Net Surfers Tortured and Beheaded in Baghdad

The surf is definitely "not up" in Baghdad. All in the name of Allah. This from Afif Sarhan for Al Jazeera ;

The Iraqi Aid Association (IAA), a Baghdad-based non-governmental organisation working with displacement, children and youth issues, says dozens of Iraqis have been killed after using the internet to access erotic sites.

Ahmed said most of the killings or abductions happen directly after the victims leave the internet cafes.

"There are no places to go so young people are making friends via chatrooms which are now also being condemned by Islamic extremists."

Even chatrooms are off limits for consenting adults.

Ibraheem Abdel-Qahar is a university student who gave up meeting friends and going to restaurants because of the violence and lack of security in Baghdad.

Spending most of his free time alone, he turned to browsing the internet and soon began surfing online pornography. But that is a decision he now bitterly regrets.

Late in May, Abdel-Qahar was kidnapped after leaving an internet cafe. He was blindfolded and taken to a house he believes to be on the outskirts of the capital.

"Someone was sitting near me at the internet cafe and probably was an extremist spy. He saw when I was watching some erotic movies and when I left the place I was immediately taken in a car with three men," the 23-year-old engineering student said.

He recalled that he was beaten with an iron bar and belt and forced to drink chicken blood and his own urine.

"They told me to take off all my clothes and handcuffed me. They started to beat me and use cigarettes to burn my legs.

"I was desperate and was shouting asking why they were doing that with me and after three hours of continuous torture they told me that it was because I was watching non-Muslim sites on the internet," he said.

After enduring six days of torture, Abdel-Qahar says he was dropped near his house and warned that if he was found browsing internet pornography again he would be killed.

Allahu Akbar!! Whether or not pornography is a recommended recreational activity is irrelevant. The brutality of the religion inspired punishment is.

He was also advised to seek salvation in the local mosque.

Where he probably be taught the virtues of the religion of peace and then urged to bestow upon others the same blessings he received when he left the internet cafe on that fateful day.

Muhammad Obeidi, owner of a private internet service, which offers cable systems to central districts of the capital, said: "People pay to use the internet and whatever is present inside has to be offered to them."

"It is the responsibility of each family to look after their relatives and in what they are browsing into. Our job is just to offer a connection."

Family responsibility? Are you kidding me? Even in America that went out the window with the dawn of liberalism.

But armed fighters have not spared internet cafe owners.

In February, Fadhel Ibraheem and Youssef Ala'a, owners of an internet cafe in Baghdad's Palestine Street, were tortured and beheaded for reportedly allowing access to pornography sites.

Yehia Ala'a, Youssef's brother said: "It wasn't my brother's fault. He was just offering the computers and internet access for people to use. The people who search for the internet entertainment just want to have some distraction in the middle of this hell and hypocritical society."

Patience. It's only going to get worse.

Saudi Snub

PA and Fatah leader Abbas was left out to dry in the Jordan sun. This from Al Jazeera;

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has snubbed the Palestinian president, skipping a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas on a visit to Jordan.

An Abbas official said "the meeting was postponed due to lack of time as both leaders had busy schedules", but Al Jazeera's David Chater, reporting from Jordan, said it was a deliberate and undiplomatic snub.

Abbas was kept waiting at a palace room for a telephone call that never came.

Instead, the Saudi monarch, who brokered a power-sharing deal between Abbas's Fatah faction and rivals Hamas in February, urged both sides to talk to each other, saying the infighting was benefiting only the Israelis.

The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt all fear that armed groups in their countries will be emboldened by Hamas's move and while they have publicly shown the Palestinian president support, they have also leaned on him to engage Hamas once more.

The Saudi monarch and his Jordanian counterpart, King Abdullah II, said on Wednesday that Hamas's Gaza takeover – which in effect split the Palestinians into two entities – could have "dangerous repercussions".

Saudi Arabia appears to be playing a dangerous game. On one hand they are scared to death of a Jihadist uprising at home. For the sake of pacification, they support the Jihadists in neighboring countries. Something has got to give.

Hamas has instilled fear in the hearts of "moderate" (quietly supportive of terror) Islamic nations. Although Hamas serves the "moderates" well when it comes to Israel; otherwise…NIMBY.

So why the Saudi Snub? Abbas' star has fallen simply because he is obsolete. He is no longer the pawn to be sacrificed in the war against Israel. Hamas has replaced him. He has become nothing more than a financial drain. Why would any "moderate" support Abbas while he is losing badly to Hamas, and simultaneously agitate the radicals?

Is this the beginning of the end for Fatah and Abbas?

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Iran "Fuel Ration Protest" Update

The rioting that is taking place in Iran in protest of government fuel rationing is causing quite a stir. Ahmadinejad is under political pressure to cancel the ration program and the Iranian Security Services have forbidden local journalists to cover the unrest. This from Robert Tait for The Guardian;

The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was under pressure to perform a U-turn on petrol rationing yesterday after the restriction prompted violent protests at filling stations across the country this week.

MPs said they would press the government to alter or even scrap the plan after angry citizens set fire to at least a dozen petrol stations in Tehran and chanted slogans against President Ahmadinejad following Tuesday night's sudden introduction of quotas.

Banks, supermarkets and fire engines were also attacked while further disturbances were reported in other big cities, including Isfahan and Shiraz.

There were unconfirmed reports that three people were killed in the violence, which led to 80 arrests.

In a sign of official concern that the disturbances might spread, the government temporarily closed the country's mobile phone text messaging network after widespread circulation of a text urging protestors to gather in Tehran's Valiasr Square.

And don’t be surprised if the news flow gets cut off as quickly as the fuel supply at local filling stations. This from the BBC;

Iran's top security body has ordered local journalists not to report on problems caused by petrol rationing,a day after its surprise introduction.

Angry motorists have reacted violently to the curbs, attacking up to 19 petrol stations in the capital, Tehran.

There are still long queues outside filling stations.

The authorities switched off the mobile text messaging system in Tehran overnight to prevent motorists from organising more protests.

Summertime in Tehran.

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Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Iranian "Moralization Campaign" Picks Up Steam

Iran continues to crack down on its citizens in the new phase of the "moralization campaign". Jail cells are at a premium. This from AKI

Tehran, 28 June (AKI) - A new phase of the Iranian government's moralisation campaign is due to kick off on Friday, and "is set to intensify over summer" said police chief General Ahmad Reza Radan. "The third phase involves the cleaning up of our parks and of our mountains of immoral elements which prevent families from passing their weekends peacefully." Behaviour in holiday spots, which is not in adherence with strict Islamic morality, will be punished. As well as dressing in appropriately, this could involve listening to music, singing or laughing out loud or walking hand in hand.

The police chief also gave some figures of the moralisation campaign which kicked off at the start of May.

During the first three months of the campaign against women not adhering fully to the strict Islamic dress code, in Tehran alone 62,785 women were stopped by police, and of these 1,837 were arrested.

"Of those arrested 412 were handed over to the judicial authorities while the remainder were freed after making formal commitments to wear the Muslim headscarf," he added.

Another 140 young people, both male and female, were arrested during "promiscuous" parties organised in private homes. In addition some 2,500 businesses, Internet cafes and restaurants have been temporarily or permanently closed down for having allowed people of opposite sexes to mix freely.

Around half the women arrested for not having obeyed the strict dress code were professionals or businessmen, while the remainder were housewives, university and high school students.

"In the last three months, we have arrested in the capital more than 8,000 young criminals who have offended public morals, and 2,000 of them are still in detention," he added.

Radan also referred to the confiscation of some 350,000 CDs and DVDs containing "indecent" music and films, without specifying what was meant by indecent.

The news agency FARS, which is close to the Tehran government, also reported that some 175 'indecent' paintings and sculptures at Tabriz, the capital of Iranian Azerbaijan. Among those seized in a shop there was a reproduction of the famous Primavera by Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli which has near naked figures cavorting in a pastoral scene.

All in the name of Allah.

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Olmert to Israeli Citizens: You're On Your Own

Its official…time to pack. Last one out, please turn off the lights. The Israeli Government under PM Olmert has officially abandoned the citizens to the whims of the Jihadists. This from The Jerusalem Post;

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that he had no intention of providing maximal protection to all residents of Gaza periphery communities. "A country cannot protect itself ad infinitum, because there would be no end to it."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the primary obligation of any government to protect its citizens as best as they possibly can? Even if there "is no end to it", you don't just give up.

The prime minister added that stepping up protection would be "just as [ineffective] as the demand to solve Sderot's Kassam problem by wiping Beit Hanun and other towns in Gaza off the face of the earth.

A little deterrence might help. At least try to look interested.

The prime minister appealed to the residents of the Gaza periphery: "In the short term we cannot supply you with all of the personal security that we would like to provide, because such protection would draw from expensive resources that are needed for other critical security needs."

In other words, when you hear the warning alarm…duck!! I have other important things to do with your tax money. I have government Minister's Without Portfolio's who need to be taken care of. I have to pay fat early retirement pensions to government workers. I have to pay government contractors many times over the going rate because I owe so many people favors. DUCK!!!

Olmert also addressed the media, asking that they "not encourage, even mutely, demands of citizens that no normal government could accept." He added that "life in Israel entails a certain security risk, and anyone who chooses to live in the Jewish state is accepting this risk." And yet, "the risk in Israel is lower than the risk threatening Jews in other parts of the world."

No one in their right mind could have foreseen you as Prime Minister; the greatest risk of all.

The prime minister addressed the issue of the three soldiers still being held by Israel's enemies. "We will balance the wish to return Gilad, Udi and Eldad with the need to protect Israel's crucial interests."

Translation: We will free more terrorists and get nothing for them in return.

It gets even worse. Not only will Olmert not protect the citizens, he is currently considering whether to stop pursuing wanted terror suspects if they give up terrorism. Think the US has amnesty issues? This from Yaakov Katz for the The Jerusalem Post;

Israel and the Palestinian Authority are discussing implementing a clause from a 2005 understanding whereby Israel would stop pursuing wanted terror suspects in the West Bank if they forswear terrorism, government officials said Thursday.

What a combo!! Abandon the citizens and stop hunting the Jihadists.

Its difficult enough living in a miniscule country surrounded by over a billion people who would slaughter you in a heart beat. Having a PM like Olmert makes it all the more difficult.

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Palestinians For A Nuclear Iran

Predictable.

This from Ynet;

Of 37 populations around the world, Palestinians rank first in their level of support for a nuclear-armed Iran, a new poll has revealed.

The survey, taken by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, found that 58 percent of the Palestinian public are in favor of Tehran acquiring atomic weapons, making Palestinians the only Middle Eastern population not opposed to an Iranian bomb.

"Most of the Muslim countries surveyed have negative or mixed opinions of Iran. Majorities among just three Muslim publics – in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Palestinian territories – say they favor Iran acquiring nuclear weapons," the survey said.

The poll added that "positive views of Iran have declined sharply over the past year in three Muslim countries – Indonesia, Egypt, and, especially, Turkey."

Not much of a surprise here. These are the same Palestinians who cheered Saddam’s scuds. These are the same Palestinians who have no regard for human life; be it their own or anyone else’s. Any situation that according to their narrow perception will put Israel under the gun is good news for them.

What they fail to realize is that nukes know no boundaries; if Israel goes then so does that hellhole we know as Gaza. Or maybe yet, they really don't care. The possibility self destruction will never hamper Palestinian efforts to destroy Israel.

Russia to Maintain Hamas Ties

What’s next..arms sales? This from Interfax:

MOSCOW. June 28 (Interfax) - Russia is planning to continue its contacts with the Palestinian movement Hamas to reach progress in the Middle East settlement process, said Oleg Ozerov, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"Russia, which is working for a resolution of the Palestinian crisis, will certainly maintain contact with all sides," he said at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday.

"We do not think that contacts with Hamas were a mistake," the diplomat said.

Both Hamas and Fatah represent a legitimate Palestinian power: one is executive, the other one is legislative, he said.

Can this be serious? The only way I can figure is that Hamas is an "executing" power, not executive.

The Russian diplomat has also called for Israel to abstain from the use of force.

"We resolutely condemn terrorist attacks against Israel, but we are also against any use of force, which forms a vicious circle and which must be cut in order to resume a peaceful process," the diplomat said.

Ah, the vicious circle. Israeli self defense always leads to Jihadist aggression. Therefore the Israelis must stop defending themselves. Then we will have world peace.

Russia continues to attempt to trip up US foreign policy. Whatever the position the US takes, you can be assured that Russia will somehow end up on the other side. Russia is building the Iranian nuclear reactor. Russia is against the NATO missile shield.

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez was in Moscow this morning for a meeting with Mr. Putin. It is rumored that Putin will agree to sell him 8 submarines. Anything to make trouble.

Who's Coup?

Was the Gaza Civil War a coup or just a little housecleaning? Or was it PA Chairman Abbas who actually pulled a coup...against the West?

A senior PA advisor seems to believe that Hamas was rooting out Fatah members who collaborated with the Israelis and Americans and undermining the work of US Lt. General Dayton. This from Ma'an News Agency;

Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided on Wednesday evening to dismiss the former minister of interior and member of Fatah's central committee, Hani Al-Hassan, from his post of chief advisor to the Palestinian president, sources close to the presidency affirmed. The dismissal came after Al-Hassan gave a controversial interview to the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV, severely criticising Fatah.

Several Fatah leaders telephoned Ma'an News Agency on Wednesday night and confirmed that they requested from Abbas to suspend Hani Al-Hassan after what he told Al-Jazeera.

The speaker of the Fatah bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council, Azzam Al-Ahmad, was quoted as saying, "What Hani Al-Hassan told Al-Jazeera does not represent the standpoint of any Palestinian teenager, and he only represents himself."

Other Fatah leaders considered Al-Hassan's claims to be extremely harmful to the Fatah position, namely when he considered the Hamas takeover in Gaza Strip as a defeat to an alleged plan of the US security coordinator to the Palestinians, Keith Dayton, and a defeat to the allies of the USA.

Others accused Al-Hassan of being unbalanced and said that Al-Jazeera should not have hosted him in such a way.

Israeli sources mentioned at midnight that gunmen opened fire at Hani Al-Hassan's home in Ramallah in the central West Bank after the interview on Al-Jazeera.

Fatah spokesperson Ahmad Abed Ar Rahman said: "The pre-prepared claims by Hani Al-Hassan during the program "Without Limits" on Al-Jazeera mark a complete disagreement with the Fatah central committee's position against the bloody coup in the Gaza Strip. This is a conspiracy plot, with regional plans. That was what the Iranian president Ahmadinejad revealed in his affirmation of support to the bloody coup which Hamas conducted."

Ma'an omits some detail as to what Al-Hassan said. Ali Waked for Ynet fills in the blanks;

The Gaza events were not a war between Fatah and Hamas; but between Hamas and Fatah collaborators who served the Americans and the Israelis, said a senior Fatah advisor on Wednesday.

Is Al-Hassan hedging his bet by making pro-Hamas statements or is he telling the truth? If he is telling the truth, then Abbas and Fatah have a lot of explaining to do. Abbas played the role of the democratic leader brutally ousted by vicious terrorists, knowing full well the naïve west would not stand by idly. Abbas properly evaluated the situation and took it to the bank.

Why was Al-Hassan dismissed? Why the gunshots? Sounds like someone has a nasty little secret to hide.

Abbas Outlaws Weapons...On Paper Only

We’ve heard the same old rhetoric used to describe the new and improved moderate Fatah government; "New Government", "New Opportunity" and "Fresh Start" to mention a few. PA and Fatah Chairman Abbas continues to play his role in this ugly game to perfection. In the true spirit of being a "moderate", he has outlawed all weapons that are not in the hands of his Security Service (S.S.). This from Ha’aretz :

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday outlawed all armed Palestinian groups except for the official PA security services.

"On the basis of the declaration of a state of emergency in the Palestinian territories, and by virtue of my authority, all armed militias, groups and brigades that do not belong in practice to the security services shall be treated as illegal organizations," read the first order.

The order forbade such groups to conduct any activity, whether secret or public, and said that criminal investigations would be opened against anyone caught participating in such activity.

"The government must halt the phenomenon of armed groups, prevent the bearing of arms and confiscate guns, explosives and any type of weaponry purchased illegally, since they endanger the public order," the decree continued.

Needless to say, the point is moot. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (a Fatah group) had this to say about the weapons ban;

The Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade, which is linked to Abbas’s Fatah, was among those to announce an intention to keep their weapons. Zacharia Zubeidi, the group’s head in Jenin, said, “Abu Mazen [a/k/a Abbas] meant the illegal weapons owned by criminal organizations, but our weapons are legitimate—the weapons of the resistance organizations.” Another wanted terrorist, Abu Aziz, called Abbas’s proclamation “irresponsible,” but said he would consider turning in his weapons if Israel would guarantee his safety.

In fact, a leader from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade today denied there ever was an order to disarm. This from Aaron Klein for WND;

TEL AVIV – Members of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' declared military wing, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, today denied claims by Abbas he asked the terror group to turn in their weapons, stating officials instead have encouraged them to continue their "resistance" activities.

"No one from Abbas' office ever asked us to disarm," Nasser Abu Aziz, the deputy commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern West Bank, told WND. "We will never disarm until all issues are settled, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Jerusalem and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees."

Abu Yousuf, a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Ramallah, told WND Abbas' claims the Brigades will disarm "are more of a message meant for the Israelis, the Americans and the international community."

"No one (from Abbas' office) addressed a single member of the Brigades and asked us to turn in our weapons," he said.

"A message for the West" is a common thread here. Say one thing and do the opposite. Whatever it takes to keep the cash flowing. And the West falls for it again and again.

One down. Hamas also cordially refused;

Abu Obaida, spokesman of Hamas' military wing the al-Qassam Brigades, said President Mahmoud Abbas' decree was "mere ink on paper and doesn't worth the ink that was used to write it." "The resistance groups will not wait any decree when they go to combat the invasion and no one has the right to determine the groups' future as long as the occupation remains in place," said Abu Obaida.

So much for Abbas and his plans. As if he actually has a chance of enforcing this edict. As usual, it’s all smoke and mirrors. A pretty facade for Western consumption. Hi Mom…send money.

And what has Fatah been up to recently….conveniently ignored by the MSM? This from Ma’an News Agency ;

Date: 26 / 06 / 2007 Time: 21:00

Gaza - Ma’an - The Fatah-affiliated Al Buraq Army announced that they launched a rocket-propelled grenade at the Israeli military position at Karni Crossing, between Israel and the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday.
“We are retaliating for Israeli aggression and assassinations and will stick to the choice of resistance,” said the brigades in a statement.

More Fatah activity from Ma’an News Agency ;

Date: 27 / 06 / 2007 Time: 12:33

Gaza - Ma'an - The Fatah-affiliated Al Buraq Army has claimed to have been involved in a gunfight with Israeli Special Forces in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning.

The guns are not only still out there but they are now pointed at Israel. RPG’s as well. I guess Olmert’s goodwill gestures weren’t rich enough.

The MSM still refuses to cover any Fatah hostilities as that would surely interrupt the lovefest. As long as the naughty bits are swept under the rug, the West (and Israel) can continue to satisfy their undying hunger for appeasement.

We’ve been down this road before and nothing was accomplished. In fact, the situation is much worse. Iran..sorry, Hamas rules Gaza, and it seems like only a matter of time before the West Bank falls as well.

Why does anyone think that supporting the "moderate" Jihadists will work now?

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Iranians Protest Fuel Rationing

When is the last time you heard calls for Ahmadinejad's head…from Iranians?? This from the BBC;

At least one petrol station has been set on fire in the Iranian capital, Tehran, after the government announced fuel rationing for private motorists.

Iranians were given only two hours' notice of the move that limits private drivers to 100 litres of fuel a month.

Tehran is trying to rein in fuel consumption over fears of possible UN sanctions over its nuclear programme.

Iran fears the West could sanction its petrol imports and cripple its economy.

"Guns, fireworks, tanks, [President] Ahmadinejad should be killed," chanted angry youths, throwing stones at police.

Eyewitnesses have seen at least one petrol station in the outskirts of the west of Tehran on fire.

All over the city there are huge queues and reports of scuffles at petrol stations as motorists try to beat the start of the rationing and fill their tanks.

Finally…a crack. This is proof positive that the West's approach to Iran must be hardened. Tougher sanctions lead to tougher times. Tougher times lead to unrest. Unrest leads to change.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Rice: Hamas a Resistance Movement-MSM Covers Up

The US State Department recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization. However, to the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice they are only a "resistance movement". What's next Condi…American aid for Hamas? Khaled Maashal in Washington? This from Aaron Klein for WND;

JERUSALEM – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice twice referred to Hamas as a "resistance movement" during a meeting with reporters from the New York Daily News earlier this month, but the newspaper did not report her remarks, WND has learned.

I guess it's not newsworthy.

Rice's interview is transcribed in full on the State Department website.

Rice's statements mark the second documented time in recent months she called Hamas a "resistance movement" during unscripted chats with journalists.

Hamas is responsible for scores of suicide bombings, shooting attacks and rocket firings. It's classified by the State Department as a terror organization. The group's official charter calls for the murder of Jews and quotes widely from the anti-Semitic creed, the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion."

During the interview June 8 with the editorial board of the Daily News, Rice was asked about the recent history of democratic elections in the Middle East resulting in the rise to power of terror groups, such as Hamas.

Rice told the paper it was "very interesting to see Hamas trying to come to terms with no longer being really a resistance movement, but having to deal with politics."

Rice then referred to Hamas as a resistance movement a second time during then interview.

"A moderate Palestinian friend of mine said, 'You know, they (Hamas) used to be the great resistance, running the streets with their faces covered and going after Israel. And now, they look like a bunch of politicians who also can't make the sewer system work."

She went on to reference Hamas' terror cells, calling them the group's "military wing," which regularly carries out terror attacks, including shootings and firing of rockets into Jewish population centers.

"And they're (Hamas) clearly uncomfortable in that framework, which is part of why I think you see the military wing of Hamas trying to make this again about Israel and the Palestinians, not about the contestation of politics inside the Palestinian territories," Rice said.

Rice's loose tongue goes a long way in explaining the apparent u-turn in the Administration's approach to the war on terror. On September 12, 2001, all guns were ablaze. The US was ready to take on terror; anytime, anywhere. Lately, however, the Administration has taken a more passive approach.

Maybe it's not a u-turn after all. According to Rice, the US has won the war. There are no longer any terrorist groups. Only resistance movements remain.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

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Ahmadinejad Scolds Egypt & Jordan, Warns the West

The Sharm Summit that took place in Egypt yesterday was not exactly a ringing success for Israel. Even so, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not exactly pleased with Jordan and Egypt. For the West…more threats. This from Dudi Cohen for Ynet;

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized Tuesday Arab countries who maintain ties with Israel, saying they "help the Zionist regime oppress the Palestinian people."

According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, Ahmadinejad appealed to Jordan and Egypt to "stop this betrayal."

"What do you want? You want to placate the arrogant (western world)? Try placating the Lord and the suppressed people. If it's power you want, this is the better way to go.

"If you think you can sell Palestine to the leaders of arrogance, you are wrong. These steps will arouse the rage of the peoples and you will lose their support."

Addressing western leaders, Ahmadinejad added, "Notice that the age of power, threat and coercion of the people is over. Do not think that if a number of people convene in one city and make a few decisions, they can solve the problem of Palestine."

How ironic!! Power, threat and coercion is Ahmadinejad’s recipe for staying in power!!

The Iranian president sent out a warning to the western world, saying, "You must know that the peoples of the region have woken up and they will repay your betrayal with tight fists.

"They will not allow the traitors to continue their work. The way to solve the problem of Palestine is through justice and respectful treatment of the Palestinian people."

And that of course means the destruction of Israel.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Abbas Looks To Import Jihadists

And now we begin to see the fallout from Ehud Olmert’s surrender. Abbas wants to import Jihadists from...Jordan!! This from Ma’an News Agency:

Jerusalem - Ma’an - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has requested that Israel allow the transfer of the Fatah-affiliated Badr Brigades from Jordan to the West Bank in order to bolster his powers after Hamas’ seizure of control in the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials said on Tuesday.

"The Palestinians put in a request yesterday to transfer the Badr Brigade from Jordan to the West Bank," a senior Israeli government official told Reuters. "It is being evaluated and a decision will be made soon.

It has been reported that the Badr Brigade has less than 1,000 fighters, who are at various levels of training.

The brigades’ readiness for action against militant groups is debated.

Although Badr is considered to be loyal to Fatah, it also has strong ties to the Jordanian king.

1,000 troops; probably useless in battle. What does Abbas need them for? Is this the beginning of the "Right of Return" campaign?

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Danes Celebrate St. Hans Eve By Burning Mohammad In Effigy

They usually burn a witch, but this year Mohammad was first choice.



Translation of the Danish intro:

We declare:

Saint Hans’ Eve has always celebrated the tradition of burning away the evil, in earlier times symbolized by the witch, who was supposedly directly connected to Satan. And if the witch was not burned then the harvest could not be safely brought into the house.

Now a new evil has arrived in Europe, an evil that lies and kills in the name of their so-called God. An evil that springs from the so-called Prophet Mohammed. Therefore, in our time, it is he who symbolizes evil and it is not just one harvest that will disappear, but all of Western Europe’s future that will vanish if this evil is not dispatched to Hekkenfeldt [i.e. Hell, literally the Hekla volcano in Iceland - BB].

Therefore will we burn the so-called Prophet Mohammed, on June 23, 2007, in three nameless places.

We burned Mohammed in three different places across the country. We now release the video from the first burning. The next videos will be released on July 23 and August 23.

For a Mohammed-free Denmark!!!

Courtesy of Baron Bodissey at Gates of Vienna

I have also added this little treat. Thanks to The Canadian Sentinel.

250 Acts of Treason

A summary of Israeli PM Olmert's statement of surrender from Nissan Ratzlav-Katz for the INN ;

Addressing his remarks to the PA Arabs, Prime Minister Olmert said that Israel is just as sensitive to the issue of its kidnapped soldiers as the residents of the PA are to the issue of their relatives serving time in Israeli jails.

Olmert compares a kidnapped soldier to jailed Jihadists. The only difference in Olmert's world is that the Jihadists are set free to terrorize while the kidnapped waste away in the hell of Gaza.

Prime Minister Olmert then announced, "Out of sensitivity to the matter of the prisoners, I decided today to bring before the government of Israel a decision according to which we will release 250 prisoners, members of Fatah, without blood on their hands, and who will commit themselves to refrain from further involvement in terrorism. I do this because I understand the importance of negotiations with the Palestinian Authority."

Who is going to guarantee the commitment, Abbas? He just merged the murderous al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade into his own security force! And that force is about to increase by 250 members.

He added that the intended mass prisoner release had another purpose, as well: "It is important that every Palestinian knows that whoever is prepared to have peaceful and conciliatory relations with us will receive our hand outstretched in peace."

What every Palestinian knows now more than ever is that terror pays. I would paraphrase Olmert's statement as follows; ""It is important that every Palestinian knows that as long as the terror continues, you will receive our arms outstretched in surrender."

In addition, Olmert promised to transfer withheld tax revenues to the PA, to make "meaningful" improvement in the freedom of movement of the Arab population in Judea and Samaria, and to renew commercial ties with that population.

More money for terror. More money to line the pockets of the corrupt Fatah leadership.

Israel will not cut basic supplies to Gaza, either, the Prime Minister avowed, saying, "We will not punish the Gaza population for the actions of the Hamas leaders."

Why punish the population who brought Hamas to power? Did the US support the German population during WWII? Israel supplies Gaza with water and electricity while it so hastily turns off service to Israeli's suffering economic distress due to the effects of terror. Qassam besieged Sderot still has not received the proper protection promised by the government so long ago. Residents of the north still do not have the adequate bomb shelters promised by the government so long ago.

What is important to the Olmert government is that Gazans are taken care of. Israel disengaged. Let Egypt feed them. Let Egypt supply them with water and electricity.

According to Prime Minister Olmert, the new Abbas- and Fatah-led government of the PA "recognizes Israel's right to exist," accepts the "two states for two peoples" solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, "opposes terrorism," and "includes no representatives of terrorist organizations."

Fatah's response? This from Ma'an News Agency;

Gaza - Ma'an - Spokesman for Fatah-affiliated Al Aqsa Brigades, Abu Fuad, on Monday urged the Palestinian people to support the "choice of resistance".

In a press statement made in Gaza he said "the Israeli policies will be frustrated on the rock of the steadfastness of the people, as before. We confirmed that we are putting the issue of the prisoners at the top of our priorities".

He urged the Palestinian leaders to move immediately to "expose the Israeli position and the barbaric way they are treating the Palestinian people." He also urged "the Arab League and the Islamic organizations to take a step forward, act in more responsible way and support the Palestinian people."

So much for Olmert's goodwill gestures.

According to Al Jazeera, the 250 acts of treason committed by Olmert will result in…..nothing!!

But the "goodwill" measure will not help increase Abbas's popularity across factional divides because Ehud Olmert said the prisoners had to be members of Abbas's Fatah faction.

They also had to be "without blood on their hands" and willing to renounce terrorism.

The Arab media is already planting the seeds to negate the "goodwill gesture".

Olmert released 250 Jihadists and all he well get in return is a demand for more. And terror, of course. All the while Gilad Shalit still sits in Gaza.

Two noteworthy responses from Israel's right;

MK Zvi Hendel of NU\NRP said that "Olmert continues to gallop at breakneck speed towards the precipice of a destroyed path and the annihilation of Israel's might. If the prisoners who are to be released were imprisoned subsequent to the Oslo accords then what has changed? Hendel asked, and answered that "Then too we said that Fatah was peace-loving and that we should caress them and hug them, and yet they committed crimes against the citizens of Israel. Every minute that goes by with this man (Olmert) still in power intensifies the danger to Israel."

MK Arye Eldad, another member of Hendel's party, said that "Irrespective of the practical failure of the Sharm summit for furthering peace in the Middle East, Olmert was forced into the Pavlovian response of releasing prisoners and rewarding terror."

At least some people get it. It's treason.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Germany Protests Against Mosque

The Jews and neo-Nazis have found a common cause. I guess Islam promotes peace after all. This from Harry de Quetteville for the Telegraph ;

The construction of one of Europe's biggest mosques near to a globally famous Christian landmark has sparked a furious row in Germany.


Immigration and integration are hugely sensitive questions in Germany, which is home to a Turkish community of several million. But almost within the shadow of Cologne Cathedral, political correctness has now been replaced by bitter confrontation as the city's Muslims begin to build a 2,000-capacity mosque with twin minarets that will reach 170ft.

"Muslims have been here for 40 years, yet people are praying in back rooms," said Seyda Can, an Islamic theologian at the Turkish Islamic Union in Cologne. "There are 120,000 Muslims in Cologne, that's 12 per cent of the population. We should not hide."

Just like the Jews and Christians have the right to practice their religions in Muslim countries.

"With this mosque Muslims will no longer think of their old countries as their home, but of Germany," she said.

Dar-al-Islam?

"Two hundred years ago the first Protestant church was built in Cologne. It was a long process for Protestants to be accepted but today, of course, they are. Why can't we be the same?"

Because you promote mass murder…Jihad.

"It's not a popular plan," said Joerg Uckermann, the district's deputy mayor. "We don't want to build a Turkish ghetto in Ehrenfeld. I know about Londonistan and I don't want that here."

Bingo. Resistance.

Mr Uckermann is part of a curious coalition of protest that has united Jewish intellectuals and neo-Nazis. Leading the charge is Ralph Giordano, a prominent Jewish author, who wrote recently that Germany was witnessing a "clash of two completely different cultures" and questioned whether they could ever be reconciled.

Stating that he had received death threats for his opinions, he added: "What kind of a state are we in that I can face a fatwa in Germany?"

Last I checked…Germany is part of Eurabia, Fatwa County.

For Mr Uckermann, who belongs to the Right-wing CDU party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Giordano's comments smashed a long-held taboo in Germany. "Gior-dano broke down the wall," he said. "Before if you criticised this monstrous mosque you were a Nazi. But we have a problem with the integration of Muslims. It's a question of language and culture."

"We live in a land of religious freedom," said Prelate Johannes Bastgen, the cathedral's dean. "I would be very glad if the same principle existed in Muslim countries."

al-Qaeda: Sharia Law In Gaza

What took them so long? This from AP ;

Al-Qaida's deputy leader called on Muslims around the world to back Hamas with weapons, money and attacks on US and Israeli interests in a Web audiotape Monday, urging the Palestinian militant group to unite with al-Qaida's "holy warriors" after its takeover of Gaza.

The message from Ayman al-Zawahri, who is Osama bin Laden's top deputy, marked a major shift by al-Qaida, which in the past criticized Hamas for joining a government with the US-supported Fatah faction.

Al-Zawahri urged Hamas to implement Islamic law in Gaza, telling it, "Taking over power is not a goal but a means to implement God's word on earth."

"Unite with mujahedeen (holy warriors) in Palestine ... and with all mujahedeen in the world in the face of the upcoming attack where Egyptians and Saudis are expected to play part of it," he added, suggesting that the two countries intend to attack Hamas to uproot its control of Gaza.

"Provide them (Hamas) with money, do your best to get it there, break the siege imposed on them by crusaders and Arab leader traitors," al-Zawahri, who is Osama bin Laden's top deputy, said, addressing Muslims around the world. "Facilitate weapons smuggling from neighboring countries."

"We can support them by targeting the crusader and Zionist interest wherever we can," al-Zawahri said.

Ariel Sharon’s Gaza disengagement looks better and better everyday.

Mid-East Madness

Israeli PM Olmert is on his way to the "Sharm Summit" to officially cave in to the international demand to strengthen the Fatah terrorist organization. Caving in might not be the appropriate phrase as Olmert is willing to capitulate all on his own. Israel will agree to send more money, guns and armored vehicles to a group who has not for one second ceased its terror activities. Israel will also start dismantling the same checkpoints which have saved so many lives.

Fatah is expected to demand even more. This from Khaled Abu Toameh for the Jerusalem Post;

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to demand the release of hundreds of Fatah prisoners from Israeli jails during Monday's summit in Sharm e-Sheikh, PA officials said.

The officials also said Abbas would call for supplying the Fatah-controlled security forces with more weapons to thwart attempts by Hamas to try to take over the West Bank.

"We want thousands of rifles, hundreds of armored vehicles and a lot of ammunition," one PA official told The Jerusalem Post. "We also want Jordan and Egypt to help train our forces in the West Bank."

Another official said that Abbas and his aides would ask Israel torelease senior Fatah operative Marwan Barghouti and hundreds of Fatah prisoners to enhance Fatah's status.

"We will also ask Israel to remove most of the checkpoints in the West Bank and to increase the number of Palestinians who are permitted to work in Israel," he said. "These measures are needed to boost Fatah's standing in the West Bank and to prevent Hamas from establishing bases of support there."

He said Abbas would also ask Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to instruct the IDF to stop pursuing Fatah gunmen and to refrain from raiding Palestinian cities and villages in the West Bank.

Nice stuff. Doesn't anyone in the Bush or Olmert Administration see the insanity in the whole process? How long can Israel continue to support and arm a terrorist group who is bent on destruction?

The newest Israeli aid package is being marketed as an anti Hamas campaign. Taking into account the next news item that specifically states that Fatah officers aided Hamas in the Gaza coup, it is all too surrealistic. This from Ali Waked for Ynet;

"Dozens of officers in the (Fatah-affiliated) security forces are suspected of cooperating with Hamas during the Islamist group’s takeover of the Gaza Strip,” a senior Palestinian security official said Sunday.

According to the official, some senior officers have been suspected of cooperating with Hamas even prior to the decisive round of clashes with Fatah. He said the officers received money from Hamas in exchange for transferring information on the deployment of Palestinian Authority forces in the Strip.

Taking Fatah under your wing is bad enough; taking a Fatah that is aiding Hamas is downright insanity. Is there any nation in the world that arms their enemy in the time of battle? Did the US send money and arms to Germany and Japan during WWII? Did the US send nukes to Russia during the Cold War?

The Israeli Government is not the only guilty party here. The Bush Administration is just as guilty. Every last bullet and dollar that finds its way to the Fatah coffers has upon it the US seal of approval; and I'm not even talking about the millions of dollars and tons of weapons that the US transferred directly. The same weapons that are currently in Hamas hands.

The insanity must stop. Israel is well on the road to financing its own destruction. However, it's not too late. The first step in restoring order is the removal of the Olmert Government. The lives of millions have been entrusted in his dhimmi hands. Not only is he not protecting them, he is putting every Israeli civilian in harms way…at Israeli taxpayer expense. I am financing the next terror attack. I am supporting the next Qassam launch.

I will also pay for the next funeral.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Imam: Rushdie Death Fatwa Still Valid

Did anyone think otherwise? This from the Fars News Agency ;

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- The death sentence fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie by the late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, 18 years ago is still valid and will remain so, a leading cleric said on Friday following Britain's knighting of the controversial author.

"In Islamic Iran, the revolutionary fatwa issued by Imam Khomeini remains valid and cannot be modified," Hojatoleslam Ahmad Khatami said during his Friday prayers sermon in Tehran.

"The old and decrepit government of Great Britain should know that the era of their empire is over and today they are a valet in the service of the United States," Khatami added.

ON ANOTHER Iranian front, The NY Times has an interesting article on a new Iranian crack down on dissidents. These pictures are worth at least a thousand words;

A police officer forced a young man whose clothes were deemed un-Islamic to suck on a plastic container Iranians use to wash their bottoms.





Oh, to be in Iran.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

The Taliban's 6 Year Old Suicide Bomber

All in the name of Allah.

Would he even know what to do with the all the virgins?

This from Chiade O'Shea for The Guardian ;

Children as young as six are being used by the Taliban in increasingly desperate suicide missions, coalition forces in Afghanistan claimed yesterday.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to which Britain contributes 5,000 troops in southern Afghanistan, revealed that soldiers defused an explosive vest which had been placed on a six-year-old who had been told to attack Afghan army forces in the east of the country.

The boy was spotted after appearing confused at a checkpoint. The vest was defused and no one was hurt.

"They placed explosives on a six-year-old boy and told him to walk up to the Afghan police or army and push the button," said Captain Michael Cormier, the company commander who intercepted the child, in a statement. "Fortunately, the boy did not understand and asked patrolling officers why he had this vest on."

Lieutenant Colonel David Accetta, ISAF eastern regional command spokesman, told the Guardian: "In the past we have not seen the Taliban sink that low, to use children as suicide bombers. The personnel secured the vest to make sure the child was safe."

This is our enemy.

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
123beta Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Crossposted to Jihad Watch & The Religion of Peace

Dear Mr. Fantasy

Some just don’t get it. They’ll stand in the midday sun and swear that night has fallen. They will stare down the barrel of a gun and claim they see an olive branch. Welcome to the world of Israeli PM Olmert. This from Ahiya Raved for Ynet;

Olmert spoke in a conference held by The Foundation Fund (Keren Hayesod), an organization dedicated to raising funds for Israel all over the world.

“I'll be meeting with President Mubarak, King Abdullah and Abu Mazen on Monday, and together we'll try to create a fresh start for us and for the Palestinians," he said.

Another fresh start. Someone please remind me how many of these starts we have seen. I have lost count.

"We'll have the hand of the US guiding us. President Bush wants to see the vision of a Palestinian state co-existing peacefully alongside Israel realized before he leaves his presidency.

Forget it. The Palestinians will see that it never happens. They don’t want it to. They never did.

Some say it (the violence in the Strip) only proves we have no partner for peace. I choose to see the chances, not just the difficulties. I think things in Gaza are turning around for the better.”

The icing on the cake. Things in Gaza are getting better?? Excuse me…but have you watched the news lately? Are you aware that Iran is sitting in your backyard? Are you aware that the worst kind of Islamic state is just on the other side of a security fence?

Are you serious?

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
123beta Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Hamas MP: Jihad and Martyrdom are Obligatory for Women

A little more insight into the insane world of Hamas and Jihad. The following are excerpts from an interview with Dr. Yunis Al-Astal, a Palestinian MP representing Hamas, which aired on Al-Rafidein TV on June 17, 2007; courtesy of MEMRI ;

Yunis Al-Astal: "The most exalted form of jihad is fighting for the sake of Allah, which means sacrificing one's soul by fighting the enemies head-on, even if it leads to martyrdom. Martyrdom means life next to Allah."

"When jihad becomes an individual duty, it applies to women too, because women do not differ from men when it comes to individual duties."

When the next pregnant woman is stopped an Israeli checkpoint you will now know why.

"In the second Al-Aqsa Intifada, females martyrdom-seekers emerged. These are young women, in the prime of their life, at a time when girls like these think only about jewelry and preparing for marriage. Nevertheless, they went to their martyrdom, advancing head-on with a great fighting spirit. This Intifada of ours has recorded more than 15 exemplary cases of girls who were martyred for the sake of Allah. But not before making the Jews - the brothers of apes and pigs - taste the bitterness of death, and not before avenging the blood of the martyrs, the wounded, the bereaved, the prisoners, the displaced, those whose homes were destroyed, those whose lands were bulldozed, and all those who were affected by the earthquake of the sons of Zion."

Will any international organizations condemn these brutally racial remarks? Will any British organizations boycott the Palestinians for issuing such statements?

"The most important message is that our enemies should know that there is no place for them on the land of Palestine. Each and every boy and man, and each and every girl and woman, is a potential martyrdom-seeker. The enemy should know that we are prepared to wear explosive belts, and to throw ourselves in the midst of the enemy, in order to make them taste the evil consequences of their deeds. They should know that they have no other choice - either they leave or they will die, even if it takes a long time."

"The message of the female martyrdom-seekers to the enemies is that they should go back to where they came from, or else our jihad will continue until this land regains its holiness - from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River."

I guess the land for peace deal is off the table.

See the full video, courtesy of MEMRI, here.

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
123beta Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Crossposted to The Religion of Peace

Church Leaders Against the “Occupation”

Apparently, they have it all backwards. It’s the Palestinians who are illegally occupying Israeli land. This from Abdul Jalil Mustafa for Arab News ;

AMMAN, 22 June 2007 - More than 130 Church leaders representing 550 million Christians worldwide yesterday ended a conference in Jordan by calling for an end to Israel’s “illegal occupation” of Palestinian territories.

The three-day meeting, held under the auspices of the World Council of Churches (WCC) endorsed the central committee’s decision to launch the “Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum.”

The forum seeks to “catalyze and coordinate new and existing church advocacy for peace aimed at ending the illegal occupation in accordance with UN resolutions, and demonstrate its commitment to inter-religious action for pace (sic) peace and justice that serves all the people of the region,” a WCC statement said.

“Churches have woken up to the issues in the Middle East like never been before. Another time we woke up is when we fought apartheid in Africa. This is another apartheid,” WCC General Secretary Samuel Kobia told reporters. “The WCC core group will reconvene before late September to begin making appeals for immediate action,” he said.

In their “urgent plea,” which stresses the UN resolutions are the basis for peace, the church clerics and affiliated associations vowed to take action as a united front. The document expressed support for the Palestinian self-determination, described the Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories as “illegal and an obstacle to peace” and dubbed the separation barrier built by Israel as “a grave breach of international law.”

So often, prejudice gets in the way of the facts. It is impossible to refer to Israel as an occupier of Palestinian lands...if there is no such thing as Palestinian territories. Before Israel’s capture of the so called territories in 1967, they belonged to Syria, Egypt and Jordan. There was no Palestine of the Palestinians. It was under the British Mandate until partition in 1948. The Arabs rejected the partition and declared war.

Before the British were the Turks and so many others all the way back to the Kingdom of Judea; destroyed by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago. During this entire period, the said land was never under Palestinian rule. Never. In fact, before 1967, when Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip, they were never considered occupiers of Palestinian land. The Jordanians were never considered occupiers of the West Bank. There was no occupation because it was not under the rule of the Palestinians.

The lands were only considered occupied once the Jews took charge. Now that became just a bit too much for everybody.

Fact: there never was a Palestine ruled by Palestinians. Therefore, no country can ever be accused of occupying Palestinian territory. There simply is no such thing.

And what’s with the comparison to apartheid?

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Perri Nelson
123beta Dumb Ox Wake Up America

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

NY Times: Mouthpiece for Terrorist Propaganda

It should come as no surprise that New York Times elected to give Ahmed Yousef, political adviser to Ismail Haniya, a platform to spew Hamas propaganda. After all, editorial choices like this are what separate the Times from reputable papers that don’t give comfort to the enemy. Last I checked, the U.S. still recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization. No American media outlet should provide Hamas with the vehicle to express the freedom of speech that Hamas withholds from so many.

Here are some samples;

It has consistently offered a 10-year cease-fire with the Israelis to try to create an atmosphere of calm in which we resolve our differences. Hamas even adhered to a unilateral cease-fire for 18 months in an effort to normalize the situation on the ground. None of these points appear to have been recognized in the press coverage of the last few days.

At what price the ceasefire? Only Israel’s return to the 1967 borders, the right of return for Palestinians and the release of prisoners held in Israeli jails. These terms seem very similar to those offered to Israel at the Mecca Accord…for a peace treaty!!

And what happens after 10 years?? Peace, love and understanding?

Hamas did not adhere to their ceasefire. Not at all. The fact that they were in power since 2006 and did nothing to prevent hundreds of Qassams being fired from Gaza makes them as culpable as anyone.

The press didn’t cover these “facts” simply because they don’t hold water and because they pale in comparison to the brutality Hamas has displayed.

Nor has it been evident to many people in the West that the civil unrest in Gaza and the West Bank has been precipitated by the American and Israeli policy of arming elements of the Fatah opposition who want to attack Hamas and force us from office.

As always…blame the Americans and Israelis for you insatiable blood lust. And when the Israelis are no longer in Gaza, the Muslims find cause to kill each other. But hey, its not their fault.

The streets of Gaza are now calm for the first time in a very long time. We have begun disarming some of the drug dealers and the armed gangs and we hope to restore a sense of security and safety to the citizens of Gaza. We want to get children back to school, get basic services functioning again, and provide long-term economic gains for our people.

The streets are calm because your enemies are either dead or running for their lives. Everyone else is following your orders issued by the barrels of your guns.
I am sure your schools beckon for your precious children whom you so brazenly send to their suicidal deaths. Summer is coming…Jihad camp is open.

Any further attempts to marginalize us, starve our people into submission or attack us militarily will prove that the United States and Israeli governments are not genuinely interested in seeing an end to the violence.

And for the finale, the veiled threat.

The Times should be ashamed of themselves. If they only had shame.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Abbas: Hamas is Creating an "Empire of Darkness"

Very telling words considering they come from Fatah Chairman Abbas; no small terrorist himself. This from Hisham Abu Taha & Mohammed Mar’i for Arab News;

RAMALLAH/GAZA CITY, 21 June 2007 - President Mahmoud Abbas lashed out at Hamas yesterday, accusing them of trying to build an “empire of darkness” in Gaza and pledging he would not talk to “murderous terrorists.” Addressing the Palestinian people for the first time since the Hamas takeover of Gaza, Abbas in a televised speech to the Palestine National Council, sought approval for his recent steps, such as declaring a state of emergency, firing the Hamas-led government and setting up an emergency Cabinet of moderates.

Abbas, a terrorist himself, won’t talk to Hamas and is not exactly mincing words when speaking of them, yet Europe is eerily quiet. Will the Eurodollars flow?

At one point, Abbas also described in great detail what he said was a Hamas attempt to assassinate him. He said he obtained footage of Hamas members dragging large amounts of explosives through a tunnel they had dug under Gaza’s main road — the one he takes to get to his office — and saying “this is for Abu Mazen,” Abbas’ nickname. He said he sent the tape to Hamas’ supreme leader, Khaled Meshaal, and to Arab leaders to illustrate Hamas intentions.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri hotly rejected Abbas’ statements. “What he said was disgusting and not appropriate for the Palestinian president,” the Hamas official said. “The president has harmed himself with his words.”

Maybe Abu Zuhri “rejected” Abbas’ statements but he sure didn’t deny them.

The question that remains is not if there will be Hamas vs. Fatah Round Two…but when.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Is Hamas Brutality Spreading to the West Bank?

This murder has Hamas’ fingerprints all over it. Sheer brutality. From Ma’an News Agency;

Nablus - Ma'an - Unidentified gunmen killed on Thursday Rami Sirreis, 32, in Ein Beit Al Ma refugee camp in west Nablus city, in the northern West Bank.

Local sources in the refugee camp told our correspondent that Sirreis was a construction worker, and he was killed as traveling home after visiting his sister. A number of masked gunmen obstructed his way and opened fire at him. He received several gunshots in the chest and legs and died after being transferred to Rafidia hospital in Nablus.

The sources stated that Sirreis was not affiliated to any political party, yet he was considered a Fatah loyalist, according to Fatah sources in Al-Ein refugee camp. The killing of Sirreis was the 10th murder in Nablus over the past 10 days.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Tales of Hamas Brutality

The fortunate among the Palestinians who suffered at the hand of Hamas survived. The real lucky ones made it to Israeli hospitals. They are able to tell the tale of a hell on earth. This from Fadi Eyadat and Mijal Grinberg for Haaretz ;

Fatan al-Hinawi, 9, was hospitalized in the children's ward of Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv after being wounded in Gaza. A bullet punctured her side, hit her spine, bowels, a kidney and came out the other side, hitting her arm.

Al-Hinawi is one of five Palestinians, three of them children, who were caught in Hamas-Fatah cross fire and taken to Ichilov. Some are in serious condition.

Shadi, a 23-year-old policemen, is one of them. He was attacked by Hamas gunmen a week ago. "There were five of them. They stood over me and shot my legs from the knee down. One of them put his Kalashnikov to my head. Instinctively I moved the barrel aside and the bullet hit my hand," Shadi told Haaretz yesterday. He arrived at Ichilov with one leg amputated and the other leg crushed.

Unfortunately, we will never hear testimony from the dozens who were brutally executed.

Later yesterday, Zecharia Alrai, 39, an officer in Fatah's elite Force 17 commando unit, arrived. He had been abducted by four Hamas gunmen a week ago. They loaded him into a jeep and drove him to an isolated spot, where they shot three bullets into his leg and dumped him.

"That's not Islam. That's evil and hypocrisy. How ironic that Israel is rescuing us from our Muslim 'brothers,'" he said.

How ironic is it that Israel is saving Muslims from Muslims, while Egypt and Jordan remain silent? How ironic that the main target of Palestinian terror is the one doing the most to help? Where are the British doctors who were so quick to condemn their Israeli counterparts?

As usual, it won’t be long before the condemnations start coming. As usual, you know who will be blamed. It won’t be Hamas.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Olmert's Capitulation To Terror

Israeli PM Olmert went to Washington to represent the State of Israel. No one benefited more from his visit than the Palestinians. No one will suffer more than the Israelis. No wonder he has a 3% approval rating. This from Aluf Benn and Shmuel Rosner for Haaretz ;

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday in Washington that the cabinet would on Sunday approve the release of tax revenues collected by Israel on the behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

Speaking after a series of meetings in the White House, including a two-hour session alone with President George W. Bush, Olmert added that the new Palestinian government should be given assistance and a chance to succeed.

"The new Palestinian government deserves a chance, and also assistance," he said.

More chances and more money. This bankrupt policy has been a disaster since the days of Oslo and Madrid. Time after time, Abbas has proven himself to be nothing more than a corrupt politician and an enabler of terror. Another chance?

Olmert said that Israel would also agree to a "more far-reaching" removal of checkpoints in order to increase Palestinian freedom of movement inside the West Bank.

The dramatic drop in terror attacks originating from the West Bank is in no small part due to checkpoints and, unlike Gaza, an Israeli presence on the ground. The removal of checkpoints will only ease the movement of terrorists and the transport of weapons. It will not jumpstart the Palestinian economy. Abbas' corrupt government has long taken care of that problem.

Measures will also be taken to bolster the forces loyal to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, he added.

The same forces that include the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade which continues to plan and execute terror attacks against civilians; both Israeli and Palestinian. The same forces that proved themselves totally ineffective against Hamas. The same forces that have proven that despite all the American weapons and the crack training of Lt. General Dayton, they are just as effective against Hamas as the French were against the Germans.

Referring to the Gaza Strip, Olmert said: "We will provide all that is necessary to meet humanitarian needs and we will not be indifferent. This suffering has been caused by Palestinians against their own people."

Correct; and that's why we shouldn't be involved at all. Remember the disengagement? It's their problem now. Egypt has withdrawn their consul. Fatah has cut off all talks. Only Israel, the present and future target of Hamas, continues to play Mother Teresa.

Regarding the plight of refugees waiting at the Erez crossing, Olmert said that anyone whom security checks prove is not a terrorist will be allowed to pass through.

Perfect. Export the Gaza problem to the West Bank. This allows Palestinians currently on the other side of the security fence to enter the West Bank. This is a virtual ticket to Israel. Olmert is destroying the same security fence that has saved so many lives. Even Egypt is smart enough to have closed its borders to the Palestinians.

Olmert has once again shown his willingness to sacrifice the safety and security of Israeli citizens for the sake of his political survival. Over the past 15 years, Israeli politicians have waved the peace (surrender) flag any time a distraction was needed to avert political pressure. In light of the Winograd Report, Ehud Barak's sudden rise to power in the Labor Party and an abysmal approval rating, no one needs a distraction more than Olmert.

There is absolutely no way to rationalize giving more concessions to Fatah. Fatah is no less a terrorist organization than Hamas. The goals are the same, just the approach differs.

To support Fatah is to support terror. To support Fatah is to support the destruction of Israel.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Syrian Envoy: Golan Israelis Might Prefer Living Under Syrian Rule

Wow!! I want to live in a dictatorial state that harbors international terrorists and sponsors international terrorist organizations. I want to live in a country where my mail is censored and my internet access is limited. I want to salute the flag of the country that will not allow me freedom of speech or religion. Where do I sign up?

This from Jonny Paul for The Jerusalem Post ;

Syria's ambassador to the UK told an audience on Saturday that Israeli residents of the Golan Heights might prefer to remain under Syrian sovereignty if the area were returned to Syria.

Dr. Sami Khiyami spoke at a conference entitled, "The Golan: Ending Occupation, Establishing Peace," held at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies and hosted by the Syrian Media Center in London.

Responding to a question on the fate of Israelis in the Golan if it were returned, Khiyami stated that they might prefer to remain under Syrian sovereignty. He said that Syria was a safe haven for all its neighbors, "a secular country that respects all faiths and whose citizens have always enjoyed equal rights."

Israelis, he said, might prefer to remain rather than return - as they would be required to do in accordance with international law - to Israel, which he called "an apartheid state with false pretences to democracy."

I don’t live in the Golan Heights but I would consider moving there if I could get Syrian citizenship.

Not to be outdone, the roundtable (held at, you guessed it…a British university) summed up as follows.

The conference concluded in a roundtable discussion that agreed Syria should be doing more to present its position to the international media, in particular the strong case it has regarding the Golan Heights.

Typically British.

Is Russia Selling MiGs to Syria?

According to AFP , they are;

JERUSALEM (AFP)-Israel is concerned about reported Russian deliveries of advanced MiG-31 fighter planes to its enemy Syria as part of an armaments drive, the top-selling Hebrew daily reported on Tuesday.

The MiG-31, considered one of the best fighters in the world, can carry guided missiles with a range of more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) and is capable of striking 24 different targets simultaneously, Yediot Aharonot said.

"If Syria acquires the MiG-31 we can no longer rule out the idea that this country is preparing for war," said Steinitz, a former chairman of Israel's defence and foreign affairs parliamentary committee.

A Russian newspaper reported on Tuesday that Russia has begun delivering five MiG-31E interceptors to Syria as part of an agreement reached this year, and that Moscow also plans to sell Damascus its MiG-29M/M2 dual role fighters.

According to Russian based Interfax, they aren’t;

11:15 Russia not planning to supply fighters to Syria, Iran - Head of Rosoboronexport

It should be of no surprise that according to the Moscow based daily Kommersant, none other than Iran is paying for the planes.

Think Assad is still serious about peace? No. Think Russia is lying? Absolutely.

Arab Media Cartoons Blame Israel for Gaza Civil War

It was only a matter of time before the Arab media pulled out the Nazi propaganda style cartoons to portray Israel as the culprit for all that is wrong in the Gaza Strip. Goebbels style Anti-Semitism is alive and well in the Arab world. This from Ynetnews;

Inter-Palestinian fighting in the Gaza Strip has unleashed a barrage of virulently anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic cartoons in the Arab and Muslim media, according to the Arab Affairs desk of the Anti-Defamation League Israel.

Cartoons and caricatures in the recent Arab press depict Jews in stereotypical fashion, as manipulative and conspiratorial and with hooked noses, long beards and black hats.

Recent cartoons portray Israel and the Jews as encouraging, mocking and enjoying the conflict between Hamas and Fatah.

Here is just two examples of the "artwork";


From Ar-Raya in Qatar

From the Akhbar al-Khalij in Bahrain
Needless to say, I am not holding my breath waiting for a British media boycott of these newspapers.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Christians Warned to Accept Islamic Law

Christians in Gaza need not worry about religious persecution; as long as they accept Islamic Law. No alcohol, no "uncovered women" and no "missionary activity" are now the law of the land. This from Aaron Klein for WND ;

JERUSALEM –Christians can continue living safely in the Gaza Strip only if they accept Islamic law, including a ban on alcohol and on women roaming publicly without proper head coverings, an Islamist militant leader in Gaza told WND in an exclusive interview.

The militant leader said Christians in Gaza who engage in "missionary activity" will be "dealt with harshly."

"I expect our Christian neighbors to understand the new Hamas rule means real changes. They must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza," said Sheik Abu Saqer, leader of Jihadia Salafiya, an Islamic outreach movement that recently announced the opening of a "military wing" to enforce Muslim law in Gaza.

I think we know what "dealt with harshly" means. The question remains as to which cruel method of execution will be used.

"Jihadia Salafiya and other Islamic movements will ensure Christian schools and institutions show publicly what they are teaching to be sure they are not carrying out missionary activity. No more alcohol on the streets. All women, including non-Muslims, need to understand they must be covered at all times while in public," Abu Asqer told WND.

"Also the activities of Internet cafes, pool halls and bars must be stopped," he said. "If it goes on, we'll attack these things very harshly."

They already have been harshly attacked. And there is more to come.

Abu Saqer accused the leadership of the Gaza Christian community of "proselytizing and trying to convert Muslims with funding from American evangelicals."

"This missionary activity is endangering the entire Christian community in Gaza," he said.

Abu Saqer claimed there was "no need" for the thousands of Christians in Gaza to maintain a large number of institutions in the territory.

Christianity will be phased out in Gaza. One way or another.

Israel to Release Frozen Tax Funds

The billions of dollars and tons of arms that have already been sent to the PA have done absolutely nothing to strengthen the "moderate" Chairman Abbas. In yet another gesture to terrorism and bureaucratic ineptitude, Israeli PM Olmert is promising more. This from Herb Keinon for The Jerusalem Post ;

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday evening he would release frozen tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority and remove some West Bank blockades.

His words came on the eve of his visit to Washington, where the US Administration was expected to ask him to take significant steps to bolster Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, in order to show the Palestinians what they have to gain under the "moderates," as opposed to what they have to lose under the extremists.

"We will cooperate with this government," Olmert said in a Manhattan address to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. "We will defreeze monies that we kept under our control because we didn't want these monies to be taken by Hamas to be used as part of a terrorist action. And we will do what we can to upgrade the quality of life [in the West Bank]."

Olmert said that there were still terrorists in the West Bank waiting for the opportunity to attack Israel, and that the right balance had to found to allow more access to the Palestinians in the West Bank, without risking Israel's security.
"In the new circumstances we can perhaps take more risks than in the past," Olmert said. "The purpose is to project to the Palestinians that when they are ready to refrain from terrorism, there is a genuine chance for a different life for them and ourselves."

Abbas is expected to once again prey on Olmert's appeasement policy and ask for even more. This from Avi Issacharoff and Aluf Benn for Haaretz ;

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas intends to demand that Israel immediately implement the American "benchmarks" proposal for increasing Palestinian freedom of movement in the territories. In addition, he will ask Israel to release a massive number of Palestinian prisoners, first and foremost Marwan Barghouti, advisors to Abbas said yesterday.

The advisors said that these steps are necessary to strengthen Abbas' Fatah movement in both the West Bank and Gaza.

It's beyond me how the release of terrorists from Israeli jails will improve the quality of life for the Palestinians. It will boost Abbas' power only in his fight against Israel. It has been proven that this kind of support is fruitless against Hamas.It is beyond belief that Israel would even consider releasing Barghouti, who is serving five consecutive life terms for terror activities. Olmert seems to be more concerned in helping the Palestinian cause than he is the Israeli cause.

Olmert seems to have forgotten that more than 70% of the Palestinians voted for Hamas in the 2006 elections. Are they exempt from paying the price for their folly? Is Abbas to be awarded for failing to halt Hamas in Gaza? Is Abbas to receive hundreds of millions of dollars of which no small portion will find its way to the hands of the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade?

The appeasers continue to appease and the innocent civilians will continue to pay the price.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Source: Israel Will Attack Gaza

Any Hamas provocation will trigger an Israeli invasion. This from Uzi Mahnaimi for Times Online

ISRAEL’s new defence minister Ehud Barak is planning an attack on Gaza within weeks to crush the Hamas militants who have seized power there.

According to senior Israeli military sources, the plan calls for 20,000 troops to destroy much of Hamas’s military capability in days.

The raid would be triggered by Hamas rocket attacks against Israel or a resumption of suicide bombings.

Barak, who is expected to become defence minister tomorrow, has already demanded detailed plans to deploy two armoured divisions and an infantry division, accompanied by assault drones and F-16 jets, against Hamas.

A source close to Barak said that Israel could not tolerate an aggressive “Hamastan” on its border and an attack seemed unavoidable.

"The question is not if but how and when," he said.

The provocation will surely come. I wonder about the response.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Church Destroyed in Gaza

Islamic militants continue to display their tolerance for other religions. This from Khaled Abu Toameh for The Jerusalem Post ;

Christians living in Gaza City on Monday appealed to the international community to protect them against increased attacks by Muslim extremists. Many Christians said they were prepared to leave the Gaza Strip as soon as the border crossings are reopened.

The appeal came following a series of attacks on a Christian school and church in Gaza City over the past few days.

Father Manuel Musalam, leader of the small Latin community in the Gaza Strip, said masked gunmen torched and looted the Rosary Sisters School and the Latin Church.

"The masked gunmen used rocket-propelled grenades to storm the main entrances of the school and church," he said. "Then they destroyed almost everything inside, including the Cross, the Holy Book, computers and other equipment."

Musalam expressed outrage over the burning of copies of the Bible, noting that the gunmen destroyed all the Crosses inside the church and school. "Those who did these awful things have no respect for Christian-Muslim relations," he said.

Welcome to Hamastan.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Dead Sea Adventure

Mr. & Mrs. Patriot got to spend some time over the weekend at the Dead Sea. Here are a few highlights. Enjoy.

The Patriot afloat in the Dead Sea


Sunrise over the Jordanian mountains

Palm trees in the valley

Sodom's Apple tree

Ein Gedi Nature Reserve

David's Falls

More Palm trees

A native starling

Syria Continues War Preparations

While the media focuses on Gaza, Syria continues to prepare for war. This from Hana Levi Julian for INN ;

(IsraelNN.com) A Qatari newspaper, Al Watan, reported Friday that Syria is making concrete preparations for war with Israel, saying that the Syrian government has removed the Government and State Archives from the Damascus area. According to the paper, this move indicates preparations for war.

Syrian parliament member Muhammad Habash confirmed on Al-Jazeera Arabic world news satellite TV last week that Syria is indeed engaged in active preparations for a war with Israel. The conflict, said the Syrian MP, is expected to break out during the summer months.

Officials close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reported Sunday that their efforts to begin negotiations with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad have gone unanswered. They also said that Mr. Assad’s failure to reply signaled that his claims of wanting peace were not honest and were meant to improve his own status in the international community.

Now that Hamas has complete control of Gaza, Israel finds itself surrounded by three Iranian proxies; Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. Syrian President Assad finds himself in the strongest position he has ever known. Does he know how to play his hand in his quest for the Golan Heights?

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Patient Executed in Gaza Hospital

In Allah’s war, the madness knows no limits. This from Ma’an News Agency;

Gaza - Ma'an – Gunmen disguised in Executive Force uniform invaded the Kamal Adwan Hospital and assassinated injured patient, Ramadan Sa'ed Ghaben, as well as shooting two women who were with him, on Thursday night.

The Palestinian health ministry condemned the attack and issued a statement warning that several hospitals and medical centres in Gaza are in danger of similar attacks.

The statement added that such attacks are negatively affecting the work of medical staff, and hospitals are seriously considering ceasing work, in order to protect staff.

I would look into home health care.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

BBC: Sorry For Calling Jerusalem the "Capital of Israel"

How could the MSM make such a mistake? This from Johnny Paul for The Jerusalem Post ;

The BBC apologized this week for referring to Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and promised not to repeat "the mistake," following a complaint by four British organizations.

Arab Media Watch, Muslim Public Affairs Committee, Friends of Al-Aksa and the Institute of Islamic Political Thought sent a joint complaint to the BBC after a presenter on its Football Focus program on March 24 mentioned that Jerusalem was Israel's capital and "historic soul."

This from the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit ;

Complaint:

A representative of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK complained that the reporter in the film broadcast immediately before the England v Israel football match in Football Focus (BBC1, 24 March 2007) had referred to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Although the programme-makers had apologised privately for the error and removed it from the programme's website, the matter was one of such sensitivity and concern to the Palestinian people that the complainant believed a broadcast correction and apology was necessary.

BBC Editorial Complaints Unit's ruling:

The reference was a passing one in a context where the focus was on sport, not politics. While recognising the sensitivity of the issue of the status of Jerusalem, the ECU took the view that the programme-makers had taken sufficient action by acknowledging the error and rectifying the website.
Further action: Complaint resolved

The BBC bent over backwards to appease the Muslim groups. This from the BBC's appeasement letter;

"We of course accept that the international community does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and that the BBC should not describe it as such. I was therefore pleased to see that Katherine Tsang [BBC Information adviser], when she wrote to you in April, acknowledged the error and apologized for it. [Presenter] Steve Boulton and other senior managers in BBC Sport told us they very much regret the mistake and apologize for it."

"Senior managers will try to ensure, as you suggest, that the mistake is not repeated. Because it appears on the Web site, there will be a public acknowledgement of the error, and the action taken in consequence."

"I'd like to add my apologies for this most regrettable, but I'm sure accidental, factual mistake. I appreciate that the status of Jerusalem is of particular concern to Palestinians, and it is important that it is not misrepresented. I am confident that lessons have already been learned, and they will be emphasized as a result of my decision."

Just as Jerusalem, the capital of Israel preceded the BBC; it shall remain the capital long after the BBC is buried in history's graveyard.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch The Religion of Peace
Linked to Woman Honor Thyself

Hamas Vows To Go On

Following PA and Fatah Chairman Abbas' announcement last night that Hamas has been tossed from the Unity Government, Hamas has indicated that they have no intention of going anywhere. This from al Jazeera ;

The deposed Palestinian prime minister from Hamas has defied Mahmoud Abbas, the president from rival faction Fatah, calling his sacking and declaration of an emergency "hasty" and pledging that his government will continue to function.

"The existing government will carry out its tasks," Ismail Haniya said in a news conference in the early hours of Friday. "We will continue … with a national unity government."

Haniya said Abbas and his advisers did not consider "the consequences and its effects on the situation on the ground" in sacking Haniya's government and declaring a state of emergency.

After all, Hamas isn't to blame.

Haniya blamed the latest bout of violence on Fatah supporters, accusing them of "having committed crimes and having killed citizens for their political allegiance and have executed others after kidnapping them".

"The Gaza Strip is an indivisible part of the homeland and its residents are an integral part of the Palestinian people. No to a state in the Gaza Strip only because the state is a whole that cannot be divided," Haniya said.

"We will impose security firmly, decisively and legally," he said. "I call on the police and the [Hamas] executive force to impose law and order starting this moment, and to protect the compounds and private and public properties."

The blood will continue to flow in Hamastan for the foreseeable future.

Abbas Declares State of Emergency, Disbands Unity Government

At an official press conference just televised from Ramallah, PA Chairman and Fatah leader Abbas has fired Hamas’ Prime Minister Haniyeh. The infamous unity government is now officially history. Abbas has taken all power into his hands.

Most of the Fatah leadership is long gone from Gaza. Many are in hiding in the West Bank. Most have fled overseas. Some have been reportedly escaping in boats via the Mediterranean Sea.

To say there is a vacuum would be a major understatement.

Too little, too late. Stay Tuned.

Hamas Plans To Execute Fatah Leaders

As Hamas consolidates their hold on the Gaza Strip we are beginning to get a clearer picture of what the future has in store for Hamastan. Blood; and lots of it. This from Ali Waked for YNET ;

Hamas' media outlets threatened to reach Fatah and the PA's official radio and telelvision stations, and provided the names of senior Fatah officials they planned to execute. "We will reach you," Hamas members told the Fatah leaders.



Hamas gunmen leading away Fatah captives

This is the first step in the establishment of the Islamic state," a Hamas member told Ynet from inside the Preventive Security Service building. "This is Islam's victory, Allah's victory, and we pray to Allah for brining us this victory."

Hamas officials announced that the building would turn into a college for religion studies, and that the Sariya – the PA's government office building – would turn into a large religious center.

If executing Muslims is the spoils of Allah’s victory, imagine what's in store for the infidels. Welcome to Hamastan.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself

Fatah: Israel To Blame For Gaza Civil War

Who else? This from Maan ;

Bethlehem - Ma'an – The Fatah movement on Wednesday accused Israel of propelling the Palestinians into the current state of security chaos.

Spokesperson for the movement in the West Bank, Dr. Jamal Nazzal, told the Italian Radiotelevisione Italiana, known as RAI, "Israel paved the way for the growth of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, by destroying the PA [Palestinian Authority] departments and security forces' buildings between 2000 and the election to power of Hamas."

Nazzal also accused Israel of "following a policy which allows Hamas to prevail and that will close the door for peace, the peace which both Hamas and Israel are scared of."

False. Hamas is not "scared" of peace; they simply don't want it. Last I checked, the Hamas Charter still calls for the destruction of Israel.

He urged the international community exert pressure on Israel to cease its "bloody" interference in Palestinian affairs.

If Nazzal is referring to Israeli approval to transfer arms to Fatah then maybe he is right. Israel should stop their "bloody" interference.

"Israel has turned the situation on its head, by ignoring arms-smuggling into Gaza, which is aimed to weaken the PA, and combating the idea of peace," said Nazzal.

Israel has been prevented from stopping arms smuggling into Gaza. The Israelis were pressured into relinquishing the Philadelphi Route, which runs along the Gaza/Sinai border. Since then, dozens of tunnels have been dug which foster arms smuggling. Egypt has not helped the situation by turning a blind eye to the ongoings.

Nazzal also stated that "Israel has understood since the beginning that the best way to prevent the Palestinians from asserting control on the ground is to weaken the security bodies."

False again. Israel weakened the "security bodies", also known as terrorist organizations, in order to protect its civilians from terrorist attacks.

Fatah is grasping for straws to save their necks. The Gaza Civil War is drawing to a close with a huge Hamas victory. The only way out for Fatah is to try and get Hamas to point their guns in a different direction.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Pregnant Mother of Eight Planned To Be Suicide Bomber

Just when you thought the Palestinians have pulled out all the stops, pregnant women are sent to be "martyrs". This from Hillel Fendel for INN ;

Two women from Gaza - a pregnant mother of eight, and her niece, a mother of four - planned a joint two-pronged suicide attack in Tel Aviv and Netanya. They have been arrested.

The General Security Service (GSS) has released for publication that the two women were arrested 24 days ago as they left Gaza for the double attack. Precise intelligence information led to the thwarting of the planned mass murders.

The GSS says that the two women "took advantage of Israel's humanitarian policies, receiving a fraudulent medical permit to enter Israel."

The two mothers took along some of their young children to the meetings with their terrorist handlers, at which was discussed precisely how the women would blow themselves up. The 19-year-old son of the older woman, an Islamic Jihad terrorist himself, was present at the traditional picture-taking ceremony, at which the women were photographed holding a Koran and a rifle.

The problem of actually getting into Israel was solved as follows: Islamic Jihad was able to obtain a forged medical permit indicating that Habib required an urgent medical check in Ramallah, to which Zeck was to be her escort. Once in Ramallah, they were to go to the hospital and actually have the test done, to avoid suspicion, and then they were to be taken to the intended target locations.

Israel is often castigated by left-wing organizations that complain that Arabs from the PA are sometimes forced to wait at checkpoints for security checks, and are allegedly denied medical care. The GSS, however, notes that the case at hand is only one of many in which Arabs attempt to take advantage of Israel's humanitarian policies in order to murder Israelis.

No further comment needed.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

HRW Condemns Palestinian War Crimes

The Messiah must be on the way. Human Rights Watch condemns Palestinian war crimes and makes no mention of Israel or the "occupation". This from HRW;

(New York, June 13, 2007) – During recent fighting in the Gaza Strip, armed Palestinian groups have committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes, Human Rights Watch said today.

In internal Palestinian fighting over the last three days, both Fatah and Hamas military forces have summarily executed captives, killed people not involved in hostilities, and engaged in gun battles with one another inside and near Palestinian hospitals. On Saturday, armed Palestinians from Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade used a vehicle with a “TV” insignia to attack an Israeli military position on the border with Gaza.

“These attacks by both Hamas and Fatah constitute brutal assaults on the most fundamental humanitarian principles,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for Human Rights Watch. “The murder of civilians not engaged in hostilities and the willful killing of captives are war crimes, pure and simple.”

On Sunday, Hamas military forces captured 28-year-old Muhammad Swairki, a cook for President Mahmoud Abbas’s presidential guard, and executed him by throwing him to his death, with his hands and legs tied, from a 15-story apartment building in Gaza City. Later that night, Fatah military forces shot and captured Muhammad al-Ra’fati, a Hamas supporter and mosque preacher, and threw him from a Gaza City high-rise apartment building. On Monday, Hamas military forces attacked the home in Beit Lahiya of Jamal Abu al-Jadiyan, a senior Fatah official, captured him, and executed him on the street with multiple gunshots. On Tuesday, there were reports of additional killings of individuals not involved in hostilities.

In the June 9 incident, four armed Palestinians drove a white jeep bearing “TV” insignias to a fence on the Gaza-Israel border and fired at Israeli soldiers. The Israelis returned fire, killing one Palestinian. Spokesmen for Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an offshoot of Fatah, claimed responsibility for the attack. An Islamic Jihad spokesperson denied that Palestinians had put press markings on the jeep used in the June 9 attack, and accused the Israeli military of doing so after the fact. However, photos taken by the Associated Press as the attack was under way show the letters “TV” written in red on the front of the jeep.

If anyone needs info as to where to send their donations to further help the Palestinian cause, please call the EU for details.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Christian Seeks US Asylum To Avoid Torture By Muslims

Sameh Khouzam, a 38 year old Egyptian Coptic Christian is seeking asylum in the US. He fled from Egypt nine years ago to escape forced conversion to Islam. The US is threatening to deport him back to Egypt where he will likely face torture or death. This from Bob Unruh for WND ;

A Coptic Christian from Egypt is battling for a court ruling to allow him to remain in the United States and avoid the sure torture he would face under Egypt's Islamic law, according to his supporters.
Sameh Khouzam, 38, who has been in the United States for about nine years already, is facing a court date June 18, when a decision will be announced on that deportation order.

His supporters say the issue is the torture he would face if returned to Egypt, which he fled under threats from Muslims who demanded that he and his family members convert to Islam.

A spokesman, Sam Grace, said because Egypt's constitution says that laws derive from the Quran, the persecution of Christians there is not only allowed, but endorsed, by government officials.

"In the last 10 years, more than 5,000 Christians have been massacred in Egypt," he told WND. "Hundreds of businesses and homes first have been looted, then burned and destroyed. Churches have been burned and destroyed.

"And you know what? Not one Muslim has been indicted, let alone convicted," he said.

"Especially on Friday, after the Friday prayers, the Muslim mobs are incited on attacking Christians," Grace told WND. "It happened last Friday. Mobs attacked businesses and burned them, and Christian homes and two churches in Alexandria."

"The life of a Christian in Egypt is now worth zero. Every Muslim now knows killing a Christian [is not prosecuted,]" he said.

A report from the Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights concluded that Coptic Christians in Egypt have been harassed, tortured and killed by Muslims for 1,400 years already.

"They have been subjected to all kinds of hate crimes including, the abduction of young Coptic girls, the killing of Coptic women and children and the destruction of their places of worship," the report concluded.

So what about Khouzam??

In Khouzam's case, a federal court banned his deportation based on the threats he's reported. But now administration officials are planning a deportation anyway, citing "diplomatic assurances" from Egypt that the man will not face torture.

His arguments are being pursued by Human Rights Watch and others, who are arguing that the use of torture in Egypt is so routine and well-documented deporting Khouzam would expose him to harsh treatment and violate the Convention Against Torture.
That prohibits foreign citizens from being repatriated to countries where they stand a reasonable chance of being tortured.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an agency created by Congress, lists Egypt on its watch list of countries, noting that it had "a poor overall human rights record."

Egypt is considered by the Bush Administration to be one of the "model Mid-East democracies". Think again.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

EU Ends Freeze…Will Fund Jihad Against Israel

For the first time since January 2006, the EU will donate money to the Hamas led Palestinian Authority. The EU plans to transfer 4 million Euro. Good bye boycott. This from Hana Levi Julian INN;

The European Union has agreed to transfer 4 million euros (approximately $5 million) to the coffers of the Palestinian Authority government, effectively ending a freeze by Western nations on funding the Hamas terrorist-led entity.

“The EU is resuming its support of the Palestinian Authority in a direct manner through the finance ministry,” announced PA Finance Minister Dr. Salem Fayyad at a news conference Monday.

The money is to be used for a project “to assist the Minister of Finance in ensuring the proper use of Palestinian taxpayers’ money” and that expenditures are accounted for, said EU representative John Kjaer.

The Quartet, of which the European Union is a member as well as the United States, Russia and the United Nations, declared a freeze on funding to the PA until the Hamas-led government officially recognizes the State of Israel, renounces terrorism and fulfills past agreements.
The Quartet members had also said they would not acknowledge the Fatah-Hamas unity government until it fulfilled the conditions.

The freeze went into effect in January 2006, immediately after the Hamas terrorist organization, whose charter plainly states its intent to destroy the State of Israel, took control of the PA government in a landslide victory.

Needless to say that Hamas has not fulfilled any of those conditions yet the EU sees fit to "show them the money".

The financial move raises the status of the PA without formal acceptance. It is also likely to result in increased pressure on Israel to release $700 million in tax revenue collected for the PA but withheld following the Hamas victory, leading to an accelerated disintegration of Western resolve to boycott the terrorist organization.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has recently returned to pressuring Israel into releasing the funds, despite America’s ban against transferring money to Hamas.

In explaining her actions, she told The Associated Press, "I understand the Israelis' concerns about what might happen to tax revenue, but we think that there are mechanisms that they could use in the ways that they have in the recent past to support important activities."

Considering that Rice has pandered to Iran and financed Fatah and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade, financing Hamas is totally understandable.

Is there anyone still fighting the war on terror???

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

The Great Depression

The Palestinians are depressed. Really. As many as 92% of those polled are suffering from depression-related anxiety. However, in Palestinian psychology, the cause of the anxiety does not necessarily indicate how the patient will react.
The following is nothing more than Palestinian propaganda to justify attacks on Israel and the West. This from Joshua Mitnick for the Washington Times ;

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- More than nine in 10 Palestinians show signs of depression caused by despair over violence between Hamas and Fatah gunmen and the apparent demise of the Palestinian unity government, according to a West Bank pollster.

Jamil Rabah, the director of Ramallah-based Near East Consulting, said he found that 92 percent of Palestinian survey respondents suffer from depression-related anxiety, a jump of 15 percent compared with a poll in October and more than double the level from November 2005.

The poll was taken last month, following a deadly flare-up between Hamas and Fatah gunmen that left dozens dead in Gaza and laid bare a dysfunctional unity government. The unrest cuts across region, political affiliation and social class, according to the poll findings.

The cause of the anxiety is clear. It is homemade. Infighting between Hamas and Fatah and the failures of the unity government are the roots of the problem.

Analysts fear the growing despair will cause more grass-roots Palestinians to be drawn into an internecine conflict, which has been largely limited to militias from rival parties and families. Other reactions include rising support for radical Islamic militant groups as well as increasing waves of emigration.

"The depression will move in more than one direction,' said Iyad Barghouti, a scholar who studies Islamic movements. "We will witness a multiplication of radical and fundamentalist groups."

One of the (three) effects of the depression is "rising support for Islamic militant groups". Very curious that the "depressed" would join the very groups that are causing the depression. You would expect them to distance themselves as much as possible from the internecine bloodshed. That is why one of the other effects is an increase in emigration.

Not if you are looking to justify terror. If mental health problems are the reason Palestinians are joining the "militants", who can blame them? They can't help themselves.

Cairo Arafat, a psychologist and an official in the Palestinian Planning Ministry, said that, though the survey doesn't address levels of clinical depression among Palestinians, it indicates an erosion of Palestinians' coping mechanisms developed over seven years of daily clashes with the Israeli army.

In addition to the internal fighting, Palestinians are hemmed in by Israeli restrictions on their movement, as well as an international aid boycott of the government.

Here is the direct swipe and Israel and the West. As always, everyone is to blame except the culprit. The Palestinians are once again the victim of their own devise.

Somebody call England….we need shrinks.

Why Indonesia Blocked UN Statement on Ahmadinejad

In yet another fine example of UN style diplomacy, Indonesia has officially explained why they have blocked the UN statement condemning Ahmadinejad's call for the destruction of Israel. This from Xinhua ;

JAKARTA, June 11 (Xinhua) --Indonesia said the UN Security Council's decision to target President Ahmadinejad's remarks was not fair because on many issues that directly threaten international peace and security the UN has been silent, local press reported Monday.

Indonesia was the only Security Council member to reject a draft statement from the body strongly condemning remarks by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for Israel's destruction.

A Foreign Affairs Ministry official said the Security Council was silent on what it called Israel's almost daily attacks on unarmed Palestinians, reported English daily The Jakarta Post.

"The Security Council never reacts at all on issues that we believe have clearly threatened international peace and security, although we have asked many times," director for international security and disarmament Desra Percaya said.

He also pointed to Israeli's recent abduction and detention of Palestinian Cabinet and parliament members and the Jewish state's threat to assassinate Hamas leader Khalid Mishal as examples.

Indonesia also said Ahmadinejad's June 3 statement calling for Israel's destruction was simply "rhetoric".

The draft statement also did not reflect what Ahmadinejad actually said, as he referred to the Zionist regime, not Israel, Desra said.

Two observations. Firstly, Desra equates attacks on unarmed Palestinians (a false charge), detention of Palestinian parliament ministers and threats to assassinate a terrorist leader to calls for genocide. If one goes unpunished….they all should go unpunished.

Secondly, if Israel is not the Zionist regime…what is? Uganda?

Syria and Iran Behind Attempted Kidnap of Israeli Soldier

The proxy war continues as appeasement fails once again. Israel offers the Golan Heights and Iran and Syria order the Palestinians to kidnap Israeli soldiers. This from Aaron Klein for WND ;

JERUSALEM – An attempted Palestinian raid of the Israeli border this weekend, purportedly to kidnap an Israeli soldier, was orchestrated by Syria and Iran, according to security officials associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

Palestinian security officials associated with Fatah told WND this weekend's Islamic Jihad kidnap attempt was "completely orchestrated" by Syria and Iran. They said the operation was directly ordered by Ramadan Shallah, the overall chief of Islamic Jihad who resides in Syria and travels frequently to Iran.

The Palestinian security officials said they had information phone calls were made between Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip and the group's leadership in Damascus right before, during and after Saturday's kidnapping attempt.

"This operation was an Iranian and Syrian way to explode things and have another card on the table," said a Palestinian security official.

The claims of Syrian involvement in the weekend attack comes after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office this week confirmed reports Olmert, using third party mediators, has offered Syria the Golan Heights if the Damascus regime cuts its ties with Iran and ends support for Palestinian terror groups.

Maybe this will spur Washington to send more taxpayer dollars to Fatah. Maybe Israel will be inspired to offer more than the Golan to Syria. And maybe Condi Rice will visit Tehran.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

British Company Caught In Attempt To Sell Weapons Grade Uranium To Iran

Iran is not waiting for their home grown nuclear enrichment program to provide the goods; they doing some shopping in England. This from Mark Townsend for The Observer ;

A British company has been closed down after being caught in an apparent attempt to sell black-market weapons-grade uranium to Iran and Sudan, The Observer can reveal.

Anti-terrorist officers and MI6 are now investigating a wider British-based plot allegedly to supply Iran with material for use in a nuclear weapons programme. One person has already been charged with attempting to proliferate "weapons of mass destruction".

During the 20-month investigation, which also involved MI5 and Customs and Excise, a group of Britons was tracked as they obtained weapons-grade uranium from the black market in Russia. Investigators believe it was intended for export to Sudan and on to Iran.

A number of Britons, who are understood to have links with Islamic terrorists abroad, remain under surveillance. Investigators believe they have uncovered the first proof that al-Qaeda supporters have been actively engaged in developing an atomic capability. The British company, whose identity is known to The Observer but cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, has been wound up.

Investigators are understood to have evidence that Iran was to receive the uranium to help develop a nuclear weapons capability. 'They may argue that the material is for civilian use but it does seem an extremely odd way to procure uranium,' said Roger Berry, chairman of Parliament's Quadripartite Committee.

Iran, al-Qaeda and Nukes. A recipe for disaster.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Hezbollah Digs In And Rearms As The U.N. Watches

Ominous signs from Israel's northern border. Hezbollah is preparing for Round Two and the UN is doing nothing about it. As usual. This from Uzi Mahnaimi Zarit for the Times On Line ;

HEZBOLLAH, the powerful Iranian-backed militia that fought the Israeli army last summer, has built a network of underground military bunkers under the feet of United Nations peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon close to Israel’s border.

It has rebuilt its fighting capability and Israeli intelligence now estimates that it has stockpiled 20,000 rockets.

"Hezbollah will never leave southern Lebanon," said Shaul Mofaz, the former defence minister, last week. "It’s now armed with rockets that could hit central and even southern Israel."

Hezbollah, which was forced to move away from the border as part of last August’s ceasefire deal, has returned by stealth. "Since the Israeli forces left, Hezbollah has been building formidable military underground posts under the noses of the UN," said an Israeli intelligence officer.

Recall that UNSCR 1701 states that the Lebanese Government is to "exercise its full sovereignty so that there will be no weapons without the consent of the Government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon.

And calls for;

"full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon"

As always….nothing from the UN.

Soon after the ceasefire agreement Hezbollah began to rebuild its positions in Shi’ite villages close to the Israeli border.

"The entrance to an underground post is usually in the backgarden of a Hezbollah supporter," said one source. "The householder receives compensation for the use of his garden."

Modern equipment is used to sink the shafts, sometimes as deep as 70ft. Some bunkers are as wide as a football field, others can hold fewer than 10 fighters.

They are equipped with sophisticated communications equipment and many are believed to be connected by tunnels, limiting Israel’s ability to destroy them from the air.

Since last August huge quantities of arms, including Russian-made antitank missiles, short- and long-range rockets, small arms, mines and ammunition have been smuggled into Lebanon from Syria and Iran.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Blair's Surrender

Tony Blair took another step closer yesterday to full dhimmitude. This from Reuters:

LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - Palestinian group Hamas is sending some "not unhelpful" signals about the Middle East peace process but should be clearer on where it stands, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in an interview broadcast on Friday.

Asked by Al Jazeera television about hints by some members of Islamist group Hamas about a potential change of position, Blair drew a parallel with the Northern Ireland peace process, saying those talks had only been successful when rival parties had agreed on shared principles.

"Some of the signs coming out of Hamas are not unhelpful, but we need to know where they really are," Blair said in the interview, which was recorded on Monday.

He did not specify which signs he was referring to.

Blair did not mention which "signs" have been coming out of Hamas because there simply aren't any. Blair simply seems to be paving the way for his upcoming career move.



"I am this close to putting on a khaffiyeh"

The comparison between Northern Ireland and Hamas is totally unfounded. Northern Ireland fought for independence. They wanted to eliminate English rule from their territory. They did not want to wipe England off the map as Hamas wants to wipe Israel off the map. This is a classic example of liberal rhetoric which totally distorts the truth.

Unfortunately, Tony Blair has become one of them.

Read Hugh Fitzgerald's piece on Tony Blair here.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Al Qaeda's Ultimatum To Baghdad's Christians

Baghdad's Christians have suddenly found themselves in a heap of trouble. Al-Qaeda insurgents have issued them the following ultimatum; convert, marry their daughters to terrorists and pay the jizya…or leave penniless. This from Hannah Allam and Leila Fadel for McClatchy Newspapers:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An al-Qaida-affiliated insurgent group is giving Christians in Baghdad a stark set of options: Convert to Islam, marry your daughters to our fighters, pay an Islamic tax or leave with only the clothes on your back.

A U.S. military official said American forces became aware of the threats only last month and now have erected barriers around the largest Christian enclave in Baghdad's Dora neighborhood in an effort to protect its residents.

Christians in Baghdad refuse to discuss the threats for fear of retribution. But in Syria, where thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled, tales abound of families that were killed or driven from their homes because they either refused or couldn't afford to pay the jizya, a tax usually levied on non-Muslim men of military age that's been part of Islam for more than 1,000 years.

"Two or three months ago, we heard we were going to be forcibly removed from Dora," said Rafah Elia Daoud, 53, who fled to Damascus, Syria's capital, on May 24. "Not everyone got a paper with the threat, but we knew. The choice was to convert, pay the jizya or get out."

"My brother was threatened; my sister was threatened. All of them had to pay the jizya," added her husband, Jamal Antone Karoumy, 66. "One of my brothers got a note and a single bullet under his door. The note said, `If you don't pay the jizya to the resistance, you'll be killed.'"

This fate awaits all who are not Muslim. No negotiations, no compromises.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Why Israel Offered The Golan And Why Syria Won't Accept It

Israeli PM Olmert is ready to give away the farm. With only a 3% approval rating in hand, he has offered to give away the strategic Golan Heights for a Syrian promise. This from YNET;

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently relayed a secret message to Syrian President Bashar Assad saying Israel knew what the price of peace was and would be willing to pay it, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.

According to the report, Olmert told the Syrian leader Israel would return the Golan in exchange for a comprehensive peace agreement and the severing of Damascus’ alliance with Iran and terror groups in the region.

A senior official in Jerusalem was quoted by the newspaper as saying that Assad has yet to respond to Israel’s offer.

We get two interesting details from INN;

The prime minister told the Syrian president last month that Israel would be willing to withdraw from the Golan Heights if Syria were prepared to make peace, according to the Hebrew newspaper Yediot Aharonot. The Syrian ruler responded positively to the offer, the newspaper stated.

Firstly, the offer was made last month. Secondly, Assad responded positively.
That being the case, Assad is behaving very curiously. If he did “respond positively”, then why did the Syrian Government issue an ultimatum earlier this week? Why is Syria massing troops and heavy equipment along the border? Why did Assad, just last week call for “better cooperation between Tehran and Damascus”?

The answer is obvious. Syria has no intention of breaking ties with their main financier, Iran. Syria is a poor country and can in no way afford to let go of Iran’s petro-euros. Syria has no intention of regaining their lost pride by signing a piece of paper, as worthless as that paper may be. Syria needs to correct the wrongs of 1967. That can only be accomplished by spilling Jewish blood; and lots of it.

Syria has no intention of breaking ties with the terrorist organizations whose activities put Syria front and center in the Middle-East. After all, without terror and without Iranian money and weapons, Syria is a poor man’s Somalia.

Olmert, for his part, is making a huge miscalculation. It can be argued that he is looking to expose Syria and put them in a situation where they must refuse even a most generous offer. Even if this were to be true, you can’t deny the fact that the Olmert proposal is a blatant display of weakness. If push comes to shove and war should break out, there is not much doubt as to who the victor would be. If Olmert was looking to make a stand, all he needed to say to Syria was “go for it”.

Olmert is playing his pair of aces like offsuit 2-7. He is bending over backwards to make it appear that a deal, at any cost, is in the works just to solidify his very shaky political position. Knowing full well that the Arab world views such chatter as weakness, he does not stop his insane outbursts for even a minute’s time.

The final round of the Labor Party primaries are days away. At that time we will know who will lead the call for new elections and the fall of the Olmert government. Olmert learned his lessons from the father of political manipulation, Ariel Sharon. Sharon managed the Gaza disengagement in order to turn the public focus from the many criminal investigations that were hanging over his head. Once the left wing, liberal MSM got wind of major appeasement on the horizon, all of Sharon’s alleged criminal activities were swept under the rug.

Olmert is attempting to do the same. He is trying to hypnotize the media and the public with a Syrian peace deal in order to cover up his alleged criminal activity and very weak political position. In Assad, he found the perfect vehicle.

Olmert shouldn’t offer the Golan and Assad won’t except. The fate of many innocent civilians hangs in the balance of a very dangerous political game. This is the worst time for a man like Olmert to be at the helm. But the again, any time would be a bad time.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Bullwinkle Blog Perri Nelson Right Wing Nation

"Jihad Fatigue" In Holland

Are Dutch Muslims losing their appetite? This from Xinhua;

BRUSSELS, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Dutch Muslims seem to be losing their interest in the debate about Islam and international jihad, according to a latest official report by the government.

"A certain passivity seems to have fallen over broad sections of the Muslim population in the Netherlands in the debate about Islam," the Dutch National Anti-Terrorism Coordinating Office said in a "threat analysis" report published Wednesday.

"Even on (the) internet some young Muslims display a sort of resignation and react far less strongly than previously to certain comments," the report said, citing an observed "jihad fatigue" among Muslims.

Dutch paper NRC Handelsblad reported Thursday there is no evidence that the international jihad message is receiving much support among Somali, Iraqi, Afghan and Chechen communities in the Netherlands.

The involvement of these groups in conflicts in their "home countries" is mainly based on humanitarian concerns and does not focus on the religious struggle in those nations, the newspaper said.

Two months ago the anti-terror coordination office lowered the threat of a terrorist attack to the Netherlands from "substantial" to "limited."

The main reason, according to the official report, was that some jihad networks had "collapsed due to both government intervention and their own lack of leadership and internal divisions."

A bright spot.

Linked to Woman Honor Thyself Right Truth Bullwinkle Blog Perri Nelson Right Wing Nation

Chavez TV

From the Economist

Swiss Prez Offered To Host Iran At A Holocaust Conference

How ironic that President of Switzerland, the same state that played the notorious banker of Nazi Germany, secretly offered their services to Iran and was willing to host a Holocaust conference in Geneva. The topic; "Various Perceptions of the Holocaust". This from Gil Yaron for YNET;

Switzerland secretly approached Iran offering to hold a conference regarding "various perceptions of the Holocaust" in Geneva, the Swiss magazine Weltwoche reported earlier this week.

The proposal was made via confidential memorandum from Switzerland's President, Micheline Calmy-Rey, to Iranian deputy foreign minister Saaid Jalili, during his visit in Switzerland last December.

The Swiss foreign ministry objected to the idea, annulling it. Calmy-Rey's proposal, which would have voiced anew the Iranian doubts over the very existence of the Holocaust, outraged many Jewish organizations, which demanded she apologize.

Calmy-Rey was subject to her own party's criticism as well, as her accusers said that should her proposal be realized she would have compromised Switzerland's international diplomatic status.

Western diplomats described the proposal as a "clumsy, dangerous idea, intended to help Iran out of its seclusion." The Weltwoche magazine, which broke the story, called the idea "a stupid, naïve notion" saying the Iranians would have clearly used the conference for their own agenda.

The Swiss president, the magazine assumed, hoped the proposal would push the Swiss initiative for alternative negotiations between Tehran and the West over the Iranian nuclear plan.

Dhimmitude personified.

The Swiss president refused to comment on the report in the Weltwoche, but issued a statement saying "the existence of the Holocaust is a historical fact and must never be doubted."

Then why offer Iran a chance to deny the Holocaust on Swiss soil? Anyone?

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

More Prizes For Terror

More prizes for terror. More appeasement. This from Xinhua;

DAMASCUS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema on Tuesday called on Israel to return the occupied Golan Heights to Syria through a peace agreement which could provide a real guarantee for the security of Israel.

This time, unlike after all the previous Israeli concessions, it’s a real guarantee.

D'Alema made the call at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem at the end of his two-day official visit.

"The peace process between Syria and Israel is an essential point," said the Italian top diplomat.

Essential, yes. In light of Syria’s recent ultimatum, unlikely. Syria continues to harbor terrorist leaders and arm terrorist groups.

D'Alema also indicated that Syria has an important role in the region, saying it is necessary to involve Damascus in achieving stability in the Middle East.

If when D’Alema says “necessary to involve Damascus” he means to “neutralize”, then we would be closer to achieving stability.

"The issue of peace cannot be resolved without the active participation of Syria and we attach great importance to the Arab peace initiative as it opens prospects for a comprehensive and just peace," he said.

D'Alema noted that the current crises in the Middle East could not be solved without finding a final settlement to the main problem, the Palestine issue.

You gotta love linkage. As soon as Israel surrenders to its neighbors the global Jihad will lay down their arms. Americans will be welcome in Iran and Afghanistan. Israelis can travel freely to Damascus. Sikh Indians can visit Mecca.

Long live the dream.

al-Qaeda In The West Bank

Just yesterday, PA Chairman had this to say regarding Fatah-al-Islam of Lebanese fame;

"We are following what is going on in Lebanon, where some extremists are distorting and harming the Palestinian struggle by using the camps to attack the Lebanese army and [they are] threatening the Palestinians' lives," Abbas added.

If you are so troubled Mr. Abbas, that they are "distorting and harming the Palestinian struggle", now is your chance to do something about it. They’re moving into your backyard. This from Aaron Klein for WND;

JERUSALEM – Fatah al Islam, a Palestinian Lebanese group that boasts of connections to al-Qaida, will shortly open a branch in the West Bank to attack the U.S. and Israel, according to a pamphlet distributed yesterday that was obtained by WND.

"The U.S., the Zionists and their allies are in a war against Islam. We will soon take the war to them and hit them. Fatah al Islam is now opened in Nablus and in the West Bank," said the pamphlet, distributed in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The pamphlet stated Fatah al Islam "in coming days" will hold a press conference in Nablus to announce the establishment of the group in the Palestinian territories.

Security officials associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization said they are working to ensure the claimed press conference is not held, explaining the formation of Fatah al Islam in the West Bank would be highly embarrassing for Fatah.

Fatah al Islam is a tiny group of well-trained Sunni extremists boasting of membership in al-Qaida. Israeli security officials and prominent pro-Democracy Lebanese officials say Fatah al Islam is heavily directed by Iran and Syria and is being used by Syria to foment instability in Lebanon.

The leader of Fatah al Islam said in a recent video message his group will fight Jews, Americans and their allies.

Well…a new terrorist group is in town. I guess that President Bush needs to send more money. I guess that PM Olmert has to have bi-weekly meetings with the leaders. And England, of course, will find something to boycott.

Dress Code Crackdown In Iran

Gentlemen, trim your beards. This from AKI;

Tehran, 6 June (AKI) -The disciplinary board of the University of Karaj, about 100 kilometres north of Tehran, has suspended 93 students for not abiding by a strict new Islamic dress code. Under the measure which became effective late April, women as well as men can be arrested for not dressing according to the rules. The suspensions which will last for up to two months were reportedly imposed on female students who did not fully cover their hair with the veil or wore makeup.

Among the 93 were also reportedly a few men who wore their beards too long, a sign of protest in Iran.

On another front, 16 more students were suspended for protesting against Ahmadinejad…

Meanwhile in Tehran, the disciplinary board of the Amir Kabir Polytechnic suspended 16 students for participating in a rally against president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while he was visiting the prestigious university.

Last December, dozens of protesters burned pictures of Ahmadinejad crying 'dictator go away', 'death to dictatorship' and threw firecrackers when Ahmadinejad was visiting Amir Kabir. The rally forced him to interrupt several times a speech he was giving and leave before scheduled.
It was the first time since his landslide victory in June 2005 that Ahmadinejad had been challenged in public.

In the past few weeks, students in Tehran, Lorestan, Babol near the Caspian sea, and Shiraz in the west, have been staging protests against new government measures imposing the strict new dress codes and opening hours on campus as well as restrictions on political activity.

Worth keeping an eye on.

The MSM Fesses Up: We Slanted the News

Would you believe that the MSM would slant a story for personal gain while, in retrospect, put a nation at risk? Believe it, it happened. Read on from INN;

A former Israel Broadcasting Authority news editor admits: "We slanted the news towards a withdrawal from Lebanon - because we had sons there."

"Three broadcasters - Carmela Menashe, Shelly Yechimovich [now a Labor party Knesset Member - ed.], and I - pushed in every way possible the withdrawal from Lebanon towards 2000. In our newsroom, three of the editors had sons in Lebanon, and we took it upon ourselves as a mission - possibly not stated - to get the IDF out of Lebanon... I have no doubt that we promoted an agenda of withdrawal that was a matter of public dispute."

At this point, Army Radio broadcaster Golan Yochpaz interrupted, "In my opinion, that is just super-problematic - super-problematic." Naveh did not miss a beat and said, "Correct, I'm admitting it, I'm not apologizing, I'm just saying this is what happened. It came from our guts because of the boys in Lebanon, this is what we did and I'm not sorry... I am very proud that we had a part in getting of our sons out of Lebanon."

Truly shocking. It’s no secret how much influence TV and radio has on the masses. It’s no secret how much sway the MSM has on public opinion. It’s also no secret that the unilateral Israeli retreat from Lebanon strengthened and emboldened Hezbollah, pushing them to new heights.

Countless innocents have died at the hands of Hezbollah. All to save their three boys.

As usual….none of the three mentioned above were available for comment.

Syria's Ultimatum: Full Retreat Or War

Israel has a choice. According to Syria it's either full withdrawal from the Golan Heights or face "resistance operations". This from Aaron Klein for WND;

TEL AVIV – If the Jewish state doesn't vacate the Golan Heights in the near future, Golan residents living under Israeli administration will launch "resistance operations" aimed at prompting an Israeli retreat from the territory, an official from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath party told WND in an exclusive interview yesterday.

"Syria is ready to talk with Israel but only if negotiations lead to a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. There may be peace; there may be war. If there is no movement, Syrian resistance will be launched and not from the government but from the people of the Golan," said the Baath party official, who spoke on condition his name be withheld.

"We [Syria] have weapons and soldiers on the border with Israel, but let's face it, it's difficult to amass tanks or launch any invasion because the U.N. mans the border. But Syrian residents of the Golan are ready to launch resistance," the official claimed.

Syria will, just as it did last summer, use a proxy to attack the Jewish State.

Syria, which signed a military alliance with Iran, openly hosts Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders. The U.S. accuses Syria of fueling and aiding the insurgency in Iraq. Israel says Syria has been allowing large quantities of weapons to be transported from its borders to the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia, which last summer engaged in a war with the Jewish state. Syria has been widely blamed for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has made a number of statements the past few months his army is preparing for a war with Israel, claiming the Jewish state is planning to attack first.

Last weekend, Assad reportedly called for "better cooperation" between Damascus and Tehran in "the confrontation with the Zionist regime and the USA," according to a report published Sunday by Iran's official state news agency, IRNA.

It is now all too clear how much Mrs. Pelosi's visit to the area helped ease tensions. Not.

So who will do Syria's bidding?

The Baath representative's claims that Golan residents are ready to launch "resistance" against Israel follows a series of WND interviews in which Baath officials said a purported new Syrian guerilla organization recently was formed and is ready for attacks if Israel doesn't withdraw from the Golan.

According to the officials, the group, the Syrian Committees for the Liberation of the Golan, was formed last year and is modeling itself after the Syrian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militia.

The Baath official told WND Syria's new Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights consists of Syrian volunteers, many from the Syrian border with Turkey and from Palestinian refugee camps near Damascus. He said Syria held registration for volunteers to join the Committees last June.

The official said attacks by the Committees may include the infiltration of Jewish communities in the Golan, rocket attacks against Israeli positions or raids of Golan-based Israeli military installations. He said all attacks would be launched from the Syrian side of the border.

The terrorist group is Syrian sponsored and will launch attacks from Syrian territory. Syria knows all too well that guerrilla warfare, even when launched from Syria proper, will limit the Israeli response.

All signs are pointing to a very hot summer.

Egypt Moves Closer To Iran, Follows US Lead

With each and every passing day, President Bush’s ”tree of appeasement” is bearing new fruit. Egypt and Iran are meeting today in order to explore the possibility or renewing diplomatic relations which were severed in 1979. Why? If the US can talk to Iran, why can’t Egypt? This from Zvi Barel for Haaretz;

Egypt and Iran will hold a round of talks in the coming days aimed at restoring full diplomatic relations. The rapprochement was apparently made possible by the recent thaw between the United States and Iran.

The US is helping Iran recruit friends.

According to sources in Egypt, Cairo's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, is expected to meet with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, to discuss opening embassies in Tehran and Cairo.

Last week, Aboul Gheit sent Mottaki a message saying Egypt was willing to talk about restoring relations with Iran. The message was sent in response to a statement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said that "should Egypt signal that it wants to restore relations, we would be willing to open an embassy in Cairo the very next day."

The current drive to renew relations, which were severed in 1979 following the Islamic revolution in Iran, apparently results from the recent thaw between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. The two foes have been engaged in contact in recent months after Washington's decision to include the Iranians in talks on Iraq's future.

"The idea of renewing relations with Iran had surfaced twice before, in 2000 and 2004," an Egyptian source told Haaretz. "We never followed through because of American pressure. But now the U.S. is itself engaging in direct contact with the Iranians, so no one can argue now that renewing relations is an anti-American motion."

It’s hard to see what the “thaw” in the US/Iran relationship is accomplishing other than bringing other nations closer to Iran. It’s just as hard to imagine that Egypt will maintain its “hear no evil see no evil” policy in regard to weapon smuggling from the Sinai to the Gaza Strip. As always, appeasement is a deadly game.

Crossposted to Dhimmi Watch

Boycott? What Boycott?

"We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place until there is no refuge or no rest.

And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists." – From the transcript of President Bush's address to a joint session of Congress on Thursday night, September 20, 2001.

Who is the President with? Is he starving terrorists of funding or are his terrorist funding activities leading other nations to do the same? This from Ezra HaLevi for INN;

Holland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates have all decided to renew funding to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. The countries are following the lead of the United States, which authorized funding of the Fatah faction in the PA through a PLO account set up by Fatah official Salem Fayyad.

US President George W. Bush announced Friday that he intends to deposit $18.8 million into the new PLO account set up by Fayyad – ostensibly to help Fatah fight Hamas. Hamas is not technically a member of the PLO.
A May 14 letter from the US to the European Union authorized the deposit of funds in Fayyad’s PLO account – a move seen by many as effectively ending the international boycott of the PA in place since the PA public voted the internationally recognized terrorist organization Hamas into power.

The White House recently gave Fatah $59 million for training and weapons for armed groups controlled by Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas later claimed it had intercepted weapons purchased with the money.

One of the recipients of such training, Khaled Shawish, was arrested by Israeli security forces last month for scores of shooting attacks on Israeli civilians he oversaw – including the murder of Binyamin Ze’ev and Talia Kahane.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that it will be dispatching a “special grant” of 6.3 million euros ($8.4 million) to the PA in the coming months. Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen insisted that the funding is "also in Israel's best interests" as the money would improve the humanitarian situation for 17,000 armed men and their families.

The United Arab Emirates have also shown their support to the PA, transferring $80 million in aid to the PLO, of which Hamas is not a member of and therefore does not violate US anti-terror laws.

In recent weeks, Qatar gave $44 million, Norway gave $10 million and Saudi Arabia donated $50 million to the PA.

Japan is also considering renewing direct funding of the PA. It has donated about $900 million to the PA since 1993.

The European Union is also planning to resume funding of the PA, with external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner saying that, "Hopefully at the next council we will be able to take a decision.” That meeting is scheduled for June 18. The plan is to supply $30 million a month to the PA.

According to my calculations, the President's question is a non-starter. "Us" and the terrorists are one and the same.

Iran Urges Hamas To Fight On

Hamas has been given its marching orders from its spiritual and financial guiding light. Iran is the master; Hamas is their proxy. When Iran says "fight", Hamas fights. When Iran says "take a break", Hamas gathers itself for the next battle.

Don't believe any of the ceasefire talk you might hear coming from Hamas "politicians". Iran has given the command; fight on. This from Roee Nahmias for Ynet;

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki urged Hamas and the Islamic Jihad to carry on with their armed struggle against Israel during meetings with leaders of the Palestinian groups in Damascus Saturday.

According to the London-based al-Hayat daily, Mottaki met with Hamas' politburo head Khaled Mashaal and a delegation of Islamic Jihad leaders in the framework an official visit to Syria.

"The Palestinian people are a mighty people and there is a need to continue with the resistance," al-Hayat quoted Mottaki as saying.

Al-Hayat also reported that Mottaki met with a top political advisor to Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah as well as a delegation of the pro-Syrian Lebanese Amal faction.

If this was Iran's message to Hamas, I wonder what was conveyed to Hezbollah???

And what did Ahmadinejad have to say in commemoration of the death of Iranian revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on Sunday?

"The arrogant superpowers and the Zionist regime invested all their efforts during the 33-day war, but after 60 years, their pride has been trampled and the countdown to the destruction of this regime has been started by Hizbullah fighters."

Ahmadinejad added that "with the help of all the Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future… Anyone who works for God and believes in the power of the people will prevail."

Charming.

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Death Threats For "Immodestly" Dressed Women In Gaza

The Israeli "disengagement" from Gaza has created a monster that is more ferocious than ever imagined. Nothing like the PA; not even like Hamas. We're talking Iran, al-Qaeda and Taliban grade. This from Khaled Abu Toameh for the Jerusalem Post;

A radical Islamic group in the Gaza Strip issued over the weekend a death threat against Palestinian women working for the official Palestinian Authority television station, accusing them of dressing immodestly and behaving in a way that violates the teachings of Islam.

The threat, the first of its kind against female employees of Palestine TV, was made by the Righteous Swords of Islam, a relatively new group that is believed to have links with al-Qaida.

Members of the group are also responsible for splashing acid in the face of a number of young women who had been accused of "immoral behavior."

Acid in the face of young women. Nothing like a little tolerance.

PA officials in Ramallah told The Jerusalem Post that the presence of the extremist groups in the Gaza Strip would "eventually lead to the transformation of the Palestinian territories into a Taliban-style entity."

According to one official, "The day will come when we will miss Hamas. These are extremely dangerous groups that are trying to take Palestinian society back to the Dark Ages."

Imagine pining for the rule of Hamas; a neo-renaissance period.

A leaflet distributed by the Righteous Swords of Islam specifically referred to the women who appear on Palestine TV. "The saying these days is that the enemy has withdrawn from the Gaza Strip and so have our morals," it read. "It's indeed disgraceful that the women working for the official Palestinian media are competing between each other to display their charms."

Referring to the fact that most of the female presenters do not wear the niqab - a veil covering the face of Muslim women as a part of sartorial hijab - the leaflet asked: "Where are the decision-makers in this regard? Have we lost our conscience? Have the brothers, fathers and husbands stopped caring about their women?"

The group warned that its members would strike with an "iron fist and swords" against the women who are refusing to cover their faces. "We will destroy their homes," it announced. "We will blow up their work places. We have a lot of information about their addresses and we are following their movements."

The leaflet concluded by threatening to "slaughter" the women for allegedly spreading corruption in Palestinian society by appearing on the screen with their faces uncovered. "The administration and workers at Palestine TV should know that we are much closer to them than they think," it added. "If necessary, we will behead and slaughter to preserve the spirit and morals of our people."

Israel's peace partner….sponsored by the religion of peace.

Kindergarten Graduation... Gaza Style

The Islamic Association in Gaza celebrated kindergarten graduation in typical Hamas fashion. These pics from Hamas TV.






For the video, visit MEMRI .

'Iran: 'We Are Still Anti-American' Says Top Ayatollah'

Despite the highly suspect US/Iran talks that took place this past week, Iran has made it very clear as to where they stand. This from AKI;

Tehran, 1 June (AKI) - Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a close aide of Iran's supreme leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the head of the powerful Guardians' Council watchdog, said Friday. Tehran remains "anti-American and a foe of the United States" despite the first high level talks between the two countries in three decades which took place earlier this month in Baghdad. Jannati, who was addressing faithful during prayers at Tehran's university, stressed that the "talks in Baghdad do not change in the least the anti-American policies of the Islamic Republic."


"If the Americans want to guarantee a certain level of security to their citizens they must pull out of Iraq and abandon the region," he added.

Notice that even if the US was to “abandon the region” (which obviously includes Israel and Iraq), only a “certain level” of security could be guaranteed. Who says it’s all about the occupation???

Crossposted to Jihad Watch

Fighting Back

Finally some resistance to the planned boycott by the British University and College Union (UCU). This from YNET;

An American research foundation announced on Thursday that following the decision of the British University and College Union (UCU) to consider launching an academic boycott of Israel it has cancelled its plans to open a grant application process for UK researchers.

The $150 million Goldhirsh foundation supports scientists around the world in the quest for a cure for brain cancer funds research.

In a letter to British academic institutions, foundation leader Elizabeth Goldhirsh writes: " As a director of a $150 million foundation that supports scientists around the world in the quest for a cure for brain cancer, I am profoundly disappointed in your union's decision to boycott Israel today."

"This action represents a severe setback for academic freedom and open discourse. Moreover, the decision to single out and demonize Israel above and beyond all other countries - remaining silent over Russia's brutal occupation in Chechnya, for example, or China's ongoing oppression of Tibet - is, at best, troubling. At worst, it points to a far more sinister and tragic motivation.

"Equally disturbing is to do so at a time when Israel's civilians are facing near-daily missile attacks from Gaza and her partner for negotiations is an organization that dispatches suicide bombers and refuses to recognize the Jewish State's right to exist.

"Given this decision, I am deeply saddened to say that while my foundation had been considering opening up our scientific grant process to British researchers we will no longer be able to do so. I urge you to work against this boycott and restore learning's highest ideal of fairness free of prejudice to British academia."

Bingo. Good thing it's a brain cancer foundation. If the grant would have been for dental research, the Brits would never feel the difference.