Bibi: Please Change the Conversation!

PM Bibi Netanyahu needs to change the conversation. I’m sick and tired of listening to him defending Israeli built settlements in Judea and Samaria (aka West Bank). The latest argument between him and secretary Kerry about whether or not the ‘settlements’ are an obstacle to peace is itself an obstacle to peace.

Although there are people like me who understand the deep hatred that the PA leadership harbours toward Israel and the Jews, I can see that most of the world might side with Kerry.

Bibi recounted correctly that for 50 years the Palestinians (I hate that word since there is no such people but am quoting Bibi here) have fought for the destruction of Israel, well before the 1967 Six Day War where Israel recaptured the land known today by some as the West Bank. So his defence is that since they hated us well before there were any Jewish settlements why would Jewish settlements today be an obstacle to peace?

Kerry agreed with Bibi’s history lesson. But still cried that despite the history, if Israel really wanted to make peace, they should stop antagonizing the Palestinians by building Jewish settlements in land that will one day be part of a Palestinian state and further more make that land non-contiguous -making any future state difficult to demarcate. 

As you can see, Bibi’s defensive arguments will ultimately fail as do all arguments which avoid the real truth, the real issue or as aptly known as the elephant in the room.

So what is the real truth? Simple: Judea and Samaria (aka West Bank) belongs to Israel. Period. 

Through the Mandate for Palestine, Israel has legal title to this land. If you believe in the Bible, she’s had it for thousands of years. If you don’t, it started no later than 1917 with the Balfour declaration and was completed in 1948 when Israel became a modern day Jewish State. 

There are many fantastic organizations, some Jewish, some not, who defend Israel’s right to the disputed territories. Check this excellent one out: http://israelrights.com/en/

Don’t get me wrong. I have much respect and admiration of Bibi as Israel’s democratically elected PM. I’m sure there are many mitigating factors for him and some of his colleagues and predecessors going down the 2 state solution, road. But enough is enough. 

It’s way past time to change the conversation. Stop defending your settlements that are built on your own land. Stop appeasing the haters. Tell the world that the land is ours as per our legal title. If and when we decide to give it away for any reason, it’s up to us and only to us. 

As you might have figured out, I’m a Jewish activist. In Toronto, Canada we host a Gay Pride Parade every summer. Unfortunately, it was soon hijacked by an antisemitic group called Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (Quaia). There were quite a few citizens who didn’t like the group participating in the parade for various reasons. I didn’t like it because they were falsely condemning Israel of apartheid and doing so in someone else’s parade. The city created a tribunal to deal with complaints about the parade. I filled out the application and attended the tribunal to make my case against allowing Quaia to participate in the parade. The panel was composed of the former president of the Canadian Muslim Association, a lawyer who was part of Peace Now (an anti-Israel left wing ‘Jewish’ group) and someone else. I realized very quickly that this tribunal was a sham. They wanted me to defend Israel as not being an apartheid state. I refused to argue this point (I think I said that’s as silly as arguing that water is wet). My argument was simple. The large, expensive parade, in part paid for by my taxes, was to celebrate gay rights. It had nothing to do with Israel or any other country or political issue. I told them that thankfully we live in a democratic society. Quaia is free to organize their own parade on their own dime but should not be allowed to hijack our world famous Gay Pride Parade. 

It took a couple more years but we eventually won this battle. Quaia is no longer welcome to participate in our parade. I’m pretty sure that had I and others tried to defend our cause by attempting to prove that Israel is not an apartheid state, Quaia would still be participating in the parade.

When Bibi avoids the elephant, he makes it very difficult for people like me who try to defend Israel. He makes it easier for her enemies to attack Israel. Case in point is the PA’s latest efforts to insist that the UK apologize for the Balfour Declaration. 

I just wrote a letter to a British MP asking her to support the Balfour Declaration. But why should she listen to me when Israel’s own PM doesn’t seem to ever mention it?

I love Bibi, but if he won’t stand up for the Truth right now, it’s time for him to step down.

Is Bannon an Antisemite?

Almost since the day Trump won, I’ve been told that his new chief of staff Steve Bannon is an antisemite and is a member of the alt right.

I’ve read this on Facebook, from friends via email, from various blogs and of course CNN won’t shut up about it. Heck even large left wing Jewish organizations like the ADL have accused him of this. 

I immediately smelled a rat but conceded that I'll reserve judgement until I learn more about who this Bannon guy is. My first thoughts were:

1. Why should we take the words of his ex-wife, words said during a heated divorce no less? And even if they prove true, does that absolutely prove that he is an antisemite?  When I sent my kids to camp, I wanted them to go to a Jewish camp. I wanted them to associate with other Jewish children their age. Does that mean that I’m a racist?

2. A little digging about him and I found out that he was a former naval officer, worked for Goldman Sachs and worked in the entertainment industry. So we learned that he bravely served his country and worked for a large Jewish firm as well as in an industry known for it’s Jewishness. I ask you, is that something a real antisemite would do?

3. I can’t imagine that the Trump administration would nominate a chief of staff without intense scrutiny. Trump knows that the world is watching his every move and it would be folly to make a huge blunder right at the get go.

A day later, a colleague sent me an article by one of my favourite pro-Israel, Jewish activists, David Horowitz on the Breitbart web site. Here it is: https://www.google.com/amp/www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/11/14/horowitz-anti-bannon-hysteria-more-evidence-the-left-has-lost-touch-with-the-american-people/amp/

Turns out that the ‘renegade Jew’ article was written by David Horowitz on Breitbart’s site about Bill Krystol who lead the ‘never Trump’ campaign. It had nothing to do with Bannon hating Jews whatsoever!

Today I read another article by Joel Pollak on Breitbart who is a religious Jew who worked with/under Bannon at Breitbart and made it clear that Bannon is a good friend to Jews, is a staunch defender of Israel and an American patriot. You can read it here: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/14/stephen-k-bannon-friend-jewish-people-defender-israel/

In summary, not only is Stephen Bannon NOT an antisemite, he is a philo-semite (someone who likes Jews), defends Israel and is a loyal American and a great man. If he wasn't being appointed chief of staff I would assume that he would successfully sue for defamation of character.

I guess CNN, the Times and the rest of the MM (mainstream media) and the lefty organizations (Jewish or otherwise) didn’t get the memo. TRUMP Won!  Despite their vicious, unrelenting attacks against him and any conservatives (and Israel), the American people saw through their BS and voted for him. Yet they continue to twist fantastic accusations at Trump and any of his staff or supporters in hopes of shooting him down. I would think that by now even left leaners would get tired of CNN and other MM hysteric nonsense. Their bias is though the roof. They have become a joke in poor taste. Not entertaining in the least and certainly can’t be taken seriously any more (if they ever could have been).

CNN, ADL and every other organization or person who accused Bannon or Trump of being an antisemite needs to publicly apologize to them both. But they won’t! I can name dozens of real antisemitic bastards who are part of Hillary Clinton & Bernie Sanders camps and the Obama administration as well. 

One last thing - Since when does CNN or the Times care about antisemitism or insignificant events like the Holocaust anyways? All of a sudden they are our best friends (for the moment).

UNESCO: Temple Mount is an Islamic Holy Site

If you want people to respect your opinion you must speak the truth and back it up with facts when required. The UN and all of its committees have proven time and again that they don't care about truth of facts. They only care about one thing: delegitimizing Israel at all costs.

In this case UNESCO proved its insanity by ignoring Israel's 3000 year connection to Jerusalem including of course the Temple Mount where the most sacred Jewish site continues to stand. As per Moslem doctrine, these Islamic countries (who submitted the document to UNESCO) attempt to replace years of history and other non-Islamic sites with their own. They have done this repeatedly throughout the world wherever they can get away with it.

Check out this short video of tens of thousands of Jews praying at the Kotel (Western Wall in Jerusalem) during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement) and tell me that it's not a Jewish holy site. https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-pre-yom-kippur-prayers-at-the-western-wall/



Here is UNESCO's document not only declaring that the Temple Mount is really an Islamic holy site but condemning Israel all over the map on everything they could have possibly thought of. It's a very daunting attack that typifies the stealth jihad approach that many Islamic people and Islamic sympathizers continue to take. The attempted legalese belies the total BS that is in this document. I couldn't read too much of it as I have an aversion to BS.

But give it a try if you dare:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6243

The tragedy here is the number of (temporarily) non-Islamic countries who support this utter nonsensical lie. 24 voted for it, 26 abstained and only 6 voted against it. I wonder where my own country, Canada, stood on this vote.

Anyone who supports the UN or any of its subsidiaries is out of their mind.

Shanna Tova!