May 07, 2008

‘Never again’ seems likelier to happen again

Auschwitz As Israel nears her 60th birthday, this is major food for thought: Hamas airs a “documentary” showing that Jews supposedly plotted the Holocaust to weed out the weak and gain international sympathy. They release it just a couple of weeks before the day when the world remembered the victims of the Holocaust. The media largely ignores this outrage, because Hamas represents the “persecuted” Palestinians. I write about the lessons we need to learn from this — with the insight of my pal Valerie Harper, who took her amazing Golda Meir character to the big screen recently — in my Los Angeles Daily News column this week:

“Sadly, as we marked this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, ‘never again’ seems further from reach than ever. Jews continue to be targeted, be it in the 1994 bombing of the Jewish center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, or the repeated desecration of Jewish graves in Berlin. Holocaust denial has became accepted as legitimate thought in some circles and has become a foreign-policy talking point in the regimes of others.And when I, a gentile columnist, have written about the outrage of Holocaust denial, I’ve received far too many letters defending the deniers.

‘Jews don’t care about anybody but the Jews,’ wrote one Canadian reader. ‘…Only a fool would trust a Jew to play fair with gentiles. … They’re laughing at you for falling for their lies. Don’t be such a sap.’

Hamas is doing its best to stoke that disbelief in the true nature of the Holocaust, while fanning the flames of hatred for the Jewish people.

On April 18, Al-Aqsa TV - which brought Palestinian kiddies Farfour the martyr mouse and Assoud, the Bugs Bunny rip-off who vowed to ‘eat’ the Jews - aired an ‘educational’ program that accused Jews of perpetuating the Holocaust to weed out the weak among their ranks and simultaneously gain international sympathy.

This, of course, walks a fine line with Hamas’ contention that the Holocaust never happened…”

Read the whole thing!

And if you want to be even more depressed, read the reader comments, which include this from a woman in Redondo Beach:

“Holocaust ‘denial’ is a misnomer. Nobody denies the Holocaust. Some people have noticed irregularities with some aspects of the official holocaust story and have raised questions. For example, why haven’t the mass graves at the death camps been opened up to estimate the number of victims and see what we can find out about who they are or how they died? Why hasn’t anybody demanded information about a relative they believe was murdered in one of the death camps? How exactly did the gas chambers work and how did they dispose of all the bodies?

All reasonable questions but instead of answers, you get called a bigot and anti-semite for asking them. For that reason, people will continue questioning the holocaust. It’s not bigotry that leads people to holocaust revision, it’s simply curiosity.”

To which one reader responded:

“Christina, I could not agree with you more. It’s not bigotry to find the truth. The real bigots here are the stiff-neck mutated counterfeit jews that reasons with their own vile vehement that spews forth without intelligences, along with their brain dead following..”

Feeling truly ill yet? There was a positive comment over at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to lift one’s spirits:

“I’m surprised the PI let Bridget Johnson’s opinion on here.

The popular opinion on the far left is that the Jewish people and Israel are the root cause of all violence, poverty and hate in the Arab world. Without Jews, none of it would exist.

I’m sure they would have felt sorry for them as they were being cooked early in the late 30s, had they been around to see it, but now that they have recovered, prospered and are white and wealthy, they are a target.

Hamas could fry babies, and they do in a sense, and they would be the noble ones to the far left, because they aren’t wealthy.

Keep the faith Bridget and if your letters smell of lattes and incense, save yourself some grief and throw them away.”

March 06, 2008

A dark day for humanity

attackcelebrate.jpgWhy are these Palestinians, including children, celebrating? Because a terrorist group newly named after fallen Hezbollah kingpin Imad Mughniyeh sent a gunman into a rabbinical seminary last night and opened fire, killing eight and wounding nine as they studied the word of God and prepared for Purim. Thousands of Palestinians celebrated the massacre in the streets.

More from the AP, including the quote of the day:

"Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev harshly condemned the shooting and said the Palestinian government must take steps against the extremists — not just denounce their attacks.

'Tonight's massacre in Jerusalem is a defining moment,' he told The Associated Press. 'It is clear that those people celebrating this bloodshed have shown themselves to be not only the enemies of Israel but of all of humanity.'

...Israeli defense officials said the attacker came from east Jerusalem, the predominantly Palestinian section of the city. Jerusalem's Palestinians have Israeli ID cards that give them freedom of movement inside Israel, unlike Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the attacker walked through the seminary's main gate and entered the library, where witnesses said some 80 people were gathered. He carried an assault rifle and pistol, and used both weapons in the attack. Rosenfeld said police were also searching for an explosives belt.

...Yehuda Meshi Zahav, head of the Zaka rescue service, entered the library after the attack. 'The whole building looked like a slaughterhouse. The floor was covered in blood. The students were in class at the time of the attack,' he said. 'The floors are littered with holy books covered in blood.'"

December 10, 2007

Happy Hanukkah -- with a tribute to Daniel Pearl

ruthjudea.jpgEncino residents Judea and Ruth Pearl lit the Pearl family menorah at the White House tonight. The menorah dates back to Judea Pearl's grandfather, Chaim Pearl, who was cited in the last words of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded in Pakistan in 2002: "I am a Jewish American from Encino, California. My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish. Back in the town of Bnai-Brak there is a street named after my great-grandfather Chaim Pearl who is one of the founders of the town."

Below, Ruth Pearl gets a nice smooch from the prez...

ruthbush.jpg

August 22, 2007

'You either surf or you fight'

Hamasrally All I could think of was that "Apocalypse Now" quote upon reading this story:

"An 86-year-old Jewish surfing guru from Hawaii is bringing good vibrations to the impoverished Gaza Strip.

Dorian Paskowitz, a retired doctor who has been surfing for 75 years, donated 12 surfboards to Gaza's small surfing community on Tuesday in a novel gesture to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

It's a sweet gesture, but I shudder to see the latest Hamas innovation: Suicide surfboards!

August 14, 2007

Bibi back, Bibi back, Bibi back

netanyahu.jpgBenjamin Netanyahu swept Likud party leadership elections today, leaving the former Israeli prime minister in a good position to become prime minister again. What can I say but... that's hot!

July 30, 2007

Them's fightin' words!

ShimonperesCertain to piss off Mahmoud Ahmadinejad like nothing else, but hats off to Shimon Peres for telling it like it is:

"...Peres said Ahmadinejad was 'an unbelievable joke,' adding the Iranian president 'claims he's religious.'

'My impression is that in his eyes the nuclear bomb is higher than Allah, than the God in heaven. He's worshipping the bomb more than he's worshipping the God in heaven,' Peres said."

July 24, 2007

The real future of al-Qaida, Part II: Gaza showdown?

Hamasbrotha Today continues my Los Angeles Daily News series into the future of al-Qaida, this time turning attention to the Gaza Strip:

"'Thanks to the support of Hamas, al-Qaida is entering Gaza.'

The statement earlier this month from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — who has recently seen the light about the true nature of Hamas and been reborn as something resembling a real leader — came as little surprise. Not only has an al-Qaida presence in the lawless Strip been reported for some time, but the conditions are riper than ever for 'The Base' to find a cozy spot in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

...A revelation that Gaza is a terrorist breeding pit blows away Hamas' last comical gasp to convince its few remaining allies that it can be a force for regional leadership. The group quickly tried to distance itself from Ayman al-Zawahri's June 25 call for Muslims around the world to 'provide them (Hamas) with money, do your best to get it there, break the siege imposed on them by crusaders and Arab leader traitors. Facilitate weapons smuggling from neighboring countries.'

'We can support them by targeting the crusader and Zionist interest wherever we can,' added al-Zawahri, who had previously condemned Hamas for taking part in elections and thus supposedly kowtowing to Israelis. '...We must today support the mujahideen of Palestine, including the mujahideen of Hamas, despite all the mistakes of their government.'

Is this the kiss-and-make-up gesture that will launch a whole new front in the War on Terror? ..."

Read the whole thing!

PART I: Extremism in Pakistan flourishes under Musharraf's containment policy

June 17, 2007

Olmert, Abbas should become BFFs and strike Gaza

Abbas1Mahmoud Abbas' ballsiness is about 17 months too late. But since Hamas seized control of Gaza and is continuing to make a big disaster of things there, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas canned Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, outlawed Hamas militants, formed an emergency government, and concentrated on keeping the West Bank in one sane piece. Hamas whined that the move was illegal and tried to boost their P.R. by telling half-truths about their efforts to free BBC correspondent Alan Johnston from al-Qaida-linked forces.

Now, the U.S. is set to lift the embargo against the Palestinian government. Abbas will work with the Israeli government instead of trying to annihilate them. Gaza will continue to be poor, festering, violent, and more concerned with jihad than civil services. The West Bank will be able to flaunt its foreign aid at the Hamas Strip.

The big problem? Even more terrorist growth in Gaza, supported by Syria and Iran. Unchecked insanity. Time for a bold move -- like Abbas and Ehud Olmert uniting to strike Gaza.

June 09, 2007

Report: Olmert offering up Golan to Syria

Assadmahmoud So I noticed this AP headline a few hours ago:

Report: Olmert will cede Golan for peace

Because that worked so well in Gaza?

The circumstances are a tad different: Israeli PM Ehud Olmert thinks that if he gives the Golan Heights to Syria, Bashar Assad will tell Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to take a flying leap, according to newspaper Yediot Ahronot. Interestingly, because not even a year ago Syria was backing Hezbollah in its war with Israel. In fact, Syria harbors Hamas leader Khaled Meshal -- who, according to Shimon Peres, ordered the abduction of soldier Gilad Shalit in a raid from Gaza that touched off the conflict on the Lebanese border, as well.

But the results would be the same: Disaster.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has acknowledged that when Israel moved out of Gaza, al-Qaida moved in. In fact, a group claiming to be linked to al-Qaida has made BBC correspondent Alan Johnston the longest-held captive in Gaza. Viewing the pullout as an Israeli defeat, militants saw Gaza as a launching pad for rocket attacks on Israel. Fatah (pictured) and Hamas fight openly in the street, catching other Palestinians in the crossfire, with token daylong cease-fires peppering the violence. The factional fighting is so out of control that many Gaza residents find themselves preferring the days of the Israeli presence, according to a recent Reuters story.

What would happen if Syria accepted Olmert's purported offer? I can guarantee this: Syria won't give up its BFF Iran. Bashar Assad's friends are fewer and farther in between, and there's nothing like the friendship of an increasingly powerful Iran to ensure his dictatorial seat. Just a few months ago, Assad and Ahmadinejad got cozy and renewed their alliance -- especially against their common enemy, Israel.

Don't do it, Olmert...

May 18, 2007

Qassams rain on Israel again

HamasrallyAnd yet here are the headlines I see on Yahoo News for Israel defending itself against the Hamas rocket attacks:

Israel launches new strikes against Hamas (CNN)

Israel steps deeper into Palestinian in-fighting (USA Today)

Israel pummels Hamas targets in Gaza (AFP)

10 die as Israel strikes Hamas (Denver Post)

Israel adds to Gaza chaos as it strikes back against Hamas (Times Online)

Israel Takes The Gloves Off Against Hamas (CBS News)

You'd think they'd just spare the frills and go for "Poor Palestinian gunmen suffer (retaliatory) strikes from big a-hole Israelis." It's not like they woke up one day and decided to start "pummeling" Hamas for the hell of it, but we've learned well enough by this point that it's hard to convince many of that.

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