Muslim Palestinian Expectations Presented in Portland by Itamar Marcus

Itamar Marcus, Director of Palestinian Media Watch, gave a lecture tonight at Portland State U. This is a group that started working in 1996 that has translated Arabic spoken and written to see if the Palestinians are saying the same things to their people that they have said to us. They analyze Palestinian Authority culture and society from numerous perspectives.

What we heard was quite shocking to many. The task of reaching a peace accord with the Palestinians is marred by their cultural and religious goals which do not include having a peaceful Palestinian State next to Israel.

The Palestinian Media Watch have monitored and documented every type of Palestinian media; sports, music, videos, school books crossword puzzles, media meant for children and media for adults.

Soccer games are shown on TV with teams of 14 year olds and the teams are named after terrorists who sacrificed themselves with bombs in order to kill Jews which gives them martyrdom. This is the idol that these children worship. These teams were supported by UNISEF for two years in a row. The same thing was going on for the girls' teams.

Video news material was staged. They would tell their children to run towards fighting and then complain to the authorities that Israelis were shooting them. Other times they actually staged situations and children were acting like they had been shot. They would show real footage of Israeli planes and then show "dead" children as a result.

Muslims see themselves in a global conflict as much as one with Israel. They admire Saddam Hussain. Champions are named after him.

The Muslims are brainwashing their children and adults in every way every day. The shift to radical Palestinian Islam is not only with Hamas but also Fatah, the group we are planning to discuss peace with. Hamas won the election between the two groups by 56%. It's very name means "Islamic resistance Movement". Their charter includes world domination, no Israel at all but they will claim it all and rename it Palestine. All Jews are to be killed for G-d. They are in G-d's War. Fatah has been trying to be seen as the more moderate group but their citizens have just voted to cut off the hands of thieves, which goes along with the law in Saudi Arabia and other countries. The Palestinian Teacher's Union voted in the Hamas union in 2007.

As recently as October 11, 2007, Palestinian maps show that all of Israel is actually Palestine. Israel is not there. This is how they want it to be. They show TV historical dramas about the founding of Israel showing Jews that are depicted worse than Shakespeare's Shylock. I was sickened at the outlandish negative portrayal of a Jewish man dealing with some Arabs.

School books teach that children should partake in jihad and that there is no Israel. They are busy poisoning the minds of the children and are indoctrinating them to commit suicide. They teach that Jews are dangerous to the world and it a service to humanity to kill them. This has been going on more than that last 8 years. They are an old hand in staging and editing their video to make Israelis look like horrid monsters. Children are taught through TV to use violence to solve their problems which is the opposite of what we teach our children in schools. One example is that Hamas "borrowed" Mickey Mouse" and gave him the new name of Farfur. Farfur teaches the children to be bloody and violent and that Islam shall rule the world. They used Farfur in one story where a child did not do his homework, and he told the teacher that because of the problems his family had, it was the Jews' fault. Pressure was brought on Fatah to take this off the air, so they had Farfur killed off by the Jews, turning him into a martyr which caused the children to hate Jews even more and want to go on Jihad. The goal of those putting pressure on the station was to save Mickey Mouse. They did not think about the attitude created by killing Mickey, or rather, Farfur.

The Palestinians have received more financial aid than any other country, including Israel. They have not put it to good use, but have wasted it, and then they turn around and blame Israel, the USA and Europe for them not having any money.

We look upon these suicide bombers with shock, wondering how anyone could possibly blow themselves up for any cause. Since the beginning of the Muslim religion in the 700's AD, this type of behavior has been found and encouraged. They are even encouraged by their mothers. They view this as aspiration, not desperation, as we had thought. They are honestly taught on TV and shown that after a man was blown to bits he was married to 72 dark-eyed virgins. We view this as a joke. They are dead serious. We need to look at these things through their eyes to understand what they are doing. A story was told on Palestinian TV of a 9th century period where Mohammed's friend was captured and he died in battle. A girl came down from heaven for him. This thinking has a long tradition. If a girl dies in battle, she becomes one of the virgins and gets a man. A mother whose son became a martyr saw friends coming to her home. They told her, "Bless you on your son's wedding day. " They came to celebrate. They encourage their sons to die for Allah. Eighth graders were interviewed. They said they seek death, not life. Their philosophy is the opposite of Israel's, whose toasts of L'Chaiym, or "To Life" identifies their view. Life is the most important state, not death.

We saw 15 year old martyrs who are role models for other children to encourage them to follow them to blow themselves up. 70 to 80% of Palestinian chidren want to do this. It's called Shahada, or afterlife and that they will not be dead. They really believe that they will go to Paradise, a place full of amusement park items and other such wonders and delights.

Americans and Jews are placed in the same catagory. The goal is Islamic supremacy. Islam is to rule the world. They tell us that all peoples will benefit from this.

We cannot make peace with a people that does not intend to have peace. One Muslim was mentioned that is a moderate and does not believe all of this radical philosophy. It was said that we need to build him up and help him spread the word of living in peace as others are trying to do. Knowing what has happened in Lebanon to Christian leaders causes me to think that he doesn't have a chance. He will be in danger of being murdered if he is spotlighted. It comes down to this. Peace will have to wait until children are not being brainwashed. Their textbooks have to be changed. Their TV programs need to be revamped. Hatred has to stop being the focal point in their life. Europe needs to be a part of the plan as all of Muslimhood is being swept up in this radical movement. They need to stop supporting groups and withhold their money for them. The world cannot become emprisoned. One thing we can do is to educate people about what the Palestinian Media Watch has unfolded. History would have been taking different directions if more people were made aware of others' aims. We need to realize what is the truth. Truth should rule, not extremism.

This lecture was brought to Portland by the Jewish Federation of the Greater Portland Community Relations Committee and Hadassah.

I knew about school books and staging video for TV propaganda that was happening many years ago. I had heard about math books with story problems such as: if 2 Jews are killed in Tel Aviv and 3 are killed in Safed, how many are killed? David Bedein wrote about uncovering facts that showed that the backhoe incident where an American for Peace volunteer was killed accidently while protesting the actions of the Israeli Army and not as the Palestinians suggested. The terrorists could not win battles with the army, so they found that they could defeat Israel with media.

The Israel Lobby and US foreign Policy Authors in Portland

We've only been waiting for 2,000 years for the rebirth of Israel after most Jews were taken as slaves in 70AD by the Romans after they burned our Jerusalem. Though Israel was reborn in 1948, it has taken American Jews many years to have an Israel Lobby in Washington D.C.

Often I have criticized our propaganda machine, if there exists any, as all I ever hear in the newspapers, TV and radio are articles denouncing Israel regardless of what it does. I've thought, "why can't there be any articles of a positive nature about Israel?" I wasn't even aware that we had an Israel Lobby machine. It can't be very big as there aren't that many of us available or knowedgable.

Jews are less than 1% of the population in the states, but suddenly John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have attacked our little lobby as being too powerful. I'd like to know what power we have over the stubborn politicians in Washington.

I don't think it's the Israel Lobby that has been so successful in persuading President Bush to be supportive. I think it's his own personal feelings about Israel. Right now there are many Christians on the right of political pursuasion who have claimed that Israel is a part of their revelation that has to do with bringing about their savior in the very near future. Iran and other nations have possible atomic weapons that they could use to attack Israel first and then the United States. Times are scary right now, and prophecies seems to be coming true. The Israel Lobby is a scapegoat for frightened people who can't understand why anyone would want to support Israel.

The very existence of Israel has been threatened and attacked since its inception, but the little country has prevailed, shocking everyone. Threats only get worse. Every president of the United States has proclaimed support for Israel, and a few have actually helped. That is supposed to be the stand the United States has taken since it voted for Israel's birth in the U.N.

The Israel Lobby has little power. They don't even tempt politicians with money or food. They only have truth on their side, and that truth is that Israel has a right to exist. There it is. Somehow, they have managed to get politicians to listen to some of their facts. Perhaps they are good speakers. John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have written a tome of misinformation about them that lazy people have gobbled up as factual because they haven't the ability to read carefully and their mindset is also against Israel. I find that this tome is just sloppy writing that isn't even factual. It's poor writing for someone with the credentials that these two men have.

These two Phd's, one from Harvard and the other from Cornell spoke to a huge crowd at the Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom on October 24. So many people were so eager to bash Israel that they had to find this immense room to hold them all. Unfortunately, they probably made a lot of money selling their book. Bashing Israel sells. This teaches me that though someone is very well educated and comes from outstanding schools, it doesn't mean that their views are correct. We must all check out information before swallowing it. We must find ulterior motives for their actions.


"As HASHEM lives, Who brought up and brought back the offspring of the House of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands wherein He had dispersed them; and they will dwell in their own land."

Recent Russian Anti-Semitism

Foreign immigrants have been coming into Russia. The Russian's negative reaction included a hatred for Jews in the capital Sunday, November 4th. By careful manuevers, about 2,000 marchers avoided arrest while chanting slogans against them. They shouted "glory to the Russian nation" and called for the death of Jews but not the foreign immigrants. Other rallies took place within Russia while observing their National Unity Day. President Vladimir Putin was near Red Square, and declared that efforts to divide Russia from the outside were bound to fail. Who does he consider the outside trying to divide Russia?

Jews in Russia have been there for eons. They are not foreign immigrants. Yet when it comes to finding a scapegoat, they are the first to be sacrificed.

Resource: Oregonian, November 5, 2007 page A9

European Anti-Semitism Disclosed in Portland

EVER AGAIN, narrated by Kevin Costner, was shown at Portland State's Smith Memorial Student Union Bldg on Halloween day with a follow-up panel discussion by four professors. The film was made by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. I attended. The film was not sugar coated. It showed the growing anti-semitism in England, Germany, France, Holland and Belgium that was becoming out of control. What frightened me was the viciousness of the anti-semities and their hatred.

This has been brought about by skinheads from Eastern Germany as well as the many Muslims moving into these countries. The Muslims are against Israel, and demonstrate against Jews that they find. They are encouraging the stabbing of Jews. One scene showed about forty adults beating up Jewish children in a demonstration. One moving scene was that of Daniel Pearl and his father.

Professor Aomar Boum, anthropologist, a young Muslim Berber from Morocco, was one of the panelists. He was the most positive of the four in hoping for communication between Israel and Palestinians. He is writing a book about Muslim attitudes towards Jews. Coming from Morocco, his experience with Jews has been good. I just hope he can influence others to rethink their positions towards Jews. Being as old as I am, I am more in agreement with the other more pessimistic panelists, but there is always hope.

We can see that this is the reason that Israel is important to us all. When countries turn against us, we have a haven to flee to called home. The problem that creating this home has caused has also turned people into anti-semites. The fact is that we have suffered anti-semitism in eras when we had no Israel, so that it is not the whole cause. The cause is "who we are."
Today I received an email about the rising anti-semitism in England from my cousin a few miles away. It cited many things happening similar to those in the movie. Suddenly people are aware of what's happening.

Ann Coulter's Speaking Against ADL's Apathy Towards Israel

Then I just received Ann Coulter's article "How Long Before the ADL Kicks out all its Jews? The title is silly but her article is not. I hate to say it, but she makes some valuable points. The fact is that Israel is in danger of being eliminated. The ADL is not facing the truth, and is pussyfooting around with other less important issues. Anti-semitism is rampant (as reported yesterday during the discussion) in Eugene, Oregon on the U. of Oregon campus. A group or groups there are busy villifying Israel, which of course causes Jewish reprocussions. To condemn Israel is the same as condemning any Jew in the USA. The Anti-Defamation League is busying itself with other issues. Our young people are too busy to be concerned with Israel. We haven't stressed its values to our own children. The one group that it matters to happen to be a group we have not identified with in the past: the right-winged Republicans.
It seems that the ADL has chided my favorite radio personality, Dennis Prager because he found fault with Keith Ellison, who wanted to take his congressman's oath on the Koran and not on the bible. Dennis Prager has done more on his now defunct radio show for Israel than any organization I can think of. He discusses, writes, sends information to those interested, and has since been off the air in Gresham/Portland, Oregon. I just found out from Victor Sharpe, historian, writer and musician, that Dennis now has his 3 hour daily radio program on the local am 9.10 station KTLK starting after a 9am news and going till noon. After Dennis is Michael Medved, also another supporter of Israel. So I agree with Ann Coulter in this. ADL, get on the stick and start supporting Israel and those who support it.
Thank you to Hadassah's Portland Chapter and the Harold Schnitzer family Program in Judaic Studies at PSU. Also thank you to Rabbi Aron Heir from LA, and the PSU faculty Linda Maizels, the anthropologist Aomar Boum and Victoria Belco for their panel participation. After viewing such a shocking movie, we needed to talk about it and hear their viewpoints.