Weekly Quotes
“A move like that will be a violation of all the agreements that were signed until today. Israel will no longer be committed to the agreements signed with the Palestinians in the past 18 years. In light of [PA President Mahmoud] Abbas’s current stance, the chances for negotiations are zero. Abbas is not interested in an agreement. He wants conflict, because that is his personal interest, even though it is against the Palestinians’ interest, and many oppose him.”—Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in a meeting with his EU counterpart Catherine Ashton, declaring that if the Palestinians seek a unilateral declaration of statehood at the UN General Assembly in September, it will mark the end of the Oslo Accords. (Jerusalem Post, June 17.)
“The debate over how many Jews and how many Palestinians will be between the Jordan and the sea is irrelevant. It does not matter to me whether there are half a million more Palestinians or less because I have no wish to annex them into Israel. I want to separate from them so that they will not be Israeli citizens. I am interested that there be a solid Jewish majority inside the State of Israel.…”—Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in response to a report published by the Jewish People Policy Institute on demographic changes among Jews and Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank, discounting the notion that these trends will result in a Palestinian majority between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and suggesting that one option to prevent this fate is to physically part from the Palestinians, perhaps by relinquishing portions of the West Bank. (Haaretz, June 21.)
“The White House’s growing struggles to maintain support, in NATO and especially at home, show what happens when a President tries to lead a war from behind.… The greatest military alliance in history can’t defeat a rag-tag band of mercenaries answering to a much-loathed dictator. One reason is that the U.S. has retreated to the rear since April 7, when Mr. Obama handed over the lead to the French, British, Canadian and other European NATO members.… No U.S. ship participates in the arms embargo, and the USNS Comfort, a medical treatment facility, is on a goodwill visit to the Caribbean rather than the Gulf of Sidra. The U.S. still hasn’t recognized the rebel Transitional National Council, still hasn’t unfrozen Gadhafi’s assets to finance the rebel effort, and as far as we know still hasn’t tried to raise money from the Arab League for the war effort. Mr. Obama likes to boast that the U.S. isn’t acting “alone” in this conflict, but in the first Gulf War the U.S. collected $55 billion to push Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. No wonder Gadhafi thinks he can hold on.…”—Excerpt from a Wall Street Journal editorial, entitled “Leading Libya From Behind,” criticizing U.S. president Barack Obama’s gross mismanagement of the ongoing war in Libya. (Wall Street Journal, June 18.)
“I want to express my sincere gratitude for your thoughtful discussion of the issues. We are confident that history will see the wisdom of your country in debating these issues. We are counting on the United States Congress to its continued investigation of military activities of NATO and its allies to confirm what we believe is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973.”—Excerpts from a letter written by embattled Libyan president Colonel Muammar Qaddafi to the U.S. Congress, expressing his gratitude for the passage by the House of a resolution that rebuked the Obama administration for maintaining an American role in the Libyan campaign without Congressional consent. (NY Times, June 11.)
“The real reason for the delay in the forming and convening of the government is disagreement over Fayyad. President Abbas insists on nominating Salam Fayyad, whose appointment Hamas categorically rejects. That has led the two sides to postpone the meeting rather than announce the collapse of the reconciliation.”—A senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, attributing the postponement of the formation of a Palestinian unity deal to internal disagreement between Fatah and Hamas over Salaam Fayyad’s nomination for prime minister. Hamas leader Ismail Radwan reinforced this reality, saying “Fayyad is not wanted because his name is linked to Palestinian division, the debt-ridden Palestinian economy and operations by the [Palestinian Authority] security services against the resistance.” (Independent Media Review and Analysis, June 20.)
“What has been behind decline in support for the war? The obvious. It has gone on almost 10 years. It is America’s longest war. We have been there longer than the Soviets were. No one in a position of authority credibly or coherently explains the path to victory, or even what victory would look like. Are we losing young men so that a year from now we can commence 10 years of peace talks with the Taliban? Toward what end? What will we be asking for, that they be nice? America is now full of veterans of Afghanistan, and while many will agree with the original mission, or the current mission as they understand it, it is certain that at the American dinner table the cost, complexity and confusion of the effort are being discussed. And the killing of Osama bin Laden provided a psychic endpoint to the drama. The day we went into Afghanistan, we were trying to find him and kill him. Six weeks ago, we found him and killed him. All wars run on a great rush of feeling, of fervor. That feeling and fervor have on an essential level been satisfied. But there’s something else, probably the most important fact of all. We are as a nation, on paper, almost bankrupt. Or bankrupt, depending on how you judge. Among the Republican candidates for president, there is a growing awareness that America does not have a foreign policy unless we have the money to pay for it.… We cannot lead, or even be an example, without money. And we are out of it. Therefore, reordering our financial life and seeing to our financial strength is the single most constructive thing we can do to create and maintain a sound U.S. foreign policy. If we want to be safe in the world, we must be sturdy at home.… The problem with Afghanistan, and Iraq for that matter, is not only that after 10 years our efforts have turned out to be—polite word—inconclusive. We are spending money we don’t have for aims we cannot even articulate.”—Excerpt from Peggy Noonan’s Wall Street Journal article, entitled “Republicans Return to Reality,” rationalizing the decline in American public support for the war in Afghanistan, and warning of the impending fiscal ramifications should the U.S. continue along the same path. (Wall Street Journal, June 18-19.)
“My government will be happy to work with the new Turkish government on finding a resolution to all outstanding issues between our countries, in the hope of re-establishing our cooperation and renewing the spirit of friendship which has characterized the relations between our peoples for many generations.”—Excerpts of a letter, published by the Turkish daily Today’s Zaman, sent by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan following Erdogan’s recent re-election, calling for a restoration of friendship between the two countries. Government sources have confirmed that Israel regrets the deterioration in its relations with Turkey, and believes that a positive bilateral relationship between Jerusalem and Ankara serves both countries. (Jerusalem Post, June 21.
“The recent death of Milivoj Asner in Austria, unprosecuted for his crimes, is a travesty of justice which reinforces the total failure of the Austrian judicial authorities to adequately deal with the issue of Nazi war criminals during the past more than three decades. Asner’s role in the persecution and death of hundreds of Serb, Jewish and Roma residents of the city of Pozega, Croatia in his capacity as local Ustasha police chief was critical, and his criminal responsibility for their tragic fate is absolutely clear.”—Simon Wiesenthal Center official Efraim Zuroff, criticizing Austria for its failure to convict alleged Nazi collaborator Milivoj Asner, who died earlier this week, and calling it a sign of shame for the local authorities. (Jerusalem Post, June 21.)
Short Takes
PALESTINIAN RECONCILIATION SUMMIT POSTPONED—(Jerusalem) Palestinian officials have confirmed that a high-profile meeting between the leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas has been postponed indefinitely. The meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal had been expected to name a new prime minister to preside over the emerging unity government, but officials from both sides acknowledged there are still disagreements over who will lead the coalition. According to senior Palestinian officials, Hamas’s insistence on excluding current PA prime minister Salaam Fayyad is the major obstacle preventing the actualization of the reconciliation agreement. (Ynet News, June 19.)
HAMAS ARMED WING REJECTS 1,000-PRISONER SHALIT DEAL—(Jerusalem) According to German government sources, a deal in which Israel would release approximately 1,000 prisoners in exchange for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has been rejected by Hamas’ armed wing, the Izzadin Kassam Brigades, despite approval by the groups political wing. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at a joint appearance with French president Nicholas Sarkozy, recently called efforts to release Shalit “a very important matter.” For France, the Shalit case is particularly sensitive because the captive soldier holds dual Israeli-French citizenship. (Jerusalem Post, June 18.)
IDF IDENTIFIES THOUSANDS OF HEZBOLLAH SITES IN LEBANON—(Jerusalem) The IDF has identified thousands of Hezbollah sites throughout Lebanon, making its “target bank” many times larger than it was in 2006 on the eve of the Second Lebanon War. According to a senior military officer, the IDF knew of approximately 200 pre-designated Hezbollah targets on July 12, 2006. Today the bank has thousands more sites that would constitute legitimate targets in the event of a future war with Hezbollah. Earlier this year, the IDF released a map showing 950 locations scattered across the country—a majority of them bunkers and surveillance sites. According to the officer, Hezbollah is also believed to have passed the 50,000 mark in the number of rockets and missiles it has obtained. (Jerusalem Post, June 10.)
MUFTI OF LEBANON: PALESTINIANS ARE ‘TRASH’, NOT WELCOME—(Jerusalem) The mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani, has condemned Palestinians as “trash” and said they are no longer welcome in his country. “We’ve hosted you and no longer want you. You [Palestinians] will never be victorious. Nor will your cause.” Sheikh Qabbani’s remarks were made during a meeting held in his office in Beirut with a Palestinian delegation representing refugees and various Palestinian factions in Lebanon. More than 400,000 Palestinians live in Lebanon, most of them in refugee camps. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora apologized on behalf of the mufti, saying the Sheikh lost his temper following complaints that Palestinians living in Lebanon had illegally seized lands belonging to the state and the Islamic Wakf Trust. (Jerusalem Post, June 16.)
ZAWAHRI NAMED AL-QAIDA CHIEF—(Dubai) Ayman al-Zawahri has taken command of al-Qaida following last month’s killing of Osama bin Laden. “The general leadership of al-Qaida group, after the completion of consultation, announces that Sheikh Dr. Ayman Zawahri, may G-d give him success, has assumed responsibility for command of the group,” the Islamist website Ansar al-Mujahideen (Followers of the Holy Warriors) said in a statement. Long known as bin Laden’s lieutenant and the brains behind many of al-Qaida’s operations, Egyptian-born Zawahri has vowed to press ahead with al Qaida’s campaign against the United States and its allies. Believed to be in his late 50s, Zawahri met bin Laden in the mid-1980s when both were in Pakistan to support guerrillas fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. (Reuters, June 16.)
AFGHANISTAN’S KARZAI CONFIRMS U.S. IN TALKS WITH TALIBAN—(Kabul) Afghan President Hamid Karzai has for the first time officially confirmed that the U.S. is involved in negotiations with the Taliban regarding a possible settlement to the near decade-long war in Afghanistan. “Peace talks are going on with the Taliban. The foreign military and especially the United States itself is going ahead with these negotiations,” Karzai said in a speech in Kabul. There are many Afghans who fear talks with the insurgents could undo much of the progress made since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban government. There currently are about 100,000 U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan, up from about 34,000 when Obama took office in 2009. (Reuters, June 18.)
AFGHAN CIVILIAN DEATHS SET A MONTHLY RECORD, U.N. SAYS—(Kabul) The United Nations has announced that May was the deadliest month for Afghan civilians since it began keeping count in 2007—the result of intense fighting, as militants seek to combat against the surge in American forces and undermine the government of president Hamid Karzai. The record number of casualties is particularly disconcerting, as the U.N.’s special representative to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, recently undertook a major effort to curb their occurrence. In May, 368 afghan civilians died in conflict-related incidents. (NY Times, June 11.)
EX-TUNISIAN PRESIDENT BEN ALI SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS IN JAIL—(Tunis) A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, in absentia, to 35 years in jail, after finding him guilty of theft and unlawful possession of cash and jewellery; Ben Ali will have to pay fines totalling 91 million Tunisian dinars ($65.6 million). The judge said the verdict on other charges, relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons, would be pronounced on June 30. Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14, after mass protests against his 23-year rule. Ben Ali said in a statement that he was deceived into leaving the country, and denied giving orders for security forces to shoot at protesters who were demanding he step down. (Reuters, June 20.)
QUEBEC PARENTS CHALLENGE BAN ON DAY CARE RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION—(Toronto)Jewish parents in Quebec have gone to court to challenge a government ban on religious instruction in government-subsidized day care programs, which they say violates their rights to freedom of religion guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Under the new rules, which came into effect June 1, subsidized day care centers may celebrate cultural aspects of religious holidays, but may not teach “a belief, a dogma or the practice of a specific religion.” Danielle Sabbah, president of the Association of Child Care Centres of the Jewish Community, called the directives troublesome: “The problem is that in the Jewish religion, traditions, culture and the religious aspect are mixed together.” The policy leaves it up to inspectors to determine when the line between culture and religion is crossed. (JTA, June 3.)
PEACE PRIZE FOR CHOMSKY DRAWS IRE IN AUSTRALIA—(Sydney, Australia) The awarding of a peace prize to American Jewish intellectual Noam Chomsky, a harsh critic of Israel and of American foreign policy, is drawing opposition in Australia. “The choice of Noam Chomsky continues a pattern of Sydney Peace Prize recipients who have demonstrated questionable credentials as legitimate peace-makers,” said Vic Alhadeff, chief executive of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies. Chomsky, 82, sparked a furor recently with an essay on the killing of Osama bin Laden in which he wrote that George W. Bush’s crimes “vastly exceed” those of the al Qaeda leader. Chomsky, who is “honored to receive this prestigious award,” will fly to Australia in November to collect his $50,000 prize and deliver the City of Sydney Peace Prize lecture at the University of Sydney. (JTA, June 3.)
DORE GOLD RECEIVES GUARDIAN OF ZION AWARD—(Jerusalem) Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, has received the Guardian of Zion Award presented annually by Bar-Ilan University’s Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies. Those receiving the honor are chosen because they have “dedicated their lives to the perpetuation and strengthening of Jerusalem.” Gold, who served as Israeli ambassador to the UN from 1997-1999, has written extensively on Jerusalem, as well as on Israel and the Middle East in general. He has served as an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during both his terms of office, and was an adviser to former prime minister Ariel Sharon. The first Guardian of ZionAward honoree was Nobel Prize laureate Elie Wiesel. (Jerusalem Post, June 7.)
LETTER SHOWS FIRST-KNOWN DESIRE BY HITLER TO REMOVE JEWS—(Jerusalem) The Simon Wiesenthal Centerhas unveiled a signed letter by Adolf Hitler that contains what is believed to be his earliest transcribed calls for the removal of Jews from Germany. Purchased from a private dealer for $150,000, the letter is “one of the most important documents in the entire history of the Third Reich,” according to Rabbi Marvin Heir, founder of the Wiesenthal Center. In the letter, Hitler explains his dissatisfaction with a Jewish race growing in the midst of the German nation, holding “feelings, thoughts, and aspirations” different to those of the German people. The letter proves that as early as 1919, Hitler was contemplating the total “removal of Jews” (German: “Entfernung der Juden”) from German society.The letter, found by a U.S. soldier in 1945 in the Nazi Archives near Nuremberg, will go on permanent display in the Wiesenthal Center’s Holocaust museum in July. (Jerusalem Post, June 8.)
LITHUANIA COMPENSATES JEWS FOR NAZI, SOVIET ERA LOSSES—(Vilius) Lithuania’s parliament has passed a long-awaited bill to compensate the Jewish community for communal property taken during the Nazi and Soviet occupations of the country. Under the bill, the government would pay 125 million litas ($51.93 million) between 2013 and 2023 to a special fund; a further 3 million litas would be paid directly to Holocaust survivors in 2012. The bill, which aims “to restore historical justice,” was backed by 82 lawmakers in the 141-seat parliament with 18 abstentions. “With this bill we demonstrate good will and an understanding of the tragedy the Jewish community suffered during the Holocaust,” Lithuania Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said in a statement. More than 90 percent of Lithuania’s 220,000-strong Jewish community were wiped out during the Holocaust. (Reuters, June 21.)
U.S. DENIES JONATHAN POLLARD’S REQUEST TO ATTEND HIS FATHER’S FUNERAL—(Jerusalem) The White House has spurned requests by Israel to allow Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to attend his father’s funeral. Pollard’s father Morris passed away at the age of 95, after complications from an illness. Heads of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations expressed dismay and regret at the decision, saying in a statement that the “humanitarian gesture was warranted,” adding that “it underscores the need for prompt action to release Jonathan Pollard after 25 years of imprisonment. (Haaretz, June 20.)
