----------------

MrBagel Funny: Latest Joke Listed

MrBagel News: Hottest News Stories

Bodgey Bagels Latest Caption Contest

Mr Bagels Latest Cartoon

Mr Bagel Latest Videos

Saturday, 26 May 2007

Rockets being fired at Sderot described as a 'trickle of Rockets'


Continuing airstrikes, Israel hits at Hamas

JERUSALEM: The Israeli Army continued its air campaign against the Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip late Thursday and Friday, striking at least eight locations, an army spokesman said.

I couldn't believe some of the statements made in this article, if you would like to see the article and read a few of my thoughts then click read more.

Read More...

Friday, 25 May 2007

JPix 8 is up!


Rafi G from Life in Israel
has just posted JPix 8
make sure you drop in and visit it.




JPix 8 has just been finished by Rafi G at Life In Israel with loads of great photos to go have a look at, so make sure you pop over and take a look.


While on the topic of JPix, Mottel from Letters Of Thought will be hosting the next edition in a fortnight so if you have any photo posts be sure to submit them to be included in JPix.

If you are interested in hosting an edition of JPix you can contact Aaron here.





Thursday, 24 May 2007

Jerusalem: The magic of Shavuot 1967

On the morning of Shavuot, June 15, 1967 just 6 days after Jerusalem was Liberated 200,000 Jews converged into Jerusalem to the visit Kotel.

This article is taken from Aish.com

Over
the last two millennia, Jews have visited Jerusalem in honor of the festivals, in lieu of the biblically-ordained pilgrimages. On the holiday of Shavuot, there was also the custom to visit the purported grave of King David on Mount Zion, since the date of his death was on Shavuot.

Read More...

The Cost of Freedom?


Chaim from Freedoms Cost was interviewed a few nights back in a talk back segment, by Rabbi Yaakov Spivak in New York on 'Talkline' [620 on the am dial]. The discussion was loosely based on Chaim's experiences being in Jerusalem at the Kotel the week of Unification in 1967. [Shavuot 1967]

Chaim makes no apoligies for being Pro Israel, and it would seem he attracted a few apologists who would like to make a lot of apologies. It was a very heated debate, and provides some insight into just how controversial this 'theme' is in some New York house holds. Its an hour show, its about 12.8 mb download but I throughly recommend it.


Read More...

Wednesday, 23 May 2007

Plane loaded with cocaine crashes in Venezuela

A small plane loaded with cocaine crashed in eastern Venezuela, killing the two people aboard and revealing a drug shipment that was seized by troops.

National Guard soldiers confiscated 480 kilograms (1,058 pounds) of cocaine from the Cessna that crashed on Monday night, the attorney general's office said in statement Tuesday.

The wreckage was found near the town of El Tigre, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Caracas.

The bodies of the pilot and another person were found in the Venezuelan-registered plane. Authorities did not give details about the suspected causes of the crash, nor details about where the plane departed from or was headed.
_________

In an apparent unrelated story Hugo Chavez the President of Venezuela is rumored to be receiving a delivery of 480 kilograms of baking powder and is convinced he is loved by one and all as he slowly destroys the once flourishing Venezuela. [satire]

References:
JPost: Plane loaded with cocaine crashes in Venezuela


Mr Bagel was up all night


Hag Shavuot Sameach

Read More...

Gaza Explodes in Violence:
Sderot Suffers
Israel strikes back


Prime Minister Ehud Olmert steps up attempts to pursue the Saudi peace initiative. Anarchy rules the streets of Gaza and the Negev town of Sderot suffered heavy barrages of rockets. Israel responds harshly and strikes Hamas headquarters and Kassam rocket cells in Gaza and in the shadow of all this turmoil Jerusalem marks its 40th anniversary.05/18/07.

If the video fails to play click here:
The week that was : Israel strikes back

Text as per Youtube uploader

Read More...

BBC Video: Violence escalates in Gaza


If the video fails to play click here:
Violence escalates in Gaza

An Israeli woman has died in a Palestinian rocket attack, hours after fatal Israeli strikes on targets in Gaza.

Text as per Youtube upload

Read More...

US Ambassador Richard Jones:
US was merciful to Pollard by
not executing him


Mr Bagel has managed to get the video of Richard Jones stating that the US was merciful to Pollard by not executing him.

There's a lot that has been written of this in the press in the last few days, but there seems to have been one point all the Press has missed.

Some of the Israeli media have conjectured that Richard Jones reactions and statements show a clear bias against Israel and may even verge on being 'anti Semitic'.

Well I'd like to bring your attention to one major point missed by most of the media.

If you watch this video you will see exactly what Richard Jones thinks of Israel.


If the video doesn't play click this link:
US Ambassador: US was merciful to Pollard not executing him


The Ambassador in this video apart for some blatant lies, clearly states:
"I really think that it has to do with the basic fact that this person committed treason against his own country.
I know he was helping a friend, but that's what makes it even more emotional for Americans;
that a friend would cooperate in aiding and abetting someone who is committing treason against his own country"

Its not enough that this slime ball attacks Jonathon pollard, in a way Pollard is unable to come to his own defense, but what is of even more of a gigantic deal of chutzpah is that he has the Gaul to to attack Israel for 'co -operating in aiding and abetting someone who is committing treason'.

Let's put this in historical perspective. Israel had a signed agreement with the Americans to share high level intelligence with each other.

Pollards passing of information clearly showed that America was reneging on this agreement.

Not that that is ever something unusual for America, but it was metering out its intelligence as it saw fit, suiting its own agenda in the Middle East, it wasn't sharing intelligence in a way that a partner would.

If there was any betrayal it was with the American intelligence agencies reticence in sharing what was critically information regarding Nuclear armaments status and strategic readiness for military confrontation.

The Chutzpah of this S.O.B is astounding.

This sad and sorry affair is beyond comprehension. Pollard has served 22 years, he has expressed remorse countless times, this man's life wastes away in Jail because politicians want to play football with his life.

Read More...

Tuesday, 22 May 2007

The Mystery Blogger Series No #2
9 JBloggers Reveal a Photo of themselves!

Welcome to the 2nd installment of
The Mystery Blogger Series No# 2

This is # 2 in a Weekly Series


Ok You are about to see the photos of another nine Jbloggers some of them Very well known, some not as well known. Now there's a little twist in the series, seems I've mixed up the names of the Bloggers and their Blog site addresses.

Mr Bagel just can't figure what might have happened, can't be too hard thou?




Every Week Mr Bagel has a Caption Contest


Some of my regular readers might not know it, but every week Mr Bagel has a caption contest. Its always at the same web address, which is Bodgey Bagels http://bodgeybagels.blogspot.com/
You can get to it really easily by clicking on the 'Captions' button in the upper most menu.

Entries must be in before Monday


P.S: Its a relatively quick loading page as it only has the Caption Contest.


Read More...

Monday, 21 May 2007

The Israeli airstrikes have destroyed a 6-month-old truce...
A.P. starts the Spin Again

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, right,
and Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres, left,
took part in the World Economic Forum in South Shuneh, Jordan.

By DALE GAVLAK, Associated Press Writer Sun May 20

SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan - Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Sunday his government would offer a counterproposal to an Arab peace initiative to resolve the conflict with Palestinians.

He urged Arab leaders to meet with Israel to hash out the issue.

Read More...

JIB Awards Final Results Announced
Check the results Here!




To See the results of the Jewish and Israeli Blog Awards
Click the picture above.

For detailed results in the classes click on these four links:

Some of the stand out winners in Mr Bagel's opinion are the three Music blogs who tied for 1st with three other Music Blogs very close behind. It was good to see these blogs maintained their integrity despite the close competition.

Israel warns Ukraine on anti-Semitism


Israel's ambassador in Kiev said the activities of a Ukrainian university with a history of anti-Semitism could damage Ukrainian-Israeli relations.

Zina Kalai-Kleitman urged Ukraine on Wednesday to curb the anti-Semitic activities of MAUP, a private business-type school that in recent years has become the major source of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli activity and publications in Ukraine.

Read More...

Sunday, 20 May 2007

Kosher Cooking Carnival: 18 and all grown Up!


"It's hard to believe that this is the 18th edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival, the monthly blog carnival dedicated to all aspects of Kosher Food. Next month's carnival will be hosted by the Baleboosteh, and I'm looking for a host for July's edition."

It is a huge edition just before Shavuot, and has recipes for all Kosher taste buds!

The 18th Kosher Cooking Carnival is a feast of assorted recipes!

Read More...

What if? Examining a case scenario, its implications for Israel, the Middle East and World


Some thing happen a few days ago. In the ups and downs of the continual blood lust between Hamas and Fatah, it was buried. It could have and probably still will have major implications on at least a Middle East level.

Abbas cancels Gaza trip over assassination plot

Senior security official says visit cancelled following discovery of tunnel full of explosives placed by gunmen to blow up Palestinian president's convoy

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas canceled a trip to Gaza on Thursday after it was discovered that Hamas gunmen planned to blow up his convoy, a senior security official said.

"Abu Mazen's (Abbas's) visit to Gaza was canceled after the discovery of a tunnel under Salaheddine Road full of explosives placed by the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigads to blow up (Abbas's) convoy," said the official.

"The explosives were found on the route that Abu Mazen takes to travel to Gaza," the source added.

An official in Abbas's office confirmed the report.

Dozens of Hamas and Fatah members have been killed in the past few days in heavy clashes. The tensions between the two factions were interrupted by a series of IDF air strikes in response to the firing of Qassam rockets at the cities of Sderot and Ashkelon.
______________

This is a major escalation in the conflict between the waring factions. It can't be ignored that it was a planned assassination attempt against Mahmoud Abbas, utilizing the very dialogue process which is supposed to stop the waring factions from fighting each other.

There's no doubt this is going to have serious implications in any future dialogue between Abbas's Fatah Party and Hamas.

The question is raised how could you trust Hamas to be at the table when they appear to have been scheming the assassination of Abbas. This will be an impediment to any agreement the Palestinians can reach with regards to the current fighting between the waring factions.

There's also another component of this which I have yet to see have any analysis.

Just imagine for one moment that the assassination attempt against Abbas had been successful?

That's a case scenario that would have had implications for both Fatah, Hamas, the Middle East and Israel within minutes of it happening.

Imagine the power vacuum that would exist if Abbas was eliminated. In the short term there would be a severe escalation in inter factional fighting between Hamas and Fatah.

Many questions are raised. Would it be the trigger to a full out civil war in the Palestinian territories? If so who has the most to gain? Fatah? Israel? the US? Iran? Hamas?

There's been some speculation that there may have been an order from Khalid Mashaal.

I would like to speculate, that it could have come from even further. Could it be that this was a strategy of Iran? Iran desperately wants to keep the focus on this area of the Middle East and Iraq. A civil war, with the resultant power shirt to Hamas would serve Iran's purposes extremely well. It would lesson the chances of any foreseeable air strike on Iran in the short to medium future.

It would open up a much needed second front against Iran's number one foe Israel.

I believe Iran and Khalid Mashaal have plotted scenario's of what would happen upon the demise of Abbas, and unfortunately for Western Powers, it would in my eyes result in a major shift of power.

Fatah would be an organization with out a command, ineffective, unable to respond to internal threats. The discord that would result internally for Fatah would present the perfect opportunity to Hamas to once and for all eliminate the threat Fatah poses.

There has been a continual power struggle between Hamas and Fatah ever since Hamas won the Palestinian election.

Western powers are forced into having to prefer the better of two evils. Hamas knows that there is a power shift happening. It knows that it can only for so long hold onto power before the populace starts to resent the lack of foreign aid. Fatah has started to make some serious inroads into the hold of Hamas on power, Haniyeh knows time is starting to run out.

There's no doubt that there would be serious implications for the Palestinian State if Abbas had been/was assassinated. The power vacuum I believe that would result would inevitably erupt in a civil war. The loser would be Fatah, with Israel facing a hardened and more entrenched Hamas, who post civil war, would be a very blood thirsty enemy indeed against Israel.

It doesn't bode well, its an ominous sign in the Palestinian landscape, and what ever happens this will end up being a turning point in Palestinian Politics and a serious escalation in Israel's war against terrorism.

That's my two cents. Mr Bagel.

Reference:
AFP: Published: 05.17.07, 21:58 / Ynet News

Read More...