The thrill is gone....

Buyer's Remorse: Or, the thrill is gone
By Arlene Peck

There was a time when I considered myself politically savvy. I took pride in the fact that I have never missed an election since I've been old enough to vote. Aw, but that has all changed, I no longer look forward to doing my civic duty and check out the people that are running for office. I know now, at this point in time, for whom I'm voting months before an election.

I don't consider myself a republican or a democrat at this point; I am an independent. I think both major parties are corrupt and when the next election comes around, no matter who is on the ballot, I'm voting for the other one.

For those of you who are in the self imposed trance of “Oh, I don't keep up with politics.” Or worse, "Obama is the man and going to bring change attitude,” I want to talk to you about buyer's remorse.

Everyone knows about Sarah Palin and her "Going Rogue," and I am a believer in breaking ranks. I have taken pride in breaking ranks with those who surround me. The American Jews are the ones that put the Muslim (Obama) into power and I live in the land of the most liberal enclave in the nation of liberalism. Nowhere is more so than Los Angeles .

We are in a war of individual freedom. Yet, we have allowed ourselves to fall into global socialism, in which we are now drowning. Where are those who ought to know better? Where are those who have cut us to the core in our fight for these freedoms? Why do Jews continue to vote for the Demo c rats?

In decades past, Jewish communities were poor. They were newcomers to the wealth and civil rights and liberty afforded to them. The Democratic Party represented a party that they could identify with and relate to. However, over the years, times and conditions began to change. Jews reached an level of success and the needs of the previously downtrodden c hanged. They were no longer on the socio-economic plateau of the poor and deprived.

The quota system was always used against the Jewish community to suppress them. I remember when I was growing up in Atlanta , Georgia , and we had the quota system. Meaning, although we were less than three percent of the student body, at the local universities the Jewish applicant, even if he were an A student, would be passed over in favor of a wasp" student, even if he had a C average, if the school already had three percent of the class filled with Jewish students. I remember that was the system at Emory, which was predominantly a medical and dental school, which had a large waiting list of Jewish students who were not accepted because the "quota system" always worked against the Jews.

After the astounding Six Day War, a new outbreak of anti-Semitism began. What was always directed toward the Jewish people was now redirected to resentment of the Jewish State. The thinking of Jews was that adopting the new platform of liberalism would somehow make them accepted as "good Jews." We are no longer oppressed and living in an unjust country. Why not be realistic?

We enjoy freedom and liberties unheard of in past decades Our social, political and moral system is not the same that it once was and the liberals of today refuse to recognize that and remain blind to the real world.

Obama ran on a platform to change the face of the United State and he is accomplishing his goals. He has been a "false Messiah to many of my neighbors, who I know supported him and my privileged neighbors in LaLa Land are now living through "Buyer's Remorse," even though it’s not politically correct to admit it. So many of the media here in California are Jewish themselves and there is a cultural trickle down attitude, which the entertainment industry here has absorbed into their DNA without their apparent knowledge.

I am wondering what this guy is really going to do, not only for them but for this country. If the country is injured, they will be injured. That may be sinking in. I truly believe that the Big Daddy czar with the good old wholesome name of Barak Hussein Obama has created a government sub- culture of czars who are not overseen or responsible to anyone. But, they want to "share the wealth." Have you noticed, however, that those serving in the Senate and House, who want all this change, sure don’t plan on giving up any of their wonderful health care coverage ?

Obama is a master con-artist who came out of nowhere and ran on the perfect wave of resentment created by Bush. The country was so dissatisfied that, at that time, with the same old, same old, we would have elected Jack the Ripper. And, that folks is exactly who we have put in power. Obama, at the United Nations, spoke at length about the need for Israel to fulfill Palestinian claims and rights; and, used his favorite word, "refugees," and the hope of "returning" millions of Arabs to the Jewish State.

I thought that was pretty bad when he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to two of the most virulent anti-Israel and anti-Semitic people today, Mary Robinson of Ireland and Desmond Tutu of South Africa . But the folks in Norway outdid even that fiasco with the Nobel Peace Prize. This is going to set off a new wave of Obama idolatry and that is dangerous. There was a time when I took pride in the accomplishments of the Jews and the vast numbers who had joined the exclusive company of Nobel Prize winners. But, then came the likes of Arafat and Jimmy Carter, who I believe are evil to the core. Arafat's legacy is being known as the Father of Terrorism, and the damage he managed to accomplish will be felt for decades to come. Carter? Never a man of peace, but an anti-Semite, who when he was governor of my state of Georgia was the most incompetent in memory. And, now with Obama’s inclusion in this group completes my loss of faith in the value of this award. Elie Wiesel has reason to be pretty pissed.

In closing, I'd just like to mention that Obama and Company have quietly and with little fan-fare decided to hand over to Hamas three hundred million of our tax payer dollars, supposedly to be used to "re-build" Gaza and provide for its perpetual refugees caused by what he considers to be a war of aggression by Israel. While Obama is getting ready to pressure Israel into opening the jails and letting the tigers (aka, terrorists) back into the population so they can butcher more Jews, why doesn’t someone pressure the White House to tie that tainted money to the release of captured Gilad Shalit and ensure his freedom?

Arlene Peck is an internationally syndicated columnist and television talk show hostess. She travels extensively worldwide, reporting to her audience about political events, social happenings (Cannes Film Festival, London event for the Variety Club, etc.) and "must see" spots. If there is a place to see and be seen, she'll write about it for her international audience. Arlene's syndicated column is read weekly by millions and her television show ("Wow! It's Arlene Peck!") can be seen throughout Southern California every Monday night. Please browse through all our pages to see Arlene's upcoming show schedules, photos of various events, and what's happening around town.

Jewish Defence League Parsha and Weekly Update

This was a special week. My daughter Miryam was married. And I would love to share a short youtube video of the wedding and my speech of which I included the weekly parsha.

18 photo slideshow - 2 minute videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRFcVuAUoMw

Shalom and welcome, Thank you to all the Rabbaim, family and friends. Special thanks to my wife, Suzanne for her hard work to help make this day possible. Special thanks to Suzanne's parents, Marshall and Betty Cohen, for always being there for our children: Shira, Miryam, Chana and Moshe. Also special thanks to Morris and Bertha for flying in from Ireland and the Spitzer family for flying in all the way from England. I feel very privileged to welcome into our family, My new son inlaw, Shlomie Spitzer. He comes from a great family. His father Yossie, is a doctor and one of the main Mohel's for all of England. We share common values: Love for Torah; Love for the Land of Israel: Love for the Jewish People and Jewish family values. It will be very difficult for our family to make the adjustment to not having our special daughter Miryam with us at the Shabbos table. It was always a joy, discussing the parsha with her, in a very passionate way. I was so proud of her when she decided to go and study in Israel for two years. She attended and studied in a seminary in Jerusalem, and also studied hairstyling and esthetics. Very practical and we are very proud of you. And her husband Shlomie also studied in a Yeshiva in Israel and now is working as a Mishgeach , a Kosher supervisor for the London Beis Din. Also very practical, and we are very proud of Shlomie. Unfortunately, my parents are no longer living and therefore cannot enjoy this great simcha, but they are with us in spirit. And as a follower of Rabbi Meir Kahane Z"L, he died a Kiddush Hashem. I would like to share the following words that he wrote about this weeks Torah Parsha, Terumah.

“They shall make an Ark of acacia wood” (Ex. 25:10)
"G-d established the whole framework of a holy Temple, holy objects and holy people (Kohanim and Levi'im) to create a miniature world, perfect and complete, holy and pure. It was meant to symbolize the larger world and to guide us in how our world is supposed to look. One of our most important principles is: “To the L-rd belongs the earth and everything in it” (Ps. 24.1). Everything belongs to G-d, and nothing that ostensibly belongs to man is really his. Rather, it is only given to him to use. The concept of holiness provides a concrete example to help us understand the essence of property here on earth – that it belongs exclusively to G-d and not to man.
The ark is the essence of the Tabernacle and the Temple, both of which were established for its sake. The ark is the symbol of G-d's place int the world, and the poles that carry it are the concrete symbol of G-d's unlimited power, His omnipotence, greatness and majesty. G-d desired that these poles – symbolizing G-d's greatness and our duty to trust in Him infinitely – would be before the eyes of Israel always. He therefore decreed a wondrous decree:The Kohanim brought the ark of the covenant of the L-rd to its place, into the Temple sanctuary, into the Holy of Holies, even under the wings of the cherubs... The ark poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place, even before the Sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside. (I Kings 8:6, 8)
The Talmud's point is that G-d wished every Jew who came to the Sanctuary to always see the poles and remember what they symbolized: that we are obligated to have perfect, complete faith in G-d's omnipotence. Yet since the partition separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple, G-d established that the poles should stretch so far that they abut the partition, protruding like a woman's breasts. Thus, whoever passed by saw the protrusion and drew the lesson.[...] Woman is the symbol of man's love and desire, for there is no love in man's nature greater than his love for woman. Precisely for this reason G-d created man and woman, so they would be bound together with fierce love and desire, ready to sacrifice for each other and to give of themselves to an extent unheard of in any other relationship. They would be willing even to sacrifice their lives for each other, so strong is that love. Being so fiercely bound to another human being is the apex of man's breaking down his selfishness, arrogance and evil impulse. G-d created this bond so that man would understand from it – at least in part – how powerful must be his love for G-d. Observe the fierce love between Israel and G-d, which is always compared to the love between a man and woman, the fiercest love man can imagine."

I give my blessings to Shlomie and Miryam on their marriage. Grow together and may G-d bless the both of you with children and lots of love and happiness. Always keep your door open for others. And we can't wait to join you at your new home for a wonderful shabbos meal. Thank G-d and Mazol Tov.
Durring the first week of March, Israel Apartheid Week will take place at York University. And the Jewish Defence League will take a strong stand. Please review the following information on most of the anti Israel events to take place: A complete list of speakers and events is available at www.apartheidweek.orgMonday March 1st BREAKING DOWN APARTHEID1:00 - 3:00 PMStudent Center, GSA (Room 430)Film Screening: Slingshot Hip HopSlingshot Hip Hop braids together the stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and Separation Walls to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders that separate them.- www.slingshothiphop.com/Tuesday March 2nd THE HISTORY OF APARTHEID: SOUTH AFRICA, PALESTINE & BEYOND1:00 - 3:00 PMMcLaughlin Junior Common Room, Room 014Na'eem Jeena: is an academic, author, journalist, community leader and post-graduate student. He is currently the Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre, a research institute dealing with the Middle East, and a PhD candidate in Political Studies. Na'eem has a history of activism in the anti-apartheid struggle, and is a well-known activist in South Africa. He has been a leading figure in the Palestine solidarity and anti-war movements in South Africa. Na’eem also served for many years on the Board of the Freedom of Expression Institute, including as its Deputy Chairperson. He also worked for the FXI as Head of the Anti-Censorship Programme, Head of its Access to Information Programme, and as Director of Operations.Wednesday March 3rd UNCOVERING RACISM IN APARTHEID1:00 - 3:00 PMMcLaughlin Junior Common Room, Room 014Nadia Elia is a faculty member at Antioch University, Seattle, where she teaches Gender and Global Studies. She is co-founder of RAWAN (the Radical Arab Women's Activist Network), chairs the Anti-Militarism and Occupation taskforce of Incite! Women of Color Against Violence, and serves on the Organizing Committee of the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. A scholar-activist, Elia is the author of Trances, Dances, and Vociferations: Agency and Resistance in Africana Women's Narratives, co-editor of The Color of Violence: the INCITE anthology, and has published numerous articles on the sociopolitical factors impacting gender and national identity n societies at war and/or under occupation.Thursday March 4th THE LANDSCAPE OF APARTHEID: INDIGENOUS SOLIDARITY1:00 - 3:00 PMMcLaughlin Junior Common Room, Room 014more information coming soonJoin the Jewish Defence League of Canada and confront such hate!

With Love of Israel, Meir Weinstein National Director Jewish Defence League of Canada

APOSTASY - DISPLACED IN TIME...

February 14, 2010

The Anachronism of Apostasy
By Amil Imani

Whereas the practice of slavery enslaves the body, the dogma of apostasy ensnares the mind. Whereas slavery is a shameful practice of the past, some shameless religionists still use the doctrine of apostasy to intimidate and severely punish people who elect to choose their own belief.

Islam is extremely possessive of its subjects. It is a religion that admits anyone into its fold by the person simply uttering a one-sentence statement of faith, shahada: "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's messenger." By so saying, one becomes Muslim for life and surrenders the right to ever leave it. Anyone who leaves the Islamic fold is murtad (revert), or an apostate.

The notion of apostasy is best understood within the overall Islamic dogma. Islam forms a binding covenant with the believer. Once a person is Muslim, he and his issues are considered Muslim forever. In this covenant, Islam promises to bestow its beneficence on the faithful conditional on the person's total and unquestioned surrender to it in all matters. Some of the rewards offered by Islam to the truly obedient believer, particularly the privileged males, are of this world, as well as a great deal more promised to him in the next. If a Muslim faithful does not reap the rewards of his devotion in this world, Islam assures him of his inestimably cherished and limitless compounded rewards in the next world.

Islam demands subjugation of the individual's will to that of Allah and permeates the thinking, the actions, and the speech of Muslims by prefacing commitments they make contingent on the will of God (inshallah).

This total surrender and submission to the will and decree of Allah also absolves the individual from taking full responsibility for his conduct or honoring commitments he may make. For it is Allah who has the unquestioned authority to consummate or contravene any action or promise made by a faithful.

Within this overall framework of complete acceptance of Islam as the perfect living charter for the believer, the rules pertaining to apostasy can be better understood. Islam considers an apostate a person who unilaterally breaks the covenant he has made with the faith. An apostate is condemned as guilty of turning his back on Allah's immutable, eternal religion. Anyone who is born to Muslim parents and leaves Islam is stigmatized as murtad fitri (natural apostate) in the sense that he was born genetically Muslim and has rejected his gift of birth. And anyone who converts to Islam and later leaves it is condemned as murtad milli (a person who has turned his back to the Ummah).

The severe stricture against leaving Islam is consistent with other main principle beliefs of the religion. Islam is a faith of surrender, not one of a free will. A Muslim is to surrender his freedom of thoughts and actions to the will and dictates of Allah. The very principle of freedom is alien to the Islamic belief system.

With regard to apostasy, the two main branches of Islam, the Sunni and the Shiite, are in considerable agreement. The great majority of Muslim scholars of both major camps agree that the Quran stipulates death for the apostate.

Islam, by its very nature, is an all-encompassing belief system that proscribes and prescribes every detail of the person's and society's conduct. The Sharia law, a comprehensive code of Islamic jurisprudence, purportedly is based on the Quran and the Hadith (the reported enunciations and conduct of Muhammad).

Furthermore, Islamic societies rule by the Islamic laws of Sharia. Any new societal legislation must be harmonious with those of the Sharia, which are conclusively anti-democratic. Sharia law is in explicit contradiction with and violation of the foundation of democracy. Sharia law places the dictates and rules of Allah over the sovereignty of the people. It discriminates against non-Muslims to the extreme of disenfranchising them from their rights of citizenship, such as in the case of Baha'is being barred from jobs, higher education, worship, etc. -- not only in Iran, but also in Saudi Arabia and even Egypt. Sharia is blatantly discriminatory against women, Muslim or not. Men have greater claim to inheritance, their testimony in the court of law is worth twice that of women, and they may marry multiple women at the same time. It even stipulates different rules and privileges governing free Muslim men as opposed to slave Muslims, implicitly condoning slavery. Saudi Arabia, the flagship of Islam, was finally forced by the free world to abandon slavery, I believe, only in the late 1940s.

Apostasy is defined both in the Quran and the Sharia, and its punishment is clearly stipulated.
Those who blasphemed and back away from the ways of Allah and die as blasphemers, Allah shall not forgive them. [Qur'an 4:48]

Islamic law does not allow the freedom to choose one's religion.

Let there be no compulsion in the religion: Clearly the Right Path [i.e. Islam] is distinct from the crooked path. [Qur'an 2:256]

The Quran also specifically addresses the issue of murtad milli:

But those who reject faith after they accepted it, and then go on adding to their defiance of faith, never will their repentance be accepted; for they are those who have (of set purpose) gone astray. [Qur'an 3:90]

The Hadith further restates the provision of the Quran regarding punishment of the apostate.

The Sharia law stipulates that any Muslim who turns his back to Islam should be given a chance to revert to the religion. For an unrepentant male apostate, death is the punishment, whereas it is life imprisonment for a female apostate.

Kill whoever changes his religion. [Sahih al-Bukhari 9:84:57]

The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims. [Sahih al-Bukhari 9:83:17]

At present, apostasy is illegal in most Islamic countries. Although execution of the apostate is not common, it does take place from time to time, usually by buttressing the "crime" with additional charges. The Islamic Republic of Iran, for instance, often adds the charge of mohareb (one who wars with God) to further legitimize its execution of apostates. A case in point pertains to the treatment of the religious minority Baha'is by the Islamic Republic. A number of Baha'is have been charged as apostates and mohareb and executed, with some of them being secretly buried in unmarked graves.

The late Ayatollah Khomeini in his Tahrir al-Wassilah adjudicates how a person's apostasy is established: "Apostasy is proven in two ways: First, the person himself confesses to his apostasy twice. Second, two just and truthful men bear witness to the person's apostasy. But women's testimonies do not prove apostasy in any case; either they bear witness individually, in a group or beside a man."

The misogynic nature of Islam is once again evident in Ayatollah Khomeini's blanket disqualification of women's testimony solely on the basis of gender.

"Apostasy -- or the formal renunciation of religion -- is already punishable in Iran with death. But now, Iran wants to make the death penalty for apostasy part of the penal code. The European Union is concerned and has asked Iran to reconsider." Who is an apostate according to the legislation? Anyone in the world, not just Iranians, born to a Muslim parent; also, any convert to Islam who leaves it. Only one parent needs to be a Muslim at the time of conception for Islam to own that child for life. Islam is Ummahist. Islam doesn't recognize nationalities or national boundaries. And these Islamist zealots are very serious. They have no sense of humor. Some say they have no sense at all, and that may be right. What they certainly have is a thirst for blood -- particularly the blood of infidels and apostates.

It is noteworthy that Islam considers the world as its Ummah, which supersedes national boundaries. Hence, Islamic clerics feel free to issue fatwa and other adjudications regarding any person, groups, or nations anywhere in the world. A celebrated case of this practice was the fatwa of Ayatollah Khomeini against the British author Salman Rushdie for his book The Satanic Verses. Hence, individual Muslims anywhere in the world take it upon themselves to carry out fatwa issued by Islamic high divines. In another high-profile case, the killing of Theo van Gough, a Dutch film director, and the recent attack on the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard clearly demonstrate this primitive practice that runs counter to the civilized world's due process and has serious intimidating impact on the freedom of expression.

Free people and nations should not sacrifice their God-given liberty to please the Islamists by muzzling dissenters and even endangering their safety and their lives.

The concept and practice of apostasy is a shameful stain on the conscience of humanity. It is despicable for any belief system to stubbornly cling to the dehumanizing anachronism of apostasy while its counterpart, slavery, is already buried in mankind's graveyard of past infamy.

Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/the_anachronism_of_apostasy.html at February 14, 2010 - 05:40:07 PM CST

Jewish Defence League Parsha and Weekly Update

The Torah Parsha this week is Parshat "Bo". Exodus 12:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: 2 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats; 6 and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. Our Sages explained that the lamb was a very important diety in Egypt and the Jewish People where commanded to take that diety and to tie it up to their homes in public and to slaughter it four days later. And the reason they waited four days was because all Jewish males where to be circumcised and required three days to heal. The Jewish People were also commanded, "And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel". The Sages also explained that the blood from the Jewish males that were circumcised was mixed with the blood from the lamb and was put on the two side posts. This commandment was called the Korban Pesach. For more information on this commandment click here, The Torah Parsha this week is Parshat "Bo". 1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: 2 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats; 6 and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. Our Sages explained that the lamb was a very important diety in Egypt and the Jewish People where commanded to take that diety and to tie it up to their homes in public and to slaughter it four days later. And the reason they waited four days was because all Jewish males where to be circumcised and required three days to heal. The Jewish People were also commanded, "And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel". The Sages also explained that the blood from the Jewish males that were circumcised was mixed with the blood from the lamb and was put on the two side posts. This commandment was called the Korban Pesach. For more information on this commandment click here KorbanPesach.org It is vital that we grasp the incredible self sacrifice of the Jewish People then in standing up to the evil enemy which was Egypt. And these are lesons that are as important today. On Wednesday January 20, the Jewish Defence League of Canada had a very successful rally to support the right of Geert Wilders to speak the truth. He is a true friend of the Jewish People and he needs our help. We were able to unite many different groups to take a stand for truth. The forces of Political Islam must be confronted and exposed and the Jewish Defence League of Canada will united all concerned people. Click here for more information on the successful standing room only rally for Geert Wilders, *Geert Wilders* Solidarity Rally – Summary « Jewish Defence League ... The Jewish Defence League of Canada has asked the Government of Canada to review funding for Palestine House. It should be understood that Palestine House has given its full support to the Hamilton Declaration which stated, "We further specifically caution you against any recognition of Israel as a “Jewish” state." Hamilton Declaration - canpalnet.ca The Jewish Defence League of Canada urges all readers to write to the Government of Canada and to ask for a review of all government funding for Palestine House. We are proud to that the Government of Canada has stopped funding UNRWA. Canada Withdraws Funds From UNRWA As we continue to grow, we also require funds in order to do more. Join us in our march for truth and our mission to reintroduce the concept of courage. With Love of Israel, Meir Weinstein National Director Jewish Defence League of Canada

UN Doomsday Treaty With Ginny Simone

On the possibility of U.N. Gun Control in the United States

Re: The above Video: "UN Doomsday Treaty With Ginny Simone "

Bill Maniaci B'nai Elim Blogmaster
06 Jan 2010

Watch the Socialist Dictatorship in the United States, the State of California when it comes to taking the first steps at depriving our citizens of their Second Amendment rights. California is the first to test the waters and has now implemented de facto gun registration with its new law forcing citizens who purchase ammunition to be identified, registered, fingerprinted and documented. Not only the caliber and number of rounds purchased will be recorded, but also the specific firearm the ammunition is purchased for will now be “in the system” (for some nefarious purpose in the not too distant future).

Some anti-gun States have already, or are planning to pass taxes on ammunition and reloading components that would make purchasing it for recreational purposes so cost prohibitive that sport shooting will simply die (only the wealthy or those “connected” would be able to afford to own firearms, hunt, or participate in firearms related sporting activities).

After taxing ammunition, the next step is a yearly tax on each firearm owned. That added tax would be paid to the IRS as part of your income tax. (Of course, the IRS will share the information on your firearms with all other Federal Agencies.) Firearms would be taxed by caliber beginning with the .22 at $100.00 per firearm with a value added tax for semi-automatic versions. The average person who has been collecting firearms and has accumulated ten or more guns would have to be licensed as a collector and be taxed an additional amount. The taxation will grow exponentially until their underlying mission has been accomplished.

The plan is to make owning a firearm so costly that the average citizen will not be able to “legally” own or possess the means of defending himself or his family. The price of ammunition has been artificially inflated so that many of us cannot afford to spend an afternoon plinking or target practicing. The plans of the gun-controllers are designed and intended to be insidious, slowly eroding your rights until one day, you will awaken to find that you no longer have the right of firearms ownership.

I do not know what can be done to stop the domestic and international onslaught on the Second Amendment. Our elected representatives cannot be trusted to protect our freedoms. We vote them into office because we believe that they will represent us honestly and with dedication to their convictions. Once entrenched in Washington, the majority forget their promises. The ones that do not are such a small minority that their objections are of no consequence and are simply ground up by the political machine.

I am convinced that if our President and Congress are naive enough to believe that Americans will give up their guns without a fight (as the Brits and Aussies did) they are gravely mistaken. Americans are not like the sheeple of the rest of the world. The greatest danger to the Republic today is not Al Qaeda…It is the inability of our elected officials to listen to the will of the people. It is not too late but the clock is ticking…..

Riskin Is Completely Nuts! ...Or Is He?

Rafi (via Twitter) asks the question "...Has Rabbi Riskin lost his mind?"

DovBear asks, "Who exactly is Rabbi Riskin attempting to flatter with this twaddle?"

The Jewish Fist asks, "With Chief Rabbis such as these, who needs enemies?"

But, what on earth are they talking about?!

They are talking about the recently released video of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Efrat.

Yeshiva World News calls the video "shocking," which I personally believe is an understatement.

Jewish Israel has tried to knock some sense into him, but to no avail. (sigh)

Watch the video below, courtesy of Jewish Israel, so that you do not have to click on the Messianic Christian YouTube channel which uploaded it. Other videos on this channel include a Riskin Thank You video. (major eye rolling)

My Esser Agaroth (commentary) follows.

Find more videos like this on Jewish Israel


Rabbi Riskin obviously never read my post on so-called "Judeo-Christian Values." (...no such thing)

What do we call a Jew who identifies just way too much with Esau (...or Yishma'el, or both, or who forsakes the land)?

To paraphrase Rabbi Moshe Tzuri'el from his kontras "Rabbi A. Y. On The Erev Rav"

Just as Erev Shabbat is not yet Shabbat, Erev Rav is one who is not yet a rav....

So, is he nuts? Or is this some kind of calculated strategy to obtain money, attention, publicity, power (in his head, that is), or all of all the above?

You be the judge.

'Nuff said.

Whenever DovBear, Yeshiva World News, and I agree on something, even just partially, it is probably a good idea to pay attention.


*********

Update:
I am not entirely sure why Riskin made this video in the first place. (Well, actually, yes I am.)

You can read the report of Riskin's "retraction" on the Am Ha'Aretz news site, and watch his "video response" on YouTube.

Rabbi Dr. Shalom Gold (Har-Nof), a leading rabbi in the modern orthodox community in Israel had this to say...

“While recent clarification from Rabbi Riskin is welcome on this matter, I remain concerned. Rabbi Riskin’s consistently radical statements and ambiguous positions on interfaith dialogue and endeavors can be misinterpreted by both Jews and Christians and manipulated and twisted to fit the agendas of those who are trying to undermine the foundations of the Jewish faith and wreak confusion among our people.

Furthermore, it would be advisable for Rabbi Riskin to steer clear of mixing politics, history and Christian theological issues together with what is clearly a halachic matter. I imagine Rabbi Riskin’s revered teacher Rav Yoseph B. Soloveitchik, z”l would have been greatly distressed over the crossing of theological lines between faith communities which is currently taking place under the pretense of an Israel-evangelical alliance.”

Who knows what the real story is? I sure don't. You be the judge.

I do know one thing, though. Riskin's gotten a lot of attention in recent days....

Nonetheless, the next time he pulls a stunt like this, we all have to be there anyway, to call him on it, attention starved or not.

Cross-posted on Esser Agaroth.

Jewish Defence League Parsha and Weekly Update

Chanukah is a very important holiday for the Jewish People to celebrate. It is a time for the Jewish People understand the meaning of what it means to be Jewish and what it means to have a Jewish State. A clear understanding of these concepts is required in our ongoing struggle for freedom to be successful. The following article by Benyamin Kahne about Chanukah, will provide much needed insight on these issues What was miraculous about the victory of Chanukah? by Binyamin Zev Kahane
Below, please find information from one of the many anti-Israel/Jewish web sites: Join the Gaza Freedom March in Toronto - December 27, 2009 Standing in solidarity with them, and expressing a desire to end the occupation on the anniversary of the Gaza Massacre there will be a demonstration in downtown Toronto.Toronto's own Gaza Freedom March will be held at the Israeli Consulate (180 Bloor Street W.) on SUNDAY DECEMBER 27th 2009, in solidarity with those who will be attending the march in Gaza. This is for those who are not able to attend the march in Gaza - so PLEASE INVITE all your friends so that we can have AS many people as possible in this solidarity march that is going to take place ACROSS THE GLOBE! There will be a rally at the Israeli Consulate at 1PM and hope to march down Yonge Street towards Dundas Square, commanding the attention of all passersby, while passing out information about why we are marching.It is essential to stand up and counter this Pro Hamas March. In the past, these haters have chanted, "Hitler was right"! We need people to show up and wave Israel and Canada flags on December 27 at the Israel Consulate. Call JDL now to give of your time. Help us give out flyers, postcards and put up posters. Contact the Jewish Defence League at 416-736-7000 or visit our web site at www.jdl-canada.comWith Love of Israel,Meir Weinstein National Director Jewish Defence League of Canada

Judeo-Christian Values?

7th Candle of Hanukkah 5770

Dear Arutz 7 (Israel National News) Broadcaster,

Recently, I heard a broadcast of yours. It included an excellent interview, in which you were able to keep your guest focused and have him share a great deal of information in a relatively short period of time.

In the second segment of your show, there was another interesting interview. Yet, something odd caught my attention. You used the expression “Judeo-Christian values,” even though such values do not exist. Jewish values are based on Torah (that includes Oral Torah) and halachah (Jewish Law), items which Christians do not possess. Certainly I would agree that Jews and Christians share a few similarities. But, I could also say the same, if not more so, about Muslims. So, why not talk about Judeo-Islamic values?

No, the concept to which you were referring is an illusion, one which has developed over time during our in exile in the West, due to our vulnerability and desperately trying to survive both physically and spiritually in Galuth (diasporah) coupled with the poisonous influence of the Christians surrounding us.

So, why is it that you were using such an oxymoron of a term?

Well, I have come up with a few possible answers:

1. You really do believe in the existence of this concept, and have yet to discard this particular qelipah (counter-spiritual shell).

2. You have a very short memory, and have forgotten the Christian-based, anti-Semitism which encouraged Jews to seek out our own Homeland and culture, in the first place, OR has forced them further into the deep trenches of assimilation and sniveling co-dependence on the goyim.

3. Even though you are religious, and working for the sake of many important Torah-based endeavors, you have still fallen into the trap of today's version of Hellenism, the belief that some or all Western sensibilities are inherently compatible with Torah. (I recommend you take a serious look at this during this holiday of Hanukkah.)

4. You have received a directive from your management that you use this expression in your broadcasts in order to exploit attract Christian dollars to your radio station.

Considering the introduction to your show, which included instructions to listeners as to how to “support” the station financially, I would say it is the last of the four. (Although I would not rule out option number three so quickly either.)

In line with said instructions, when potential contributers are contacted, some of their background information is, no doubt, revealed. You are able to get a general idea as to whom your listeners are, from where they hail, and which deities they worship, thus providing your station with sufficient feedback as how best to flatter placate them.

Certainly, you must also be able to obtain relatively precise information as to how much of Arutz 7's funding comes from Christians (...and thus how much of a conflict of interest Arutz 7 may appear to have).

I would guess that your managers have actually rationalized that it is better to take money from ovdei avodah zarah (practicioners of foreign worship; Mishnah Torah, Hil. Avodah Zarah 9:4 ), for the greater good of continuing your broadcasts to, as well as on behalf of, Religious Zionists and residents of Yehudah and Shomron (Judea and Samaria).

Now that we Jews are able to resettle our promised Homeland, we have no excuse but let go of our co-dependence on the goyim, and change strategies.

The doors to Eretz Yisra'el have been opened for Jews, but seeing the miracles done for us, and the prophesies being fulfilled, the Christians are also knocking on the door, begging, borrowing, and stealing their ways in.

They are developing their own strategies to obtain residency and even citizenship. Some send their children to “volunteer” in the IDF. Some set up “charitable” foundations, with the intention of "helping" us. Some even do so with the heksher of rabbis. There are Christians "helping" us in Ari'el, Itamar, Har Brachah, and Qedumim, among others. "Helping" us do what, I would like to know. And why do we need their help? I would like to know that as well.

How are any of these sneaky strategies to steal our inheritence, to get a foothold on our Holy Land, to pollute our Holy Land by spreading the worship of their false deity, and stealing our children's souls, in the least bit related to “Jewish values?”

So-called Christian Zionist, or Christian "Friends of Israel" are, at the very least, passive missionaries, and the very worst, better liars than active missionaries.

How will Arutz 7 report the sneaky, yet not so secret plans, of the Likud Party, and possibly some within the Jewish Agency (confirmation needed) itself to bring Christians to settle in Israel.

How will your station's acceptance of Christian funds influence your reporting? Will you just ignore it?

And just two more questions, please:

1. How much [or how little] does Rabbi Zalman Melamed know of your station's use
of the term "Judeo-Christian Values?"

2. How much [or how little] does
Rabbi Zalman Melamed know of your station's acceptance of Christian money?

They, too, believe they are doing this for the greater good,...even though we Jews “do not yet realize it.”

But, what's the harm in taking their money?

Simple. You're letting them get a foot in the door, you are taking their "we're your friends" bait, hook, line, and sinker, and thus you are aiding and abetting Esau (Christians/U. S./UN/EU/the West - who truly hates Ya'aqov). These liars may lie differently than Yishma'el (Arabs/Muslims) but they still lie. And, you are truly a co-dependent freier (sucker), if you think Esau will ever really be our friend. He wants his birthright back; he wants his b'rachoth back (See B'reishith 25 & 27).

It is forbidden to allow them to gain any foothold on our Land (Mishnah Torah, Hil. Avodah Zarah 10).

Esau is the pig, throwing out its forelegs to show you its split hooves; he is the pig moving its jaw up and down, pretending to chew his cud. He cries out, "Look at me! I'm kosher!" Yet, he's as treif as they come!

Since 1400's Spain (at least), we have attempted to pacify, reach out to, and assimilate amongst Christians to some degree or another, in order to reassure them that we are no threat to them, and even “just like them,” believing this to be our only strategy for survival while in Western Galuth. Aligning ourselves with them against Yishma'el is just today's version of this.

This strategy has never worked.

“Insanity is repeating the same thing over again, expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein

May your managers receive a complete speedy recovery from this insanity.

There are no such things as "Judeo-Christian Values."

Cross-posted on Esser Agaroth.

Why Make Aliyah?

7th Candle of Hanukkah 5770

For a Jew there is no better place than the State of Israel.

Yoel Meltzer

30 Kisleiw/December 17, 2009

Roughly 15 years ago I made a personal decision to leave the comfortable lifestyle and familiar surroundings of America in order to settle down and build my life in Israel.

As important as this decision was, it had nothing to do with any negative feelings that I had towards the US. In fact, just the opposite is true and most of my memories of life in America are very positive. From childhood vacations in the Lake George region of upstate New York, to a couple of cross-country ventures in my mid-20s, to a few years of life in the middle of New York City, I can honestly say that the United States is really one incredible, beautiful country. Furthermore, the variety of quality choices and lifestyles that are available in an enormous country of nearly 300 million residents truly makes settling down in America such an attractive option.

Nonetheless, despite all the wonderful things that can be said about America, I would not trade for a second the life that I have built in Israel. Moreover, I am 100% convinced that there is no place in the world that is potentially more suitable for a Jew to live than in the Land of Israel. To someone living outside of Israel this may sound like quite a bombastic declaration, but nonetheless this does not detract from the veracity of the statement.

The problem is the chicken and the egg factor. Only by living here and experiencing the reality of life in Israel can one honestly come to such an internal realization. Thus, to a Jew who still lives outside of Israel, it is only natural that such a statement will be somewhat incomprehensible or perhaps even irritating.

Nonetheless, I would like to present a short list of positive reasons for a Jew to consider building a life in Israel:

1. Percentage-wise the best chance to find a Jewish spouse is in Israel.

2. Statistically the lowest rate of intermarriage is in Israel.

3. Within a few short hours one can hike in the desert, swim in the Mediterranean, ski on the Hermon or float in the Dead Sea.

4. Jewish holidays are a natural part of the lifecycle here.

5. There is no Christmas shopping season in Israel.

6. The cost of Jewish education in Israel is a fraction of the cost in the US.

7. In Israel there is a feeling of "home" for the Jewish people.

8. Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. There are no others.

9. In Israel a Jew does not have to integrate into a non-Jewish society.

10. Although like any country there are many problems and issues, at least they are our problems and issues.

11. Mitzvah observance and their significance take on a whole different meaning in the Land of Israel.

12. There is only one Jerusalem in the whole world and it is here, in the Land of Israel.

13. After a few thousand years, Hebrew, the language of the Prophets, is once again heard throughout the Land of Israel.

14. Israel boasts the fastest growing Jewish population in the world.

15. After a long respite of nearly 2,000 years, Israel is once again the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish people.

16. History is literally unfolding here in front of our eyes. All that has transpired here during such a relatively short time period is nothing short of mind-boggling. As such, there is an incredible and unique opportunity available to any Jew throughout the world to come to Israel and to actually have an impact on the shaping of history.

Cross-posted on Esser Agaroth and YNET.

Hizbullah -

Published December 2009
Vol. 9, No. 15 15 December 2009

Has Hizbullah Changed?

The 7th Hizbullah General Conference and Its Continued Ideology of Resistance

Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Dr. Shimon Shapira

Some Western analysts believe the political manifesto published in the wake of Hizbullah's 7th General Conference at the end of November 2009 represented a fundamental change in Hizbullah policy.

While its link to Iran as the ultimate source of authority was not mentioned in this or any previous political manifesto, this link - that is part of Hizbullah's essence - appeared in the "Open Letter" (Resala Maftuha) of 1985, which remains the founding manifesto of Hizbullah and continues to serve as the movement's ideological basis.

The preface to the latest manifesto describes the decline of the United States as the sole superpower and the retreat of American power throughout the world. In reflection of these global changes, Hizbullah offers its resistance to Israel and the United States as the model for emulation throughout the world.

Hizbullah's vigorous insistence that it retain an army of its own that does not heed the authority of the state but rather the representative of Iran's leader in Lebanon makes a mockery of the clauses in the political manifesto about Lebanon being the eternal homeland. Furthermore, by building a state-like system parallel to that of the Lebanese state, and one that relies on aid and funding from Iran and Syria, Hizbullah does not contribute to the strengthening of Lebanon.

The decision of the Lebanese government to recognize the continued legitimate existence of Hizbullah's armed militia demonstrates less a case that Hizbullah underwent a process of "Lebanonization," but rather that the Lebanese state has undergone a process of "Hizbullazation."

Hizbullah's alleged move toward pragmatism is based to a large extent on an Iranian decision to create a new atmosphere in Lebanon that will allow it to work unmolested. Iran is looking for strict silence in the Lebanese arena in order to enable Hizbullah to reconstruct its strategic capabilities (including long-range rockets and missiles) in Lebanon in order to make use of these capabilities at a time to be determined by Tehran.

Hizbullah wound up its clandestine 7th General Conference at the end of November 2009 that took place and lasted about four months. Hassan Nasrallah was again chosen to be Hizbullah's general secretary and, as with previous conferences, the movement published a political manifesto. Some Western analysts believe the manifesto represented a fundamental change in Hizbullah policy. Indeed, a few days after it was proclaimed, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Beirut Daily Star, "carefully considered contact with Hizbullah's politicians, including its MPs, will best advance our objective of the group rejecting violence to play a constructive role in Lebanese politics."1 Later, British spokesmen denied they had changed their policy toward Hizbullah.

Hizbullah's 6th General Conference was convened in 2004 and, according to the movement's bylaws, the 7th General Conference was to have convened in 2007. However, due to the Second Lebanon War and the debates and internal struggles that erupted in its wake within Hizbullah, together with the death of Hizbullah military commander Imad Mughniyeh in a car bombing in Damascus in February 2008, the conference was postponed twice and was finally convened in 2009.2

Hizbullah's Leadership

Anyone proposing that Hizbullah has fundamentally changed should carefully examine the organization's leaders elected by the 7th General Conference. The newly elected Shura Council is comprised of:
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah - Secretary-General
Sheikh Naim Qassem - Deputy Secretary-General
Sayyed Hashem Safi al-Din - Head of the "Shura Council Executive"
Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek - Head of the Spiritual Body
Sayyed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed - Head of the Political Council
MP Haj Mohammed Raad - Head of the Loyalty to Resistance Bloc (the Hizbullah faction in the Lebanese Parliament)
Hussein Khalil - Political Assistant to the Secretary-General

The name of the member of the leadership who replaced Imad Mughniyeh, who headed the Jihad Council - the supreme military body - and represented it in the Hizbullah leadership, was not publicized for security reasons.

Aside from the members of the Shura Council, Hizbullah has not published the names of other officeholders in the movement and close associates have made it clear that no substantial change has occurred in the movement's structure and leadership.3 It would seem that whatever changes occurred involved primarily second and third echelon officeholders in the party hierarchy as well as in the intra-party administrative frameworks at the unit and subunit levels. These changes were intended to incorporate new people into the leadership of the militia in order to infuse the ranks of Hizbullah with new blood.

It is plausible to assume that Nasrallah viewed changes in Hizbullah's military framework following the Second Lebanon War and the death of Imad Mughniyeh to be among the 7th Conference's top priorities, in order to rehabilitate and strengthen Hizbullah's military power and to prepare for the next conflict with Israel. Concomitantly, Nasrallah sought to contend with the penetration of Hizbullah ranks by Israeli intelligence, whose footprints are periodically discovered.

The Political Manifesto

On November 30, 2009, Hizbullah's new political manifesto4 was read by Hassan Nasrallah from a hiding place and was projected on giant screens at a press conference in Beirut.

As with previous political manifestos,5 the new manifesto - 32 pages long and published in a sky blue binding - reflected the changing political reality in which Hizbullah operated and the process of Hizbullah's integration into the Lebanese state and its institutions. While the theoretical-ideological foundation focusing on the link to Iran as the source of authority (wali al-fakih) was not mentioned in any of these manifestos, this link - that is part of Hizbullah's essence - appeared in the "Open Letter" (Resala Maftuha) of 1985, which bore the portraits of Imam Khomeini and Sheikh Raghib Harb.6 The Open Letter of 1985 remains, at least formally, the founding manifesto of Hizbullah and continues to serve as the movement's ideological basis.

The preface to the latest manifesto emphasizes that it was intended to present Hizbullah's political position within the framework of the international and Lebanese reality in which Hizbullah was operating. This reality includes historical changes presaging the decline of the United States as the sole superpower, the collapse of financial markets in the United States and worldwide, and the confusion and impotence of the American economy. All this, claimed the manifesto, presages the retreat of American power throughout the world and the beginning of the accelerated decline of Israel. In reflection of these global changes, Hizbullah offers its resistance to Israel and the United States as the perfect solution. In its view, resistance has become an international value that constitutes a source of inspiration and a model for emulation to all those who aspire to freedom and independence throughout the world.
The first chapter of the manifesto surveys American aspirations for global hegemony since World War II and concludes:

There is no doubt that the American Terrorism is the origin of all terrorism in this world. The Bush administration has turned the United States into a threat menacing the whole world on all levels and dimensions, and if an international survey was to be made, the U.S. would turn out to be the most hated in the world.

The second chapter deals with Hizbullah's status in Lebanon, and here we observe a significant change in Hizbullah's position toward the Lebanese state:

Lebanon is our homeland and the homeland of our fathers and ancestors. It is also the homeland of our children, grandchildren, and future generations. It is the country to which we have given our most precious sacrifices for its independence and pride, dignity and freedom.

We want a unified Lebanon for all Lebanese alike. We oppose any kind of partition or federalism.

With regard to the resistance (muqawama), it emphasized that:

It derives from the eternal threat of Israel to Lebanon and the difficult circumstances arising from the absence of a Lebanese authority. These required a campaign to obtain a homeland via armed resistance. The crowning achievements are the liberation in 2000 and the historic victory in July 2006.

The manifesto does not deal with the issue of the continued existence of the Hizbullah militia. This is a fundamental issue that is not open to discussion from Hizbullah's standpoint. Thus, Nasrallah makes clear that it was impossible for Hizbullah to disarm.7 Instead, the Hizbullah leader emphasized that the main effort is now invested in:
creating a defense strategy that will be based on the integration of the resistance that will assist in the defense of the homeland, strengthen its security and stability, [and]...liberate what remains under "Israeli" occupation in the Shaba farms and Kfar Shouba hills and the Lebanese village of Ghajar, as well as liberating the detainees and missing people and martyrs' bodies.

With reference to the political regime in Lebanon, Hizbullah calls for the abolition of the political sectarianism on which the Lebanese state is predicated. Nasrallah explained at a press conference:

Let's be realistic, the abolition of political sectarianism in Lebanon is one of the most difficult issues....Unfortunately, many of those who call for and advocate the abolition of political sectarianism are not serious about the issue.

This committee may continue its dialogue for five, ten, twenty or even thirty years because, ultimately, no one can just simply describe a method of how to abolish political sectarianism....Possibly, after a long debate...we may reach the conclusion that realism necessitates that we accept sectarianism and that any efforts to the contrary would be a complete waste of time; that abolishing political sectarianism in this country is impossible.

The manifesto praises the excellent relations between Lebanon and Syria and views them as a mutual political, military, and economic necessity. It views Islamic Iran as a primary and important country and a chief supporter of the Palestinians. However, it includes no reference to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei as being Hizbullah's source of authority, and does not mention Hizbullah's loyalty to the Iranian leadership.
Nasrallah was asked at the press conference about the 1985 Open Letter that spoke of a single leadership for Iran and Hizbullah. He responded:

We have provided [in the new manifesto] a political document, but have not dealt with aspects of belief, ideology, or intellectual culture....Our position on the question of the source of authority (wali al-fakih) is an intellectual, ideological and religious one, and not a political position subject to review.

In other words, according to Nasrallah, Hizbullah remains ideologically the same party it was back in 1985. Indeed, one analyst with a deep understanding of the Shiite group called the new Hizbullah political manifesto "a point-by-point expansion" of the principles laid out in its founding document in 1985.8

The third chapter of the manifesto deals with Palestine in the peace agreement process, the status of Jerusalem, and the Palestinian resistance. After determining that Zionism is a racist movement, Hizbullah makes it clear that the liberation of Palestinian lands including Jerusalem is a mission that is imposed upon the Arab and Islamic world. Hence it is clear that in its own self-appraisal, Hizbullah enjoys no special advantage or preferred status in leading the Palestinian struggle against Israel. At the same time, Hizbullah rejects any agreement with Israel that will be predicated on recognition of the legitimacy of its existence or any concessions on Palestinian lands. It was emphasized that this position is consistent, fixed and final, and there can be no retreat from it even if the entire world were to recognize Israel.

While the 7th Conference was taking place in Lebanon, its original architect, Ali-Akbar Mohtashemi-Pur, was staying in Damascus. Mohtashemi, who crossed the lines and joined the reformist camp, participated in a conclave of support for Palestine that took place at the shrine of Sayyida Zaynab, where he was attacked by Iranian representatives who were supporters of Ahmedinejad.9

Summary

As reflected in its political manifestos, Hizbullah has been focusing on consolidating its status within the internal Lebanese arena since 1992 when Hizbullah received the authorization of Iranian supreme leader Khamenei, its source of authority, and sent its representatives to Parliament, and in 2005 when it sent its representatives into the Lebanese government in the wake of the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, in order to guarantee the continued existence of its independent military force.

The Lebanese flag, which was brutally trampled by Hizbullah during the 1980s, now occupies a place of honor alongside the yellow banner of Hizbullah. The impression is that Hizbullah has adopted the Lebanese state and in its self-appraisal has become an authentic representative of Lebanese national identity. There is a perpetual gap between the pragmatic spirit coming from the Hizbullah political manifesto and Lebanon's political reality. Hizbullah's vigorous position insisting that it retain an army of its own that does not heed the authority of the state but rather the representative of Iran's leader in Lebanon makes a mockery of the clauses in the political manifesto about Lebanon being the eternal homeland.

Furthermore, by building a state-like system parallel to that of the Lebanese state, and one that relies on aid and funding from Iran and Syria, Hizbullah does not contribute to the strengthening and health of the Lebanese homeland that Nasrallah says he wants to preserve and nurture.

Finally, the subversive conduct of Hizbullah, which acts against the interests of the Lebanese state and sends forth subversive and violent elements into nearby countries such as

Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan, makes the concept of loyalty to the Lebanese homeland void of any content.

It would seem, therefore, that the decision of the Lebanese government headed by Saad Hariri to recognize the continued legitimate existence of Hizbullah's armed militia demonstrates less a case that Hizbullah underwent a process of "Lebanonization," but rather that the Lebanese state has undergone a process of "Hizbullazation." Parallel to adopting the Lebanese identity, Hizbullah preserves its essential link to Iran: its commitment to the Iranian leader as the source of authority surpasses any other commitment including on the political level. Hizbullah adopts decisions on war and peace taken by Iran, the sole recognized source of authority, and not only on theoretical and religious issues, as Nasrallah may wish to claim.

Hizbullah's alleged move toward pragmatism is based to a large extent on an Iranian decision to create a new atmosphere in Lebanon that will allow it to work unmolested. After the Second Lebanon War that erupted at Israel's initiative and caught Hizbullah by surprise, Iran ordered Hizbullah to restrain activities against Israel and intensify its integration into the political life of the Lebanese state. Iran is looking for strict silence in the Lebanese arena in order to enable Hizbullah to reconstruct its strategic capabilities (including long-range rockets and missiles) in Lebanon in order to deter Israel, and to make use of these capabilities at a time to be determined by Tehran in the event that deterrence fails. This is the main reason for the quiet prevailing in South Lebanon, and it seems that Israeli deterrence of Hizbullah plays only a minor role.
* * *
Notes
1. Josie Ensor, "Britain Open to Contacts with Hizbullah," Daily Star (Beirut), December 1, 2009.
2. As-Safir, November 24, 2009.
3. Ibid.
4. Al-Manar, November 30, 2009.
5. This manifesto joins a series of previous political manifestos that were published at the end of the general conferences that Hizbullah conducted in May 1993 (the 3rd Conference), summer 1995 (the 4th), summer 1998 (the 5th), in 2004 (the 6th), as well as the election manifestos for the parliamentary elections in which Hizbullah participated in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2005. For an analysis of Hizbullah's political and election manifestos, see Shimon Shapira, Hezbollah between Iran and Lebanon (Tel Aviv: HaKibbutz Hameuhad, 2000), pp. 186-192.
6. For an analysis of the "Open Letter," see Shapira, pp. 126-8.
7. Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, "Nasrallah: Prime Minister of Lebanon," Asharq Alawsat, December 7, 2009.
8. Tony Badran, "For Hezbollah, Lebanon Is an Afterthought," NowLebanon.com, December 8, 2009, http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=131055.
9. www.mowjcamp.com/article/id/64087.
* * *
Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Dr. Shimon Shapira is a senior research associate at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

Jewish Defence League Parsha and Weekly Update

This Shabbat we will read from the Torah about the disturbing story of Dina, the daughter of Lea and Jacob. The entire chapter 34 of Bereishit, all 31 verses, narrates the events surrounding Dina’s rape and her brother’s response. And, as we read in the Torah, Shcehm takes her captive, lies with her and afflicts her. We are told that she suffers. In addition, Shcehm enslaves her in his house for at least 3 days until Dina’s brothers rescue her.We will read how after Dina is raped, her father Jacob is silent; then all of Dina’s brothers devise a plan where they convince the people of Shchem to circumcise themselves, and on the 3rd day Shimon and Levi rise up and kill the men of Shchem. “Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; and his sons were with his cattle in the field; and Jacob held his peace until they came.When Jacob heard that his daughter had been defiled, he kept silent. He did nothing. This story has been the subject of intense debate. The issue is collective punishment. Is it right and just for a population to be silent when rape and other horrors take place in the open. The USA and Britain ended WW2 because they bombed German cities. That was collective punishment. When the Arabs of Gaza vote in a Hamas Government, then they have openly endorsed a policy that calls for the murder of Jews the destruction of the Jewish State. A very basic lesson of this parsha is that the Government of Israel has betrayed Gilad Schalit and Jonathon Pollard. It is wrong to be silent. Please review the following information; Barbara Kay: Swiss right on minarets “Switzerland is not banning mosques, in which religious activity and observance takes place. They have banned what in Islamic countries is very well understood as a symbol of cultural dominance.”...This from the JDL:
Subject: CJC Press Release regarding the Swiss Referendum
Hello Mr. Kerbel,
Please be advised that the Jewish Defence League of Canada does not support your recent press release against the Swiss Referendum. The press release negates the realities of hate and violence being preached from many so called Islamic Houses of Worship under Swiss rule.
With Love of Israel,
Meir Weinstein National Director Jewish Defence League of Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 3, 2009
Canadian Jewish Congress Expresses Deep Concernover Swiss Minaret Ban
TORONTO—-Canadian Jewish Congress President Mark J. Freiman issued the following statement in response to the results of a referendum supporting a ban on the construction of minarets in Switzerland:
“Canadian Jewish Congress believes deeply in equality and freedom of religion. These are essential human rights, guaranteed in Canada by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms but also protected in international law by instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. State-imposed bans on essential elements of houses of worship are inconsistent with freedom of religion. When the bans apply only to one group, they are also inconsistent with the fundamental right to equality. For this reason, Canadian Jewish Congress is deeply concerned by the results of a Swiss referendum that would ban the construction of minarets in that country. As Canadians and as Jews, we hold tolerance dear to our hearts and understand the consequences of discrimination. We hope that these fundamental values will guide the Swiss authorities.” The following anti Israel event will take place at Ryerson University. The purpose is to raise funds for groups in Gaza. It is a crime in Canada o raise funds for Hamas. This event must be monitored:
The Conservative Party of Canada sent out a flyer which blasted the Liberal Party of Canada rerding its position on Israel. Irwin Cotler went to bat fhe Liberal Party and condemned the Coservative Party. The following article from the National Post is very important to read. The Concervative Party has always taken a better stand on Israel and Jewish Issues.An inconvenient truth about Durban 1 Get involved with the Jewish Defence League of Canada. Come out every Monday evening 7:00 pm for Karav Maga (Israeli Martial Arts) at the Toronto Zionist Center 788 Marlee Avenue. Also, every Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm will be an open discussion group with snacks and refreshments. Come and discuss the issues. Also, we are in need of volunteers for our office and require funds to continue to ad the fight for Jewish rights. Visit our web site at www.jdl-canada.com
The JDL will continue to lead and speak out.
With Love of Israel,
Meir Weinstein National Director Jewish Defence League of Canada

AFRAID OF SALAM FAYYAD???

Questions people are afraid to ask Salam Fayyad

Nov. 28, 2009
DAVID BEDEIN and ARLENE KUSHNER ,
THE JERUSALEM POST

In his column of November 20, "Salam Fayyad builds Palestine," Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz describes "two staunch Jewish supporters of Israel" - Sen. Joe Lieberman, former vice presidential candidate, and Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee - "nodding their encouragement" at a recent Ramallah press conference, where Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad explained how he was preparing Palestinians for statehood. The piece goes on to outline a Palestinian state in formation, regarding security forces, the economy and civic institutions, with an optimistic sense of what the PA is achieving.

Regrettably, Lieberman and Berman did not use the press conference to raise some troublesome questions.

Since these American elected officials let that opportunity pass, perhaps it was Horovitz's journalistic responsibility to explore these matters, to offer a more balanced picture. Instead, he alluded to "staunch supporters of Israel nodding their agreement" - conveying the notion that, except for some technical problems, all is well.

Questions that Lieberman, Berman or Horovitz could have asked would have included:

• Renunciation of the PLO state of war with Israel.

The charter of Fatah - the predominant element in the PLO and the PA - to this day continues to call for the destruction of Israel. Written in 1964, before Israel controlled the West Bank and Gaza, it uses the term "Palestine" to refer exclusively to Israel within the Green Line. The charter declares that "Liberating Palestine is a national obligation," and that "Armed public revolution is the inevitable method" for doing so. This cannot be dismissed as an irrelevant anachronism. Last August, Fatah held its first General Congress in 20 years. Hope was held out for a charter revision, with violence officially renounced, but it never happened. Instead, Fatah continued to unambiguously embrace "armed resistance" to liberate Palestine. Why is this so?

• Cessation of incitement via changes in PA-produced textbooks.

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT http://www.impact-se.org) has issued six reports on new PA textbooks published over the past eight years. Journalist and scholar Dr. Arnon Groiss, who translated these PA textbooks, has just completed an update. He writes that the new PA texts… "deny the historical and religious presence of Jews in Palestine," "fail to recognize the State of Israel," "demonize Jews and Israel," "assign blame for the conflict exclusively on Israel, totally absolving Palestinians," "stress the idea of a violent struggle of liberation rather than a peaceful settlement."
It is disingenuous for Fayyad to profess dedication to peace while the PA curriculum infuses these ideas within its youngsters. Peace is impossible until the message changes. Why do visiting elected officials and journalists not hold Fayyad and the PA accountable for the new PA textbooks?

• Cessation of PA pursuit of Hamas as a coalition partner.

The PA inclination to participate in a government that includes Hamas remains an "elephant in the room" that the international community, somewhat inexplicably, has chosen to ignore: Hamas is recognized by the US and the entire Quartet as a terrorist entity. Yet in March 2007, Fatah and Hamas briefly formed a "unity government" - negotiated by Saudi Arabia via the Mecca Accord - that saw Fatah acceding to Hamas demands. It fell apart with the Hamas coup in Gaza, but in recent months the news is awash with reports of negotiations via Egypt for a Fatah-Hamas reconciliation. Pursuing negotiations with Israel and Hamas at one and the same time is not acceptable. Why not ask the PA to make a choice?

• Renunciation of the "right of return."

The "right of return," promoted for 60 years by UNRWA and embraced by the PA as a non-negotiable right, remains a recipe for the destruction of Israel from within. If Fayyad and the PA are serious about peace, why not ask them to accept the principle of permanent resettlement of the refugees? UNHCR, the UN High Commission for Refugees - which oversees all refugees except Palestinians - operates according to this principle. Only Palestinian refugees are not resettled, but instead, for purely political reasons, are forced to linger in a (rage-inducing) state of limbo. Fayyad, in his master plan for a Palestinian state, openly states that he supports the "right of return." Isn't it time to ask Fayyad and the PA to openly embrace the UNHCR policy and pave the way for UNRWA to adjust its mandate?

LASTLY, HOROVITZ writes that "most of the international community completely supports [PA] demands for a 100% Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank," noting that "Netanyahu… is intent on driving a harder bargain."

The reader is left with the impression that Netanyahu is obstinately resisting what the world expects. Left unsaid is that the Israeli electorate is most definitely not in favor of complete withdrawal, and that the prime minister simply reflects the will of the nation in this regard. What is more, Horovitz neglects to say that neither does international law support this: UN Security Resolution 242, which does not demand full Israeli withdrawal, acknowledges Israel's need for secure borders.

David Bedein works as director of the Israel Resource News Agency and the Center for Near East Policy Research, www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com and the Middle East Correspondent for the Philadelphia Bulletin, www.TheBulletin.us. Arlene Kushner is the senior research analyst for the Center for Near East Policy Research and author of a daily blog, "Arlene From Israel," www.arlenefromisrael.info.

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