ummm gee thanks Hillary but no THANKS!!!

There's been a sudden shift of focus from the US in regards to Iran's nuclear ambitions, the US has changed their position from warning Iran to not become nuclear armed, to stating that they will provide a defense umbrella over Mideast if the Iranians achieve a nuclear capability.

For those of you who doubt the Iranians are 'inches away' from having a nuclear weapon, you might be interested in the just released information from the German government "Germany's Spies Refuted the 2007 NIE Report" which total discredits the US intelligence communities assumptions that Iran is not actively seeking to build nuclear weapons.

Well, apart from the fact, that most people recognize that defensive principle of mutual assured destruction will not stop the Iranian theocracy from using nuclear missiles to wipe Israel off map in seconds, its good to know when the those missiles do come, Hillary Clinton will be busy stating that if there hadn't been 'communications glitches', then cities like Tel aviv would have been protected.
That's really soothing Hillary, when are you moving to Israel???

So when Iran sends nuclear missiles towards the highest densities cities in Israel then, as long as there are no 'glitches' such as the one which has stopped the launch of the intercepting missile because of the communications glitch three times this week then everything 'should be ok.

JERUSALEM — Israeli defense officials say three tests in the U.S. of a missile defense system meant to shield Israel from Iranian attack have been aborted over the past week.

They say an upgraded version of the already-deployed Arrow 2 was being tested off the coast of California. They say communication glitches between the missile and the radar led U.S. defense officials to abort.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of the tests.

State-run Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. is producing the Arrow together with Chicago-based Boeing Co.

The defense officials say the Arrow 2 was meant to intercept a dummy Iranian Shihab missile. But they say U.S. officials stopped the launch of the intercepting missile because of the communications glitch.

Mr Bagel: Forget the 15 second warning you've got seconds to say goodbye to your loved ones!

References:
AP: Israeli missile-defense test aborted

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Where's the missing 10 seconds???

Where's the missing 10 seconds???

RE: CCTV recording of Jakarta hotels bombing suspect prior to the explosion (17th July 2009)

Wheres the 10 seconds before the bomb blast? Just before the camera change there is a hotel worker (porter) pulling a trolley towards the restaurant, the security guy behind the pylon notices something with the person he is talking to, he steps out from behind the Pylon to look at the assumed suicide bomber who is heading to the 'lounge' and then the porter is seen turning around walking to the center of the foyer, but in the next camera frame he is shown walking back from the 'center circle of the foyer'. There's at least ten seconds right before the bomb blast which is not shown on the video. Why??? Clumsy editing? Why the camera change right then? Why was the 'Guards' attention standing behind the Pylon, taken by the suicide bomber?

Mr Bagel: Is this clumsy editing? Or is there more to the missing 10 seconds??

UPDATE:
Better footage: here
It looks like its actually 1 minute and two seconds gap between the two shots.
Check the time stamp on the videos.

References:
News Org: Various

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Another Miracle???

Forget stories of feeding hungry masses with just two pita's it seems the Palestinian Authority has produced an even better miracle.

Just when we've finished hearing about how bad it is with food shortages;
"Gaza residents report severe shortage of basic goods" July 3rd 2009

with Palestinians complaining of not having enough grain and dairy products its amazing that less than two weeks after this article ran on July 3rd, 2009, they're able to set what looks like a new world record for kunafa.

"Palestinians aim for massive pastry record, with 1,765 kilos kunafa"

Yes they've manage to produce the world's largest pastry Kunafa, yes folks all 1,765 kilos of kunafa - a mix of vermicelli, syrup and cheese - it weighed 1,765 kilos (3,891 lbs) and was 74 meters (243 feet) long.

Now I'm sure some smarty might point out that the Kunafa was in Judea and Samaria (incorrectly known as the West bank), and the greater food shortage is located in Gaza, but its poignant to see again just how effective the Palestinian's portray their suffering.

It is with a certain irony that the ynet article quotes a Palestinian complaining:

"Since the siege we pay much more and get a much lower quality. Both in fuel and in all other products the quality is poor."

The quality of goods aren't as good apparently, now there not coming from Israel but rather through the porous network of tunnels from Egypt.

Quality Goods from those Zionist conspirators? Impossible!

Mr Bagel:
Photo credit: AP

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West Bank or Judea and Samaria?

This article reprinted from Israelnow.blogspot.com

One of the biggest distortions that have ever emerged during the Arab Israeli conflict is terminology that has been used on lands, people and so forth. For example Arabs became Palestinians, Judea and Samaria became West Bank, Israel became Palestine, Arab Israeli conflict became Israeli Palestinian conflict and the list continues. All of those distortions deserve their own articles, but here I want to zoom only into the so called the West Bank.

The British Mandate that was established on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire after the World War I, incorporated present day Jordan and Israel under one name Palestinian Mandate. It was supposed to become the home of both Jews and Arabs; Arabs to the east of the Jordan River and Jews to the west. Clearly we have two states Arab and Jewish states side by side. Let me make myself clear that present day Jordan is the first Arab (Palestinian) state. The Balfour Declaration was forged in 1920’s, as we all know that series of events took place between 1920’s and 1947 U.N. Partition Plan among them World War II and Holocaust.

Jewish people were desperate for their own land and were ready to agree to almost anything offered. After independence of Israel was proclaimed Arab bloc unsuccessfully attacked 650,000 Jewish inhabitants of new state. Even though the Jewish State survived this attack the Arabs in Gaza and Judea and Samaria were occupied by Egypt and Jordan respectively before they ever announced their statehood. Now we have Egypt and Jordan who occupied those lands, and guess what none of the Arabs (Palestinians) committed suicide on Jordan or Egyptian lands so they could liberate their so called Palestine.

In 1967, the Six Day War erupted where Arabs once again unsuccessfully tried to annihilate Jews. This time only unlike in 1948 Israeli army was able to conquer vast amount of territory including Judea and Samaria. One would think judging from history that when you are attacked and you win the war you would be able to keep that conquered lands. Like it happened during WWI and WWII, Russia still to this day owns parts of Japan, China, and Germany. France owned Rhinehart that belonged to Germany before WWI. United States still owns part of Mexican territory (Texas, California, Colorado, Utah, Arizona) has anyone seen Mexican suicide bomber? Would France, Russia, or U.S.A. surrender those lands because once upon time they were under control of certain entity? The answer is no. Understanding that Arabs have lost even Judea and Samaria they had to rethink their strategy which brought forth the series of distortions that could help break the Jewish connections to those lands. If you get your hands on old maps even before Israel was established you could locate Jerusalem, you could locate Judea on the map. Since there is a connection that can be seen they had to come up with something that would put an end to this link so Arabs called it West Bank, let me tell you something it is one of the biggest banks in the world they should record it in the Guinness Record book. (It was a joke) Has anyone seen a bank of the river that was as long as the West Bank or even close to that? There is no such a thing. But to our dismay major news agencies, politicians, even Israeli politicians refer to this land as West Bank not Judea and Samaria because Judea=Descendants of Judah=Jews.

Oh no! That can’t be there was a never Jewish presence here, there were no Jewish Temples, and they just came here from Europe to steal our lands. Quick note Jews outnumbered Arabs in Jerusalem 2 to 3, before major migration from Europe took place. So next time when you hear West Bank please know that it incorporates Hebron (Tombs of the Jewish Patriarchs), East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and so forth. The proper name for these lands is Judea and Samaria because if we use West Bank we delegitimize the Jewish connection to this important to Jewish existence lands. So what is this West Bank or Judea and Samaria is up to you decide when you will name those lands in your next conversation. For me it is Judea and Samaria.

Mr Bagel:
So when are we going to start calling nthe 'West Bank' (Judea and Samaria) by their historically correct names?? The expression West Bank should have no place in our daily discussions and certainly should not be used within Israel's media. The arabs are masters of distortion let us not help them in their process.

References:
Israel Act Now: West Bank or Judea and Samaria

Further Reading:
Palestine Facts: Early History Judea and Samaria

Hattip: thanks to 'Jewish Refugee' for the writing of this article
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Reuters makes a mockery of Journalism again!

This Photo did not appear in the Reuters article

Two Palestinians killed in violent West Bank incidents

By Mohammed Assadi

RAMALLAH (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed a Palestinian protester in the West Bank Friday and a Jewish security guard shot dead a Palestinian who infiltrated a Jewish settlement, also in the occupied area.

...11 Paragraphs, and onto the next page, Reuters 'Mohammed Assadi' decides that this little detail is now worth mentioning...

Earlier Friday a Palestinian with a knife infiltrated a Jewish settlement in the southern part of the occupied West Bank and was shot dead by a security guard, the Israeli army said.

Mr Bagel: Could you call yourself a journalist and work for Reuters? Read the entire article and see just how biased it is!

References:
Reuters: Two Palestinians killed in violent West Bank incidents

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A Concise History of the Fauxtography Blogstorm in the 2006 Lebanon War

A Concise History of the Fauxtography Blogstorm in the 2006 Lebanon War
by Stephen D. Cooper, Monday, Apr. 13, 2009

"Whatever the other consequences of the kinetic war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, it gave rise to a neologism now commonplace in the blogosphere. In the blog lexicon, fauxtography refers to visual images, especially news photographs, which convey a questionable (or outright false) sense of the events they seem to depict."

The Story of the Fauxtography Blogstorm

Mr Bagel: If you've had your head in the sand for the last three years and want to get a grasp on the 'fauxtography scandal' that happened during the Lebanese War then this is worthy reading.

Lately there seems to have been a resurgence in media manipulation by Palestinian activists and supporters resulting in very skewed reporting and photography, this distortion is portraying Israel in a very poor light.

Disclaimer: I don't necessarily agree with all the points of view of the author.

References:
Cleveland Indy Media Center: A Concise History of the Fauxtography Blogstorm in the 2006 Lebanon War

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Faux Photography and captions from Reuters Again!!!!

Click on image to see the capture of the biased UK Reuters article heading.

Reuters is at it again.
According to Reuters UK editon: Jewish settlers rampage through West Bank village.

Biased inaccurate reporting!
Its not enough that they rely exclusively on what 'Palestinian witnesses' and 'Palestinian medics' have claimed the residents of Bat Ayin did, they have use selective captions added to 5 selectively chosen misrepresentative photos to bring context and support to a story that simply isn't true.
The Reuters journalist, editor, photographer and photo editor have all conspired to tell a story that simply didn't happened and was a gross exaggeration and manipulation of the truth.

After the recent murder of a young boy from Bat Ayin, all local communities both Jewish and Arabic have been on edge. Late last week bereaving Jews from the Gush Etzion settlement of Bat Ayin simply wanted to observe and pray at an event (Birkat Hachama) that happens only once in 28 years, at this particular time it happened the morning before Passover , something that has only happened 3 times in the last 2,000 years!

According to other reports the Israeli's from Bat Ayin had made their way to a local hillside to pray at the coming sunrise.
From one of the local Israeli's involved in the event this is what he says happened.

From Daniel Winston:
Eyewitness account I was there.

We finished the blessing of the sun and 30 minutes later a mob of Arabs from Tzafa approached us yelling and throwing rocks. We did not run away but, rather, went towards them I order to protect the large crowd of men, women and children who would have been in harms way had we allowed the murderous crowd to approach. We did not enter the village nor did a single one of us shoot (even in the air) since the army was doing its job of repelling the attack using tear gas, stun grenades, and, when necessary, live fire - although I dont know if that was with hard or rubber ammo.

Daniel Winston - Israel (04/09/2009 20:45)

________________________________________________________

Photo 1 of 5

Caption Photo 1: Palestinians carry an injured man during a clash with Jewish settlers after the settlers rampaged through the West Bank village of Safa near Hebron April 8, 2009.

REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun

Proof:

Does this look like they are carrying an injured man from rampaging settlers in a village? Wouldn't there be a background of houses?
Or is this photo actually an example of the Palestinians carrying a 'stone throwing' trouble maker away from the Israeli's who simply wanted to worship the once every 28 years event (Birkat Hachama) of the sun coming up on their local hillside.
Was he injured whilst in the village or was he injured whilst the IDF was trying to hold back local Palestinians trying to show affection to local Jews with large stones who simply wanted to pray?

________________________________________________________

Photo 2 of 5
Caption Photo 2:
Israeli soldiers fire their weapons into the air to disperse Palestinians protesting after Jewish settlers(sic) rampaged through the West Bank village of Safa near Hebron April 8, 2009.

Proof:

Does this look like the local Israeli's are rampaging? Or does it actually look like the local Palestinians were on a mission to be as disruptive as possible to the local Israeli's praying on top of a hillside.
________________________________________________________

Photo 3 of 5
Caption Photo 3: An Israeli soldier fires tear gas at Palestinian protesters after Jewish settlers(sic) rampaged through the West Bank village of Safa near Hebron April 8, 2009.

Proof:
So if we believe the caption, the Palestinians are 'protesting' after the Israeli's have just finished rampaging through the West Bank village of Safa, which bears the question has one single photo what so ever surfaced of this large group of Israeli's rampaging through the village "damaging windows and cars'?

I'm not aware of one single photo showing such a scenario, despite this, Reuters obviously had a Photographer on scene, yet Reuters fails to have one photo of the rampaging!
Reuters claims during the 'Rampage' that Palestinian medic crews couldn't get through!. Reuters has chosen to believe 'local Palestinian residents and medics' when they claim that the 'Settlers'(sic)
"rampaged Wednesday through a West Bank Arab village, smashing car windows and damaging homes, residents and medics said."

Why aren't there any photos showing the Bat Ayin residents rampaging through the West Bank village? Is this because it didn't happen? Why is it that almost every photo in this story places the Palestinians as victims and the IDF as the aggressors?
The Palestinians were the ones who started the whole affair by throwing large lethal sized rocks at the local Israeli's from Bat Ayin who were simjply praying.

________________________________________________________

Photo 4 of 5


Caption Photo 4: An Israeli soldier points his weapon as Palestian protestors look on after Jewish settlers rampaged through the West Bank village of Safa near Hebron.

Proof:
Cleverly the Reuters photographer has positioned himself so as to capture the Israeli Soldier whilst capturing the Palestinians in the background, creating a more dynamic photo which again just happens to portray Israel in the 'offensive' position.

________________________________________________________


Photo 5 of 5

Caption Photo 5: Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinians after the settlers rampaged through the West Bank village of Safa near Hebron April 8, 2009.

REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun

'Settlers throwing stones? I see one single settler throwing a stone, which in the correct context is probably a reaction to the number of Palestinians throwing stones at him. Why has Reuters not shown any photos of the hundreds of Palestinians who were throwing stones?

Like this Photo, one of hundreds available:

Photo: AP Palestinians throw stones at IDF troops during clashes in the village of Safa, near Bat Ayin, Wednesday.

From this slanted reporting by Reuters we end up with an even more slanted and out of context piece of Journalism from Ramallah Online.
More Clashes and Unrest in village of Safa By Jihan Abdalla

"Dozens of Israelis from a Jewish settlement on Wednesday (April 08) rampaged through the West Bank Palestinian village of Safa, smashing car windows and damaging homes, residents and medics said.
Some 12 Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire who arrived at the scene after the settlers from Bat Ayin stormed into the village. Palestinian medics said one of those wounded, who was hit by a live bullet in the neck, was in serious condition.

Safa residents said about 200 settlers, some of them carrying weapons, entered the village.
An eye witness reported that a large number of settlers came early in the morning and started to smash car windows and hurl rocks at houses.

Soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas during the clashes with Palestinians, villagers said. Some 1,000 Jewish settlers live in Bat Ayin near the Palestinian towns of Hebron and Bethlehem.

In 2002, three settlers from Bat Ayin were sentenced by an Israeli court to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years for trying to set off a bomb near a Palestinian girls' school in Arab East Jerusalem. The injured seven-year-old boy is a son of one of the three jailed settlers. "

Mr Bagel: No mention of the boy who was murdered instead the blame for violence is implied on the 'injured boy' who was the son of "one of the three jailed settlers."

What a disgraceful example of slanted Journalism.

References:
Reuters: Jewish settlers rampage through West Bank village.
Ramallah Online:More Clashes and Unrest in village of Safa
JPost:Palestinians, Bat Ayin settlers clash

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Why do we allow others to define who we are?

Why do we allow others to define who we are?
Please feel free to comment.

Slain Israeli boy wasn't a 'settler'

"The Baltimore Sun's headline "Palestinian kills Israeli settler, 13" (April 3) was an unfortunate way of describing the cold-blooded ax-murder of a sweet, harmless little boy. And since the victim is described as a "settler," he is treated, in some way, as the bad guy, while the term "Palestinian" is, at most, neutral."

"I have visited Bat Ayin, the community where the killing occurred. It is in Gush Etzion south of Jerusalem. Gush Etzion was part of Jewish Palestine before 1948.

The Jordanian Arab Legion led by British officers besieged it and murdered all the males and deported the women and children. The children came back in 1967 and rebuilt the villages their fathers had died protecting.

Israel will never give back Gush Etzion; it is a nonnegotiable part of the land of Israel.

To call residents of Gush Etzion "settlers" is the same thing as calling Jews living live near the Western Wall settlers because this area was also reclaimed in 1967."

Rabbi Leonard Oberstein Baltimore

Further Reading:The History of Gush Etzion
A history of Gush Etzion and the Massacre of Kfar Etzion

References:
Slain Israeli boy wasn't a 'settler'

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Bodgey Bagels Caption Contest Week 39

The 'Almost Famous'
Bodgey Bagels Caption Contest

Number 39

Entries in by Sat 18th April

Bodgey Bagels Caption Contest

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

Or see the caption link in the Mr Bagel Menu.

Ground is broken for White House 'kitchen garden'

... Caption away!
Leave your entries in the comments section
before Saturday 18th April.
Take Note of New weekly Tuesday Deadline

Leave yourcaptions on Bodgey Bagel Comments

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Pro Palestinian Supporters decide what can be sold in French supermarkets

Forget freedom of choice you will do what we want!

If the video fails to play click here:
Pro-Palestinian Supporters Enter French Supermarket And Remove Israeli Goods From Shelves

This video has just appeared on the Pro Palestinian George Gallaway site 'Viva Palistina'
Seems these nice friendly people think its appropriate to march into French stores and start throwing products they don't want the stores selling into baskets. Why do they look so much like a lynching mob? Why were they able to get away with this kind of behaviour? Why do the most active 'activists' look like they might be Middle Eastern Muslims?
What would happen if some one marched into a French store and banned goods from Islamic countries??

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The New Diplomatic Mantra: Peace for Peace

Apparently the return of a sense of conviction and strength from Israel's new ruling coalition has made some parties very nervous. Some elements of the mass media are desperately trying to present this assertive stance in a poor light.

You can bet the inevitable violence that the Palestinians unceasingly direct towards the Israeli civilian population will be held to be the result of this 'refusal to bend (read buckle)'

AP has quickly jumped on the 'Israeli the peace breakers' bandwagon, as this article shows.
Re: Netanyahu pledges to produce peace policy soon

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said his government would immediately get to work on Mideast peace issues, promising to present a diplomatic agenda in the coming weeks.

Apparently within a week of forming a government your expected to have a comprehensive peace plan that covers all the opinions of your wide coalition. I think considering it has taken over a month to form a Government it might be safe to say it might take just over a week to form a consensual platform to negotiate peace from.

Speaking at the first meeting of his Cabinet, Netanyahu said he planned to appoint an inner Cabinet on Sunday to deal with the nation's most pressing security and political issues. "In the coming weeks, we shall complete our policy guidelines for progress on peace and security," he said.

Despite the media's portrayal of the Government being against peace, the real difference is this Government isn't going to persist in continuous compromises which are never rewarded and simply weaken Israel's position both strategically and militarily.

Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about his diplomatic program in recent weeks. Elected on a platform highly critical of his predecessor's peace talks with the Palestinians, he took a softer line when he was sworn into office last week, telling parliament he would pursue a "full peace" with the Arab and Muslim world

Remember when Israel was being called upon to negotiate with Hamas, who refuse to actually even acknowledge the existence of Israel? Well now with the new Israeli government only just coming into power we have this gem from Associated Press.

"However, Netanyahu has given few details about his program and has so far refused to endorse the idea of an independent Palestinian state. Palestinian independence is a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Mideast, and the Palestinians have said that if Netanyahu does not commit to a two-state solution, there is no point in negotiating."

Its almost sickening to see the Palestinians play the 'we really want peace card', the simple fact is its hard to believe some one is sincerely wanting peace whilst they're firing Katushas every day towards civilians.

In another article discussing the controversial approach (refreshing to some) by Avigdor Lieberman towards any future negotiations, written by Matti Freeman for AP :
Ex-foreign minister: Israel not a peace partner

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Lieberman's remarks were an insult to the world powers pushing for peace.

"He has slammed the door in the face of the U.S. and the international community," Erekat said. "It seems to me that this is President Obama's first real test."

Of all the people to talk about insults to world powers in the pursuit of peace Saeb Erekat takes the cake.

Its not enough that Tzipi Livni was giving concession after concession away in the recent peace negotiations, now she's actively undermining the position of the new coalition in future peace negotiations. Where does political point scoring become less important than Israel's future in any peace deals?

Two notable quotes from Lieberman:

"Netanyahu's hard-line foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, raised additional concerns on his first day in office when he dismissed as meaningless the past year of U.S.-led peace negotiations and said concessions to the Palestinians only invite war."

and the best quote to be heard this week:

Peace for Peace!

References:
AP: Netanyahu pledges to produce peace policy soon
AP : Ex-foreign minister: Israel not a peace partner
Picture Credit: Cox & Forkum

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Finally some reality therapy...

Finally, harsh realism from Israel

If Avigdor Lieberman's first speech as Israel's new foreign minister did nothing else, it certainly vexed the media.

The Associated Press called it a "scathing critique of Mideast peace efforts" that had diplomats "cringing," while other reports said Lieberman had "dropped a political bombshell," "sparked an uproar," "repudiated a key accord," and "reinforced fears." The New York Times pronounced Lieberman's remarks "blunt and belligerent," describing the foreign minister as a "hawkish nationalist" who is "not known for diplomacy" and heads an "ultranationalist" party that is "seen by many as racist." Headlines summed up Lieberman's debut as an attack on peacemaking: "Lieberman dashes peace hopes," "Israeli official hits peace efforts," "Lieberman dumps peace deal."

But the headlines were wrong, as anyone can ascertain by reading Lieberman's short address. Far from disparaging peace, Israel's new foreign minister called for pursuing it with the respect and realism it deserves. And far from "dumping" agreements entered into by his predecessors, he explicitly committed himself to upholding the Roadmap - a step-by-step blueprint to a "two-state solution" adopted by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the international Quartet in 2003.

"I voted against the Roadmap," Lieberman acknowledged, but it was "approved by the Cabinet and by the Security Council" and is therefore "a binding resolution." However, he insisted, it must be implemented "in full." The Roadmap imposes specific obligations that the Palestinians must meet prior to achieving statehood - above all, an unequivocal end to violence, terrorism, and incitement against the Jewish state - and Israel will not agree to waive them in order to negotiate a final settlement.

If Lieberman is as good as his word - and if he is backed up by Benjamin Netanyahu, the new prime minister - we may finally see an end to Israel's fruitless attempts to buy peace with ever-more-desperate concessions and retreats. Under Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert, Israel surrendered the entire Gaza Strip, released hundreds of arrested terrorists, and even offered to divide Jerusalem with the Palestinian Authority. "But none of these far-reaching measures have brought peace," said Lieberman. "To the contrary." The steeper the price Israel has been willing to pay for peace, the more it has been repaid with violence: suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnapped and murdered soldiers, and wars with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

It is time, Lieberman is saying, for Israel to stop genuflecting to a feckless and counterproductive "peace process" and to return instead to the pre-Oslo policy of deterrence. "The fact that we say the word 'peace' 20 times a day will not bring peace any closer," he noted. It only makes Israel seem weak and irresolute, encouraging its enemies not to halt their murderous jihad, but to redouble it. Sixteen years of appeasement have left Israel more demonized and isolated than ever, the foreign minister observed. And when was Israel most admired in the world? "After the victory of the Six Day War," when no one doubted the Jewish state's audacity or resolve.

"If you want peace, prepare for war," Lieberman declared.

That idea may offend the smart set and leave diplomats "cringing," but Israel's new foreign minister is hardly the first to express it. "To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace," affirmed President George Washington in his first address to Congress in 1790.

Perhaps the world would more clearly understand the nature of Israel's enemy if the media weren't forever fanning moral outrage at the Mideast's only bulwark of freedom and democracy.

In recent weeks, the Palestinian Authority has warned Arabs that it is "high treason" punishable by death to sell homes or property to Jews in Jerusalem; shut down a Palestinian youth orchestra and arrested its founder because the ensemble played for a group of elderly Holocaust survivors; and celebrated the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history with a TV special extolling the massacre. On Thursday, after a Palestinian terrorist used an axe to murder a 13-year-old Jewish boy, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - a wing of the "moderate" Fatah party - issued a statement claiming responsibility.

There is no appeasing such hatred, and demonizing those who say so will not change that fact. "If you want peace, prepare for war." How refreshing to hear an Israeli foreign minister say so.

Mr Bagel: Instead of never ending one sided concessions with no progress, now the agreed terms of the agreement have to be abided by. This is how it should have been in the first place.
To read the full article hit read more or go to this link:
Boston.com: Finally, harsh realism from Israel

References:
Boston.com: Finally, harsh realism from Israel
Article by Jeff Jacoby

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Hamas sinks to a new low of depravity

Ayman Taha

The article "Hamas: Bat Ayin attack a natural response to the occupation" in the Jerusalem Post shows just how low Hamas has sank in depravity. To justify the killing of a young boy and the attack of another is reprehensible.

According to JPost staff

The terror attack in the Bat Ayin settlement, in the West Bank, which killed a 13-year-old and injured a 7-year-old boy, was simply a natural response to the Israeli "occupation," a Hamas spokesperson said on Thursday.
"This attack was committed in the framework of the resistance," Ayman Taha said. "This is a reaction to the continuing occupation and the continued building of settlements."
"This is a natural reaction," he said, "especially against the backdrop of Israel attacks. We are a people occupied, and it is our right to defend ourselves and to act in every way and with every means at our disposal in order to defend ourselves."

Mr Bagel: The moral bankruptcy of Hamas is beyond the ability of imagining them as ever being willing peace partners.

References:
Jpost: Hamas: Bat Ayin attack a natural response to the occupation

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Netanyahu warns of Iran

New Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran is a `grave danger.'
JERUSALEM -- Ten years after being ousted as prime minister, conservative Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power Tuesday as the head of a hawkish coalition government that will be a pivotal player in President Barack Obama's push to stabilize the Middle East.

Netanyahu, 59, faces an immediate challenge in assuaging skeptical world leaders who worry that the new prime minister's combative style will undermine America's diplomatic efforts and fuel another spiral of violence in the Middle East.

In an unusually blunt interview with The Atlantic magazine, Netanyahu charged that Iran was a ''messianic apocalyptic cult'' with nuclear ambitions and a ''grave danger'' to the world.

European leaders have been especially critical of Israel because of its recent 22-day military offensive, which ravaged the Hamas-led Gaza Strip and prompted a brewing feud over the threatened demolition of some Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.

''We are not happy with some of the steps of the Israeli government, namely construction works close to Jerusalem, but also access to Gaza, which is today very limited,'' Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the presidency of the European Union, told the country's newspaper Lidove Noviny in Tuesday's edition.

read more from The Miami Herald

Mr Bagel: Nice of Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg to deem it is any of his business what gets built in Israel. Then again Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said, "The EU remains committed to the Durban Review Conference" and is ready to fully participate."

Cross Posted at: The War in Iran

References:
The Miami Herald: Netanyahu warns of Iran
JPost: EU countries worried about Durban II

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Remember the peaceful Arabs who resisted those 'Extreme Right wing marchers'?

Not an extremists, Just an Arab protesting in Umm al-Fahm

Well the marchers were portrayed as 'Jewish extremists' yet the Israeli Arabs from the town of Umm al-Fahm were the ones actually throwing the stones, and rioting. In all the photographs I saw the violence was from the Israeli Arabs, why is it acceptable for these Arabs to carry Palestinian flags in an Israeli town but its not permissible for other Israelis to carry the State flag of Israel?

Well now after the 'provocation of the extremist marchers' daring to march with Israeli flags unfurled through a town in Israel , we now are faced with extreme acts of violence towards at least two young boys from the Jewish Town of Bat Ayin.

I remember seeing the headline 'Extremists' and reading the description about these terrible extremists, it was only after more through reading I realised that the axe welding man was an Arab which makes it ok doesn't it? We all know that axe welding Arabs are quite acceptable when your protesting!! The question is, was this axe wielding 'non extremist Arab' arrested? If not why not?

In what universe would it be acceptable to bring an axe to any kind of protest?

There's a great degree of irony that the 'Far right wing marchers' managed to march, (without throwing projectiles) without anyone actually killing anyone, yet they are called the extremists.

Now an young Israeli boy has now been murdered by one of those poor Arabs exposed to the wanton brutality of having Jews marching through their town waving the flag of Israel'.

The question is if citizens such as this pictured friendly Arab can feel safe enough to bring an axe to a protest, is it any wonder that young children can be murdered by an Arab wielding an axe.

Updates to come

References:
News sources: various
Independent: Axeman kills Israeli child
Daled Amos: Bat Ayin: All Muslims Who Kill Israelis Are Militants (Updated)
Picture source: Getty Images: Umm al-Fahm Here

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Muslim students preventing Hindus from using Multi-faith centre

Seems its not enough that one third of British Islamic students think its acceptable to kill for Islam, now in a show of not so 'multi faith' spirit they are not allowing other students to use the multi faith centre at a British university.

A row has broken out at Queen Mary University, London about the use of its multi-faith centre. The National Hindu Students Forum (UK) claims that members of the Queen Mary’s Islamic Society have been physically preventing students of the university’s Hindu society from offering prayers at the multi-faith centre on the premises by standing 15 students at the door.

Read more at: Muslim students preventing Hindus from using Multi-faith centre

Mr Bagel: Seems the usual Islamic cries of equality and equal rights seem uncharacteristicly quiet right now?

References:
Redhotcurry.com: news
Hattip to: Infidels are cool

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Haifa Mall catastrophe averted

Haifa mall bomb stopped

If the video fails to play click here:
Haifa Mall attempted bombing

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Mr Bagel decides to blog???

Shrapnel

The Discovery of 40 Kilograms of Explosives next to a shopping centre? Juxtaposed against the possibility of the Israeli government releasing hundreds of terrorists.

So Its six months since I last blogged, the world has changed, the Israeli government is seriously considering releasing hundreds of terrorists in a bid to win Gilad Shalit's freedom and what should I blog about?

Well what could be a better topic than to mention another blogger of course! Its not often I'm on line anymore to blog, my life has changed so much in the last 12 months, but I have had the pleasure to come across one very seriously talented blogger who has quite the gift of the gab or is that pen?

Its not all roses thou, the blogger has been through more than what I would hope any one would go through. The blogs name?

My Shrapnel

A victim of the terrorist attack on Machane Yehuda . I figure who else to better seek their opinion on releasing terrorists than someone who has directly been affected?
Read the post ; And More on the "Iska"

Actually don't read the post! Read her blog... start here: Helpless

Mr Bagel: mmm maybe I should blog a little more??

image thanks to:x-rayproject

: Bagelblogger
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