Weekly Quotes
“People come, they don’t even want to buy anything, but they come and say, ‘We came to support you.’ Many people insist on paying five or 10 extra shekels for a small package of gum.… This is my only livelihood, and I’ve been here for more than 20 years.… We do it because it’s our nation, the nation of Israel.”—Shimshon Moshe, describing the outpouring of public support following the re-opening of his food stand,Pitzutz Shel Kiosk, which was destroyed in a terror attack for the second time last week in Jerusalem. Moshe’s brother-in-law, David Amoyal, wounded while working in the kiosk at the time of the explosion, greatly minimized the attack’s casualties by calling the police and yelling at people to move away from a suspicious bag he had spotted near an adjacent bus stop. The bomb, which was in the bag, exploded during Amoyal’s phone call. He is a hero. (Jerusalem Post, March 30.)
“We’re going through a period of turmoil that can only be called historic. It is akin to the great revolutions that have taken place in modern times, but the question is which revolution is it. Is it 1989 in Europe? Or is it 1979 in Tehran? Or is it 2005, the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon? Remember, there were great hopes. A million people went into the streets of Beirut.… Now, five years later, we find Hezbollah and Iran have taken over Lebanon.… We’re still in the midst of things, and of course we know which outcome we want, but we can’t be sure that we will have it. We can’t be sure that we will have it because the traditions of liberal democracy have not been prevalent, to put it mildly, in the great swath of land from Afghanistan to Morocco. It’s only been prevalent there in one place. You know which place that is. Right here, that’s right, in Israel.—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hailing Israel as the lone democracy in the Middle East, and describing the potential for the ongoing uprisings throughout the Arab world to produce something other than democratic societies. (Independent Media Review and Analysis, March 29.)
“I am speaking to you at an extraordinary moment…it is a test of our unity. These tests repeat themselves due to plots threatening our homeland. [Deraa—where some of the bloodiest protests have taken place] is in the forefront in confronting the Israeli enemy and defending the nation.… There is a plot to break Syria apart. It began with incitement on the internet…and moved on to the media and the street. We were able to stop the American-Israeli plot. Whoever is part of the Syrian nation always stands tall. Our enemies act every day in an organized and public matter in order to harm Syria.… What has happened so far only strengthens Syria.”—Syrian President Bashar Assad, calling the intensifying protests in Syria an American-Israeli attempt to destabilize the country, and affirming that Syria “will not be defeated by any step.” (Jerusalem Post, March 30.)
“Question: ‘Madam Secretary…tens of thousands of people have turned out protesting in Syria, which has been under the iron grip of the Asad family for so many years now, one of the most repressive regimes in the world. And when the demonstrators turned out, the regime opened fire and killed a number of civilians. Can we expect the United States to enter the conflict in the way we have entered the conflict in Libya?’ Secretary Clinton: ‘No. Each of these situations is unique.… Well, if there were a coalition of the international community, if there were the passage of Security Council resolution, if there were a call by the Arab League, if there was a condemnation that was universal—but that is not going to happen.… There’s a different leader in Syria now. Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer.…’ Question: ‘Secretary Gates, you have strongly condemned [Syrian dictator] Bashar Asad and said he must learn from Egypt. I think it’s fair to say he didn’t pay much attention to you.’ Secretary Gates: ‘Well, that’s not a surprise. (Laughter.).…’”—Excerpts from Bob Schieffer’s Face the Nation interview with U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and Defense Secretary Gates, discussing the U.S.’ muddled foreign policy of “engagement” towards Syria, despite Syria’s ongoing brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors—which has resulted in dozens of deaths throughout the country—as well as Syria’s ongoing attempt to destabilize the Middle East by sponsoring and collaborating in terrorist activities, which includeattacks on American soldiers in Iraq. (U.S. Department of State website, March 27.)
“President Barack Obama’s intervention in Libya’s civil war has…earned the lowest public approval rating of any U.S. military operation polled by Gallup over the past four decades. In fact, it was the only U.S. military intervention polled by Gallup that received less than majority approval from Americans.… That compares to the 90 percent approval rating Americans gave President George W. Bush’s October 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan…[and] the 76 percent approval rating they gave Bush’s March 2003 invasion of Iraq.…”—Excerpts from a CNS News article, describing the findings of a recent Gallup poll, which detail the lack of popular American support for the U.S.’ war in Libya. Many pundits are attributing this to U.S. President Obama’s ongoing contradictory statements regarding the war’s objectives. (CNS News, March 24.)
“We were very curious about the high academic achievements of the Jews. Jews have a high percentage of Nobel laureates in all fields: literature, science and economics. This is a remarkable achievement. We tried to understand what is the secret of the Jewish people? How they—more than other people—are able to reach those impressive accomplishments? Why are Jews so intelligent? The conclusion we arrived at is that one of your secrets is that you study the Talmud.… This understanding led us to teach our children as well. We believe that if we teach our children Talmud, they will also become geniuses. This is what stands behind the rationale of introducing Talmud Study to our school curriculum.”—Israel’s ambassador to South Korea, Young Sam Mah, explaining South Korea’s decision to incorporate the study of Talmud into its school curriculum. According to Mah, nearly every home in South Korea, which has a population of nearly 50 million, contains a Korean-translated Talmud. (Ynet News, March 24.)
“The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) mourns the passing of legendary American actress and ardent Zionist, Elizabeth Taylor, who has passed away, aged 79. Ms. Taylor, who enjoyed a long and hugely successful career in Hollywood, was converted to Judaism in 1959.… Among Elizabeth Taylor’s outstanding work on behalf of Israel and Jewish causes was her participating in raising $840,000 for Israel in a 1967 London gala.… The same year, she cancelled a visit to Moscow after the Soviet Union lashed out at Israel after the June 1967 Six Day War. In 1975, she was one of 60 prominent women to sign a statement to then-U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, condemning the U.N. General Assembly’s infamous Zionism-is-Racism resolution. Taylor offered herself as a hostage when 104 hostages aboard an Air France airbus were hijacked by PLO terrorists and held at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport.… Taylor frequently visited Israel and met with its leadership, including Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1983.… The ZOA is proud of its connection to Elizabeth Taylor and expresses heartfelt condolences to her family and friends at her passing.… May her soul rest in peace.”—Excerpts from a statement released by the Zionist Organization of America, extending condolences on the passing of actress Elizabeth Taylor, and detailing her unwavering support during her lifetime for the Jewish state of Israel (Israpundit, March 25.)
“You are not Zionists and you do not care about Israeli interests. Fifty rockets a day are fired on the South and you fight against the American veto against condemnations of Israel. You are not Zionists and you do not care about Israel. Only here in Israel do we determine Israeli democracy, and you cannot determine what Israel’s interests are.”—Israeli MK (Kadima), Otniel Schneller, to J Street founder Jeremy Ben-Ami during a Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Public Diplomacy Committee meeting to discuss the left-wing American lobby organization, condemning J Street’s anti-Israel activities and labeling the group pro-Palestinian. (Jerusalem Post, March 29.)
“This Facebook page constitutes an appalling abuse of technology to promote terrorist violence.… We should not be so naïve to believe that a campaign for a ‘Third Intifada’ does not portend renewed violence, especially in the current climate that has seen a dramatic increase in rocket attacks from Gaza, the brutal murder of the Fogel family in the West Bank, and a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem. We are disappointed that Facebook has rejected our request to remove this site, which is in clear violation of their terms of service”—Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti Defamation League, condemning Facebook’s refusal to remove a page from its site which encourages its more than 330,000 fans to begin a third Intifada against Israel. In response, Israeli Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs, Yuli Edelstein, wrote a letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, requesting, on behalf of Israel, the immediate removal of the “Third Intifada,” page which calls for armed “resistance” against the Jewish state. The page has since been removed. (Independent Media Review and Analysis, March 23, Haaretz, March 26 & Jerusalem Post, March 29.)
Short Takes
EGYPT’S NEW FM WANTS TIES WITH IRAN—(Jerusalem) Egypt’s new foreign minister, Nabil al-Arabi, has confirmed that his country wants to promote ties with Tehran and that Cairo no longer sees Iran as its enemy. “Iran is a state in the region, and we have had long-term historical ties with it over the different periods,” al-Arabi told a press conference. “We will turn over a new leaf with all states, including Iran.” Al-Arabi has also been known as a vocal critic of Israel. During his service as a judge in the International Court of Justice, he supported a motion to sue the Jewish state for genocide. (Ynet News, March 30.)
DEATH THREATS ROCK MCGILL—(Montreal) Montreal police are investigating a McGill University student, Haaris Khan, who posted threatening, anti-Israel comments to Twitter, while attending a film screening of Indoctrinate U, a documentary that alleges American universities are biased against conservative ideas. One of Khan’s messages read, “I want to shoot everyone in this room,” while another read, “I should have brought an M16.” Khan also wrote that “I’ve infiltrated a Zionist meeting” and “I feel like I’m at a Satanist ritual.” (Macleans, March 17.)
‘IRON DOME’ DEPLOYED—(Jerusalem) The IDF has deployed the Iron Dome anti-rocket system for the first time ever in southern Israel. Weeks of stepped-up rocket and mortar attacks emanating from Gaza have drawn fears of renewed war, and led to new calls for the military to deploy the $200 million system. The IDF has confirmed that the system is operating, but described its actions as an “operational experiment.” Iron Dome uses cameras and radar to track incoming rockets and shoot them down within seconds of their launch. (Haaretz, March 27.)
FATAH, HAMAS SET TO HOLD APRIL UNITY TALKS IN CAIRO—(Jerusalem) Hamas and Fatah have agreed to renew the on-again off-again unity talks in Cairo next month in order to end their conflict 4-year conflict. The decision follows a series of meetings over the past few days between leaders of Hamas and Fatah in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Syria.A Representative of the European Union, Christian Berger, has confirmed that the European Union supports the initiative to end the Palestinian political division. (Wafa, March 23, Jerusalem Post, March 29.)
UN AND EU TO PROPOSE OUTLINES OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN SETTLEMENT—(New York) According to UN officials, Britain, France and Germany are urging UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in conjunction with other European countries, to propose at a mid-April meeting of the Quartet the outlines of a final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to reports, the three Europeans countries are pressing to finalize the parameters of a settlement, to induce the Palestinians to resume direct negotiations. (Independent Media Review and Analysis, March 26.)
U.S. SAYS EGYPT VOTE SHOULDN’T BE RUSHED—(Cairo) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has travelled to Egypt to prod Egypt’s interim leaders not to rush to new elections, saying that new political movements need time to evolve into organized political parties. Mr. Gates said the aim of his visit was to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to Egypt’s peaceful transition to democracy, as well as to voice concern that early elections will benefit the Muslim Brotherhood. The U.S. currently believes that the Egyptian Brotherhood would muster between 10 and 30 percent of the popular vote if elections were held today. Israeli officials have told their U.S. counterparts that they believe the party could win 40 to 50 percent of the vote. (Wall Street Journal, March 24.)
EGYPTIAN MILITARY: MUBARAK UNDER HOUSE ARREST—(Jerusalem) According to a statement released by Egypt’s ruling military council, deposed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and his family have been placed under house arrest in his Sharm e-Sheikh home. Last week, Egyptian newspaper reports alleged that a committee set up to investigate violence during the demonstrations that toppled Mubarak’s regime had laid charges against the former president for intentional murder of protesters. (Jerusalem Post, March 29.)
SAUDI ARABIA TO HOLD MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS—(Dubai) Saudi Arabia has announced that it will hold long-delayed municipal elections on April 23, but dashed the hopes of some reformists in the kingdom by confirming that women would not be allowed to vote. The previous round of municipal elections in 2005 was the only public poll ever held in the conservative Islamic monarchy, where political parties are banned; however, the elected councils have minimal political authority. Saudi Arabia’s ruling Al Saud family has signaled its unease regarding the ongoing uprisings in the Arab world by sending troops to neighboring Bahrain to help crush a Shiite uprising, and by granting its citizens financial benefits worth tens of billions of dollars. (Wall Street Journal, March 21.)
SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY SEVERS TIES WITH BEN GURION U.—(New York) The University of Johannesburg’s faculty senate has voted to cut ties with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University. In a secret ballot, 72 faculty members voted in favor of ending a memorandum of understanding between the two universities, with 45 members voting against. After an agreement between the universities to collaborate on biotechnology and water purification projects was announced in 2009, several Johannesburg faculty members protested, complaining of “Israeli apartheid.” The boycott campaign was championed by Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu and at least 400 other prominent South African figures and academics. Ben Gurion University “regrets” the decision. (JTA, March 24.)
KNESSET ADOPTS ‘NAKBA LAW’—(Jerusalem) Israel’s Knesset has passed the “Nakba Law”, which will allow the state to fine local communities and other state-funded groups for holding events that mark what the Arab community calls the Nakba, the “catastrophe”, referring to the creation of the Jewish state of Israel. The law, which was enacted by a vote of 37 to 25, also applies to activities which deny that Israel is a Jewish state, question the country’s democratic character, or support armed struggle against the state. The Knesset also passed the Admissions Committee Law by a vote of 35 to 20 allowing Negev and Galilee Jewish communities with fewer than 400 families to vet possible residents with an admission committee. (JTA, March 23.)
BETTER PLACE LAUNCHES 1ST ISRAELI BATTERY-SWITCHING STATION—(Jerusalem) The Israeli company Better Place, which manufactures battery-operated automobiles, has launched its first battery-swapping station in Israel. The station is the first of approximately 40 that will open around the country in the near term. The company has also erected over 1,000 functional charging spots for the cars and thousands more will be put in place by the end of the year. At the exchange station, drivers of the battery-powered cars pull up to a set of motorized tracks, as in a car wash, and put the car in neutral; the rest of the five-minute process is fully automated. The batteries can also be charged independently, in 6 hours, and provide for 185 km. of travel. Better Place already has systems under development in Copenhagen and Tokyo, and has plans to expand to California, Hawaii and Australia. (Jerusalem Post, March 24.)
ARGENTINA READY TO ‘FORGET’ IRAN’S ROLE IN ATTACKS ON JEWISH COMMUNITY—(Jerusalem) According to a leaked classified document, Argentina “would be ready to freeze the investigations of [two] terrorist bombings attributed to Iran…in exchange for renewing and improving trade relations between the countries.…” The 1992 Israeli embassy bombing in Buenos Aires killed 29 people and injured 242 others; the bombing at the AMIA Jewish community center, two years later, killed 85 people and injured more than 300. Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman is alleged to have forwarded the offer to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad via Syrian President Bashar Asad. Timerman is Argentina’s first Jewish foreign minister. (Haaretz, March 27.)
TURKEY’S PHOTO OF THE YEAR: BLEEDING IDF SOLDIER—(Jerusalem) The picture of a bleeding IDF soldier aboard the Marmara flotilla has won Turkey’s 2010 Photo of the Year Award in the News category. The photograph shows a beaten IDF soldier with his face and head bloodied having his arm twisted by three Marmara “activists”. Contest winners received their prizes at the beginning of the month at a ceremony attended by Turkey’s parliament speaker, deputy prime minister and other high-ranking parliamentarians. (Ynet News, March 29.)
PALESTINIAN INCITEMENT LETTER GARNERS 27 SENATORS—(Washington) A bipartisan slate of 27 U.S. senators have signed on to a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to press the Palestinian Authority to address incitement against Israelis. The letter focuses on the massacre March 11 of five members of a family in Itamar, and suggests that the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, has not done enough to stem incitement. A similar letter to President Obama has also been launched launched and is still garnering signatures. The J Street lobby has opposed the letters, saying they lack balance by not noting Israeli incitement and steps the P.A. has taken to tamp down incitement. (JTA, March 30.)
