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Friday 2 November 2007

Mr Bagel's Gone Fishing


Yeap, its time for a blogging break for ole Mr Bagel.

I need to recharge my batteries and get inspired again.
I've got some rather pressing issues of hoping to move to the big smoke soon, so its time to put my blogging brain away and focus on other tasks.

How long is a blogging break by the way?

I sure don't know. Never had one before.

JPix is due out this Wednesday if some one would like to volunteer please do, otherwise I apologise it will have to be postponed.

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Monday 29 October 2007

Court appearance for man accused in Lakewood bat attack


Lee Tucker 37, accused of the attempted murder of
Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz

TOMS RIVER — A state Superior Court judge noted a 37-year-old Lakewood man’s history of mental illness Thursday as he faced charges of attempting to murder an Orthodox rabbi who was severely beaten with a baseball bat earlier this month.
Lee Tucker of Ventura Drive, arrested Wednesday, stood before Judge Barbara Ann Villano in the Oct. 9 attack on Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz, 53. Deputy Public Defender Frank Gonzalez entered a not guilty plea on Tucker’s behalf.

“There were concerns about the defendant’s history and any mental health issues he may have had or continues to have,” Villano said, although she did not elaborate on what it was.

The judge added that she would notify officials at the Ocean County Jail of that history.

Gonzalez, questioned outside the courtroom after the brief court appearance about Tucker’s mental condition, said, “That will be investigated by this (the Public Defender’s) office. . . . I don’t know very much about Mr. Tucker.”

Court records show Tucker was charged with a weapons offense in Monmouth County on May 19, 1997, but the charge was downgraded, and he pleaded guilty to a disorderly persons offense of fighting in public, for which he was fined $250. He was charged with aggravated assault in Ocean County in 1994, but the charge was administratively dismissed.


No Contact

During Thursday’s court proceeding, Villano maintained Tucker’s bail at $375,000, with no option to gain release from the county jail by posting 10 percent of that amount. She told Tucker that should he post bail, he can have no contact with the victim or his family or he would forfeit the amount posted.

Tucker then asked, “What do you mean by no contact?”

Villano responded, “You can’t call them, you can’t write to them, you have to stay away from him and his family.”

For the most part during the proceeding, Tucker was quiet and, at times, hung his head.

He was arrested at Fourth Street and Princeton Avenue in Lakewood Wednesday afternoon, eight blocks from where the bat attack occurred. The arrest was the result of an investigation headed by Lakewood Detective Steven Wexler and county Prosecutor’s Investigator Carlos Trujillo-Tovar.

Psychiatric patient

Lakewood police first questioned Tucker on Tuesday after they picked him up at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow upon his discharge from the facility, police said. They also didn’t elaborate on why he was there or for how long.

At that time, they did not have enough evidence to charge him in the bat attack, but enough additional information came to light over the next day to file the charges, they said. He is also charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Moskowitz, of Lakewood, a third-grade teacher at Lakewood Cheder School, was struck just after dark while walking to synagogue to pray. The assault occurred at Princeton Avenue and Carey Street. The victim is at a rehabilitation center with injuries to his face and head.

Authorities have said there is no information to support a theory that the attack was motivated by religious bias.

Last week, the Vaad — Lakewood’s Council of Orthodox Leaders — and the Anti-Defamation League offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, which led to some tips in the case, police said.

Update: According to Yeshive World Lee Tucker's birthdate is 05-30-1970

Mr Bagel: There's no doubt the vicious assault of Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz has brought a lot of attention. There is a long list of blog posts dealing with this assault. It seems some are very thankful that the Lakewood Police were able to find the perpetrator whilst others aren't so impressed with the recent actions of the police. What is for sure, is this man is a danger to the community and his arrest is at least a positive step in making Lakewood a safer community.

To read some of the comments pertaining to this case try Yeshiva World News


Hattip: Thanks to JewishBlogmeister

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Haveil Havalim #138 is up!

Soccer Dad - Haveil Havalim 138


Soccer Dad is behind this weeks edition of Haveil Havalim #138 and he has kicked a goal, it's a huge edition with some great posts.


Well done to Soccer Dad for such a worthy edition.

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Sunday 28 October 2007

An Insight into our Potential Peace Partners: Kill, Kill, Kill

Gaza – Ma'an – Prominent leader of the Popular Resistance Committees Abu Al-Sa'id on Wednesday called on the de facto Palestinian government to hasten disbanding the Palestinian Authority and establish a 'Resistance Authority' instead in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Speaking during a press conference, Abu Al-Sa'id urged Palestinian resistance factions, particularly the Salah Addin Brigades of the PRC, to "kill Jews everywhere without waiting for permission", in retaliation for the murder of Muhammad Al-Ashqar and the violent treatment of Palestinian detainees at Ktziot prison.

Spokesperson of the Salah Addin Brigades Abu Mujahid denied intentions to hurt captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, saying "Islamic morality states that captives cannot be harmed".

Abu Mujahid said that any prisoners' exchange for Shalit has stagnated due to Israeli intransigence.


[Satire below]


Ahmad: Is this Ismael Said?

Ismael: What did you say?

Ahmad: Is this Ismael ali Said?

Ismael: Yes this is Ismael ali Said

Ahmad: Did you hear what Ali said

Ismael: huh?

Ahmad: Did you hear what our brother Ali Said

Ismael: No What did our brother Ali say?

Ahmad: He said what Abu said

Ismael: What did our brother Abu say?

Ahmad: He said that Ali said that Abu said that Ali Abu Said is holding a phone he got from the Jews and its said that Ali said that Abu said that Ali Abu Said's phone will explode within seconds of Ali Abu Said answering it

Ismael Who said this?

Ahmad: Ali said Abu said it

Ismael: Ali and Abu Said said this?

Ahmad:Yes

Ismael: What did they say

Ahmad: Abu said to Ali that the phone that Abu Ali Said has, is said to explode once Ali Abu Said answers it!

Ismael: Did you ring our esteemed brother Abu Ali Said to tell him of the danger?

Ahmad: Yes

Ismael: and what did Ali Abu Said say?

Ahmad: Nothing his phone is not working

References:
Maan News: Abu Ali Said

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Saturday 27 October 2007

Syria: The blame game continues

Majdal Shams village
Syria complains about Israel felling cherry trees on the Golan Heights

DAMASCUS, Syria: Syria filed a complaint Friday with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon protesting Israel's chopping down of trees in the occupied Golan Heights to harass farmers, the state-run news agency SANA said.

The felling of cherry trees in Majdal Shams village was "a flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian law," said Syrian officials quoted by the report. It did not say when the incident happened.

The SANA article said the cutting of trees aimed to put pressure on Syrian villagers in order to force them to leave their land and it called the United Nations to pressure Israel to stop "these illegitimate and inhuman practices."

Israel has been occupying the strategic Golan Heights since the 1967 Mideast war and Syria been demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from the plateau.

Peace talks between Israel and Syria have been stalled since 2000, and last week Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was reported to be considering renewed contacts.

Israeli defense officials said the army has decided to move an upcoming military exercise off the disputed Golan Heights to avoid further heightening tensions with Syria.

The situation between the two neighbors has been tense since Israeli warplanes on Sept. 6 struck a target in Syria, which Western news media have described as some sort of nuclear facility linked to North Korea.

Syria strongly denied the target was a nuclear facility saying that only an unused military building was hit.

Mr Bagel: Please, if this isn't the most pathetic and obvious attempt at diverting attention from Syria's recent 'bad publicity'. Why is it Israel changes plans for practice military maneuvers so as to not make situations any more tense? Which Arab country practices such restraint?.. None

Is there any coincidence between the fact that the clan that live at
Majdal Shams are very pro Syrian, I think not.


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Friday 26 October 2007

There's been a short break in Transmission...


We shall continue with our normal programming...

Whats the last thing you expect after 2 days of unexpected Power outage, one day of a planned outage and a half day delay in repairing another power outage?

Finally 2 am this morning the power came back on and Mr Bagel who had decided sleeping was the most productive behavior to be achieved in an environment with no power, no water and no functioning WC decided to finally log onto his computer and type a few thoughts for a post.

After four power interruptions in two weeks, whats the last thing you imagine might happen after not having power for half a day? Thats right the power went of again.. Arrggh!!

Any way the electricity company seems to have made a mistake and the power is back on, so hopefully we shall be able to return to normal programming..

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Wednesday 24 October 2007

Your IQ: You are suitably qualified to replace Ehud Olmert or an earth worm


Looking at the posts at SimplyJews, I came across this little IQ test. Apparently Mr Bagel isn't such a slow poke in the neuron division after all

The good thing is, if you get a bad result you can always say it was a Zionist conspiracy, being that Snoopy the Goon found it

References:
Simplyjews: Ain't I clever?
IQ Test by Flash by Night: Here


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Halle Berry does a Mel
But gets saved by Leno

“Here’s where I look like my Jewish cousin!”

Halle Sorry for Jewish Joke

When it comes to becoming the next Mel Gibson, Halle Berry may have missed it by a nose.

The Oscar-winning actress has issued a public mea culpa for a quip made on The Tonight Show Friday, in which she joked that a photograph making her nose look unusually large could pass for a picture of "my Jewish cousin."

While making the requisite small talk with host Jay Leno, Berry pulled out pictures she had taken of herself on her computer through Apple's Photo Booth software.

"The machine morphs your face to look like all these silly other people," she said. "Whenever I'm feeling really bad about the world I do this to crack myself up."

In introducing the first picture from the batch, in which her nose was vastly distorted, Berry said, "This one, I don't know, this is like my Jewish cousin."

If the video doesn't play click here:
Halle Berry on The Tonight Show (10-19-07)

The full remark never made it on air, however. The audience's silence at the attempted joke was covered with a laugh track and the word Jewish was muted out.

Leno's reaction, though, was not.

"I'm glad you said it and not me," he said.

Berry, however, appeared to realize her gaffe immediately.

"Oh, my God, have I just, like, ruined my whole career?" she asked, before going through the rest of her photo presentation.

The pregnant 41-year-old said Tuesday that the comment was not intended to be anti-Semitic and that she requested Leno have it removed from the show.

"I so didn't mean to offend anybody—and after the show I realized it could be seen as offensive, so I asked Jay to take it out, and he did," she said.

Berry also said one of her assistants, who happens to be Jewish, actually made the joke just before the actress went on.

"What happened was I was backstage before the show, and I have three girls who are Jewish who work for me. We were going through pictures to see which ones looked silly, and one of my Jewish friends said, 'That could be your Jewish cousin!' And I guess it was fresh in my mind, and it just came out of my mouth. But I didn't mean to offend anybody. I didn't mean any harm.

"It was just supposed to be a silly segment. I am so sorry, and I apologize."

Mr Bagel: A Lot of people are trying to play this down, but one of the things about stereotypes is they are 'loaded' and the use of them conveys more than just a sense of 'fun'.

I also think her comments after the gaffe were just as telling and loaded.

after her 'gaffe' she stated;

"Oh, my G_d, have I just, like, ruined my whole career?"
Now call me paranoid, but I don't just think this was just a innocent reference to the 'Mel Gibson affair' I also think it was a calculated loaded comment about the Jewish presence in the entertainment industry.

You might think why is what Halle Berry said racist?
Well I wonder what the reaction would be if some one was to make a Halle Berry morphed photo like say:
  • extra long gorilla like arms and said 'Here’s where I look like my African cousin'?

  • or if Halle Berry had morphed her eyes to squint and said 'Here’s where I look like my Asian cousin'?

  • Or possibly pasted a tea towel on her head and said 'Here’s where I look like my arabic cousin'.

  • Or possibly dropped a background photo of a trailer park and said 'Here’s where I look like my white second cousin'

I think you might get an idea just how inappropriate her joke on a high ranking National TV show was.

The use of the above examples were to show the use of negatively loaded stereotypes.

Mr Bagel in no way condones the use of such racist language.I have tried to be offensive equally to as many groups as possible, if you feel I have discriminated against you by including your racial group or not including your racial group I apologise. I apologise to any one who feels in any way slighted and I assure you that I will not use a cop out tag line like the words of Halley Berry who said "It was just supposed to be a silly segment".

Or Putting it more succinctly, 'I was making fun of people in a racist way at their expense.'

See Halle even you could say that.


There's a lot of good posts and discussion on the blogosphere check out:

Michelle Malkin: Jay Leno whitewashes Halle Berry
Debbie Schlussel: Halle Berry & Her "Jewish Cousin's" Nose: Where Are All The Ann Coulter Critics?
Hotair: Video: Halle Berry’s censored anti-semitic joke

References:
E Online: Halle Sorry for Jewish Joke

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A simple mistranslation...


No - Clear Purpose


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Sunday 21 October 2007

Kelly Slater detained by Israeli police

Leonardo DiCaprio - Bar Rafaeli - Kelly Slater

Israeli police detained eight-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater after a scuffle with photographers who were trying to take pictures of him with Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli, police said.

Israeli photographers were waiting outside as Rafaeli and the American surfer left a hotel in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya before dawn, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. In an effort to prevent the cameramen from taking pictures, Slater pushed them, a photographer at the scene told Channel Two TV.

"A brawl broke out and Slater was taken for questioning and later released," Rosenfeld said.

It was not the first time foreign guests of Rafaeli have scuffled with journalists. Earlier this year Rafaeli and her then-boyfriend, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, created a media storm when he visited her in Israel. After eluding journalists for days, the pair was met by a group of waiting photographers when they toured Jerusalem.

Their bodyguards scuffled with photographers, punching some and damaging equipment. Rafaeli later told an Israeli newspaper she wouldn't bring anyone famous to Israel "because there is a chutzpah here that you won't see anywhere else".

Israeli media has reported the two have broken up recently.

Refaeli is reportedly in Israel for a photo shoot to appear in next year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

Slater, who is of Syrian descent, was visiting Israel for the first time as part of efforts by the group, Surfing for Peace, to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians through the sport.

Slater decided to extend his trip to Israel by one day Channel Two TV reported.

Mr Bagel: Yawn, and then theres actually things that matter....

Seems Bar Rafaeli's promise to avoid visiting Israel with any of her celebrity friends didn't last long... like her ex boyfriend. Wouldn't it just be simpler to get a good publicist?


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Haveil Havalim #137 is up!

If I forget you, O Jerusalem


Yaaqoov from EsserAgaroth is behind the wrap up of Haveil Havalim #137 and he has done a wonderful job, it is a very large edition with some very relevant reading.


Well done to Yaaqov for such a worthy edition.

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Bodgey Bagels Week 37 is up!

Bodgey Bagels Caption Contest Week 37


The 'Almost Famous'
Bodgey Bagels
Caption Contest

Number 37
Entries in by 23rd Oct

Bodgey Bagels Caption Contest

will now always be available from:
http://bodgeybagels.blogspot.com/

Or see the caption link in the Mr Bagel Menu.

Skip over to Bodgey Bagels to do the caption contest!


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Islam vs Islamist


FOX To Air Controversial Documentary on Islam

A controversial film that PBS axed from its documentary series about the post-Sept. 11 world will be broadcast for the first time nationwide this week by the FOX News Channel.

The documentary, originally titled "Islam vs. Islamists," was produced by ABG Films with $675,000 in public funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was originally slated to run earlier this year as part of PBS' "America at a Crossroads" series.

The film follows moderate Muslims who have challenged the "Islamists" who espouse a more radical view of their religion. The film shows the Islamists advocating, among other things, the imposition of Sharia law on Muslims in the West, the stoning of women who commit adultery, and even violence and terrorism.

"Islam vs. Islamists" will be seen in its entirety as part of an all-new FOX News Channel special. The 90-minute FOX program, called "Inside Islam: Faith vs. Fanatics," includes interviews with "Islam vs. Islamists" director and producer Martyn Burke and executive producer Frank Gaffney. It will be broadcast at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Burke and Gaffney told FOX News they didn't set out to make a conservative documentary, but rather one that portrays the plights of some moderate Muslims since Sept. 11.

The film, also produced by Islamism expert Alex Alexiev, follows the stories of moderates at the flashpoints of jihadism: politician Naser Khader in Denmark, filmmaker Mohammed Sifaoui in France, talk-show host Tarek Fatah in Canada, former Nation of Islam member Edmond Abdul Hafeez in Chicago and Sheikh Kabbani, a Flint, Mich., imam who warned State Department officials of Usama bin Laden's terrorism influence three years before the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The cancer that is within our community is I don't believe the majority," said Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a Wisconsin-born Muslim who lives in Arizona, in the film. "I think it's a minority, it's a minor, minor, minor, minority that are radicalized or violent but the majority I believe look at the lens of politics through an Islamist lens.

"If we give them and let them handle the mantle of religion that they seek to exploit for their own geo-political issues all over the globe, then we are really going to lose this war."

After viewing the film PBS executives in charge of the "America at a Crossroads" series told the filmmakers that it was "alarmist" and "overreaching" and that PBS would not run it.

Burke and Gaffney, a former Reagan administration official, said that they made a series of changes to accommodate PBS. Ultimately, however, they concluded the problem wasn't their film, but liberal bias at PBS.

In an interview with FOX News, Burke makes explosives charges about the PBS executives he dealt with, Jeff Bieber and Leo Eaton.

"In the first meeting, they said to me, 'Fire your partners.'" Burke said. "And I said 'Why?' They said, 'Because they are conservatives.'"

Burke said the PBS executives most forcefully objected to Gaffney's involvement, asking, "'Don't you check into the politics of the people you work with?' I said 'No. I never have and I never will.'

"I had done a film on the Hollywood 10 on blacklisting in Hollywood where the leftwing was blacklisted and now it was the left trying to blacklist the right," he added. "I thought I was living in an Alice in Wonderland mirror image."

Gaffney believes the main thrust of PBS's objections was that the Islamists portrayed in the film were not really radicals, but part of the Islamic mainstream. He said PBS tried "to change the story, to bring more of an Islamist flavor to it."

PBS executives declined FOX News' offers to appear in the program.

The dispute between ABG Films and PBS initially became public last winter, was amplified by talk radio, debated in blogs and on newspaper editorial pages, and sparked calls for a congressional investigation, which, Gaffney tells FOX News, is ongoing.

ABG Films demanded that PBS either run "Islam vs. Islamists" as part of its "America at a Crossroads" series, or allow it to be broadcast on another network.

Last spring ABG Films and PBS reached a compromise. The PBS network would not run "Islam vs. Islamists" in the "America at a Crossroads" series, but Oregon Public Television would make the film available to individual public TV stations to run when those stations wished.

According to figures provided FOX News by ABG Films, "Islam v. Islamist" has run on more than 70 public TV stations, but not in at least 15 of the top 40 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Washington, D.C.

After PBS and ABG reached their compromise last spring, ABG made available to FOX News a companion film to "Islam vs. Islamists." It aired on the FOX News Channel this summer in a separate special called "Banned by PBS: Muslims Against Jihad."

Mr Bagel: Unfortunately although I would dearly love to see this documentary, where I live in Australia and I don't have access to Fox Programing. It seems that if you judge by the proliferation of comments coming from LGF in the thread name Islam vs Islamist, Open Thread there seems to be a lot of appreciation and some shock for the boldness of the director in portraying the subject matter. With LGF generating over 540 comments and still counting it would seem this documentary is going to spark a fair bit of controversy.

Unfortunately for those that haven't seen it, patience will have to prevail or if you want to you could buy the newly released complete DVD.


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Saturday 20 October 2007

The Spectra of Reuters Media Bias rises again
A Picture tells a thousand lies.

Another Palestinian Puff piece written by Gaza based Nidal al-Mughrabi, masquerading as News. It seems that Journalistic standards at Reuters continue to sink lower and lower. Despite the obvious bias to this piece of Journalism, it has been carried by many newspapers of the world's press. See just how many here: Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

When a news agency such as Reuters has such coverage, it has a responsibility to ensure its journalist operate in a Professional, objective and non biased way.

Have a look at this article and a Photo titled exactly the same released in Parallel with the article. Both article and Photo via Reuters.

El - Reuters is becoming the laughing stock of the media world.


Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza [Reuters Oct 19]
This Photo has the same title as the story below.
It adds an emotive almost sad scene when paired with the story
bearing the same name. [But see the full description of the Photo**]

Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza
By Nidal al-Mugrabi

JABALYA, Gaza Strip, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Officially, Mahmoud Jnaid does not exist. The 25-year-old Palestinian almost made that a reality earlier this month when he doused himself with petrol and tried to set himself alight.

Lets get this clear some one tries to set themselves a light? Are you kiding me? What sort of imbecile couldn't set themselves alight? Did he run out of matches? Lighter broke? Really this is Newsworthy that someone tried to light themselves on fire in front of an assembled News Media crew? You don't suspect it might of been a staged event for the weekly protests? Or rather is Nidal al-Mugrabi trying to sensationlise another biased boring poorly written propaganda piece for the Palestinians.

Jnaid is one of about 54,000 displaced Palestinians who returned to Gaza and the West Bank from abroad after an interim peace accord in 1993, but still have no identity cards because Israel refuses to approve them. Following years of silence, they recently started holding weekly protests in Hamas-run Gaza to demand the documents, which they need to travel as well as for daily basics like opening a bank account or getting a driving licence.

"I am Mr Nobody," said Jnaid, who, at one of the protests, doused himself in petrol and tried to set himself alight before onlookers overpowered him.

"When I poured the petrol on my body I felt life was the same as death," he said as he sat next to his wife and children.

Jnaid was born in Jordan after his family fled their home in the coastal strip after the 1967 war with Israel. He returned to Gaza in 1995 at the age of 13 but still has no ID card.

In a stroke of bitter irony, Jnaid's brother was finally granted identity papers two weeks after he was killed in a protest against Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

"It was worthless, they recognised him only when he died," Jnaid said.

Israel has closed Gaza's borders to everything but humanitarian supplies since Islamist group Hamas seized control of the territory, home to 1.5 million people, in June and ousted its secular Fatah rivals. The economy is in meltdown.

"I have to take care of six children now and I am out of a job for three months," said Jnaid, an unemployed carpenter.

"GHOSTS"
Israel granted identity cards to some 3,500 Palestinians in the West Bank earlier this month as part of efforts to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah ahead of an Israeli-Palestinian conference on statehood.

But there is little hope the goodwill will extend to Gaza, which Israel recently branded an "enemy entity" because militants in the territory regularly fire rockets into the Jewish state.

Under the 1993 peace accords, Israel must approve all Palestinian personal documents, including ID cards.

Yes and under these same peace accords known in the West as the Oslo Peace Accords Mr Nidal al-Mughrabi the Palestinians were supposed to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, and renounced terrorism, violence and its desire for the destruction of Israel. Yet you make no mention what so ever of this?

Jnaid says living in Gaza is like being in jail. His uncle and a younger brother died a few months ago in neighbouring Egypt, but Jnaid could not attend their funerals.

When he asked for permission to travel to Israel or Egypt for eye surgery, his request was rejected.

"Those in Israeli jails live in small cells, I am too a prisoner but in a large room called Gaza," Jnaid said.

Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinian Civil Affairs government office in Ramallah, which negotiates with Israel over the issue of ID cards and travel permits, said there was no sign Israel would soften their position on documents for Gazans.

Jnaid said he feels like a ghost.

"Not only a ghost, I do not exist. Everywhere I go people ask for an identification card and I do not have one."

The Photo Description**:
Despite the photo having the caption: Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza

Read the extended description of the Photo:
Palestinian children walk inside the destroyed house of a member of a clan loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, after clashes with the Hamas force in Gaza October 18, 2007. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Yes you're seeing a Photo of the damaged caused when Hamas attacked a supporter of Fatah in Gaza!



Address of Photo:Palestinians live as "ghosts" in Gaza


If you feel Reuters' coverage is biased, write to:
editor.reuters@reuters.com
jerusalem.newsroom@reuters.com


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Friday 19 October 2007

Ali Babacan and the Forty Thugs:
Is Turkey setting up its Jews to be the fall guy?


Ali Babacan,Turkish Foreign minister,
A formidable Politician in the making.

When I read the must read Bloomberg article Jews Become Targets of Turkey's Anger at U.S. Vote on Armenia ; I am amazed at the baldfaced aggression and insidious threats made to the Turkish Jewish population. For some one who is so keen to advocate that Turkey was not involved in an Armenian Genocide, Ali Babacan does himself no favors.

Not foregoing
Ali Babacan's raw intellectual power, its sad to see such a promising Politician showing signs of playing the scapegoat. His new developing focus on a populist methodology, which he has managed to previously avoid in his rise to power, is now showing some rather disturbing signs.

Is he setting up Turkish Jews to be the scapegoat in the developing controversy over Armenian claims of genocide?

First allow me to preface this discussion with somethings this post does not discuss.

This isn't a post that advocates either for or against to the existence of the claimed Armenian Genocide. Nor is this a post that in anyway is dismissive of Turkey's right to advocate in peaceful ways for its own interests

Recently there has been intense discussion within the American congress about a motion to proclaim the treatment of Armenians during the war as genocide.

There has been tremendous pressure brought upon the Jewish community in Turkey and the American diaspora to close ranks with Turkey and denounce any actions that call forth the claim of a Turkish Genocide against the Armenian people.

I find myself quite despondent of the evidence that displays Israel's willingness and some elements of the American diaspora to follow the line that Turkey is promoting.

The simple fact is, the existence of a Armenian Genocide committed by the government of Turkey has very little to do with Jews in particular.

I would be the first to advocate that as Jews we should be exceptionally vigilant against any motions or actions which could hide genocide.

Yet the ultimate question of there being any basis to the claims of Armenians being victims to a Genocide committed by the Turks is rather a question for Turkey, Armenians and the World's historians and academics.

Its not a question that should be played out in the political arena, nor the political arena of other countries, and its certainly not a question that should hold another country's foreign policy to ransom.

But in stating this, there has been a obvious question that has come to the forefront of ones consciousness.

Why does Turkey act so swiftly and tellingly to cease any kind of debate that discusses this genocidal question?

What is there to fear? If there was no genocide then bringing an academic, objective based, scrutiny to the subject will lay the matter to rest qucikly and efficiently, if this is the case as Turkey so ably advocates it is so.

Why is Turkey who aspires to join the European Union, a union that is established on a premise of transparency and human rights, so wanting to stifle debate? Especially a debate which needs to initiate, so as lurking question of an Armenian genocide can be resolved.

If find it very disturbing the recent comments by Mr Ali Babacan in regards to the 'Jewish' Obligation to ensure that the American congress isn't able to pass the motion of a Armenian Genocide. They contain barely hidden references to repercussions towards the Turkish community if this piece of legislation is able to be passed in Congress.

The question arises, why is Turkey so willing to risk its allegiance to the US and Israel, in its attempt to stifle debate?

I can't ignore the historical basis of co operation between Turkey and the West, but this is the exact opposite kind of behavior one would expect of a country who claims there is no basis to the claims of genocide.

The use of Fear and intimidation against a minority within the Turkish population is hardly something that would reassure the rest of the world a Turkish genocide did not happen.

In fact putting it quite clearly, its the threat of violence and intimidation which raises more questions than answers.

I feel for the Turkish Jewish population.

I also feel Armenians, the Armenian's deserve the opportunity to raise these issues so the World and Turkey may face historical facts no matter how dark they may or may not be.

The ultimate truth is, as Jews we can't stand by and allow Ali Babacan and his AKP henchmen to threaten us, if he doesn't get what he wants. To do so would be a dishonor on the memory of all those that suffered in the Shoah.

When we say never again, we should mean never again for all peoples.

Political considerations and convenience should not influence our decisions on what is right or wrong.


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Thursday 18 October 2007

The 17th Edition Of JPix is up!

Welcome to JPix 17!


Rabbi Shmuli Weiss shaking Lulav and Esrog with
one of the Jewish Students at at McGill University
- photo courtesy of Yossi from The Next Step

The Seventeenth edition of JPix is up at The Baleboosteh, its a awesome edition of JPix and a great example of the talented photographers we have within the JBlogosphere!

So don't be shy here it is:
JPix 17


Submit your blog article to the next edition of
j pix - jewish photo carnival using our
carnival submission form.
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Israel quickly progresses towards Rocket Shield because of looming Peace?

Israel, U.S. discuss missile defense

Israel and the United States agreed to boost cooperation on missile-defense projects.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hosted his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, at the Pentagon on Tuesday for talks on a range of bilateral issues, including joint plans for an integrated system to fend off the various missile threats to the Jewish state.

The sides agreed to step up work on David's Sling, a system designed to shoot down rockets of the kind used by Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Israel separately is developing another system, Iron Dome, for dealing with shorter-range Palestinian rockets.

Israel and the United States also plan to upgrade Arrow, Israel's ballistic interception system, so it might be more effective intercepting Iranian long-range Shehab missiles or Syrian Scuds.

Barak has said Israel should ensure it has a full missile defense apparatus in place before making any major territorial concessions to the Palestinians in the West Bank.

Mr Bagel: Its not hard to imagine the serious security implications that would result in Israel if the West bank's Palestinians were to start to fire rockets at Israel from any newly won territorial concessions from the Israeli Government. Exactly the same thing happened in Gaza when Israel withdrew from Gaza.

The question that seems to be most obvious is, if the US and Israel are so interested in developing a sophisticated rocket defence system, including an Israeli defense plan to handle short range rockets which will be able to handle qassams and other such projectiles, doesn't this in effect clearly point out that the administration clearly expects that the new Palestinian state will be the site of rocket launchings.

If this is the case where we have clearly seen before an unwillingness to clamp down on Palestinian Terrorists firing rockets at Israel by Palestinian Authorities, then in effect must we not consider the peace process and the establishment of the Palestinian state simply as a enabler of more terrorist strikes and a continuation of the farce that is Palestinian terrorism?

Remind me again what Israel is getting out of this Peace Process?


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Monday 15 October 2007

JPix 17 coming soon

JPix 17 is going to be hosted in a few days at The Baleboosteh


To submit your Photo Post Click here: SUBMIT

The Baleboosteh always puts together a great JPix, make sure you submit your photos to JPix 17. If you haven't already submitted any photo posts to Jpix then you really do need to quickly submit them Submissions for JPix 17.


Courtesy of Me-ander

Its going to be the seventeenth edition of JPix hosted by The Baleboosteh , its sure to be a great edition so make sure you get your photos in. Don't rely on the Jpix hoster finding them. If you don't submit your photos and you miss out, well you know who to blame.

Last Submissions by ASAP,
The Jpix 17 Photo carnival opens on the Weds 17th October.

If you have any questions you can email at
JpixcarnivalATgmailDOTcom

Here's a little badge to put on your side menu. Point it to go to:http://blogcarnival.com/bc/latest_987.html

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Thursday 11 October 2007

The Volkswagen connection :
Ashkan Dejagah

Ashkan Dejagah
Despite being nurtured by the German Under 21 team

he still reserves the right to play for Iran if he so choses.

Despite it being publicised by numerous media outlets that Ashkan Dejagah was Hertha Berlin’s striker, the team he actually plays for now is Vfl Wolfsburg.

Ashkan Dejagah was in the press lately for his refusal to play in Israel for the under 21 Soccer cup for 'political' reasons.

Now it seems that Vfl Wolfsburg isn't seeing the seriousness of this matter.


From the teams website comes this:
Ashkan Dejagah still training with the Wolves
Some recent newspaper reports wrongly suggested that the German under-21 midfielder Ashkan Dejagah had been suspended from training at VfL Wolfsburg. In truth, the 21 year old will continue first team training, as the Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath pointed out after today's training session. Dejagah was conspicuous by his absence at Wednesday's morning session: "I have given him the day off", explained Magath.

Despite Wolfsburg's coach giving him the day off, to avoid the media scrum, it seems this is all Vfl Wolfsburg intends to do.

Its not without a certain bitterness that I observe one of Vfl Wolfsburg main sponsors is Volkswagen.

You might remember that there were many s articles recently on the Israeli Government contracting Volkswagen to supply the Israeli government's fleet of government cars. Re: Israel's Choice of German-Made Cars Stirs Emotions of Holocaust Survivors

Well now it seems somewhat ironical that the very soccer club that the Iranian born striker plays for Vfl Wolfsburg is sponsored by Volkswagen.

All I'm waiting for is the journalist with the balls to ask Ashkan Dejagah if he believes that the holocaust happened. I think we may all know his answer already.



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Every Problem that exists in the World is due to the Jews...


Ghada Karmi

Thats basically what the author of the disgraceful opinion piece that appeared in the Melbourne Age today would have you think.

The title of this surreal voyage in avoidance of responsibility is

Israel the roadblock to peace in Middle East


The opinion piece is written by Ghada Karmi, who is a Palestinian academic at the University of Exeter, Britain, and the author of Married to another man: Israel's dilemma in Palestine.


Below I've taken a few quotations out of the article and put them in a more generalised plainer oft repeated format.
Just in case you have any doubts the aim of this opinion piece take a look at the title.

"Israel the roadblock to peace in Middle East"

Heres a few claims of the article.

Its all the Jews fault...
  • "It has now dawned on most people that the terrorist attacks on America and Europe, the al-Qaeda rhetoric about the suffering of fellow Muslims, and the instability in the Middle East are connected with the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

  • If only Israel would...
  • "Finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is not the problem. The parameters have been clear for decades: Israel's withdrawal from the 1967-occupied territories, the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the right of return of refugees. These are also the components of the 2002 Saudi plan and offer Israel full normalisation of relations with the Arab states in exchange"

  • Israel must concede on everypoint...
  • "The plan is in line with international law and has the support of the Western powers. Yet it has no chance of succeeding, nor has any other peace proposal not to Israel's liking."


  • A little historical revisionism even if you're supposed to be an Academic...
  • "And that is the nub of the problem. Israel, which ceaselessly professes its desire for peace, has never initiated a peace proposal of its own and has prevaricated when offered one."

  • Human Rights abuses?...
  • The dire effects of this regime have all been documented by the World Bank and various aid organisations. Yet this abuse of human rights, condemned by every international agency and legal body, even by some Israelis, continues unchecked.

  • Those greedy Jews...
  • "By forcing Israel to accept that peace involves giving, not just taking, a proper settlement could begin to emerge."

  • America is in control of the Jewish lobby...
  • America, which could have made a difference, is hamstrung by its domestic subservience to the Israel lobby

  • Terrorism is the fault of Israel and will continue because of Israel...
  • Leaving the status quo to fester will lead to more desperate acts of violence and more dangerous instability.

  • I recommend you read this opinion piece its quite revealing of the strategies the Palestinian and Arab lobby are trying to put forward. Now excuse me while I go and vomit...

    A Not so Peaceful Proponent of Peace...
    If you like to see just how peaceful this Palestinian Academic really is then you will not mind reading this rather revealing excerpt of a debate about whether Arabs have been at fault in not helping the Palestinians...

    GHADA KARMI
    Thank you. I speak with a heavy heart because as an Arab, I should not attack fellow Arabs, but it is not the Arab people, who have always supported the Palestinians, that I mean. It is their governments who so often do not represent them.

    What I say will earn me no favours with Arab governments, but I believe that if we are to progress, we Arabs must not be afraid to be self-critical and to face our faults honesty. Yes, the Arab governments have failed the Palestinians. Now the other side argues, and I knew it would, that they'd helped them a lot. We don't deny that, they did help. They have given them funding, they have given them help, the sort of thing you've heard about, Jordan gave them citizenship and so on, but look closer.

    The Arab states never succeeded in defeating Israel. In 1978, which His Excellency has referred to, Egypt, the only state which could have, left the battle front with the Camp David Treaty.

    Since then, the rest have been trying to make peace with Israel, a state that occupies Arab land and kills Arabs. Today, they are falling over themselves to recognise Israel. Why? Because Israel vacated a few settlements which were illegal anyway, and look what we're reduced to. Egypt, that great power, is now Israel's policeman on Gaza's border, and the rest watch helplessly while Israel kills and bombs the Palestinians, and steals their land, and Israel's best friend, America, lays waste to that great country, Iraq.

    I am not unsympathetic to the Arab governments' dilemma. They owe their support, and in many cases their very existence, to American favour. America is Israel's greatest ally, so if they fight Israel, they risk losing American support and threaten their own survival. It is an unenviable position, but no matter what the cause, for the Palestinians it comes down to the same thing: the Arab governments have failed them. So I urge you tonight to vote with your consciences. You know that I'm saying what most of you think but do not say. I urge you, vote on the side of truth and honesty, vote to support our motion.
    an extract from The Doha debates: 'This House believes that the Arab governments have failed the Palestinians'

    References:
    The Age: Israel the roadblock to peace in Middle East

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