Palestinian Thinking: Holocaust a Myth

Nadene Goldfoot
How nice to think of a state next to Israel that teaches their children that the Holocaust was just a myth that Jews tell.  Something sure should change before this happens.  It goes along with the Palestinians not recognizing Israel. This follows the Muslim Brotherhood Charter of which Egypt is ruled.  John  Kerry is sure going to have his hands full as Secretary of State.  You can lead a horse to water, Kerry, but you can't make him drink. However, Thomas Friedman is dictating  from his desk that you should "blow the charade wide open  by trying to publicly show Iranian, Israelis and Palestinians that they really do have options that their leaders don't want them to see."  See?  It's going to be easy.  Does Friedman really have such chutzpa to think that all Israelis don't want peace?

I remember when a Prime Minister of Israel offered the Palestinians so much land that it had all of Israel gasping in shock and awe, and yet they refused the offer.  The problem is much deeper than Thomas Friedman understands.

Right now the Palestinian Human Rights Foundation's Dr. Mustafa Ahmed Abul Khair is saying that the Holocaust was just a myth.  He wants Israel to pay Egypt $500 million dollars for damages.  His reasoning is because Israel has been paid by Germany a financial compensation.  He is an Egyptian professor of international law.  Now, if he believes that the Holocaust was a myth, he must have some pretty wild opinions of international law.

What damages is Khair referring to?  1973's war when Egypt attacked Israel along with every Arab they could pull into the fight on Yom Kippur when all Jews were praying in synagogues?   It must have been our 400 year stay in Egypt when my ancestors slaved for the Pharaoh that we learned the term, Chutzpah, for I say that Khair has chutzpah to think the way he does.  .

Resource: http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/01/23/palestinian-human-rights-foundation-calls-holocaust-a-myth/
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2013/01/palestinian-human-rights-foundation.html
Oregonian newspaper 1/24/13  page B13 Commentary:  Break all the rules-Crating change in the real world
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Israel+wars/

Israel's Nudging the USA Couldn't Hurt

Nadene Goldfoot
From the city of Ashkelon, Israel comes the news via New York Times News Service that Netanyahu hasn't stopped the pressure he has put on the USA that Israel might have to go it alone in stopping Iran's ability to manufacture atomic weapons to be used on Israel and the USA.  Panetta, the USA Defense Secretary, visited Israel Wednesday, meeting in Netanyahu's Knesset office in Jerusalem,  and said that he remains hopeful that Israel won't attack soon and may let the USA take the lead in any future military strike.

Negotiations between the two have intensified over the past month since Netanyahu had mentioned that sanctions against Iran were useless.  "Right now the Iranian regime believes that the international community does not have the will to stop its nuclear program," he commented.  "This must change and it must change quickly because time to resolve this issue peacefully is running out."   Israel has spoken of the window of opportunity and if that passes, it would be useless to try to stop it.

Congress just passed a new round of Iran sanctions legislation which is reported to be the strongest measure yet.  It aims to now punish banks, shippers, insurers and others who help Iran sell its oil.  This was under negotiations nearly up until the vote.  The House had passed 410-11, the Iran Threat Reduction Act last December.  A version of that passed the Senate in May.  Before the summer started, the two houses got together for the single updated version which passed yesterday unanimously in the Senate and passed in the House 421-6.  Perhaps this is why Panetta is saying to give sanctions a chance and why Netanyahu has felt that up till now the sanctions were doing nothing to stop Iran.  They hadn't been strong enough to do a whit.

Is it any wonder that  Mitt Romney decided to visit Israel in his aim to gather votes?  Thomas Friedman thought it useless today in his long essay, and thought he should have just gone to Vegas instead.  To Friedman, they could have put up a plastic Wailing Wall in the dining room and Romney wouldn't know the difference, I suppose.  Friedman is so frustrated that he is still presenting old old ideas in his extremely long essay like beating Israel to death with the 2 state solution with no alternatives other than to "test, test  and have the US keep testing creative ideas for a two-state solution."  Mr. Friedman, that's been going on since 1948. He even calls the Jewish people of Judea and Samaria "settlers" and still is thinking of "occupation", whereas Israel has already stated that their communities are legal according to international law.   He's so behind his reading of others' opinions that he has the audacity to praise Jimmy Carter "who is one of several who have done the most to make Israel more secure and accepted in the region and told blunt truths to every Israeli or Arab leader."  I would say Jimmy has done just the opposite with his own book on the subject.  Sorry, Friedman, but your vocabulary belies your stodgy beliefs of supporting Israel.

Resource:  Oregonian Newspaper, 8/2/12 page A5, Nuclear Threat-US, Israel intensify talks on Iran, page B5-why not in Vegas?  Better to skip the trip to Israel by Thomas Friedman, commentary page.
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-passion-against-israel-comes-from.html

Israel: Standing Alone in the World or With Friends

Nadene Goldfoot
Rosh Hashana (on the 28th-29th) and Yom Kippur (Oct 7th-8th) are almost upon us at a time when again Israel stands almost alone in the world.  We will find out just how alone we are when Netanyahu stands before the U.N. in defense of Israel on the 23rd of September.

 We have our own Jewish writers who continue to condemn their brothers in Israel for not listening to their advice and if Israel did, everyone would be getting along just fine.  They say this as armchair generals from their safe abodes in the USA while in their easy chair.  They may have stayed long enough in Israel to write a book, but G-d forbid they should remain to live there and help out and see what it really is like. 

Some say that they worry so about Israel, but continue to deride her and her decision-making.  They forget that Israel is a democracy and the people have chosen their leadership.  Netanyahu replaced  Ehud Olmert of the Kadima Party who had also offered everything but the kitchen sink of every Jewish mother in Israel to Arafat, as in 2005,  who continued to refuse his chance of creating a "Palestine."  The offer did not subside the attacks on Israel's lives at all.  In fact, they seem to add fuel to fire that Israel was an easy mark. 

These writers remind me of the two brothers who killed their parents and then bewailed to the courts that they were just orphans.  Constructive criticism is great and happens all the time in Israel itself.  No one is harder on Israel's leaders than their own people.  But the kind of criticism I've been reading is destructive and shows a complete lack of understanding of issues.  It's adding fuel to the fire coming from Israel's enemies. I have a feeling these writiers could not sell their essay unless they were tearing Israel apart. 

Jews are not sheep.  They started life as the herders of sheep, like Kind David did.  The old joke is that if you have two Jews stranded on an island, they will build 3 synagogues; one for each of them and one that neither would set foot into.  Each man is king of his own household and a master thinker.  We have a lot of creative thinkers in our midst, but unfortunately not all have great political bents; more likely scientific or legal minds.  You have to be a modern day Solomon and Israel has chosen Netanyahu for this role.  I personally think he's doing a great job.

 I sure couldn't take being in his shoes.  Israel has bounced back and forth between Labor and Likud, from left to right since Begin, with Kadima thrown in for good measure.  It has its "Peace Now" crowd and those more realistic.  It has its aetheists and its religious.  For 5 1/2 million Jewish people, it's quite an assortment coming from all corners of the world. 

This is our season for self-examination.  It is the birth of the world and then the time we ask for forgiveness from G-d for anything we did wrong.  As I examine Israel's decisions, I feel she has made the best possible under more stressful conditions than any country has ever faced on this earth.  I keep saying, Dayenu (enough already) and then I see her facing another challenge to solve. 

As far as the decision to build in Jewish cities in Judea and Samaria, I feel they had the perfect right to do so, and evidently Israel agrees with me.  According to Abbas, he doesn't even want a balcony built on a Jewish home.  He had his chance.  Netanyahu gave him 10 months to come around to the peace table and he didn't take him up on it.  Israel wasn't about to freeze their lives forever because the Palestinians wanted them to.  That wasn't the issue, anyway, only something to pin the blame on.  The real issue was that for 63 years the Palestinians have shown that their interest is not in building a state but destroying ours. 

Israel has spent 63 years offering everything imaginable and it worked with Egypt for the past 44 years, but now may be in jeopardy.  Israel gave up a lot to get that peace treaty.  Look what giving up Gaza got us; a firing range for terrorists to terrorize Israeli citizens. 

Having lived in Israel for 5 1/2 years, I came to realize that there is so much that goes on that never ever makes the papers in the USA, and most likely not in other papers as well.  The  bombs planted in tooth paste cartons on the street near schools, the threats from near-by countries, the bomb shelters in every apartment building that must be kept in good repair are just not a part of American culture.  Never mind the shekel that varied from minute to minute in the world economy dependent on the dollar that guides businesses in the 80's.  How about doing Civil Guard duty every month even if you're a grandmother with 18 year old boys who are off duty from the army and spend their free time helping their city out this way?  Such a life was so different from what I experienced in the USA. 

With all this surrus (problems) life goes on and Israel has been able to be more creative than countries without a care in the world, except maybe the economy.  How many others can handle the condemnation of the world, the threat of extinction and still think up ways to contribute a better way of living to this strange planet? 

Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/opinion/sunday/friedman-israel-adrift-at-sea-alone.html?_r=2&pagewanted=print
http://www.tnr.com/article/world/95020/un-palestine-israel-security-council-statehood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Israel

Obama's Assistants in Speech About Israel and Borders

Nadene Goldfoot
According to last night's TV news program, CNN's news reporter, Fareed Zakaria and Thomas Friedman were the people assisting Obama in his speech writing  where Obama urged Israel to go back to the 1967 borders.  Fareed is denying this but has admitted speaking to the president on several occasions. 

Netanyahu is due to speak to Obama personally today, but has already said that this is indefensible and putting Israel in harm's way for the sake of a declared Palestine is not going to happen. 

In the meantime, the surrounding Palestinians are planning a march on Israel again today after their Friday prayers.  This has been organized by facebook connections.  It looks to me like there isn't any shortage of computers or methods of getting onto this social network that I myself am on.  It's an ongoing activity of Nakba Day,The Palestinian day of sorrow of when Israel was declared a state by the UN.  They should be thinking of the sorrow of their ancestors leaving their homes at the insistence of their own leaders who bragged that all the Arab armies were attacking Israel and they would win in a few days allowing the families to return and take over the Jews' homes and valuables and it didn't turn out that way.  This seems to be the basic problem.  There is the coveting going on of the Palestinian people for what the Jews have; their land.  Now the largest and most powerful nation in the world is aiding and abetting this outlook by telling Israel to give up more land they have gained from being attacked and surviving. 

I can't believe that President Obama would actually think that Israel would go along with such an idea.  However, I've heard on  a Fox News interview that J Street had even suggested this move to the 67 border which doesn't surprise me.   It's amazing to me that Friedman and J Streeters think they are such great strategists.  They have no respect for the country's democratic values.  It is for Israel to make their own decisions for their welfare and survival, not a bunch of intellectual couch potatoes who probably have never even served in an army or even set foot in Israel to promote their own outlook on this miraculous land of their fathers.  Fareed's conversation is excused.  He's an Egyptian and evidently is thinking of Egypt's wishes.  Friedman and J Street need to stop being so egotistical and come down off the mountain to find out what's really going on in that part of the world.  But for our president to rely on such counseling is utterly sick.  I for one wish he had talked to someone in the know like Dick Morris.  Perhaps it is this twosome who agreed with Obama's own thinking, however.  More than likely, that's the answer. 

Resource: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/cnns-fareed-zakaria-now-denies-hes-advising-the-president/
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4071411,00.html
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2011/05/hamas-responds-to-obama-we-will-never.html

Thomas Friedman: Authority on What Israel Should Do

Nadene Goldfoot

Thomas Friedman works for NY Times, who has the reputation for being anti-Israel. They recently ganged up on an Israeli diplomat telling him they didn't like his country. These CEO's were even Jewish, as Friedman is, and one is an Israeli. What is this world coming to? Havoc, I see. I think the NY Times people are from Chelm.

According to Friedman's opinion piece in the Oregonian Thursday-Egypt delivers shock and awe, Friedman accuses Netanyahu for finding excuses for not coming up with a peace plan. According to Friedman, the Americans, meaning no doubt Hillary and Obama, know it. Wow! What planet has Friedman been visiting lately? He thinks Abbas has offered so much to Israel.

Isn't it wonderful that a reporter, already set in his bias, can decide so much without being a soldier, a diplomat or even live in the area? We're not talking about Canadians, here. We're dealing with the Arabs who have been fighting Israel for the past 62 years plus. They have a mindset that's much different than Canadians, you know. You can't apply rules that are general for all peoples. I guess he's just been too busy to know that Netanyahu has been begging Abbas to talk about a peace deal but that Abbas wants pre-conditions first which means he won't talk until Netanyahu gives in to his demands first and foremost. Oh yes, I see Friedman knows this already when he finally mentions that Obama should put his own peace plan on the table and the two sides should negotiate on it without any preconditions. Well, good luck, Obama. Netanyahu and Clinton have been trying to do this with no avail, and it must be hard not to give in to Hillary.

Another thing Abbas wants, probably as another precondition is that he wants the millions of Arabs that have grown from the 600,000 original number or less to return and live in their Palestine. Of course! That's one way to take over the land and gain Israel. This is unreal and a death threat to Israel. How would you enjoy all of the Mexicans in Mexico to come and live in the USA? Isn't there room for all?

First off, Netanyahu has probably been angering you because he asks the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. You probably think this is the reason for calling it messianic. You had the chutzpa to say "if Israel remains paranoid and messianic and greedy, it will lose all its Arab friends. Now that is a laughable statement that makes me cry. The reason Israel's fathers picked the land of Israel to return to is that we do have a religious and cultural tie to the land, though it has taken us 2,000 long years to get back to it. For all those 2,000 years religious Jews have been praying that they would not forget Jerusalem lest they would lose their right hand. It's a way of saying that they would not forget the land of their forefathers. They had tons of feeling and history there. They had no feeling for Africa. Thus, the deal with the English for the land took place after the Ottoman Empire fell. All of this led to official recognition in 1948 in the UN of the state of Israel. The final piece we got was less than half of the original offered, but Israelis to be were not greedy, they accepted it. Remember, the Palestinians didn't. They were greedy in wanting it all. It was all or nothing and war with their leadership.

Let's take these accusations one at a time. Paranoid? Yes, we do know that Iran has called for Israel's destruction and that scientists think they will have atomic weapons by 2012. The Muslim Brotherhood has already called for Egypt to prepare for war against Israel and kill all Jews. Yes, Egypt may no longer have the stake it had in keeping the peace. They're going to miss the Israeli tourists that gave their people some jobs. They're going to miss the tranquil peace they've maintained since 67. You'd better watch out, Thomas. You're still considered Jewish, regardless of your far out opinions and self denial. Not only that, but Gaza on the West has said they're out for Israel's destruction. They have continued to shell Israel with Grad missles, smaller missiles, and mortars. Egypt is no longer restrained and the peace treaty may dissolve quickly, Lebanon is in the hands of terrorists, Gaza and Abbas would most likely join the others and would join in, Jordan is doing all it can do to stay afloat and that peace treaty also is in danger, being their population is 65% Palestinian, and do you need more reason for being paranoid? As the patient said to his psychologist, "Doctor, I think my neighbors hate me." Can you give me a pill?" "They do hate you," replied the psychologist. Pills won't help at all.

Greedy? There's no way that Israel is greedy. They're a tiny country surrounded by enemies of a culture from centuries ago who are not willing to allow one teeny Jewish state in the neighborhood. Who are the greedy ones? Greedy? There are over 1 million Arabs enjoying citizenship and freedoms they never had before living in Israel. Someone is shooting words around like arrows into our hearts when this is said. Who is trying to take this little piece of land? The greedy ones who live in 47 other Muslim countries want Israel.

So General Friedman would have the country give in to anything the Palestinians say just to get them to sign a so-called peace treaty. JUST DO IT sounds like his motto. I wouldn't give you a nickel for that type of meaningless treaty that would be a give-away of Israel.

I am so disappointed in Friedman since I have read his book, from Beirut to Jeruslam that was copyrighted in 1989 and 1990. It seems I read it before 1980, however when I was reading everything I could find on Israel before making aliyah. The nerve to tell Obama to walk away from Israel before the Egyptian riot of about 10 days ago. That was really rotten. What a way to stand with us who support the right of Israel's existence.

Anyone that compares Netanyahu with Mubarek is showing just how little they know about Israel's constitution. Maybe you need to hear again that Israel is a dramatically democratic party. The over a million Arabs that live there and that are citizens have the same rights as all Israelis. The one thing they may be left out of, however, is having to serve in the IDF, although I know of many who are. Israel is the #1 Start-Up Nation in the world, coming up with all sorts of businesses. I know of a Palestinian from Judea/Samaria who works with a high tech company in Israel. Netanyahu just said he will do more for them economically in starting up businesses. Do you remember when all Israelis pulled out of Gaza? They left businesses for them to work in and continue, but they destroyed them all. I guess they enjoyed being on the dole with UN relief much more than working. Can we make a lasting peace with the Arabs? I'd like to see it last more than a day. That's why a peace treaty can't be signed in a day. I, for one, would like to see the two states be in a peaceful state for a certain amount of time to see if it's possible, a trial run, so to speak. However, that's up to Netanyahu and the Knesset as they know a lot more than I. What bothers me is the the Camp David accord treated Gaza and Judea/Samaria as a whole, and Gaza simply won't come around. Is a peace treaty going to work with half the Palestinians constanty at war with Israel out to destroy and kill? What do you all say about that?

I'm sure Obama and all Israelis realize that a huge huge storm is coming and they're doing their best to protect themselves. They're realized it for some time now, and this is like hearing that an unknown hurricane is about to strike.

Friedman came up with a few truths; there is a global campaign to deligitimize Israel, a clever way its enemies fight since so many people love to buy into any bad propaganda about Jews.

What I try to do it is tell the truth about the relationship between Israel and the Arabs, not just disentangle Israel from them. He finally sees that Israel is surrounded by a huge population of young Muslim Arabs who have been living in the 7th Century with cell phones. It's quite a mix. What he doesn't get is that Netanyahu has delivered a great life for Israelis, being the only democracy in the Middle East. It hasn't been easy what with every man being called up on a yearly basis to do his milueem, interrupted from his work, or all the shelling that goes on. Boys and girls that graduate know they go into the army to serve for at least 3 years before college, or even picking up the paper to hear what American Jew has just bashed them and their country, refuge for Jews in peril. Yes, Israel probably feels like the general interviewed in Tel Aviv that what he thought for the last 30 years is no longer relevant with the Middle East now in turmoil of their own making in deciding they finally want to be a democracy. But they'll quickly adjust their thinking and come up with a plan of survival. They're not in a coveted position, we know, but when have they? It would just help more if people with power and able to reach the public with the free press would take off their rose colored glasses to see who the good guy is for a change. After all, you said it, don't become a part of the global campaign to deligitimize Israel.


http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2010/12/tom-friedman-ny-times-editors-ambush-attack-israeli-diplomat/

http://jta.org/news/article/2010/06/30/2739848/op-ed-tom-friedman-must-apologize-for-slandering-israel

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/tom-friedman-slanders-isr_b_630483.html

http://972mag.com/maariv-on-thomas-friedman-obamas-escort-boy-just-jealous-of-bibis-career/
Oregonian 2/2/11, Egypt delivers shock and awe by Thomas Friedman