Netanyahu's father dies at age 102

Montag, 30. April 2012 | Ryan Jones

Israel on Monday collectively mourned the passing of Benzion Netanyahu, scholar, Zionist leader, and father of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was 102. Unsurprising considering his age, Benzion Netanyahu was around for the rebirth of the Jewish state, and played a leading role in that miraculous episode. Benzion Netanyahu was born in Warsaw, Poland. He moved with his family to the Land of Israel (then under British Mandate rule) in 1920. He worked for years as the personal aide of Zeev Jabotinsky, a leader in the Zionist movement and founder of Revisionist Zionism. Revisionist Zionism, to which Benzion Netanyahu dedicated his life, was and remains at odds with the more dominant Labor Zionism in that it views the establishment (and now the strengthening) of a Jewish state as its primary goal. Revisionist Zionism originally demanded that the Jews be given sovereignty over all the territories once ruled by their biblical forefathers, including territories that are today part of neighboring Jordan. At the social level, Revisionist Zionism was and still is more focused on strengthening the middle class as a means of boosting the entire economy, a concept that is today the cornerstone of capitalism. By contrast, Labor Zionism is more socialist and welfare-minded in its economic orientation. Revisionist Zionism is the founding ideology of Israel's Likud Party, and both Jabotinsky and Benzion Netanyahu are seen as the "fathers" of Knesset faction that Benjamin Netanyahu today leads. During the 1940s, Benzion lived in the US as head of Jabotinsky's New Zionist Organization of America in order to promote the Zionist goal of establishing a strong and independent Jewish state. Contemporaries have since acknowledged that Benzion's efforts were instrumental in building the foundation for strong American support for Israel. It was because of his lobbying efforts that first the Republican and then the Democratic parties both included support for Israel as part of their official party platforms. Benzion Netanyahu returned to Israel in 1949 following the establishment of the state of Israel. Later in his life, Benzion Netanyahu served as chief editor for the Encyclopedia Hebraica and became a recognized expert on Jewish history in Spain. He eventually returned to the US where he was a professor at Dropsie College (1957-1966), the University of Denver (1968-1971) and Cornell University (1971-1975). Benzion's eldest son, Yonatan Netanyahu, was killed while leading the daring 1976 raid to free 106 airline passengers being held hostage by pro-Palestinian terrorists at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Following that tragedy, Benzion moved the rest of his family back to Israel. Benzion Netanyahu never shied away from publicly opposing any of the policies of the younger Netanyahu that he felt were harmful to the strengthening of Israel and the gradual return to Jewish sovereignty of all the biblical homeland. Norwegian Scholar Connects Breivik's Attack to Mossad

Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung connects Mossad to Breivik massacre, claims Jews control 96% of world media.

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By Arutz Sheva Staff

First Publish: 5/1/2012, 2:14 AM

Anders Behring Breivik

Reuters

Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung has said that he is not ruling out the possibility that the Mossad was involved in the massacre carried out by Anders Behring Breivik last July. The comments were made by Galtung last September at a lecture entitled “Ten Theses on July 22” at the University of Oslo. July 22 was the date on which Breivik shot panicked youths at point-blank range at the Utoya island, killing 69 people. He also claimed that Breivik “belonged to the Freemasonry organization which is based on Judaism.” Galtung, who founded the Peace Research Institute Oslo in 1959, noted that the date on which the massacre took place is the same date when, in 1946, the underground Jewish movement the Irgun planted explosives at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, the headquarters of the British Army at the time. Warnings were given by members of the Irgun to clear the hotel, but were ignored by the British. Furthermore, in a recent interview with the Norwegian magazine Humanist quoted by the Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv on Monday, Galtung claimed that Jews control the world media and tilt public opinion in favor of Israel. “The Jews control 96 percent of world media,” Galtung claimed during the interview, adding that the directors of Walt Disney, Warner Brothers and Viacom are all Jews, as are directors in the big American television networks. “Is this accidentatl? If there is a Jewish boss it means Jewish control,” he claimed. Referring to the massacre in Norway, Galtung told the newspaper that a European journalist who had surmised that the Mossad was behind the massacre “was vilified.” He then added that there was also a conspiracy to assassinate a former U.S. senator known for his anti-Israel positions. Galtung claimed that Israel is the only place in the world in which the issue of anti-Semitism is permitted to be dealt with and said that Jews think that only they are allowed to speak out against themselves. “I remember a famous professor in Israel who said, ‘Anti-Semitism means opposing us more than we deserve,’” Galtung said. “The meaning of his words is that he believes that Jews deserve some of the accusations, but thinks that only Jews can say that.” Soon after Breivik carried out his horrendous attack, anti-Zionists tried to pin it on Israel and the Mossad. The Al Jazeera network, for example, published an article by Gilad Atzmon, an Israeli-born British jazz saxophonist and political activist known for his criticisms of Zionism, Jewish identity, and Judaism. Atzmon harped on the Norwegian Labor party’s support for boycotting Israel and noted, “The Labor Party Youth Movement have been devoted promoters of the Israel Boycott campaign. Many of the children who were gunned down by Breivik earlier had held up anti-Israel signs." Rocket Attack Strikes Near Sderot

Gaza terrorists launched a short-range Qassam rocket attack on Sderot Monday night. The rocket landed in an open area.

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By Chana Ya'ar

First Publish: 4/30/2012, 10:41 PM

Qassam rocket (archive)

Flash 90

Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists in Gaza aimed at southern Israel Monday night, launching a rocket attack at the town of Sderot. The short-range Qassam missile landed in an area about a kilometer away from Israel's security fence along the Gaza border. The explosion occurred in an open area, and no property damage was reported by the authorities. No one was physically injured. Residents received a 15-second warning of the impending attack due to the Color Red incoming rocket alert system. However, residents living in areas targeted by rocket attacks are frequently traumatized. Children have their sleep disrupted and are often frightened when they are snatched up from their beds by parents in order to run to a bomb shelter or other space space. In addition, those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to prior attacks are typically re-traumatized as a result. Olmert: U.S. Should Lead Attack on Iran, Not Israel

Former PM Olmert says any military action against Iran should be led by the U.S., hints he doesn't trust Netanyahu and Barak.

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By Elad Benari

First Publish: 5/1/2012, 4:14 AM

Ehud Olmert

Israel News Photo: Flash 90

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that if international efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program fail, any military action against Tehran should be led by the United States and not by Israel. In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour which was recorded on Sunday and aired on Monday, Olmert said, “The last resort is a military action. And I prefer that it would be an American action -- supported by the international community -- if all the other efforts would fail.” Olmert added that the U.S. government should decide on the extent and the scope of any military action, saying, “Israel certainly could be part of the effort, but Israel should not lead it.” The former Prime Minister said there is no immediate need for military action against Tehran. “I know one thing: that the Iranian leadership has not gone beyond a certain line for the time being of developing the nuclear program. And that shows that they are at least thoughtful, which means that they are not rushing, but they are calculating their steps.” In the interview, Olmert also responded to the harsh remarks made over the weekend by former Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin. Diskin attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak at an open forum, saying they are “messianic” and “unfit to hold the reins of power. They give the public a false picture on the Iran question. They create the feeling that if Israel does not act, Iran will have a nuclear bomb, even though experts think that an attack on Iran will cause it to speed up the process of arming with nuclear weapons.” Olmert described as “quite unusual” the comments from Diskin and added, “I prefer to distinguish between the personal aspects of what he said and the substantial aspects of what he said. We don't think that the priorities are set in the right way. First priority, as I said, is cooperation with America from a respectful and serious and careful attitude and not trying to teach the president of America or preach to the president of America or blame the president of America, but rather cooperate with him.” Olmert also implied that, like Diskin, he did not trust the current leaders of Israel to make the right decisions. “You have to have full trust in the judgment of those who have to take decisions,” said Olmert. “And you could understand from what I said that maybe something in my trust is lacking.” Asked if he does not have full trust in the Netanyahu government, Olmert replied, “Apparently.” He admitted he was “worried” that a preemptive attack on Iran could be a “terrible, terrible mistake for the security and the well-being of Israel.” Olmert, who faces a series of indictments and court hearings on charges of bribery and abusing public trust, was recently the keynote speaker at the annual J Street conference. The organization describes itself as being “pro-Israel” and “pro-peace,” but many Jews believe that the organization actually undermines the interests of the State of Israel and Jewish people. Only several days ago, J Street’s regional director said that in the event that war broke out involving Israel, J Street would not necessarily support the Jewish state. When Olmert served as Prime Minister, he was determined to reach a peace agreement with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. He went so far as to offer Abbas 94 percent of Judea and Samaria, a shared jurisdiction of Jerusalem, and allowing 5,000 PA Arabs who left their homes in 1948 back into Israel. The details of Olmert’s offer were revealed several months ago in former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s memoir

War Game: Israeli Air Strike Deals Severe Blow to Iran Nukes

In simulation by Makor Rishon newspaper, Israel strikes on October 16, loses 10 jets. Angry Obama refuses to intervene.

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 4/17/2012, 7:41 PM

Israeli F-15

Israel news photo: Flash 90

In a simulation war game featuring Israelis in senior positions, Israel loses 10 fighter jets in a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and manages to set back the Iranian nuclear program by seven years. An angry President Barack Obama takes no steps against Israel but also refuses to intervene on its side. In the war game, conducted by Makor Rishon newspaper, the strike takes place on October 16, 2012, just three weeks before the U.S. election. The simulation was carried out with the participation of former Government Secretary Yisrael Maimon as a member of the "Octet" of trusted ministers and Home Front Minister; Iran expert Dr. Eldad Pardo as the Iranian regime; Maj. Gen. (ret.) Eitan Ben Eliyahu as a senior member of the Octet; Begin-Sadat Center Chairman Prof. Efraim Inbar as the Prime Minister; Dr. Mordechai Kedar as "the Palestinians," Hizbullah and the Arab countries; journalist Amit Segal as Israeli and world press; journalist Ofer Shelach as Preient Barack Obama and Makor Rishon journalist Amnon Lord as game administrator. According to the game's premise, on October 14 and 15, four independent and reliable Mossad intelligence sources indicate that Iran has begun transferring its strategic nuclear equipment to underground sites in Qom. Military Intelligence, meanwhile, determines that Iran was ready to enrich weapons-grade uranium. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lulls the press into complacency by maintaining a seemingly regular schedule in Jerusalem. In the pre-dawn hours of October 16, the IDF launches Operation Yahalom ("Diamond"). The nuclear sites at Natanz and Arak are bombed, as are several other nuclear plants and research centers. Ten IAF jets are shot down. President Obama receives word of the strike when he is speaking to 350 rabbis in Florida. He convenes a consultation and says that Israel's "excuse" for bombing is "irrelevant" because while Iran's nuclear facilities may become immune to an Israeli attack by moving underground, they will not become immune to a U.S. attack. The timing of the strike "basically amounts to an intervention in the elections," Obama adds. "The attack will have immediate repercussions influencing the election considerations of voters here, such as the expected rise in the price of oil. Israel could have waited until after the elecions." In the simulation, the formal White House announcement calls on Israel to cease hostilities but does not place sanctions on it or threaten it. On the other hand, it offers no assistance. "Israel is responsible for its own fate," it says. "It went against our wishes, and therefore we do not offer it a military umbrella of protection against military responses by Iran or its proxies." Iran sends 1,500 tanks toward the border with Iraq and instructs Hizbullah to fire missiles at Israel. It also launches a series of large scale terror actions and fires missiles from Lebanon and from its own territory at hi-tech targets in Herzliya, suceeding in destroying Intel's headquarters. A suicide bomber kills a large number of cadets in the IDF's hi-tech Talpiyot program. Low-level radiation is released in Tel Aviv by a "dirty bomb." In the war game, Israeli media shows surprising solidarity and unity on the day of the attack, initially sparing the government from criticism. Republican candidate Mitt Romney calls upon Obama to give Israel his backing "immediately." Obama, meanwhile, threatens an Israeli minister who speaks with him on the phone: "I may still be president on November 7. This will have a price, as far as you are concerned. I will not elaborate right now, but you should take this into consideration." Iran decides to try and drive a wedge between Israel and the U.S.. It therefore tells the U.S. it will supply it with as much oil as it needs, in the hope of helping Obama get reelected. In late October, its agents blow up a car bomb in Tel Aviv and fire a missile at an El Al jet from a ship in the Mediterranean, killing 300 people. Meanwhile, intelligence indicates that Iran's nuclear program has been set back 7 years by the Israeli strikes. With U.S. elections days away, Obama decides that "enough is enough" and begins to threaten Iran with a U.S. attack if it does not cease its hostilities against Israel. Whether real life will be anything like the simulation by Makor Rishon remains to be seen. Terrorists freed in Schalit deal return to terror

By YAAKOV KATZ

04/17/2012 16:52

Shin Bet: Two terrorists released in Gilad Schalit deal rearrested for trying to commit terrorist acts.

Photo: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) revealed Tuesday two cases of Palestinian terrorists who were released in the prisoner swap for Gilad Schalit last year but have since returned to engage in anti-Israel terrorist activity. In October 2011, Israel released over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in a deal with Hamas which brought Schalit home after five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

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The first case is Omar Abu Snina, who was released to the Gaza Strip. According to the Shin Bet, Abu Snina – a known Hamas operative – has been working in recent months to recruit Palestinians from the West Bank into Hamas’s ranks. The Shin Bet said that it obtained a memory card Abu Snina had sent family members in the West Bank which included detailed instructions related to kidnapping soldiers, illegally obtaining weapons and establishing a terrorist cell. The second case is of Daoud Hilo, a 22-yearold resident of the Amari refugee camp near Ramallah. He was arrested about a month after his release for illegally purchasing weapons. He was convicted in late March and will return to prison for four more years. Last month, senior IDF officers in the Central Command warned of the growing involvement of Palestinians released in the Schalit exchange in terror activity in the West Bank. The officers said the IDF had noted a dramatic increase in the smuggling of cash into the West Bank since the beginning of the year and that some of the money was to be used to reestablish terror cells for the 55 Palestinians released to the West Bank under the deal. India confiscates Israeli defense firm’s $70m guarantee, clouding relations

DEBKAfile Special Report April 17, 2012, 7:01 PM (GMT+02:00)

Indian army's 155mm howitzers - out of ordnance

The Israeli government spared no effort to save the day. However, even after Prime Minister Netanyahu’s security adviser Yaacov Amidror visited New Delhi to intercede with top security and government officials, India decided, for the first time in its history, to penalize a foreign defense vendor, Israel’s Military Industries (IMI), for alleged breach of contract. To the dismay of officials in Jerusalem, the IMI was singled out for the penalty with loud publicity from among five defense vendors – three foreign and two Indian - recommended for blacklisting in March for alleged involvement in a graft case. Its $70 million guarantee was accordingly confiscated. In Jerusalem, it is strongly suspected that India is deliberately cooling its defense relations with Israel to fit in with its new alignment with Tehran and Moscow. All three refuse to join US and European sanctions against Iran. The IMI signed a contract with the Indian OFB-Ordinance Factory Board to build ordnance factories at Nalanda in Bihar for manufacturing bi-modular charges for the Indian Army’s 155mm howitzers. The $260 million contract contained an “integrity pact” covering a commitment to abstain from “malpractice.” Delhi says the IMI forfeited its guarantee because it was allegedly involved in the offer of a bribe to former OFB director general Sudipto Ghosh in 2010. IMI sources pointed out that an Indian court had ruled the encashment of the guarantee improper. The firm operated within the law and intends to appeal the decision and the handling of the case before the competent authorities. The decision, they say, was based on disputed facts and ignored the documents and information refuting the charges which were presented to the Indian Defense Ministry. debkafile’s military sources add that Israel’s defense leaders made every effort, including an appeal by Yaacov Amidror to Indian defense minister A.K. Antony, to get its military industries removed from the blacklist banning its operations in India for 10 years, and reinstated. It was all in vain. New Delhi’s decision to confiscate the $70 million guarantee was taken and published Tuesday without letting Jerusalem know it was coming. The next day, Antony visited the OFB ordnance factory and approved a special operating budget for getting production at Nalanda up and running without outside help. On March 12, the Indian Chief of Staff Gen. V.K. Singh sent a letter to the prime minister in Delhi complaining that the army’s tank fleet is short of guns and ammunition for fighting off a potential enemy (Pakistani) tank assault; 97 percent of its air defense systems are inoperative; and its special forces have neither the right arms for their operations nor ammo. The situation in the Indian infantry, engineering and signals corps is no better. The letter, say our military sources was fired off as a shot in the feud among India’s top generals, security chiefs and politicians. In the free-for-all, they all accuse each other of corruption and graft related to military procurement. Gen. Singh said he too was offered a $2.8 billion bribe in 2010. All Israel’s efforts to keep its defense transactions with New Delhi clear of its domestic infighting were fruitless. Gold rush in the mountains of Eilat

By SHARON UDASIN

04/17/2012 04:02

A subsidiary of Gulliver Energy, headed by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, is request a gold exploration license.

Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

A subsidiary of Gulliver Energy, headed by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, is partnering with an Australian mineral mining firm to request a gold exploration license in the mountains of Eilat. The two companies – Anat Oil Exploration, a daughter company of Gulliver Energy, and Northwood Exploration – have submitted a request to the Energy and Water Ministry for an exploration permit that covers an area of 43 square kilometers in the Nahal Roded region of the area, according to Gulliver. In a 51-49 percent partnership respectively, Northwood and Anat intend to conduct numerous tests, analyses and drillings in the location to determine whether there is justification for mining for gold and other accompanying metals in the area, the Israeli firm said. Evidence that there may be gold in the region is based on a geochemical survey conducted by the Geological Survey of Israel as well as previous research projects that have identified a presence of gold in the Nahal Roded and Yedidya Passage areas, according to Gulliver. In two past drillings conducted in the region, investigators found gold in concentrations of 3-4 grams per ton at a depth of 40-50 meters, the company said. Among the leaders of the Australian-Israeli venture will be head geologist Yoram Grossowicz and Avi Olshina, a special adviser to the project who has served as an expert on gold at the Geological institute of the Australian state of Victoria – GeoScience Victoria. Thus far, the work plan for the exploration includes the implementation of continuous core drilling as well as the launch of an atmospheric aeromagnetic survey over the entire licensed area by means of helicopters, the company said. While the region may contain some of the sparkling expensive metal, much of the lands in the Eilat mountains technically constitute a Israel Nature and Parks Authority protected nature reserve. The INPA would not issue an official statement regarding the matter, but a representative from the authority charged that the companies “do not want to mine gold; they want to boost the value of their stock, and we are not willing to participate in this game.” Meanwhile, Eilot Regional Council head Udi Gat told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that he has not yet received any information about the project. Assuming that the company is only doing a small amount of drilling and intends to repair the environment to how it was before, Gat said he is not sure whether he would be for or against the plan, and that he needs much more information from Gulliver to offer his opinion on their intentions.

MK Tibi in Canada: Boycott Products from 'Settlements'

MK Tibi in Ottawa: Settlements are a cancer spreading all over Palestinian land. Boycott products manufactured there.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 4/18/2012, 12:14 AM

MK Ahmed Tibi

Flash 90

Arab MK Ahmed Tibi, notorious for making statements against Israel while he serves in its parliament, has called for a boycott of products manufactured in Judea, Samaria, and east Jerusalem. Tibi made the controversial comments during a visit in Ottawa, Canada, on Monday. According to a report in The Montreal Gazette, Tibi also said he was aware that his remarks were a direct violation of the boycott law approved by the Knesset last July, though he seemed unfazed by that fact. “I said that I am willing to test this immoral law trying to prevent me, as a member of the parliament, from expressing my views against the settlements in a peaceful way,” The Montreal Gazette quoted Tibi as having said during his visit to Ottawa. “This is the first time that someone is calling and demanding abroad.” The boycott bill prevents companies from participating in government bids if they take part in a boycott of a business in Israel. It stipulates that anyone calling for an economic, cultural or academic boycott against the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria will be unable to participate in government tenders. In addition, any person who considers himself a victim of a boycott could sue the boycotter for compensation. Tibi, who served for a time as an adviser to the late Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, noted in Ottawa that successive Canadian governments have turned a disapproving eye on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria. “But it seems that the Canadian government is not willing to differentiate between, for example, products coming from settlements and products coming from Israel,” Tibi said. He added, “Settlements are a cancer spreading all over Palestinian land, and cancer should be treated and eradicated. I am talking about a peaceful and non-violent way by not buying or selling or dealing in these products from these settlements.” Tibi’s long history of anti-Israel activities includes going to New York to be a part of the Palestinian Authority’s delegation to the United Nations when it presented its unilateral statehood bid last September. Last January Tibi praised the Palestinian Authority’s “martyrs” at a ceremony held on the occasion of "Palestinian Martyrs Day” and sponsored by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas. “In the history of the peoples and their battles, the Palestinian shahid (martyr) is the height of glory,” Tibi said. “There is no higher value than death for the sake of Allah. The martyr is the one who breaks through and with his blood draws the journey to freedom and liberation.” After the boycott bill was passed last July, Yisrael Beiteinu MK Alex Miller said he would be the first to utilize it against none other than Tibi, after the latter called for a boycott of the city of Ariel. "Tibi's party is not immune to lawsuits and certainly is not above the law," Miller, an Ariel resident, said. "Whoever shows contempt for the law and stomps on it will be responsible for the outcome," he added. Miller explained that the law is meant to prevent economic damage caused by boycotts, and that Tibi's words could make investors hesitate before doing business in Ariel.

Report: Palestinian sentenced to death for selling house to Jews

Dienstag, 17. April 2012 | Ryan Jones

The Palestinian man accused of selling a house near Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs to a Jewish family has reportedly been sentenced to death by the Palestinian Authority. Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon reported that Mohammed Abu Shahala acted as an agent for the original Palestinian owner of what has come to be known as "Machpela House." After the story went public, sources in Hebron told the newspaper that Shahala was arrested and tortured by Palestinian security. During his second "interrogation" session, Shahala confessed not only to acting as an agent for local Palestinians willing to sell their houses to Jews, but also to cooperating with Israel's Mossad spy agency. Shahala reportedly received an expedited trial, and his death sentence is now awaiting the signature of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. Several Jewish settler leaders are trying to save his life. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the heads of the European Union and International Red Cross, Hebron Jewish community leaders David Wilder and Noam Arnon pleaded for international intervention on behalf of Shahala. "It is appalling to think that property sales should be defined as a ‘capital crime’ punishable by death," they wrote. "What would be the reaction to a law in the United States, England, France, or Switzerland, forbidding property sales to Jews? Actually, less than one hundred years ago, such acts were legislated and practiced, known as the infamous ‘Nuremberg laws.'" Danny Dayan, head of the Yesha Council of Jewish communities, stated, "Abu Shahala will be executed in Ramallah, barely 15 minutes drive from the government's headquarters in Jerusalem. He is being executed for the 'crime' of helping Jews buy a home in Hebron. Israel cannot allow this travesty to take place." Since its inception in 1993 and its coming to power in 1995, the Palestinian Authority has maintained old Jordanian laws that made it a capital offense to sell property to Jews. More often than not, Israel sides with the Palestinian Authority on these issues for fear of provoking a violent Muslim outburst. That is what happened with the Machpela House, where earlier this month the new Jewish owners were forcibly evicted by the Israeli army.

Flytilla activists scrawl swastika at Israel airport

Dienstag, 17. April 2012 | Ryan Jones

The so-called "peace" activists who attempted to infiltrate Israel via Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday would likely identify with those of Israel's most emphatic critics who insist that despite their disdain for the Jewish state, they are not anti-Semitic. But more often than not, the behavior of these individuals betrays their true disposition. That is what happened on Monday, when it was discovered that at least one of the flytilla activists who was detained at Ben Gurion had scrawled a Nazi swastika on the wall of a holding facility. The enormously offensive and anti-Semitic graffiti was found by Israeli Immigration Authority officials following the deportation of two foreign activists, citizens of Spain and France, respectively. "This was the gift the 'peace activists' left Israel," one Immigration Authority official told theYnet news portal. A total of 79 foreign activists managed to reach Israel this week. Most were detained at the airport, handed a wry letter of "welcome" by Israel's Foreign Ministry, and then deported to their home countries. Hundreds more activists were planning to invade Israel, but were thwarted when the airlines suddenly cancelled their tickets.

Israel: Obama’s secret dealings with Iran conflict with US-Israeli understandings DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 16, 2012, 3:07 PM (GMT+02:00)

Barack Obama and his double diplomatic track

The fundamental rift on Iran between US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu burst into the open Monday, April 16 when high-ranking Israeli officials close to Netanyahu directly accused the president of reneging on the US-Israeli understandings reached ahead of the Istanbul talks between the six powers and Iran on April 14. Behind the show biz of Istanbul, they charged, the US and Iran had reached secret agreements in clandestine bilateral contacts channeled through Paris and Vienna. The row surfaced Sunday when Netanyahu said the US and world powers by agreeing to hold more talks in Baghdad next month had given Tehran a "freebie" of five more weeks to continue enriching uranium without restrictions. By singling out the US, the prime minister aimed his comment directly at the president. Obama’s response was fast. At a news conference ending the Western Hemisphere summit in Cartagenia, Colombia, he commented sharply: "The notion that somehow we've given something away or a `freebie' would indicate Iran has gotten something. In fact, they've got some of the toughest sanctions that they're going to be facing coming up in just a few months if they don't take advantage of these talks." That is the very point on which Israel accuses the US president of playing false: time. As disclosed by debkafile on April 9, American and Israeli officials preceded the Istanbul talks with an understanding for the US to put before Iran agreed demands/concessions: Iran would be allowed to keep 1,000 centrifuges for the low-level enrichment of uranium up to 3.5 percent purity, the first time Israel had accepted the principle of Iran enriching uranium at any grade at all. It was also agreed between Washington and Jerusalem that Iran would not be permitted to keep 20 percent enriched uranium, which is a short step before weapons-grade, in any quantity. These understandings, known as the “1,000 principle,” were meant to represent the final upshot of the formal negotiations with Iran, a consensus to which US diplomats would aspire in as short a time possible. In the event, the US delegation did not present any of the agreed demands – or any other - to the Iranians attending the first round of talks in Turkey. The belated sense of being misled prompted the prime minister’s exceptionally sharp reaction. Israeli official sources now suspect that in their secret contacts, the US has granted Iran far-reaching concessions on its nuclear program - more than Israel would find acceptable. The formal talks in Istanbul and in Baghdad on May 23 are seen as nothing but a device to screen the real business the US and Iran have already contracted on the quiet. Muslim Radical Salah Returns to Israel

Six months after being arrested in London, Sheikh Raed Salah, who heads the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, returned to Israel.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 4/17/2012, 12:14 AM

Sheikh Raed Salah

Reuters

Sheikh Raed Salah, who heads the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, returned to Israel on Monday evening, about six months after he was arrested in London following an unauthorized entry into the UK. Salah was arrested in the London hotel at which he was staying last June. Local immigration authorities claimed that Salah had entered Britain illegally despite having previously been declared persona non grata. Despite Salah being banned from the country, airport police allowed him to enter. Labor Members of Parliament had invited him to speak at the legislature despite the ban, which did not prevent him from passing through immigration inspection at Heathrow Airport. He was reportedly arrested only after British newspapers published his appearance. The British Home Office subsequently agreed to release Salah. A British immigration board later ruled that Salah is “undesirable” and can be deported from the United Kingdom. Salah was previously arrested and jailed several times in Israel for incitement and assaulting police officers. After he landed in Israel on Monday, Salah was taken by the police at the airport for a short interrogation, after which he was released. Fayyad Ignores Israeli Sovereignty, Launches New Dam

PA Prime Minister inaugurates new PA construction project, despite the fact that it is located in an area under full Israeli control.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 4/17/2012, 5:13 AM

Salam Fayyad

Reuters

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has inaugurated a new PA construction project, despite the fact that it is located in an area under full Israeli control, the PA-based WAFA news agency reported on Monday. According to a statement issued by Fayyad’s office, he inaugurated on Monday stage one of a water dam to be built in “Palestine” at a cost of over $1 million. The statement quoted by WAFA said that during a visit to the village of Ouja and the Jordan Valley, Fayyad inaugurated the Ouja Dam, which he said is one of the projects to develop Area C, which falls under full Israeli control. “Our non-stop efforts to develop the area known as Area C and every inch of our country aim mainly to benefit from our resources, mainly our water resources,” Fayyad was quoted as having said. He added that building the Ouja Dam is proof that “we will not be deterred by unfair classifications and names.” Fayyad also noted that he will not wait for Israeli permission to allow him to develop the Jordan Valley. According to WAFA, he stressed that “this is our land and it is our natural right to develop this area and to serve our people living here.” Fayyad said that the Jordan Valley is “part of the occupied Palestinian territory and a vital part of the future independent state of Palestine.” According to WAFA, the Islamic Development Bank contributed $1 million toward developing stage one of the Ouja Dam and the Palestinian Authority paid over $30,000 toward that end. Work will now start on stage two of the project. The report said that Fayyad also condemned the IDF for what he claimed was its assault against Palestinian and international activists who wanted to hold a bicycle tour of the Jordan Valley area last week. Fayyad claimed that Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner’s striking of an anarchist provocateur who rioted and broke Eisner’s hand is “what happens to the Palestinian people on daily basis,” according to WAFA. Fayyad’s provocative actions and remarks came a day before his meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Last week it was reported that Netanyahu will seek direct talks with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas during the meeting. Former Amb.: Israel Should Set 'Red Lines' for Talks with PA

Dr. Dore Gold, former Ambassador to the United Nations, says Israel should set ‘red lines’ should it restart negotiations with the PA.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 4/17/2012, 2:13 AM

PA Prime Minister Fayyad

Flash 90

Dr. Dore Gold, former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations and former advisor to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said on Monday that Israel should set ‘red lines’ should it restart negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Dr. Gold spoke to Arutz Sheva ahead of a meeting between Netanyahu and the PA’s Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, on Tuesday. Last week it was reported that Netanyahu will seek direct talks with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas during the meeting. According to his office, Netanyahu will propose "raising the level of talks" and holding face-to-face negotiations with Abbas. Gold told Arutz Sheva that he believes Netanyahu has actually started drawing his ‘red lines’ when he stressed the importance of an Israeli security presence in the Jordan Valley as part of a future agreement with the PA. He added that a demand that Abbas recognize the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people is another red line that should be set by Netanyahu. Gold also addressed recent reports, according to which Fayyad intends to demand, during the meeting with Netanyahu, that Israel return to the indefensible pre-1967 borders, halt all construction in Judea and Samaria and release all PA prisoners. He described these demands as “a dream” of the PA leadership, noting that the question now is whether any negotiations will be held based on dreams or on red lines. On Sunday, it was reported that during the meeting on Tuesday, Fayyad will present Netanyahu with a letter from Abbas, in which the PA Chairman writes that Israel’s actions have stripped the Palestinian Authority of its “raison d'etre”, creating a reality which cannot continue. “As a result of actions taken by successive Israeli governments, the Palestinian National Authority no longer has any authority, and no meaningful jurisdiction in the political, economic, territorial and security spheres,” says the letter. “In other words, the PA lost its raison d'etre which, if it continues, will make it unable to honor its commitments,” Abbas says, referring to the multiple agreements signed with Israel since the 1993 Oslo Accords, which brought about the creation of the Palestinian Authority a year later. Jordan recently hosted a series of “exploratory meetings” between Israeli and PA representatives. However, the PA refused to continue to talk after those meetings and Abbas has continued to impose preconditions on negotiations, also threatening to cancel any agreements signed between the sides after 2000. Abbas may be reacting to the fact that the world - and even the Israeli left and Israel's Arabs - has lost much of its interest in the Palestinian Arab cause, as can be seen by the failed flytilla and March on Jerusalem, one reason being that the Arab Spring has shown where the real problems are.