Monthly Archives: July 2014

If anti-Semitism in Europe is the appetizer, wait till you see the main course.

249Anyone who knows even a little history knows that this is not Europe’s first go at anti-Jewish sentiment and actions.  However, this time around there are some significant differences, differences that could lead to the end of Europe as we now know it.

Traditionally anti-Semitism in Europe was government sanctioned.  The Spanish inquisition, Russian pogroms, Nazi Germany, Stalin’s U.S.S.R., all consisted of horrors and destruction for the Jews that were carried out by the ruling parties of each of these regimes.  In each one of these examples Jews were being eliminated because they were fraudulently declared a threat to the environment being created and were therefore, for all intents and purposes, illegal and harmful residents.  Today however, regardless of whether you call any particular nation in Europe a friend of the Jews or not, the anti-Semitism being generated comes more from mobs than governments.  At least for now.

These mobs are primarily organized and dominated by the Muslim communities of various countries.  Nothing represents the advancement of the Muslim cause in Europe more than France, where the mobs have turned so hateful and violent, Jews are starting to pick up and leave.  The behavior of these mobs is the precursor to what will ultimately be a much bigger issue in Europe, a radical new demographic.  That’s a technical way of saying an Islamic takeover.

I do not make this statement to be racist.  I would love to see a world where we all can live together in peace.  I know there are good and bad people in all races and religions, and yes, I have met many good Muslims.  But I also know, that only one group has leaders in their midst declaring a desire for world domination, a term not connected to such a significant threat since the days of Adolph Hitler.  Ironic that the Jews are being called Nazis, isn’t it?  I understand the Muslim fanatics drawing the comparison because it gets the people going and helps their cause.  Although they should know, that even though Hitler may have killed the Jews first, in a Europe such as the one we see today, if a Hitler-type rises to power, the Muslims would at worst be second.

The stupidity in all of this however is with the non-Muslims in Europe who are taking the side against Israel and the Jews.  I am not referring to decent people who are saddened by the events taking place in Gaza.  I am referring to those who are falling for the propaganda machine being used against Israel and the Jews, a machine getting a trial run before it takes on its much bigger target, anyone not Muslim.  Those who feel these mobs will stop at the Jews is not only not paying attention to what is happening, they are not being honest about its source.  If these mobs care so much about dead children, where have they been till now?  Ask them how many children have been murdered in Syria? Or better yet, tell them.  Over 9,000.  Let me repeat that.  Over 9,000 children have been killed in Syria. Where are the mobs protesting that?  Where are the signs equating the Syrian flag with the Swastika?  Then there is Mosul, a city of 1.8 million.  Interesting number.  Why?  Because Gaza has 1.8 million residents. But here is the difference.  150,000 Christians were recently attempting to flee because if they did not they would be slaughtered or forced to convert like those Christians that did not leave.  I am sure there are thousands of children in that number as well, but unlike Gaza, where the Israeli government actually wants people to see the truth, Mosul is unreachable by the press.  This allows ISIS to run rampant murdering and destroying anyone and anything they feel doesn’t help towards their goal of an Islamic Caliphate.  Where are the mobs protesting this?  Where are the signs comparing ISIS to Nazis?  Nowhere.

My point is that for these mobs it is not about the concern for the well-being of children, it is either about pushing their agenda or voicing their hatred for Jews.  When the time comes that governments need to fight against evil entities such as ISIS in Iraq or Boko Haram in Nigeria, or a nuclear Iran, just to keep Europe and the rest of the civilized world safe, the mobs will form all over again, and just like they are doing now, will pretend it is about dead babies.

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A Logical and Moral Response

aaron-david-miller-190Yesterday on CNN I watched an interview with Aaron David Miller.  Miller worked for the U.S. Department of State from 1978-2003 and was an adviser on Arab-Israeli relations under 6 different Secretaries of State.  He made a statement that I believe to be the most accurate assessment of what Israel is doing in Gaza and what can be used as an honest response to anyone who accuses Israel of brutality in the ongoing Operation.

He said the following, and I paraphrase: “Israel, without question, is not attempting to cause civilian casualties.  However, Israel is conducting this operation with a specific set of objectives, and their priority is not concern for Palestinian civilians, it is to accomplish these objectives.”

I believe this to be a fair assessment.  I will however elaborate on it somewhat. Israel’s objectives are to wipe out a terrorist organization guilty of killing both Israeli and Palestinian civilians, protect Israel’s civilians in the future, and to restore a peaceful life for all Israelis.  These objectives must be met, for if they are not, a lot more children will be killed in the future, and many of them will be Jewish.  It shows the moral right Israel has to carry out this mission, despite the tragic consequences we see today.

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At a Crucial Time, the Pope gets it right

pope-francis-gaza-israelHow we react to the Pope Francis’s way of addressing the situation in Israel and Gaza has the potential to not only bring Jews closer to an important group of people but it also provides an important opportunity to those of us that support Israel and want peace in the region.  As I have made quite clear in many of my posts, my support for this war and the Israeli government is unwavering. However, by no mean does that mean I’m happy about the events taking place.

Like so many others standing with Israel I am heartbroken and frightened by the actions of evil people, not only with what they are doing, but with what they are causing to happen. I know Hamas is responsible for the ongoing tragedy in Gaza and I truly believe they must be stopped at all costs.  But I also don’t require those saddened by the situation to take a side, as long as their assessment is fair, balanced and without bias.  So when Pope Francis puts his emphasis into praying to God that the violence stops, and pleading openly that the fighting and killing stops, it is my opinion that he is using his platform appropriately.   The tendency of some might lean towards being critical of him for not taking a political stand, but I personally do not feel that way.  I believe we should not only support his stance, but encourage it as well.  A call for peace by a religious leader is a good thing, and besides being something we need more of, commending his position is the right thing to do from a Public Relations standpoint, something we can not ignore.

Don’t misinterpret my appreciation for the Pope’s position with a shift towards moderation.  The enemies this world is facing are barbaric in ways not seen since the Nazis in Europe and like the Nazis they will only be destroyed by force.  That being said the battle takes place on many fronts, and when the Pope prays and pleads for peace, he is doing the right thing and fighting it on his front.  If we recognize this we will be just as strong without getting dangerously desensitized.  A Pope urging people not to fight is a Pope using his influence for the right purpose.

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Turning News into a Prime Time Drama

cnngazaThe problem with the reporting of news these days is that rather than being a source of information it is a source of dramatic entertainment.  It might be fair to say it has always been this way, but in light of the events in Israel I am finding the media, particularly CNN, guilty of focusing more on the dramatic aspects than on the informational ones.  To call the images of crying, injured or dead children entertainment may be cynical, but then again the extent to which it is being done is clearly not for purposes of reporting the story.  It is being done to draw in the viewer, and for that the guilty parties need to be ashamed of themselves.

The question that needs to be asked is this.  What are they accomplishing by doing this?  Are they making the world a better place by having people show their support for innocent children?  The truthful answer is a resounding NO. The way in which these images are portrayed encourages anger towards Israel and sympathy for Hamas.  The intelligent people running the show at CNN know perfectly well that it has this impact on society, but in what is the ultimate in cynicism,  they don’t care.  The images create attention and boost ratings.  The more horrifying or sensational the better.  It is not about right and wrong, it is about business and money.

So you have Hamas using the women and children not only as human shields but as sacrificial lambs to generate worldwide sympathy for their cause, and CNN and other agencies like it using the children for ratings.  The ironic part of all this is that a large portion of the world is putting the blame on the one party involved not using the children at all, Israel.  And these news agencies are very much to blame.

 

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Open Letter in response to Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz

262333343 (1)Dear Mr. Bardem and Ms. Cruz,

I will write this on the assumption that your letter was constructed from a genuine disdain for the murder of innocents.  We have that in common.  I too hate to see innocent people killed.  It is the worst thing to happen in this world on a daily basis and if it were to stop the world would indeed be a better place. The issue that can not be ignored however is who is responsible for the murder of innocents and what is its root cause.

The term Genocide is being thrown around a lot these days.  I too see Genocides happening.  The ones I see happening are in Iraq and Nigeria. The definition of genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.  ISIS in Iraq and Boko Haram in Nigeria have made it very clear that  they are targeting Christians who have 2, sometimes 3 choices.  Convert or be killed are always on the table, while leave and go somewhere else are only occasionally on the table.  Even if one would accuse Israel of conducting this war incorrectly, a point I will address later in this letter, they would have a very difficult time proving that an actual genocide is being committed.  Unless of course one chooses to listen to the Hamas version of the story only, in which case Israel is doing everything wrong and Hamas is doing everything right.

I recently was concerned that the problem we have in dealing with this situation is that we are trying to use reason with the unreasonable.  I read your letter and it certainly comes across as having been written by a reasonable person, but then I see a very narrow argument being given and I naturally question the motives and logic behind your arguments.  Imagine Spain was being threatened by a strip of land attached to it, that strip of land was being supported by an enemy nation sworn to Spain’s destruction, and that same strip was being governed by a group of people who in its charter declared it wanted all the Spanish out of Spain.  What would you do?  If the territory bordered water, and that waterway had access to the hostile nation, would you not stop shipments to that territory?  If missiles were being fired at Spain from that strip of land would you not fight back, no matter how much stronger you may be?  And if you were to fight back, would you, as the humanitarians that you are,  feel responsible for the deaths of innocents placed in the location of the missile launchers?

It is a tragic situation.  We agree on that?  But the bigger tragedy may be how the people causing this tragedy are duping reasonable people, such as yourselves into believing their lies.  Israel has accepted almost every cease-fire offer made.  Hamas has mainly refused all but one.  If you are to make the argument that Israel is wrong for the deaths of the innocents despite the fact that Hamas puts the innocents in the line of fire, how can you justify not criticizing Hamas for rejecting the cease-fire?  You want to see the death stop.  So do we.  Ask yourself a question.  Look into your heart and be honest.  Do you truly believe that Hamas wants the death to stop?  If you truly are reasonable and honest you will come up with the correct answer.  If not, your opinion may be tainted by something you are not revealing in your letter, in which case there is no point in debating this with you.  If however you are sincere, I believe you will see the truth.

Sincerely,

David Groen

 

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Free the State Department!

john-kerry-has-been-pushing-for-air-strikes-in-syriaTo quote a statement from Times of Israel,  “Washington is fuming over the negative Israeli response to the ceasefire proposal drafted with Qatar and Turkey.”  But after the report came out that the cease-fire offer was basically an offer for Hamas to stop fighting if Israel gives in to all their demands, Secretary of State John Kerry claims he never formally offered this particular cease-fire to Israel.  Kerry claiming he never officially proposed this cease-fire, one that might as well have been drafted by Hamas, is no different from celebrities like Rihanna or Dwight Howard Tweeting “Free Palestine” only to delete the tweet later.  Once you put it out there guys, we all know how you feel.

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The New Wonder Woman is a Former IDF Soldier

254166-gal-gadot-wonder-womanYou can’t help but wonder how long it will take for those who hate everything Jewish and Israeli to cry foul once again, but it turns out that the most recent superhero revealed to the world this past weekend at San Diego’s Comic-Con  is Israeli model and actress  Gal Gadot.  The gorgeous Gadot, a former member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will play Wonder Woman in the movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” scheduled for release May 6, 2016.  The BDS Movement is waiting to see what side Wonder Woman is on before they decide whether or not to boycott products from Krypton or Gotham but we promise to keep you updated as news filter in.

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The Truth in a Nutshell

k1_waThis post was made by an an old friend of mine Miriam Kelaty and shows the truth about what is happening in one very moving, poignant and maybe more than anything else, very sad story.

This was sent to me (Miriam Kelaty) privately……

 

We went into Shuja’iya, to discover and destroy the Hamas’ terrorist tunnels. We discovered there an entire underground city, with multi-shaft, wide tunnels, with Wi-Fi & air-conditioning systems, concrete walls, and stocked to the ceiling with weapons and explosives. Some of the tunnels are so wide, that they can ride back and forwards on Vespa-type scooters. And then came the worst! The Hamas “fighters” started sending towards us 13- and 14-year-old Palestinian children, running at us, wearing explosive-laden suicide-bomber belts!! Those children were death-trapped, and became human bombs, by the community’s adults!! We were trained to fight adult soldiers or any other skilled adults, enabling us to defend our families and countrymen. But this?? We had no other option but, in self-defense, to shoot them at as far a range from us as we could, before the “responsible adult” that sent them used his mobile phone to detonate the belts, and kill us.” One of the injured soldiers ended up by saying, “I do not know if I’ll ever be able to sleep again; the pictures of those poor children, killed by my gun, will probably never leave me!”

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American Pressure on Israel: Fundraising, dislike, or fear?

Barack ObamaIn the name of integrity I must start by confessing that I voted for this administration twice. So when I criticize its actions I also on some levels criticize my choice. Be that as it may, there are many issues to consider when analyzing an American administration’s attitude towards Israel. In fairness it needs to be said that the United States of America has always been a friend of Israel’s, and the funding of Iron Dome under the Obama presidency clearly needs to be appreciated. With that said, why is Israel’s most important friend trying to push it towards unacceptable agreements with a terrorist organization? There are 3 possible reasons and none of them make the U.S. look good nor are they helpful to the overall situation.

The first possibility, and clearly the most cynical one, is that a President who is a master fundraiser is in some ways fundraising by showing poor support for Israel. When we hear that Qatar, a wealthy nation with money to burn, is supporting Hamas, it has to be considered that they are using their financial clout to influence the president and this government. With a U.S. economy floundering and an Arab nation with the potential ability to hold financial leverage over many people, companies and even nations, the power of money can’t be ignored. I stop short of making accusations of personal financial corruption because such claims being made without evidence is irresponsible, but to say that Qatar can use its money for influence is not only accurate, but realistic.

The second possibility, which is one that many Jews and supporters of Israel gravitate towards is a dislike for Israel, particularly towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I won’t analyze this because the actions are very clear and out in the open, and since some are supportive of Israel and some are not, without a clear declaration of intent we just don’t know how Obama and his cabinet feels. I can only hold out hope that there is enough competence in this administration to at least make decisions based on assessment on what is the best move and not on personal likes or dislikes. We just can’t be sure.

The third choice, and the one I will go on record as thinking is the most likely one, is fear. Fear on many levels. Fear of escalation, fear of confrontation, fear of terrorist reprisals on U.S. soil, but most of all basic fear of the enemy. I know there are those who will read this that feel President Barack Obama is complicit with Islamic fundamentalists, but for the sake of sanity I will work from the assumption that this president does not intend to destroy the United States and western civilization. I do however feel that he is scared of the consequences connected with opposing Muslim fundamentalists. It shows with his inaction in Iraq, where the rise of ISIS may be the single most dangerous thing happening on the planet today, it shows with his approach towards Iran and North Korea, and it shows with his lack of conviction against Hamas, a terrorist organization very capable of organizing attacks on the United States in the future.

Here’s the concerning catch to all of this. Despite the fact that blaming it on fear is less cynical and callous than the other choices, it may be the most dangerous. An American government working from fear gives strength to the forces of evil that previously were held in check by this great country. If America as a nation shows fear, it emboldens the enemy, and once they get too strong there may be no turning back.

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