WEDNESDAY’S “NEWS IN REVIEW” ROUND-UP

Contents: | Weekly Quotes |  Short Takes   |  On Topic Links

On Topic Links

Shimon Peres (1923-1985; 1986-2016): Dr. Martin Sherman, Arutz Sheva, Sept. 30, 2016

Woman of the Year 5776: Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked: Jewish Press, Oct. 1, 2016

Calling All Souls: The Eloquent Shofar: Rabbi Francis Nataf, Jewish Press, Oct. 1, 2016

Barack Obama's Options: Lee Smith, Weekly Standard, Oct. 3, 2016

“Shimon (Peres) was a man of vision and optimism…And I think Shimon would want us to celebrate Rosh Hashanah this year by looking back with pride and looking forward with hope…Israel has much to be proud of…Our democracy is thriving. Our economy is growing. Our relations around the world are getting stronger…As Shimon was, I am extremely hopeful about our future. Israel will continue working for peace. We’ll continue expanding opportunity for all our citizens. We’ll continue to be a beacon of light and freedom in a dark and repressive region. On this Rosh Hashanah, I ask Jews around the world to remain hopeful and continue pursuing justice and truth.” — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ahead of the Jewish New Year, Netanyahu issued a greeting that invoked the late elder statesman Shimon Peres, whose funeral on Friday was attended by dignitaries from all corners of the globe. (Algemeiner, Oct. 2, 2016)

"Kirby's words are the clearest admission from the American side that the alleged 'opposition' in the Syrian 'civil war' is a US-controlled terrorist international." — Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for Russia’s ministry of defence. Officials in Moscow have accused the U.S. of “supporting terrorism” and even threatening to sponsor attacks on Russia amid a near total collapse of diplomatic contact following the breakdown of a ceasefire in Syria earlier this month. John Kirby, a US State Department spokesman said last week that Russia had an interest in stopping the violence in Syria because extremists could exploit the vacuum there and launch attacks "against Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities." (Telegraph, Sept. 29, 2016)

“We acknowledge in sorrow — and, I have to tell you, outrage — that Russia has turned a blind eye to Assad’s deplorable use of chlorine gas and barrel bombs against his people,…Together, the Syrian regime and Russia have rejected diplomacy and seem to have chosen instead to continue their pursuit of a military victory over the broken bodies, bombed-out hospitals and traumatized children of a long-suffering land.” — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Kerry said that the United States would continue efforts to end the fighting in Syria through the United Nations, but that Washington had little hope of persuading Russia to give up its unqualified support of the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. The Obama administration announced on Monday that it was suspending bilateral talks with Russia on a cease-fire. (New York Times, Oct. 4, 2016)

“US political leaders of both parties argue that destroying Islamic State is America’s top priority in the Middle East. In reality, that’s not nearly as important as confronting the challenge posed by Iran.” — Former Israeli defense minister Moshe Ya’alon. Ya’alon slammed US President Barack Obama in an op-ed in The Los Angeles Times, accusing him of showing a “lack of leadership” in facing Iran and calling on the U.S. to increase pressure on the Islamic Republic. Ya’alon said Tehran was still “much more menacing to Western interests than the Sunni thugs and murderers of Raqqah and Mosul,” a reference to I.S. Yaa’lon said that those who believed the agreement would lead to a reformed Iran “regrettably suffer from wishful thinking” adding “what we lack is leadership from our traditional allies in the West, especially our good friends in America. Should President Obama or his successor shift priorities and lead a campaign to pressure Iran to end its destabilizing policies — applying the same type of pressure that forced Iran to negotiate on its nuclear program — it will find willing partners among both Arabs and Israelis,” he wrote. (Times of Israel, Oct. 5, 2016)    

“Hitler massacred three million Jews…Now, there are three million drug addicts [in the Philippines]…. I’d be happy to slaughter them.” — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte took his trademark unrestrained rhetoric in an unexpected direction, comparing his campaign to eliminate drug dealers with Adolf Hitler’s attempt to wipe out the Jewish people. In fact, historians estimate that the Nazis murdered six million Jews across Europe in the Holocaust. Duterte’s remarks drew shock and outrage across the world. On Monday, the Philippine President apologized, saying he had never intended to derogate the memory of the six million Jews murdered under Hitler before and during World War II. (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 30, 2016)

“We felt that it was incitement (of hate speech)…The actual post itself called for the genocide of Jews. It basically said, ‘we need to kill them all.’ For (B’nai Brith) it was a no brainer — it’s a direct attack on Jewish people.” — Ryan Bellerose, Western Canada Advocacy Coordinator for B’nai Brith. B’nai Brith are calling for action, saying Anthony Hall, a University of Lethbridge professor, is spreading antisemitism. Bellerose alleges Hall has been using his classroom and social media to promote an “honest, open debate on the Holocaust” and spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories. Hall runs a YouTube channel where he proclaims the terror attacks of 9/11 were a “Zionist job.” Bellerose said he is an advocate of free speech and is aware antisemitic views are often spread online, but Bellerose takes exception to antisemitic material being spread by a professor. “As an educator, he automatically has credibility,” Bellerose said. “We are taught in Canada that university professors especially are people that know things.” (CBC, Sept. 30, 2016)

“Dear Prof. Shepard, I am extremely upset that Concordia’s name is being associated with this blatantly discriminatory event. As a Jew, as a student, I am offended.” — Nathan Elberg, CIJR International Board Chairman. On September 29, a “town-hall” panel with BDS activists took place at Montreal’s Concordia University. Speakers included Dimitri Lascaris, who advocated for the Green Party of Canada to adopt BDS at their August 2016 policy convention, Grace Batchoun, co-founder of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and Rami Yahia, internal coordinator of the Concordia Student Union (CSU). In 2014 he led the campaign for the CSU to adopt BDS.

“I have never backed down from a confrontation nor have I ever taken my yarmulke off for anyone. I steadfastly refused to remove it…I call on all Concordia University Jewish Students to proudly wear your yarmulkes. I know a lot of you take them off out of fear, but fear only encourages hate. Don’t be afraid, be Jewish, be proud!” — Howie Silbiger, a Jewish student at Concordia University. Silbiger was reportedly asked to take off his kippah in the Hall Building at Concordia, the school famous for rioting over Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2002 speech. According to Jewish blog bill613.com, Silbiger entered the Hall Building on his way to class when a young man told him to remove his Yarmulke, explaining that he shouldn’t wear one in “an Arabic university.” (Israellycool, Sept. 29, 2016)

“As I look back at what has already been a huge year for me personally, I’m reminded of the warmth and best wishes extended to me by the Jewish community. From attending [a] Yom HaShoah [ceremony] as my first official engagement after being elected mayor, to breaking my fast during Ramadan at an event hosted by the Finchley Reform Synagogue…I’m so proud to be mayor of a city where Londoners who are Jewish, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, those who are members of an organized faith, don’t simply tolerate each other, but respect, embrace and celebrate each other.” — Sadiq Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor. Khan issued a Rosh Hashanah greeting, and called  London’s Jewish community a “shining example of London at its best.” Khan has also said he would be open to visiting Israel. “I’m keen to make sure I’m the most pro-business mayor we’ve ever had and that means going on trade missions, including to Tel Aviv,” he said. (Algemeiner, Oct. 2, 2016)

“We are on the threshold of the Jewish new year, and unfortunately many of Europe’s Jews live in fear…Putting the army outside of our synagogues, radio stations, schools and shops is of course a welcome step to protect the lives of Jews – but this is just a temporary solution that does nothing to change the root cause of the problem. The crisis – and it is a crisis – affecting Jews across Europe – deserves the same attention as the EU institutions give to the economic crisis or climate change. That starts with a properly funded EU program that teaches future generations about Jews, the Holocaust and the contributions that we, this small people, have made to the world.” — Rabbi Menachem Margolin, general director of the European Jewish Association (EJA). Dozens of members of the European Parliament and heads of Jewish organizations gathered last week to discuss the rise of antisemitism. (Jewish Press, Sept. 29, 2016)

“Previous predictions of (U.S. Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s) demise were wrong, but time is running short for another comeback. Besides, if the armchair shrinks are correct that he fears victory, Trump would always find a way to secure defeat. Then again, a deep dive into his psyche may not be necessary. His behavior could be proof that Clinton and the NeverTrumpers were right all along — that he’s not temperamentally fit to be president. Whatever the reason for his conduct, we could be witnessing the beginning of the end.” — Michael Goodwin. The second Presidential debate will take place October 9^th. (New York Post, Oct. 2, 2016)

“I stopped Netanyahu from attacking Iran…I don’t want to go into details, but I can tell you that he was ready to launch an attack and I stopped him. I told him the consequences would be catastrophic.” — Former Israeli president Shimon Peres, in 2014. In an admission he said could only be published after his death, Peres reportedly said that he personally stopped Netanyahu from attacking Iran. It is not known what kind of action Netanyahu may have been planning, but it presumably would have been a limited strike similar to Operation Opera, a surprise 1981 Israeli airstrike on Iraqi nuclear facilities. During a 2012 visit to Toronto, Peres called for patience with Iran. “It is better to start with non-military efforts than to go straight to war,” he said. “The fact that Iran is ready to enter negotiations shows (sanctions) are having an impact.” (National Post, Sept. 30, 2016)

Contents

I.S. CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEADLY WEDDING ATTACK (Damascus) — The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a wedding hall in Syria that killed 31 people, including the groom, five children and 11 women. About 80 guests at the banquet were injured, 16 of them seriously, in Monday’s terror attack in the small town of Tal Tawil, near the city of Hasaka. Hasaka is under the authority of Syrian Kurdish fighters, who have been at war with I.S. in Syria and Iraq. The bloodshed comes on the heels of the US announcement that it would suspend talks with Russia on I.S. in Syria due to the seemingly never-ending violence in the region. (New York Post, Oct. 4, 2016)

RUSSIA DEPLOYS ADVANCED S-300 MISSILE LAUNCHERS IN SYRIA (Damascus) — Russia announced that a battery of Russian S-300 air defense missile launchers has been transported to the Syrian city of Tartus to defend a Russian naval base and warships. The S-300 is a long-distance surface-to-air missile system and, with a range of up to 150 miles, is regarded as one of the most potent anti-aircraft missile systems currently fielded. Russia and America are at odds in Syria, with the Russian military supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the US led coalition supporting rebels who oppose him. (Breaking Israel News, Oct. 5, 2016)

ROCKET FIRED FROM GAZA LANDS IN SDEROT (Jerusalem) — A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck a street in the city of Sderot in southern Israel on Wednesday. Three people who “suffered anxiety attacks”, but no one was physically hurt by the attack. IDF tanks responded to the rocket attack with strikes against Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip. The I.S.-affiliated Ahfad al-Sahaba-Aknaf Bayt al-Maqdis terrorist group took responsibility for the rocket launch in statements released in both Arabic and Hebrew. The attack against Israel was apparently a response to the Strip’s Hamas rulers arresting several members of the Salafist organization, according to the group’s statement. (Times of Israel, Oct. 5, 2016)

EAST JERUSALEM: SIX MEMBERS OF I.S. ARRESTED, INDICTED (Jerusalem) — Shin Bet and Jerusalem Police have exposed an I.S. cell in East Jerusalem that planned to carry out terror attacks throughout Israel. The I.S. members are all residents of Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. Among other terror attacks, the members planned to abduct Israelis. According to one of the indictments, some of the members even traveled to Jordan and Egypt in order to join I.S. and receive training. Last month, an Israeli court sentenced six Arab-Israelis to 2-6 years in prison for trying to establish an I.S. cell in Israel. The leader of the cell was an Arab-Israeli lawyer from Nazareth. (Jerusalem Online, Oct. 2, 2016)

CANADA NEGOTIATING TO RE-ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN (Ottawa) — Canadian and Iranian officials met over the summer to discuss the renewal of diplomatic ties. The previous Conservative government severed ties with Iran in 2012 and designated the country as state sponsors of terrorism. Some commentators say the release of Montreal Professor Homa Hoodfar last week is an indicator of progress with re-connecting the two countries. In the meetings, Iranians have complained of a blocker toward that goal; the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (JVTA) which allows victims of terrorism to sue foreign governments listed as state sponsors of terrorism. (From an article by CIJR Toronto co-chair Doris Strub Epstein (CIJ News, Sept. 28, 2016)

HUNGARY MIGRANT QUOTAS REJECTED BY VOTERS IN LOW TURNOUT (Budapest) — Hungary migrant quotas recommended by the EU were rejected by voters Sunday, but the turnout was too low to make the decision valid. Hungary's Election Office reported that 98.3 percent of those who voted had rejected the quotas. But only 40 percent of the 8.26 million eligible voters took part in the referendum, falling short of the 50 percent needed to legitimize the results. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who had hoped to use the vote to shut the door to more refugees, called the vote an "outstanding" victory since those who voted were nearly unanimous in their opposition to migrant quotas. (Newsmax, Oct. 3, 2016)

IRISH COUNCILOR CALLS TO THROW OUT IPADS IN WAKE OF ISRAEL BOYCOTT MOTION (Dublin) — The Irish district council of Derry and Strabane approved a motion, by majority vote, to back a campaign to boycott Israeli goods in solidarity with Palestinians. Derry City and Strabane is a district in the northwest of Northern Ireland. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician Gary Middleton, a critic of the motion, lashed out saying that if they were serious about the boycott then the councilors should give up their iPads as Apple uses Israeli-manufactured flash memory components. He added that the motion raises serious issues of discrimination and that he would put the question to the first minister of Ireland. (Jerusalem Post, Oct. 4, 2016)

PA COMMITTEE URGES 6-MONTH ELECTIONS POSTPONEMENT (Ramallah) — The Palestinian Central Elections Commission urged PA President Abbas to delay municipal elections by at least six months, after the PA high court ordered the polling be held only in the West Bank and not in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The court ruling could bring to an end hopes that the municipal elections would be the first since 2006 in which both Hamas and the PA would participate. The elections had initially been set for October 8 to choose municipal councils in some 416 cities and towns in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas boycotted the last Palestinian municipal elections in 2012, but it had been due to participate this year. (Times of Israel, Oct. 3, 2016)

THREE ISRAELI ARABS CONVICTED OF FUNDING MOURABITOUN (Jerusalem) — The Jerusalem District Court convicted three Arab Israelis of illegal activity under the Terrorism Funding Act.  The three men were charged with illegally paying Arabs to harass Jewish worshipers visiting the Temple Mount. The Arabic name for the harassment squads is mourabitoun. The mourabitoun, before being declared an illegal organization in September, 2015, operated free daily shuttles to the Temple Mount for Islamic activists. Israeli security officials said that activists were paid USD 771–1,028 a month, with some of the funds coming from the Gulf States. All three men plead guilty as part of a plea bargain. They expect to receive a sentence of 14 months prison time and a USD 5,000 fine each. (Jewish Press, Sept. 29, 2016)

ABBAS'S FAREWELL TO PERES STIRS CONTROVERSY AMONG PALESTINIANS (Jerusalem) — President Abbas is feeling a backlash at home over his attendance at the funeral of Shimon Peres, who shared a Nobel Prize for interim peace deals with the Palestinians. In postings on social media, critics of Abbas have focused on a view of Peres's legacy that jars with his world acclaim as an architect of the Oslo accords in the 1990s. Peres was buried in a state ceremony in Jerusalem on Friday attended by dozens of dignitaries from around the world. But the President of Egypt and King of Jordan, leaders of the only Arab countries to have signed peace treaties with Israel, stayed away, while Abbas's main political rival Hamas condemned his participation as having betrayed Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post, Oct. 3, 2016)

US FLAGS FLY AT HALF-STAFF WORLDWIDE FOR PERES (Washington) — The flags of the U.S. — in all public buildings in the continental U.S. and at American embassies, consulates, military and naval posts around the world flew at half-staff Friday, in honor of the passing of Israel’s ninth President, Shimon Peres. President Obama issued a statement saying Peres was “the essence of Israel itself — the courage of Israel’s fight for independence…and the perseverance that led him to serve his nation in virtually every position in government across the entire life of the State of Israel…A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever…todah rabah, Shimon.” (Jewish Press, Sept. 30, 2016)

PRINCE CHARLES VISITS GRANDMOTHER'S GRAVE WHILE IN JERUSALEM (Jerusalem) — Charles, Prince of Wales, secretly visited his grandmother's grave while in Jerusalem for Shimon Peres' funeral. Prince Charles' grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenburg, was buried at the Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives. Her remains were transferred to a crypt below the church in 1988. The visit went unreported until a number of photos surfaced on social media. The Royal family has historically refrained from visiting the site due to its location in the eastern part of Jerusalem, to remain neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Princess Alice, who gave shelter to Jews in Nazi-occupied Athens, was recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous among the Nations. (Jerusalem Post, Oct. 3, 2016)

FATHER OF NOBEL PHYSICS WINNER FLED TO UK FROM THE NAZIS (London) — British scientists David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for revealing the secrets of exotic matter, the Nobel jury said. Kosterlitz is the son of German Jews who came to Britain in the 1930s to escape the Nazis. The laureates will share the eight million Swedish kronor (around $931,000) prize sum. Topology, in which the three laureates specialize, is a branch of mathematics that investigates physical properties of matter and space that remain unchanged under deforming forces, including stretching. (Times of Israel, Oct. 4, 2016)

Contents

On Topic Links

Shimon Peres (1923-1985; 1986-2016): Dr. Martin Sherman, Arutz Sheva, Sept. 30, 2016—On Wednesday, September 28, Shimon Peres, the 9th and arguably the most high-profile President of Israel, passed away. For all the glare of the public spotlight and scrutiny to which he has been exposed, he remains in many ways, an enigmatic figure, comprised of seemingly impossible contradictions for historians to attempt to decipher.

Woman of the Year 5776: Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked: Jewish Press, Oct. 1, 2016 —The January 22, 2013 general elections in Israel marked the emergence of two new parties; one, journalist Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, was yet another attempt to grab the undecided center among Israel’s voters; the other, Habayit Hayehudi, was a coalition of National Religious parties led by hi-tech executive Naftali Bennett and his long-time political ally, a 30-something computer engineer from Tel Aviv named Ayelet Shaked, who stood out as the only secular Jew in an otherwise Orthodox Jewish party.

Calling All Souls: The Eloquent Shofar: Rabbi Francis Nataf, Jewish Press, Oct. 1, 2016—There is no time of year when there are more Jews in shul than when we go to hear the shofar. Many Jews who generally don’t identify with Judaism come out of the woodwork for this occasion. Some even travel great distances to participate in this seemingly strange event.

Barack Obama's Options: Lee Smith, Weekly Standard, Oct. 3, 2016 —Barack Obama wants options on Syria. "The president has asked all of the agencies to put forward options—some familiar, some new—that we are very actively reviewing," said Anthony Blinken, deputy secretary of state. But force is not an option, since according to the White House there is no military solution for Syria.