Israel and the Great War of the 21st Century

Just a few days ago, the US commemorated the 100th anniversary of America's first Declaration of War against Germany. The date of that Declaration of War was April 6, 1917. The War itself had begun almost three years earlier, in August, 1914.

If you've ever learned about World War One, you may know that the so-called 'War to end all Wars'--also known as the Great War--began, in part, because too many countries in Europe believed war was necessary because of obligation, revenge or, even, the best road to greatness.

For example, some say that Germany saw war as a stepping stone to greatness (Michael Lind, "Germany's superpower quest caused world war one", nationalinterest, June 30, 2014). The Austro-Hungarians, meanwhile, saw war as the way to avenge the Bosnian national who had just assassinated (June, 1914) the Austro-Hungarian heir-apparent, Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie.  

When, in July,  1914,  Austro-Hungary attacked Serbia, Russia, allied with Serbia, felt obligated to aid Serbia. It mobilized for war.  

Germany was allied with Austro-Hungary. When Russia threatened Austro-Hungary, Germany declared war on Russia.

Then, in early August, 1914, Germany declared war on France--because France, an ally of Russia, had also begun to mobilize. At that same time, Germany came up with a great idea: to attack France, it would send an invading army through the neutral Belgium. 

Belgium was allied with England. When Germany invaded Belgium, England declared war on Germany.

This is one view of how World War One began. Simple though it is, it serves a purpose for our 21st Century. It helps to explain why Arabs surrounding Israel are destined to attack the Jewish state: when talk of war spreads across a network of national leaders  already primed for war, the flames of war can spread like wildfire once the first match is thrown. 

According to some, that's what happened in the months leading up to  World War One. Can one argue that it now happens again--in the Arab Middle East?

The Arabs who surround Israel engage in a combination of war-chatter and interlinked 'alliances'. These 'alliances' don't always kick in every time Israel fights one of the 'allied' entities. But those links exist, as the did in 1917. They are always ready to ignite. 

Hamas, Fatah, Hizbollah and Syria all speak out against the Jewish Israel. They share a singular mindset: war against the infidel Jew. 

These entities don't want to cooperate with Israel. They seek instead the cooperation needed to destroy Israel. This lust to destroy the world's only Jewish state means that, with the right spark, they will attack Israel just as their parents and predecessors did in 1967.

One can argue that the Great War of 1914-18 shaped the 20th Century ("The First World War, Part 1, Race to arms", based on the book by Hew Strachan, Hamilton Film Partnership Production, 2003, posted on youtube May 16, 2014). One can also argue that the 'Palestinian' Jihad of the last third of the 20th Century (see the Hamas Charter) shapes the 21st Century.

That Great War is not a thing of the past. It's a horror that poisons the Middle East today. 

It's a horror that teaches a lesson the West should never forget: he who thinks of war and talks of war goes to war, especially when he believes he has friends who will stand by him during that war. For this reason, there will be another Great War.  

It will be an Arab war for the 'Palestinian' people. It will be the Great War for 'Palestinian'  nationalism. It will be the suicide of the 'Palestinian' Cause.

The Great War of the 20th Century teaches us something else. It launched the US as a world power (ibid). It suggests that the Great War of the 21st Century will launch Israel as a world power.

Can you believe that?

Stay tuned.

Friday's cartoon

It's Friday again--time for another cartoon from Israel. 

Today's offering comes directly from world headlines. Actually, this cartoon is a comment on two world headlines: 

(1) Patrick Kingsley, Anne Barnard, "Banned nerve agent Sarin used in Syria chemical attack, Turkey says", nytimes, April 6, 2017). This headline tells you the subject of the cartoon.

(2) Dr Hilly Moodrich-Even Khen, "UN-induced paralysis in Syria", israelhayom, April 6, 20127. This headline suggests the emotional content of the cartoon.

There's no further introduction needed: 

from: Shlomo Cohen, israelhayom, April 6, 2017

Fake news: Trump asks Bibi for permission to build in DC

Today, we report again about fake news from Israel. But this fake news isn’t the ordinary kind of fakery you find in America’s mainstream media. 

In America, fake news hurts America (Dana Blanton, "Fox news poll: fake news hurting US", foxnews, January 24, 2017). This fakery is different. It's fakery-to-make-a-point. 

It’s satire. It’s aim is to reveal a truth, not harm a country, a culture or a politician.

Today’s satire focuses on US objection to Israel’s building apartments for Jews in Israel. The essay below is fakery. It turns reality up-side down so you can understand how outrageous the real reality really is.

The essay comes from preoccupiedterritory (“Trump Envoy In Talks With Bibi Over Whether US May Build In Washington”, March 27, 2017). It's an essay that reminds us how Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels he must seek permission from the US to build homes for Jews in Israeli 'settlements' ("Netanyahu: still in talks with Trump team over settlements", breitbart, March 15, 2017). I have edited/rewritten this fake news story to fit my format. You can read the original at preoccupiedterritoy. Remember, this is satire:

Subtitle: US and Israeli administrations have clashed previously on American construction projects built on land that was taken from native American peoples.

Washington, March 27 – Political and diplomatic sensitivities have heated up regarding construction on Washington, DC land allegedly stolen from indigenous peoples. US President Donald Trump has become cautious before his administration approves development projects in the US’ declared capital, White House sources reported today. Trump has dispatched a special envoy to negotiate with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over the proposed construction.

Jonathan Greenblatt spent the weekend in Jerusalem clarifying for Prime Minister Netanyahu what are Trump’s intentions regarding several construction projects which are slated to occupy land the United States is said to have taken from native tribes. Construction of that nature has riled indigenous-American rights activists in the past, and the President aims to reach an understanding with Netanyahu over the projects in order to prevent Israeli objections to the building, objections that might carry diplomatic or economic consequences for the US.

American officials with knowledge of the talks reported that no progress had been made on an understanding. “These are the closest of allies, and allies can disagree. The key is frank discussion and the realization that the friendship, the alliance, is stronger than any one issue, however strategic,” explained State Department spokesman Mark Toner. “But we and Mr, Netanyahu will continue our talks so that we do not end up advancing any construction that he feels is contrary to his interests. It’s the dialogue here that is critical, regardless of the specifics of any understanding we reach.”

US and Israeli administrations have clashed previously on American construction projects built on land that was taken from native-American peoples, with claims of genocide and ethnic cleansing often characterizing descriptions of those events. While the US has managed to escape UN condemnation or sanctions in response to those activities, successive presidential administrations have worked to maintain friendly relations with other influential countries such as Israel to prevent such resolutions from being brought to the UN Security Council.

Some US lawmakers, however, bristle because the US President allows another country’s policies to exert effective veto power over what these US lawmakers consider domestic matters. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) argued that the US should push ahead with its development plans as a matter of national sovereignty, regardless of what other nations think of the legitimacy of such moves.

“Now is the time to build, build, build,” insisted Ellison. “We’ve never had a friend in Jerusalem as strong as Netanyahu, and if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity to assert our rights to all of this land, how can we ever expect the world to accept we belong here at all? We shouldn’t be begging Bibi for permission. He appreciates strong leaders. Our relationship will weather whatever trouble our domestic decisions may or may not precipitate. I doubt we’ll have an Israeli administration as friendly as this one for a long time, if ever.”

--

Yes, this story is a fake. Any people or places whose names look familiar here bear no resemblance to real people or existing places. So far, it’s only the US that pressures Israel, not the other way around.  So far, Israel Prime Minister has registered no objections (that we know about) regarding any Trump administration building plans for Washington, DC.

Of course, tomorrow could bring a new day—along with a new outlook.

Don’t go away. This story about Israel has just begun.

Hamas closes border. Isn't that a crime against humanity?

The world's humanitarians love Hamas. They love 'humanity'. 

They stand up for Hamas. They protect Hamas. They demand 'humanity' be protected.

For example, whenever Israel closes its border with Gaza, humanitarians call immediately for action against Israel ("Israeli closure of the Gaza strip: a crime against humanity", globalresearch.ca, November 24, 2016).  They say closing the border is a crime against humanity. They demand an investigation by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ibid). They want the criminal Israel punished!!! 

Humanitarians claim that a border closure creates a 'collective punishment' of the Gazan people. They argue that Gazans depend upon an open border to get goods it needs to survive. Close the border, and the transfer of vital goods stops. When that happens, survival becomes difficult.That threat to Gaza's collective survival is a crime against humanity.

That crime must be punished. Punish the criminal Israel!

Despite such an avowed humanitarian concern for Gazans, two news stories appeared recently that make one wonder how seriously the world's humanitarians take this concern. It seems the border between Gaza and Israel recently got shut down. But it wasn't Israel who shut it. It was Hamas (Adam Rasgon, "Hamas closes Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel", jerusalempost, March 26, 2017). 

Humanitarians said next-to-nothing about that closure. Only Palestinian NGO's and the UN spoke up (Ben Ariel, "UN criticizes Hamas over crossing closure", arutzsheva, March 30, 2017). 

They spoke up--but they didn't say the Hamas border-closing was 'a crime against humanity'. They didn't call for the ICC to prosecute the 'criminal' who closed the border. They didn't shout loudly enough to get a 'collective punishment against Gaza by Hamas' headline. 

On these questions, they were silent. Their humanitarianism is limited. It doesn't include a concern for Hamas humanitarian crimes. 

What about all that 'collective punishment' humanitarians say Gazans suffer when Israel closes the border? Silence.

Isn't 'collective punishment' particularly harsh when Hamas closes the border against its own citizens? Silence.

What about the grave concern for Gazan survivability? Silence.

Humanitarians tell the world repeatedly that the criminal who closes that border must be punished--for humanity's sake! Well, the border was closed. Shouldn't the criminal who just did that be punished?

Apparently not. For this closure, all Hamas got was a clucking of tongues. Apparently, the only time closing the border becomes a horrific crime against humanity is when Israel does it--even if Israel does it for self-defense reasons. 

Humanitarians act this way because they have rules. Rule number one is, a 'crime' by Israel is a a grave moral concern that must be denounced at once. Rule number two is, a crime by Hamas is no moral concern at all. 

They're correct. Ignoring Hamas crimes is not a moral concern. 

It's a moral hypocrisy. It's the kind of hypocrisy that proves that humanitarians aren't humanitarian at all. They're just Israel/Jew-haters who dress up to fool you. 

Are you fooled yet?

Israel is 3,000+ years old. It's also New

Israel isn't just the world's only Jewish state. It isn't just 3,000+ years old. It's also something else: it's New. It's a place where new technology really does talk to you.

Take Tel Aviv, for example. Tel Aviv is Israel's second largest city. It is, arguably, Israel's most European city.

Actually, given the not-so-nice direction Europe seems to be going these days, Tel Aviv might become the city Europeans visit most to find an authentic European atmosphere. 

Well,  maybe.

Tel Aviv is more than a European-like city. It's a New place, too.

Here's why.

Like many cities around the world, Tel Aviv has a public transportation system. For that reason, the city also has small bus stops where people can sit, wait, even get some overhead shelter--at least in theory--as they wait for a bus. 

As in other cities, Tel Aviv's bus stops often have advertising posters. But then, Tel Aviv--like a few other places--also offers a new kind of bus stop ad. It's new. It's different.

Take a look below at one Tel Aviv bus stop ad. See if you can figure out how it works. The language spoken here is Hebrew. But that shouldn't stop you from understanding what's up:

I found this video on the website, israel21c, embedded in the story, "This Watch Ad Came to Life on a Bus Shelter to Reveal It Was Selling Something Better". It was written by Gabriel Beltrone (March 22, 2017). The subtitle reveals the secret of this new bus stop ad: "Live billboard for Samsung's Gear S3". 

This is a new technology: outdoor ads that talk to you, surprise you, even interact with you. 

It's from Israel, the place that's 3,000+ years old--and very New. 

How do you spot the bully in the Middle East?

(Last update: April 4, 2017)

Here's a simple question: how do you spot the bully (that is, the bad guy) in the Middle East?

This question occurs because essayist Dan Calic has just reminded us how absurd—and ridiculous—Arab claims against Israel have become (“Israel Has Made Enough Sacrifices”, americanthinker, March 30, 2017). Arab claims against the Jewish state label Israel as an oppressive, brutal bully. Such claims make Arabs look like a weak minority frightened by a fearsome majority.  

Bur in the Middle East, Arabs are not the minority. They are not weak. They are not the underdog.

Consider the numbers. First, those supposedly powerful, oppressive bullies (the Israelis) make up only  2% of the Middle East population (ibid). Arabs, on the other hand, make up 98% of the population in the Middle East (ibid).

In terms of who owns how much land in the Middle East, the difference between Jew and Arab is even more stark. Arabs control more than 99% of Middle East landmass. By contrast, Israel takes up less than 1% of that landmass. 

Israel is pushing Arabs around? On the Middle East map, Israel is practically invisible. How can something almost invisible push around a hulking mass?

Look at who’s the big guy in this neighborhood. The Arabs are the big guy. They're not some supposedly 800-pound gorilla in the room. They're the 1,600-pound Islamic steamroller in the room. 

This is what the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is all about--bringing together all Islamic states to promote the welfare all Islamic states, including 'Palestine'.    [quote from OIC]

The Jews, meanwhile, are outnumbered. They are the very, very, very little guy in the room.

Arabs own more than 99% of the local landmass--and 98% of the region's population; nevertheless, the Jews are too 'big' for them. 

What's going on here with this Arab-Israel conflict? What's going on is, Arabs want it all. They want 100%. They want to be 100% of the region's population. They want 100% of the region's landmass. From that point of view, one Jew is one Jew too many.

Arabs don't care if Jews take up less that 1% of the land here. What part of 100% don't those damn Jews not understand?

Arabs want it all. They will not stop until they get it all. 

The Jews must have nothing. They don't deserve even the < 1% they've got now. They must own 0%.

In the Middle East, Arabs are so powerful they dominate the landscape. They block the sun. They will not attack Israel directly. That might make them look like a bully picking on the tiny one. So they invent a narrative: Jews dominate the 'Palestinians'. The Jews must be stopped before they exterminate the 'Palestinian' people.  

But the local minority isn't 'Palestinian'. It's Jewish. 

Do Arabs believe in a fair share for the local minority? No, they do not. They believe the minority (the Jew) must receive no share.

That's not the behavior of a weakling. It isn't the behavior of an underdog. It's the behavior of a bully set on a course of complete supremacy.

How do you spot the bully in the Middle East? Look for those who want Jews to have 0%. 

In the hills of Israel, it's just another day in the Middle East

Stephen Flatow’s 20-year old daughter was murdered by an Iran-inspired ‘Palestinian’ terrorist attack in a 1995 bombing in Israel. Since then, Flatow has gone on the offensive. He sued Iran for its support of the terror attack that killed his daughter--and won.  He has worked with the US government to find banks that have supported terror. 

He also writes about terrorism--often.  Here’s a recent essay of his, “Another Day, Another Attempt to Burn Jews Alive”, jns, March 29, 2017. It's worth your time.

I’ve edited/rewritten the essay to fit my format. You can read the original at jns.org:

“On March 23, 2017, four Palestinians tried to burn some Israeli Jews to death. It was just another day in the Middle East.

The four attackers drove up to the perimeter of the Jewish community of Beit El, situated in the hills of Israel north of Jerusalem. They began hurling firebombs toward homes there.

It was just another day in the Middle East.

A firebomb, also known as a Molotov cocktail, is of course a deadly weapon. It explodes on impact and unleashes a torrent of flames. We can all easily imagine what would have happened if those firebombs had struck people or homes in that Jewish community.

Fortunately, Israeli soldiers immediately fired at the would-be murderers, killing one and wounding three others. It was just another day in the Middle East.

That should be the end of the story. But it wasn't. Here's why. The fact that a Palestinian died, while no Israelis were burned to death, meant that many news outlets portrayed the attacker as the victim. This is in accordance with the theory that the Arab who dies in an anti-Israel attack must be the victim and the Jew who kills him must be the aggressor. (Good thing the media didn't use that measuring stick during World War II!)

Consider, for example, the story as presented by AFP, a major supplier of international news. Here's how it began: "Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager Thursday in the occupied West Bank and seriously wounded three other Palestinians, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement."

Since a significant number of readers don't get past the first paragraph of a news article, the opening sentence is crucial. This opening sentence strongly suggests that the Israelis killed a Palestinian teenager, and injured three others, for no reason. 

Here's how the AFP story explained the broader context: "A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of 257 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean, and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count." Notice how the violence just "broke out," like a mysterious illness with no obvious culprit.

Here's something else that few in the mainstream media will report: the Palestinian Authority (PA) immediately endorsed the terrorists who tried to burn Jews alive.

It was just another day in the Middle East.

According to the Palestinian news agency Ma'an, the governor of de facto PA capital Ramallah, Laila Ghanam, called the dead terrorist "a martyr." She also tried to spread some fake news, declaring that the gang of four "had been driving peacefully" when cruel Israelis attacked them. "This is another crime," the PA governor proclaimed. She also said "we wish a quick recovery" to the three wounded terrorists, presumably so they can resume trying to set Jews on fire.

You won't read Ghanam's remarks in The Washington Post or hear them quoted on CNN. That would remind the American public that Palestinian leaders support burning Jews to death--and publicly lie to cover for would-be killers.  That must never be revealed because it would undermine the campaign to give the firebomb-throwers a sovereign state--in Israel's backyard.

This was just another day in the Middle East. ‘Palestinians’ tried yet again to kill Jews, the PA lied about the attackers—and the media misrepresented the attack.