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1. "Islam Does Not Like Christians"
by Elad Benari
Jewish Italian MP Fiamma Nirenstein was reconfirmed this week as Vice President of Italy’s Foreign Affairs Committee. In addition, she was also appointed an official consultant on Israel and the international Jewish communities by Italian Foreign Minister Frattini.
Earlier this week, Nirenstein commented on Christian leaders who criticize Israel yet ignore violence by Arabs. She pointed out that “Islam does not like Eastern Christians: it has forced them to flee and now they account for only 6% of the population in the Mideast”, and added that the only country where the number of Christians has grown is Israel, where 163,000 Christians live today, a number which is expected to grow to 187,000 by the year 2020. “In Muslim countries, on the other hand, Christians are on the wane, but the 50 churches present in the Holy Land seem not to notice. They prefer to dump on Israel, where they enjoy full freedom of worship and expression,” said Nirenstein.
Commenting on the Vatican Synod about Middle East taking place in Rome these days, Nirenstein pointed out a document “written in a tone of theological excommunication towards the State of Israel,” which was signed by the Custodian of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who later denied involvement, saying that “no church in the Holy Land had signed the document.” Nirenstein pointed out, however, that the names of top-level signers are clearly visible on the document which is available on the internet. The document speaks in the name of "us Christian Palestinians," and says that “the military occupation is a sin against God and against man”. It excommunicates Christian supporters of Israel, takes sides against the very presence of Israel, likens the defensive barrier that has blocked 98% of terrorism to apartheid, attacks the communities in Judea and Samaria and essentially cancels the existence of the Jewish state. The document goes so far as to legitimize terrorism when it talks about the “thousands of prisoners who languish in Israeli jails” which are “part of the society around us”. “Resistance to the evil of occupation is a Christian's right and duty," says the document.
“In the final draft of the appeal which will be voted on Friday, the Synod is once again offering the Catholic Church as the guarantor of freedom of religious and personal freedom for all religions,” wrote Nirenstein. “But if there are no sanctions against what Christians suffer in Islamic countries and if they continue to blame the Jews who have nothing to do with it all, how do they think they will be able—morally and practically—to sustain this?”
Other comments made by Nirenstein this past week addressed remarks made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that Germany's multicultural approach to immigration “has failed, utterly failed,” and that in the future, immigrants should be expected to integrate into German culture.
“The point is that certain cultures very often have no intention of mixing in with ours, despite our actions and best intentions,” said Nirenstein in response. “Paris has become a city in which more than 200,000 people live in families where polygamy is common practice. In Italy 30,000 women have been subjected to genital mutilation and Islamic courts—ninety-odd in London alone—inflict sentences that are inconceivable.”
She pointed out that despite the fact that immigrants should have freedom of rights because of democracy, “they have other rules, not the ones of democracy. In Germany, Chancellor Merkel’s homeland, a Berlin lawyer was beaten along with her Muslim client who wanted a divorce; she was also attacked in the subway and was forced to close her practice. Again in Germany, Mozart’s opera, Idomeneo, was cancelled following Islamic threats. By pure luck, the editor-in-chief of Die Welt, Roger Köppel, blocked the hand of a young Muslim who was about to stab him in his office. In Germany, England and France, it is no longer possible to trace the “missing girls” who become slaves following arranged marriages. Giulio Meotti writes that, in Stockholm, the latest fashion is a T-shirt worn by young Muslim on which is written: ‘In 2030 we will take over’. Just some incidents.
“When we are faced by a culture like that of Islam, there are forms of irreducibility that run up against legal and moral issues with a whole range of subtleties,” continued Nirenstein. “For us, ‘immigration’ is a sacred term, filled of a sense of guilt, of generosity, of religion and liberal or left-wing overtones. But democracy is also a sacred term, our most important conquest: the masses of immigrants that do not share our democratic values put it in danger. And while we think that allowing immigration is a duty of democracy, we don’t understand that we are putting it at stake. Perhaps Chancellor Merkel—democratic German, pro-Europe, middle-class, complex-ridden and shy as every cultured German is—has succeeded in posing the question.”
Earlier this month, Nirenstein organized a mass rally-demonstration entitled “For the truth, for Israel” which was held in Rome. 63 speeches were made by personalities, politicians, intellectuals, artists and journalists from all over Europe during the rally which was billed as "the first European, bipartisan event aimed at restoring the truth regarding Israel, putting an end to the barrage of lies that are hurled at Israel every day and to the double standard used by the media and international organizations." According to estimates, 3,000 people attended the rally.
2. IDF Plays Matchmaker to Hareidi Soldiers
by Maayana Miskin
As part of an initiative to help hareidi-religious soldiers integrate their religious practices with their IDF service, the army is working with a group of rabbis to provide a professional matchmaker for soldiers in the Netzach Yehuda battalion – a primarily hareidi-religious battalion that has been given the nickname “Nachal hareidi.”
The matchmaker deals with the hareidi-religious community, and helps soldiers find young women who share their religious outlook. She begins her work as soldiers near the end of their service.
Asher Pardi, who deals with the hareidi-religious community in the IDF, explained the initiative, “It's an important service in particular due to the misunderstanding in the hareidi community,” he said. “If they would go to other [hareidi] matchmakers, it could very well be that they would be seen as undesirable because they were in the army.”
Pardi spoke to the IDF website about Netzach Yehuda and efforts to integrate hareidi soldiers without forcing them to compromise on their religious practice. He also described a new program that allows hareidi men who are unable to serve in combat to provide combat support in the Sirkin base, where kosher dietary laws are strictly kept and soldiers can take part in daily prayers and Torah study.
The IDF does not attempt to recruit hareidi men who are engaged in full-time Torah study, Pardi explained. “First and foremost, we want hareidi youth to learn Torah,” he said. “We encourage the youth in yeshiva to keep learning.”
However, he said, “today there are many youth who do not do well [in yeshiva]. They drop out of yeshiva, and have nowhere to go. For them, a religious army framework can be their salvation.” Netzach Yehuda takes hareidi dropouts and “sets them straight, both as hareidi men and as human beings," he stated.
The IDF encourages yeshiva dropouts to enlist by helping them to meet with hareidi-religious soldiers, who explain that it is possible to maintain a hareidi lifestyle in the army, he said.
3. Largest-Ever Deal: $60b in Planes and Copters to Saudi
by Hillel Fendel
The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday thelargest weapons sale in the history of the United States: $60 billion worth of combat planes and helicopters to Saudi Arabia.
The Obama Administration has notified Congress of the plans for the 20-year deal. It is to include 84 F-15 fighter aircraft and over 170 helicopters, the upgrading of 70 older-model F-15 planes, and the sale of smaller air force items. The helicopter deal includes 70 Apaches, 72 Blackhawks, and 32 MH-6 Little Birds.
The announcement was made by Andrew Shapiro, assistant secretary for political and military affairs. He explained that the deal is intended to stabilize and strengthen the Saudi military relationship with the United States and allow the kingdom to better protect its security and oil structure, which "is critical to our economic interests."
Congress has 30 days to object to all or part of the deal. It is possible that Saudi Arabia will choose not to purchase the entire package.
Shapiro said that after assessing the sale’s impact on Israel’s military standing in the area and finding that it “would not diminish Israel's qualitative military edge… we felt comfortable in going forward with the sale.”
Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued this statement: “Israel is pleased with its good security relations with the United States, and from the fact that the U.S. ensures Israel’s qualitative edge.”
CNN quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that the Obama administration consulted with Israel as the sale was taking shape, and committed itself to maintaining that edge.
4. World is Counting: 544 Settlement Housing Starts
by Hillel Fendel
The Associated Press has prepared a detailed report on new Jewish construction starts that have begun since the end of the freeze nearly a month ago.
The report lists a total of at least 544 new housing units throughout Judea and Samaria – a small number in light of the total area population of 330,000 Jews.
AP reporters phoned a number of Jewish communities to find out the housing situation. In two cases, Oranit and Itamar, AP assumed there were “at least three” housing starts underway, based on having been told that there were “a few” going on.
Land of Israel supporters would be heartened to learn that four towns were found to have 45 or more units underway: Barkan (62), Karmei Tzur (56), Emanuel (46), and Ariel (45). Conversations with town officials, or in one case, with a land surveyor on the site, produced the information that 25 apartments are being built in Beit Aryeh, 22 or more in Kiryat Arba, 20 in Har Adar, and at least 12 in Kedumim.
The AP people had an easy time in the Binyamin and Southern Mt. Hevon regions, speaking to one official in each to find out the construction plans for all the districts' towns. The news agency found that there are “at least 200 housing starts in the Binyamin region” – an average of fewer than five for each of the region's towns.
Similarly, a total of 50 apartments are being built in the 15 towns of the Drom Har Hevron region.
Peace Now, an Israeli group whose goal it is to erase all Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria, estimates the number of housing starts in the past month as over 600. It plans to release its own detailed report next week.
MK Ben-Ari: What, Only 13,000?
Peace Now announced last month that 2,066 homes were ready to be built the moment the freeze ends, and that thousands more were only one step away.
MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) says this is far from enough, and that if only 13,000 units are built in Judea and Samaria, it will be a catastrophe.
“13,000 housing units would be the Netanyahu edition of the British White Paper [which sorely restricted Jewish immigration to the Holy Land in the 1930’s and 40’s – ed.], and would be a continuation of the policy of strangulation,” Ben-Ari said. “The Jewish settlement enterprise requires at least 50,000 units this year.”
5. Murderer of Ido Zoldan Gets Life Sentence
by Gil Ronen
The IDF military court in Samaria has sentenced one of the murderers of Ido Zoldan to life in jail. Zoldan, nicknamed 'Idodi' by his numerous friends, was 29, married and a father of two. He was a resident of Shavei Shomron and formerly resided in Homesh.
Abdullah Barham, 25, was sentenced on Thursday to life plus another seven years for his part in the point-blank shooting near the Jinsafoot junction in late 2007. Barham was a member of the Palestinian Authority's police force.
A terrorist militia called the Al Aqsa Martyrs took responsibility for that killing, and claimed it was “a protest” against the Annapolis conference, which was supposed to kick-start the faltering negotiations between Israel and the PA. The Al Aqsa Martyrs are a part of Fatah, which is led by Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the Palestinian Authority.
Abdullah Barham initiated the plan to murder Jews, and planned the attack together with his two accomplices, Dafar Barham, who was also a PA policeman, and Fadi Jama'a, who had served in the PA National Security Force. All were from the village of Kadum.
The three decided to fire at Israelis in vehicles moving on the main road near Funduk, in Samaria. On November 19, 2007, at 11:30 PM, they identified an approaching Israeli-licensed car. Abdullah Barham gave instructions to overtake the car and fire at it. However, this attempt failed because the gunman had put in the cartridge backwards.
They reinserted the cartridge and then saw Ido Zoldan's vehicle. He was on his way home from a Torah study session with a friend. They fired nine bullets at the car, killing Ido Zoldan.
6. Former Israeli Prime Minister Turns 95
by Elad Benari
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir celebrated his 95th birthday this past week.
Shamir, who was born in Ruzhany, Russian Empire in 1915, immigrated to what was then the British Mandate of Palestine in the 1930s. He joined the Etzel, one of the underground Jewish militia organizations that opposed the British Mandate, and later joined the militant faction Lehi. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948, he joined the Mossad and served there until 1965.
Shamir was first elected to the Knesset in 1973 as a member of the Likud. He became Speaker of the Knesset in 1977, and foreign minister in 1980. In 1983, he became Prime Minister after the retirement of Menachem Begin. When an indecisive election was held in 1984, a national unity government was formed between Shamir and Shimon Peres. As part of the agreement, Peres was Prime Minister until September 1986 when Shamir took over.
Known as a hard liner in the Likkud, Shamir was re-elected in 1988, but was forced to give in to US demands and participated in the Madrid talks in 1991. His narrow right wing government collapsed as a result and new elections were called. Shamir was defeated by Yitzhak Rabin and stepped down from the Likud leadership in March 1993. Since 2004, he has been living in a nursing home due to declining health.
In honor of Shamir’s 95th birthday, Arutz7 spoke on Thursday with Yossi Ben Aharon, who served as Director General in the Prime Minister’s Office when Shamir was Prime Minister, and had worked with him for 11 years.
“Yitzhak Shamir had a warm heart,” said Ben Aharon. “He was a leader who knew what is good for the people of Israel in the Land of Israel. He knew how to fearlessly implement his principles, even when he spoke with world leaders. Many leaders did not like his way, especially with regard to Israel and the Arabs. He constantly had to deal with the formula set before him by the Americans who thought they had invented the redeeming formula of land in exchange for peace.”
Ben Aharon pointed out that Shamir always knew to ward off American attacks on the issue of ‘settlements’, which he said came up often when George H. Bush was US President. “One time, Secretary of State Baker told Shamir: ‘If you think I’m an extremist, wait until you hear my boss,’” recalled Ben Aharon. “Shamir listened and did not flinch. He said that as long as there are settlements, we will guarantee that there will not be an Arab state in Israel. He told Baker that this land is our land. Today you do not hear any such bold and open statements from leaders.”
He recalled a time in 1983 when Shamir was visiting New York as Foreign Minister and was being attacked by the UN because of Israel’s actions during the First Lebanon War which was then taking place. “All of a sudden a message came from the White House that President Reagan was inviting him for a meeting in Washington. When the Israeli entourage reached the White House we were told that only two people will be allowed to accompany Shamir during the meeting with the President. Ambassador Meir Rosenne and I went with Shamir, but then we were surprised to find that across the table sat President Reagan with all his top administration aides, about 15 people.
“I felt as though the organizers of the meeting tried to give the impression that they were placing the Israelis in front of a court,” recalled Ben Aharon. “The President began speaking in a low voice, describing the harsh impression made by the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. When the President finished speaking, there was silence. Then, his voice quiet and calm, Shamir opened by expressing gratitude to the President on the endeavors to help Soviet Jews leave the USSR. The Americans were surprised. The tension in the room dissipated.”
Ben Aharon described how Shamir then explained the factual situation which led to the Israeli operation in the Lebanese border, without drama and without apology. “Shamir said that the conditions which prevailed in Lebanon left us no choice but to attack and destroy the PLO's terrorist bases, and that any responsible government in the world would have acted like us. Again there was silence in the room. Finally, Shamir suggested that the President meet with foreign and defense ministers to get a detailed picture of the situation and see what the US can do to help. Discussions with ministers took place in a businesslike manner, and no more criticism was heard. Shamir behaved this way during his entire time as Prime Minister.”
7. Terror Victims' Group Tells Carter Shiloach Visit 'Despicable'
by Gil Ronen
Meir Indor, who heads terror victims organization Almagor, sent a letter to former US President Jimmy Carter Thursday chiding him for his visit to Shiloach, together with the delegation of retired statesmen that is touring the region. The delegation is referred to as “the elders” and is headed by Carter and former Irish President Mary Robinson.
“Daily, for the past two months, rock throwers have been scanning local traffic for Jews, then attacking them with rocks,” Indor wrote. “An American citizen who exited his vehicle to defend his wife was stabbed five times. More generally, Arabs in the area have been rioting regularly.”
“You will realize, of course, the significance of the two-month figure: negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority resumed two months ago. The riots and rock-throwing by Arabs in the neighborhood that you visited aim specifically to exert pressure on the Government of Israel by maiming and attempting to murder its citizens.”
“Against this backdrop of terrorism by local Arabs, you, a former president of the United States, paid them a visit. This is morally despicable.”
Indor himself survived an ambush by a rock throwing mob earlier this month.
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) met Thursday with "the elders" and told them that their meetings with Hamas leaders make them seem like they support terror.
Rivlin mentioned the meetings between “the elders” and Hamas Gaza kingpin Ismail Haniyeh, as well as the terror group's leader Khaled Masha'al. “You are a respected and well known leader who brought about peace between Israel and Egypt,” he told Carter, who brokered the 1979 Camp David accords.
“Many Israelis see you as a great leader who can bring about change, but one gets the impression that this delegation is not acting objectively,” Rivlin explained. “Masha'al and Haniyeh represent the viewpoint of Ahmadinejad. They oppose any agreement with Israel and strive to destroy it. Hamas and Hizbullah are Iranian proxies,” he added.
Carter denied that meeting Hamas constituted support of the organization. “Our central aim is to bring peace to the region, and that is why we meet all of the sides involved in the conflict,” he said. “We listen, we do not support.”
Rivlin also responded to 'the elders'' visit Thursday to Shiloach in Jerusalem, and their statements that Jews could only live there under Arab sovereignty. "Jews and Arabs live in Jerusalem side by side,” Rivlin said, “and sometimes inside each other. There is no way to divide the city. This would turn it into a second Belfast and that is a recipe for a conflagration.”
"The elders'" delegation includes Ela Bhatt, an Indian women’s rights activist, and Lakhdar Brahimi, a former United Nations envoy and foreign minister of Algeria.
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