Or Burny Farber or any of the other pro-Israeli Torontonians?

I expect to see Burny Farber and Frank Diamante out this Sunday afternoon. I want to see Michael Ignatieff out there, too. And if Warren Kinsella is back from Ottawa, I demand he be there. Time to do a little pushing back, and if it means standing side-by-side with a hater like me, tough shit. If the fight for freedom of speech in Canada has taught me nothing else, it has taught me that sometimes you have to stand next to people you wouldn’t otherwise associate with. Life is harsh - buy a helmet, dude.

Put your balls out for the world, boys. I have. Don’t worry, you can cower behind me if you need to.

And as for Toronto’s Jews: Do you want this Catholic girl to be More Jew Than You?

I spent yesterday on the “wrong” side of the street, betraying all I believe in to walk amongst the pro-Palestinian terror supporters of Toronto. I didn’t do this by choice, but because I was asked by an American anti-terror organization to cover it from the “inside”.

The organizers of the rally (which mostly seemed to be sponsored by Toronto Stop the War Coalition) said there were 15,000 people in attendance. The real number was closer to about 10,000. But hey, it’s kinda like when they kill Israeli civilians: A few more or less are no big deal, let’s just use round numbers!

A bewildered and somewhat unwilling child wastes his Saturday doing what his mother wants him to do.

I arrived just as the dingbat head of Ontario CUPE, Sid Ryan, took the stage to tell everyone that he isn’t anti-Semitic, but that the evil Jewish-owned media in Canada just made it sound that way. Because they’re Jooooooos. And then he had the nerve to tell everyone that because he’s Irish and because Ireland had The Troubles, he totally understands the plight of the Gazans. Uh huh. So he basically just told the city that he’s pro-IRA terror, too. Way to go, Sid Vicious. Is there anyone you don’t want to bomb?

The Communist Worker party crowd was out, standing in solidarity with the anti-Semites. Oddly, so were the queers. Here’s a useful idiot for you:

I doubt very much if they realize they would be the first to go under an Islamic regime. If Palestinians tear down their wall, that wall will land on homosexuals. That’s what happens to them in Islamic states.

Let me just say that for the most part, the rally was peaceful and extremely well monitored by its own security people. Guys with Hezbollah flags showed up and were turned away, because they didn’t want the bad press. Mind you, they missed one:

Ok, maybe two. This girl was wearing her Nasrallha/Hezbollah banner on her hijab. I asked her to take it of and show it to me. I told her she was brave for wearing it. Her response? “Who cares, this is Canada. I can do what I want!” Too bad I can’t.

While they did their best to stick to chants like “Free, free Palestine” and “Palestine will never die!”, there were a few rogues who let their true feelings come through. Groups of people yelling “Allahu Ackbar” were quickly shushed by the organizers. Well, mostly. I have video, but can’t post it at this time.

One Islamic student group however spent much of the time screaming the following chant:

Viva viva Palestina
Viva viva Intifada

And then, the women in bags arrived. People I believe to be Toronto’s First Family of Terror, the Khadrs. Of course, it’s hard to say for sure because the women were covered head-to-toe in Islamic garb(age), but the little girl looked familiar. Unfortunately they had her dressed as a prop. I’m surprised they didn’t have the poor dear in a tiny suicide vest. Here is an image of her crying, obviously upset by the noise and chaos, not to mention the argument her mother was having with the organizers. Apparently the rally wasn’t radical enough for them. That’s what I gleaned with my rudimentary Arabic.

I didn’t want to be there yesterday. I knew of the rally via Facebook, but I had no intention of being there. The one last week made my ulcer bleed, it was so ugly. This week’s, though tamer, was worse for me because I had to walk amongst the hordes. When it was over and I had run through almost 6GB of recording, I felt I needed a shower and a pork chop, which is exactly what I had.

I got very bad frostbite yesterday, and lost my voice, but the cause was well worth it.

The typical terrorists - Che Marxist, Palestinian Hamas supporters and Hezbollah murderers - marched by the thousands to decry Israel’s defense of its civilians.

On our side of the street, maybe 150 people. It was Shabbas, the Jewish day of rest. There were as many WASPs and Catholics as there were Jews braving the cold in defense of Israel. There were also the Hindus, still reeling from the horrific attacks in Mumbai at the end of November.

Between us, a thin line of bike cops.

Dundas Square was brimming with hatred the likes of which my non-city readers will never have seen before, unless they’ve been in the military. A nicely placed IDF mortar would have been useful, but then again, there were too many women and children. Israel never would have risked it.

I lost my voice screaming Infidels for Israel and God Bless the IDF. Two teenage girls who had just come to Canada from Israel stood in front of me, on the brink of tears when they saw the Hezbollah flag flying in the streets of a country where Hezbollah is ostensibly an illegal terrorist organization. I hugged them. I wanted to apologize for what they were seeing. They kept asking me “Why? Why are they doing this?” and I couldn’t answer.

I don’t know why.

The Jewish Defense League is hosting a counter-rally tomorrow at Yonge & Dundas Square. Meet at 1:30 pm at the Southwest Corner of Dundas & Yonge, in front of the Eaton Centre. I will be there.

In other Israeli-offensive news, this is an excellent post by Leah, an Israeli-American friend of mine.

Well here’s my question; where was the world’s outrage when a bomb from Gaza landed mere meters from my best friend’s house? Where was the world’s outrage at the Israeli civilians who were being “targeted”—if one can call blind firing of rockets into purely civilian areas actual targeting—for the past month? Is it all right to bomb Israeli citizens intentionally and wrong to bomb buildings in which Hamas terrorist leaders are holed up continuing their terror after warning the civilians to leave?

Where was the world while my best friend’s been “fixing up” her bomb shelter and worrying about her sons’ day care, because it doesn’t have one? Those children are not important…

…But how dare the world’s media use such biased coverage as to interview a Palestinian woman living in the hell that is now Gaza without talking also to an Israeli woman trying to save her kids? How can any use of force against Israel be counted and reported in said media as everyday behavior but a 5-day offensive to make that behavior stop be reported as unwarranted violence? Why must my country be asked repeatedly to be the lamb to the slaughter whenever it is faced with attack?

December 17, 2008 | Khaled Abu Toameh
PA Tortures Journalists

“This is not Israel, where you are allowed to see a lawyer.”

Over the past two years Palestinian journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been subjected to a systematic campaign of intimidation that has resulted in the death of some and the detention of others.

The campaign, which is being waged by both Hamas and Fatah, has received almost no attention from human rights groups and advocates of the freedom of expression throughout the world.

By contrast, when a Palestinian journalist is accidentally wounded by Israeli gunfire during clashes with Palestinians, the incident makes headlines in major media outlets in the US and EU.

What is most disturbing about the campaign of intimidation is the fact that it’s being spearheaded by the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. This is the same authority that is receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from American and European taxpayers’ money every month to build a proper judicial system and promote democracy and transparency among the Palestinians.

Click here to continue reading »

This is a more difficult post to write than the last one. This one means a wake up for me and many others who so far have managed to treat world events as academic. The realm of debate and moral and ethical games.

Israel has retaliated against Gaza by air strikes against military targets and limiting civilian damage to the best of its capabilities. Many posts will argue the rights and wrongs of it so no need for more of that here. I’m sure the vast vast majority have already made up their minds as to who is right and wrong and why.

I am writing on another aspect. Strategy and outcome.

So far, Islamist forces world wide (and Gaza is no exception) have overwhelmingly chosen to go after the softest targets possible and the ones which would garner the most outrage and horror. It is not at all unusual for example, for a Palestinian receiving free and excellent medical care in Israel to return to the hospital wrapped in explosives with hopes of murdering the very doctors nurses and destruction of the facilities which had treated her. We also have seen attacks going back decades in Argentina, France, and recently Bombay targeting Jews with no strategic value whatsoever but because they are Jews. More recently, The UK, Germany Scandinavia and frankly much of Europe where Muslims are moving in large numbers in the past year has seen anti semitic violent attacks grow.

Hamas will ‘retaliate’ (I put retaliate of course in quotes as the Israeli action was in fact retaliation for over 800 rockets fired at Israeli civilians over the past few years most of which was during an agreed ‘cease fire’) as will Hizbolah, Al Queda/Taliban and any number of Islamic groups which as usual will create a new name for themselves for each attack by targeting easy to access unsuspecting targets of Jews. It could as easily be Ottawa as Bombay or Pembrook Ontario as London England or Ipswich Mass. as easily as Madrid Spain. The only thing these attacks will have in common, will be that it is against Jewish people.

If you live as a Jew in most western nations, it is against the law to arm yourself. not just for jews of course but for all. The police or more likely politicians would prefer you get killed cleanly and quickly then get the police and ambulance to the scene so City councils can show how efficient they are. Outside of small pockets of the USA where there is still some sense of individual right to life and self defense this is the norm. However given the history of Islamic terrorist movements and the ascendancy of same, the moral relativism of the modern left who dominate the civil service of most western nations and the consequent ethical ambiguousness which has made terrorists the victims and victims the aggressors, Jewish people may want to start thinking about their own security. Predicting the future at some levels is imposable. At others is as easy as looking at the past.

Let’s have a look at what the official reaction has been from various bodies in order to better understand how officialdom may react to the deaths of Jews by Muslim attackers in their own cities and nations.

Here I borrow heavily from the excellent site, The Gates of Vienna…

Spokesman For Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General

“The secretary general is deeply alarmed by today’s heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the continuation of violence in southern Israel.

“[He] appeals for an immediate halt to all violence [and reiterates] previous calls for humanitarian supplies to be allowed into Gaza to aid the distressed civilian population.”

Gordon Johndroe, White House Spokesman

“Hamas’ continued rocket attacks into Israel must cease if the violence is to stop. Hamas must end its terrorist activities if it wishes to play a role in the future of the Palestinian people.

“The United States urges Israel to avoid civilian casualties as it targets Hamas in Gaza.”

Spokesman For Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy Chief

“We are very concerned at the events in Gaza. We call for an immediate ceasefire and urge everybody to exert maximum restraint.”

British Foreign Office Statement

“The only way to achieve lasting peace in Gaza is through peaceful means. Whilst we understand the Israeli government’s obligation to protect its population we urge maximum restraint to avoid further civilian casualties.

“We also call on militants in the Gaza Strip to immediately cease all rocket attacks on Israel.”

Russian Foreign Ministry Statement

“Moscow considers it necessary to stop large-scale military action against Gaza, which has already led to major casualties and suffering among the civilian Palestinian population.

“At the same time, we call on the Hamas leadership to stop shelling Israeli territory.”

Amr Moussa, Arab League Secretary General

“We are facing a continuing spectacle which has been carefully planned. So we have to expect that there will be many casualties. We face a major humanitarian catastrophe.”

Syrian Foreign Ministry Statement

“Syria is following with great anxiety the barbaric Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza… a horrific crime and terrorist act.

[…]

“Syria as president of the Arab League calls on Arab leaders to hold an emergency summit to assess the dangerous situation in Gaza.”

Hasan Qashqavi, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman

“Iran strongly condemns the Zionist regime’s wide-ranging attacks against the civilians in Gaza.

“The raids against innocent people are unforgivable and unacceptable.”

And the most useless and mealy-mouthed reaction of all comes from — surprise! — the Vatican:

Rev Federico Lombardi, Vatican Spokesman

“Hamas is a prisoner to a logic of hate, Israel to a logic of faith in force as the best response to hate.

“One must continue to search for a different way out, even if that may seem impossible.”

So from this we get a fairly clear idea how our leaders will react to terrorist attacks against Jewish targets. A few words careful not to offend Islamic terrorists. Hence the responsibility ends where it should begin. In the hands of each individual Jewish person to decide how exactly they should protect themselves. The state will not be able to do it nor has the will.

Perhaps the radical sounding words of the founder of the JDL, Rabbi Meir David Kahane don’t sound so radical now. “Every Jew a .22″.

Frankly, I think a .45 would make a lot more sense.

Somehow, the UK courts are ok with a British blogger being sued by an internationally recognized terror organization.

In fact, we did no more than translate a phrase which appeared in an Al Jazeera report of Mr Sawalha’s speech. When Al Jazeera changed that phrase from “Evil Jew” to “Jewish Lobby”, we reported that fact, along with the statement that it had been a typographical error.

Mr Sawalha says that the attribution of the phrase “Evil Jew” to him implies that he is “anti-semitic and hateful”. Notably, he does not take issue with our reporting of the revelation, made in a Panorama documentary in 2006, that he is a senior activist in the clerical fascist terrorist organisation, Hamas. The BBC report disclosed that Mr Sawalha “master minded much of Hamas’ political and military strategy” and in London “is alleged to have directed funds, both for Hamas’ armed wing, and for spreading its missionary dawah”.

British firm Dean and Dean decided that this terrorist leader had a case against Harry the blogger, and they intend to bring him down under their Sharia-loving heel.

Mr Sawalha’s British Muslim Initiative put out a press release on 2 July 2008, describing us as “racist”, “underhand”, “plainly lying” and “pure evil”. We are none of these things. Yet, instead of seeking to sue Mr Sawalha and his organisations for the serious defamation of our characters which he has circulated, or demanding an apology, we took his arguments on.

Mr Sawalha operates by invective and legal threat, because he has no other answer to the case which we have advanced. [Sounds like Warren Kinsella! - RG] This is the context within which he expects people to attend IslamExpo and other British Muslim Initiative organised events. How can there be genuine debate in these circumstances?

If you can, give Harry some help.

Palestinian kills 3 in Jerusalem bulldozer attack

And it isn’t even “Pancakes for Rachel Corrie Day”!

A Palestinian construction worker rampaged in a bulldozer along one of west Jerusalem’s busiest streets on Wednesday, killing three Israelis as he crushed cars and overturned a bus before being shot dead.

There was no claim of responsibility from militant groups and police said they were trying to establish if 30-year-old Hosam Dwayyat had acted alone. At his family home in the Arab east of the city, there was no sign of the crowds and banners that normally accompany the funerals of Palestinian guerrillas.

Hmmm… a little over a week after a cease-fire is called, and a “lone madman” goes on a rampage? I expect to see many more “lone madmen” before Hamas gives up the charade and officially calls off the ceasefire.

A man in civilian clothes leapt aboard and fired a pistol into the cab, followed by a helmeted policeman in body armor who fired an automatic rifle. The officer later said he fired twice at the wounded driver to ensure he was no further threat.

“The only way to stop him was with a bullet to the head,” witness Moshe Oren said afterwards. “We were relieved.”

It’s like Texas, but the men are way hotter. If someone is going batshit crazy and killing people, a bullet to the head is always a welcome relief from the danger.

Hamas states its case clearly that minorities will not be respected, and if they refuse their dhimmitude, they face either expulsion or death. What sayeth the western apologists for Hamas ? How will they manage to twist this around and use it to blame Israel?

Read it all at Tundra Tabloid - a Right Wing Finnish Blog- thats what I said