No one blinked - Netanyahu canceled meeting with German FM Gabriel
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel went ahead with this meetings with extreme anti-Israel groups B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence (and another one to boot) and Prime Minister Netanyahu followed through on his threat to cancel his meeting with Gabriel.
Israeli official says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled meeting with visiting German foreign minister. https://t.co/8eBcJhdq8g
Netanyahu's office said the prime minister wouldn't meet with foreign
dignitaries who meet "groups that slander IDF soldiers as war
criminals," referring to Breaking the Silence, a whistleblower group
critical of Israeli military actions in the West Bank.
The German minister, Sigmar Gabriel, was set to meet with members of
the organization during his visit to Israel and said Netanyahu's
cancellation was "relatively surprising" since such meetings were
"rather standard" for foreign diplomats.
Gabriel said he didn't want to be turned into "a plaything for
Israeli domestic politics," using unusually frank language in light of
the sensitive nature of Israel-Germany ties.
Israel and Germany have had a long, close and complicated
relationship. Israel was established in 1948 in the wake of the
Holocaust, when Nazi Germany killed 6 million Jews. The countries only
established diplomatic relations in 1965.
Today, Germany is a key Israeli trade partner and ally in Europe, and
assumes responsibility for the crimes committed during the Holocaust.
Both Gabriel and former president Joachim Gauck took part in Holocaust
memorial events in Israel on Monday.
When he met with Rivlin, Gabriel
called the Holocaust "the most criminal action we did in the history of
humankind."
But tensions occasionally flare up over Israeli policies toward the
Palestinians, as well as settlement construction in the occupied West
Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. Germany, along with most of the
international community, considers Israeli settlements illegal.
...
Netanyahu's office said that foreign dignitaries are welcome to meet
with civil society representatives, but that the prime minister "will
not meet with those who lend legitimacy to organizations that call for
the criminalization of Israeli soldiers."
But Germany more than any other country appears to be obsessed with financing the establishment of a 'Palestinian state,' and many ordinary Germans appear to be determined to finish the job that Adolph Hitler started. This is from a 2013 review of Tuvia Tenenboim's I Sleep in Hitler's Room.
Then, Tuvia and Isi schlepped their sacks full of
laughs and chutzpah and important ideas from one German city to another.
He had not intended to write about Jews at all. He had been
commissioned to write about Germany Today. “But the subject of Jews and
Israel kept coming up. It turned out to be a German obsession. Everyone
wanted to talk about it, fight about it.”
According
to Tuvia, the Turks and Muslims in Germany hate Jews. But so do the
Germans. “At least the Muslims are open about it. The Germans deny and
deny and then fly into a rage.” The German peace-loving, progressive
left - including “the feminists who believe in women’s liberation,” -
is colluding with Muslims who veil their women, keep them in the
kitchen, and refuse them prayer access in the mosque.
“The Germans can’t look at themselves in the mirror.”
I (and others) have written about the nature of
European Jew-hatred for many years now, especially about why Europeans
are ostensibly embracing the violent and hostile “Semites” among them
after having murdered six million of their assimilated or non-violent
“Semites.” European Jew-hatred still expresses itself by taking the
“Palestinian” side against the evil, Nazi Israeli Jews. They can feel
guilt-free, superior—even justified in having murdered so many Jews.
“They
don’t know the names of their own political leaders, but they hang
photos of Mahmud Abbas in their offices and march for Palestine. They do
not care about what Putin did in Chechnya. They care only about
Palestine.”
Tuvia took this message across
Germany. The young people of Germany wanted to hear him speak and
crowded the auditoriums. And they bought his book in record numbers. He
told them: “Hitler understood the Germans. He said: You hate them (the
Jews). Okay. Let’s kill them. Let’s act on what we believe.”
I'd bet that Gabriel thinks the same way. If the shoe fits....
Who will blink first - Netanyahu or German Foreign Minister?
Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to meet today with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. Last night, Netanyahu issued an ultimatum saying he would cancel the meeting if Gabriel did not cancel meetings he has scheduled with European-financed anti-Israel NGO's. At first, it was reported that Netanyahu was referring to 'Peace Now,' but it now appears that it's even worse: Gabriel proposes to meet with B'Tselem and 'Breaking the Silence,' both of which are guilty of libeling Israel on the international stage.
“It’s time to make clear to Germany that we too have red lines,” the official told Arutz Sheva.
“If it was a low-level meeting, it might have looked different. But
when the Foreign Minister comes here and goes to meet with organizations
that are working against the government's policy and against the Prime
Minister's policy, this is unacceptable."
“The Prime Minister would never come to a country like Britain or
Germany, where there are organizations that are working against the
government's policy, and meet with the heads of those organizations. How
would that country react if he did? There is significance to such a
meeting held by a foreign minister,” the source continued.
Gabriel apparently plans to go ahead with his meetings with the anti-Israel organizations.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel responded
to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultimatum on Tuesday,
saying that it would be "regrettable" if the latter decides to cancel
their meeting because the Gabriel's meeting with representatives of
left-wing Israeli organizations.
Speaking to German TV
network ZDF, Gabriel defined his planned meetings with representatives
of B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence and "totally normal."
Gabriel said that he
had only learned of Netanyahu's threat from the media and noted it
would be "inconceivable" for the German minister to cancel a meeting
with the Israeli leader if the latter met with figures critical of the
German government. He nevertheless said that "it wouldn't be a
catastrophe" if their meeting is cancelled, and that it wouldn't change
his ties with Israel.
"You never get the full picture of any state in the world if you just meet with figures in government ministries," he said.
Netanyahu’s ultimatum to Gabriel was backed on Monday by Deputy
Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud), who said she "backs the Prime
Minister's decision to set a red line regarding anti-Israel
organizations such as B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence. This is an
important struggle against those who defame Israel in the world."
MK Yoav Kisch (Likud), who heads the Knesset House Committee,
expressed support for Netanyahu’s move as well, saying, "The German
Foreign Minister and any other leader who wants to meet those who spread
poison against Israel must understand: Legitimizing hatred of Israel is
out of the question."
But of course the opposition thinks Netanyahu should meet with Gabriel anyway.
In my not so humble opinion, Gabriel ought to be declared persona non grata if he goes ahead with the meetings with Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem. The European - and particularly German (read I Sleep in Hitler's Room) - obsession with finishing the job that Hitler started (God Forbid) needs to be met head on. Especially on the day after Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Thursday, the rabbi tries to defend himself (and fails miserably)
Greetings from Paris Charles De Gaulle where once again it is a travel day.
It was a crazy weekend, so I didn't get to post this, but on Thursday someone shared with me a long email received from Rabbi Neil Blumofe of Austin, Texas, trying to defend the itinerary for his 'even-handed' Israel trip that included a visit to the tomb of the father of terrorism.
The email is way too long to post in its entirety, but I want to post part of it and comment. The full email is embedded below.
In our tradition, we have intractable enemies. While we blot out Haman's
name on Purim, we do so as we articulate it. We must find allies and
must not retreat into absolute positions. To be present somewhere is not
to pay homage -- rather it is to say we are still here, reclaiming the
memories of those who Arafat and his followers murdered, and educating
others about the continuing dangers of his legacy. This tomb is a
propaganda tool that is used to shore up mindless support for our
dehumanization. In turn, not to discuss this stymies dialogue, which
leads to our peril. Let us not fall into this trap. To think otherwise
empowers our real enemies and continues to drive us apart, intensifying
our systemic, historical traumas.
Yes, the tomb is a propaganda tool, so why would you visit it? If you want to visit a place to prove the point that 'we are still here,' visit Auschwitz. Remind your congregants what happened when Jews had no place to flee, when there was no State of Israel, and when the British - in competition with France for the second biggest anti-Semites in Europe after the Germans - barred the doors to keep Arafat's uncle (the Mufti al-Husseini) happy. That's saying 'we're still here' - not visiting the tomb of a terrorist that you admit is a propaganda tool.
What dialogue is the rabbi afraid of 'stymieing' if he does not go to Arafat's tomb? Dialogue with the 'Palestinians'? Has the rabbi elected himself Prime Minister of Israel? Why is it that no Israeli government minister and no non-Arab Knesset member would dream of visiting Arafat's tomb except in an IDF tank? Maybe it's because nearly all Israelis - even the Left - understand that paying homage to Arafat, even if it would be 'identifying with the other,' would do precisely nothing to advance the 'peace process'?
Day after day, I speak to people who are concerned about the slackening
of support, and the growing difficulty of advocacy for Israel in our
charged, polarized political climate. We see the dangerous way that the
repugnant BDS movement (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction) movement has made
incursions on our college campuses and I applaud and support those on
these front lines, directly beating back these efforts that seek to
delegitimize Israel and dehumanize our Israeli brothers and sisters.
I'm glad to hear that. But if that's the case, why do you feel the need to cooperate with many of the groups that fund the BDS movement?
I believe that we must do something too. We must learn the language of
those with whom we disagree -- especially those with whom we most
profoundly disagree. We must see the narratives, symbols, and myths --
and question them. We must develop a more sophisticated, critical
understanding of the world around us, as opposed to reducing our
justified fears to an "us versus them" mentality. We must learn to think
for ourselves and not accept whatever we may read that encourages
embitterment and distance. We must learn to have more informed, examined
opinions and hear competing voices so we may be more fully confident
and present in our own story.
The problem is that the average Jew in America - and even many in Israel - have no idea what 'our own story' is. The very suggestion that the 'Palestinians' have an ancient connection to the land of Israel, or that their connection is anywhere near as longstanding as ours, is simply farcical. You've read Tanach. Do you believe it? Where were the 'Palestinians' during the time of the Tanach? Do you think it's acceptable for them to pretend that the Temples just didn't exist? You know they did. Are we obligated to listen to every narrative regardless of how ridiculous it is? Are we required to accord credibility to every narrative?
By the way, have you ever read Joan Peters' From Time Immemorial?
I am sorry that a proposed stop in an internal draft document has caused
such furor. While it was a point of conversation within a larger
itinerary, I certainly do not seek public controversy and upon
reflection, I see it as a misstep in what I was seeking to accomplish.
What I think the rabbi might have missed is that the stop was just one point - the most outrageous one and the easiest one around which to rally opposition - in a very problematic itinerary.
Here's the full email:
Tuesday the rabbi's congregants conducted a witch hunt?
Yehuda Kurtzer, director of the Shalom Hartman Institute in the United States, published a lengthy and whiny piece in the Times of Israel complaining about the 'witch hunts' that are allegedly being conducted against 'my friend and colleague Rabbi Neil Blumofe — a great rabbi, leader, and
lover of Zion — was brutally smeared and defamed due to a perfidious
interpretation of how he built the itinerary for a congregational trip
to Israel.' That's a story I covered here.
For those who have forgotten, Blumofe canceled the itinerary, and promised that a new one would be issued that would not include a stop at Arafat's grave. Kurtzer brushes over that:
Rabbi Blumofe has expressed his regret for the decision to have his
synagogue stop at Arafat’s grave, as well as for the circulating widely
of a complicated itinerary that — taken out of context — was
misrepresented as the manifestation of an insidious agenda. One could
well imagine an aggrieved congregant who trusted Rabbi Blumofe’s
character taking issue with some of the trip’s content, express the
grievance, and then bring about a positive change. Once the grievance is
translated into the public sphere, however, even the capacity to bring
about change on the issue begins to decline.
The problem is that while the congregant who publicly took issue with Blumofe chose to focus on the Arafat stop - the most outrageous item - there was plenty more on the itinerary that a true 'lover of Zion' would find objectionable. Look at the itinerary above, and tell me that it doesn't reek of a political agenda that doesn't reflect 'love of Zion.' Look at the 'extra' descriptions in the entries for June 8 and June 13. Note the lack of politics in the June 14 and 15 descriptions. Which sounds more like 'If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium'?
This evening, I received by email the following reply to the Kurtzer article from Sloan Rachmuth, one of the people who demolished an attempt by a rabbi in Raleigh, North Carolina to visit Arafat's tomb (covered originally here):
Rabbi K - why the rabbinical panicked hysteria in the face of communal opposition? Here you decry public objections to percieved rabbinical toʿevahs as "witch hunts." But in a marketplace of ideas this is called "opposition."
Opposition to these two rabbis occurred when they took a stand by publicly advertising (for money) a trip they had each planned, which included meeting with pro-Hammas groups topped off with a tribute to Arafat's grave to "understand his legacy." Our opposition to the actions of these two rabbis is not a withchunt, but a marketplace reaction best described by Newton's Law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
And this reaction did not happen overnight. Members in both the Norh carolina and Texas communities wrote letters and had persoanl meetings with these rabbis months before the media learned of these two controveries. We sought to understand why these rabbis would lead delegations from our states that clearly endorsed a pro-terror, anti-Israel message. The rabbis igored us, they refused to answer our questions on more than a dozen occasions.
Rabbi Solomon in Raleigh has now gone on the attack against us, publicly shaming us as haters and "right-wing extremists" and demands we shut up and stop asking questions about the trip. Rabbi Solomon recently implored the community in his shul to do whatever it takes to silence his opposition (us).
Was Rabbi Solomon's reaction here in Raleigh also a with hunt? Or opposition?
To great credit of Rabbis Solomon and Blumofe, they raise their voices in opposition to issues of civil righs violations here in the south. They both understand that they have a resposibility to raise their moral voices to the markeplace of ideas regarding racial justice and equality. These rabbis know that taking a stand has its rewards and, sometimes, opposition.
By taking the premeditated action to plan, promote, and now defend a trip with a pro-terror narrative while Israel and the world is seeing extremist terror first-hand; these two rabbis are experiencing opposition. Not a witch hunt.
In case you were wondering about Yehuda Kurtzer's pedigree... I asked. He is the son of former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer, who was twice called a Yehudon ('little Jew') a decade ago, and who had a lengthy history of interfering in Israel's internal affairs during his term here (same link).
On
July 4, 2016, Rabbi Jenny Solomon co-led a trip to Hebron led by
Breaking the Silence, a group that is closely associated with BDS
(boycott, divest, and sanction Israel) organizations, harasses Israeli soldiers, and spreads hearsay accusations that demonize Israel that would be inadmissible in a court of law.
This is NOT the time for Hillel to be hiring educators, rabbis, or directors with afiliation to the BDS movement.
URGE Hillel to remove employees like Rabbi Jenny Solomon with BDS associations.
URGE Hillel to vet all future hires to prevent Hillel from giving
voice to those who would promote anti-Semitism by demonizing,
delegitimizing, and applying a double standard to Israel.
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition.
If Rabbi Jenny's name sounds familiar, perhaps it's because she's the spouse of Rabbi Eric (Rabbi and Rabbi Solomon? Rabbi and Rabba Solomon? Rabbis Solomon?), who was recently forced by his congregation to drop a plan to take them on an anti-Israel tour run by Breaking the Silence.
For those of you who have forgotten 'Breaking the Silence,' they are an
organization that claims to be dedicated to exposing IDF abuses of
'Palestinians' in Judea and Samaria. They are funded by European governments, by the European Union (which awarded them the prestigious Andrei Sakharov prize) and by private American citizens (as well as by UNICEF and OxFam). 'Breaking the Silence' interviews discharged IDF soldiers and debriefs them regarding their IDF service. Or so they claim. It now seems that they do a lot more.
The 2013 document describes the "toxic atmosphere" in 2000 and 2001
when the foundation began its work in the Middle East, and how this
environment could lead to "politically motivated investigations" from
either the Bush administration or what it calls "pro-Israel entities."
Soros himself was worried about George W. Bush. In 2006, he said the
president's communications strategy reminded him of Nazi and Communist
propaganda. Hence his foundations took a "cautious approach."
"For
a variety of reasons we wanted to construct a diversified portfolio of
grants dealing with Israel and Palestine, funding both Israeli Jewish
and (Palestinian Citizens of Israel) groups as well as building a
portfolio of Palestinian grants and in all cases to maintain a low
profile and relative distance –particularly on the advocacy front," the
2013 paper says.
Some of this was known before. I reported
in 2010 that the liberal Jewish group J Street had received Soros money
but had denied receiving it to the press and on its website. In 2013,
the pro-Israel group NGO Monitor issued a report on Soros funding for Israeli and Palestinian activists covered in the documents released this week.
Still,
let's take a minute here to savor the irony. An outfit that promotes
the "open society" is shielding its efforts to influence public policy.
It's true that plenty of foundations take a similar sub rosa approach to
funding advocacy work in Washington.
But those foundations are not
named for Karl Popper's famous defense of liberal democracies. It's
enough to make you wish there was a new Open Society Foundations to
expose the old one.
The group that leaked these documents is
mysterious. It's called DCLeaks.com, and it says it's a project of
"hacktivists" committed to many of the same principles espoused by
Popper and Soros.
Rebecca Beyer, a communications officer for Open
Society, confirmed to me Monday that documents were removed from an
online forum used by the staff of the foundation and its partners. She
said the breach was reported to the FBI. "The materials reflect
big-picture strategies over several years from the Open Society
Foundations network, which supports human rights, democratic practice,
economic advancement, and the rule of law in more than 100 countries
around the world."
When it comes to Israel, that translates into
funding organizations like Breaking the Silence, a group of Israeli
ex-soldiers who tour Europe and the U.S. to discuss the Israel Defense
Force's war crimes. The document says that between 2012 and 2014, the
Open Society Foundations gave this group $100,000 -- a significant
donation for a group that in 2012 had a budget of only $841,410.
Emphasis mine. I wonder whether Soros also contributes to Rabbi and Rabba Solomon's salaries. Hmmm.
My recent emails concerning
your activities, including planning a trip to Yasser Arafat’s tomb, have
started a conversation that I hope will produce good results for the
community.
As a Rabbi in Raleigh, you are in a position
of great influence to both the local Jewish community and our non-Jewish
neighbors. After the responses I have received, I know that I am one of
many people in the community that have concerns about your activities
that unfairly criticize the state of Israel.
You ask the
Jewish National Fund to adhere to the “Moses Standard” of transparency.
You write, “If Moses could ensure that all his financial records were
fully transparent, then we should expect nothing less from a Jewish
organization like the JNF which has held our people’s sacred trust for
over 100 years. Why should the JNF be afraid to share where our money
goes after it leaves the little blue box?” (Documents, page 59) Can we hold you to the same standard and ask for your response to the following questions?
What
purpose does your visit of Arafat’s tomb serve? What is Arafat’s
legacy? Why can’t you find time in a 10 day trip to visit Yad Vashem or
Har Herzl in Jerusalem when you plan on going to the Mahmoud Darwish
Museum? (Documents, page 16) A bonus question, who is Mahmoud Darwish
and why does he have a museum that you want to visit?
In
a related question on your itinerary, you write “Ascend the Temple
Mount for a tour of the precinct and have a question and answer session
with a local Muslim imam.” I see no mention of the Western Wall (Kotel),
the holiest site in the world for Jews. Do you plan to let your trip
participants pray at the Western Wall and possibly meet a local rabbi?
If not, why not?
How do you answer your own
question to the JNF, “Will my money strengthen Israel’s democracy and
civil society? Will it move us closer to peace?”
Are
you aware of the relationship between your tour operator, Mejdi, and
its links to pro-Hamas support groups such as Holy Land Trust? Reverend
Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, currently with Mejdi Tours, was a senior member of
the World Vision NGO. World Vision was just accused of funneling
millions of dollars to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Coincidence? (page 57)
My good friend Ronit Bart lives next to the border of Gaza. (see video) Over
the last 12 years their community has had to live with daily rocket
attacks and terror tunnels from terrorists that are trying to hurt her
and her family. What can the State of Israel do to these terrorists so
there will be peace? How have your actions helped with this effort?
As
someone who has lived in the Raleigh community for 32 years, I would
like nothing more than a cohesive Jewish community that works together
to guarantee a safe Israel and a good future for our children and
grandchildren in Israel, in the United States and ideally, everywhere in
the world.
I ask the community to review the information I have assembled
and come to their own conclusions. I also ask that the community
forward this email to friends and family who share my concern. I updated
the file with an article from The Washington Post (page 57) and your
request to the Jewish National Fund (page 59). In addition, the
previous two emails are included at the end.
Rabbi Solomon, I look forward to hearing from you directly and sharing your responses. I can be reached at raleighjew@gmail.com.
Sincerely, Steven Rosenberg
Through all of this, Steven is now a friend of a friend of a friend (someone I know who is from that area introduced me to someone on Facebook who knows him).
On Wednesday, Steven sent someone in New York, who has me on his mailing list, an email that he describes as "the most incredible letter of support yet!!"
And indeed it may well be. The writer of the letter below is RB, who "was born & raised in Raleigh. In fact, Beth Meyer Synagogue [Rabbi Solomon's synagogue] is named after her grandfather, Meyer Dworsky!" (I have redacted all email addresses from this email, but I have them all).
Dear Friends,
Please forgive the group email.
I am forwarding to you an email that I sent to the BMS Board and to
Rabbi Solomon. I want you to be aware of my decision to suspend my
affiliation with Beth Meyer. I regret that this decision will probably
affect how often we see each other, but it need not
mean that we'll stop being involved in each other's lives.
I love each of you.
R
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: RB
Date: Wed, Aug 10, 2016 at 12:21 AM
Subject: Suspension of Affiliation with Beth Meyer Synagogue
To: Eric Lamb
Cc: Rabbi Eric Solomon
Dear Members of the Board of Trustees:
With deep sadness, I am notifying the BMS Board of Trustees of my
decision to suspend my affiliation with Beth Meyer Synagogue. I hope
that this decision will not be construed as an attack leveled against
the Board or any of Beth Meyer's rabbis because I am
truly grateful for the spiritual, educational, and social experiences
that were the consequence of membership in a thriving congregation led
by insightful, empathetic, energetic rabbis; gifted and giving lay
leaders, and an effective governing board.
So whence comes my decision to give up -- at this time --
my BMS membership?
Although I respect and admire Rabbi Solomon and
although, until recently, I have not been troubled by the gulf between
some of his viewpoints and mine, Rabbi Solomon's decision to
encourage Jews to sign up for a trip that includes a visit to Yasser
Arafat's grave altered my view of our differences.
Responding to
problematic situations, I typically engage in
on-the-one-hand-on-the-other-hand inner dialogues and exchanges.
There
are, however, times when I realize that, for me, there is only one
hand. My feelings about any Jew's visit to Arafat's grave are such that
I can say, without hesitation, "I object to this choice, and there is
no other hand."
Some connections survive upsetting circumstances; and without being a
member, I still expect to feel connected to the Beth Meyer congregation.
With hopes for peace and understanding,
RB
In the meantime, JTA, the voice of knee-jerk American 'Jewish' liberalism, reports that Truah, the organization to which Rabbi Solomon belongs, is making a habit of tours to Judea and Samaria led by Breaking the Silence.
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, which represents 1,800
North American rabbis and their constituents, and Breaking the Silence,
IDF veterans who speak out about their service in the West Bank and Gaza
and advocate against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, are
sponsoring “Go and See” trips for Jewish groups as part of their Israel
itineraries.
The aim is to “empower more American Jews to meet both Palestinians
and IDF veterans who have served in the territories, to listen deeply to
their narratives, and to bring these perspectives into working toward a
better future for Israelis and Palestinians,” according to a news
release Wednesday.
Breaking the Silence has often come under fire
in Israel from the political right and center for testimonies, some
published anonymously, that accuse the Israeli military of excessive
force and corruption.
T’ruah will facilitate the groups during and after the program with
the aim of engaging participants in Jewish learning related to the
issues, according to the release. Breaking the Silence staff will share
their perspectives on how the occupation affects Israelis and
Palestinians.
“Of the thousands of American Jews who travel to Israel each year,
only a tiny number visit Palestinian areas of the West Bank or hear from
Palestinians,” said Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of T’ruah.
“Go and See” will help those who take part to see the “effects of the
ongoing occupation and understanding that it is damaging the lives and
souls of both Palestinians and Israelis,” said Yuli Novak, executive
director of Breaking the Silence.
The groups have already partnered on a trip to Hebron.
It is time - indeed it is long past time - for the Jewish community abroad to stop beating their breasts with guilt over the fact that we cannot reach a denouement with the 'Palestinians,' to awaken to the reality that we face here in Israel every day, and to take action to ensure the survival of the State of Israel rather than joining our enemies. Truah and its ilk will not ensure Jewish survival. We must take responsibility for doing so.
As to Rabbi Solomon, here's hoping that more of his congregants see the light.
Tuesday, the rabbi brought Breaking the Silence to his shul
You will recall that last week, I posted about a rabbi in Raleigh, North Carolina who is running a 'behind the scenes' tour of Israel designed to indoctrinate congregants with the 'Palestinian' narrative.
It has now come out that (a) the same rabbi took a group to meet Breaking the Silence (see more below on this organization) three weeks ago and (b) the rabbi's wife is the 'rabbi' at a local Hillel.
The following came to me by email.
As you know, Eric Solomon is running a rabidly anti-Israel,
pro-terror trip out of Beth Meyer in March that he's actually selling in
his
own shul.
New development: I learned that Eric and Jenny Solomon co-chaired a trip in Israel July 4th for Breaking the Silence with
the goal of bringing the movement to local communities. http://www.truah.org/rabbisday.html
This isn't J Street or Jewish Voice for Peace, Breaking
the Silence is the most virulently racist, anti-Semitic group
operating.
They have just openly accused Israeli Jews of poisoning the drinking
water of Arabs! Israel has identified this group as an enemy and has
taken actions to protect Israeli citizens and Jews abroad from their
harm.
Problem: Jenny Solomon is the new Rabbi at NC
Hillel. I interviewed her today and she told me her role was to
"educate, provide spiritual guidance, and shape the Jewish identity of
university students." Jenny also told me that she 100% supports
Breaking the Silence.
So we have 2 rabbis in multiple Jewish institutions
promoting anti-semetic, pro-terror education to children and adults
young and old. This is not an exaggeration - this is the situation.
Along with others, I am involved in coordinating an
international response including one from Israel. I ask you to please
alert everyone in the community about the situation. And, what can
be done here? Raleigh is now forming a response.
Eric is now trying to pretend he is pro-Israel to let this blow over but it won't go away.
J.
Sloan Rachmuth
For those who are not familiar with Breaking the Silence....
'Moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud AbbasAbu Mazen has in essence now admitted that lied when he told the European Parliament on Thursday that a 'rabbi' ordered Jews to poison 'Palestinian' water. The 'rabbi' doesn't exist, the organization he 'represented' doesn't exist, but none of that stopped Abu Bluff from telling the lie, nor did it stop the European anti-Semites who make up the European Parliament (including a grinning ear-to-ear foreign policy chief Federika Mog - a pity you can't watch the video anymore).
Mr.
Abbas’s retraction was sent to reporters early Saturday morning, issued
by the P.L.O., of which Mr. Abbas is the chairman. It said that Mr.
Abbas “rejected all claims that accuse him and the Palestinian people of
offending the Jewish religion.” It added that he “also condemned all
accusations of anti-Semitism.”
“After
it has become evident that the alleged statements by a rabbi on
poisoning Palestinian wells, which were reported by various media
outlets, are baseless, President Mahmoud Abbas has affirmed that he
didn’t intend to do harm to Judaism or to offend Jewish people around
the world,” the statement continued.
It
was not immediately clear why Mr. Abbas repeated the allegation on
Thursday, days after it was widely debunked. Neither the rabbi who
supposedly made the claim, nor the organization quoted in the original
P.L.O. article, appear to exist.
And of course, this is not the first time that 'Mr. Abbas' has invented a lie. In fact, the entire existence of a 'Palestinian people' is one great big lie.
In October, Mr. Abbas erroneously accused Israeli forces of killing a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who had taken part in the stabbing of two Israelis. The boy had actually been wounded and later recovered.
So what's the genesis of this particular lie (aside from the Bubonic plague in 14th century Europe)? Here's where it came from.
The story was discovered to be false by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW),
an Israeli NGO that monitors Palestinian incitement. PMW claims that
Abbas’ accusation is based on an article published last week in Anadolu,
a Turkish news service, which claimed , “Rabbi Shlomo Mlma (sic),
chairman of the Council of Rabbis in the West Bank settlements(sic), has
issued an advisory opinion in which he allowed Jewish settlers to
poison water in Palestinian villages and cities in the West Bank.”
PMW reported that the story in Anadolu was based on a claim by Yehuda Shaul, a leader of the extreme left-wing Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence. Shaul was quoted in the Hebrew news service, NRG, as saying that “settlers poisoned” the water of a Palestinian town a number of years ago causing the Palestinians to leave”.
The story was confirmed as incorrect by several news services including Reuters and Haaretz. No such rabbi or council was found to exist.
Shocked. Just totally shocked... to see the Turks and the self-hating Jews at 'Breaking the Silence' involved in this....
Exposed: 'Breaking the Silence' collects intelligence on the IDF - Does it reach their European masters?
Greetings from Boston where I have been working all week, and where the Sabbath does not start for several more hours. I will be here until Sunday morning. Sunday is a travel day, but I'm not heading back to Israel just yet. I'm heading West... (and should have WiFi access on the plane, so you may see a few more posts on Sunday). And for those who watch the weather reports, it looks like I will once again escape a serious winter snowstorm by the skin of my teeth, God Willing.
For those of you who have forgotten 'Breaking the Silence,' they are an organization that claims to be dedicated to exposing IDF abuses of 'Palestinians' in Judea and Samaria. They are funded by European governments, by the European Union (which awarded them the prestigious Andrei Sakharov prize) and by private American citizens (as well as by UNICEF and OxFam). Br'eaking the Silence' interviews discharged IDF soldiers and debriefs them regarding their IDF service. Or so they claim. It now seems that they do a lot more.
You might recall that recently, an organization called Ad Kan (Until Here) turned over video evidence to Israel's Channel 10 about human rights violations by 'human rights' groups Taayush and B'Tselem.Spreading the wealth, the group handed over material on 'Breaking the Silence' to Israel's Channel 2, which reported on it Thursday night (link and video in Hebrew). The material shows that 'Breaking the Silence' is collecting military intelligence which has no connection to 'human rights' violations in Judea and Samaria or anyplace else. And the unanswered question is 'with whom does 'Breaking the Silence' share that intelligence material?' That intelligence material could clearly and presently endanger the State of Israel.
In its investigation, Channel 2 cited unpublished testimonies from
Israeli soldiers that were obtained by the right-wing NGO Ad Kan, which
sent some of its members to join Breaking the Silence undercover. The
report claimed that Breaking the Silence collected “operational and
intelligence” information about IDF activities from both current and
former soldiers.
Channel 2 also broadcast videos of Breaking the Silence asking
soldiers “questions [that] appear to revolve more around their
operational activity rather issues regarding Palestinians and human
rights.”
While Breaking the Silence says it gathers anonymous testimonies from
Israeli soldiers about the IDF’s purported human rights abuses, these
testimonies have been previously criticized as being unsubstantiated and lacking context. In recent months, the group has come under increased scrutiny over the ethics of its practices.
In the wake of the new Channel 2 report, Breaking the Silence denied
any wrongdoing and emphasized that it works closely with Israel’s
military censor. Breaking the Silence CEO Yuli Novak added that several
organizations and members of the Knesset were trying “to silence” her
group.
And it seems that the next group to come under scrutiny may be 'rabbis' for 'human rights.'
The broadcast became headline news and the fallout
continued for weeks. Nawi was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport when he
tried to flee the country.
A few days later, a follow-up program aired
more hidden-camera footage, this time showing Nawi with officials from
two other prominent “human rights” NGOs—Breaking the Silence (BtS) and
Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR). Both groups were shown giving money to
Nawi, who then handed out checks to Palestinians, apparently for taking
part in violent demonstrations. RHR claimed that Nawi was paid for
providing transportation services. BtS denounced everyone involved in
the program as “Stasi,” a reference to the notorious East German
intelligence service.
Steinberg observed that even before the broadcast of Nawi with
representatives of Breaking the Silence, there was growing criticism of
the group across the political spectrum in Israel.
Prior to the Uvda broadcasts, BtS and its patrons were
the particular focus of growing anger among many Israelis on the Right,
center, and even the center-Left. This anger followed a major jump in
the visibility of BtS, which reflected the group’s million- dollar
budget. BtS events in churches, universities, and national parliaments
around the world featured “anonymous testimony” that alleged systematic
immorality by IDF soldiers, with no corroborating evidence.
In response, hundreds of IDF reserve officers petitioned the Minister
of Defense, demanding that BtS activists be barred from speaking on
military bases. In parallel, relatives of terror victims and fallen
soldiers demanded that Education Minister Naftali Bennett prohibit BtS
from speaking to high school students. NGOs like B’Tselem were also
criticized. On Israel’s popular Saturday night satire program Gav Hauma,
host Lior Schleien did a ten-minute routine based on the issue,
primarily lampooning BtS and related NGOs.
I'm amazed that B'Tselem is allowed to speak on military bases.... But what Professor Steinberg says about anger coming from 'even the center-Left' is true. Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid has accused 'Breaking the Silence' of digging under the foundations of the State of Israel, and causing it both internal and external damage (link in Hebrew).
For those of you wondering why Israel feels the need to stop foreign governments from financing its NGO's, this is another data point.
In blaming Israeli policy for the fact that on many U.S. campuses, the
classmates of Jewish students “shun them for identifying with Israel at
all,” perhaps American Jewish leaders are overlooking the failures at
home, particularly among liberal progressive diaspora Jewish leaders.
Many Jewish students are stuck entirely in an American bubble, with no
understanding of the centrality of Jewish self-determination (i.e.,
Zionism) to our survival as a people. So how can they even begin to
understand Israel, let alone give us advice?
For two decades, too many American Jews have ignored or downplayed the
gratuitous post-colonial Israel-bashing from the supposedly liberal
bastions such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and which
are echoed in the mainstream media. When Israeli soldiers are
repeatedly and falsely accused of being child murderers and war
criminals, where is the outrage from the mainstream American Jewish
establishment? A couple of years ago, the federations finally
established a fund to fight boycotts, but this group is also largely
invisible and very timid.
Instead, fringe Israeli voices that polarize and demonize our society
under the façade of human rights, democracy and peace are given
legitimacy and resources in America, and the Jewish leadership is silent
or in some cases complicit. Much of the BDS war — and make no mistake,
the goal is the elimination of Israel — involves bogus peace NGOs that
received their initial funds and public relations boost via U.S.-based
Jewish groups who thought they knew better than the Israeli public. Such
groups include the Coalition of Women for Peace, the Israel Committee
Against House Demolitions, Breaking the Silence, Jewish Voice for Peace,
and many others.
And now, when the Israeli public finally demands an effective response
to the NGOs that lead to this demonization, the American Jewish
leadership condemns Israel, repeating liberal pieties about free speech,
but without addressing the real issues. In all of the criticisms of the
proposed new NGO funding transparency laws, I have yet to see any
serious understanding of the threat or alternative strategies. On this,
as on so many issues, criticizing Israel from a distance is far too
easy.
When crying out for an Israeli peace plan, “any plan,” your
interlocutor makes it seem so simple. Like most Israelis, I also hope
for a peace plan, but not any plan, and certainly not one that will
bring us yet another disaster when it fails. The reality that I see not
far from the windows in my Jerusalem home includes Hamas, Hezbollah,
ISIS, Assad, Iran and others. Our only “peace partners,” led by Mahmoud
Abbas and his Fatah group, are corrupt and stuck in the rejectionist
dead-end of 1948. So no, “any plan” that helps Israel’s PR among liberal
students, but makes our security situation even worse, is not better
than the status quo.
On this and many other issues, I understand why American Jewish leaders
want us in Israel to take risks, and probably think that this is for
our own good. But we do not see many American Jewish leaders taking many
risks in terms of criticizing President Obama and Secretary of State
Kerry when they put all of the blame and responsibility on Israel, and
patronizingly give the Palestinians a free pass. And where are your
tough decisions to exclude BDS groups and Israel bashers from the big
“Jewish tent?”
So it is not only “that Israel’s leadership is moving in a direction at
odds with the next generation of Americans,” but that America’s liberal
Jewish leadership is moving in a direction at odds with Israel and our
realities.
Your tax Francs at work: Foreign Ministry calls on Swiss government, city of Zurich to withdraw support from Breaking the Silence exhibition
Israel's Foreign Ministry is urging the government of Switzerland and the City of Zurich to withdraw support from an exhibition being put on by Breaking the Silence, a European-funded Israeli NGO that has made falseaccusations against the IDF in the past. The withdrawal of support would apparently lead to the exhibition not taking place. This is from the first link.
A senior official in the Foreign
Ministry in Jerusalem said Israel's ambassador to Switzerland, Yigal
Caspi, called the head of the Middle East and North Africa Division in
Switzerland's Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday to issue a formal
complaint, and request his government quit funding the NGO's
exhibition.
The Israeli
official, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the
matter, noted that Caspi "vigorously protested" Swiss support for the
exhibition, which, he emphasized in his conversation with the Swiss
official," serves to slander Israel." As such, he said, the Israeli
government is concerned by the fact that Switzerland is financing it.
The exhibition, which is due to open in June in
Zurich, would include photos and testimonies of Israel Defense Forces
soldiers alleging human rights violations in the West Bank.
Two weeks ago, the Israeli news website NRG reported
that Switzerland's Foreign Ministry contributed 15,000 Swiss francs
($16,100) to support the exhibition, and that the Zurich municipality
contributed an additional 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,700).
If the formal complaint doesn't work (and it probably won't), maybe Hotovely should instruct the ambassador to show up at the exhibition. That's worked pretty well in the past.
For those who still don't believe that Hamas uses human shields, get a good look at the picture above. It's a group of 'Palestinian civilians' (perhaps that is becoming an oxymoron too) on the roof of a building that Israel wanted to destroy. In this case, the human shields accomplished Hamas' purpose: Israel did not destroy the building.
In a screenshot of a television broadcast from July 8, civilians
gather on the roof of the home of a Hamas terrorist who was targeted by
the IDF. They did so in order to act as human shields and deter an
imminent IDF attack, explained the military blog.
An IDF bird's eye video shows civilians gathering on a roof of a
terrorist's house after the IDF fired a warning shot to indicate it was
about to bomb it. Hamas achieved its aim in this case, because the IDF
decided not to bomb the home.
Let's go to the videotape.
Here's a video about human shields that the IDF did during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09.
Let's go to the videotape.
Why aren't the 'human rights' groups criticizing Hamas? Because they're not about human rights. They're about anti-Semitism and Jew hatred.
Breaking the silence to lie, funded by UNICEF, OXFAM, Norway, Spain and the European Union
Jake Wallis Simons has some disturbing news about 'Breaking the Silence,' the European and United Nations-funded NGO that exaggerates the activities of IDF soldiers in Judea and Samaria. Simons concludes that the Europeans ought not to be funding this organization.
For now, my point is this: I couldn’t shake the feeling that Breaking the Silence was milking it.
It was only a hunch at first. But later, the bias of the organisation
became clearer. During a break between interviews, I asked Yehuda
Shaul, one of the founders of the organisation, how the group is funded.
It was with some surprise that I learned that 45 per cent of it is
donated by European countries, including Norway and Spain, and the
European Union. Other donors include UNICEF, Christian Aid and Oxfam GB.
To me this seemed potentially problematic.
As is the case in all democracies, the IDF is an organ of the state,
not a political decision-maker. If the goal of Breaking the Silence was
simply to clean up the Israeli military, it wouldn’t be such a problem.
Instead, the aim is to “end the occupation”, and on this basis it
secured its funding.
It appeared, therefore, that these former soldiers, some of whom draw
salaries from Breaking the Silence, were motivated by financial and
political concerns to further a pro-Palestinian agenda. They weren’t
merely telling the truth about their experiences. They were under
pressure to perform.
Indeed, I later discovered that there have been many allegations in
the past that members of the organisation either fabricated or
exaggerated their testimonies.
The matter became more unsettling when one of Breaking the Silence’s
former soldiers accompanied me to Hebron, a thriving Palestinian city in
the southern West Bank. This is the only Palestinian city to have a
Jewish settlement embedded in its centre, and as such is the most
acrimonious and violent place in the region.
...
We set up our video camera outside an army base in the Israeli sector
of Hebron, and I began to interview the former soldier from Breaking
the Silence. He was talking about his army service, and came out with
the line, “the first time I ever met a Palestinian was when I entered
his house in the middle of the night”.
While he was speaking a car drove by behind him, drowning out his
words. I said: “Just give me it one more time about how… the first time
you ever met a Palestinian was when you kicked down his door in the
middle of the night”. This was my mistake; he hadn’t said that he kicked
down anything.
He duly repeated it. This time, however, he took my lead and changed
his account from “entered his house in the middle of the night” to
“kicked down his door in the middle of the night”. On the surface it may
seem like a small detail. But when we played back the tape I found the
ease with which he exaggerated his story very troubling. We didn’t use
the interview.
The next time you're flying on an international flight and you hear that sob story about donating your 'spare change' for UNICEF to 'help kids around the world,' keep your change in your pocket and tell the cabin crew why. Maybe they'll choose another charity.
Your federation money at work? Swarthmore Hillel allows funding for groups that deny Israel's right to exist
Defying Hillel's national rules, the Swarthmore College chapter has decided to allow funding and resources for organizations that deny Israel's right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.
Press release: Swarthmore Hillel is an Open Hillel
Unanimously adopted by Swarthmore Hillel Student Board, December 8, 2013
Whereas Hillel International prohibits partnering with, hosting, or housing anyone who (a) denies the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and recognized borders, (b) delegitimizes, demonizes, or applies a double standard to Israel, (c) supports boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the State of Israel;
And whereas this policy has resulted in the barring of speakers from organizations such as Breaking the Silence and the Israeli Knesset from speaking at Hillels without censorship, and has resulted in Jewish Voice for Peace not being welcome under the Hillel umbrella;
And whereas this policy runs counter to the values espoused by our namesake, Rabbi Hillel, who was famed for encouraging debate in contrast with Rabbi Shammai;
And whereas Hillel, while purporting to support all Jewish Campus Life, presents a monolithic face pertaining to Zionism that does not accurately reflect the diverse opinions of young American Jews;
And whereas Hillel’s statement that Israel is a core element of Jewish life and a gateway to Jewish identification for students does not allow space for others who perceive it as irrelevant to their Judaism;
And whereas Hillel International’s Israel guidelines privilege only one perspective on Zionism, and make others unwelcome;
And whereas the goals of fostering a diverse community and supporting all Jewish life on campus cannot be met when Hillel International’s guidelines are in place;
Therefore be it resolved that Swarthmore Hillel declares itself to be an Open Hillel; an organization that supports Jewish life in all its forms; an organization that is a religious and cultural group whose purpose is not to advocate for one single political view, but rather to open up space that encourages dialogue within the diverse and pluralistic Jewish student body and the larger community at Swarthmore; an organization that will host and partner with any speaker at the discretion of the board, regardless of Hillel International’s Israel guidelines; and an organization that will always strive to be in keeping with the values of open debate and discourse espoused by Rabbi Hillel.
The way to show the hypocrisy of this policy is for a Neturei Karta group to apply for membership and see if they are accepted. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen.
What, if anything, can the national Hillel organization do about this? According to my sources, very little. The Hillel officials claim that the term 'Hillel' is too generic to have ownership. Personally, I don't buy that (Hillel isn't exactly Kleenex or Xerox), but it means that they're unlikely to take any enforcement action to stop the Swarthmore branch from using the Hillel name.
But Hillel's national organization also claims that the Swarthmore Hillel does not receive any funds from Hillel, and that their funding all comes from the Swarthmore Endowment for Jewish Life.
Obviously Swarthmore's Hillel still enjoys many resources from Hillel.
But that doesn't mean that Hillel will act against the Swarthmore chapter. Hillel is simply too afraid to lose any Jewish students over the issue of Israel. And according to my local source, the executive director of the Philadelphia area Hillels is a fire-breathing Kahanist compared to the 'Mr. Inclusive' who will succeed him in a few months. If action is unlikely now, it's less likely later.
Jewish Voice for Peace, which is mentioned in the screed cited above, describes itself as the 'Jewish wing' of the 'Palestinian' solidarity movement. But that doesn't bother Swarthmore's Hillel or much of the rest of the American Jewish community. Multi-culturalism uber alles.
None of this will change until the American Jewish community finds leadership that isn't afraid of its shadow. Of course, to do that, they'd have to have a much stronger Jewish identity than is currently the case. Don't expect that to happen anytime soon....
On Thursday night, the University's Hillel branch featured Breaking the Silence, the venomous group that travels around the world seeking to smear the name of the State of Israel.
In yet another example of academia succumbing to a flawed battering
ram of freedom of speech, the Hillel of Greater Philadephia was
outsmarted by J Street U which guilted them into providing a home for an
event the sole purpose of which is to indict and delegitimize the
defense forces of the Jewish State.
On Thursday evening, March 28, Steinhardt Hall - the Hillel building
at the University of Pennsylvania – provided the platform for the
pro-Palestinian J Street U to defile the integrity of the Israel Defense
Forces through a well-funded delegitimization organization known as
Breaking the Silence.
The “silence” that the group supposedly “breaks” is the unspoken
criticism of Israel and Israel’s military. Yes, that’s right – without
Breaking the Silence, one would never hear a negative word about the
IDF, because the New York Times, the United Nations Human Rights Council, the EU, the Guardian, the Iranian regime, the Arab League, the Huffington Post, CNN, El Mundo, El Diario or just about any other entity with a microphone or a media outlet never criticizes the IDF.
Well, that’s what the young whippersnappers at J Street U were able
to convince the grownups on the board of the Hillel of Greater
Philadelphia.
...
Even the indefatigably leftist Haaretz expressed disdain for the repeated claim by Breaking the Silence that it is a human rights organization:
“Breaking the Silence…has a clear political agenda, and
can no longer be classed as a ‘human rights organization.’ Any
organization whose website includes the claim by members to expose the
‘corruption which permeates the military system’ is not a neutral
observer.
The organization has a clear agenda: to expose the consequences of
IDF troops serving in the West Bank and Gaza. This seems more of
interest to its members than seeking justice for specific injustices.”
And yet, the board of the Hillel of Greater Philadelphia was conned into believing that Breaking the Silence, whose sponsors include not only J Street U, but also the New Israel Fund, the European Union, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, NDC (funds from Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark), and George Soros’ Open Society Institute
was needed to amplify the tintinnabulation of hatred already ringing
across U.S. campuses from such groups as the BDS movement and the annual
Israel Apartheid Week hate fiestas which vilify every move taken by
Israel and the IDF to protect Israeli citizens – Jewish, Muslim,
Christian and others – from Arab Palestinian terrorism.
Although the HGP several years ago crafted and approved a policy that
explicitly stated it would not lend its space for events or
organizations the primary goal of which was to delegitimize Israel, J
Street U succeeded in persuading the board that their point of view –
that is, explicitly and simply, that the IDF is a terrorist,
expansionist militaristic entity – does not get enough play at the
University of Pennsylvania. While the HGP board initially refused to
allow the event in the building, the board members’ hesitation was
eventually drowned out.
New Israel Fund staffer and J Street Board Member: Jews in Europe and early Zionist pioneers were 'infiltrators'
Does it get much more anti-Semitic than the tweet above? But the tweeter is not exactly anonymous. He works for the New Israel Fund in New York City and his name is Ben Murane. And since that last link is from 2010, here's his current Linked-In profile (yes, I've saved it). It turns out he's also a member of J Street's advisory board ('pro-Israel, pro-peace' anyone?), and that he spent some time working for Breaking the Silence. And I assume you all know who the New Israel Fund is (much more about them here).
'Infiltrators' is the English translation of the Hebrew word mistaninim, which is the word that the Israeli media has been using for our illegal immigrants.
How many other members of the 'progressive Jewish leadership' regard Jews in Europe and early Zionist pioneers as 'infiltrators'? How many other members of the 'progressive Jewish leadership' ignore the entire Jewish birthright to the Land of Israel, as if we suddenly showed up here in the 1880's or in the 1940's without any prior connection? How many other members of the 'progressive Jewish leadership' would leave Jews with no place to go (other than - maybe - the Americas, Australia and South Africa)? If Murane is a 'Jewish leader' maybe it's time for the rank and file to revolt.
Simply despicable.
Murane also wrote a blog post about the illegal immigrants from Africa here. To put it mildly, it's disingenuous.
It seems many Israelis have forgotten. Israel is supposedly the “center” of Jewish life, to where Diaspora leaders point as the place where knowledge of Jewish historical persecution is part of the public’s awareness. The UN’s covenant on refugee asylum was one of Israel’s first contributions to the international community: the country’s first government championed, campaigned and signed the voluntary law. Just like the Israelites enshrined the lessons of slavery in the Torah, early Israelis enshrined the lessons of the Holocaust in international law. Both are Jewish contributions to global morality.
Early Israelis ensured that Jews would have a place to flee from persecution. They did not seek to guarantee that economic opportunity seekers would be opportunistically able to demographically alter the Jewish state. There is one Jewish state in the world, and it ought to be able to decide to stay that way. The goal of the early Israelis was that Jews would always have at least one place to go. That's why the Law of Return only applies to Jews.
Will the fools who accept Murane and his pals into the mainstream of the Jewish community continue to do so?
Exposed: New Israel Fund supporting religious Zionist organizations
The Ra'ananim organization has exposed a New Israel Fund video in which the New Israel Fund, which supports the likes of Breaking the Silence, Adalah and B'Tselem and the BDS movement, and which supports organizations that provided 95% of the 'information' in the Goldstone Report, reveals that it is now supporting religious Zionist organizations. You can guess why.
Let's go to the videotape.
As you saw in the video, Ra'ananim has called on religious Zionist organizations not to accept money from the New Israel Fund.
The director-general of the New Israel Fund says it will "use religious Zionist organizations", according to a video clip uncovered by the Ra'ananim religious Zionist youth group. The fund currently funnels millions of dollars into such anti-Zionist groups as B'Tselem, Adallah, Yesh Din and Shoverim Shetikah, which, Ra'ananim says "harm Israeli soldiers and the state of Israel daily."
Ra'ananim called on Kolech, Ne'emanei Torah Ve'avodah, Ya'akov Herzog Center and other groups supported by the fund to stop accepting its contributions. The movement said, in a statement, "Religious Zionism is not the playing field of the New [Israel] Fund."
I am sure that many of you remember the discredited allegations of atrocities committed by IDF soldiers during Operation Cast Lead three years ago that were made by an organization known as Breaking the Silence (Shovrim Shtika in Hebrew). Breaking the Silence is one of the organizations that stands to lose significant funding if the law is changed to prohibit funding from foreign governments or to heavily tax it. And by any objective standard, they deserve to lose that funding, write Anne Herzberg and Naftali Baylanson.
Breaking the Silence describes its mission as “expos(ing) the Israeli public to the routine situations of everyday life in the Occupied Territories....pushing Israeli society to face the reality whose creation it has enabled.” Yet, as NGO Monitor has documented in its report on the frequent international campaigning of Israeli NGOs, BtS conducts a significant amount of its activities outside of Israel.
In the past year, BtS has addressed the Irish Parliament, a crowd in Washington that included the United Arab Emirates UN Ambassador and the First Secretary of Pakistan to the UN, and numerous college campuses in the US, among other similar engagements. At one event in Sweden, BtS activist Yonatan Shapiro even stated, “We are the oppressors, we are the ones that are violating human rights on a daily basis. We are creating the terror against us, basically.”
...
Another significant problem is that BtS is a patron of several European governments. More than 75% of the organization’s 2010 budget – the last available public documents – came from government funding sources, under the pretense of support for human rights and democracy.
However, as repeatedly emphasized by officials from BtS, “the political significance is the only reason for doing it.” Within Israel, BtS’ political agenda is not illegitimate, albeit marginal. But foreign government support for that agenda is absurd.
It is inconceivable that any European country would accept a situation where another democratic government provided funds to an organization whose primary aim was to trash that country’s armed forces before hostile audiences.
It is therefore hard not to wonder if BtS is a genuine expression of Israeli sentiment, or whether its representatives simply serve as the mouthpieces for Europeans. If the goal is “political,” then is this not a subversion and manipulation of Israeli democracy? It is equally disturbing and offensive that European officials appear to be blind and deaf to these issues.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
