JULY 2006
Washington losing confidence in
Israel as inexperienced leadership paralyzed by crisis
Geostrategy Group.
Israel's new defense minister,
Amir Peretz, has no experience in either the military or in
government. But he has been thrown into a crisis that could lead to
war in the Middle East. Peretz, a longtime peace activist, has been
struggling to contain a growing Palestinian threat that includes
daily missile salvos against the Jewish state from the Gaza Strip
and the abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers. A career union
activist, Peretz is caught in a vise of military commanders, warning
that the nation's deterrence is being eroded, and the United States
and the international community, seeking Israeli restraint. "We have
no intention to recapture the Gaza Strip or control the Palestinian
population," Peretz said. "We do not want our soldiers running
through the alleys of refugee camps between Gaza City and Rafah." A
key question is whether Peretz will agree to a massive ground
assault on the Gaza Strip to destroy missile production facilities,
insurgency strongholds and the Hamas government. Or, will the
military wait for international efforts to free an Israeli soldier
abducted by Hamas. Perez, born in Morocco, served his country as a
paratrooper and rose to the rank of captain. He was severely injured
in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and spent a year in convalescence.
Still in a wheelchair, he became a farmer and in 1983 was elected
mayor of the southern town of Sderot. For the past five years,
Peretz stood by as Sderot came under constant Palestinian missile
strikes. Since his appointment to defense minister in March,
Peretz's home in Sderot has been the prime target of Hamas and other
Palestinian gunners. Peretz made his reputation as chairman of
Israel's Histadrut labor union. As national union chief, Peretz was
quick to paralyze the country with frequent strikes and labor
slowdowns to pressure the government over issues involving economic
policy and trade union affairs. As defense minister, however, Peretz
has imposed a policy of restraint on the military. As a result, the
Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has launched
an offensive against Israel that includes daily Kassam-class missile
salvos against such cities as Ashkelon and Sderot.
The missile strikes have been increasingly effective, with some
crashing through the homes of Peretz's neighbors in Sderot. Peretz
has hesitated in approving the military's plans for a full-scale
ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in fear of U.S. reaction and the
prospect that Israel would return to the territory it evacuated in
2005. I wish 10 months ago they [the Palestinians] had hit a
strategic facility in Ashkelon," said [Res.] Maj. Gen. Yom Tov Samia,
former head of the military's Southern Command. "Then we would have
taken action and we would not be in this mess today." As a result,
Israel's military has grown demoralized and is targeting empty
buildings, including the office of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.
Military commanders are continually warned that they could be held
personally responsible for attacks in which Palestinian civilians
are killed. "If we know that [the terrorist] is holding his son's
hand, we do not fire," Israel Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Eliezer
Shkeidy said. "Even if the terrorist is in the midst of firing a
Kassam, and the Kassam is aimed to kill, we do not fire." Peretz has
received little support from his superior, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert. Olmert, who also has no defense or military experience, has
sought to avoid direct responsibility for the crisis with the PA.
The two men have poor relations and both have turned to the United
States for advice and help. Officials said President Bush has
ordered Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to handle the Israeli
crisis. Rice has been speaking to Peretz and Olmert nearly every day
since Hamas attacked an Israeli military post and abducted a
corporal on June 25. So far, Rice has stressed that Israel must
limit any military operation in the Gaza Strip. Officials said Rice
has warned Israel against attacks that could harm Palestinian
civilians or PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas or damage infrastructure.
Rice also insisted that Israel's borders with the Gaza Strip be
reopened to allow delivery of food, medicine and other supplies.
On June 30, Bush downgraded, and then reinstated, the status of the
Palestine Liberation Organization's office in the United States. The
president agreed that the PLO and Palestinian Authority failed to
honor its peace commitments and, under U.S. law, should be
penalized. But he then immediately exercised a waiver to avoid
sanctions. The sanctions under the 2003 law include denial of visas
to PLO and Palestinian Authority officials, designation of either
group as a terrorist organization and revoking U.S. aid to the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. Bush's waiver is intended to last for six
months. Peretz has followed Rice's advice and is negotiating with
Hamas via Egypt. Peretz has agreed to free an unspecified number of
Palestinian prisoners and has pledged not to strike the Gaza Strip
in exchange for the release of the Israeli soldier, sources said.
Western diplomatic sources said Rice's heavy involvement marked an
increasing concern in the Bush administration that Israel cannot be
relied upon to make strategic decisions against terrorism. The
source said that Vice President Richard Cheney, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld and other senior officials hold such an assessment.
As a result, the sources said, Washington would best serve Israel
and U.S. interests in the region by urging restraint. This is
particularly vital amid the Western showdown with Iran over its
nuclear program." This [Israeli] government is very unstable and
what the United States does not want is to encourage an
inexperienced and hesitant leadership to launch a strategic attack
in the Middle East," a Western diplomat said." For quite a while,
Washington has been dealing with cases where Israel began an
operation and then turned to the United States to clean up the
mess," the diplomat said.
Jesus the Palestinian In Palestinian Authority
ideology
By Itamar
Marcus and Barbara Crook
The cartoon in today's Al Quds
depicts a Palestinian and an Iraqi being crucified on the same
cross. This expresses a common Palestinian motif, found in both text
and cartoons, that depicts Palestinians as Jesus, and Jesus as a
Palestinian. [See below for more cartoons of Palestinians on cross
like Jesus.]
“Brother from Iraq, Relative
from Palestine”

[Al Quds July 6, 2006]
Palestinian historical revisionism:
Historical revision is a backbone of Palestinian political and
academic behavior, as the leaders attempt to create a separate
"Palestinian Arab" history and identity for themselves, distinct
from the general Arab and Islamic history. "Palestinian" Arabs are a
very recent creation, and did not exist before the advent of PLO
terror in 1965. Note, for example, that under UN resolution 194 in
1948, refugees were not called "Palestinian Refugees," relating to a
national identity, but were called "Palestine Refugees," referring
to geography - from where they came.
Jesus was Palestinian,
the Palestinians are Jesus: One aspect of this attempt to
create a Palestinian history is to present Jesus, who according to
Christian scriptures was a Jew (Judean) living in the land of
Judea-Israel, as a Palestinian. (In fact the name was changed to
Palestine 136 years after Jesus' s death as part of Rome's plan to
cut the Jews' ties to their Land of Israel.)
Jesus has even been
presented by Palestinians as the "the first Palestinian Shahid –
Martyr for Allah," [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, January 17, 2005] applying
to Jesus Islamic theology that evolved centuries later. On a culture
program on Palestinian TV, a Palestinian artist depicted Israeli
soldiers arresting Jesus, and explains that Jesus symbolizes the
Palestinians.
The following are some of these
examples identifying Jesus as a Palestinian:
-
“We must not forget
that (Jesus) Messiah, may peace be upon him, is
Palestinian, the son the Mary the Palestinian, who is
sanctified by hundreds of millions of believers in this world.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 18,
2005]
-
"It was quite
natural that the Palestinians rose to save their sanctuaries [in
Nazareth] without anyone thinking there is a difference between
a Christian and a Muslim… since in the Palestinian situation,
the lord Messiah [Jesus] and his mother [Mary] are both
Galileans and Palestinians …"
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 9, 2006]
-
“The Palestinian
Galilee village of Kfar Kana takes pride in the fact that in
[the village] the Palestinian Messiah succeeded
to turn water into wine.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, December 14,
2004]
Jesus is likewise defined as
a Shahid (Martyr for Allah):
-
“…And a child from
the De’haisha refugeecamp will shout: “Yes, we have won, just as
the prophets and [Jesus’] Apostles won,” and the shahids will
cry, ‘We shook the palm trees alongside Lady Earth and the lady
of the people, the Virgin Mary, and with her son the
first Palestinian Shahid.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, January 17, 2005]
The flip side of turning
Jesus into the Palestinians is the turning of Palestinians into
Jesus.
-
“Muhammad [Al Dura, child
who was killed by undetermined gunfire] ... a tiny sleeping
Jesus...”
[Al-Quds, May 25, 2001]
-
During a culture
program, a Palestinian artist depicts Israeli soldiers arresting
Jesus, and explains that Jesus symbolizes the Palestinians.
Pic from web and link from web
Artist: "Our struggle today against the other side is an eternal
one. It can be said that it started 2,000 years ago and
continues until today. I demonstrate this through the figure of
Jesus… The Israeli soldiers are wearing army uniforms while
Jesus has nothing except for the truth. When they searched him
at the entrance of Jerusalem, they found a stone, a piece of
bread and fish and he was cuffed. This is the Palestinian from
the beginning of the struggle until the end."
[PA TV, July 21, 2000]
Misappropriating Jesus into
Palestinian Islamic tradition allows the image of the Crucifixion to
become a Palestinian symbol, which they then use to portray
themselves and other Muslims as victims of Israel. The following are
additional examples of this visual motif: 1. Palestine is Jesus

[PA Website]

[Text on woman: “Palestine
Al Hayat Al Jadida supplement-Intifada, Dec. 11, 2000]

[Al Hayat Al Jadida April 15, 2001]
2. Israeli and U.S. shells targeting
Palestinians representedby the cross

[PA daily supplement Dec 14 2000]
3. Another attempt at defining Palestinians
as the modern day Jesus. Palestinians killed by Israel is called
"repeating history" of Crucifixion.

[Al Hayat Al Jadida May 9 2001]
Pope: Praying for Mid-East peace
Sharon: “What do you think about repeating history?”
_____________________________________________________________
I
Love Paris but despise the Parisiens and their rulers. Anti-Semitism
in France is getting worse every week.
Once again, the real news is conveniently not being reported as it
should. At present, in my Hebrew class, there is a woman who
recently made aliya from Paris with her family. I have spoken with
her about anti-Semitism in France and she confirmed that it is very,
very serious and getting worse every week. She and her family fled
Paris and came to Israel, fearing for their lives -- literally. This
is first hand, my friends. To give you an idea of what's going on in
France where there are now between 5 and 6 million Muslims and about
600,000 Jews, here is an email that came from another Jew still in
France. Please read! Will the world say nothing - again - as it did
in Hitler's time? He writes, "I, AM, JEW -- therefore I am
forwarding this to everyone on all my e-mail lists. I will not sit
back and do nothing." Nowhere have the flames of anti-Semitism
burned more furiously than in France. In Lyon, a car was rammed into
a synagogue and set on fire. In Montpellier, the Jewish religious
center was firebombed; so were synagogues in Strasbourg and
Marseilles; so was a Jewish school in Creteil - all recently. A
Jewish sports club in Toulouse was attacked with Molotov cocktails,
and on the statue of Alfred Dreyfus in Paris, the words "Dirty Jew"
were painted. In Bondy, 15 men beat up members of a Jewish football
team with sticks and metal bars. The bus that takes Jewish children
to school in Aubervilliers has been attacked three times in the last
14 months. According to the Police, metropolitan Paris has seen 10
to 12 anti-Jewish incidents PER DAY in the past 30 days. Wake up,
world! > Walls in Jewish neighborhoods have been defaced with
slogans proclaiming "Jews to the gas chambers" and "Death to the
Jews." A gunman opened fire on a kosher butcher's shop (and, of
course, the butcher) in Toulouse, France; a Jewish couple in their
20s were beaten up by five men in Villeurbanne, France. The woman
was pregnant; a Jewish school was broken into and vandalized in
Sarcelles, France. This was in the past week. So I call on you,
whether you are a fellow Jew, a friend, or merely a person with the
capacity and desire to distinguish decency from depravity, to do, at
least, these three simple things: First, care enough to stay
informed. Don't ever let yourself become deluded into thinking that
this is not your fight. I remind you of what Pastor Neimoller said
in World War II: First they came for the Communists, and I didn't
speak up, because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for
the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to
speak up for me. Second, boycott France and French products. Only
the Arab countries are more toxically anti-Semitic and, unlike them,
France exports more than just oil and hatred. So boycott their wines
and their perfumes. Boycott their clothes and their foodstuffs.
Boycott their movies. Definitely boycott their shores. If we are
resolved we can exert amazing pressure and, whatever else we may
know about the French, we most certainly know that they are like a
cobweb in a hurricane in the face of well directed pressure. Third,
send this along to your family, your friends, and your co-workers.
Think of all of the people of good conscience that you know and let
them know that you and the people that you care about need their
help. The number one best selling book in France is "September 11:
The Frightening Fraud," which argues that no plane ever hit the
Pentagon. Is it any wonder that Aliya from France to Israel has
increased dramatically?-By Leah Lekareev via Shifra, Israel
_____________________________________________________________________
Palestinian Authority political leaders advocated
kidnapping-for-hostage policy
By Itamar Marcus and
Barbara Crook
Foreign
Minister, Mahmud Al-Zahar: Hamas will not hesitate to kidnap Israeli
soldiers "to exchange for [Palestinian] prisoners, should the
opportunity arise." [Al-Sharq Al-Awsat,
March 7, 2006]
Interior
Minister Saed Siam: "It is inevitable to kidnap soldiers to exchange
for them... There is nothing the resistance cannot do. And when
there is a goal and a good plan, the goal can be achieved... [In the
past] Hamas succeeded in kidnapping and hiding bodies, but
unfortunately, two bodies were handed over for nothing."
[Undated video clip from Abu Dhabi TV - before Hamas came into
power]
Introduction: The
Palestinian Authority political leadership has been attempting to
distance itself from the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Yesterday, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas instructed PA Prime Minister
Haniyeh and Interior Minister Saed Siam to "guarantee the release of
the abducted soldier." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida,
June 27, 2006] .
However, one must question the
sincerity of such public displays, especially by the Hamas leadership.
A review of policy articulated by Hamas political leaders, including
Interior Minister Siam himself and the PA Foreign Minister, shows that
it was the avowed policy of the Hamas political leadership to kidnap
Israeli soldiers as hostages to exchange for terrorists.There's
another clear show of support for the kidnapping from the political
leadership. The Hamas website, Palestine-info.net, has celebrated the
killings and kidnapping in graphic posters of smoldering and destroyed
Israeli positions, with the words: "Smashed Illusion Operation",
and "Crushing Blow on Zionist Enemy". [See opposite
and below]. Another poster in English on their web site has the names
of the three groups accepting responsibility, which includes the Al
Qassam Brigades of Hamas, followed by the words: "In the first
movie - Mission 1 - Be Back!" [See below]
The
following are policy statements of both Hamas political leaders and
Islamic Jihad:
Mahmud Al-Zahar,
Hamas, Foreign Minister: "The Head of
Hamas party in the Palestinian Legislative Council, [and current
Foreign Minister-ed] Dr. Mahmud Al-Zahar, said that his movement
would not hesitate to kidnap soldiers of the occupation in order to
exchange them for [Palestinian] prisoners, should the opportunity
arise." [Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, March 7, 2006]
Saed Siam, PA Interior Minister (now charged
with locating the hostage):
"In the past Hamas succeeded in kidnapping many
Zionist soldiers. There are thousands of prisoners of our forces,
they have to think how to free these prisoners. And I believe that
it is inevitable to kidnap soldiers to exchange for them. In the
past Hamas kidnapped 10 soldiers. There is nothing the resistance
cannot do. And when there is a goal and a good plan, the goal can be
achieved, especially about the prisoner issue, [which] is top
priority. During the PA administration, Hamas succeeded in
kidnapping and hiding bodies, but unfortunately, two bodies were
handed over for nothing. When there is a kidnapping, and it is
secured, each case in its own time, has its own negotiations."
[Undated video
clip from Abu Dhabi TV - before Hamas came into power]
Click here to view Minister Siam
explaining policy of Kidnapping
Fathi Hamad,
Member Palestinian Legislative Council, Hamas:
"The Islamic resistance movement "Hamas"
yesterday threatened to carry out kidnapping operations of soldiers
in the Israeli army, in order to release Palestinian prisoners held
in Israeli jails. The threat was announced by Hamas Member of the
Palestinian Legislative Council, Fathi Hamad."
[Al-Ayyam, March 16, 2006]
Sheik Halid Al-Batash, Islamic Jihad:
"[Palestinian Authority] Prime Minister
Ismail Haniyah emphasized the importance of forming a mechanism for
the release of our heroic prisoners who are held in the jails of the
occupation, without making concessions... Prominent Islamic Jihad
movement leader, Sheik Halid Al-Batash... called for seeking
different mechanisms for the release of our heroic prisoners. He
emphasized that among the mechanisms is the kidnapping of Zionists
to exchange for the release of the [Palestinian] prisoners."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, April, 17 2006]
Sheik Halid Al-Batash, Islamic Jihad:
"The Islamic Jihad [Movement] says: kidnapping of Israeli soldiers -
the fastest way for the release of the prisoners. Islamic Jihad
movement senior official [Halid Al-Batash] called on the factions of
the resistance to kidnap Israeli soldiers in order to exchange them
for Palestinian prisoners, who Israel holds and refuses to release."
[Al-Ayyam, May 9, 2006]

[Quality Operation - Smashed
Illusion Operation]
Hamas: Islam will conquer US
and Britain
By Itamar Marcus & Barbara Cook
Hamas Video: A Hamas video just released on
their web site focuses on the broader Palestinian Islamic ideology,
promising the eventual conquering and subjugation of Christian
countries under Islam. The way Israel "ran" from Gaza after terror
is presented as the prototype for future Israeli and Western
behavior in the face of Islamic force. The video is a collection of
statements by Hamas terrorist leader, Yasser Ghalban, killed last
week by Palestinians, in the ongoing internal fighting. To view this
video, anticipating Islam's conquering of US and Britain, click
here.
www.pmw.org.il/asx/PMW_yasserghalban.asx
The following is the transcript of selections from the Hamas
video: "We will rule the nations, by Allah's will, the USA will be
conquered, Israel will be conquered, Rome and Britain will be
conquered. The Jihad for Allah... is the way of Truth and the
way for Salvation and the way which will lead us to crush the Jews
and expel them from our country Palestine. Just as the Jews ran from
Gaza, the Americans will run from Iraq and Afghanistan and the
Russians will run from Chechnya, and the Indian will run from
Kashmir, and our children will be released from Guantanamo. The
prisoners will be released by Allah's will, not by peaceful means
and not by agreements, but they will be released by the sword, they
will be released by the gun". The video identifies itself as from
the "Al-Qassam Brigades Media Office." "Al-Qassam Brigades" is
the name the Hamas calls its military wing. (www.palestine-info.net)
June 22 2006:
Al-Qaeda Video: The ideology is similar to the Al-Qaeda
ideology, and this can be seen by viewing an Al-Qaeda video seen now
on many sites on the Internet, likewise anticipating battles with
other religions throughout the world. "They Are Coming" is 12 minute
collection of scenes of Al-Qaeda's training around the world:
Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, Eritrea, Indonesia, Kashmir, Somalia,
Philippines, UK, Algeria and Pakistan. This propaganda video
addresses the American public with captions in English, images of
dead and injured American soldiers, and threats such as: "They Are
Coming", "Start digging your graves", and ends with a burning US
flag. Click here to see Al-Qaeda video.
www.pmw.org.il/asx/PMW_theyarecoming.asx
ONE QUARTER OF THE BRITISH
MILITARY MEN POWER WORKS FOR SAUDI ARABIA. THE MILITARY BRITS AND SAUDIS
ARE IN SYNC.
SECRET ARMS
SALES AND DEALS BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND SAUDI ARABIA WORTH $12 BILLIONS
By Peggy North, World Jewish News Agency,
Senior Correspondent in Great Britain.
Photo:
Mr Alan Garwood, head of DESO.
Here in the UK, more than a quarter of her
Majesty's government ammunitions, explosives, guns and arms sales
machine is geared toward Saudi Arabia and categorically committed to
the Saudi military and naval forces. Meaning bluntly, selling arms to the
Saudis. Our sources as well as, official communiques and printed circulars
distributed to defence factories and arms firms in Great Britain, revealed in a
most alarming manner, the intensity and enormous magnitude of arms sale to the
Saudi kingdom. Today, it has become clear, that extensive secret deals were made
between the Saudi royal family and Great Britain's ministry of defence.
And this has been going on for the past 18 months. It seems that the United
States is not fully aware of all these arms transactions. Documents
obtained by the World Jewish News Agency categorically showed the secretive
nature of these frightening deals and the alarming number of British military
experts and arms manufacturers working for the Saudi crown. Almost 165 British
officials are on the payroll of the Saudis. In fact, that number constitutes one
quarter of the total work force of the military "products" machine in the UK.
The arm deal has been referred to as "The Saudi Project". Others call it the "SAFP",
meaning the "Saudi Armed Forces Project". Of course, the Saudis have denied the
existence of such a project. Top British and Saudi officials will meet today in
London to choreograph a joint statement to be issued and given to the media.
Meanwhile, senior officials and top brass of the British army, are
addressing -as we talk- a closed conference of DESO, the DEFENCE EXPORT SERVICES
ORGANISATION, the entity responsible for selling the weapons to the Saudis, as
well as to many foreign countries around the globe. Tony Blair is not pleased
with the recent development of the scandal and the secret deals which have
created a huge embarrassment to Great Britain. He wants DESO to close down for
good. All the fingers are pointing at Air Vice-Marshall John Thompson who
allegedly orchestrated the whole bonanza. Thompson was the major key player in
the UK-Saudi affair, since he was the head of the negotiations team. In
addition, Thompson is a member of the board of DESO. The chairman of the board
is Mr Alan Garwood , a tycoon in the arms industry and a former senior executive
of BAE, one of Great Britain's largest armaments manufacturers, factories and
companies.
To many observers, DESO is a secretive cell.
For instance, The DESO Partners Site is "ONLY
open to members of the UK defence industry, UK Government officials, members of
UK financial institutions and defence Trade Association officials". And this is
the official statement of DESO. Equally secretive and strange IS the
listing of DESO Senior Officials. For such listing exclusively includes Mr Alan
Garwood, head of DESO. No other officials are either listed or mentioned in the
official list of senior officials of the entity. Mr Garwood took up his position
as head of the DES, the Defence Export Services on 23rd September 2002. He
is the man in charge of " taking the lead, both within Whitehall and in the UK's
relations with other Governments, on the promotion of overseas sales of the
products and services of the British defence industry, consistent with the
Government's defence export policy. " stated the company on its website.
Garwood is also, the sole responsible to the Secretary of State for Defence and
for advising the Secretary of State and other Ministers as appropriate on
defence export matters. His bio contained this: " He joined British Aerospace in
1977, commencing his career in Export Contracts in the Middle East. Mr Garwood
subsequently became Sales and Customer Support Director of BAe Dynamics, joining
the board in 1994. In 1996 he moved to BAe Headquarters and was appointed
Managing Director, Europe and North America, in the newly created International
Marketing and Sales Organisation and in 1998 returned to the Missiles sector,
joining Matra BAe Dynamics as Deputy Chief Executive. Mr Garwood gained an MBA
at Cranfield University and in 2003 was made an Honorary Doctor of Science -
again at Cranfield. He is also a visiting Professor at the Royal Military
College Shrivenham. Alan Garwood is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society."
DESO AND BRITAIN'S MEN IN SAUDI ARABIA
DESO stationed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia some of
their best civilians, tacticians, business negotiators and military men.
Grenville Johnson, a royal navy captain is currently commanding the Saudi fleet
of Vosper mine-hunters in the area of Jubail. In fact, Johnson is the commanding
officer of the whole Saudi Naval team in that region. He is assisted by 40
British military experts and naval pilots who are officially wearing Saudi
military uniforms. Among DESO's most military prolific military men are Air
Commodore John Chandler and Air Commodore Ray Hodgson who are in charge of
logistics and "greasing the wheel". And they are not alone. A squad of 75
British military men and 55 officials who are permanently based in Saudi Arabia
is under their direct control. To a certain degree. For the Saudi Ministry of
Defence is de facto in charge of the whole military operations under the British
umbrella. The Saudis have the final word.
The official statement of the British
government leads to believe that the British military men and top officials are
stationed in Riyadh. But World Jewish News Agency discovered that the British
squad has mushroomed to Tabuk, Khamis, Dhahran and several naval and military
bases throughout the Saudi kingdom. This could explain the concerns and
suspicions of many observers who claim that the British squad had to be
much bigger than what the British government "pretend" to be. In fact, to cover
the territories of 7 military and naval bases in Saudi Arabia, any military
squad should and must have more than 200 men in active duty to carry
its operations. Political observers and military analysts estimate that
Great Britain has stationed more than 2,000 men in Saudi Arabia. World Jewish
News Agency has discovered that no less than 100 British pilots and 150
technicians of the British air crew were spread over 2 Saudi air bases. The
British airmen belong to the RAF (Royal Air Force) and are actively serving in
the Saudi Air Force, flying the Hawks and the Tornados which were sold in a
large quantity to Saudi Arabia. It is estimated that no less than 75
British jet fighters were bought by the Saudis under the provisions of the "AL
YAMANA" arms sales contract between the two countries. DESO head claims that his
squad and British airmen are serving in the capacity of military advisors and
trainers. While skeptic analysts believe that the British military task force is
much more than a " team of military instructors". They claim that DESO and Great
Britain's men are active Saudi jet fighters and head pilots. Our sources told us
that a large number of Saudi and British pilots are stationed in a region called
Tabuk neighboring Israel. This unit is under the direct command of Group Captain
Nick Watson who is in charge of all the operations, including sorties,
logistics, flight operations, special training unit and tactics. Watson's
financial and managerial assistant is Mr John Radcliffe, a civilian.
This year, Great Britain has sold nearly
£7bn worth of weapons. Much of these weapons systems were supplied to
Saudi Arabia, the world's largest arms buyer. Last year, Saudi Arabia
purchased more than £5bn worth of weapons. The International Institute for
Strategic Studies (IISS) report revealed that Arab countries spent £42bn
on defence last year.
JUNE 2006
Steinberg: HRW's rush to judgment -- launches another PR attack
against Israel
HRW is clearly under
pressure to "prove" that its support for the Palestinian version is
correct --- and the subheading "Palestinians Agree to Independent
Inquiry" could have been used in the Jenin "massacre" myth campaign,
and on many other occasions. For HRW and the Palestinians,
"independent" means the UN or another body dominated by anti-Israel
ideologues, where the outcome is never in doubt. In today's press
release, like the previous one, Garlasco and HRW present the narrow
claims that might support their version, while ignoring all of the
contradictory data. The claim that the Israeli government has
attributed this explosion to a mine planted by the Palestinians is
also incorrect -- there is some unofficial speculation, particularly
in the media, but no official statement on the possible cause. And
it is interesting that while Garlasco portrays himself as a military
expert, we know very little about his actual combat experience, if
any. What is his political agenda, and why has he not provided a
report on the sources and manufacture of Palestinian rockets and
missiles? For the mass media, the NGO "halo effect" remains intact,
at least for now.- By Gerald Steinberg
More Evidence
on Beach Killings Implicates IDF. Palestinians Agree to Independent
Inquiry
A digitally dated and time-stamped blood test report of a victim treated
at a Palestinian hospital that admitted wounded from the June 9
killings on a Gaza beach suggests that the attack took place during
the time period of an Israeli artillery attack, Human Rights Watch
said today. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have denied
responsibility for the killings, saying that although they fired six
artillery shells onto the beach between 4:32 p.m. and 4:51 p.m., the
fatal incident must have occurred after that. Human Rights Watch
first challenged this conclusion, concluding that the IDF most
likely caused the killings, in a press release, www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/13/isrlpa13544.htm
, based on an investigation by its researchers in Gaza. Human Rights
Watch researchers examined the computer-generated record from the
Kamal Adwan hospital, which documents the blood test of a victim
from the beach incident being taken at 5:12 p.m. on June 9.
Furthermore, hand-written hospital records log patients from the
incident as having been admitted starting at 5:05 p.m. If the
records are accurate, based on the time needed to dispatch an
ambulance and drive from the hospital to the beach and back, this
suggests that the fatal explosion took place at a time when the IDF
said they was firing artillery rounds. Both sets of records also
directly call into question the account of the IDF that ambulances
did not reach the beach until 5:15 p.m. that day. Altering the
records would require re-setting the computer's clock and re-writing
pages of the hospital's admissions log. Human Rights Watch
researchers said that the pages they saw documented patients
un-related to the beach incident, followed by two pages of victims
from the beach. The first of those were admitted at 5:05 p.m. The
researchers saw no evidence that the times might have been altered.
Israeli military officials have also suggested the explosion, which
killed seven members of the Ghalya family and wounded many others,
might have been caused by a mine. But Human Rights Watch researchers
also examined blood-crusted shrapnel given to them by the father of
a 19-year-old male who suffered abdominal wounds in the beach
explosion. They determined that the shrapnel is a piece of fuse from
an artillery shell. "The likelihood that the Ghalya family was
killed by an explosive other than one of the shells fired by the IDF
is remote," said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human
Rights Watch. "This new evidence highlights the urgent need for
Israel to permit an independent, transparent investigation into the
beach killings." Human Rights Watch received a fax today from the
office of Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, saying
that the president's office, which is holding much of the shrapnel
removed from the blast victims, would cooperate and share evidence
with an independent inquiry team. For further information,
contact: In Jerusalem, Lucy Mair: +972-548-167-775. In Gaza, Marc
Garlasco: +972-548-067-027 (mobile). In Gaza, Bonnie Docherty:
+972-548-067-027 (mobile). In New York, Sarah Leah Whitson:
+1-212-216-1230
Explosive Device Detonated near a Judge's House in
Gaza City
Unknown assailants detonated an explosive device near the entrance
of the Chief Judge of the Gaza First Instance Court. The explosion
resulted in material damages, and no injuries were reported. PCHR's
preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 1:40 on
Thursday, 15 June 2006, an explosive device was detonated at the
entrance of the house belonging to Judge Fayez Suliman Zeyara (53)
in the Sheikh Ejleen Quarter in the southern part of Gaza City.
Judge Zeyara is the Chief Judge of the Gaza First Instance Court.
The explosion caused extensive damages to the house door and to the
Judge's car. The glass windows of the Judge's house and nearby
houses were destroyed as well. Furthermore, two civilian vehicles
parked near the house suffered damages. After the attack the
Palestinian Bar Association and the Higher Council of the Judiciary
announced the suspension of work in all courts and district attorney
offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. PCHR strongly condemned
this attack, and is gravely concerned over the repeated attacks on
public officials and institutions. These attacks are a continuum of
the security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The
Centre called upon the Palestinian National Authority, represented
by the Attorney-General, to investigate these attacks and to bring
the perpetrators to justice.
Iranian Presidential
Advisor Mohammad Ali Ramin: "The Resolution of the
Holocaust Issue Will End in the Destruction of Israel"
Mohammad
Ali Ramin, advisor to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
On June 9,
2006, the reformist online daily Rooz reported that during a visit
with students at Gilan University in Rasht, Iran, Mohammad Ali Ramin,
advisor to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, discussed
historical accusations against the Jews and questioned the
Holocaust. The following are excerpts from the Rooz article, in the
original English:(1) "Throughout
History, This Religious Group [i.e. the Jews] has Inflicted the Most
Damage on the Human Race'"
"On a visit to Gilan University, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's
advisor Mohammad Ali Ramin said to a group of students in the town
of Rasht, 'Ten years ago, when I brought up the issue of the
Holocaust for the first time in this country, my goal was to defend
the Jewish people. But among the Jews there have always been those
who killed God's prophets and who opposed justice and righteousness.
Throughout history, this religious group has inflicted the most
damage on the human race, while some of its groups engaged in
plotting against other nations and ethnic groups to cause cruelty,
malice and wickedness. 'Historically, there are many accusations
against the Jews. For example, it was said that they were the source
for such deadly disease as the plague and typhus. This is because
the Jews are very filthy people. For a time people also said that
they poisoned water wells belonging to Christians and thus killed
them," Ramin said. "Ramin also pointed that there were other plots
that powerful people used to mislead public opinion around the
world. 'When the Islamic Revolution of Iran succeeded and attracted
many people around the world, including Christians, the AIDS
epidemic came about, and fear again overtook the world. After the
September11attacks, the deadly epidermis broke out, which was
destroyed when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. On the eve of the
invasion of Iran, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) illness
broke out, but disappeared after the invasion,' he said. "Nobody
Asks How a Bird That had the Flu Could Fly From Australia to
Siberia." Ramin also claimed that the spread of bird flu was a
conspiracy plot cause[d] by the failure of America, Israel and
Britain in the Middle East. Ramin pointed out that to cover up and
hide their failures, these countries have spread the news about the
bird flu to preoccupy and distract public opinion for some 5 to 6
months. 'Nobody asks how a bird that had the flu could fly from
Australia to Siberia,' he said, adding that even the Iranian
minister of health had claimed to have stopped the disease at Iran's
borders. He claimed the holocaust story and bird flu rumors are
interrelated. He attributed the killing of millions of chicken was
to control the price and amount [of] chicken in the market. In Order
to Deny the Germans the Ability to Increase Their Power, 'the
British and Americans Present Them as a Human-Burning Nation. While
acknowledging not knowing the source of these events around the
world, Ramin said, 'I only know that Jews have been accused of such
conspiracies and sabotage throughout history and have not performed
well. And repeating the president's claims about the Holocaust, he
presented four theories that are presented in its support. The first
is that in order to deny the Germans the ability to increase their
power, 'the British and Americans present them as a human-burning
nation.' The second theory is that the Americans and the British
have cocked up this story with the Zionists, so as to create the
state of Israel in the middle of the Islamic world and thus control
the Islamic world on the Holocaust pretext, and getting rid of the
Jews from Europe. The third hypothesis relates to the traditional
animosity between Christians and the Jews. 'The U.S., Britain with
the cooperation of France, Russia and Germany, and because of their
Christian leanings and its animosity with the Jews, launched the
idea of the Holocaust after the Second World War to scare off the
Jews and sent them to what is now Israel in order to get rid of them
in Europe and America,' he said. He further said that the movement
that created Israel is in fact against the Jews. The fourth
theory relates to covering up the crimes of the U.S. and Britain. He
claimed that Britain had killed some 100 million red Indians in the
last 300 years and the U.S. had leveled Hiroshima, which he said
were the real Holocausts. The Resolution of the Holocaust Issue Will
End in the Destruction of Israel Claiming that the Holocaust was the
principal reason why Palestine was occupied while Israel was the
main cause of crises and catastrophe in the Middle East. 'So long as
Israel exists in the region there will never be peace and security
in the Middle East,' he said adding, 'So the resolution of the
Holocaust issue will end in the destruction of Israel. Turning to
President Ahmadinejad's comments on the Holocaust, Ramin said that
he criticized the president for making those comments. 'We do not
know whether the Holocaust existed or not and so must find out in
order to defend the suffered party. My suggestion to him was to set
up an investigative committee on this to collect the supporting
documents,' he said."
Endnote:
(1) Rooz, June 9, 2006, http://www.roozonline.com/english/015942.shtml
.
___________________________________________________________
Shocking Film Exposes
Growing Terrorism in the U.S.
Exclusive Viewing on June 20.
Contact: Maria Sliwa, _M.Sliwa Public Relations_ (http://msliwa.com/)
,
973-272-2861, _msliwa@msliwa.com_
(mail to:msliwa@msliwa.com)
Exclusive film footage of Terrorist Indoctrination in the U.S.
At Seaport Museum at Penns Landing, PA, Tuesday, June 20 at 7:30
p.m.
While the U.S. seeks to target Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's
successor, terrorism indoctrination within the U.S. continues
to flourish at an alarming rate. On Tuesday, June
20, three former terrorists will present never before seen
film footage, which provides evidence of long standing
extremist operations that are festering here in the U.S. One of the
former terrorists will discuss the training he received by his
mentor, who is featured in the film. The exclusive footage,
produced by _The Investigative Project_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigative_Project)
, includes:
* A commemoration of the martyrdom of
Abdullah Azzam, the mentor of Osama bin Laden.
* A detailed report by a masked Hamas
commander on his squad's killings and assassinations.
* A lecture by the head of a terrorist
group to a packed audience, (including small children),
calling for them to chop off the heads of "unbelievers."
* A Friday night sermon addressing an
audience of American children on the nobility of
killing. For more information, see: _http://3xterrorists.com
_
(http://3xterrorists.com/)
. Contact:
M. Sliwa, 973-272-2861,
212-202-4453.
HADASSAH RECEIVES ADVOCACY AWARD
FROM GENETICS POLICY INSTITUTE AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America,
received the 2006 annual National Advocacy Award presented by the
Genetics Policy Institute at its annual policy institute awards
dinner held last night at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.
Hadassah was awarded the prestigious honor for its continued work in
advocating for favorable stem cell legislation and funding at both
the federal and state level, since August, 2001 when the
Administration placed federal funding limitations on stem cell
research. In Spring, 2005, Hadassah mobilized its grassroots
membership to participate in SOS: State of Stem Cell, an effort that
saw Hadassah delegations visit legislators in all 50 state capitals.
In accepting the award, National President June Walker expressed
gratitude from Hadassah, which "with the 300,000 women in every
state and every age group is 'the every woman's organization,' and
stem cell research is an issue that touches everyone.... The most
recent poll I've seen shows that nearly three quarters of Americans
support stem cell research. If our experience at Hadassah is any
indication, we can easily transform this support into a groundswell,
" she said, adding "The past few years have been frustrating
politically in terms of gaining federal support for our research.
You all, like me, were ready years ago to see the President's stem
cell policy overturned and we wait every day for Congress to act."
Walker explained that Hadassah originally became involved in stem
cell advocacy because "We think that it is important to bring the
Jewish perspective to this debate. As Jewish women who are
committed to the Jewish imperative of tikkun olam - repairing the
world - we think it is essential to make clear that religious voices
are not monolithic. Every major stream in Judaism supports
stem cell research. This is in part because of the Jewish
religious obligation to save lives." The award was presented within
the framework of the Genetics Policy Institute's second, annual
"Stem Cell Policy and Advocacy Summit: Empowering the Pro-Cures
Coalition," this year hosted by the center for Biomedical Ethics at
Stanford University and co-chaired by Bernard Siegel, J.D.,
executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute, and Christopher
Thomas Scott, Ph.D., executive director of the Stanford Program in
Stem Cells and Society. According to Siegel, "The National Advocacy
Award goes to the organization that has made the greatest impact in
promoting awareness of the lifesaving cause of stem cell research.
Hadassah has earned the gratitude of patients around the world for
its effective leadership on this issue. GPI is pleased to provide
Hadassah recognition at this annual summit meeting of the
"Pro-Cures" community." In presenting the award, Siegel told
Walker: "Scientists know about you [Hadassah], you are making such
an incredible impact."
Founded in 1912, Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of
America, is the largest women's, largest Zionist, and largest Jewish
membership organization in the United States. In Israel, it supports
pacesetting medical care and research, education and youth programs,
and reforestation and parks projects. In the US, Hadassah
promotes health education, social action and advocacy, Jewish
education , volunteerism and leadership skills, Young Judaea and
connections with Israel. For complete information about Hadassah,
visit www.hadassah.org
_______________________________________________________________________________
LATEST REPORTS
Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, has died in a US air strike.
Pictures of Zarqawi's body
were put on display by the US.
The US and UK have hailed news
that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, has died in a US air
strike. Zarqawi died when US planes dropped two 500lb (230kg) bombs on a
site near the city of Baquba. He was identified by fingerprints, tattoos and
scars. The US struck after receiving specific tip-offs from within Zarqawi's
organization, officials said. US President George W Bush described the news as
a severe blow to al-Qaeda and "justice" for Zarqawi.
British PM Tony Blair described it as "very good news", but both
leaders said Zarqawi's death would not end violence. The news came shortly
before the Iraqi parliament approved the key posts of defense and interior
ministers. The two crucial roles had remained unfilled despite the formation
of a coalition government last month. Zarqawi's death was an opportunity for
the new government to "turn the tide", President Bush said. "The ideology of
terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders," he added.
Correspondents say it remains to be seen if one man's death will bring a
breakthrough in Iraq. Zarqawi "safe house" about 8km (five miles) north of
Baquba was struck at 1815 (1415 GMT) on Wednesday, officials said. Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri Maliki announced the news on Thursday, telling a news
conference in Baghdad: "We have eliminated Zarqawi." The news sparked
sustained applause. The strike was the "painstaking, deliberate result" of
intelligence over "many weeks", US military spokesman Major General William
Caldwell said. He showed a picture of the militant leader's body and a
videotape of the attack, in which he said American F-16 fighter jets dropped
the two 500lb bombs on the site. The body was moved to a secure site where
Zarqawi's identity was confirmed, the official said. A Jordanian government
spokesman said Jordanian agents had contributed to the operation against
Zarqawi. Mr. Maliki said intelligence from Iraqi people had also helped to
track down Zarqawi, who had a $25m price on his head - the same bounty as that
offered by the US for Osama Bin Laden. A statement on the internet attributed
to an umbrella group for jihadi organizations including al-Qaeda in Iraq has
confirmed Zarqawi's death, reports say. Jordanian-born Zarqawi was said to
have been in a meeting with associates at the time. Five other people were
killed in the raid, including spiritual adviser Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman and an
unidentified woman and child. Within hours of the killings, troops launched 17
simultaneous raids around Baghdad, which yielded a "treasure trove" of
intelligence, according to the US official. Zarqawi was not a global
mastermind like al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden. Instead he was a bloodthirsty and
violent thug, our correspondent says - who made enemies and several mistakes
that might have contributed to his downfall. These included ordering a triple
suicide bombing against hotels in Amman, Jordan, last November, that killed 60
people, our correspondent says. Zarqawi was accused of leading the rash of
kidnappings and beheadings of foreign workers. It has been suggested that he
appeared personally on one video posted on the internet, cutting off the head
of an American hostage. A video released in April showed Zarqawi shooting an
automatic rifle and berating the US for its "arrogance". The video provided
the most up-to-date picture of the fugitive. Violence continued on Thursday as
13 people were killed and 28 injured in a bomb at a Baghdad market, while an
evening car bombing killed five and injured at least 13, police said.
Jordanian
intelligence reportedly assisted the US-led operation. Zarqawi traced to
isolated safe house approximately 8km north of Baquba, north east of
Baghdad. US aircraft launched air strike at about 1815. The militant
leader was reportedly holding a meeting with associates, including
spiritual adviser Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman, at time of raid. Several others
were reportedly killed. Iraqi police were first on the scene, followed by
troops from the Multi-National Division North. Zarqawi's identity
confirmed by fingerprints, facial recognition and known scars.
ZARQAWI-CLAIMED ATTACKS
19 Aug 2003: Bombing of UN office in Baghdad,
23 dead
29 Aug 2003: Bombing of Najaf shrine killing
Shia cleric Muhammad Baqr Hakim, 85 dead
2 March 2004: Co-ordinated attack on Shia
mosques during Ashoura ceremony, 181 dead
11 May 2004: Nick
Berg beheaded, first of at least nine foreign hostages killed in 2004
14 Sept 2004: Car bomb targeting police
recruits in Baghdad, 47 dead
19 Dec 2004: Car bombs in Najaf and Karbala,
60 dead
9 Nov 2005: Triple attack
on hotels in Amman, 60 dead
Rafi
Eitan reveals Mossad knew Arafat's goal was to destroy Israel after
Oslo
"During one of the Palestinian
conferences I was able to infiltrate, Yasser Arafat reiterated what
he had said his entire life: 'We will build a Palestinian system of
many separate military units; only in this way will we be able to
defeat the Jews and expel them to the sea'," ]
Minister Eitan: Israel in no position to attack Iran
Pensioners' Affairs minister says, 'Iran will produce operational
nuclear bomb within 3-10 years; Israel cannot attack without
Washington's consent.' Adds: No chance of reaching agreement with
Palestinians in near future Moran Zelikovich YNET 20 May 2006.
Pensioners' Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan said Friday, "according to
intelligence information Iran will produce an operational nuclear
bomb within 3-10 years," adding that Israel has been left to deal
with the situation on its own as the US under the Bush
Administration will not attack Iran. Speaking before members of the
Trade and Industry Club in Tel Aviv, Eitan said, "I believe that
there is no power in the world that can prevent Iran from producing
a nuclear bomb. Currently Israel does not have the
military-political option of attacking Iran, as the US controls the
Persian Gulf, Iran and Iraq area," he said. "We cannot attack
without Washington's consent," Eitan said. "Bush is weak within the
US, and the chance that he'll launch an attack against Iran is slim.
I don't think sanctions will affect Iran in its quest for a bomb.
The threat is not only directed toward Israel, but also at Arab and
other countries." Turning his attention to Israeli-Palestinian
relations, Eitan said, "there is no chance of reaching an agreement
with the Palestinians in the near future."
'Arafat realized his vision'
Eitan, who served as Mossad's director of operations for many years,
said "such agreements can be reached, but they wouldn't be worth
anything at this stage of our lives." "During one of the Palestinian
conferences I was able to infiltrate, Yasser Arafat reiterated what
he had said his entire life: 'We will build a Palestinian system of
many separate military units; only in this way will we be able to
defeat the Jews and expel them to the sea'," he said. "Arafat
realized his vision and built separate units that were added to the
PLO's military wings. This structure still exists in today's
Palestinian Authority; Hamas won't change it, and neither will Fatah.
I don't see anyone who can change it." As to Prime Minster Ehud
Olmert's plan to unilaterally evacuate settlements in the West Bank
Eitan said, "Israel must remain in the security zones, meaning all
those zones we do not plan on annexing." IMRA:
One would have expected the following revelation to lead to calls
for an inquiry into why the Government of Israel ignored such a
clear message.
REPORT
URGES BUSH TO REJECT ISRAELI PULLOUT
WASHINGTON [MENL]-A U.S. security think-tank has urged President
George Bush to reject an Israeli government plan for a unilateral
withdrawal from 90 percent of the West Bank. The report by the
Washington-based Center for Security Policy, regarded as
close to the Defense Department, warned that the plan prepared by
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would destabilize the Middle East
and threaten U.S. interests in Iraq and Jordan. The report said the
West Bank would quickly come under the control of Iran and other
U.S. adversaries. "Although an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank
and the dismantlement of Israeli communities there seems consonant
with traditional American policies in the Middle East, in light of
the radicalization of Palestinian society, as evidenced by Hamas'
electoral victory in January 2006, it is unclear how an Israeli
withdrawal today will align with U.S. national security interests
and goals," the report, entitled "Ehud Olmert's Convergence Plan for
the West Bank and U.S. Middle East Policy," said. "Unfortunately, it
seems evident that an Israeli retreat from the West Bank will
empower the terror supporting, anti-American de facto Palestinian
state and will create a new base for global terrorism." The report
marked an effort by Republican Party conservatives, who include
leading members of the House and Senate, to oppose Olmert's plan.
Conservative supporters of Israel, including the Christian Right,
did not lobby against U.S. support for Israel's decision to withdraw
from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert's Planned Withdrawal from the West Bank: A
Threat to U.S. Interests and Security
Background: Israel's new Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to
visit Washington, DC later this month in order to secure
administration and congressional support for his plan to withdraw
Israeli civilians and the Israeli military from between 90-95
percent of the West Bank and large sections of the city of
Jerusalem. On the budgetary side, Olmert asserts that the
implementation of his plan will cost $10 billion and he intends to
seek U.S. financing to underwrite this cost. Olmert's plan involves
expelling between 50,000-100,000 Israeli civilians from their homes
and the destruction of between 50-100 Israeli communities in the
West Bank and the redeployment of Israeli military forces to
garrisoned positions. He claims that this plan will enhance regional
stability, improve Israeli security, increase the prospects of peace
between Israel and the Palestinians, and boost Israeli and American
standing in the
international community. These claims are identical to those
advanced by former prime minister Sharon when he advocated Israel's
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip which took place last September.
Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last year failed to do any
of these things. Indeed the actual consequences of the withdrawal
have been the exact opposite of what Sharon predicted. A reenactment
of that operation on the West Bank - which is both 20 times larger
than the Gaza Strip and vastly more significant on a strategic level
- will exacerbate the failure of the Gaza withdrawal strategy to the
detriment not only of Israel's national security, but the stability
of the Jordanian regime and American national security interests.
Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip fomented the transformation
of Gaza into a Taliban-like state. The Palestinians perceived
Israel's decision to retreat to the 1949 armistice lines as a
victory for Hamas and the jihadist ideology that negates Israel's
right to exist. This perception contributed greatly to Hamas'
stunning electoral victory in the Palestinian legislative elections
in January. Under Hamas's leadership, Palestinian society is being
swiftly transformed into an Islamic extremist society like
Taliban-led Afghanistan. After Israel withdrew, Gaza was flooded
with terrorists and terror armaments that passed through Gaza's
international border with the Egyptian Sinai. Katyusha rockets,
anti-aircraft missiles and advanced anti-tank missiles have all been
brought into the area. Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards all set up forward operating bases in Gaza.
Hamas itself has become a client of Iran. The destroyed Israeli
settlements in Gaza are now used as terror-training camps and as
missile-launching sites. Israeli artillery and air strikes against
terrorist elements in Gaza since the withdrawal have been
ineffective in preventing the escalation of missile, rocket and
mortar attacks against all Israeli cities and villages bordering
Gaza.
An Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank will cause a similar
situation to arise in the areas abandoned by Israel. But unlike the
Gaza Strip, the West Bank provides the Palestinian and global
terrorist elements that will operate freely in the area with the
ability to launch missile and rocket attacks against all of Israel's
major cities, highways and civilian air traffic taking off and
landing at |