please call and email the members listed below and urge them to vote against hate (sample message is below):

Mayor Jesse Arreguin
(510) 981-7100
mayor@CityofBerkeley.info

Linda Maio
(510) 981-7110
lmaio@CityofBerkeley.info

Ben Bartlett
(510) 981-7130
bbartlett@CityofBerkeley.info

Kate Harrison
(510) 981-7140
kharrison@CityofBerkeley.info

Sophie Hahn
(510) 981-7150
shahn@CityofBerkeley.info

Susan Wengraf
(510) 981-7160
swengraf@CityofBerkeley.info

Kriss Worthington
(510) 981-7170
kworthington@CityofBerkeley.info

Lori Droste
(510) 981-7180
ldroste@CityofBerkeley.info

Stanford's Hamzeh Daoud physically threatens Zionist students.

Writing on his Facebook page, Hamzeh Daoud , a member of Stanford's Students for Justice in Palestine and a former University Senator  declared  "i'm going to physically fight zionists on campus next year".

The Stanford College Republicans responded to this call for violence by asking for the University to take disciplinary action against Daoud.

SCR is disgusted by a threat of violence issued by Hamzeh Daoud, a rising junior at Stanford University, toward pro-Israel students. Daoud, who is active in Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine, a former ASSU Undergraduate Senator (Hamzeh Daoud for ASSU Senate), and who will be a Residential Assistant in one of Stanford’s dormitories in the 2018-2019 school year, vowed on his personal Facebook page to “physically fight zionists on campus next year.” Threatening to assault other students who hold a different point of view is anathema to a free society and any kind of education, let alone the operation of the premier research university in the world.

Stanford should take disciplinary action against Mr. Daoud and SCR demands that Stanford terminate Daoud’s position as a Residential Assistant in the Norcliffe dormitory immediately. Mr. Daoud’s statements reveal him to be a danger to the safety of students on Stanford’s campus, and such an individual should never be put in any position of authority over other students, particularly in a dormitory that includes freshmen. Moreover, while we are disturbed by Hamzeh Daoud’s statements, we find it unsurprising that a member of SJP, an organization with financial ties to terrorist affiliates, would issue a call to violence against pro-Israel students.

After his words were exposed by the Campus Republicans, Daoud changed his post

Just like a good neigbor. Israel and Syria.

“It’s strange for us that Israel is more humanitarian than our Arab brothers."
Ammar, father of two, from Syria

The 7 year old civil war in Syria has left nearly 500,000 people dead. 5.6 million have fled the country and over 600,000 are internally displaced. Despite being officially at war with Syria, Israel has provided hundreds of tons of food, medicine, clothing, gasoline and essential medical equipment to the war-ravaged Syrian people. It has also treated nearly 5,000 wounded Syrians in Israeli hospitals and clinics.

In the last week alone, Israel has provided 300 tents, 28 tons of food, three pallets of medical supplies and 30 tons of clothes and shoes to Syrians . The NGO Fly Aid provided the aid with an undercover unit of all Arabic speakers. The NGO has 3 units worldwide, and provides aid to countries that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel.

From the Independent:

Syria conflict: Injured civilians turn to historic foe Israel amid Deraa bloodshed

Despite being told there is no place for them in Israel, Syrian families camped close to the Israeli border say if it was permitted they would consider relocating to Israel, even after decades of fierce hostilities.

“Escaping the killing machine of Russia and the militia forces has made us think of allying with what we consider to be the devil. We all think about going to Israel but it is not allowed. Everyone is trying to escape death because the Jordanian border is blocked,” says Ammar, 27, a father-of-two who is in Rafid, on the border.

“It’s strange for us that Israel is more humanitarian than our Arab brothers. I once even heard people saying they hope that Israel would include this area in the Golan,” he adds.

Israel. Operation Good Neighbor. Tikkun Olam in action

PETA takes a stand against Palestinian eco-terrorism

Since April, over 800 arson fires have ravaged southern Israel, destroying forests, nature reserves and agricultural fields, and jepoardizing the health and safety of the residents. Using molotov cocktails, firebombs and other incidenary devices, Hamas-funded terrorist from Gaza have destroyed over 2500 acres. Most recently, a falcon, teathered to a steel wire with flammable material at the end, was found hanging in a tree near the Gaza border, according to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Israeli park ranger for 17 years, Kobi Sofer has said it will likely take many years for the entire ecosystem to recover. Sofer has witnessed scorched porcupines, snakes, turtles, lizards and other rodents and insects, all innocent victims of Hamas eco-terrorism.

Breaking the silence of animal rights organizations and environmental groups, Peta declared:

 Facebook

"As an animal-protection organization, PETA notes that animals claim allegiance to no nation, don't choose sides, and can only rely on human beings to show them mercy, and it is unacceptable to use them as weapons of war."

Israel Under Fire

In the last 24 hours, over 200 rockets and projectiles were launched from Gaza in a campaign of terror targeting Israeli civilians.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis spent the night huddled in safe rooms, or reinforced staircases.

A family in Sderot was injured after their home took a direct hit. Speaking from the hospital, Aharon Bucharis stated  

All the glass in the living room flew toward us, the whole house was filled with smoke, there was blood everywhere, shouting and madness. The neighbors called emergency services, I had shrapnel in my face and legs, my wife and daughter had in their heads....

 A synagogue and a playground were also damaged.

In response, Israel retaliated with strikes against a wide range of terrorist targets, including the headquarters of Hamas's Beit Lahiya Battalion, urban warfare training facilities, weapon storage warehouses, and a Hamas training facility with an underground tunnel .

Two teens were killed in the strikes.

The Western media  has been largely silent  about the attacks on Israel.

Reuters News Agency Confuses Cause and Effect in Gaza.

In the last day, over 90 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza.  Sixteen were intercepted by Iron Dome. 

Thousands of Israelis spent the night in bomb shelters.  After the barrage from Gaza, Israel took out 2 terror tunnels, and several military installations, including the Hamas battalion headquarters in Beit Lahia.  The Hamas headquarters included urban warfare training facilities, weapon storage warehouse, training compounds and command centers.

In a strange and no doubt deliberate reversal of cause and effect, the Reuters news agency headline reads  "Israel strikes Gaza military sites, Palestinians fire rockets".