Everything You Need To Know About Hamas In 2 Minutes

Great Man Lost

Ha'aretz reports on the death of Israeli journalist Ze'ev Schiff:

Hundreds of friends and family members paid their final respects to military commentator and Haaretz defense editor Ze'ev Schiff, who was laid to rest Wednesday at the Kiryat Shaul cemetery in Tel Aviv. He died Tuesday night in Tel Aviv at the age of 74.

To his many friends, Schiff was known as Wolfy. To his readers in Israel and the world, he was a brand name, a guarantee for reliable information and authoritative analysis. More than anything else, Schiff was the quintessential Israeli military correspondent.

A great man. A great loss.

Summer War 2007

Has it started?

From Jerusalem Post:

UN peacekeeping force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL) called Sunday's Katyusha rocket attack from Lebanon into Israel a "serious breach" of cease-fire, and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint.

"Today's rocket attack from south Lebanon is considered a serious violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and serious breach of cessation of hostilities agreement," said Yasmina Bouziane, a spokeswoman for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.

The UN reaction coincided with a demand by a high ranking IDF officer in the Northern Command that UNIFIL take action and fulfill its mandate to prevent further attacks into Israel's sovereign territory.

Earlier Sunday evening, four Katyusha rockets were fired on Kiryat Shmona, causing damage but no injuries.

The Southern Front has Gaza turned into Hamastan, which could resume firing Qassams at any time, and possibly augment them with longer-range rockets smuggled across the Egypt-Gaza border.

The Northern Front now has Hizbollah (or was it a pro-Syrian terrorist group?) firing Katyushas into Israel.

It is always difficult to differentiate between sporadic attacks and the onset of a full-scale war.

But it's a pressure cooker around Israel waiting to explode.

For the benefit of the Six Day War revisionists, that's explode inwards, rather than outwards.

Another Few Hundred Converted (Part 3)

Via Little Green Footballs, a photo from Yahoo:

Palestinians run as they try to cross to the Israel side at the Erez Crossing, in the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 16, 2007. Dozens of Palestinians converged on the Erez crossing with Israel on Saturday, trying to leave the Gaza Strip following Hamas' takeover.

So much for Israel being evil Zionists. Faced with the prospect of a Hamas-run Gaza, these Palestinians - presumably aligned to Fatah in some way - choose the relative safety of Israel.

Why is that?

So Israel withdraws from Gaza. Palestinians vote in Hamas with their new-found freedom. Hamas (Islamofascist terrorists) and Fatah (secular nationalist terrorists) kill each other. Hamas eventually defeats Fatah in Gaza. And with it, so goes freedom for the Palestinians.

Another One Converted? Part 2

Reuters reports on more Palestinians, grateful to Israel, albeit temporarily (emphasis added):

For most Palestinians, black-hooded gunmen have long been respected symbols of resistance against Israeli occupation.

Now, frequent internal fighting and lawlessness gripping the Palestinian territories have transformed the militants into no more than gangsters in the eyes of many of those who once saw them as heroes.

"It's very ironic but I'm relieved the Israelis have started a bombing campaign. The gunmen killing each other on the streets were forced to go into hiding," said Mai, a Gaza housewife, referring to strikes aimed at halting rocket attacks on Israel.

Further on in the article:

[Fatah Legislator Nasser] Jum'a said ordinary Palestinians were so fed up with the armed groups "they now wish the Israeli occupation would take over in Gaza or hope for the return of Jordanian rule in the West Bank" to get rid of them.

Jum'a's life expectancy just went dramatically southward.

The article continues later on:

In a poll conducted by the Palestinian independent pollster NearEast Consulting in the West Bank and Gaza in May, 70 percent of those surveyed said they feel more insecure since Hamas came to power last year.

Vote in a religiously totalitarian terrorist organisation and you reap what you sow.

"The message is that people are tired of inter-Palestinian fighting. They are fed up with both Fatah and Hamas, and all they want is to live in security before any thought of fighting Israel," Palestinian analyst Bassem Izbedi told Reuters.

Prediction: once the internecine battles die down, expect this lack of desire to fight Israel to last as long as an electronic product functions after the warranty expires.

Israeli Defense Minister Reads Caroline Glick

Caroline Glick, columnist for Jerusalem Post, wrote yet another powerful piece this week.

Glick laments the reversion of the US to James Bakeresque realpolitik and with it, in her opinion, a slide backwards for the forces of good and chances for victory in the Middle East.

Among other things, Glick assesses how Israel is faring (emphasis added):

This brings us back to Israel, which is situated smack in the middle of the regional chaos. How is Israel contending with this threatening state of affairs?

The IDF seems to be contending fairly well, at least with regard to Syria and Lebanon. The IDF's decision to have television crews film Israeli soldiers fighting in mock Syrian villages this week, like Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi's announcement that the IDF is prepared to fight on two fronts simultaneously, are signs that the IDF recognizes that its only safe bet is to prepare for all contingencies. Were the IDF to complement these actions with warnings to Iran and operational plans to attack Iran's nuclear installations and distribute gas masks to the public, the General Staff would go a long way toward proving that it is adopting the only reasonable strategic posture available, given the cards Israel has been dealt.

Two days later, this happens:

Peretz tells cabinet millions of shekels needed for gas masks

Defense Minister Amir Peretz warned during a cabinet meeting Sunday that the state was missing millions of shekels needed to refurbishing gas masks for civilians.

Peretz made the statements during a briefing about preparations works carried out by his Ministry ahead of the establishment of an emergency authority for the Home Front.

Things could be worse than Amir Peretz taking his cues from Caroline Glick.

Another One Converted?

Via Michael Totten's excellent blog, comes this true story that could be made into a Hollywood movie:

In the Gaza Strip's Jab aliya refugee camp, Aref Suleiman was raised on Palestinian struggle against the Jewish state. Today he lies in an Israeli hospital bed, his body riddled with Palestinian bullets, his wounds tended daily by Israeli nurses.

For the 22-year-old Mr Suleiman, who was shot five times point blank by Hamas militants last month during a renewed bout of Palestinian infighting, this is not the Arab-Israeli conflict he learnt about as a child growing up in Gaza's desperate, rubbish-strewn alleys.

"Palestinians shoot me and Jews treat me," he laughs bitterly. "It was supposed to be different."

The question is: will the story end with Suleiman learning to love the enemy or coming back to try kill his Jewish saviours?

The latter has happened before.

A Tale of Two Robots

Via Pajamas Media, the BBC reports approvingly about the robot that will recover injured soldiers from the battlefield:

The US military is developing a robot with a teddy bear-style head to help carry injured soldiers away from the battlefield.

The Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot (BEAR) can scoop up even the heaviest of casualties and transport them over long distances over rough terrain.

New Scientist magazine reports that the "friendly appearance" of the robot is designed to put the wounded at ease.

It is expected to be ready for testing within five years.

While it is important to get medical attention for injured soldiers as soon as possible, it is often difficult and dangerous for their comrades to reach them and carry them back.

The 6ft tall Bear can cross bumpy ground without toppling thanks to a combination of gyroscopes and computer controlled motors to maintain balance.

It is also narrow enough to squeeze through doorways, but can lift 135kg with its hydraulic arms in a single smooth movement, to avoid causing pain to wounded soldiers.

While the existing prototype slides its arms under its burden like a forklift, future versions will be fitted with manoeuvrable hands to gently scoop up casualties.

The reason why the pacifist BBC reports this robot favourably is that the positives (not combat-facing, recovers injured, far off into the future) more than offsets the negatives (it's American).

Once can only imagine what the BBC would think of this new invention:

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is creating automated kill zones around the Gaza Strip aimed at halting infiltrations by terrorists, arms smugglers and other hostile individuals.

Now in final stages of operational testing, the “See-Shoot” system will add weapons to the network of overlapping sensors already deployed along the approximately 60-kilometer border separating Israel from the Palestinian coastal territory.

Developed by state-owned Rafael, See-Shoot consists of a series of remotely controlled weapon stations which receive fire-control information from ground sensors and manned and unmanned aircraft. Once a target is verified and authorized for destruction, operators sitting safely behind command center computers push a button to fire the weapon.

Let's see: it is Israeli, it kills enemies (Palestinian terrorists) and is soon to be a reality.

It should be interesting to see how BBC hyperventilate over this story.

Do You Think He Is Scared?

As Ha'aretz reports, the UN looks like it might just possibly maybe potentially consider the scenario where they would bare their false teeth:

The United Nations Security Council will renew its deliberations on Monday regarding a press statement condemning remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the effect that "the countdown to Israel's destruction had begun."

The drafted statement was shelved until Monday after Indonesia and Qatar, two of the council's 15 nations, were not ready to endorse it.

Mahmoud, be afraid. The UN are on your case.

Sheikh Up, Sheikh Down, Sheikh Out

Sheikh Up: He's re-elected.

Sheikh Down: He declines.

Sheikh Out: He's replaced.

That's today's story on the replacement of Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilali, as described by the ABC in their online article:

Controversial muslim cleric, Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilali has declined the position of Mufti of Australia and a new mufti has been elected.

Imams from across the country were at Melbourne's Preston Mosque for a meeting of the National Imam's Council.

The Council has announced Sheik Fehmi Naji El-Imam as the Mufti of Australia for a two-year term.

The Council said Sheik Al Hilali was appointed first, however he declined the position and proposed Sheikh Fehmi to be appointed Mufti.

Israellycool's original post on the uncovered cat meat provides one good reason - among many - of why he is gone.

Within the same ABC article comes this perplexing picture and caption:

Sheikh Fehmi is in the middle? Of what? A political storm? A Hilaly bear-hug?

A good test of whether or not Sheikh Fehmi is moderate is to ask his opinions about (a) Jews, (b) Shari'a law vs Australian law, and (c) women wearing less than a burkha.

The outcome of those answers would not only reflect on Sheikh Fehmi but also the council who elected him.

Medical Madness

This from Ha'aretz:

Medics at a northern Gaza Strip hospital walked off their jobs for a few hours Saturday to protest the kidnapping and kneecapping of a doctor by Palestinian militants, the first physician targeted in months of deadly infighting.

Dr. Fayez al-Barrawi, a known Hamas supporter, was blindfolded, handcuffed and shot six times in the legs, including a kneecap, and then tossed on the street Thursday.

Hamas has said Fatah militants were behind the kidnapping. Al-Barrawi worked at Beit Hanoun hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel.

Hundreds of Hamas and Fatah supporters have been kidnapped in recent months by rival gunmen. The treatment of the hostages, who are usually released after a few hours, has become increasingly harsh, and captives are often shot in the legs.

It is the first time a doctor was seized. However, militants often fire on paramedics and ambulances during gun battles.

I blame the Zionists.

Credit to Associated Press who covered this disgusting outrage.

I wonder if the ABC's Middle East Conflict section or Fairfax media will cover it.

Refugee Squared

The current image at the ABC's Middle East Conflict section:

Seeking refuge from the refugee camp.

Maybe one day Palestinian Arabs will be absorbed by the Arab countries in which they reside.

They should take the lead from another Middle Eastern country.

Israel made citizens those Arabs who ignored the call from Arab leaders to get out the way of impending attacks on the nascent Jewish state in 1948, but instead remained behind.

Israel has also absorbed millions of Jews who fled persecution in countries that were not free: the Soviet Union, Iraq, Iran and many other countries in the Middle East.

Israel tries to close and heal wounds.

With the possible exception of Jordan, Arab countries have allowed Palestinian wounds to fester.

Presumably as an effective demographic weapon against their sworn enemy.

Thank Heavens for UN Resolution 1701

This from Jerusalem Post:

Hizbullah has built a network of underground military bunkers under the noses of United Nations peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon close to the Israel-Lebanon border that can withstand air strikes, according to a report in Britain's Sunday Times.

The Times said that the guerilla group had replenished its weaponry and cited IDF intelligence estimates that it had stockpiled 20,000 rockets.

"Since the Israeli forces left, Hizbullah has been building formidable military underground posts under the noses of the UN," the Times quoted an IDF intelligence officer as saying.

Will those rockets and bunkers come into play soon?

Which means it's ... time for another UN Resolution.

Listen to What Palestinians Say

The most recent news article in the Middle East Conflict section of the ABC's News Online website attempts to cover the incitement on Palestinian TV (emphasis added):

Media group warns of Palestinian 'propaganda' on satellite TV

An Israeli-based media monitoring group says Australia should be concerned about the promotion of so-called martyrdom on Arabic satellite television.

Nowadays, so-called is one of the phrases of choice used by mainstream media (MSM). Usually delivered in a mocking tone. The word used on Palestinian TV for martyrdom is shahada, aspiring to death for Allah, which will become a familiar theme in the videos below.

Itamar Marcus, from the Palestinian Media Watch, is visiting Australia, discussing what he claims are disturbing trends on Palestinian television.

He claims is another one of those MSM phrases. Used either to morph facts into less certain accusations by one 'side', or to preempt journalist intimidation from the other 'side'.

Notice that the ABC have not yet made it into the 20th Century yet by supplying a link to the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) website. They continue:

Mr Marcus says some stations are promoting martyrdom or suicide bombing among young people, using subtle means such as music videos.

Mr Marcus says put your hands over your eyes. Mr Marcus says put your hands over your ears. Now MSM, try report the truth. Hey, the last command didn't have 'Mr Marcus says' so you don't have to heed!

He says there has been an increase in propaganda material promoting the practice, which is making its way to Australia and other countries through the many satellite services available.

"That's the danger, that we do have Internet, we do have satellite and these messages do go out," he said.

The Internet contains many examples of the Palestinian-manufactured jihadist hatred and will be seen below.

"This isn't necessarily what Islam is teaching but this is the way the [Palestinian faction] Hamas is teaching Islam."

Recall that Hamas is the Palestinian 'faction' that the majority of Palestinians voted for in the most recent free and fair election. And Hamas has not changed their tune, nor their Covenant which calls for the killing of all Jews in the world (emphasis added):

Article Seven

... the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realisation of Allah's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:

"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharqad tree (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).

(Source: Wikipedia)

Back to the article, which ends with the obligatory opportunity for a Palestinian apologist to refute the so-called claims by Mr Marcus:

But a member of the Palestinian community in Australia, Nasser Shaktour, says he does not believe there has been such a trend towards promoting suicide bombing on Arabic television.

Perhaps Mr Shaktour is talking about some other Arabic television. Perhaps Mr Shaktour doesn't believe over six years of incitement to jihad and aspiration to shahada is a trend.

Let's watch and listen to what the Palestinians in the Middle East say to see if they can provide any clarity on the matter:

Palestinian children on Palestinian TV state that shahada trumps peace and full rights for the Palestinian people. For Westerners puzzled why the Palestinians refused a Palestinian state in 2000, this may go some way to providing some explanation.



A Palestinian mother - a Hamas candidate in the elections - expresses her satisfaction that her sons have become shahids:



In case you were wondering if this was popular with the average Palestinian, the American ABC news network reported after the election:

Mariam Farahat, who was elected to the Palestinian parliament, can work a crowd like a veteran politician -- shaking hands and greeting supporters. When she gets on the stage at a Hamas rally, she is the star attraction. She was one of Hamas' most popular candidates in Wednesday's election.

In Gaza, Farahat is known as Um Nidal, or Mother of the Struggle -- a mother who sent three of her six sons on Hamas suicide missions against Israeli targets.

"We consider it holy duty," she told ABC News. "Our land is occupied. You take all the means to banish the occupier. I sacrificed my children for this holy, patriotic duty. I love my children, but as Muslims we pressure ourselves and sacrifice our emotions for the interest of the homeland. The greater interest takes precedence to the personal interest."

Indeed.

In a fictitious re-enactment of the real-life female suicide terrorist, Re'em Riyashi, the four-year-old daughter (played by an actor) starts by lamenting the loss of her mother. But then realises becoming a shahid is more important:



The video ends with the daughter picking up some of the explosive sticks herself. Perhaps the message is "like mother, like daughter"?

The video began playing on Palestinian TV in March 2007.

This is the PMW video of the real Re'em Riyashi (will open your media player):



In case you thought that the Palestinians would be not be so depraved as to bring the real children of Re'em Riyashi onto Palestinian TV, this clip comes to you from another media monitoring organisation, MEMRI:



As most people are now aware, a Mickey Mouse lookalike named Farfur gets a run on Palestinian TV in April 2007, promising Islamic domination and urging resistance of the Zionist occupation:



When Farfur gets caught cheating, the notorious Palestinian victimhood is played out:



It's the Jews' fault. By the way, Spaniards, you're next.

There is more Palestinian TV videos of child indoctrination at the PMW website here.

What about the religious leaders among the Palestinians? Are they preaching moral behaviour in the Friday sermons, which are broadcast on PA TV?

Here the Palestinian religious preacher Ibrahim Mudayris, Head of the Association for Memorizing the Quran, PA Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs encourages Islamic domination of the Western world:



This was shown on PA TV on 13 May 2005.

Here Mudayris explains one way to attain Islamic domination. By killing all Jews:



Jews are pigs in this video, which was shown on PA TV on 10 September 2004.

Not to be outdone, the acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Dr Ahmad Bahar, raises the "kill all Jews mantra" with "kill all Jews and Americans":



Jews are a cancer in this video, which was shown on PA TV on 20 April 2007.

Hamas spokesman, Dr Ismail Radwan, joins the Conga-line calling for genocide of the Jews:



In addition to calling on the killing of Jews and Americans, the idea of summits, international resolutions and negotiations are rejected in favour of the rifle.

This was shown on PA TV on 30 March 2007.

There are more videos of genocidal broadcasts on PA TV at the PMW website here.

For the whole range of hate videos on Palestinian TV, PMW has the following sections:

Topic: Suicide Terrorists Farewell Videos

Topic I: Hamas in its own words

Topic II: Teaching Hatred via Music Videos and Culture

Topic III: Children are Combatants in PA ideology

Topic IV: Denying Israel’s Right to Exist and Anticipating its Destruction

Topic V: PA Indoctrination of Children to Aspire Death for Allah - Shahada

Topic VI: PA inciting to Genocide of Suicide Terror

Topic VII: Understanding Shahada - Death for Allah and Jihad

Topic VIII: Mothers Express Joy at Son’s Death for Allah

Topic IX: Clarifying History

Topic X: Holocaust Denial

Topic XI: Hatred of the United States and the West

Topic XII: Arab world TV

And you can check back regularly at PMW Video's YouTube channel.

So what do you think? Time for a poll:

Do you think there is a trend towards promoting suicide bombing on Arabic television?
	Yes
	No
	Occupation, occupation, occupation
Free polls from Pollhost.com

PalEdStinian

The Age's Ed O'Loughlin's recent article about the Six Day War is torn to shreds by David Singer in this excellent online piece:

Consider these five gems (and there are many more) in Mr O'Loughlin's article:

1. " A native of New Jersey, he is one of several hundred Jews who live under heavy military protection in the first and most extreme of all Jewish settlements on the West Bank, carved out of the historic heart of the Palestinian city of Hebron."

The author fails to mention that "the historic heart of the Palestinian city of Hebron" happens to include the ancient Jewish Quarter of Hebron built on land purchased by Jews in 1540.

Jews lived there until 24 August 1929 when 67 Jewish men women and children were slaughtered by a crowd of rampaging Arabs . The remaining Jewish population of 750 were forced to flee. Some returned in 1931 but were forced to leave when the Arabs rioted again in 1936. Jews returned to the Jewish Quarter after the Six Day War to a very hostile welcome from the Arab residents.

Hebron contains the traditional burial place of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Leah and Rebecca - one of Jewry's holiest sites - which the Bible records was purchased by Abraham in 1753BC.

Hebron is therefore more than just a Palestinian city. It has a far longer Jewish history - one of great religious significance for Jews.

Any editor worth his salt should have taken steps to have the author correct this statement.

There's plenty more where that came from. Read on here.

Expect ad hominem rebuttal, which will prove substance is with Singer and not PalEdStinian.

Take a Stand

Click the image for more info.

The Long Wait

In her recent opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post, Naomi Chazan laments the predictability of the conflict related to Gaza (emphasis added here):

Gaza is imploding, and once again everyone remotely involved is reacting according to a predetermined script. The Kassams are flying, Israel is bombing, the Quartet is consulting, humanitarian groups are appealing, and no respite is in sight.

Rote responses to predictable actions may be emotionally understandable; they don't begin to address the ever-worsening Gaza Syndrome which now endangers the entire region.

Chazan continues further on in the piece:

Israel has responded to the latest spate of rocket attacks on Sderot in a sadly Pavlovian manner. The Olmert government, under immense domestic pressure, has intensified air strikes while continuing its efforts to delink Gaza from the West Bank. In doing so it has not only contributed to the growing chaos, but has played directly into the hands of the extremists who are counting on such a policy to thwart any progress on the diplomatic front.

Fine-tuning repetitious (but scarcely successful) methods is not a way to correct mistakes, just as revenge is hardly a substitute for informed and crafted decision-making.

There is merit to other parts of Chazan's article. However, one core assertion is simply wrong: that Israel's targeted response to the Qassams is unsuccessful or counter-productive. Agreed it is predictable, but on the contrary, this response has consistently proved to be successful.

Israel's response to Qassams has been to target the leadership of those organisations responsible for the rockets. Since Hamas recently escalated the Qassam rocket firings of Israeli towns, it is the Hamas leadership that is now targeted.

This may be a predictable response, but Chazan underestimates the reason for its predictability. It is not for political or emotional reasons, but because it works.

Not long after every Israeli campaign to target the terrorist leaders, there is a decline in the number of attacks, for three main reasons:

1. Those in operational positions to command rocket firings are prevented from doing so by their arrest or killing,

2. By removing the more experienced leaders, the remaining terrorists operate with less experience, resulting in more failures and worse performance, and

3. Targeting leaders has a strong deterrence factor. The decision-makers tend to demur when they are in the cross-hairs.

And so we see the natural progression:

1. Palestinian terrorists escalate attacks on Israeli civilians

2. Israel initially shows restraint (typically under pressure from Western countries who would likely panic if they were in the same position)

3. Palestinian terrorists continue to escalate attacks on Israeli civilians

4. Israel finally decides to act, but first targets the operational actors

5. Palestinian terrorist leaders continue to give the green light to attacks on Israeli civilians

6. Israel decides to then target the terrorist leaders themselves

7. Palestinian terrorist leaders put the brakes on further attacks on Israeli civilians

Reading through the detailed and insightful live-blogged commentary of recent conflict at Israellycool will confirm this.

Granted to Chazan that the Israeli response does not win the war. A military solution will not alone solve this conflict.

But that is not the purpose of the Israeli response. The purpose is twofold:

1. to win the immediate battle at hand (battle is normally between combatants, but with Palestinian terrorists on one side, it is natural that the other side be civilian and Israeli), and

2. de-escalate the terrorism against Israeli civilians,

which it does predictably and consistently.

For that alone, it is not a mistake but instead a successful response.

Further, the Israeli response has little or no bearing on the final outcome.

No battle, no intifada, no peace proposal, no diplomacy has ever brought a successful solution to the wider conflict.

Actions by Israel - whether military, political, diplomatic or economic - are not correlated negatively with a solution to the conflict.

They are essentially uncorrelated.

At a push, one could argue the opposite case:

1. the second 'intifada' (the terrorist one) followed the Oslo peace process

2. the buildup of Hizballah - leading ultimately to the Second Lebanon War - followed the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon

3. the election of Hamas and rise in conflict with Israel in summer 2006 and 2007, followed the complete withdrawal of all Jews from Gaza in 2005

Remember, diplomacy means Israeli concessions. Israeli concessions means weakness in Palestinian eyes. And weakness is provocation.

Until the Palestinians realise that (a) support for the terrorists among them and (b) a rejectionist stance will result in defeat rather victory, this cycle of non-solution will continue.

Before this realisation occurs, diplomacy, negotiations and Israeli concessions are pointless. More correctly, it is counter-productive and invites conflict.

During this time, Israeli Defence Forces, and the executive who oversee them, have a duty to protect the Israeli civilians from threats to their safety.

Hunker down. It's the Long Wait.

The Reach of the BBC

A video was recently released of Alan Johnston, the BBC reporter who remains a kidnapped hostage in Gaza for over 10 weeks.



The transcript is thus (from zombietime via Little Green Footballs):

First of all, my captors have treated me very well. They’ve fed me well, there’s been no violence towards me at all, and I’m in good health.

In three years here in the Palestinian Territories, I’ve witnessed the huge suffering of the Palestinian people. And, uh, my message is that their suffering is continuing, and that it is unacceptable. Every day, there are Palestinians arrested, imprisoned for no reason, people are killed on a daily basis, the economic suffering is terrible, especially here in Gaza, where there’s an Israeli ... [technical glitch in the video] ... in absolute despair after nearly forty years of Israeli occupation, which has been supported by the West.

The situation in Iraq is even worse. We see every day, uh, maybe a hundred or more Iraqis being killed in the violence there, which followed the failed invasion of Iraq by America and Britain. Ordinary people who are losing everything and can’t live their lives properly because of not just the violence but the shortage of everything they need for normal lives for bringing up their children.

Uh, Afghanistan, the situation again, terrible, you see on your television screens, ordinary people, village people, villagers suffering as the armies of America and Britain [glitch] attack. In all this, we can see the British government endlessly working to occupy, uh, the Muslim lands, against the will of the people in those places. From history the British, eh, worked to bring about the state of Israel, which is the cause of all the suffering of, uh, the Israeli — uh, of the Palestinian people. And we the British are completely to blame along with the Americans for the situation in Iraq, and the British are the main force in Afghanistan, causing all the trouble to ordinary simple Afghans, who simply want to live.

One thing is puzzling.

How did the BBC get this opinion piece through to Johnston?

Which Word is Missing?

The BBC covers the recent discovery of a plot to blow up JFK airport in New York:

Four people have been charged in the US over a plot to bomb John F Kennedy airport in New York, US officials said.

They include a former cargo worker and a former MP for the Caribbean nation of Guyana. One of the suspects is a fugitive, believed to be in Trinidad.

The plot, which did not go past the planning stages, involved blowing up the airport's fuel tanks and pipeline, justice department officials said.

One arrest was in New York and the other two took place in Trinidad.

The four men are charged with conspiring to bomb one of the busiest airports in the United States.

It was "one of the most chilling plots imaginable," US attorney Roslynn Mauskopf told a news conference.

"Had the plot been carried out, it could have resulted in unfathomable damage, deaths and destruction."

The pipeline is 40 miles (64km) long and carries jet fuel from New Jersey and through the New York boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.

Likewise, our own ABC reports on the arrested men:

The plot had links to international terrorist cells in the Caribbean as well as South America but was foiled well before it could be carried out, Department of Justice officials said.

Anti-terrorist forces arrested one of the defendants, Russell Defreitas, a former employee at John F Kennedy airport in New York, while Guyanese citizen Abdul Kadir and a Trinidadian, Kareem Ibrahim, are in custody in Trinidad.

The fourth defendant, Abdel Nur, who was also a Guyanese citizen, is believed to be at large in Guyana, say Justice officials. However, police in Trinidad and Tobago say he is thought to be on the run there.

Kadir had been a member of Guyana's Parliament until August 2006.

He was also mayor of the small bauxite mining town of Linden, south-east of Georgetown.

Which word is missing from the description of the suspects?

The correct answer is not Muslim - this is too broad a term. Much like 'dodgy men' would be too - not all 'dodgy men' would try something like this.

As a clue, the word in question rhymes with jihadist and starts with the letter 'J'.

Perhaps it is too early to confirm this is the case.

Keep an eye out for if / when it is confirmed, and whether the mainstream media decides to report it as such.