Weekly Quotes
“Our opposition to the resolution before this Council today should…not be misunderstood to mean we support settlement activity. On the contrary, we reject in the strongest terms the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity. For more than four decades, Israeli settlement activity in territories occupied in 1967 has undermined Israel’s security and corroded hopes for peace and stability in the region. Continued settlement activity violates Israel’s international commitments, devastates trust between the parties, and threatens the prospects for peace.… While we agree with our fellow Council members—and indeed, with the wider world—about the folly and illegitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity, we think it unwise for this Council to attempt to resolve the core issues that divide Israelis and Palestinians. We therefore regrettably have opposed this draft resolution.”—Excerpts from the Explanation of Vote by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan E. Rice, describing the U.S. administration’s solemn regret for vetoing a vehemently anti-Israeli Security Council resolution calling Israeli settlements “illegal.” (U.S. Mission to the UN website, February 18.)
“Support for this anti-Israel statement is a major concession to enemies of the Jewish State.… It telegraphs that the U.S. can be bullied into abandoning critical democratic allies and core U.S. principles. Palestinian leaders refuse to negotiate directly with Israel, while Israel has made unprecedented concessions and continues to repeatedly offer to negotiate anywhere, anytime.… Offering to criticize our closest ally at the UN isn’t leadership, it’s unacceptable.… The Administration should change course, stand unequivocally with Israel, and publicly pledge to block any anti-Israel UN Security Council action.”—U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman of theHouse Foreign Affairs Committee, condemning the Obama administration’s effort to circumvent using its UN Security Council veto power, by making concession to the Palestinian Authority, including an offer to support a “water-downed” Security Council Presidential Statement labelling Israeli settlement as “illegitimate.” Reports have surfaced that President Obama was also willing to support a UN Security Council visit to the Middle East, the first since 1979, and to commit to using strong language to criticize Israel’s settlement policies in a future statement by the Middle East Quartet. (Committee on foreign Affairs Website, February 17 & Jerusalem Post, February 18.)
“The United States of America’s use of the veto to prevent the passage of a UN resolution condemning Israel’s settlement policy confirms that it is not an honest broker.… This first veto of the administration of President Barack Obama puts the credibility of the sponsor of the peace process in jeopardy.… We see the U.S. veto as encouraging Israel to move forward in the processes of settlement and Judaizing Jerusalem, and the construction of a wall of annexation and expansion. [We] hold the U.S. administration to be fully responsible for the consequences and repercussions.”—Excerpts from a statement released by the Palestinian Authority entitled U.S. Veto: An Obstacle to Peace, berating the Obama administration for its actions in the UN, and affirming that the U.S. “is no longer able to carry out its responsibilities as a sponsor of any future Palestinian–Israeli negotiations.” (FrontPage Blog, February 22.)
“Muammar Gaddafi is the leader of the revolution, I am not a president to step down…I have nowhere to resign from.… I have not yet ordered the use of force, not yet ordered one bullet to be fired…[but] when I do, everything will burn.… Come out of your homes, those who love Muammar Gaddafi. Women, men, girls, boys, those who side with Muammar Gaddafi and the revolution.… Chase [the protesters], arrest them, hand them over to the security [forces].… I will not leave the country and will die as a martyr.”—Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in a televised speech, incoherently describing himself as the leader of an uprising against the one being waged against his own regime. More than 300 Libyans have reportedly been killed by Gaddafi supporters and security forces at protests being held throughout the country. (National Post, February 22.)
“Don’t fight history. You can’t delay the day when it starts. The Arab world has changed. Don’t let anyone steal this revolution from you—those hypocrites who will put on a new face that suits them. The revolution isn’t over. It has just started to build Egypt.…”—Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, during his first public appearance in Egypt in 50 years, telling more than one million Muslim Egyptians gathered at Tahrir square to “guard your revolution.” According to Shadi Hamid, a research director at the Brookings Institute, Qaradawi is “an Islamist…of the Brotherhood school of thought…[and] very much in the mainstream of Egyptian society.” Although Qaradawi is considered “moderate,” he has been quoted as saying: “Muslims are against the expansive, oppressive Zionist movement…” and “Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish Zionist band of people. Oh Allah, do not spare a single one of them.” (Jerusalem Post, February 20.)
“I tell the fighters of the resistance that one day they might be asked to liberate the Galilee. The Israelis are afraid.… Gantz came to visit the Lebanon border—welcome. He is the one that was defeated and pulled IDF troops out of Lebanon. You have a completely weak chief of staff.”—Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, at a “Resistance Martyrs Day” ceremony, criticizing newly appointed IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, and explaining that the Middle East’s main problem is “the existence of Israel…that killed and slaughtered, confiscated the lands and kicked people…with sponsorship from the West.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Nasrallah’s comments by asserting that “[Israel] has a strong army, and a united people. We want peace with all of our neighbors, but the IDF is ready and prepared to defend Israel against all our enemies.” Netanyahu then called on Nasrallah to remain “hiding in a bunker.” (Jerusalem Post, February 16 & 17.)
“This sharp growth attests to an increase in Israeli citizens’ standard of living. This stems from a responsible economic policy that does not violate the budgetary framework.… This policy has brought over 100,000 jobs in the past year and has lowered unemployment to the lowest level in the Western world.”—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing satisfaction over a Central Bureau of Statistics report showing that Israel’s economy grew by 5.4% in the second half of 2010. (IMRA, February 16.)
“I’ve never hidden my hobby, because there’s nothing shameful in it, however weird it might seem to those who aren’t fascinated by military history.… I never realized that other people, including friends and colleagues, might wonder why I care about these things. Thousands of military history buffs collect war paraphernalia because we want to learn from the past.…”—Marc Garlasco, former military analyst at Human Rights Watch, describing his affinity for collecting Nazi memorabilia, which, when discovered, led to him being suspended—with pay—from the NGO. When asked whether there was a connection between his fascination with the Nazis and the numerous reports he compiled for HRW that were perceived as severely biased against Israel, Garlasco denied any such association, saying he “has never held or expressed…anti-Semitic views.” Mr. Garlasco is currently working as a senior human rights officer at the United Nations. (Commentary Blog, February 20 & NY Times, 2009.)
“Italy, like Austria, was a partner of Nazi Germany—not a victim, as the populace generally holds. Unlike Germany, we have never even begun the process of soul-searching. Italians don’t feel involved—they do not consider themselves as having collaborated. This museum, which will cover global Holocaust history but will have a special section on Italy, will speak directly to Italians, and not just Italian Jews.… The Nazis [were] aided by Italian Fascists.… We will be telling a story that will, unfortunately, unveil a black heart, but the formation of contemporary Italian identity – including that of new immigrants—must incorporate this knowledge.”—Marcello Pezzetti, director of Italy’s first Holocaust museum, to be built in Rome, explaining the project’s goal, to increase Italians’ awareness of their own role in the Holocaust. (Jerusalem Post, February 22.)
Short Takes
ABBAS TO VISIT CANADA TO MEET JEWISH LEADERS—(Toronto) According to the Canadian Jewish News, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Canada “within the next six months,” specifically to have a “meaningful dialogue” with a “cross-section of Canadian Jewry.” According to the report, the visit was arranged privately between Mr. Abbas and Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, during one of Mr. Cotler’s regular visits to the Middle East. The meeting between Mr. Abbas and the Jewish community is being hosted officially by Mr. Cotler and the bipartisan committee he formed, the joint House-Senate Committee on Middle East Peace and Reconciliation. (Canadian Jewish News, February 10.)
KNESSET ENACTS LAW REQUIRING NGO FUNDING TRANSPARENCY—(New York) The Knesset has passed a bill requiring nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations to disclose funding from foreign governments. The Foreign Government NGO Funding Transparency Bill also requires nonprofit groups to disclose whether they have been persuaded to take certain stances in exchange for funding. NGO Monitor applauded the passage of the transparency bill, saying that it helps protect Israeli democracy and civil society from manipulation, and provides the appropriate framework to hold foreign governments accountable for their NGO funding. (JTA, February 22.)
MUBARAK REFUSES PHONE CALLS FROM OBAMA—(Jerusalem) According to a report by the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak refuses to respond to telephone calls from U.S. President Barack Obama because he feels “humiliated, and [is] embittered at Obama’s…statement about the need for him to resign immediately.” The report adds that the former president is residing at his palace in Sharm el-Sheikh, and has declined an invitation from Saudi King Abdullah to come to the kingdom, saying he preferred to die on Egyptian soil. (Ynet News, February 17.)
TWO IRANIAN WARSHIPS ENTER SUEZ CANAL—(Cairo) Two Iranian naval vessels have entered the Suez en route to Syria, marking the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution that Tehran has sent military ships through the strategic waterway. According to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, the purpose of the military exercise is to train Iranian navy cadets in a year-long mission. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Foreign Minister, rebuked the move, saying “To my regret, the international community is not showing a readiness to deal with the recurring Iranian provocations. The international community must understand that Israel cannot forever ignore [them].” (National Post, February 17 & Associated Press, February 22.)
LIBYA DEATH TOLL SURGES IN CRACKDOWN—(Cairo) According to Human Rights Watch, approximately 300 Libyans have been killed in protests against the 42-year-long rule of Moammar Gadhafi. The fiercest fighting is taking place in Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city, as anti-government protesters continue to clash with pro-government forces. Reports confirm that pro-Gadhafi loyalists and security officials have been driving throughout the city firing rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns at anyone in the streets. Four Libyan officials have resigned thus far to protest the “excessive use of violence,” including Libya’s Justice Minister and Ambassadors to the Arab League, India and China. (Haaretz &Wall Street Journal, February 21.)
EGYPTIAN MAN NAMES DAUGHTER ‘FACEBOOK’ IN TRIBUTE TO SUCCESS OF PROTESTS—(Jerusalem) An Egyptian couple has named their firstborn daughter “Facebook,” in tribute to the social media networks that played a role in organizing the widespread protests that have destabilized the Arab world. Facebook, in particular, has become a phenomenon in Egypt, with the Egyptian army, which has been running the country since the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, having created its own page last week. (Haaretz, February 20.)
INDIA AND PAKISTAN AGREE TO RENEW PEACE TALKS—(New Delhi) India and Pakistan have announced that the two countries will resume peace talks that have been stalled since 2008, when Pakistani militants staged coordinated terrorist attacks in Mumbai, killing 163. The agreement sets the stage for high-level, wide-ranging talks on a variety of contentious issues, including the status of the disputed border region of Kashmir. The two sides have repeatedly tried to resume talks since 2008, but efforts failed as New Delhi had insisted that Islamabad make progress fighting terrorism within Pakistan and put the planners of the Mumbai attack on trial. (NY Times, February 10.)
ISRAELI MISSIONS CLOSE DUE TO HEZBOLLAH THREAT—(Jerusalem) The Israeli Foreign Ministry has temporarily closed some of its diplomatic missions abroad, including the Israeli Embassy in Ankara and the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, due to the risk of possible terror attacks coordinated by Hezbollah. Israel embassies were previously on heightened alert, following concrete warnings of possible attacks timed to mark the third anniversary of Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh’s assassination. (Jerusalem Post, February 17.)
LEBANESE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING FOR ISRAEL—(Beirut) A Lebanese military court has convicted a man of spying for Israel from 1997 to 2009, and sentenced him to death. Amin al-Baba was found guilty of providing Israeli intelligence agents with information in return for money, and entering an enemy state. Lebanon and Israel technically remain at war, and more than 100 people in Lebanon have been arrested since 2009 on suspicion of collaborating with the Jewish state. The new sentence brings the total number of Lebanese sentenced to death for spying for Israel to nine. (Associated Press, February 18.)
FAYYAD PROPOSES UNITY GOVT WITH HAMAS—(Ramallah) Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has proposed forming a unity government with Hamas, which would leave the Islamist terrorist group in full control of Gaza. Fayyad claims that his proposal, which comes as he seeks to form a new government, would not vastly change the situation on the ground, but rather would pave the way for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Longtime rivals, tensions between Hamas and Fatah reached a breaking point in 2007, a year after Hamas won legislative elections, which led to Fatah being ousted from the Gaza Strip. Since then, various attempts to reconcile have failed. (Independent Media Review and Analysis, February 22.)
ARAB LEAGUE CALLS FOR BOYCOTT OF ISRAELI TOURISM CONFERENCE—(Cairo) The Arab League has called for a boycott of Israel’s tourism conference to be held in Jerusalem at the end of February. In a statement released by the League, those States which have been invited to the conference are encouraged not to participate as “what is happening in Jerusalem [is] killing and displacement, confiscation of property of Jerusalem, demolition, siege and starvation, actions [that run] contrary to international law and international resolutions.” The statement also begged countries to refrain from establishing embassies in Jerusalem. (Independent Media Review and Analysis, February 22.)
ARROW 2 MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY TESTED—(Jerusalem) In face of Iran’s continued race for nuclear power, Israel has successfully tested its Arrow 2 defense system off the coast of California. The military exercise, conducted jointly by the IAF, the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Homa Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, was the eighteenth test of the Arrow, and the second in which the modified Arrow 2 was tested in its entirety. The Arrow was developed to operate as a vast shield against the potential deployment of Iranian ballistic missiles. (Jerusalem Post, February 22.)
NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL TO BE NAMED—(New York) According to reports, top White House Middle East adviser Dan Shapiro will serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel. Shapiro is believed to have a good relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and accompanied U.S. Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell on several diplomatic shuttle missions to Israel. Shapiro would replace James Cunningham, who has served in the envoy’s post for three years. (JTA, February 22.)
CHILEAN MINERS VISIT ISRAEL—(Jerusalem) Thirty-one of the 33 miners who were trapped for 68 days underground in Chile have arrived in Israel for a week-long trip. The miners will enjoy an extensive tour organized by the Israeli Tourism Ministry, which will include visits to the Western Wall, the Knesset, Bethlehem, Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, and a number of churches. The miners’ trip has not been without controversy, however; they caused an “outrage” by refusing an invitation from the Palestinian Authority to visit its “territories” as well. (Ynet News, February 22.)
OSLO ORDERS ISRAELI EMBASSY TO MOVE—(Jerusalem) The city of Oslo, Norway, has ordered the Israeli embassy to relocate to a new site within a year. According to reports, the embassy is considered a security threat to local residents and its stringent security measures disrupt their quality of life. Michael Eligal, Israel’s ambassador to Oslo, has informed the Israeli Foreign Ministry that he is having trouble finding an alternative site for the building because landowners are refusing to sell property to the embassy. (JTA, February 21.)
BRAZIL’S HIGHEST COURT NAMES FIRST JEW—(Rio de Janeiro) Brazil’s Senate has approved the appointment of Judge Luiz Fux to the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court, marking the first time a Jew has occupied a seat on Brazil’s highest court. Fux, 57, was born to Romanian grandparents who fled to Brazil during World War II. (JTA, February 10.)
DEMAND FOR BIRTHRIGHT-TAGLIT HITS NEW HIGH IN N. AMERICA—(Jerusalem) A record-breaking number of North American applicants have signed up to take part in Birthright-Taglit this year. The program, which brings young Jewish adults from the Diaspora to Israel on free, 10-day educational tours, received 40,108 applications during its recently completed seven-day registration period. In January, the Government of Israel announced it would contribute $100 million in funding over the next three years to facilitate Birthright’s expansion. (Jerusalem Post, February 23.)
