Turkey's Erdogan Speaks Against Israel in UN

Nadene Goldfoot
A former passing friend, Turkey, is following the Muslim Brotherhood doctrine of hate for Israel.  The Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan,  just spoke at the UN saying that Zionism is a crime against humanity.  Up to the time Turkey had a boat try to land in Gaza as part of an invading fleet and Israel had to board it with shooting ensuing, any  friendship existing then has ended.  The former ruler of Israel's land had been the Ottoman Empire, which was Turkey.  They're still carrying over sour grapes from 1917, perhaps, when they lost WWI.

How things have changed!  In 1975, Kofi Annon presided over the Zionism is racism resolution that said this was an expression of anti-Semitism, and he had hailed its repeal.  So here we have the UN chief Ban Ki-moon, present on the stage, staying silent.  He did not speak out and condemn the speech.  The most disgusting thing about it is that this was said at the UN Summit for Tolerance.

Erdogan used the podium to incite hatred, and he used Ahmadinejad's style of declaration to spew his affirmation of being a good Muslim following the party line.  It  certainly is showing that Turkey will not become a friend of Israel again.

UN Watch urged Archbishop Desmond Tutu (not favorable towards Israel that I have seen), Rabbi Arthur Schneier and Professor John Esposito to denounce these remarks which contradict the very purpose of this forum which is dedicated to mutual tolerance.  Erdogan just made a mockery of it.

Erdogen is also speaking out against Islamophobia.  It's all right for him to denounce Zionism and fascism, but he thinks that people who are wary of Muslims today are committing a crime against humanity.  He's against politicians who have communication tools, probably meaning a good handle on the English language, TV, radio and cell phones to spread the news about  events in the world.  He doesn't get it at all, evidently, that he is committing the biggest crime of all, and the rest of the UN members are in such a  rapturous  state that they are not fighting against it.

A report showed that Jews and Armenians are exposed to more hate speech than others in Turkey's newspapers.  The researches found 39 instances of hate speech against Jews in Turkish newspapers during that period, which accounted for 25 percent of the total of hateful articles found.

What is the goal of Islam?  I was just presented with this bit of information.  "1.7 billion Muslims. By 2030 which will be increased into 2.2 billion, in-sha-Allah. Then the global population is set to reach over 8 billion and 26.4% of that population will be Muslim. At the very least, they are planning on a population explosion. of Muslims."  There doesn't seem to be any room for the world's 0.02% Jewish population, and certainly they plan on taking over Israel's little bit of land.

Update:  12:07 pm  US Secretary of State Kerry to Condemn Erdogan's Anti-Semitic Slur in Turkey Meeting Tomorrow

Resource: UN Watch
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/27/2-2-billion-worlds-muslim-population-doubles/#ixzz2MCtwBd62"
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-erdogan-islamophobia-anti-semitism-same.aspx?pageID=238&nID=42019&NewsCatID=338
http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/erdogan_at_un_forum_zionism_is_crime_against_humanity_video

The Jewish Homeland: From 1st to 20th Century-Ruled By Foreigners But Not By the People

Nadene Goldfoot

1,878 years went by from 70 CE to 1948, the land of Israel and Judah was ruled by foreign governments from afar.  People who lived there had no say.  The names were also changed.  

70-395 CE:  Romans Rule:  from Rome:   Tried to obliterate Jewish identity of the Land.  Changed the name to Palaestina and Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina.  Spoke Latin.

395-636 Byzantine Rule:  from Constantinople, head of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, spoke Greek. Emperor Justinian

636-1072 Arab Rule: from Saudi Arabia; Mecca, Medina,  The Land was divided by the Arabs into 2 military districts on both sides of the River Jordan, Filastin (Palestine), and urdun (Jordan).  Arabs only built the  town of Ramla  which became an administrative center.  Spoke Arabic

1072-1099 Seljuk Rule- Turks possibly from Khazaria , Spoke Turkish, many languages

1099-1291 Crusaders' Rule:  kings from Christian Europe,   The Land was named "the Kingdom of Jerusalem".  spoke English, French,

1291-1516  Mamluk Rule:  Egyptian slaves of Turkish and Mongol descent, drove out Crusaders The Land was divided into 3 districts; Mamlaka:  Safad, Gaza and Damascus.  There was no name for the Jewish Homeland. spoke Turkish, Mongolian, a little Arabic

1516-1917:  Ottoman Rule: from Turkey,  The Land was divided into separately administered districts of Sanjaks, Vilayets.  There was no name for the Land as a whole.  Sided with Germany in WWI, lost.  spoke Turkish

1918-1948:  British Rule:  Held the mandate from the League of Nations.  Renamed the land "Palestine."  Mandate extended on both sides of the Jordan.  In 1922 Britain partitioned territory into Palestine on West side and Transjordan on East side of Jordan River.  Transjordan later became Jordan.

May 14, 1948 Israel was pronounced a state among the other nations through the UN. Speaking Hebrew.

Resource:  Facts about Israel 1973 edition, page 26, 27.
Text:  Middle East Past & Present by Yahya Armajani and Thomas M. Ricks; Portland State U.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seljuk

CUFI's Honoring Israel Night

Nadene Goldfoot            Ambassador Yoram Ettinger at luncheon  held at Woodstock Bible Church        
                          
CUFI (Christians United For Israel) honored and remembered Israel again yesterday afternoon at a kosher luncheon and last night in a wonderful program at two different locations.  The keynote speaker at both functions was retired Ambassador Yoram Ettinger,  "an expert on US/Israel relations,"who "served as Minister for Congressional Affairs at Israel's Embassy in Washington (with the rank of ambassador),  as Israel's Consul General in Houston and as Director of Israel's Government Press Office." The audience last night  at the New Hope Community Church was also made up of more Jews than I had seen in earlier years.  It's wonderful to see that we have this group of friends who give their heart and support to Israel, our fledgling country of 64 years who is fighting for its very existence.

Yoram's speech centered on the connection between the United States and Israel.  I learned facts that I didn't realize.  Our support certainly should be unfaltering, given our history together, unlike some places such as Germany and England where the Jewish people found themselves either in peril for their lives or exiled for hundreds of years due to anti-Semitism.

"Yoram Ettinger is executive director of Second Thought: A US-Israel Initiative. An expert on the politics of the Middle East and overseas investment in Israel’s high tech industries, Ambassador Ettinger is a trusted consultant to members of Israel’s Cabinet and Knesset and regularly briefs U.S. legislators and their staff on Israel’s contribution to vital U.S. interests. He has served as Minister for Congressional Affairs at the Israeli embassy in Washington, Israeli Consul General in Houston, Texas, and Director of the Israeli government press office."

CUFI's inception was in February 2006 and since then have held over 150 Nights to Honor Israel across the country where the attendance has numbered in the hundreds of thousands.  They come to honor and bless Israel.  The last night in the Portland/Vancouver area was June 2009.  Last night was the 4th event. CUFI states that they believe that the Jewish people have a right to live in their ancient land of Israel, and that the modern State of Israel is the fullfillment of this historic right.  They are the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States with over one million members.

One of CUFI"s accomplishments that I thought was impossible is making an inroad in certain universities that have become so anti-Israel.  So many have been overtaken by groups who are like the Muslim Brotherhood, spouting such hatred and false facts that never get checked.  Brave CUFI students are standing against this front and bringing in a message of their own that is being listened to.

A survey shows that there are a lot of mature adults who back Israel's rights in the United States, but we are all worried about our future generation after such brainwashing that is going on in our schools.  CUFI, at least, will have a generation who will care about Israel.

Yoram, who graduated from UCLA,  is not finished in our Portland area.  He is speaking again tonight which will include a question and answer period, which we also had in our luncheon with him.

For Jews, we had just finished our holiday of Purim, which fell on February 24th, our reminder of the close call of extinction by the wicked Haman in Persia, who wanted all Jews everywhere killed.  It was Queen Esther who saved the day.  Again, we're facing the same problem from the same people.  We don't have Queen Esther, but today we have friends in CUFI who also are working hard to save Israel.  Such a mixture of people from various churches throughout America are making their voices heard.  Many are not strangers to Israel, either, and have been there if not once, many times already, seeing the progress.

I believe it is the South that is thought of as the Bible Belt, but CUFI members come from all over the United States and are people who study the Bible which includes their Old Testament as well.   Our government is learning that there are a lot of Americans who care about the necessary and fantastic relationship we have between Israel and the USA and how helping Israel to exist is also benefiting the USA in so many ways.

CUFI, you brought tears to my eyes again last night in that wonderful feeling that we have friends standing with us in our struggle in a very unfair world.  I am so proud of you.

Resource: http://www.cufi.org/site/PageServer
http://www.jewishcincinnati.org/Yoram-Ettinger-JCRC-Gettler-Breakfast-Briefing.aspx
http://www.israelispeakers.co.il/110277/Yoram-Ettinger-1
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/2958

Jews: What Happened to Them After King Saul of Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Saul,  of the Tribe of Benjamin,  was chosen  to be the first  king of Israel (about 1020-1004 BCE..  David, from the tribe of Judah,  was the next king and founded a dynasty of  4 hundred years until the Babylonian conquest.  He had created a kingdom and made Jerusalem its capital (abt 1,000 BCE).  Solomon, his son,  (965-928 BCE) caused the kingdom to become an important power in the Middle East.  He built the First Temple (960 BCE).  During his reign Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer were founded.

Solomon died and the kingdom split into two:  Judah with the capital in Jerusalem under King David's descendants and Israel which continued with the original name and its half with a new capital in Samaria, ruled by a series of dynasties. Their first king was Jeroboam, from the tribe of Ephraim (933-912 BCE).

Israel came to an end in 722 BCE when Assyria conquered it and part of the population was exiled.  Sargon II was the conqueror who resettled it with Cutheans (idolaters, possibly of Assyrian people)  who intermingled with the remnants of the Israelites.  They had converted but retained their idol worship and finally Jews were not allowed to marry them.  The capital, Samaria, became a center in the Persian period and became a Macedonian colony in 331 BCE.  It became a village in the Arab period.

The Samaritans are probably the descendants of the remnant of Ephraim or Manasseh tribes and the non-Israelite colonists brought in and live today as a small ethnic group and separate religious sect in Nablus and in Israel. Their religion is a primitive form of Judaism but their bible is only the Pentateuch with variations.  To them, the sanctuary is Mt. Gerizim.

Judah was conquered in 586 BCE by the Babylonians who destroyed the First Temple.  A large part of the population was exiled to Babylon (Iraq today) and others fled to Egypt.  Large Jewish communities had existed since that time in both Israel and Judah until before 1917 when they dwindled.
The prophets existed during this 500 year period.  Their message basically was the struggle for social justice.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Babylonian Empire was finally overthrown by the Persians (Iran) so the land of Israel was also under Persian rule.  King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return to the Land and rebuild the Temple (538 BCE).  Jews then lived in their land autonomously for 400 years under the Persians.

After 332 BCE Jews were under Hellanistic rule.  In 168 BCE the Hellenistic ruler of Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes IV tried to limit Jewish autonomy and replace monotheistic belief with idolatry.  The Jews revolted under the leadership of a Hasmonaean family and regained their independence.  It's thought that the Hasmonaeans were of the tribe of Levi.  They ruled Judah.  Herodian then ruled after that.

By 63 BCE the kingdom was part of the Roman Empire.  Herod  ruled and he was responsible for the reconstruction of the Temple. Herod was the son of Antipater the Idumean  and his wife, a Nabatean named Cypros.  He had been appointed by his father to be the governor of Galilee.  He was appointed king of Judea by the Roman senate and had captured Jerusalem in 37 CE with the help of the Romans.  Idumean or Edom was a country in SE Eretz Israel, also called Mount Seir.  It lay south of the Dead Sea and bordered the Red Sea at Elat.  The people were of Semitic origin, descendants of Esau and lived by  hunting.  They were traditional enemies of Israelites.  They fought Saul but were defeated by David.  They were conquered by John Hyreanus who forcibly converted them to Judaism, and then they became a part of the Jewish people.  Herod was one of their descendants.  John Hyreanus was the son of Simon the Hasmonean (135-104 BCE)  who beat Ptolemy in taking Jerusalem.

Jerusalem became an important metropolis with about 200,000 people.  Herod died in 4 BCE.  Romans tightened their rule.  In 66 CE Jews revolted against the Romans until 70 CE when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the 2nd Temple.  In 73 CE, Masada, the last Jewish fortress was taken by the Romans.   At this time the Jewish population was about 3 million.

Bar Kokhba was a leader who revolted against the Roman Empire and died in 135 CE in the revolt against Hadrian.  He was a descendant of King David.  Letters written by him were discovered near the Dead Sea.  The Romans had been rebuilding Jerusalem as a Roman colony and they were prohibiting circumcision.  There were 580,000 Jewish casualties in this revolt.  Many others died of hunger and disease.  Judah fell into desolation.  Jerusalem was then barred to Jews.  The revolt lasted over 3 years involving the best of the Roman forces.

Then many Jews were driven into exile and large Jewish communities emerged in other Middle East countries and beyond. They wandered as far as Saudi Arabia where whole Jewish tribes were forced to convert to Islam or be killed.  Jewish communities were founded all over the Middle East.and came to be known as the Sephardi Jews as contrasted by the Ashkenazi Jews who wandered farther into Europe.

 Jews had originally entered the land of Canaan with Moses (1391-1271 BCE) and consisted of the children of the 12 sons of Jacob, his 2 wives who were sisters (Leah and Rachel) and their 2 handmaids (Zilpah and Bilhah)  who had founded their own tribes.  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Gad, Asher, Dan and Naphtali.  Judah was always the largest of the tribes.  Jews think of themselves as being either Cohens, Levites or Israelites.  Today with the development of DNA studies, the Cohen gene (haplogroup J1)  has been found. The interesting factor is that most of these people are also functioning as the Cohen in their synagogue, showing why this is called the Cohen gene.  This is an inherited position in the synagogue that comes with certain responsibilities, namely being called as the first reader from the Torah on Saturday (Shabbat).  It shows that oral history has passed down correctly for 2,000 years.  Another J1 line is the J1c3d which is is thought to come from Arabs and originating from Esau, Isaac's half brother.  This branch does not reflect many Jews but is a Semitic line.

We must remember that Abraham and his father, Terah, left Ur (Iraq) to establish a monotheistic religion. If Abraham and his father were J1....they left ancestors and relatives in Ur who also went on to establish more individuals who would have spread J1...  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the 3 who would have continued the Jewish or Cohen J1  Y haplogroup.  Branches of families have been found, such as the Cohen J1c, J2a1b, J2a4 and the other Semitic J1 such as J1c3d who today are Muslims. Also, Jews have been scattered all over the earth, especially in the Middle East.  No wonder we are finding similar Ydna among Jewish and non-Jews.

Resource:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe_of_Benjamin.
Facts About Israel from division of information ministry for foreign affairs, Jerusalem
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeroboam
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Bible/Origins_of_the_Bible/Other_Ancient_Texts/Books_of_Maccabees/First_Maccabees.shtml
http://www.schechter.edu/AskTheRabbi.aspx?ID=477 Cutheans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Victar/Haplogroup_J1c3d_(Y-DNA)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AHaplogroup_J1c3d_(Y-DNA)
http://kahana.hubpages.com/hub/More-on-the-Kohanim-DNA-Question

Stage Play in Portland: 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother

                                                                        Wendy Westerwelle and Ritah Parrish                          
Nadene Goldfoot                                                               
I was treated last night by my son to see the stage play of 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother.  I went with my daughter in law and her mother, so we three had an hour and 15 minutes of laughter.  Also there was a van load full of Robison Home residents who also enjoyed the presentation.

This took place at The Sanctuary on Sandy Blvd who put on the Triangle Productions.  Their mission is to entertain and educate,  and indeed, they did both.

The acting was done by only 2 women, so it varied from a monologue a little.  Both Ritah Parrish, who played the part of Judy Gold, and Wendy Westerwelle, who took the part of all the other characters who were other Jewish mothers, were fabulous!  Supposedly they were from New Jersey.

The story is about Judy taking a survey of Jewish mothers and asking them 25 questions and getting a sundry of answers.  I found that Jewish mothers have changed from Portnoy's Complaint about mothers.  This mother doing the survey was a lesbian and both partners had decided to have children.  Judy was from an orthodox home.  Our audience was exposed to a whole new aspect of family life.

The program included 25 questions I was afraid might be asked, for in this community I was worried about the answers that could be related.  However, like they explained in the program,  it took a lot longer than the 30 allotted minutes for asking the questions, so they didn't ask all the questions in their hour and 15 minutes of portrayal.

The play has been running since February 7th and is over on the 24th.  If you get a chance, see it.  Contact is at triangleproductions1@gmail.com.  

Nebraska's Chuck Hagel and Harry Reid, Democrat and the Voting for Secretary of Defense

Nadene Goldfoot
The senators who will be voting might relent after they return to Washington.  The vote will probably nominate Chuck Hagel.  Only 15 Republican Senators are asking Obama to withdraw his name from nomination.  Their concerns center around the Benghazi, Libya fiasco in which 4 Americans were killed; one being the US ambassador. Another accusation is that he has been too lenient on Iran.  Miracles are in short supply.  A few such as Senator Ted Cruz still oppose the confirmation as Secretary of Defense.  With all the negatives abounding, how is it possible for a man so unsuitable for this job to even be nominated?

In today's Oregonian, the PolitiFact section's headline is "No sign of Iran celebrating Hagel defense nomination."  I suppose this is to show the public that if Iran isn't celebrating his nomination, that this means they fear him and he will be tough on them.  Wrong.  They're smart enough to know this.  People should realize that their newspapers are government owned and will reflect the will of this mentally unstable government.

If anyone believes that Iran's zeal to develop uranium is for medical purposes only will believe in flying carpets, too.  Iran has threatened Israel so much and has called them so many outlandish names that you know they are serious.  Just look at their charters.  On page A7 of today's paper, a teeny item titled Iran Nuclear, says that  UN inspectors recently found 200 advanced machines fully or partially installed at their main uranium enrichment site.  This confirms the accounts that Tehran has begun a major upgrade to be used for making atomic arms.  You see, they are getting around this action because international law allows using it for scientific and medical purposes.  But knowing the government, you know what their real goal is.

Chuck Hagel will be in charge of  defense of the USA and will be affecting the defense of Israel.  As a Republican Senator from Nebraska, his attitudes do not reflect the present Republican views.  John McCain surprises me in backing down so quickly.  Chuck is reflecting far more of the Democrats, and I am sadder to think that anyone  would take his positions.  Just look at a few of the attitudes he reflects.

1. Hagel commented  that Israel is responsible for violating virtually every United Nations resolutions since 1967.  This is factually inaccurate.
 2. Hagel’s advocacy of negotiations with the terrorist organization Hamas, it is morally obtuse.
3. He tried to close the USO's Haifa retreat from 1987-1990, a place popular with US sailors.  45,000 had visited this port (so much like Portland) in 1990.  His comment was, "Let the Jews pay for it!."
4. Only Hagel abandoned Russia's Jews.  He wouldn't give support in 1999 urging Boris Yeltsin to take action against anti-Semitism.  Only he wouldn't sign a letter all other senators signed.
5. Refused to sign a Senate letter supporting Israel during Yasser Arafat's terrorist Intifada in 2000.  He was one of 4 that refused to sign.  96 Senators signed.
6.  He said that the State Department is the adjunct to Israel's foreign minister's office.  That is surely a nasty statement.  He's saying they are attached!  Never mind that they may be sharing the same values.  Because they might be in agreement with many things that he isn't, he has become most nasty and really-this shows his true colors about Israel.
7. Saying nasty comments about AIPAC.  such as, "The Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here on Capitol Hill."  He said this to Aaron David Miller in 2008 and was printed in the New York  Post. This is another anti-Semitic comment.  It's inferring that Jews have such power as to intimate people.  Nonsense.  Again, we do have shared values.  AIPAC people are Americans.
8.  Commenting that because someone is Jewish,  he is getting good reviews.  A secretary of defense shouldn't be on the religious affiliation of an American who participates in foreign policy debates.  I would hope that in this country you would have to be a good debater to win a debate and not just because you're Jewish.  Do I detect a little jealousy here?
9 I'M A UNITED STATES  SENATOR.  I'M NOT AN ISRAELI SENATOR." This statement of Hagel's reflects a chip on the shoulder and an attitude.  In other words, we could not possibly be on the same side.  He has also strongly implied that some of the other senators have more loyalty to Israel than to the USA.
10.    Prominent Jewish Nebraskans get the cold shoulder from Hagel. He didn't return any of their phone calls, said Gary Javitch.  He had always had callbacks before, even as a turn-down but Hagel wasn't running again so in his last year in office could afford to ignore certain people.  Carol Katzman, former editor of the Omaha Jewish Press found him most unresponsive to work with.  His office wouldn't respond.  He and his office were dismissive.  He's been the only one in Nebraska that has treated the Jewish community in this manner and they feel that he doesn't give a damn about any of their concerns or of them.   Since they are Jewish, he snubs them.

Each of our 50 states gets only 2 Senators. Today the Republicans have 45 seats while the Democrats have 53 with the leader seat being from Nebraska, Harry Reid.  51 votes are needed to pass a vote.

 Nebraskan Jews have a right to be heard just like the other Nebraskans.  Nebraska is smaller than Oregon in population.  As of July 1, 2012, they had only 1,855,525 people.  Oregon had 3,899,353.  Nebraska is the 37th out of 50 in size while Oregon was the 27th in size. There are from 6,100 to 7,200 Jews who live in Nebraska.  The population has been declining by 10% in the last 3 decades.  Most live in Omaha which has 4 synagogues, a Jewish community center and a mikveh.  Lincoln, Nebraska has 2 synagogues.  Most likely they are not the wheat growers but the merchants.  Jews in Nebraska make up only 0.3% of the population; not enough to bother with, evidently for Hagel.  Jews in Oregon make up a whopping 1.1.% of the population.

Now, if this is how he has treated Jews in his own state, besides all the attitudes and deeds he has already displayed about Jews and Israel, we have a good idea of what to expect from this Secretary of Defense.  Our antennae are more sensitive to these things than other people's.  We've experienced it through the ages.
The 100  senators have other axes to grind with this man.  How is it that they might give up so easily in placing this man in our government's cabinet without a fight?  Why is Obama being so adamant and why did he ever pick him in the first place?  Aren't people vetted before they get on his list?

Resource: Oregonian Newspaper 2/22/13 page A2, and A7.
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0213/murdock.php3#.USex8B2OTqE Chuck Hagel's Greatest Hits by Deroy Murdock
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/21/republican-senators-call-on-obama-to-withdraw-hagel-nomination/
http://spectator.org/blog/2013/02/21/why-hagels-position-on-israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0015_0_14643.html Nebraska
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/usjewpop.html Oregon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections,_2012
http://www.reid.senate.gov/

Lee Smith, Speaker at Portland AIPAC Meeting

Nadene Goldfoot
Our Portland AIPAC meeting hosted Lee Smith, author of  "The Strong Horse:   Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations."

 He spoke to us about the current position of Iran and Israel last night.  The thought is that since North Korea just had a successful 3rd nuclear test only last Tuesday on the 12th and that observers were there from Iran could mean that Iran has the means  to build a weapon as well.  North Korea could be testing for both countries.  They've been working together for the past 10 years. Secretary Kim Ki Nam told the people gathered at Pyongyang Square that their  country's third test  was a self-defensive measure against U.S. hostility.  China and South Korea are also very upset with this test.  

So much going on depends on the background and situation of the surrounding countries, such as Egypt.  The clash of the Arab civilization plays a most important part in all of the current events of the Middle East.  For instance, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are competitors.  So are Iran and Iraq who have had a long war.  In fact, some of the Shi'ite  places of religious tombs are in Iraq.  Iran has been backing Syria.  Terrorist groups are vying for power.   The Sunni and Shi'ite aspects of Islam also must be taken in consideration.  Russia will take the opposite side that the USA is on.  

We in Portland have been upset over Qatar's influence in education in the USA.  Their secondary goal seems to be influencing our young people to their way of thinking toward Jews and Israel, as well as other political attitudes.  This was voiced last night.  It seems to be an aspect that others have overlooked.  We've had evidence of this in our Lincoln High School where the Jewish students were completely shaken up over a group of Palestinian singers who were sponsored by Qatar who sang raps about how terrible the Jews were in Israel. Qatar is funding an Arabic class that does not share with other educators about what they are teaching, and we adults do not read Arabic to keep in contact with materials used.  Hebrew is not considered to be taught in this older well-known high school who sits in the center of an older Jewish community.   We feel the threat from both outside and inside as well.  It's something that Hillary Clinton and our administration have been amiss to see, too.

Just to better understand the involvement of Jews, Israel and Iran, who were the ancient Persians, I have created a timeline.  at http://israel-nadene.blogspot.com/2013/02/does-iran-have-bomb-jews-and-usas.html.
Again, you cannot understand present conditions without knowing about the past.  It's quite an eye-opener.

Our outgoing president, Ken Kwartler, will not end his service with AIPAC but will keep on informing us of all eventualites along with our new president.  He's an excellent representative of what AIPAC does to help the USA and Israel to have good relations and understandings.  My book, The Strong Horse, book will arrive in a few days and I hope to be further enlightened after the preview last night.

Resource: Speaker Lee Smith
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/korean_peninsula/AJ201302150021  from Japan
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/world/asia/north-korea-nuclear-test.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0


  

North Korea and Iran: A Twosome Sharing Nuclear Information?

Nadene Goldfoot
Netanyahu just said yesterday that Iran is getting closer to the red line that he had set at the UN.  I note that they've been slowed down by computer viruses like the Stuxnet in June 2010, thought to have been planted by the USA and Israel but not proven.  Iran claimed that 5 Iranian nuclear scientists were killed and they hung an Israeli.   They're building centrifuges that enrich the uranium needed to make nuclear bombs at 3 times the pace.  They could cross that red line and get to a high enrichment of 90% enriched uranium in a much shorter time.

In 2007, the Israelis bombed the al-Kibar nuclear site in Syria which the North Koreans helped to design.  It was a plutonium facility.

Lee Smith, Senior Editor at the Weekly Standard and Fellow at the Foundation For Defense of Democracies and writer about the ties between Iranians and North Korean scientists, feels that they may already have the bomb.  His background gives him some skills to learn about what the Iranians have been doing.  Smith has a B.A. from George Washington University, where he received awards in English and Latin.  He received the Sage Graduate School Fellowship at Cornell University, and studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo and Universite Saint-Joseph in Beirut.  He knows Spanish, Arabic, French and Latin.  English must be his native language.

For at least the last 10 years, the North Koreans have cooperated with Iran on nuclear and missile issues.  The Iranians have several full-time weapons engineers on site in North Korea.  This has not been a secret.

Last fall, North Korea and Iran signed a paper regarding science and technology.  The North Koreans published the names who signed, including the head of Iran's atomic energy organization and the defense minister.  They are exchanging information.  There are precedents for states passing on designs.  The New York Times spoke with a senior US official who said that the North Koreans are testing for 2 countries.

North Korea has been into nuclear goals since December 12, 1985 when they acceded to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty.  They then withdrew from the IAEA in 1994.  By July 9th, President Kim II Sung died and Kim Jong II took over.  By August 31, 1998, their 3 stage rocket was fired with a range of 93-1,240 miles which went over Japan.  By July 4, 2006 they had a 7 ballistic missile fail but by October 9th had an underground test.  April 5, 2009 they tested a 3 stage rocket.  May 25, 2009 was a 2nd underground test.  December 17, 2011, Kim Jong II died and Kim Jong-Un took over.  On April 13th, a satellite rocket failed but by December 12, 2012, they launched the Unha-3.

January 2013:  Kim Jong-un, about 20 years old, said that the USA was the prime target for Pyongyang's nuclear  and missile tests.  "North Korea is a "serious threat" to the United States and Washington must be prepared to deal with it, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test.

"We saw what North Korea has done these last few weeks with a missile test and now a nuclear test,"  said Leon Panetta, the outgoing Defense Secretary, at a farewell ceremony.  Their goal is to be a force to be reckoned with.  Now South Korea is planning to build ballistic missiles.

On February 2013:  Iran's Ali Khomeini rejected negotiation with the USA over their nuclear ability.  Both North Korea and Iran feel that no one can stop them.  They are both paranoid, secretive regimes.  Jeffrey Lewis, Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at Monterrey Institute feels it's hard to know if North Korea would give the blueprints to Iran.  They do need money, though, and Iran would pay.

North Korea's 1st test most likely used plutonium.

Iranians were at North Korea's 2nd nuclear test.  In May 2009 the explosion was half the size as its 3rd test.  They probably used plutonium then, too.

Iranians were at North Korea's last nuclear test on Tuesday the 12th.  It was a 5.0 in magnitude, half the size of the Hiroshima blast.  It was believed to be an enriched uranium devise.  "Pyongyang appears to detonate a nuclear device with regional monitors detecting an unusual seismic event, of a magnitude between 4.9 and 5.1, in the same location as the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site.  Seoul estimates the blast yield at six to seven kilotons."

I'll be listening to Lee speak tomorrow night.  There might be more insights into just what is going on.

Resource:  Why Iran Already Has the Bomb, by Lee Smith  originally on Tablet Magazine. http://www.realclearworld.com/2013/02/14/why_iran_already_has_the_bomb_145279.html
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130212/key-dates-north-korea-nuclear-missile-programmes
http://www.hudson.org/learn/index.cfm?fuseaction=staff_bio&eid=LeeSmith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05irran-scientist-assassinations-state-tv-confessions_n_1744862.html
http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/the-iran-north-korea-connection/2013/02/18/
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/world/asia/test-seen-as-push-by-kim-for-credibility.html?_r=0

John Brennan and Al Qaeda Regarding Israel

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                  

Osama Bin Laden-former leader of Al-Qaeda

What's happening to fight terrorism is causing questions about our government and how they believe in protecting our country.  My eyebrows are arching when I read that "it isn't unusual for our military and intelligence officials to visit Saudi Arabia and then leave it repeating the classic Saudi talking points about Islam." Our important officials and other American citizens are also spending more time in Qatar.  The same thing can be happening there as well.  Both places are small but wealthy Sunni countries with more than average influence on our government.  For instance, Qaradawi, a most important  religious Sunni leader,  lives in Qatar and has a death wish for all Jews and Israel.

1. Islam is a stable influence on the region.
2. Israel is a destabilizing influence.
                                                                                     

Muslims of Israel have rights 

My thought on this is that Israel is showing the other Muslims a democratic society and that the 1.4 million Arabs living in Israel are most likely better off than the ones in their country being it's the only democratic country in the region.  They even serve in the Knesset and have their own political parties.   But are our USA  government workers becoming brainwashed?  Are they swallowing this tripe of negativism towards Israel?
                                                                         

Take John Brennan, for instance.  He has developed links with the Muslim Brotherhood who I think is the cause of Egypt's downfall in the Arab Spring.  They had been outlawed by Sadat,  and now look at the trouble they've caused the whole neighborhood. They also have the charter with the top goals of destroying Israel.  I don't take this lightly.  Brennan has brought known leaders of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood into the government in advisory positions.  Hamas's charter is the same as the Brotherhood in that they also have as goal #1 to destroy Israel. Hamas and Fatah are at each other's throats constantly in fighting over power and leadership.  Hamas has been a terrible influence over Fatah in causing them to be terrorists.   These Muslims are advising our government on counter-terrorism strategy  in the War on Terror program.  Is that all?  To John, this War on Terror means only Al Qaeda.

There is even reliable evidence that Brennan has converted to Islam. Snopes says NO.    Would a man do that just to have an in with Muslims to gain information?  Is this expected in the CIA?  Or, if true, is it from the heart?  Does he now believe the hard line of wanting to get rid of Israel?  It used to be that Islam thought of Judaism in better terms than Christianity did but the tables have turned.  Muslim Reactionaries  are only concerned with fighting Israel.  They don't need a pat on the back for doing so which their religious leaders dole out. .  They need to see condemnation for doing so in order to become civil-minded. I  don't care what religion Brennan is, except I want to know where he stands concerning Israel, as what he would be in charge of concerns Israel's very life.  If he's been leading such a double life it's going to be hard to trust what he says, anyway.

Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda started up from reacting to the Soviet War in Afghanistan in August of 1988.  The group is Sunni Muslim and believe in global jihad and the strict Sharia Law.  They deal in suicide attacks and bombings.  This is the group responsible for our 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers, killing 3,000.  They also had done the 1998 US Embassy bombings and the 2002 Bali bombings.  They are listed as terrorists by everybody.   There have been allegations that the CIA had helped al Qaeda in their fight against the Russians.  Now these terrorists are  fighting us.

"Also, al-Qaeda is possibly using aircraft to transport drugs and weapons from South America to various unstable countries in West Africa. A Boeing 727 can carry up to 10 tons of cargo. The drugs eventually are smuggled to Europe for distribution and sale, and the weapons are used in conflicts in Africa and possibly elsewhere. Gunmen with links to al-Qaeda have been increasingly kidnapping some Europeans for ransom. The profits from the drug and weapon sales, and kidnappings can, in turn, fund more militant activities."

Resource: http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/john-brennan-from-mecca-to-washington/print/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda

Two Picks by Obama Delayed: Hagel and Brennan

Nadene Goldfoot
Hagel's nomination for Secretary of Defense has been held up for reasons other than his attitude towards Israel.  Everyone has a complaint about him.    One forgets he's a Republican, as only the Democrats are in favor of him. Republicans have challenged Hagel's past statements and votes on Israel, Iran, Iraq and nuclear weapons. .  The Republicans do want more information on September 11th's attack on Benghazi and what Obama was doing about it.

So is John Brennan nomination being held up for Director of the CIA.  "Four years ago Brennan wound up becoming White House counter-terror advisor–a White House staff position that likely has more policy influence than that of CIA director, and one not subject to congressional oversight when he had been passed over because of progressives' complaints about torture and detention practices. He'll probably get the nomination at the end of this month.

Senate Majority Leader  Democrat  Harry Reid filed for cloture on the nomination of Hagel late Wednesday afternoon but Republicans need more disclosure.  That afternoon in the Senate, Senator Jim Inhofe, Republican from Oklahoma, again called on Hagel to comply with GOP disclosure requests and specifically mentioned a 2008 speech to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).  They want to see the full text and details of several speeches Hagel failed to report to the Senate Armed Services Committee that have since been uncovered.

What is he hiding?  The ADC also has not disclosed the full video of the 2008 speech, while refusing to release its records as required by federal law.  The ADC vice President Nabil Mohamad told a reporter from Free Beacon that the video was in an "archive" in Maryland and not available.  He also declined to provide the group's 990.  The 990 lists financial and donor information and which nonprofits must present upon  in-person request.   After that, ADC has refused to even let the reporter into their office.  A second reporter telephoned the ADC to tell them of the legal requirement and was accused of racism and bigotry, of making threats against the organization, and was told that the "authorities" had been informed of his request.  So good luck, Senators.

Resource: Free Beacon, Alana Goodman, February 2013: "Arab-American Group won't Release Hagel Tape" ; from Pamela Geller
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2013/01/john-brennan-for-cia-chief-headache-for.html
Also in Jewishfacts;
Why Hagel's finanaces are a concern
Hagel discussed by 2 Senators, Democrat and Republican
http://swampland.time.com/2013/02/15/its-not-just-hagel-brennan-delayed-too/

Spring Summit Meeting With Obama, Netanyahu, King Abdullah II

Nadene Goldfoot
First, the word was out that there wasn't going to be any talk about Palestine and peace when Obama made his first visit to Israel as the USA President.  There was speculation, though, as to what he would do and who he would visit.  According to Danny Ayalon, the former Deputy Foreign Minister in Israel,  Obama is planning a summit meeting with Netanyahu and King Abdullah II of Jordan.  It's not for sure if PA leader Mahmoud Abbas is invited or not at this time.  This was reported back on December 27, 2012.

It's a USA-Israeli-Jordanian plan to pass up the core issues of the Israel-Palestine dispute by "establishing a self-ruling Palestinian entity " inside the framework of a confederation with Jordan.  So far, Abbas and his group have no money in which to pay anyone.  The question is for me that they have been demanding a state but where are their plans to be economically self sufficient? They are in "extreme jeopardy."  In fact, Abbas at one point threatened Netanyahu with handing over the problem to him.

In June 1967 (Six Day War) Israel was attacked by all the surrounding states both near and far but won and took over the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).  The culminating event for Israel was the capture of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jordan is made up of many Palestinians as it is.  They had their war called Black September which started in September 1970 and lasted till July 1971 led by Yasser Arafat of Fatah.  The Palestinians had attempted to assassinate King Hussein on September 1st.  Thousands of Palestinian fighters moved onto Lebanon afterwards.  Thousands had died in the fighting.  The Palestinians had outnumbered Jordanians.  "King Hussein feared an independent West Bank under PLO administration would threaten the autonomy of his Hashemite kingdom."

For a long time many have felt that Jordan is Palestine.  "These ideas took more specific form in July 1989, when Shamir raised the possibility of a Palestinian state being established in Jordan in the course of his discussions with Arab residents of the West Bank."  Here are the steps that were discussed then.

• "The land of Israel east of the Jordan River shall be the Palestinian state.
• In the first stage, the Palestinian state shall be established east of the Jordan River. This state shall enjoy all the characteristics of sovereignty.
• In the second stage (after the establishment of the Palestinian state east of the Jordan River) those areas of the land of Israel in the West Bank under Israel's control and areas inside the green line [delimiting pre-1967 Israel] inhabited by Palestinians shall become part of the Palestinian state.
• The West Bank and Gaza shall not be handed over to or placed under the sovereignty of the Palestinian state except after peace with this state prevails and is manifested in mutual economic, tourist, and cultural relations, and through cooperation in establishing economic and water projects, in addition to allowing free movement of people and goods." from Daniel Pipes.  

Notice that Gaza had been included in the above, but as soon as Israel left, the attacks on her started.  

In the summit meeting they will have to address these same points.  A lot depends on the attitude of Abbas and if he will recognize Israel, something he has refused to do.  Or is this one of the core issues that will be passed up at this time?  If so, let's not allow another Gaza situation where they will be able to attack Israel.  

Resource: DebkaFile Newsleetter, Debka@thejmg.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September_in_Jordan
http://www.danielpipes.org/298/is-jordan-palestine  Is Jordan Palestine?
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/67_War.html  Listing of countries that attacked.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Israel+wars/The+Six-Day+War+-+June+1967.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/world/middleeast/palestinian-authority-threatened-by-fiscal-crisis-premier-says.html?_r=0

Abbas Not negotiating Yet But Wanting All of Jerusalem

Nadene Goldfoot
Abbas at first only wanted East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state of Palestine.  Israel is not adverse to the Palestinians having a state next door to them, and of course taking part of their city which is one again with the other 3 parts is more than being next door.

Except on August 21, 2012 Mahmoud Abbas made a speech saying that there would be no peace, security or stability in Jerusalem.  That's what they have right now under Israel's authority.  It's a happy and very beautiful city.  His threat went on.  Unless the occupation, settlements and settlers are evacuated from "0UR HOLY CITY".   Now that's a threat.  He's saying he wants Israel to disappear out of Jerusalem and suddenly it's their holy city?  Now he's talking about the whole city of Jerusalem.

Wait a minute.  Islam didn't come along until about 620 CE with Mohammed (570-632 CE)  .  Jews were in Jerusalem with King David of Israel in 1,000 BCE.  In fact, Saul, son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin,  was the first king of Israel in the 11th century BCE,   Preceding Saul we had Judges like Deborah.  Before settling in Canaan, the elders of the community acted as judges.  Samuel was a judge.  David appointed 6,000 Levites as offices and judges.  Jehoshaphat set up a special court in Jerusalem, where the judges were taken from among the priests, the Levites, and heads of fathers' houses.  Abbas is denying that we have history here a good 1,500 years before Mohammad came along.  So where does he get the bit about "our holy city"?

As for the people who call themselves "Palestinians,"  I suggest that Abbas become familiar with his own history by reading "From  Time Immemorial-the origins of the Arab-Jewish conflict over Palestine" by Joan Peters.  Peters was a reporter who felt sympathy for the Palestinians and set out to do research to prove their case.  Instead, what she found showed where they came from and  how this problem all started.  There were very few actually living in "Palestine."  Most came along looking for work when the aliyah of returning Jews from Russia started in around 1880 CE by Arab men looking for work with these newcomers who were building up cities.  They came in from all the surrounding lands.  Peters was so respected for her work that she became an advisor with presidents.  Besides that, there were always a certain number of Jews living in Palestine.  They didn't all leave after 70 CE when Jerusalem fell to the Romans.

When a man has to lie and create such a cover to convince his people that he is doing the right thing, he is pretty desperate.  So let me be clear on this point.  Jerusalem is a Jewish city.  The whole city is the capital of Israel.  The land was Canaan before the Israelites conquered it with Joshua.  It wasn't a state then but made up of little city-states, somewhat like Greece had been.  The people who had lived there were the Jebus.  They worshipped the Semitic god Shalem among others. When Canaan was taken, most all the Canaanites were killed and those few left alive were assimilated into the Israelite population.  These Israelites were Jewish.

There are no more Canaanites left.    The earliest evidence of man in the Jerusalem area was in the Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age.  However, the actual foundation of the city goes back to the Early Bronze Age of 3,500 BCE to 2,000 BCE to the period when the Canaanites first moved into the land.  In the Middle Bronze Age (2,000 to 1,550 BCE, Jerusalem seemed to be the capital of a Canaanite city state.  Archaeologists think it was the Salem ruled by Melchi-zedek "priest of the most high god" who was honored by Abraham as written in Genesis 14:18-19).

There was a Hyksos revolution where some Hittite and Hurrite people were left behind.  In the Tel 3l Amarna Period of the 15th century BCE the city was ruled by a king who was having problems with the HABIRU.  These invaders appealed to his suzerain, the pharaoh, for help.  The Egyptians had maintained a Cushite garrison in Jeruslaem.  At the time of Joshua's conquest in about 1,320 BCE, Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, was defeated at Aijalon.  His city remained as an independent enclave between the tribal land belonging to Benjamin and Judah.  In the 12th century, Jebus-Jerusalem kept its independence with Philistine help until its capture by David in about 1,010 BCE.  Now it became the capital of a united Israel.

King David was lenient with the JEBUSITES, but took over the city and added the fortress of Zion and also a House of Heroes for his guard.  He built a tomb inside the city for himself and his dynasty.  He had the Ark of the Covenant there.  Jerusalem was made the religious center of Israel.  It was the capital of his empire reaching from the Red Sea to the Euphrates River.

His son, King Solomon,  (970-930 BCE) brought in riches from his commercial ventures and heavy taxation.   He added a Palace and the Temple.  The Temple made it definitely the center of Judaism.  When Solomon died,, the northern tribes broke off and formed the state of Judah. which included Jerusalem.  They maintained the Davidic dynasty.  This lasted until 586 BCE.  Even with Jews living in the Diaspora (outside of Israel and Judah) Jerusalem was the center of Judaism.  

Abbas may not have ever read the Torah, which is the first part of what the Christians call "The Old Testament," but there it all is, the whole history of this land and the Jews. The rest of our history is there, too, found in the Hebrew word for Testament, "Tanach."   which are the Prophets and writings or the 24 books of the Bible.  The only time "Jerusalem" is mentioned in the Koran is one time where it tells of Mohammad going from Mecca to Jerusalem on his flying horse and then going to heaven on him as well. Jerusalem is mentioned 881 times in the Old Testament.  It is mentioned 144 times in the Christian's New Testament.  No descendants of Ishmael ever claimed any part of the land for themselves.  Therefore Jerusalem is not a holy city for the Muslims.  Their holy cities are Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia where Mohammad was from.

Yes, Judah fell in 70 CE and in 135 CE there was a final battle by the brave Bar Kokhba and his men, but no country ever became rulers.  Muslims built their Mosque over the temple, something they seem to do when they conquer a people.  The Ottoman Empire held the title for 400 years but did not create a state or do anything with the land.  It lay in ruin until the Jews returned, as if it were just waiting for them to bring it back to life again.

Resource:  http://jcpa.org/article/is-jerusalem-really-negotiable-an-analysis-of-jerusalems-place-in-the-peace-process/ by Alan Baker: Is Jerusalem Really Negotiable?  Jerusalem's Place in the Peace Process
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110116004858AAI2Gg7

Why Hagel's Finances Are a Concern

Nadene Goldfoot
Republicans are concerned about who's been backing Hagel with donations.  They should be.  Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are on the list of his donors.  I'm surprised that this is legal, or is it?   So are 5 separate Turkish government entities.  These are countries that are against Israel.

NATO, the European Commission, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Luxemburg and the United Kingdom are also listed as his donors.   The cards are all stacked against anything Israel may need or do.  Why is it that these entities have a say in our society, which is why they donate?  Can anyone see how Hagel will go against how they all will vote after receiving sizable funds?  "Money does translate into influence."  Does not Senator McCain realize who these donors are and what they represent?  He has said that he is satisfied with the financial information and that it meets disclosure requirements, maybe because Hagel asked the Atlantic Council, which he chairs,  to release information.  Isn't that like asking your mama to verify that you're a good boy?

"The Atlantic Council is a think tank and public policy group whose mission is to "promote constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century". It is headquartered in Washington D.C. "  They have an international Advisory board of 30 members which includes the former Prime Ministers of Spain and Pakistan and Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Advisor to former President Jimmy Carter.
.
The Khaled Juffali Company from Saudi Arabia is an Atlantic Council donor.  Khaled Juffali was also co-chairman of a huge Atlantic Council dinner in September 2010 in New York.  Another is The Turkish Petroleum Corporation who signed a big deal with Chevron.  The year after Hagel was elected chairman of the Council, he joined the Board of Directors of Chevron.   Chevron has entered into a deal with Iraq's Kurdish enclave for oil exploration which is connected to a pipeline for transporting oil into Turkey.  Turkey's Petroleum Pipeline Corporation, called BOTAS, is also on the Atlantic Council donor list.

Kahled Juffali's name has come up with two different organizations that Hagel has been associated with.  Did Hagel play a part into the decision of Georgetown U's School of Foreign Service where he was given the title of "Distinguished Professor," to grant an avowed Israel hater, Omar Shakir,  with a scholarship funded by the same Saudi connections who were contributing to his Atlantic Council?  Hagel was teaching there and Shakir was the founder and president of Students confronting Apartheid by Israel.  He got the Khaled Juffali Scholarship.  Hagel spoke at Georgetown's Center for Contemporary Arab Studies but didn't disclose this in materials he submitted, as well as another speech where he spoke to the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee in June 2008.

It looks like it's possible that Hagel has called in the chips and they in turn will call in theirs.  This is a lot of hanky-panky that one should be a genius to handle. Hagel, who attended 5 colleges, had a hard time settling down and studying.  He did volunteer to go to Vietnam and made Sergeant in 1967-1968.  When he returned home he went into businesses and politics.

 The question is: If  John Tower, Republican Senator from Texas,  was brutally examined about his personal life, why are the Democratic Senate majority and Obama so eager for Hagel to be nominated without due course?  George H.W. Bush had nominated Tower for Secretary of Defense in 1989 and he was rejected by the Senate 53-47  after public allegations of womanizing and heavy drinking,  His retort was that "But I've never done anything disqualifying. That's the point."

Hagel will be joining such people as Robert McNamara, Donald Rumsfeld and Casper Weinberger.  Every term has been crucial, but this one seems to be more than ever with the Arab Spring and Syria's state of civil war and North Korea just testing their nuclear capabilities in an underground test that has forced our government and the UN Security Council  to hold a special meeting about today.    The UN Security Council is chaired by South Korea's Kim Sung-hwan who is most upset and stated that this is a violation and threat to international peace and security.

Resource: http://frontpagemag.com/2013/joseph-klein/key-questions-on-chuck-hagel-go-unanswered/print/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Council
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Secretaries_of_Defense_by_time_in_office
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2987236/posts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Hagel
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/asia/north-korea-seismic-disturbance/index.html

Benny Friedman Sings in Salem

                                                                                                   
Nadene Goldfoot
We had a treat last night of a concert from the East Coast's Benny Friedman who performed in Salem, Oregon. He was part of a benefit for the Salem Chabad group.   He is the fastest rising star in Jewish music.  I had to buy a CD of his and am listening to his 2nd album, "Yesh Tikvah" with the feeling that I'm back in Israel right now.

Benny started his career at age 13.  I would have loved to attend his Bar Mitzvah.  It was then that he started performing at small local events and managed to mesmerize his audience with his voice.  He worked with Hollywood's vocal coach, Seth Riggs and developed his "golden" voice. He sang a medly of holiday songs and some others.  One line that impressed me was , "Light one candle for the strength that we need...to never become our own foe."  from the song, "Light one Candle."

Another excellent singer on the slate was Chris Boga, Salem's music teacher and business owner of Romp-n-Roll Music for Kinds.  He runs the Temple Beth Sholom Gift Shop with his wife.  He's also on the committee that puts together the Musical Retreat Annual Concert.  He sang along with Benny at times.

The Radio Flyers Band of Salem are first class musicians and did a terrific job of picking up this foreign music.  They were Nathan Olson-keyboard; Brian Trammell-Base; Terry Bay-Guitar; Shane Hall-Drums and band leader.  There was special lighting and background that added to the affect as well.

The night started with a silent auction and a dessert buffet which I certainly couldn't turn down.  Then we were treated with Doron Grossman, a 15 year old on the violin who has been playing with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony in the Advanced Chamber Ensemble  since age 9.  Two years ago he was on a European Tour and played in Warsaw, Cracow and Prague.  He often plays in Portland at the Arlene Shnitzer Concert Hall.  This young lad is also taking classes at Oregon State U.  How lucky we were to hear him play;  the Fiddler on the Roof, Doron,  along with  a famous singer that appeared once before last year.

Resource: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnGi65FtDQk
Program: A Musical Retreat-A Musical Tour of the Jewish Calendar
http://bennysmusic.com/

Is This the Season For Recognition? Statehood

Nadene Goldfoot
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.    A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot the planted; A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to wreck and a time to build; A time to weep and a time to laugh.  (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

"This is not the time for making peace with the Palestinians.  In fact, it's impossible" said former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in Israel from the Yisrael Beiteinu Party.  Why?  Look what's going on right now in the Muslim world..

1. The Arab Spring :Rebellion from a monarchy and its replacement by the Muslim Brotherhood Dictum
2.. Tunisia's opposition leader was just assassinated
3. Iraq's murder of dozens of people by terrorists
4. Syria with the killing of 117 more people on Friday, now over 60,000.

Liberman said it was not  realistic to think it possible in this environment to reach a comprehensive peace accord with the Palestinians.  "It is impossible to solve the conflict.  It needs to be managed."  Lieberman also said that he was in favor of negotiations with the Palestinians "at any time and in any place in the world, without preconditions.   However, these negotiations should be over "a long term interim agreement."  He feels it all rests with the Palestinians.  "The ball is in  President Mahmoud Abbas alias Abu Mazen's  court." Abbas will be 78 years old on March 26th, when Obama may be speaking with him  as Obama plans to talk to Abbas as well as Netanyahu.

Danny Liberman's former deputy, Danny Ayalon,also of Yisrael Beiteinu Party who was not included in his party's Knesset slate, said Saturday at a cultural event in Holon, that Israel should recognize Palestine as a full member of the UN.  Israel will give the Palestinians sovereignty and independence and in return, they will recognize Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people and will guarantee security arrangements," he recommended.  Ayalon continued with wanting Abbas to state in Arabic, rather than in Hebrew or English.

This is a big if.  Has it suddenly become the season for Palestinians to recognize Israel?  If so, what has brought that about?   The Palestinians have been holding out on this one premise;  to recognize Israel.  They, however, have been most vocal about wanting the UN to recognize them.

Remember the book, "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield?  The book centers on something called synchronicity.  Things happen not by coincidence or accident but by plan.  There is a big plan in this world that people are just starting to discover.  In Judaism, things have always thought to be synchronistic..Events that continually  happened on the date when the Temple fell, a time we remember called Tisha b'Av,  is a good example.  David Klinghoffer, with the Intelligent Design movement,  wrote, "I believe in synchronicity, the idea that juxtapositions of time and events not only may seem meaningful but do in fact convey real meaning. See Jung on that."  Carl Jung is a Swiss psychotherapist and psychiatrist.  

So it is a coincidence  or a planned event that Obama is coming to visit Israel around March 20th, making way for the USA's new US Secretary of State John Kerry to come and continue negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.    Of course Obama is saying that he is not coming with any plans, and that's not the point of his visit.

At this point, Netanyahu has to select a new Foreign Minister, and it might be Lieberman, who is going through a trial.  Danny Ayalon left his position as deputy foreign minister on Tuesday, said he expects there will be an attempt to jump-start the diplomatic process with a 3-way summit meeting with Netanyahu, Abbas and Obama, or even a 4-way meeting with  Jordanian King Abdullah II.  Ayalon feels that if Obama's visit doesn't produce results in the peace talks, it will raise a lot of doubts and criticism.

So we have both Israelis and Palestinians expecting more out of Obama's visit than just a first time tourist visit.  Will this be a time for more from him?  Is this the season for recognizing each other?

Ecclesiastes is in the Tanach and is a part of Writings.  It's thought that King Solomon wrote them.  In the Tanach are the 5 Books of Moses, Prophets and Writings.  

Resource: Jerusalem Post: Liberman says peace with Palestinians impossible by Herb  Keinon.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Abbas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avigdor_Lieberman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Ayalon
http://blog.beliefnet.com/kingdomofpriests/2009/07/synchronicity-and-tisha-bav-amid-record-breaking-heat-for-seattle.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Klinghoffer

President Obama's Upcoming March Visit to Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
President Obama, in his 2nd term of office, is planning to visit Israel in March.  This will be his first visit as a president.  He plans to talk with the Palestinian Authority, Abbas as well and Jordan's King Abdullah II.   He had visited once when he was a candidate for the presidency in 2008.  On June 4, 2009 as a new president he visited Cairo, Egypt  and made an important speech at Cairo University called "A New Beginning."  That was almost a prophesy.  He chose Egypt, he said because it was the heart of the Arab world.  .

One of the top priorities of Prime Minister Netanyahu in his new term is to resume talks with the PA. The PA has been refusing to talk with Netanyahu unless certain conditions they are demanding are met first.

1. A full construction freeze everywhere east of the 1949 armistice line, including much of Jerusalem.  I believe they have upped the ante here from the last time they left the table.
2. The release of terrorist prisoners.
3. Allow weapons imports.
4. Agree in principle to giving the PA all of Judea and Samaria with possible land swaps for their Palestine.

For a group who fought against Israel in 1967, 1973, 1982 and consistently have been shooting missiles, mortars and rockets into southern Israel since 2001 and having just recently agreed to a cease fire, they certainly are demanding.

 The fact remains that Israel was created legitimately and followed all the legal procedures but that the Palestinians have never accepted them.  They have made it quite plain that they plan to drive Israel into the sea for the past 64+ years.  Israel has in the past given up land for peace which has just whet the Arab's  appetite to take a piece more, and another piece of teeny Israel.  The truth is that they want to create a state 65 years later than when they were first offered land, and that the land Israel was promised has already been chopped up so that it was only created on 20% of their original piece.   What gives the Palestinian Arabs the right to be so persnickety?  They're not the ones who have yearned or needed their own state for the past 2,000 years.

Obama said he is not coming to present any new proposals for peace talks, though these issues are bound to come up.  It is to be John Kerry, the new Secretary of State who will be working on that.  Obama is just coming on a visit being both Netanyahu and Obama are starting their new terms and that this is a Presidential visit, being he didn't come in the past 4 years. Obama  and  Netanyahu  will "try to move past the friction of the last four years now that both have won re-election. The relationship between the two leaders has been edgy for years over issues like Israel’s settlements in Judea and Samaria and ways to stop Iran's Nuclear program, but Obama wants to show support for Israel by visiting.  I see a change in the makeup of the government has something to do with it as well which is why Abbas has wanted to talk with the newly elected Knesset members.  .

Exactly when he is coming and for how long is not known yet. He is to come in the Spring, which starts on March 20th.   Palm Sunday falls on the 24th of March and Passover begins at sundown on the 25th of March which is a Monday.  Good Friday is the 29th. Easter is on March 31st.   The 8th and last day of Passover is on April 2nd.  This is a very busy and important month for both Christians and Jews.

He will visit with Abbas and the King of Jordan and their officials.  The PA has high hopes that this visit will lead to the establishment of Palestine on lands "occupied since 1967."  Since his first term started in January 2009, he has visited 35 different countries, but not Israel.  The USA still does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Resource: Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com Obama won''t present new peace initiative during Israel trip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidential_trips_made_by_Barack_Obama
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/world/middleeast/obama-to-visit-israel-in-spring.html?_r=0
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/07/mitt-romney/romney-says-obama-has-not-visited-israel-president/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/the-truth-about-obama-and-israel.html?_r=0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_New_Beginning

Is Al Gore the Icon of the Democratic Party? Selling Out to Al Jazeera

Nadene Goldfoot
Al Gore, former Democrat backed Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001, owned a TV station, Current TV. Talk about the Republicans out to make money with big investments, Al just made a huge bundle of $500 million by selling out to a foreign Arab company, Al Jazeera, whose Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,  bought it with his oil revenue.  His Current TV was extremely leftist, which is pretty much the way the Democrat Party has gone and must have been a reflection of his own philosophy.   Now," Al Jazeera tends to ascribe the worst imperialist motives to any U.S. foreign policy move." Qatar will be able to  break into American media markets with news from an Arab point of view. We all realize what that is; Israel is the evil empire that must be squashed.  I was having fits that Al Jazeera could broadcast into universities and colleges already where anti-Israel activities already have been taking place, but now?  The whole United states can be brainwashed.

Glen Beck, who is on the right of politics, offered to buy Current TV at Gore's price, but he turned it down.  No, he'd rather go with a foreigner who advocates the fall of Israel with the USA right after them.  After all, from October 2009 to January 2010, the Qatar Foundation began PR campaigning on both the Al-Jazeera Arabic and English channels to promote itself.  These commercials were also airing on CNN.  He must have been swayed.  Financially, he did quite well for having bought Current TV for $71 million in 2004.  I wonder  what his profit was for inventing Internet?

While serving with President Bill Clinton, I see that Bill's wife, Hillary Clinton, who just resigned from being our Secretary of State, participated in an official Al-Jazeera town hall interview at the Carnegie Mellon University branch campus in Qatar's Education City.  She was introduced by Sheikh Abdallah Al-Thani, who praised the 6 American universities based there.  So there is a close connection already to Qatar and their philosophy.  The heads of state in Qatar are mostly all related to each other.

And who is a regular on Al Jazeera TV?  Why, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi:  the favorite one and only theologian and best friend of the Emir; known as the theologian of Terror.  He just happens to be the radical Muslim Brotherhood ideologue who  was kicked out of Egypt in the days of Morsi and found a haven from the Emir of Qatar.  Through his speeches and writings, he shows consistent support of terrorist groups that have undermined a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Qaradawi has expressed his desire to see a "conquered" Jerusalem  in his January 24, 2011 fatwa.  In it he said that Jews had no connection to this city and that it was the duty of Muslims to "defend" Jerusalem with their lives, money and all they possess or else they would be subject to Allah's punishment."  He of course refuses to dialogue with Jews and endorses Palestinian suicide bombings against Israeli civilians.  He would like to kill Jews with his bare hands, he has said, even though he is in a wheel chair.  Qaradawi has also given support for targeting American forces and civilians in Iraq, and has been banned from entering the USA since 1999 for his extremist views.  Even Britain kept him out in February 2008 when he was denied a visa to enter for medical treatment.  This man, born in 1926 in Egypt, is pure evil.

The Al Jazeera TV show, "Shariah and Life"  is his media empire for spreading  hatred by supporting terror. An April 2004 show, credited Allah with providing Palestinians  "human bombs" instead of the planes, missiles and weapons that Zionists have.  (Note: no regard for human life.)    He has a worldwide following through this TV and the use of Internet.  He is the spiritual guide for the Islamist movement of the Muslim Brotherhood, even though he has declined the head position of General Guide.  He also airs on this TV station his Friday sermons at the Umar bin al-Khattab mosque, which is a government-sponsored mosque in Doha.  In a 2005 sermon, he spoke about notable Hamas leaders killed by Israel.  He said of the terrorists that their fate was paradise and that they died martyrs.  He went on to say that they met the death that every Muslim wishes for himself, which is martyrdom in the cause of God.

Qaradawi's influence reaches into the USA as well as in Qatar.  In the USA he is the chairman (in abstenia) of the Michigan-based Islamic American University (IAU), a subsidiary of the Muslim American society (MAS).  He's also listed as a faculty member.  Despite being banned from coming into the USA, his messages still reach the American public via satellite TV and the internet, and now it will be even easier to do so being  Al Jazeera owns a company here in America.

"While Al Jazeera’s English network, started in 2006, reaches 250 million households in 130 countries, the U.S. represents only a small fraction of that audience. Al Jazeera said it will replace Current TV’s shows with its own this year."  Of Course they will.  They have their own agenda.

Resource: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/01/16/al-gore-al-jazeera-and-the-remaking-of-current-tv/
ADL: http://www.adl.org/NR/exeres/788C5421-7OE3-4#4D-BFF4-9BE14EA2#58,DB7611A...
MEMRI  ssheikh Al-Qarradawi & Qatar's Education City Hosting American University Branches
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-03/al-jazeera-news-network-acquires-current-tv-to-expand-in-u-s-.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore

Why Hezbollah is a Terrorist Organization

Nadene Goldfoot
Hezbollah is not a part of Lebanon's government.  They are supported by Iran and Syria.  After 1982 when Israel had to go into Lebanon to stop the PLO who were stationed there and had been blasting Northern Israel with rockets, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards stepped in and took these Shi'a Islamic militants that wanted to fight and trained them. Hezbollah has pretty much  taken over Lebanon, however.

In 2006, Hezbollah shot 4,000 rockets into Israel when they had a war that lasted for a month.  They had the range of 45 miles.  More than 24 cities were hit.  900 rockets landed in urban areas.  43 Israeli citizens were killed and 2,015 were injured.  Haifa suffered from 54 rockets that hit causing 16 deaths.  Karmiel, which is settled mainly by American Jews, suffered from 176 rockets. Kiryat Shmona, the city I drove to from Safed because they had a department store that reminded me of Meir & Frank, was hit by over 1,000 rockets.They were close to the border.   My city of Safed (Tzfat), which is on top of a mountain,  was hit by 471 rockets and Nitzan Rubin died from it.   July 13: Nitzan Rubin, 33, died from wounds sustained during the  Hezbollah rocket attack.  Tiberias, which is below the mountain,  was hit with 81 rockets.   The UN brought out a peacekeeping force, but it is thought that Hezbollah had stockpiled more, possibly 28,000 rockets since then.

By 2008 they were shooting Iranian rockets with the range of 185 miles, which would be able to hit Dimona.  This has all been done with the backing of Iran. By "early March, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reported Israeli claims that Hezbollah's arsenal includes 10,000 long-range rockets and 20,000 short-range rockets in southern Lebanon."  At the same time, Hamas from Gaza was raining down rockets and by 2008 had killed 13 Israelis that way.  Hamas even then had strong ties with Iran.

The Lebanese army has been working against Hezbollah.  On December 11, 2011 a rocket was shot only 6 miles from the border towards Israel but hit a Lebanese home in Hula and injured the woman inside. The next year on November 20, 2012, "A Lebanese army patrol discovered two ready-to-launch 107mm Grad rockets between the villages of Halta and Mari, about 2 miles from the Israeli border. The forces defused the rockets. IDF official Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai said Palestinian factions in Lebanon were probably behind the plot."  It's figured they were Hezbollahs being they were in Lebanon.  The next day "Two rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel landed within Lebanon, according to Beirut officials." The terrorists didn't give up.  The very next day "The Lebanese army disarmed an additional rocket aimed at Israel, in Marjayoun, again, about 6 miles or 10 kilometers from the border."  

Last July,  5 Israeli tourists were killed in a bus that was bombed in Burgas, Bulgaria, a Black Sea resort.  It was Hezbollah who were the terrorists.  They had a suicide bomber planted on that bus.  The bus driver was also killed in the explosion.

Tel Aviv was threatened by Lebanon's Shiek Hassan Nasrallah in 2012's battle with Gaza after a cease fire was declared.   Hezbollah had fired a Fajr-5 rocket then, and the threat is of thousands of them landing on Tel Aviv.  He was speaking to a crowd of thousands "attending an annual Shiite commemoration of the 7th-century death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson." Lebanon is populated by half Sunni and half Shi'a Muslims..  Hezbollah also threatens to invade Israel's Galilee since they sit on the border. This would be the cities of  Haifa, Acre, Safed, Tiberias and Nazareth  while at other times have threatened cities from Kiryat Shimona to Eilat, which is the whole length of Israel.  The message is that if Israel hits Iran's site where they are making uranium for atomic weaponry, Hezbollah will hit Israel with about 60,000 missiles and rockets and can now reach the whole country.

Israel has repeatedly asked countries to brand Hezbollah a terror organization.  The US and Canada have agreed.  The European Union has not  and they have taken no action to do so.  Evidently it takes more for the Europeans to learn about the true character of Hezbollah.

 Israel is not going to attack Hezbollah for the Bulgarian bus attack of last summer.  "When Israel acts, it is in order to prevent a security threat, to prevent a concrete attack.  It is not in order to punish," said Boaz Ganor, Israel's counter-terrorism expert.

Resource: Oregonian newspaper, 2/6/13,  page A5, report blames Hezbollah for bombing.
 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-27-israel-hezbollah_N.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/israel-seen-unlikely-to-respond-militarily-after-bulgaria-implicates-hezbollah-in-attack/2013/02/05/0d7bce2e-6fd6-11e2-b3f3-b263d708ca37_story.html
http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.2905175/k.B69E/Background_Israeli_Cities_Affected_by_Rocket_Attacks.htm
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/11/25/thousands-of-rockets-will-fall-on-tel-aviv-hezbollah-issues-chilling-warning-to-israel/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/10/02/hezbollah-threatens-to-invade-israel%e2%80%99s-galilee-and-offers-interactive-infographic-on-how-it-plans-to-do-it/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah

Who's Fighting Against Hizbullah in Lebanon?

                                                                               A Cedar Tree Growing in Lebanon                 
Nadene Goldfoot
Hizbullah is an Iranian army proxy and tool used by the Iranian mullahs to carry out their expansionism in the act of building their sectarian empire in Lebanon.  The Lebanese state is helpless in fighting against them with officials that are merely puppets.  Politicians and clergy are corrupt and the judiciary has broken down. Iran gives them about $200 million every year for their terrorism.  It is also the political and military force of Lebanon today.

Lebanon, the other country north of Israel referred to in the Torah as famed for their cedars that King Solomon used for the Temple.  It held an ancient Jewish population at one time in Beirut, Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon. Jewish men were involved in commerce. All 35 Jewish families in Beirut were slaughtered by the Crusaders. The Spanish Inquisition of 1492 brought in Spanish Jews.  This was when Jews had to convert to Catholicism or leave.  Many could not leave and didn't want to convert so became hidden Jews.  There could be  from a handful to about 40 old Jews left in Lebanon today in Beirut from a population of 17,000 in the 60's.  .  .

Like in other countries in the Ottoman Empire, Jews were treated as dhimmis in about 634 to 1917  when Muhammed died and Islam was spreading.  Jews had to pay for protection in the form of a poll tax.  There were again 55 Jewish families in 1826 until the blood libel charges were made in 1824 in Beirut and in 1834 in Tripoli.  Jews followed the Kosher laws which meant that they did not eat any blood nor would they touch it, but were constantly being accused of doing so by the people around them in the form of somebody's missing son.  .

In the 20th century the French occupied the land.  With them around, life was better in that they only were attacked a few times in the 30's.  On November 22, 1943  Lebanon became independent from the French Mandate, and then 12 Jews were murdered in Tripoli. On December 31, 1946, the French left.   After the 1947 partition of Palestine, houses and synagogues were attacked by Muslims.  In 1948 a Beirut Jew was murdered.  In 1950 a Jewish school was bombed and the director killed by Muslim groups.  Jews were extorted money as "contributions" which was used to finance Arab Palestinian sabotage. When the state was created, the government was by the Maronite Christians, who were a minority group.  When Israel was created, 100,000 Palestinians, so they say, ran to Lebanon and were refugees, upsetting the balance, making Muslims the majority.

Lebanon had been ruled by a Christian who was assassinated.  A Christina militia remained under Major Saad Hadad who was a friend of Israel.  He patrolled the border between Israel and Lebanon from Palestinian terrorists.  In 1982 Israel went into Lebanon after being hit too often by the terrorists.  Israel had to do this before in 1978 and cleared out the PLO strongholds.  This time Hadad asked Sharon if he and his men could go in to do the job and there was a massacre at Sabra and Shatila.  From 763 to 3,500 civilians were killed by the militia's hands, but Sharon took the blame.

"Hezbollah first came to notice outside of Lebanon in 1983, when it was blamed for the bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 240 soldiers. Now it has an armed militia more powerful than the Lebanese Army and a sprawling infrastructure that delivers welfare to its Shiite constituency, Lebanon’s largest community."  They're even into the cocaine trade and money laundering. There now exists a class distinction between Hezbollah and the rest of the Lebanese community.  The bad guys have taken over and have destroyed any human rights that may have existed by invading homes, selling weapons, stealing and killing, braking all laws, assassinating and intimidating and humiliating any opposers.  They even kidnap their own citizens and act like the Mafiosos.   Beirut used to be the Paris of the Middle East but has turned into a nightmare.

Hizbullah assassinated Pierre Gemayal, the 5th anti-Syrian/anti Hizbullah  killed in Lebanon  within a 2 year period in 2006.  He was 34 years old.  "Gemayel, Lebanon’s industry minister and a member of the Phalange Party, had just left a church and was traveling through Jdeideh when a vehicle in front of him slammed to a stop, causing his car to ram it, security officials said. Witnesses said Gemayel’s car was also struck from behind. 3 gunmen then stepped out and shot him dead.  Another of his family, Bachir Gemayel, who was president, was also assassinated on Sept 14, 1982 with 26 others when a bomb went off in their Phalange headquarters.  He was also only 34 years old.  Hizbullah was attacking Israel also, and was known to have been supported by Syria, Iran, Russia and China.

Lebanon is the 35th Muslim majority country with 4,196,453 people of which 60% are either Sunni or Shi'a. They are smaller than Israel with only 4,500 square miles.    Now they are flooded with an unknown number of Hezbollah terrorists and evidently can't fight them off.  .

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Independence_Day
From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters page 65-66.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/wap/Item.aspx?type=1&item=12820 Hizbullah Ego Trip-Cancer
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/h/hezbollah/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Lebanon
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3292543,00.html
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15829846/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War
http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/country_lebanon/overview.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beirut_-_Lebanon_-_The_Paris_of_the_East!_-_November_2008_-_Downtown_Beirut_is_re-constructed_mostly_thanks_to_Rafik_Hariri_--