Hamastan Bombards Israeli College, Structure Damaged

Notice that CNN did not report about first strike by 'Grad' missile on an Ashkelon residential apartment building, they did put a headline when Israel retaliated and one Hamas-hole was sent to meet his virgins. Now Hamas bombarded an Israeli academic institute called 'Sapir College'. And the only title found right now on CNN website says: 'Airstrike kills Hamas officer'.

My minimal analysis: Now that Hamas has won a propaganda war with aid from Turkey and the UN, and Israel was pushed to a corner and hesitates on putting a blockade on it's enemy entity in Gaza - the Iranian overlords of Gazastan terrorism swamp have ordered to test waters regarding new war. If you'd noticed, Ahmedinajad did threaten '3 new wars' last week.

Gaza rocket damages public building
A Qassam rocket fired from northern Gaza Saturday night hit the roof of a building in an educational institution located in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, outside of Sderot. There were no reports of injury.

Security forces and firefighters were alerted to the scene. On firefighter reported seeing smoke billowing from the building. "I have no doubt that had there been people in the building – it would have been a major disaster. It's a miracle," he said, adding that "serious" damage was caused to three rooms.

Cross posted on Weasel Zippers blog

MSM who play violin for 'Gaza blockade' - ignore bombardment of Israeli civilians!

Check your local TV, your newspaper, CNN, MSNBC, BBC - and you won't know that for the second time this week, Gazastan bombarded Israeli civilians. Expect no UN action too.

Grad missile lands in Ashkelon

A Grad missile launched from the Gaza Strip landed in a central, residential area in the southern city of Ashkelon Friday morning.

Magen David Adom crews treated two people for shock.

The missile shattered numerous windows of the surrounding, multi-story buildings and vehicles in the area.

Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin who arrived at the scene, said that the missile landed in the heart of a residential neighborhood and that Ashkelon citizens are unfortunately accustomed to such situations.

Antisemitism in the US: Democrats against 'Jewish Money'

Best comment I've heard about this outrage yet, on Glenn Beck show: 'Politician, If you're not Schindler, don't make lists of Jews'.

McMahon compiles rival's 'Jewish money' list?

This is the kind of thing you don't generally see a campaign put in writing, especially in heavily Jewish New York, but the Observer has a story saying that aides to Rep. Mike McMahon offered them a list of GOP rival Michael Grimm's "Jewish money" for the second quarter.

I'm going to let the story speak for itself, and McMahon spokeswoman Jennifer Nelson is quoted in the story saying the point wasn't to weed out donors by ethnicity, but to show that a lot of Grimm's donors are not from inside the district.

Unfortunately for McMahon, the list is actually headlined "Grimm Jewish Money Q2."

David Freedlander quotes her saying that the finance director for the campaign put it together and "she's Jewish, so she knows a lot of people in that community," by way of explaining how anyone would know.

Funny how politico omitted the political party committing the racist act here...(sure the opponent is GOP, but you get the idea. What about the title?)

Abbas: Obama promised me a Jew-Free state

I'm speechless. It's all about getting rid of the Jews?

Abbas: PA State Would be Jew-Free

If a Palestinian Authority state is created in Judea and Samaria, no Israeli citizen will be allowed to set foot inside, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said this week in a meeting with members of the Arab League. The PA chairman also stated that he would block any Jewish soldiers from serving with an international force stationed on PA-controlled land.

"I will never allow a single Israeli to live among us on Palestinian land,” Abbas declared.

Abbas addressed the Arab League during a discussion over the possibility of holding direct negotiations with Israel. Like Abbas, Arab League members agreed to direct talks in theory, but only if a number of “measures and conditions” were met.

"The agreement depends on what will be discussed [in Israel-PA talks] and the manner in which negotiations are conducted,” said Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin-Jassim bin-Jabor al-Thani.

Iranian occupying regime in Gaza clamps down on undies

Because underwear is unislamic...

Hamas targets women's underwear in modesty drive

The Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip have ordered lingerie shops to display more modesty.

A week after banning women from smoking water pipes in public places, the Hamas-run police force has told stores selling women's underwear to remove scantily-clad mannequins and any posters of racy undergarments.

"These measures have stemmed from complaints and pressure by ordinary people. They have to do with upholding our traditions," police spokesman Ayman Al-Batniji said on Wednesday.

Hamas leaders have repeatedly denied any intention to impose Islamic law on the Gaza Strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians.

But Hamas police have broken up a hip-hop concert in the territory and tried -- unsuccessfully -- to force women lawyers in court and female school students to wear traditional Muslim clothing, a step that drew a public backlash.

Traitor who publishied secret documents on Wikileaks exposed informants

Liberalism is a disease, a cancer, working to kill the host. Whoever did this, and whoever collaborated with him ought to be shot. This is high treason.

Hotair: Wikileaks exposed hundreds of Afghan informants

If the information on the progress of the war from the much-ballyhooed Wikileaks publication of 92,000 documents didn’t come as a big surprise to Americans who have paid attention to the Af-Pak theater, it apparently will come as a big surprise to those in Afghanistan who have worked with US forces.  Julian Assange’s leak included the names of hundreds of informants and people working with US forces in Afghanistan.  Those people will now have to be protected, and it’s not likely they’ll be replaced:

Hundreds of Afghan civilians who worked as informants for the U.S. military have been put at risk by WikiLeaks’ publication of more than 90,000 classified intelligence reports which name and in many cases locate the individuals, The Times newspaper reported Wednesday.
The article says, in spite of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s claim that sensitive information had been removed from the leaked documents, that reporters scanning the reports for just a couple hours found hundreds of Afghan names mentioned as aiding the U.S.-led war effort.
One specific example cited by the paper is a report on an interview conducted by military officers of a potential Taliban defector. The militant is named, along with his father and the village in which they live.
“The leaks certainly have put in real risk and danger the lives and integrity of many Afghans,” a senior official at the Afghan foreign ministry told The Times on condition of anonymity. “The U.S. is both morally and legally responsible for any harm that the leaks might cause to the individuals, particularly those who have been named. It will further limit the U.S./international access to the uncensored views of Afghans.”

Well, let’s make that the Americans and the Swedes.  Bradley Manning, Assange’s source within the US military, will face trial for his crimes in passing along classified material.  If any of these people get killed after their exposure, he should be charged with at least being an accessory to their murders

Iran threatens war, Gazastan instates draft

Mad Ahmedinajad wishing to set the world on fire. All that's missing is a tiny mustache and a bunch of Germans marching into Poland...

Story 1: Hamas weighing military draft

The top security official in Hamas-ruled Gaza said he is considering setting up a bigger military force, first with volunteers and eventually with conscripts as well.

Such a step could further tighten Hamas' control of Gaza and deepen the rift with the group's Western-backed rivals in the West Bank. Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007, wresting control from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Currently, Hamas has a paid security force of about 18,000.

Interior minister Fathi Hamad raised the idea of a broad-based force today during the inauguration of a new police building. He said his ministry is "open to the idea of voluntary recruitment and then going to conscription." He gave no details.

Mr Hamad's spokesman, Ehab Ghussein, said the ministry is currently looking only at voluntary recruitment, not at a possible draft, and that the final decision would be up to the Hamas government. "We deny that the Interior Ministry will impose a draft" on the residents of Gaza, Ghussein said in a statement.

Story 2: Iran: U.S. will likely attack 2 Mideast countries within 3 months

In an interview aired on Iranian state television Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran expects the United States to launch a military strike on "at least two countries" in the Middle East in the next three months.

Ahmadinejad did not specify whether he thought Iran itself would be attacked nor did he say what intelligence led him to expect such a move.

It doesn't take much to understand that this is a clear and obvious threat by Ahmedinajad against the US, not the other way around.

Gaza: Hamas Violently Breaks Up Wedding Because Clan Loyal To Fatah

Hamas demonstrates how a totalitarian regime oppresses a clan based culture to maintain power. UN to condemn Iranian occupation and brutality in Gaza in 3, 2, 1... never.

Hamas breaks up wedding of Fatah clan with major land holding in Gaza

The Hamas regime continues to target clans in Gaza linked to the opposition Fatah movement.

Hamas security forces have attacked the Shawaf clan in the southern Gaza Strip. The July 15 attack began with an assault by masked gunmen, believed to be Hamas officers, at a wedding held for a clan member.

"The gunmen threw two sound bombs near the party and then started firing into the air to disperse the participants, after which they attacked the remaining participants with clubs and set fire to the party stage," the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said.

Chaos - the preferred form of government by terrorist prone violent residents of Gaza.

Gazastan fires Iranian made missile at Israel

Bombardment of Israeli civilians resumed today with continuing deafening silence from every world body and media outlet who are consumed with admonition of Israel at every chance they get.
'Imported' Rocket Used in Gaza Terror Attack on Israel

Palestinian Authority terrorists in Gaza launched a number of rocket attacks on southern Israel on Saturday.

At least four rockets and mortars were fired at Jewish communities in the Gaza Belt region throughout the day, including one attack on Kibbutz Nachal Oz. Several rockets exploded in the Ashkelon Regional Council district.

No one was wounded in any of the attacks.

One of the missiles appeared to be a special “import” – a more advanced version of the missiles usually fired at Israel that had apparently been smuggled into the region.

The rocket, reported earlier in the day to have been a Kassam, failed to explode, according to police who said that it appeared to be a newer model, one that was possible to aim more accurately.

The missile, 115 mm in diameter, was taken to a police laboratory for analysis. Forensics experts later confirmed that the rocket had indeed been manufactured outside of the region.

Last year, PA sources claimed Iran had exported its rocket technology to Gaza terrorists, helping them to increase the range of their rockets to more than 20 kilometers. Israeli intelligence sources have since warned that ordnance has been "imported" into the region through the hundreds of smuggler tunnels that honeycomb the area under the border between Gaza and Egypt.

Meanwhile, daily humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza have increased since a decision by the cabinet last month, and are carried out despite rocket attacks fired from the region at Jewish communities on the Israeli side of the crossing.

So let's recap - the so called 'blockade' was such a humanitarian crisis that glitzy malls popped up in Gaza. Israel was flogged publicly for it - continued to ease pressure on it's sworn enemies, to be answered with Iranian made weapons. Peace process a stunning success (from the point of view of its architects who have always treated it as nothing but a step in an going war to eliminate Israel)

J-Street divides to conquere American lefty Jews, painting Israel supporters as rightists

Remember, J-Street support Hamas and have dropped the pretence of supporting Israel in any way.

I can't imagine being a public life long ACLU member in support of peace being labeled by Obama cronies as a violent right winger. Suddenly, the very lefty American Jewish Liberals are not left wing enough for the new left. The new left is a creation of what has always laid beneath waiting for it's turn to raise it's ugly head. Welcome to the new left. The overton window has indeed shifted by a mile.

Alan M. Dershowitz: J Street's McCarthyism

J Street, the leftist lobbying organization that claims to be pro-Israel, is currently running a television ad that divides the world into two groups: The good guys who support the two-state solution, the end of the occupation and peace; and the bad guys who oppose these results and instead favor a continuation of violence. Pictured as representing the pro-peace position are President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and General Petraeus. Pictured as representing the anti-peace, anti two-state, pro expansion of settlements and pro violence position are Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Senator Lieberman, Malcolm Hoenlein (Director of the Conference of Major Jewish organizations), and - you guessed it - me!

Now Jeremy Ben-Ami, who runs J Street and who is responsible for the ad, knows full well that I support the two-state solution and peace, and have opposed Israeli settlements since he was in diapers. (I began publicly supporting the two-state solution in 1970 and began opposing settlements in 1973). Ben-Ami knows this because we debated each other at the 92nd Street Y and he publicly acknowledged that I support these positions. He knows that I wrote a book called The Case For Peace, advocating precisely these positions, which was praised by President Clinton ("the blueprint for stability presented in this book is among the best in recent years"), Amos Oz (Dershowitz's The Case For Peace is an "enthusiastic voice for peace") and other advocates of a peaceful resolution.

Rush Limbaugh and Dershowitz in the same boat? This only reflects on who dwells in the new left - those who manage to find the same foe in the two. ACLU card member - not lefty enough - because not in line with new lefty goal. The new goal is a pro-Hamas, anti-Israel stance.

Foreign Press Association In Israel Takes Active Role in Fauxtography and Campaign for Condemnation of Israel

Why does Israel give these people entrance Visa? Deport those who are involved in 'information war' against Israel. There's no obligation to allow any enemy to your border. Nor is Israel obliged to let in those who are engaged in damaging you in support of your enemy.

The following is taken directly from backspin blog. (I normally take a partial quote and put it in a block-quote, due to the rich content involved, I decided to copy/paste)

Fauxtography Files: MSM Cries Foul

Earlier this week, two Palestinian photographers were injured by the IDF; in response, the Foreign Press Association griped about the state of free press.
Now, a foreign photographer posted this video of the incident. It actually highlights the fauxtography going on.

A few things strike me about this video.
Fil Kalers, the British photojournalist who shot this video, is a well-known Palestinian sympathizer. Here are some examples of his work. This already raises some questions about this video's objectivity. It's not surprising that a photographer like him received advance notice for this photo-op.
It seems to me that there are more photographers than bona fide demonstrators -- even if you include kids as legitimate demonstrators.
This video contradicts photos taken by the wire services. It clearly shows photographers right in the soldiers' faces, and debunks the FPA's accusation of soldiers "smashing the face of a clearly marked photographer working for a known and accredited news organization with a stick." The only photographers I saw injured were one with a hurt leg still snapping shots from a sitting position (2:15 point) and another who I presume was stunned by a stun grenade that exploded too close for comfort (3:15 point).
Rest assured that any photographer smashed in the mouth in front of all his colleagues would've become the posterboy of Israeli press restrictions.
Such are the risks journalists proudly take when covering combat zones. After all, here's what the FPA said about Israeli press restrictions on Gaza when Operation Cast Lead began:

The claim that this is being done "for our protection" is patently ridiculous.

(Yes, the claim was ridiculous. Reporters are big boys. Here's the real reason for the media restrictions)
So what kinds of images hit the wires? Images one, two, three and four. They fail to convey the role of the kids, the minimal number of real protestors. Half emphasize the victimhood of the poor journalists who lost my sympathy after watching the video.

The film's best moment wasn't reflected in any of the coverage I saw. At 4:00 a soldier asked one of the demonestrators why he brought children along. If only the MSM would ask that question.

IDF Releases detailed timeline of botched anti-terror raid on turkish boats

Terror sponsored by Turkish government. Watching this video makes you wonder what the hell is wrong with the UNSC and almost every nation in the world as they were so quick to condemn and put blame on Israel. What choice does Israel have but to fight back against terrorists?



Part II:


Excellent job by IDF spokesman new media department.

Buy some Bush

Liberals lied, economy died - the book. Or some other title.

President Bush is publishing a book, I don't know if he'll finally set out to defend his presidency against the non-stop accusation by his political rivals. I wonder if his image should ever recover the orchestrated propaganda campaign and if the American people would care to listen to both sides of the story.

Right wingers were not pleased with Bush either - but usually for being a 'lefty' GOP president. For example, cutting taxes without cutting spending, not securing the border, trying to pass immigration reform, increasing social benefits such as S-Chip - medicare. And of course, finally, the banks bailouts and taking over of AIG.

To me, my biggest issue with Bush is his naivete. His lack of ability to stand in front of the camera and defend his actions has lead to his demolished public persona.

The Drudge headline suggested that somehow this will have an effect on the upcoming election. Considering how low of a public opinion Bush has - if anything - it will work against GOP. Changing the conversation before the election to discuss Bush's legacy will definitely be in favor of DNC goals.

Consider his new book:


I have a soft spot for President GW-Bush. And the liberals at Ann Arbor can suck it. Some still have their impeach Bush signs on the front lawn.

MK Zoabi called traitor, stripped of immunity and diplomatic passport

The problem started with Aharon Barak. The one Kegan called her hero. Barak's supreme court kept letting terror supporting Arab parties be allowed to participate in Israeli elections. The judges replacing him followed suit - and now - yet another Balad member is allowing herself to be engaged with Israel's enemies and fight against Israel's very existence. Zoabi should be sitting in jail - along with all her party members and their voters. It's a front for Hezbollah and Israelis better wake up and deal with them.

MK Zoabi Called 'Embarrassment,' 'Traitor' in Stormy Session

"You don't belong in the Israeli Knesset, you don't deserve to hold an Israeli ID card. You're an embarrassment to the citizens of Israel, to the Arab community, and to your family,” MK Yariv Levin, head of the Knesset's House Committee, said Tuesday night.

His words were directed at MK Hanin Zoabi of the Arab Balad party, who faces the possible revocation of her parliamentary immunity after taking part in a flotilla that defied Israel's naval blockade of Hamas.

MK Anastasia Michaeli (Yisrael Beiteinu) had harsh criticism for Zoabi as well. Michaeli recalled Zoabi's statement in 2009 that she would welcome an Iranian nuclear bomb, and her support two years earlier for the “Haifa Proclamation,” a document signed by several Israeli-Arab organizations that called to strip Israel of its Jewish character.

"She is a traitor and a coward,” Michaeli declared as Zoabi left the hall. “She doesn't want to hear these proceedings.”

During the Knesset debate, Zoabi said her actions in defiance of the state put democratic principles into action. “I am a member of Knesset and I have the right to fight for the Arabs and for my positions,” she said.

"I don't represent Kadima, Labor or Likud. I am an MK with the Balad party. I represent a consensus of Arab members of Knesset, which reflects a consensus in my sector of society,” she continued.

Zoabi accused her fellow MKs of “racism and incitement.”

Top 10 Reasons ABC Chose Christian Amanpour to Anchor 'This Week'

In case you haven't heard:
Christiane Amanpour Named 'This Week' Anchor

The evidence file against her is stacked. From her anti-Israel bias to her uber-Liberal frenzy. From her attacks on Christianity to her wishy-washy reports on Muslims. She is the most despicable human being in Media after Helen Thomas. Why would ABC choose to hire her?

Snarky reasons I came up with:
1. Micky Mouse converted to Islam and now hates Israel.
2. To bring ABC to the same ratings level as CNN/MSNBC
3. To compete with Al-Jazeera
4. It's a trick, she's really just going to be a 'Wipe Out' contestant.
5. Hiring ex-Clinton adviser as a news reporter isn't biased enough. Prepare for a Stephanopolis, Amanpour special. Now repeat it 20 times
6. Helen Thomas canceled on the last minute.
7. ABC viewers weren't brain damaged enough by Lost - we need some more reality blurring filters.
8. We need more in depth interviews with Arab spokesmen expressing how they are the real victims when Hamas blows up Israeli buses. Please, let the propaganda flow uncritically.
9. The show 'the Middle', should be renamed 'the middle finger'.
10. Seriously, ABC hates viewers.

A thought about Obama's answer as to why do Israelis dislike him

We all know why, I'll enumerate a few reasons below. But I have a new one to begin with:

Israelis could hate president Obama because he invokes his middle name as an excuse for his lack of popularity in Israel, not because of his middle name.

Dishonesty and hypocrisy are much stronger agents here. Here are the real reasons why Israelis dislike Obama:

1. Pressure to halt development in Jerusalem (not in settlements, which most middle to left leaning Israelis despise themselves)
2. Allowing public flogging of Israel at UN, UNSC, UNHRC - without veto, to the contrary.
3. Voting in favor of Nuke related resolution in UN against Israel, and only against Israel.
4. Public flogging of Israel on US Media by top WH officials following Biden's visit.
5. Biden's visit to Israel was more of an insult to Israelis than a humiliation to Biden. Biden was a petulant insolent child and the Obama admin was too giddy to let it happen.
6. Obama came to Turkey, and Egypt - skipping Israel
7. Obama acted towards Israel PM in a publicly disgraceful way. We all noticed.
8. Obama expressed historical revisionism and complete misunderstanding of the reasons for establishing Israel at Cairo speech.
9. Obama was a member of a racist anti-Semitic church for 20 years.
10. Obama said 'no dividing Jerusalem', only to change his mind a day later.
11. Obama hired anti-Semites as advisers through-out his admin, who were giving public opinion in support of shooting down Israeli air-planes.
12. Obama wasted a full year before moving against Iranian nuke ambitions. Insisting there's room for talks.
13. Obama's addresses to Jewish holidays delivered over Youtube misrepresented and reinterpreted Judaism as some sort of a Socialist-Lenininst-Globalist bull-crap.
14. Obama is the one who gave the Arabs excuses to avoid coming to negotiation table. His own actions caused Arabs to halt direct talks, make demand for concessions towards indirect talks - still refusing to talk to Israeli government. It's Obama's fault.
15. Obama tried to reach out to Hezbollah and Hamas.
16. Obama's anti-terrorism czar was speaking to Arab students in NY, proclaiming his love for 'al-quds', by which giving at the very least the impression that the Obama admin renounces Jewish claim to Jerusalem.
17. Obama reversed every pro-Israel bush policy, and reverted an official USA commitment to Israel with regards to Jerusalem delivered by Bush via a secret diplomatic letter.
18. Israelis who love America are dismayed by what this socialist president is doing to America. A weak America puts Israel and the free world in danger.

Fmr Michigan Congressman Pleads Guilty to Lobbying for Hamas 'Charity'

Infiltration - where else though, Michigan of course.

Ex-lawmaker pleads guilty to lobbying for Hamas-tied charity

A former Michigan congressman pleaded guilty to charges connected with his support of a charity accused of funding Hamas and other terrorist groups.

Mark Siljander, 59, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a federal courthouse in Kansas City, Mo., to charges of obstruction of justice and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

An Islamic American Relief Agency fund-raiser from Chicago allegedly hired Siljander to lobby for the removal of the agency from a U.S. Senate list of charities suspected of having terrorist ties, The Wall Street Journal reported. Siljander did not disclose this information and lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during its probe.

According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Islamic American Relief Agency collected funds in boxes marked “Allah” and “Israel,” showing that the money was going toward attacks in Israel, and collected money in at least one Western European country that went straight to Hamas. The charity also has been connected to the Al-Aksa Foundation.

Siljander, a Republican, served in Congress from 1981 to 1987. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

Abdel Azim El-Siddig, the fund-raiser from Chicago, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge.

Racial Quatas in Financial Reform Bill: Isn't This Antisemitism?

I'm sorry - we all know that Jews are well represented in the financial business sector. I'm not stating it from an anti-Semitic point of view - rather as a defacto observation well known to everyone. Obama is trying to sneak in regulation where a government agency will determine who gets a job in this sector based on his racial background. Imposing quotas, this is precisely how Europeans have treated Jews in universities during the 19th century and a glaring indicator of an anti-Semitic society.

Hotair reports on the quotas system in the new bill:
Financial regulation bill dictates ethnic, gender quotas

It isn't just business killer - it's racist and will in no uncertain terms be used against Jews. DoJ was ordered to sue AZ for perceived fears of profiling, while the Obama admin is pushing in a huge racist intrusion by the Federal government.

I'll encourage anyone who doesn't get a job in the financial sector after this bill passes and the offices are put in place to sue the federal government for racial profiling and discrimination under the civil rights act.

As Israelis march to pressure government to free thousands of top terrorists in exchange for Shalit, Hamas builds war plans

Israelis have some mental disease when it comes to freeing abducted persons from terrorists. I'm sorry, I'll be harsh: Cut your loses. One man isn't worth the thousand dead, or extra thousands to die. Generals of genocidal war on Israel should never see daylight.

Ronen Bergman at YNet reveals: Preparing for 3rd Intifada

"We must carefully examine the hostage's 'quality' – there is a difference between a married man and single man and between a father to children and a childless man. It's also important whether his parents are alive and there is a difference between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. …we saw that Ehud Goldwasser's wife managed to stir great empathy because of her status under Jewish law: A married woman whose husband is missing and whose fate is unknown….Goldwasser gained more media coverage at Eldad Regev's expensive, even though both of them were captured at the same time, because the media always looks for stories that can stir public emotions…"


The above quote is taken from a book titled "Resistance – A View from the Inside." The secret 200-page document was drafted by Mohammed Arman, a senior Hamas man jailed in Israel. The research work, referred to as "Hamas' war plan," was smuggled out of the Hadarim prison's most guarded wing and distributed among senior Hamas leaders, in order to prepare the ground for the "next phase" of Palestinian resistance.


In his document, Arman combined through analysis of terror activities in the Gaza Strip and West Bank with analysis of Israeli media's nature add Hamas' strengths and weaknesses in the West Bank. He demonstrated his arguments using hundreds of examples and quotes about issues ranging from the technology of tracking cell phones to words uttered by Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, and Ehud Barak, among others.

Read it all.

Rift? Never happened! Big smiles at photo-op

Well orchestrated - 'forget about last time' - public meeting. Wait for December for coin to flip once more?

Obama, Netanyahu Deny Rift in Relations After White House Meeting

President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to warm rocky relations on Tuesday, declaring after a White House meeting that any talk of a rift is unfounded. Obama said the U.S.-Israeli bond is unbreakable.

The president had praise for his guest, hailing as "real progress" Israel's recent decision to ease its three-year blockade of the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. He also said he believes Netanyahu wants peace with the Palestinians and is serious about resuming the face-to-face Middle East peace talks that broke off in December 2008.

For the Israeli leader's part, he pledged "we're committed" to peace with the Palestinians and said any reports of the demise of the U.S.-Israeli relationship are `flat wrong."'

Netanyahu and Obama talked in the Oval Office as protesters gathered across the street in Lafayette Park and chanted "No More Aid, End the Blockade," referring to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The meeting between Obama and Netanyahu was their first since a troubled White House meeting between them in March after Israel's surprise announcement of plans for new construction in east Jerusalem as Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel and preparing for dinner with the prime minister.

Obama meets Netanyahu, what could go wrong? (everything)

A meeting scheduled to ease tensions and reassure skeptics, is set to begin. Just having the meeting as far as Israel is concerned is a source of tension. No one knows or trust Obama and Biden to treat Israeli PM in any form of respect.

Obama hosts Netanyahu to mend diplomatic fences

President Barack Obama hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office Tuesday morning for a fence-mending visit that comes in the wake of a series of diplomatic collisions and as U.S. officials strain to advance peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

The peace process has been laboring in a phase known as "proximity talks," in which the two sides do not talk directly to one another but instead communicate through U.S. mediators. U.S. officials want to progress to a point where Israelis and Palestinians actually meet with one another for the first time in Obama's presidency.

Peace talks have been pushed to the sidelines by a succession of conflicts involving Israel's building policies and its blockade of Gaza. The visit, Netanyahu's third at the Obama White House, comes in the run-up to the expiration this fall of a freeze on settlement building by Israel in Palestinian-occupied areas.

Meanwhile, tensions are still running high over Israel's ongoing blockade of Gaza, even as the Netanyahu government relaxes restrictions on items that may be delivered to the Palestinian territory. Under pressure from the international community, Israel on Monday announced that consumer goods would be allowed into the strip, though construction goods needed for rebuilding were remain largely off-limits.

Israel's policies on Gaza came under sharply critical international focus following a May 31 Israeli raid on an aid flotilla in which nine people were killed. In the wake of the furor over the attack, Netanyahu canceled an earlier planned visit to Washington.

Israelis and the country's staunch American supporters, meanwhile, have been critical of Obama for taking a hard line against Israeli housing policies.

It would seem the LA times reporter is happily distinguishing self from 'American staunch supporters of Israel'. Blech.

Happy 4th, from me and the misses

Happy 4th, from me and the misses. I'm unlikely to blog over the weekend, so here's my salute to America.

Bullshit heros too timid to talk about Islam

Grow a pair. I went to their show once, and had my picture taken with Penn. While hand on shoulder - he advised me to beat someone up. I say, grow a pair and tell the truth about Islam and Muslims.

Why Penn and Teller won't cover Islam or Scientology on their TV show

Let’s talk about your TV show Bullshit! Will you ever run out of theories to debunk and people to expose? If you build a kingdom on bullshit, you're not in danger of running out of it. Our producer says that Teller and I can take any subject in the news and do a credible show on it. Sure, we like to have a villain, something to call "bullshit" on, but if we don't, we can depart from that model.
Are there any groups you won't go after? We haven't tackled Scientology because Showtime doesn't want us to. Maybe they have deals with individual Scientologists —- I'm not sure. And we haven't tackled Islam because we have families.
Meaning, you won’t attack Islam because you’re afraid it’ll attack back ... Right, and I think the worst thing you can say about a group in a free society is that you’re afraid to talk about it—I can’t think of anything more horrific. [...]
You do go after Christians, though ... Teller and I have been brutal to Christians, and their response shows that they’re good fucking Americans who believe in freedom of speech. We attack them all the time, and we still get letters that say, “We appreciate your passion. Sincerely yours, in Christ.” Christians come to our show at the Rio and give us Bibles all the time. They’re incredibly kind to us. Sure, there are a couple of them who live in garages, give themselves titles and send out death threats to me and Bill Maher and Trey Parker. But the vast majority are polite, open-minded people, and I respect them for that.