StatCounter

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

A return to 1967 borders?

There seems to be a rather important point being missed in the discussions following Barack Obama's declaration that the peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians would have to involve a return to (allowing for some minor changes) the 1967 borders.

That point is that in 1967 there was no Palestinian state. So would the West Bank would be returned to Jordan and Gaza to Egypt, as they were the countries that lost the territory as a result of their military attack on Israel?

What does Yvonne Ridley mean by 'Virus Detected'?

What a very strange remark; who or what are the 'virus' that have been 'detected'?

Original Tweet is here.


Thanks to a comment at Oy Va Goy for the spot.

Mark Steyn is not convinced by Barack Obama's 1967 borders fetish

'MS: And by the way, this is, I think, the pansy left’s view of the world, that if you take, if you have two parties to a negotiation, one party wants to kill the other party. That’s why there’s no, that’s was why there was no peace in 1948, no peace under the British mandate in the 1930s, no peace at the time of the 1922 partition, because one party to the dispute wants to kill the other. So if they are wedded to that, then you’ve got to put pressure on the party that doesn’t want to kill each other to make concessions, to keep throwing in enough concessions in the face of the beast that wants to devour it. And that’s…I think that’s…if you look at where he’s applying the pressure, I think that tells you a lot about the fundamental fraudulence of these negotiations. By the way, Hugh, would you negotiate with someone who wanted, would you trade land for you so-called right to exist? I mean, that’s what, even at their best, these people are offering. They’re dangling well, if you keep giving us enough stuff, we might recognize your “right to exist.” Well, screw that. I wouldn’t negotiate with someone who wants to negotiate over my right to exist, and their willingness to recognize it. And nor would you, and nor would anybody else. '
More at Hugh Hewitt.

Tuesday morning catch-up

Too many tabs open and not enough time to do them all justice so:

1)
'Britain’s public spending cuts are less severe than those in other European countries, an analysis has found.

As a percentage of national output, public spending in the UK will fall by less than the average for the 17 Eurozone countries.

The news that the cuts are less harsh than those our neighbours are experiencing has fuelled criticism of the BBC, which has often been accused of exaggerating the extent of the cuts without explaining why they are necessary.'
for more read this Mail article but don't bother waiting for the BBC to report it.


2) Sila explains why she had to pretend to be a Muslim, in Germany, but now has to show she's not because she posed nude for Playboy - Isn't multi-culturalism marvelous.


3)
'Refugees fleeing conflict in Libya are gathering in Calais in an attempt to enter Britain. '
That's the unsurprising news in The Telegraph. Now why would these people be so keen to come to the United Kingdom?
'“It is very difficult to get on the train, but I dream of England,” said Mohammed, who arrived in Calais on Tuesday after fleeing the war in Libya, where he was a migrant worker from Chad.

“Maybe I will hide, but I hope to find a way to get there somehow. England is a great country where I can have my human rights.”'
And, presumably, benefits.


4)
'A convicted terrorist banned from Britain for being a risk to national security has been stopped from being deported by the courts.'
Because a convicted terrorist's rights seem to trump those of innocent British people. The Telegraph has more, I doubt that the BBC has.


5) A cartoonist has discovered that lampooning George W. Bush was fine but lampooning Barack Obama is not so easy to sell:
'Ted Rall's cartoons and opinion pieces were all the rage when he was attacking George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and American soldiers.

But now that there's a man in the White House the press absolutely adore, the once syndicated polemicist claims he's having a hard time getting anyone to publish his work:

In the past, editorial rejections had numerous causes: low budgets, lack of space, an editor who simply preferred another creator's work over yours.

Now there' s a new cause for refusal: Too tough on the president.'
News Busters has the details.


6) It seems that college students might be getting brighter in the USA:
'A recent informal survey of 500 post-grads primarily between the ages of 22 and 28 — 83 percent of whom voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 — found just 27 percent of Obama’s previous youth supporters plan to vote for him again, The Daily Caller reports. That’s a drop of almost 60 points.

In contrast, of those who voted for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008, a vast majority — 80 percent — said they would vote GOP again. An 80 percent majority of those newly disillusioned by Obama said they would consider voting for a Republican in 2012, too.'
Hot Air has more details.


7) Before you visit the Maldives for your 'holiday in paradise' please read this:
'Keep in mind that the Maldives constitution does not permit citizenship to non-Muslims and a U.S.-based Muslim group gave Maldives FM the “Muslim Democrat of the Year” award in part for denying non-Muslims citizenship. Upon receiving the award, the FM stated:

I’m very happy to be named Muslim Democrat of the year.

For now I’m very happy to be in a 100 per cent Muslim country having achieved homegrown democracy.'
Creeping Sharia has more, I doubt that the BBC has.


8) Next Big Future reports that:
'Harold Vinegar, the former chief scientists of Royal Dutch Shell, has devised an ambitious plan that would, if successful, turn Israel into one of the world’s leading oil producers. Now chief scientist for Israel Energy Initiatives (IEI), Vinegar maintains that the 238 sq km Shefela Basin holds the world’s second largest shale deposits outside the United States, from which around 250 billion barrels of oil – about the same as Saudi Arabia’s proven reserves, could be extractable. IEI estimates the marginal cost of production at between US$35 and US$40 per barrel. That, says Vinegar, would be cheaper than the US$60 or so per barrel it would cost to extract crude oil in more hospitable locations such as the Arctic, and even favourably with the US$30-US$40 in Brazilian deepwater. '
It always seemed a bit unfair that Israel had hardly any oil reserves when its neighbours dis. Of course Israel did have oil reserves whilst it had the Sinai peninsular but gave that back to Egypt in return for peace. I wonder how long before Egypt, Lebanon and the Palestinians claim the gas/oil is theirs?


9) The Mail seem shocked that female teachers are human beings outside of the classroom.
'Disgrace of the six drinking, pole-dancing primary school teachers who published the pictures on Facebook'
Seems like a complete non-story to me as the teachers were not in school, in loco parentis at the time or in any way linkable with the school at the time the photos were taken.


10) if you watched Gordon Ramsey in Malaysia last night; yes she did say "clittoral plant" and yes they do exist. To save you looking one up on Google, where the plant is not the first image returned, here's a picture
Here's what Herb Exploration have to say about the plant:
'Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea, Fabaceae) has large, deeply blue flowers that are used to give a bluish hue to desserts in Thailand (anchan, anjan [อัญชัน]) and Malaysia (bunga telang). In our days, it is mostly substituted by synthetic food colourants. '

Monday, 23 May 2011

Daniel Hannan has a Bob Dylan related question

'Why is it that, if you can sing, strum a guitar and play a harmonica all at the same time, you are regarded as a genius; whereas if you go that extra mile and strap a pair of cymbals to your knees…?'
From today's Telegraph

I think they mean 'publicity' not 'controversy'

'Rihanna kiss stuns audience

Popstar courts controversy after kissing Britney Spears live on stage'
Oh come on guys, surely you must have noriced that girl singers have been known to indulge in a bit of in public 'girl on girl' action to get publicity - hey it works!

'Goodbye Al Quaeda's Rose - Bastard in the Sand'


Martin Short on the Letterman Show - quite funny and way better than Elton John's re-write of Candle In The Wind for Diana, Princess of Wales; I liked the original though.


Thanks to Theo Spark for the spot.

Doctor Who catch-up (part 3)

'The Doctor's Wife' - After last week's rubbish, this episode was brilliant: humorous, thought-provoking and with the run of the TARDIS (unfortunately mainly corridors). This episode linked to many pieces of Doctor Who mythology (and one Monty Python reference - "I'm still alive") re the Doctor and the TARDIS. There was the history of the 'stealing' of the TARDIS and why it/she is so unreliable (or is it/she)? The portrayal of the TARDIS in human form brought to life the character that is in almost every episode of Doctor Who but never gets a cast credit; the often referred to "old girl" and occasional "sexy" TARDIS.

There was at least one hint of future plot developments, or maybe just a teaser for people like me, when the Doctor says that Tome Lords can change sex at regenerations; although we have seen Joanna Lumley as Doctor Who in the past, but I say NO don't do it!. There were back references galore including the Doctor describing himself as "a madman with a box".

A great episode, more like what I want and expect from Doctor Who than the dreadful 'The Curse of the Black Spot'.

The most incredible piece of video footage of the recent post earthquake Japanes tsunami


I believe the footage is from Minami-Sanriku. The power of the earth's natural forces never ceases to amaze me.

Something for the BBC to chew on re Dr Martin Luther King

Dr Martin Luther King was a REPUBLICAN. Do read the whole piece but here's some excerpts for the BBC to chew over as they continually push the 'Republican bad, Democrat good', 'Republicans racist, Democrats all-encompassing'
'It should come as no surprise that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican. Why? It was the Democrats who Dr. King was fighting, and he would not have joined the Democratic Party, the party of segregation and the Ku Klux Klan. To understand why MLK was a Republican, let’s take a walk through history.

...

The Republican Party - From its founding in 1854 as the anti-slavery party until today, the Republican Party has championed freedom and civil rights for blacks.

The Democratic Party – As author Michael Scheuer stated, the Democratic Party is the party of the four S’s: slavery, secession, segregation and now socialism.'

...

Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan in 1866 to lynch and terrorize Republicans -black and white and drive Republicans out of the South.

...

Democrats enacted the discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws

Democrats fought to prevent the passage of every piece of civil rights legislation from the 1860’s to the 1960's.

...

Democrat Public Safety Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor in Birmingham let loose vicious dogs and turned skin-burning fire hoses on black civil rights demonstrators.
Democrat Georgia Governor Lester Maddox famously brandished ax handles to prevent blacks from patronizing his restaurant.

In 1954, Democrat Arkansas Governor Orville Faubus tried to prevent desegregation of a Little Rock public school.

Democrat Alabama Governor George Wallace stood in front of the Alabama schoolhouse in 1963 and thundered, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
All of these racist Democrats remained Democrats until the day they died.

...

Democrat Senator Robert Byrd was a former “Exalted Cyclops” and “Keagle” (Recruiter) in the Ku Klux Klan

Byrd remained a Democrat until he died in 2010. He was a prominent leader in the Democrat-controlled Congress where he was honored by his fellow Democrats as the “conscience of the Senate.” Byrd was a fierce opponent of desegregating the military and complained in one letter: “I would rather die a thousand times and see old glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again than see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen of the wilds.”

The relentless disparagement of Dr. King by Democrats led to his being physically assaulted and ultimately to his tragic death. In March of 1968, while referring to Dr. King's leaving Memphis, Tennessee after riots broke out where a teenager was killed, Byrd called Dr. King a "trouble-maker" who starts trouble, but runs like a coward after trouble is ignited. A few weeks later, Dr. King returned to Memphis and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.'

So BBC is there any chance of you reflecting this aspect of American history or would you rather push a false 'narrative'?

Sunday, 22 May 2011

Jerusalem - what it means to Jews and Muslims

I aim to post a few articles about Jerusalem over the coming week, here's the first that compares the reality of Jewish and Muslim attitudes to Jerusalem.



Thanks to Theo Spark for the spot.

Though for the Day

"It is incredible what political simpletons Jews are. They shut their eyes to one of the most elementary rules of life, that you must not "meet halfway" those who do not want to meet you."
Vladimir Jabotinsky, The Ethics of The Iron Wall

A return to 1967 borders

Barack Obama has decided that Israel should return to the 1967 borders as if that would satisfy the Palestinians and surrounding Arab countries (and Iran). There is so much I want to say at this point but I must be careful to keep my anger in check.

Let's begin with the words of the then Fatah leader, Yasser Arafat;  on the same day Yasser Arafat signed the Declaration of Principles on the White House lawn in 1993, he explained his actions on Jordan TV thus "Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we do this in stages. We take any and every territory that we can of Palestine, and establish a sovereignty there, and we use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, we can get the Arab nations to join us for the final blow against Israel."
A return to 1967 borders for Israel is not the aim of Hamas, Fatah and the rest, it is a staging post on the way to the destruction of Israel.

The surrounding Arab countries attacked the new born state of Israel in 1948 declaring that they would drive all Jews into the sea. They failed and for that any sane person would give thanks but why did they attack were they demanding a return to 1967 borders? In 1967 the same neighbours of Israel mustered forces ready to attack and destroy Israel again, once again they failed and in defeating the aggressors, Israel captured various territory. Why did the Arab countries attack Israel, were they demanding a return to the borders of 1967? Land captured in a defensive war is normally kept not surrendered back to the aggressors but in Israel's case this seems not be the case.


In 1973, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Arab countries attacked again and were defeated again, Israel captured more land from Egypt and Syria in another defensive war. Were the Arab countries in 1973 calling for a return to 1967 borders?

So despite the evidence of three wars started to destroy Israel we are expected to believe that now the Palestinians just want peace a Israel to return to its 1967 borders. We are meant to ignore the words of Yasser Arafat in the past as quoted above, of current Hamas leaders like Nizar Rayan, Hamas religious and military leader, who said on 1 Jan 2009
"Regarding the Jews, our business with them is only through bombs and guns... the prophet [Muhammad] promised that we will fight you, with Allah's help, until the tree and stone say: "Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."
, of Fatah's 1968 Charter:
'– In the Palestinian state only Jews who lived in Palestine before 1917 will be recognized as citizens [Article 6]:
– Only the Palestinian Arabs possess the right of self-determination, and the entire country belongs to them [Articles 3 and 21].
– Any solution that does not involve total liberation of the country is rejected. This aim cannot be achieved politically; it can only be accomplished militarily [Articles 9 & 21].
– Warfare against Israel is legal, whereas Israel's self-defence is illegal [Article 18].'
That 1968 Charter does not call for Israel to return to 1967 borders it calls for 'the entire country' to return to Palestinian control.

Barack Obama should know this history but his upbringing as an innocent child in Indonesia and then as a knowing adult in the church of Jeremiah Wright may have affected him. In case he or you need reminding here are some facts about the state of Israel and Palestine. As I blogged last year:

'The other uncomfortable truth about Jordan is that it is the Palestinian State. It was set-up in 1929 on part of the land promised by the 1917 Balfour declaration for the 'establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people'. Here's a map of the Palestinian Mandate, can you see how it divides between what is now Israel and what is now Jordan?



Do remember that back on March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview with Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

Read that again: "The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva
."
The enemies of Israel make no secret of what they want and how they intend to achieve it but we are expected to pretend that they want peace and a return to 1967 borders?


Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu met with Barack Obama after Barack Obama made that pre-emptive speech. The Israeli Prime Minister gave the US President a little history lesson and explained why a return to 1967 borders was not possible; I wonder if Barack Obama paid any attention. Watch from 7 minutes if you want to miss the Barack Obama blather...


If you still believe that Hamas and Fatah just want Israel to return to 1967 borders then here is a question for you: if this is the case then why do Fatah and Hamas incessantly show maps (in schools, on TV, on logos, in government literature) that contain no mention of Israel just Palestine occupying the whole area of Israel and the Palestinian territories? If Fatah and Hamas want a return to 1967 orders then why do they not recognise those borders in their own literature and propaganda?

Here are a few examples


For many more examples and context for the above please take a look at this PALWatch article entitled 'PA depicts a world without Israel - "Palestine" replaces Israel

maybe you'd like instead to read the lyrics of the song played regularly on PA TV that runs:
"Jaffa, Acre, Haifa, and Nazareth are ours.
[I] Muhammad sing about the Galilee and the Golan (Heights).
Jaffa, Acre, Haifa and Nazareth are ours.
[I] Kabha sing about the Galilee and the Golan (Heights).
From Bethlehem to Jenin is Palestinian,
Ramle, Lod and Sakhnin are Palestinian.
Nowhere is more beautiful than Jerusalem;
no matter how much we travel
From Safed to Al-Badhan (near Nablus) is Palestinian;
Tiberias and Ashkelon are Palestinian."
You can see the song being sung here. Not much interest in a return to 1967 borders there is there?


Over and over again Hamas, Fatah, Arab and other Islamic countries have stated that they want Israel destroyed, Jews killed and one Palestinian state in its place. Yet still we are expected to believe that a return to 1967 borders is all that is wanted. Even when we are told by Fatah that this is merely a staging post we are expected to ignore that and believe because the 'hope and change' President says so - I'm sorry but I don't believe Barack Obama or the Palestinians words and after reviewing the evidence I don't see how you could too.

Saturday, 21 May 2011

It's a Saturday night Rule 5 post


Guyism think that 'These new Jessica Perez pics show why she wins bikini contests.' Who am I to disagree?

The open air prison that is Gaza

'Welcome to Gaza is a documentary about Gaza city located on the Mediterranean Sea Coast in the far southwest of Palestine. The film reviews the ancient city dated to more than 5000 years. Further, it reviews the aspects of life which is full of vitality and liveliness; in addition to the hospitality of its people and the scenes of tolerance and love among people of the city, Muslims and Christians.'
No mention of Jews, just Christians and Muslims; weren't Jews living in Israel and Palestine long before Christianity and Islam came into being?

Meanwhile Gaza doesn't really resemble what the western media usually portray it as, does it? I have covered the disparity between image and reality of Gaza before, here is one post.

In the UK we build toad crossings and ones for hedgehogs, in Costa Rica they would have to be larger!


A three toed sloth needs help crossing the road, they are not very quick!

Friday, 20 May 2011

The BBC's news priorities

According to Denis MacShane on Twitter:
'So far in 2011 BBC has run 20 items on Tunisia, 377 on Egypt and 1140 on Israel. Is-Pal conflict big but can we hear abt Arab revolt?'
Now my feelings about Denis MacShane are well known but on the matter of Israel he is usually right on the money. This statistic feels right as it chimes with the BBC's obsession about the evil Israel oppressing the poor innocent Palestinian. Would any passing BBC worker or apologist care to explain the disparity in coverage?

Why so fed-up looking Imogen?

Imogen Thomas looks particularly fedup in this shot; why?

Doctor Who catch-up (part 2)

The Curse of the Black Spot - oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Apparently the producers wished to develop a pirate-themed episode for the sixth series and allow the protagonists to "sit back and have some fun" on the adventure.

The cast and crew may well have fun but I did not.

The storyline was poor and the acting very hammy. The only interesting aspects were the glimpse of the "Eye Patch Lady" appearing to be looking through the other side of a small sliding window in a door, is everything in this universe real? Does that include the Doctors' past/future death? The other aspect that is meant to intrigue but really doesn't is 'is Amy Pond pregnant'?

Highpoint for me was Amy's revival of Rory; nicely acted by both Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. However how many more times must Rory die or nearly die, only to be saved by Amy?


Next review will be of "The Doctor's Wife"

Barack Obama why 1967?


Thanks to News Real Blog for the image. Do take a look at that link and I will be blogging some time soon about the truth behind Jews in East Jerusalem and it far removed from the BBC/Hamas/Fatah narrative.