Damn. How could I have almost let slip the anniversary of the squishing of Rachel Corrie in Israel? She threw herself in front of a steamroller, and now her parents are suing the makers of said steamroller.  Thereby proving that the whole Corrie family is mentally deficient.

Celebrate stupidity in all its forms today by having a pancake feast. As a Canadian, I must stress the importance of using real maple syrup. Eh.

I attended the MPP Peter Shurman press conference at Queen’s Park last week, to hear him denounce Israeli Apartheid Week on Ontario campuses. Click the link to read more.

I was at Beth Shalom synagogue last night in Toronto, listening to Liberal MP Irwin Cotler speak and Liberal MP Carolyn Bennet stutter (Seriously, whatever her triumphs or faults, the woman is a terrible speaker. I wanted to claw out my own eyes and throw them at her. Get thee to a teleprompter, woman!) The subject was the rise of antisemitism, specifically on our campuses here in Toronto.

Cotler (we’ll focus on him, because he can speak) talked a good game about defeating this “new” antisemitism - Iran wanting to “excise the cancer” that is Israel, the UN passing resolution after resolution against Israel, kids at York university feeling threatened, etc. But during the Q&A at the end of the presentation, he kind of lost his cool.

A woman in the audience asked him how he could be such an advocate of Israel, and still be a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. After all, she pointed out, the immigrant voting block (i.e. Muslims) vote Liberal, so pandering must be done. Liberal MP Denis Coderre marched in Montreal in 2006 under the banner of Hezbollah. Michael Ignatieff himself is very critical of Israel, etc. So how could he reconcile having Mr. Harper’s unequivocal support of Israel and Canadian Jewry against the Liberal Party’s indifference to or outright bias against?

Mr. Cotler verbally punished the woman in the audience for even daring to say such a terrible thing. Told her that Denis Coderre had never marched beneath the Hezbollah flag in Montreal (he did). How dare this woman malign the Liberals, exposing such political polarization on such an important issue?!

One wonders if he was so strident in his opinions when he was asked the very same thing by his wife, Ariela:

I have been an active, involved and contributing member of
the Liberal party until yesterday, when I decided to give up my membership because of the statements from Michael Ignatieff, given in French to a Quebec radio station.

I was hoping that with his background as a professor of human rights, Mr. Ignatieff would be able to make the distinction between the attackers and the attacked. I would remind Mr. Ignatieff that it was a Liberal government that placed Hezbollah on the international terrorist organizations list.

Must be rather tense in the Cotler household, no?

As an aside, Cotler was very open in denouncing “Ahmadinejad’s Iran” as the root of many of today’s problems with antisemitism. Possibly due to the aforementioned Islamic voting block, Mr. Cotler was unwilling to point to Islam itself as the political/religious force behind the rise in Jew hatred around the world today. It was only “Iran, Iran, Iran.” Which I found hilarious as he went on and on about how people are cloaking their antisemitism in the guise of Anti-Zionism and dislike for Israel.

Pot? It’s Kettle on the line.

Either come right out and say what everyone in the room already knows you’re thinking, or just let the subject drop altogether. The people marching in the streets of Toronto, New York, Islamabad, London, Beirut, Dearborn and other cities are not Iranian. They are from a “broad strata” (if you’ll forgive me) of Islamic society. Yes, Iran has been the only state to come out and specifically call for the obliteration of Israel, but they are not the be-all and end-all of Islamic antisemitism, any more than Israel itself is the be-all and end-all of Judaism.

Mr. Cotler, I respectfully request that you either put up or shut up.

In other news, Cotler attended Durbin II. Need we say more?

And that really says something.

So I’m out for a jog earlier today, and I enter the cool down stretch. Whip out my BlackBerry to see what I’ve missed, and there’s an email from Blazing Cat Fur, AKA Kathy’s husband.

Do you want to go to the Palestine House event with me? Kathy doesn’t want to.

Uh huh. So weird point #1 is my friend’s husband asking me to be her proxy at an event.

Weird point #2, I’m going to go to an antisemitic pro-jihad fundraiser? WTF?

Oh man. So we go to this thing, for which Arnie forks out waaaay too much jizya at the door to get in. We are under-dressed, not having realized it’s a dinner event and not just speakers in an auditorium. Clearly, I left my hijab at home.

Anyway, it took forever to get underway. Dinner wasn’t served until after 8, and the speeches didn’t start until almost 9.

Weird point #3 was the totally pedestrian food. I figured since we were there, we would be treated to taboule, hummus, kibbe… something resembling anything remotely Middle Eastern. It was not to be. Hospital-style beef & chicken with steamed veggies. Iceberg salad. Blah. If we’re going to be all multi-culti, I at least want that kickass garlic sauce they put on shish taouk, dammit.

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh AKrama Sabri, was a small unassuming man. He spoke Arabic, and from the little I understand I deduced that his English translator was leaving a lot of the juicy stuff out. All the Allah/Mohammad/Ummah/Kuffar stuff was left out, and a lot of peace/political intervention/cooperation stuff was highlighted. Hmmm. I guess that was Weird Point # 4. I am sending the recording off for a full translation. It may take a couple of weeks, but I’ll let you know what I find out.

Weird Point #5 & 5a (a tie) was the head of Palestine House telling us to vote Liberal, and Carolyn Parrish being in the audience. Arnie advises me she’s also on the donor roll for Mohammed El Masry’s new community paper, the Charger. I guess hating America isn’t enough for Parrish - she has to align herself with its enemies, too.

Then Mr. Fire and Brimstone, Bishop Atallah Hanna (Bishop of Sebastia of the Church of Jerusalem) hit the stage. A very imposing figure in his Orthodox black garb, he was also an extremely awe-inspiring speaker. If that man turned to me and told me I was going to Hell, I would simply nod meekly and accept my fate. Wow. I was informed by our table mate that his Arabic was “beautiful” and “flawless”.

This Orthodox Christian went on and on (and on) for a very long time - over an hour, I think. I understood him well enough, plus had the assistance of our table mate, to not need to know the full translation. He spoke of Israel being racist/apartheid/the usual. That those who criticize Israel are not antsemites, but are called such by people who are themselves racist antisemites. Wow, way to turn the tables, buddy. Joe Lieberman is a racist. Israelis are racist. Holland is racist. Jason Kenney is racist… you get the idea, right?

Weird point #6 was the enforcer goons at the table next to ours. I believe they were the Palestinian equivalent of Luca Brasi. Scarred faces, scarred knuckles, not a brain cell in the bunch. These guys were the, ahem, security force for the evening. Um, you have two eminent religious leaders visiting, and you’re putting these assholes in charge of their lives? Oh my.

As we got back in the car, I summed it all up by telling Arnie “Next time I pick the restaurant!”

More tomorrow, with pictures and any salvageable video. For now I’m tired. And I want a ham sandwich.

Bonus Weird Point: The banquet opened with the Canadian National Anthem and the Palestinian National Anthem (can you have a national anthem if you don’t have a nation?). A few people half-heartedly mumbled Oh Canada. Yet NO ONE even hummed Biladi. Hmmm. Which, by the way, sounds very, very German/Nazi/Soviet in it’s triumphalism.

Arnie has more at Blazing Cat Fur.

Go kill some Jews.

The United States plans to offer more than $900 million to help rebuild Gaza after Israel’s invasion and to strengthen the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, U.S. officials said on Monday.

The money, which needs U.S. congressional approval, will be distributed through U.N. and other bodies and not via the militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, said one official.

“This money is for Gaza and to help strengthen the Palestinian Authority. It is not going to go to Hamas,” said the official, who asked not to be named as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton planned to announce the funding at a donors’ conference in Egypt next week.

I do not believe for one millisecond that this money will go 100% to aid, and not into weapons and ammo for Jew hunting, a favorite Gazan pastime.

About three weeks too late.

Canada’s premiere rebellious aging punk/Nazi hunter/anti-racist and bbq cat eater would like Toronto to know that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself. He feels so strongly about this that he waited until weeks after the offensive was ostensibly “over” (as far as any offensive involving Israel can ever be over) to publicize his radical support.

No frostbite for our Warren when the anti-Semites were out and marching through the streets of the city we share.

No, now that it’s safe to have an opinion, because fewer bombs and rockets are flying through Israeli airspace, Warren Kinsella is publicizing his unwavering support for Israel. Now. Not three weeks or a month ago. Now. Way to be cutting edge, Warren.

Was the ad space just cheaper this week?

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.

While Sid Ryan and his ilk are trying to disenfranchise Jewish professors and strip them of their careers in Canada (how long before we begin shipping them to camps?), companies are showing their support of Israel.

Starbucks and eBay are some of the major names on the list, as is Kodak. And in Canada, remember that Chapters/Indigo CEO Heather Reisman donates a lot of money to the Lone Soldier program, Heseg (Hebrew).

UPDATE! The page is gone. How odd. Will have to look into this, but thanks to Damon from the comments for letting me know.

Author Pete Vere rewrites the union anthem to make Sid Ryan (head of CUPE) feel more comfortable in Toronto.

Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
For Israel must be wrong.

We march in solidarity with the yellow flag of hate.
As we lash out in Toronto, “Let us crush the Jewish state.”
We represent the left, and Jews and Nazis we equate.
For Israel must be wrong.

Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
For Israel must be wrong.

We have taken untold millions that we never toiled to earn,
As public service union chiefs, our Jewish members we spurn
We will pogrom academics, who in Israel did learn
For Israel must be wrong.

Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
Hogtown Hezbollah forever,
For Israel must be wrong.

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?

As usual most of the world shows such a blatant double standard with respect to Israel and frankly, everyone else that we tend not to even notice it and on occasion, like Hitler’s ‘big lie’ tend to think there must be something to it for so many to buy into it. In a way I suppose there is. Oil money and fear of terrorism by immigrants to western nations. But here are a few links which offer some clear as day thought on the matter. Of course, when the UN passed a resolution against Israel as the worlds worst actor in terms of women’s rights it was so laughable that most ignored it. But now we are down to the existential.

First, from www.thereligionofpeace.com 9 questions that should be answered before anyone can criticize the Israeli actions in Gaza. I could add quite a few myself but this is a nice list.

Next an op ed from the National Post on same subject. Pithy and spot on. It’s not that this is profound or hugely insightful. It’s that a Canadian national newspaper has the courage to make a clear moral stand. I wonder if we could find this in a British major paper or any other European one. It is worth reading even if most of us already know these facts.

As an aside,
there was an attack on an American Jewish center. I doubt this will be an isolated event. Look for more in Montreal.

Meanwhile the religion of peace advances it’s cause for world domination while nobody much notices.

The Swat Valley in Pakistan has been pretty much taken over by Taliban/Al Queda. A close look at a map and some thinking about US Canadian operations in Afghanistan plus rapidly rising tensions between nuclear neighbors Pakistan and India will show why this story deserves attention. Pakistan is losing a lot of territory to the Islamists. They are moving troops away from the allied areas and re enforcing borders with India. This creates opportunity for Islamist expansion on that front. I recently spent close to a hundred dollars I really do not have to buy a decent world map. It may have been the worlds first sub prime map loan actually. Who knew in high school physical geography would actually matter.

Also Stratfor reports more deadly mortar attacks by Islamist forces in Somalia killing ten people today alone. The amusingly named MILF continues to attack bomb and spread hatred and fear in the Philippines and the western media either ignores it or claims its a separatist group. It is not. It is a group of Islamic supremacy.

This article about Russia’s approach to Islam is quite good as well. It explains the little known use by Russia of Islamic proxy’s. The US likely did this as well during the cold war. Chechen’s where most likely funded by the US to annoy and distract resources of the Soviets during the cold war and we all know about Afghanistan and the Mujahadeen proxies for the US. However what should be evident by now to all of us is that this backfires. Not just sometimes but all the time to most of the world. Even Pakistan and Iran have used Islam as the tie that binds disparate tribes to try and create a national identity. We see how well that works in both places. Well, I suppose in a way you can say it does.

Here is an article albeit an older one from Jeff Jacoby at the Boston Globe on UN hypocrisy with respect to Israel. Lots of links as well and a good read. Perhaps the fact that this was written before even rumors of a retaliatory strike on Gaza makes it more meaningful.

This to paraphrase Dr. Wafa Sultan, is not a war of civilizations. Civilizations compete. This is a war of civilization against barbarism.

James Cohen for Girl on the right.

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.

I have been planning this post since Wendy pointed me at the story. It has taken me all day to manage to format it my head in such a manner that I can get it down. I feel this aspect, this slice of time in terms of the events in Bombay India reveals such malice and horror, not just of deed but of agenda and thought that it requires me to once again desensitize myself beyond even what someone who writes daily on the atrocities of Muslims in the name of Islam do around the world on a daily basis.

Let’s start with what we all know. A group of well trained and well equipped Muslim terrorists from a few nations launched an operation out of Pakistan with the intention of murdering five thousand people. They fell short of that mark but that was the plan. They had prepared for this for some time in advance using a plan loosely based on a shelved one intended for use in New York called ‘Landmarks’, an Al Queada plan intended to wreak havoc and based on a design by Ramsey Yussef, the man who was the central figure of the first attack on New York’s WTC. (For more on Landmark’s, its specifics and details please click here)

We also all know that a Jewish community center was one of the targets of this operation. The idea was to kill jews. It should be noted that this building had no markings of a Jewish center. That it was far away from the other targets and that it had little or no strategic value but did require a significant percentage of the total resources available to the terrorist group to be used for this purpose. Had they not done this, and remember this was a very carefully planned and rehearsed operation, they would have inflicted a great deal more death and misery on the people of Bombay. Many of us, myself included perhaps may try and mitigate this as being some kind of act based on the existence of Israel or some kind of show of Palestinian sympathy. For a few reasons this is nonsense of course. Hatred and killing of Jews go back to Mohamed and these kinds of acts predate the existence of Israel by centuries.

What makes this so difficult to write, is the facts of how the Jews in that building where treated before they where killed. A couple of weeks ago I read an interview with the coroner who did the autopsies on these people and are the state coroners for terrorist attacks in India. From that page,

Asked specifically if he was talking of torture marks, he said: “It was apparent that most of the dead were tortured. What shocked me were the telltale signs showing clearly how the hostages were executed in cold blood,” one doctor said.

The other doctor, who had also conducted the post-mortem of the victims, said: “Of all the bodies, the Israeli victims bore the maximum torture marks. It was clear that they were killed on the 26th itself. It was obvious that they were tied up and tortured before they were killed. It was so bad that I do not want to go over the details even in my head again,” he said.

I read this at the time and kind of dismissed it. Yes there was some shock value in the idea that a seasoned coroner who routinely (that itself is unfortunate) autopsied the bodies of terror victims found this particular incident and victims too horrifying to think about or describe. He objected to discussing it as that would make him have to think of it and he wasn’t prepared to do that.

Then today a photo of the victims with some description of what had been done to them was released. a blurred out one which itself is alarming in as much as today we are all so used to seeing image of violence that would have never made mass media in say, the 1980s or before. This one was so awful that they blurred most of it out. That the Jewish victims, preselected as such with great planning and expense, had been sexually tortured mutilated and humiliated.

Whats my point? That they felt the cost of this action was justified. This wasn’t a few guys on a private plan but this WAS the official plan. This was the intended effect. No politics, no demands, no leverage or bargaining but the sheer desire to torture humiliate and kill jews in ways that would defy the healthy imagination. Below I include that fuzzy picture and a link to some of the descriptions.

I suppose at this point I should advocate for something. An appeal to gods or a demand for state action. I do think any Jew alive today who does not own or have access to a firearm is self deluded but even that won’t help much.

Mumbai Jewish center

If you can manage it, go to the link for the description of what happened to these people.

link one

Link two

James Cohen for Girl on the Right

Thanks to Fred Litwin for sending me this link. Some clear perspective on the double standard Israel faces from most of the world.

From Family Security Matters Org. Mark Silverberg

I was asked recently to explain why Israel was “ghettoizing” the Palestinians by constructing a security barrier in areas that have served as transit points for terrorists entering the country. The questioner noted that, as a Jew, I should be more sensitive to the concept of a ghetto, and its dehumanizing effects on human beings. I responded that the security barrier was neither built for reasons of discrimination nor motivated by racism, but as a deterrent to protect the lives of Israelis from Palestinian suicide bombers and, in fact, it has, to a great extent, accomplished its purpose.
But the suggestion that Israel may have had racist motivations in constructing the barrier disturbed me because it seems to be a recurring theme among major international bodies. I asked the questioner why she had decided to sort Israel out for “special treatment?” After all, the security barrier that Israel has constructed to keep Palestinian suicide bombers out of its country is not unlike the security barrier constructed by the Saudis to keep the Yemeni jihadists out of their country; or the one that India has constructed along its borders with Pakistan, Kashmir and Bangladesh for the same reason;or the one that the Thais have constructed to keep the Malaysian jihadists out of their country, or the one that the U.S. is constructing to keep Mexican illegals out of our country……although I couldn’t recall the last time a Mexican self-detonated in Albuquerque, or fired missiles into Dallas or Houston.

For the rest of this excellent post with a lot of irrefutable examples of the way Israel is not treated in any manner as are the rest of the nations in the world please go to this link and read the rest of this article.

Much has been made of the report that Obama has offered to give Israel a ‘nuclear shield’ as a defence against likely Iranian nuclear attacks. I was asked to give my opinion in email to this issue and thought I would post the report and my answer here. I would very much welcome in comments any of your thoughts to this issue. How you guys feel about Iran’s ambitions and what the best courses of action might be.

First the report and comments from the MSM then my response then hopefully some of yours…

U.S.-ISRAEL COLLISION
Published on TheHill.com on December 16, 2008

With the election of Barack Obama, the United States has moved dramatically to the left in its foreign policy at just the time that Israel, which seems likely to return Bibi Netanyahu to office in early February, is moving to the right. A collision is almost inevitable.

Caroline Glick, the highly astute conservative columnist for the Jerusalem Post, writes that the “international community” believes that Obama “will move quickly to place massive pressure on the next Israeli government to withdraw from Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights in the interests of advancing a ‘peace process’ with the Palestinians and the Syrians.” She notes that “people who have been in close contact with Obama’s foreign policy transition team have privately acknowledged that the widespread belief that Obama will move swiftly to put the screws on Israel is fully justified. According to one source who has spent a great deal of time with the transition team since last month’s U.S. elections, Obama’s people are ’scope-locked’ on Israel.”

Meanwhile, in Israel, there is a growing consensus, reflected in public opinion surveys, that trading land for peace is a chimera. Netanyahu points out that “we do not have a viable partner with whom to negotiate peace.” The Palestinian Authority does not speak for the people of either Gaza or the West Bank, and Hamas, which probably does (it won the election), does not want to be a party to any peace agreement. Recent experience suggests that Hamas will quickly install rocket launchers on any territory Israel concedes, using it not as a basis for peace, but as a platform from which to kill more Jews.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the candidates of the left, Labor’s Ehud Barak and Kadima’s Tzipi Livni, are deeply committed to land for peace. Their rejection by the Israeli electorate — the anticipated outcome of the Feb. 10 election — will signal a bold departure in the political consensus of the Jewish state, a consensus that flies directly in the face of Obama’s likely policy.

The difference between the U.S. and Israel also extends to the realm of how strongly they oppose Iranian development of nuclear weapons. While Iran moves closer and closer to a bomb that could and will be used against Israel, Obama speaks of extending the American “nuclear umbrella” to cover Israel.

Reading between the lines, this means that he doesn’t think he can stop Iranian nuclear ambitions and will retreat to a policy of deterrence, accepting a nuclear Iran in the bargain.

If Netanyahu wins the election, he will bring with him a determination to stop Iranian nuclear weapons, no matter what, and a refusal to concede more territory in the name of the peace process. But Obama’s foreign policy team will be focusing on pushing Israel in just the opposite direction.

The result is likely to be the most significant divergence between Israeli and American policies since 1956, when President Eisenhower sided with the Arabs to halt the British-French-Israeli invasion of Suez.

The United States has tremendous leverage over Israel — military, financial and political. And Obama’s ability to carry the Jewish vote by a wide margin despite his likely Middle East policy makes him largely immune to the kind of political pressure that has disciplined American presidents in the past and forced them to incline toward accommodating Israeli views on the Middle East.

But Israel probably has the military capacity to bomb Iran and to win the Middle East war against Syria, Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah that is likely to result. Unlike Olmert, Netanyahu will use ground troops right off the bat and will fight such a war to win and to win big. But they may have to do it without their strongest ally: the United States.

Although I didn’t deal with every aspect of this article, itself a kind of ‘chimera’ I did focus on the issue of Iran the US and Israel….

some of this is good but like most stuff I read on the matter it seems under informed.
I so far at least do not see Obama’s admin as fundamentally different than Bush’s.

There are strong rumors of Obama offering to set up a ‘nuclear umbrella’ for Israel but in fact there is already a US base operating an ABM site and has been for some time albeit a ’secret’ one so Obama’s offer is nothing at all new.

What’s worth looking at is the idea that the US strategy is one of defense of Israel to Iranian nuclear missiles as opposed to preventing Iran from developing these weapons. It would appear that Iran will develop the capability for a nuclear device if they have not already done so and may in the coming years be able to develop an actual deliverable weapon.

Let’s put ourselves in the position of Iran for a moment…

We have a massive economic crisis. For the first time we are issuing debt bonds, something we are normally opposed to as an instrument. We use Islam as the tie that binds for a large number of disparate groups within Iran. The negative focus is the USA and Israel to try and keep our people united despite massive poverty and growing oppression at home. Our budget is based on a minimum USD $60.00 per barrel oil price and Iran’s crappy oil cannot get over $30.00 $PB at the moment and probably less, so Iran is sliding into more and more debt.

should we decide to go ahead with expensive nuclear weapons programs the thing to do would be distract the world with new missile tests and purchases from Russia and then build a shitty primitive nuclear device aboard a large ship and detonate it off the coast of Israel while everyone is busy with super high tech missile defense systems.

this is what I would do if I was Iran.
I tend to agree that any attempt to eradicate Iran’s program is probably not practical. It would mean a rapid end to the Obama admin for one thing. He would have to use all his political capitol up as it would be a near impossible sell at home if indeed it was even possible logistically. There is no point in destroying the facilities. You have to kill the people with the know how. This means you would have to have a surprise attack in order to be effective as the equipment is cheap and easily replaced and wouldn’t set the program back much at all. Chances are they have a lot of U235 available and ready now. The scarce resource is the technicians who have the know how to actually do anything with it.

Iran has been somewhat masterful at deception and stalling. Its a safe bet most of what we know is a dodge. The chinese bomb design is likely not what they are making. a simple U235 bomb needing a minimal of know how is probably what they are going for and it would be easy to construct this aboard a ship. something the size of Hiroshima bomb, maybe 15 or 20 kilotons would do to destroy Tel Aviv or more likely if they could, launch it high enough to create an EMP which would effectively set Israel back to pre 1900s technology and make it easy pickings for ground forces.

In any of these cases I find the analysis I see of Obama’s offer of a Nuclear shield to be lacking in decent information. It isn’t new and it doesn’t tell us anything we need to know.

If there is an attack on Iran’s facilities planned, as I said it would have to be a surprise. So the more we hear about one the less likely it is to happen.

More meaningfully the bickering over ABM systems for central Europe are indicators that the US is planning to defend against Iranian missiles as opposed to ending Iran’s capability to acquire them.

This seems to me a more telling example of US policy. That they are ready to incur Russia’s wrath for a system most definitely intended to defend against Iranian threats to Europe.

Or something. Anyway, if you are in Toronto tomorrow, please come and spend your lunch break with us, showing support for the victims of Mumbai.

A SOLIDARITY RALLY

THURSDAY DECEMBER 4, 12:00 NOON – 1:00 PM
180 BLOOR STREET WEST…to…365 BLOOR STREET EAST
ISRAELI…to…INDIAN CONSULATE

Meet in front of the Israeli Consulate and after a memorial
we will walk three blocks to the Indian Consulate.

Sponsored by:
Canadian Hindu Advocacy - 416.857.3537
Media Action Group - info@mediaactiongroup.com
Toronto Zionist Council - 416.781.3571

We deplore these acts of terror and mourn for all the victims.
Although most victims were Hindu, specific targeting of Israelis, Jews and Westerners occurred at each point of attack, especially at the Chabad religious centre where the young rabbi, his wife and visitors were brutally murdered and tortured.

Jewish worshippers returning to Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs after Muslims were given exclusive access to the holy site at the weekend reported that the cabinet containing their Torah scrolls had been urinated on.

Such fine people. So tolerant of other faiths. So respectful.

Before you consider that it may have merely been a couple of yobs on a dare,

Another Jewish resident of Hebron said that some damage to Jewish religious articles or the Jewish side of the site is found every time the Muslims take over.

Charming.