New Ad Campaign on Egged Buses

A new ad campaign is running on Egged buses in Jerusalem -- the Temple is photshopped onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, replacing the familiar Golden Dome Mosque.

The ad headline reads, "And May the Temple be Rebuilt, Speedily in Our Days." (source)

Sound good to me!

Chag Sameach -- a Happy, Healthy and Kosher Passover to all our readers, friends and family.

Update: And for those of you who appreciate Talmud, the following is an alternative "Echad Mi Yodea"...



hat-tip: Tzvi

Regards,

Jameel.




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Pesach Cleanup Edition.

Latma Satire TV has an exclusive interview with US President Obama (subtitled in English)



March 23, 2010 By The Associated Press Shana Habbab (AP White House Correspondent)

(AP) — An unidentified Israeli official has confirmed that private discussions between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu included a strong request from the President that the upcoming Passover holiday not include the familiar refrain of “next year in Jerusalem”, citing the passage as provocative and unhelpful for future peace talks.

The Administration suggested replacing it with “next year in peace” or “next year in Israel”, but leaving the final wording up to both the Israelis and Palestinians.

Netanyahu is said to have balked at the request, indicating that the refrain dates back well before the UN Partition of 1947.

The Prime Minister reportedly attempted to diffuse the situation by noting that the declaration lacks any political significance, adding that most people living outside of Israel just “say the words without having a real desire to live anywhere in Jerusalem.” (And Israel's Chief Rabbi Metzger agreed).

He further explained that, “at most, they would like to come for the Passover holiday, but only staying at one of the hotels located in western part of the city.”



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The end of the rainy season?

Well, Pesach is next week and one of the things that we do is move from the Rain Prayer(תפילת הגשם) to the Dew Prayer(תפילת טל). The understanding is that in Israel after Pesach it doesn't rain anymore. Well, it seems Hashem wanted to get a few more gallons in. We're having a freak hail/rain storm here. It went from zero to wet in under five minutes. The picture was taken less then 4 minutes after the rain started. And yes, all that white stuff is hail. The more the merrier!

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A Pesach Coincidence

A recent poll indicated that approximately 92% of Jews in Israel will be participating in a Seder this year.

Quite interesting, Jameel mentioned to me that he believes that approximately 8% of the Jewish population make up the radical Left.

(Not that some radical Leftists won't be celebrating a Seder of some sort).

A recent JP poll says that only 9% of Israelis believe that Obama is pro-Israel.

I just thought it was an amusing coincidence.

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Ready for the Korban Pesach?

Do we really yearn for the Beit HaMikdash and Korban Pesach?

The following cartoon by Shay Charka summed up our post the other week on R' Metzger's thoughts on the Beit HaMikdash:

"We don't have any plans to go up to Har Habayit.
We aren't planning to build the Beit Hamikdash."

Responding to a petition by groups demanding the right to perform the Korban Pesach on the Temple Mount, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected their lawsuit.

Israel's police argued that Jews praying and sacrificing the Korban Pesach on the Temple Mount would constitute a “major threat to public safety and order, especially at this time.”

Israel's Supreme Court stated that while Jews are entitled to freedom of religion, their right to pray and worship on the Temple Mount, "is not absolute."

I guess it's only absolute for the Arabs.

Still hoping for a Korban Pesach this year.

Shabbat Shalom,

Jameel



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Don't Give Them Guns

Last week, four IDF soldiers went jogging in Hebron. Three were unarmed, and one was their armed escort. Unfortunately they made a wrong turn, and ended up in a bad area of Hebron.

The local terrorists starting attacking and lynching them. The soldiers were very badly beaten up until they managed to escape.

The armed soldier in the group refused to open fire and was beaten up too.

Why did the soldier not shoot – even in the air?

Presumably because he was more afraid of going to jail than he was in saving his own life.

The JPost is reporting that the IDF is tightening its open fire rules. Even if they are being stoned, a soldier may not fire – even into the air!

Even if they have a firebomb thrown at them, a soldier may not fire – even into the air!

As Palestinian violence is rising, as Arab terrorists are becoming more active, the army/government is playing Russian Roulette with the lives of our soldiers.

Why not just take their guns away from them?

Don't give them guns.


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A Grave Business

Let's talk caves and graves.

Jameel and I were discussing the grave issue, hopefully for the last time, so we can say some last words, and finally put it to rest.

One good reason for not wanting to move graves in Israel is because the rest of the world will look on at us, and use that as a precedent for moving/destroying their own Jewish cemeteries.

Permitted or not permitted is not really the issue in this case.

Do we really want Europe wiping out the last vestiges and memories of European Jewish history to build an apartment complex? Something a number of European contractors would love to do (build apartment complexes, I mean).

Of course not. There are cemeteries there that go back hundreds, if not thousands of years. It’s our history.

But there is a solution.

Imagine if the State of Israel could offer a service to all these European nations.

“You’ve got prime real estate in Poland you can’t develop because there are Jewish graves there? Not a problem at all.”

The State of Israel can offer cemetery relocation services to these European countries.

Each cemetery would be carefully dismantled, the graved honorably disinterred in accordance with Jewish law and the bodies and gravestones would be airlifted back to Israel, for a Jewish reburial in Israel.

No rabbi would deny that moving a grave to Israel is fully permitted.

A section of the Negev could be designated as the "New Europe Cemetery".

Each cemetery and grave would be laid out exactly as it was in Europe.

And Israel would charge for this service, and the builders would be happy to pay to gain access to the land without any political/religious fallout. And there would no longer be risk or threats of the destruction of Jewish graves.

In fact, Israel could even demand that foreign governments hire their services for high-risk cemeteries that get repeatedly attacked in anti-Semitic acts.

And in Israel the benefits would be threefold. First, the profit was the relocations services could be tremendous. Second, imagine having all that genealogical research information available in on spot. And most importantly, tourism.

Anyone who’s gone touring in Israel can appreciate the phrase “Caves and Graves” - because that is what most tours seem to be.

Now imagine having the draw of the largest Jewish cemetery in the world made up of some of the oldest graves from Europe!

Now that would be some tourist attraction.

Israel and the Jews could only benefit from this.

The only city we can think of that would not want this to happen is Uman. They would lose all their Breslev traffic.

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The Grateful Dead

An IDF crane moves the tombstone from a Jewish grave in Gush Katif, prior to the Disengagement, when we didn't hear a single solitary word from the UTJ or MK Litzman.

Here are some differences between the moving of graves from Gush Katif before the Disengagement and the Ashkelon Barzilai Hospital's ER fiasco.

Gush Katif: The graves were definitely those of Jews.
Ashkelon ER: Its overwhelmingly likely that the graves are those of Roman pagans.

Gush Katif: The reason for moving the graves was because of antisemitism (the Arabs would have destroyed the cemetary, the same way they destroyed the shuls)
Ashkelon ER: The reason for moving the graves is to save lives (expanding the ER)

Gush Katif: The UTJ and MK Litzman were utterly silent.
Ashkelon ER: The UTJ and MK Litzman scream from every rooftop.

The photos below are all from the Disengagement era when Jewish graves were moved and the UTJ was silent. There was no issue of pikuach nefesh, no issue of 135 Million NIS at stake, and the UTJ didn't say a word.










Photo Credits: SOS Israel.


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And you shall choose life (and not move hospitals)

The Israeli Government caved in to pressure from the UTJ and has decided to move the emergency room from Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon to its parking lot -- because renovation revealed there are human remains at the current ER's site, where they wanted to expand and renovate the ER and bomb proof it.

The cost of moving the ER: A staggering 135 Million Shekels (about 36 Million US Dollars)

"To protest Sunday’s decision, which will boost costs of the project by some NIS 135 million, cause years of delays due to new planning needs and lead to the much-needed structure being relatively far from the main hospital building, Health Ministry Director-General Dr. Eitan Hai-Am resigned on the spot.

Hai-Am, a respected medical administrator who was appointed by Litzman about half a year ago, previously served as a key Clalit Health Services administrator and director-general of Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba. " (JPost)

What could 36 Million dollars do instead of being used to move a hospital's ER? Don't forget that the bones are:

1. probably those of Roman pagans
2. they could be relocated, respectfully, regardless of whom they belonged to.

As commenter (and personal friend) Avrohom Shimon noted:

The Jewish sources (e.g. Mishna, Tosefta, Talmud) state very clearly that when a city must expanded, the graves (Jewish graves of course) are moved away for the need of the living.

For example תוספתא בבא בתרא א' יא' "כל הקברים מתפנים חוץ מקבר המלך וקבר הנביא"; Tosefta Bava Batra A, 11. "All graves can be moved except for those of a king and a prophet."

In the time of the Second Temple, this is what happened and archeology shows that when Jerusalem expanded to the north, the burial caves that were in the area were emptied and transferred to new burial caves outside the city.

Its unfortunate that political askanim (busybodies) distort reality in the way they present their questions to leading rabbis, so that the answer they receive is what they wish to hear.

Our society does not have unlimited resources.

135 Million NIS could be used to saving hundreds, if not thousands of lives, through upgrading medical equipment, providing life-saving drugs, hiring more doctors and staff, upgrading the hospital, etc.

135 Million NIS could go a long way to helping impoverished families.

If I were buried there, and could be told, "your descendants have a choice -- move your grave or you can save their lives through building a modern ER" -- I don't think its even a question what I would choose.

Obviously we opt to save lives.

I'm embarrassed that Israel's government caved into this pressure and is wasting our money instead of transferring the graves.

PS: I heard this morning that in the parking lot where the ER is supposed to be transferred to, there are newly found graves as well.

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Haaretz Misleads with Obama Poll

The JPost has the scoop today -- though its not really a scoop.

Last week Haaretz deceived the Israeli public with their article about US Vice President Joe Biden's comments at a satire event, took his comments out of context, implied that his comments were serious, and used them as a pretext to further their agenda of discrediting Jewish building in Jerusalem.

Then...Haaretz's Friday headline was Haaretz poll: Most Israelis see Obama as fair and friendly

And the article opens with a gushing review of President Obama:

U.S. President Barack Obama's popularity may be declining in American public opinion, but a sweeping majority of Israelis think his treatment of this country is friendly and fair, according to a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted this week.

The poll also found that most Israelis don't believe politicians who call Obama anti-Semitic or hostile to Israel, or who say he is "striving to topple Netanyahu."

However, the JPost reports:

Haaretz misled readers to give the impression that an overwhelming majority of Israelis see US President Barack Obama as “fair and friendly” toward the country, the newspaper’s pollster, Tel Aviv University professor Camil Fuchs, said on Sunday.

The English edition elaborated near a picture of Obama that “69% say Obama is fair and friendly.”

The story itself gives no numbers, but the lead says “A sweeping majority of Israelis think his treatment of this country is friendly and fair.”

The English edition contains no graphic distributing the actual numbers, either online or in print.

The print and online versions of the newspaper’s Hebrew edition included a graphic indicating that just 18 percent of respondents considered Obama “friendly” toward Israel, 3 percentage points fewer than the 21% who called the president “hostile” to the Jewish state.

Read the rest of the JPost expose here.

Haaretz bills itself as the "Newspaper for Thinking People" -- the reality is more like "Haaretz: The newspaper where we do the thinking for you, distort poll data to fit our agenda, attempt to discredit the Jewish State, and ensure you follow our paper's ideology through lies and deception."

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Resting in Peace

The government is planning to build a new and needed emergency operating room at the Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon. This emergency room will be underground and protected from missile attacks. Like in most places in Israel, when you dig for construction, you find archaeological sites or graves.

At this site they found some ancient graves. It is not clear if the graves belong to Jews or Romans (it probably is clear, but each side has a need to take a predeclared position).

There are two options at this point. Respectfully move the graves to a new burial site, or build the emergency room at a new location, at the additional cost of some 100 million shekels and further delay.

Of all the things currently happening in Israel, the Chareidi party UTJ is threatening to leave the coalition and bring activists to the streets if the government goes ahead with this act of relocating the graves to build the emergency operating room.

I can only wonder why is it the UTJ didn’t threaten to bring activists to the streets or leave the coalition when the dead Jews of Gush Katif were dug up and reburied. They were sitting in Sharon’s disengagement coalition. In fact they joined Sharon’s coalition on March 30, 2005 – just before the expulsions, and the uprooting of 48 Jews (including 6 terror victims). I only recall… silence.

It certainly doesn’t seem to interest the UTJ that their fellow living Jews are unable to build or expand their homes - or get kicked out of their homes. It certainly doesn’t even seem to interest them that even their fellow Chareidi Jews in Ramat Shlomo in Jerusalem may not be able to build new homes or expansions for their living families.

I’ve heard no threats of leaving the coalitions or of taking the battle to the streets.

Could there be something hypocritical going on here?

I would like to offer a solution that could resolve this easily.

Since the UTJ considers not moving the graves of some Roman soldiers to be of the utmost importance, to the point where they are threatening riots and bringing down the government – something they haven’t recently threatened on any other issue, then a compromise solution in clearly needed.

My compromise is that the extra 100 million shekels come, not from yours and my tax money, but from UTJ’s earmarked government funding for their programs and organizations.

As this is clearly a red line for them, I wouldn’t want them to cross it, but they can certainly help contribute financially to finding an alternative solution that won’t offend their sensibilities, while sharing in the extra financial burden they would otherwise be causing the rest of us.


Note:
Personally, I’m not comfortable with the concept of digging up graves for construction. There’s a thin line between moving a few Roman graves that are in the way of a major public project, and then digging up Jewish graves in the way of a highway and tunnel, until eventually other countries dig up entire Jewish graveyards to build apartment complexes after noting our precedents in Israel.
 But Halacha recognizes the possibility of reinterment under certain condition, but clearly it needs to be done carefully while considering the consequences.
My only point here (for those that didn’t catch it) is the utter hypocrisy and lack of Torah values of the UTJ party in terms of what they are willing to go to war over.


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Motzei Shabbat Roundup

Shabbat was rather noisy for some. Here's a roundup of events from the past day...

- 14 mortars hit the Kissufim checkpoint between Gaza and Israel in Southern Israel.

- Qassam rocket hits South of Ashkelon

- 2 Qassam rockets hit Ashkelon Municipal Region

- Qassam misfires and lands in Gaza

- Palestinians claim a 16 year old demonstrator was killed by live IDF gunfire in Shechem -- the IDF is investigating the claim, since they claim they did not use live fire to quash the riots. Rotter net claims he was shot from behind with 7.62 caliber ammunition (AK47) which would mean he was shot by Palestinians. (source)

- Palestinians riot at Kalandia checkpoint area in Northern Jerusalem

- Palestinians riot at Shuafat checkpoint area in Northern Jerusalem

- Color Red Air Raid Siren alert sounded over Shabbat in Ashkelon, Netivot, Sederot, and the surrounding communities of Gaza.

- Minor Earthquake in Northern Israel around 8:30 PM. (source)

- Suspected Terrorist infiltration into Efrat. IDF, Police and Rapid Response Units searched for the terrorist for 2 hours. All emergency forces relieved at 11:45 PM.

- Peace Now demands that Israel's Education Minister Gidon Sar not speak at a Pro-Zionist conference hosted by "Im Tirzu". Yariv Oppenheimer says that "Im Tirtzu" led a fascist, violent, and aggressive ad campaign against the "New Israel Fund" which was designed to delegitimize and incite against the "peace and human rights organizations." (source)

Shavua tov -- a peaceful and rage-less week to us all.


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Photo of the Day: Palestinians in Jerusalem

In case you had any doubts what the Palestinians think of themselves.

The following was photographed at the North Jerusalem Kalandia neighborhood IDF checkpoint area yesterday (Friday, March 19, 2010)

source

In this photo, Mohammad Amin al-Husayni the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem meets with Hitler in 1941. Al-Husayni, a supporter of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, asked Hitler to back Arab independence and requested that Nazi Germany oppose, as part of the Pan-Arab struggle, the establishment of a Jewish national home. (wikipedia)




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BERKELEY STUDENTS VOTE AGAINST ISRAEL

In a move stunning for both its inherent bigotry and its high level of moron quotient, the Student Senate at UC Berkeley voted for a bill calling for divestment from two companies because of Israel.

All quotes below are taken from the press release.
["UC Berkeley Student Senate Passes Divestment Bill in Response to Israeli Occupation"]


QUOTE:
The Senate bill directs both the UC Regents and the Student Government to divest from General Electric and United Technologies. General Electric manufactures Apache helicopter engines; United Technologies manufactures Sikorsky helicopters and F-16 aircraft engines.
END QUOTE.


QUOTE:
Student Senator Rahul Patel supported the bill, declaring that “in the 1980s the Student Government was a central actor in demanding that the university divest from South African apartheid. 25 years later, it is a key figure in shaping a nationwide movement against occupation and war crimes around the world. Student Government can be a space to mobilize and make decisions that have a significant impact on the international community. We must utilize these spaces to engage each other about issues of justice worldwide.”
END QUOTE.


The odious and false comparison with South African Apartheid is rather interesting, given that several other countries actually can be called 'apartheid regimes'..... not only in the Arab world.
Such stellar international players as India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Turkey, for example.


QUOTE:
The Senate deliberation, which started Wednesday night, concluded at 3 am Thursday morning, March 18. The meeting was flooded with students, educators, and community members, which prompted the relocation of the Senate session from the Senate Chambers to a larger room. The attendees took turns making impassioned arguments for and against the bill. The diverse list of guest speakers included 76 names, ranging in age from college freshmen to Vietnam veterans.
After amendments, the final bill passed on a 16-4 vote.
In addition to Israeli military action, the student initiative was motivated by an 2005 call on behalf of 171 Palestinian civil society organizations calling on "people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel … until it fully complies with the precepts of international law."
END QUOTE.


It would appear that many of the Student Senators are ignorant of international law. This is, of course, in keeping with their loyalties to the 171 Palestinian civil society organizations aforementioned, in addition to the ISM, MECA, and others of a questionable nature. That, besides their being ignorant, they are ethically crippled, goes without saying.

Berkeley is no longer the stellar educational institution it once was.


QUOTE:
According to Emiliano Huet-Vaughn, co-author of the bill, “this vote is an historic step in holding all state and corporate actors accountable for their violations of basic human rights. The broad cross section of the community that came out to demand our university invest ethically belies the notion that the American people will tolerate the profiting from occupation or other human rights abuses.” Student Senator Emily Carlton, co-sponsor of the bill, agreed, adding “this action will only be historic if it is repeated throughout the country and the world; I hope that student
governments all over America will see in this a sign that the time to divest from war is now.”
END QUOTE.


Co-authors of the bills were students Tom Pessah (tompessah@berkeley.edu, 510.590.7902) and Emiliano Huet-Vaughn (emiliano@econ.berkeley.edu, 510.847.6186).
This per the press release that Katherine Fuchs (katherine.endtheoccupation@gmail.com) forwarded on March 18, 2010.


-----------------------------------------------

AFTERTHOUGHT


My parents studied at Berkeley, as did their siblings and their friends.
I also went to Berkeley. So did many of my friends.

Berkeley was once a wonderful institution. It is no longer so.
The town itself is notorious for the anti-Semitic atmosphere, the campus is a place where it is not safe to be pro-Israel.

I shall henceforth be cheering for Stanford on game day, and boycotting all things Berkeley.


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Biden the Bastard VP.

Updated (see below)

Today, the Vice President of the United States said the following:

"I just got back from five days in the Middle East," Biden said. "I love to travel, but it's great to be back to a place where a boom in housing construction is actually a good thing," he said. Israel announced during Biden's visit that it had approved construction of 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem, a move which the U.S. called an "insult" due to its timing. (Haaretz)

I'm glad that Joe Biden, who considers Jewish housing construction in Jerusalem to be a bad thing is back in D.C.

Maybe he should have said, "I'm glad to be back in D.C. where the criminals aren't as bad as those Palestinian terrorists over in Ramallah."

Bastard.

I find myself honestly shocked at how slanted Haaretz reporting is -- and left the following comment on their website.

Haartez: I dare you to post this comment.

I was at first deeply offended by Biden's remark, which was the point of the way Haaretz reported it. Get people all riled up by Biden's comments, criticize Israel's government, push the peace process, etc.

What is not mentioned in the entire article is that the evening where Biden spoke was a satire event.

Instead, Haaretz took Biden's comment out of context, and used it to make a serious article criticizing the Netanyahu government and Eli Yishai for intentionally announcing building construction in Jerusalem.

Haaretz's agenda-driven propaganda reporting, slants any and all news events to the point that its impossible to determine what the facts are and what the real story is.

Goebbels would be proud of you guys.

Having seen the context (which I had no clue of, because I mistakenly took anything that Haaretz writes at face-value, instead of remembering that every single article they write is anti-Zionist in nature) I am retracting my overt criticism of VP Joe Biden.

And if Haaretz claims "they didn't know it was a roast/satire event" -- then they don't deserve to report the news.

As a side note, he never would have made a joke about the Palestinians, because you can never make a joke about the Palestinians, but that's the way it is with the Obama administration.

You can make fun of Israel and criticize them, but those tones are never used with the Palestinians, Chinese, Syrians, Iranians, etc. Hillary Clinton's scolding of Netanyahu for our building announcement of 1600 homes in Jerusalem (which Israel apologized for over and over again) is far more than the reserved diplomacy used with the PA, Chinese or Iran.

The US State Department and White House were aghast at the Congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey. Yet the Obama administration had no problem raking Israel over the coals for a milestone in a municipal building approval process.

And read Haaretz with a metric-ton of grains of salt.

Last Update on this Post

How did Joe Biden ever get to be Vice President?

Speaking to ABC News, Biden called the announcement "provocative," but added that the US and Israel need to "get over" the latest flare-up in tensions and insisted that the essential elements of the relationship between the two countries remain the same.

"Israel's security is undeniably in our interest to make sure it is absolutely secure," the vice president was quoted by ABC News as saying.

"And so the message is: We've got to get over this," Biden said. "Granted, I condemn the announcement made by that planning council. ... The irony is even that planning council acknowledging not a single new unit can be built at least for a year and maybe never will be built, it was provocative." (ynet)

If we "have to get over this", why does he keep rehashing this message of Israel's Jerusalem Ramat Shlomo building project as a "provocation" over and over again?

Maybe he should just close his mouth for a change?

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Our Special Relationship: Politcal Cartoon Roundup

This came from the Jewish Journal. Not very creative. Nor clever. I've seen better in elementary school newspapers.


This came from the Moderate Voice. Yawn. Reminds me of the same anti-Israel cartoons when Menachem Begin was Prime Minister and we were in the middle of the "Peace for Galilee War"



This doozey comes from Korea -- the bastion of peace in Northeast Asia. The Israeli flag on top of Netanyahu's hat is extremely sophisticated.

Finally. A much more entertaining and realistic view of the situation, which demonstrates our new family relationship.

Yisrael Hayom wonders why Obama is so offended by a mistake -- which Israeli apologized for over and over again. If this mistake really infuriated Obama, he must consider Glenn Beck worse than Osama Bin Laden.



Rotter Net produced this one...yet had they used English instead of transliterated Hebrew, it might have been more effective. Putting Nasrallah and Ahmedinijad on this simply makes the poster a poor political statement and weakens the entire poster. Disappointing, considering all the work that went into it.




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Tired of Arab Violence?

Tired of Arab Violence? Fed up with Leftwing Incitement? Had enough of the Arab/Leftist riots all over the country?

There will be 3 simultaneous protests in Judea, Samaria and Binyamin this Saturday night.

Motzei Shabbat, Parshat Vayikra, 5 Nisan (March 20, 2010), 8:30 PM:

In Judea: at the Gush Etzion junction.
 For details: Yehudit Katzover - 050-7161818, Nadia Matar - 050-5500834

In Samaria: at the Hawara junction.
  For details: Esther Karish 052-8119042

In Benjamin: at the Talmonim junction.
  For details: Yitzhak Shadmi 052-2456696


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Smells Like a Putsch

Smells like a Putsch

The following article is an exclusive Muqata translation of an article from NRG/Maariv.

by Kalman Libskind and Arel Segal Posted: 15/3/2010

The narrative of the Palestinians and the narrative of the Israeli press have become completely identical. It seems that have joined together for a putsch against the Israeli Prime Minister.

What has been happening here in recent day's smells like a putsch. Without coordination, but out of an ideological affinity of interests, the U.S. government, the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli media have joined together in a anti-democratic and dangerous move. A putsch against the Prime Minister of Israel and against the decisions adopted by democratic elections.

Just one year ago the citizens of Israel were at the polls. They voted in favor of Zionism, against a Palestinian state, and for Jerusalem. All of Jerusalem, a dream of generations. Three factors did not approve of the vote: the Americans, the Palestinians and the Israeli media. Towards the Palestinians we have no complaints, they are the enemy. The Americans are transparent. Obama's administration which stands weak and limp against a nuclear Iran searches for every opportunity to attack the Israeli government. The timing was just an excuse. It was a spin that the Israeli press, sunken in the bog of obsessive hatred of the right and of Netanyahu, was glad to share with him. There's no question here of left or right. Nor is it a question of one tactical approach or another. This is it; we have reached the core, the heart, the infrastructure of Zionism. At this crucial junction, the Israeli press, almost in one voice, chose to turn their backs on the Zionist dream.

There is no other possibility to explain what has happened here. Only four months ago there were thirty thousand residents of the Gilo neighborhood who woke up in the morning and suddenly found out that they were settlers. Now came the turn of the residents of Ramat Shlomo, the neighborhood adjacent to Ramot in northern Jerusalem. Israeli journalists prove one of two things: either geographic ignorance or ideological malice, as they make the world sense that the planned construction is within the internal organs of the Palestinians.

Go explain to those who do not know that there aren’t and never were any Arabs there. Until we (the Israeli press) shouted that there is a problem; even they didn’t plan to protest against the construction. Arabs did not even bother to file objections to the plan. Only three years ago, Yuli Tamir, the Princess of "Peace Now", awarded the Israel Prize for architecture to the architect who designed the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood and the Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood east of it. Suddenly a Jew stands up in the hometown of King David and announces in Hebrew letters that he is a conqueror.

Journalists drunk with power

Ramat Shlomo has the same status as Gilo, as Ramat Eshkol (about 25 thousand inhabitants), as Armon Hanetziv (about 17 thousand inhabitants), in effect the same status as half of our capital city. This is not a settlement in the middle of an Arab village. This is construction that no prime minister, right or left, ever dreamed of stopping, even for a moment. Anyone who wants to stop it must be honest enough to say out-loud that he is in favor of dismantling everything here and that he wants to return us to the ghetto borders of 1949. Now we also know that the timing of the dedication of the"Horvah" synagogue in the Jewish Quarter is a unhealthy move. In a sovereign Jewish state it is dangerous to inaugurate a synagogue that Arabs destroyed in 1948 because it might disturb the peace of the Palestinians.

There are moments in life when you can expect even from the Israeli media to put aside all the hatred and all the emotions of political vengeance, in order to be mobilized on behalf of the Zionist dream, and assist the Government of Israel to clarify to the Americans that this time they have crossed the line. Instead, they signal to Obama and to Abu-Mazan that they have whom to rely on. Hillary Clinton knows that she only has to leak to the media how she reprimanded Netanyahu over the phone for 43 minutes. The blue-and white media will spread the hysteria.

This is not a new story. This current round began in the city of David. Even Gideon Levy knows that the Arabs who live in this area are construction law offenders. None of them ever asked for, or received permits to even put up one cinder block. And who do the Israeli media blame? The mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, who seeks to bring order. Then came the "Heritage project". Is there anyone here who seriously does not understand that without Rachel's Tomb or the tomb of the Patriarchs we have no heritage? Nevertheless, who did the Israeli media find guilty for the rioting? Of course, Netanyahu.

The narrative of the Palestinian and the narrative of the Israeli press have become identical. They actually overlap. To retreat, to run away and to completely surrender to terrorism. Any opportunity is right. For the History of the Jewish people there is no place on the calendar.

Yesterday a new tree was found to rely on, in the form of the American columnist Thomas Friedman, who joined the critics of the Israeli government when he equated the government to a drunk driver. So with all due respect to Friedman, the 3,000 years old Jewish history in Jerusalem was not written on a keyboard in the New York Times. The only drunks running around here are journalists drunk with the power to harm.

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Simpsons Aliya Pilot Trip to Israel

Newly released promo of the upcoming March 28th Simpsons come to Israel episode entitled, ‘Greatest Story Ever D’ohed’:

The Simpsons vacation in the Holy Land, where Homer is convinced that he is the Messiah — and gets in trouble with the Muslims, the Jews, and the Christians, who all band together, despite their religious differences, to teach Homer a lesson. Sacha Baron Cohen guest stars as Jacob, an eccentric tour guide who shows the the Wailing Wall.

In March last year, Al Jean had this to say of the episode: “I think we’re going to do one next year where they go to the Holy Land as we haven’t been there yet. The premise will be that the Christians, the Jews and Muslims are united in that they all get mad at Homer. It’s the only thing they can agree on.”

Haaretz adds:

In the episode, Homer gets "Jerusalem Syndrome" and believes that he is the Messiah. Also, the tour guide [voiced by British comedian Sascha Baron Cohen, of Borat and Bruno fame] bickers and exchanges political barbs with Marge.

What do you think Bart's note in the Kotel will say?


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International Pancake Day

In a historic first, both a Denny's and International House of Pancakes opened in Ramallah yesterday. This event is so unusual that they decided to name the square where the restaurants will open after the patron saint of pancakes (see photo at right).

The timing was slightly off as February 23 was actually National Pancake Day, but we expect that March 16 will be officially announced as International Pancake Day.

There is no news as to which syrup her parents ate with their pancakes.




Historical Oddities:
Despite the common misconception, the Muqata did not come up with the pancake concept - that was created by her Leftist Anarchist friends. The Rachel Corrie Memorial Committee held their first pancake breakfast at Denny’s Restaurant (not an IHOP) on Sunday March 12, 2006 10 am.

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Day of Rage

Check back here often as we keep you updated on the "Day of Rage" (press "Refresh" or "F5" in your browser).

If you are just joining us now, The Muqata is providing special coverage of the "Day of Rage." For more understanding of today's events, please scroll down to the bottom of this post, and work your way up.

7:38 AM (Wednesday: Tuesday overnight update) Firebomb thrown last night in Pisgat Ze'ev. Shot policeman recovering. Rocks thrown in Abu Tor last night - 2 cars damaged. 2 Rockets launched from Gaza - fall short. Police expect more violence today. Hundred of tires reported being seen next to section of Road 443 - expectations of attempts to close the highway. Arabs in Jaffa (Yafo) stone 2 buses.

7:11 PM Police shot in hand.  Police hurt by shrapnel, not gunfire.


6:26 PM Unconfirmed Report of 2 Israeli policemen wounded by gunfire in Jerusalem's Ras-al-Amud neighborhood. Details to follow. (source)

5:57 PM The Jerusalem Post reports that the day of rage is subsiding in Jerusalem. Its getting colder outside, so its not fun to rage in the cold.

5:31 PM Palestinians reporting more than 100 rioters wounded in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem in today's rage riots over the re-dedication of the Hurva shul. They also report that 67 were arrested. 4 Arab rioters were also injured in a violent clash near Naalin. 14 Policemen/Border Policemen/IDF Soldiers in Jerusalem were wounded by the rock throwers. (ynet, ynet)

4:41 PM More Rage photos...(also from rotter.net)








4:13 PM Non-Rage Post: Avner Netanyahu, the son of Prime Minister Netanyahu won the National Bible Contest this afternoon (in the non-religious division), and goes up to the International Competition that will take place on Yom Ha'atzmaut / Israel Independence Day. Congratulations!

4:10 PM Reshet Bet Israel Radio reports that as of now, 8 Border Policemen were wounded in today's rage.

3:37 PM Earlier this morning, Israeli Arab MK Talb A-Sana's car was [accidentally?] stoned while driving around Jerusalem's rage-infected neighborhoods just outside the Temple Mount. (Walla in Hebrew). No injuries were reported.

3:33 PM Israeli Leftists demonstrate at the Hebrew University Mount Scopes campus, in solidarity with the Arab Rage Day. (Walla in Hebrew)

3:28 PM More pictures -- as Arabs continue the rock rage.








Photos from Reuters via rotter.net

2:25 PM Jerusalem Police lowers rage levels in Ramat Shlomo neighborhood.

Kikar Shabbat reports: Using a slightly different tactic than the US State Department's demands and tantrums, the Israeli police organized a meeting between the Rabbis of the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood and the local Mukhtars (Islamic Religious leaders) of the adjacent Shu'afat neighborhood -- to smooth over the perceived anger from the Arab Shua'afat residents.

The meeting took place under the auspices and security of Israel's Jerusalem police force, and the atmosphere was warm and relaxed.

After the meeting, the 2 sides concluded: If the rabbis and sheiks were running the country, there would have been peace along time ago.

1:54 PM Day of Rage Photos from Reuters via rotter.net










1:12 PM Senior Hamas Terrorist / Gaza Parliamentarian, Dr. Ahmed Bachar: Slam the Israelis with terror attacks in central Israel. He made these remarks in response to "Desecration of the Al-Aksa Mosque by the Zionists" (ynet in Hebrew)

1:08 PM Over 49 Arabs wounded in Rage clashes. Riots in Naalin. The Palestinian Red Crescent reports that in the Jerusalem area, 49 Arabs have been wounded, 14 from rubber bullets, 16 from tear gas inhalation, and the rest by body blows. 25 have been arrested by the IDF and Israel Security forces. (Ynet, Hebrew)

12:56 PM Israeli MK Zoo'abi from the Arab party "Balad" calls for a Third Intifada.

"Massive Israeli housing projects in Eastern Jerusalem and in the Arab neighborhoods, expulsion of Palestinians from their homes, confiscation of Israeli ID cards, quashing demonstrations, arresting citizens, tormenting Human-rights workers. Israel's policy is nothing less than ethnic cleansing, and it is a strong reason to start a third Intifada -- it should be an even greater than the last one, when Sharon went to Al-Aksa.

Yesterday, Hamas leader Halil Al-Haiba stated "The blood must be spilled in every place -- this is a religious war"

Fatah leaders are claiming that Israel is fabricating history because there never was a destruction of Jerusalem. (Translated from Globes)

12:45 PM After massive Arab rage-rioting at the Northern Jerusalem Kalandia IDF checkpoint, IDF forces open fire to restore calm. Reports of 4 wounded protesters. Some seriously.

12:23 PM The number of wounded IDF Border Policemen by Arab rock rage in Jerusalem today has risen to 3. They were all lightly wounded.

11:47 AM Rock throwing on Modi'in-Jerusalem Highway 443. Windows were smashed and cars were damaged, yet there were no reported injuries.

11:45 AM Photo from my daughter on a day trip to Jerusalem -- car smashed by rocks thrown by a raging Arab mob. Driver hospitalized.


11:30 AM Increased Arab rage throughout Israel. MK Ahmed Tibi ascends the Temple Mount and declares: There is now a new occupation of East Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Sounds of Gunfire are heard in all directions. (YNET)

Arab rock throwers near the Temple Mount are dispersed by Israeli Security forces.

My daughter reports that a man was hurt when Arabs smashed his car with rocks in the Wadi Joz neighborhood, and he required hospitalization. (She's trying to send me a picture now)

Reports of increased rock throwing rage in the Ramalla and Schechem areas, and Hevron is on alert for a potential terror attack.

Magen David Adom raising threat levels in Jerusalem and surrounding areas.

10:20 AM In light of Israel's rebuilding of the Hurva Shul in the Old City of Jerusalem, Hamas has declared a "day or rage".

- Khatem Abd el-Kader, holder of the Fatah's Jerusalem portfolio, called on Palestinians to “converge on Al-Aksa to save it” from “Israeli attempts to destroy the mosque and replace it with the temple.” (JPost)

- Khader called the renovation of the Hurva a “provocation” and warned Israel that it was “playing with fire.” (JPost)

- Mayor of the Beduin city Rahat, Faiz Abu-Sabihan , expressed his support in the struggle, saying that Jews have no right over the Temple Mount, and that Israel's "provocative actions, which undermine the peace, must be stopped." (JPost)

Starting their rage, masked Palestinians clashed with Israeli police in multiple Jerusalem neighborhoods today, hurling rocks and burning tires.

My daughter on a class trip to Jerusalem today, reported to me via SMS minutes ago at 10:21 AM; "In Wadi Joz, they threw a ton of rocks at us, but we're all ok."

I just called her up and she said, "The Arabs threw dozens of rocks at our bus, they kept throwing and throwing. We're all ok." [Note: She's on a bullet proof bus, since she left on a class trip with her school in a settlement community]**

Dozens of Arab youths hurled stones at Border Police officers in the Shuafat refugee camp,Isawiyah and Wadi Joz.

PLO chairman Yasser Abed Rabo called on Israel yesterday to refrain from dedicating the Hurva shul, but Israel did it anyway.

Let's compare Israel's dedication of the Hurva shul, which the PLO called on Israel to prevent, with Israel's call to the PA, not to dedicate a city Square in Ramalla in memory of a terrorist who carried out the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel’s history.

The PA of course, dedicated it, led by PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

And yet - Our best friends in the world, demand we stop building, while they refuse to criticize any action of the Palestinians.

(photo source, here.)

The following video from the Muqata's favorite satire site, Latma, has an exclusive interview the Palestinian Minister of Uncontrollable Rage.



We'll be updating you throughout the day on the latest rages.

**Update; My daughter's Ulpana school sent the entire school on 19 buses bullet proof, for a day trip in honor of Jerusalem, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The school was divided into 4 groups -- and each will be marching to the Old City of Jerusalem, each from a different direction. My daughter said that her bus had to turn around because of all the rock throwing rage, and is going via a different direction instead.


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