News Roundup for April 29

Disgrace(d/ful) former Arab Mk Azmi Bishara is stirring the conspiracies about his dilemma.

Israeli Member of Knesset, Azmi Bishra, has expressed concerns that he may be assassinated by Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.

Come now, Amzi. I think that you serve the Zionists best alive and with your mouth running. Shutting you up would ruin Israel's best advertisement against you. However, Azmi is not afraid.

Israeli news sites reported that Bishara told his friends and some journalists "despite my belief that the Israeli Mossad might consider assassinating me, I am not afraid as I am an Arab patriot." He added "I don’t exclude this possibility but I am not afraid".

Did he mention that he's not afraid? Gotta admire such bravery, which probably explains why he "fled Israel", according to the article.

----------

Palestinians can't handle criticism, as seen in reaction to an Egyptian delegation's comments against their firing rockets to Israel, who called it a "lost gamble".

The spokesperson of the Hamas movement, Ismail Radwan, said "resistance is not gambling, but a legal right for the Palestinian people, secured by all international laws and conventions."

If these people believe international law endorses terrorism, it's no wonder they believe receiving international aid is also a "right". The hurt feelings are evident, though.

A spokesperson for one of the groups, the Popular Resistance Committees, slammed the Egyptian official for his remarks: "The head of the Egyptian security delegation should speak positively about the rocket attacks or else shut up."

Talk to the hand, 'cause the terrorist ain't listening.

----------

And Hamas is not interested in removing the checkpoints into Israel, which they feel is their right to enter at will, because it will violate their rights.

Dr. Salah Al-Bardaweel, the spokesman of Hamas’ parliamentary bloc in the PLC, criticized on Sunday a new US plan dubbed “free crossing in exchange for security” that was handed over to the Israeli occupation government and the PA.

According to the plan, the Israeli occupation government would open crossing points in Gaza Strip before Gazans in addition to easing restrictions on free movement of Palestinians at roadblocks in the West Bank on condition the PA security forces would thwart Palestinian missile attacks on Israeli settlements.

“Free crossing of people is a right sanctioned by international laws and conventions for all peoples, and thus we demand it as a natural right and not in exchange for something else”, said Bardaweel in a press statement he made in reaction to the plan.

In other words, the right to commit terrorism supersedes the "natural rights" he just elucidated. In fact, the PFLP (another terrorist group) has a name for the proposal:

The Front [PFLP] said in a statement that the plan blackmails the Palestinian people's simplest human rights and legitimate right of resisting occupation and establishing the fully independent, sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.

With priorities like that, no wonder Gaza is the cesspool it is.

----------

And with said priorities, it is no wonder that a fatwa has been issued over Palestinians about haircuts.

The Supreme Fatwa Council of Palestine has issued a fatwa permitting men's and women's hairdressers to operate on condition that they do not break Islamic law.

As you know, Islam has a law for everything.

The fatwa stated that women can be employed as hairdressers as long as they only cut the hair of women that want to look attractive for their husbands and not other men or foreigners; this would be Haram (forbidden).

So I suppose now every hairdresser must ask the question "Are you wanting this hairstyle to look good for your husband, or for other men or foreigners?"

It also stated that if a foreign man is present in the hairdressers, women must be prohibited from entering it.

Because we all know how seductive and tempting watching haircuts can be.

The council urged the Palestinian Muslims to avoid "suspicion" and to follow the religious rules and rituals according to Islamic law.

And in order to avoid suspicion, one must have religious police (aka Taliban) patrolling everywhere. Yes, give 'em a state.

----------

One cannot speak of religious police without mentioning Iran and their pious president forcing Iranian women to cover their heads up in public.

One week after police started enforcing strict new Islamic dress code rules, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday that his opponents were manipulating the moralization campaign so as to create discontent. "Our enemies want a limited group of people, mostly youth, to hit the streets dressed in a vulgar manner to provoke police intervention and then use against our country the bad feelings of young people who have been mistreated by security officials," said the president.

No, Mahmoud. Your moralization campaign creates the discontent all by itself. No need for any "manipulation".

"During the first four days [since the code came into effect] we have picked up 150,000 women who were not properly veiled, but many of them were released after they signed an admission of guilt and a formal apology," General Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam [Iran's top police officer] said Thursday.

They are proud of this, mind you.

An unspecified number of the women taken into custody were also forced to undergo psychological counseling, Moghaddam said.

Yes, wanting to be free apparently is considered to be a mental problem with these people. No surprise, considering they deny the Holocaust happened and consider suicide terror to be a religious and national duty.

The leader of Tehran's prayer on Friday, ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, praised the new rules saying that "in the past week the great majority of the population has felt more secure and protected by police."

Whew! At last they can now leave their doors unlocked at night since women are now forced to wear their veils in public.

"Anyone criticizing police will attract the ire of the population."

Let's give this campaign a little time and see who it is that attracts "the ire of the population".

----------

And finally...

Only in Iran: Donkey Swallows 2 Lambs

In a rare incident a donkey swallowed two lambs and died a little after in a village in the vicinity of the town of Charam in Iran's western province of Kohgilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad on Sunday. The unprecedented incident not only surprised but also frightened all villagers in the area.

I'll say.

The donkey is reportedly dead.

Too bad that this official Iranian news outlet can't verify craziness before reporting it.

Lesson: stay away from Iran. Things are not normal there.

News Roundup for April 27

Disgraced Israeli Arab MK Azmi Bishara is getting support from his friends.

PA government spokesman Dr. Ghazi Hamad, Haneyya said: "These actions of the Zionist government are clear evidence of the extent of racism against our Palestinian people and attempts to obliterate their identity."

According to Hamas, bringing charges against someone who is believed to have broken laws = racism and obliterating their identity. Just a touch of hyperbole there, Mr. spokesman.

"We stress our solidarity with Dr. Bishara, who stood by his people and their cause, and we call upon all local and international organizations to declare their solidarity with him against this programmed campaign against him."

If I were Bishara, I don't think I'd want an internationally-recognized terrorist organization giving me support. But that's just me.

Dr. Bishara, who resigned his Knesset seat on Sunday in Cairo,

Not exactly what an innocent man would do, eh?

In the past he has been questioned a number of times for visiting Syria and Lebanon,

Which he did with impunity, knowing that in doing so was an explicit violation of Israeli law.

Good luck, Bishara. You're probably gonna need it.

----------

Things in Gaza are getting so bad that Gazans are longing for the occupation.

[Gaza journalist "A."] adds: "There are two options today that could take us out of this situation: Someone strong in the Gaza Strip who does not care about a confrontation with the clans, or an Israeli occupation. Many people in the Strip hope that Israel will reoccupy it because these phenomena were not prevalent during the Israeli occupation."

I thought the occupation was "brutal" and "immoral"? Either the occupation really wasn't as bad as they whined it was, or Gaza is Mogadishu on the Med.

----------

And finally...

Live in Israel? Want to visit Syria? Looking for a good deal? Well, I hope you are feeling very lucky.

A sultry-eyed woman beckons from under her hijab, welcoming Israelis to the sandy hills and glittering ocean in the backdrop. "Dreamy weekend in Syria - only $390," advertises the billboard.

One problem: it is contingent on peace in the Middle East.

Israelis, or anyone with an Israel stamp in their passport, cannot currently travel to most member states of the Arab League,

Minor detail. What else is there?

The billboards...offer the great weekend deals with only the fine print noting that the price is for one room, a double bed - and dependent on the Saudi peace plan.

The fine print might as well say "Offer good only when hell freezes over". Where do I sign?

The Incredible Edible Date

Since in Islam Mohammed can do no wrong and is the perfect example for everything, let's learn what religious legislation there is about dates.

It is against the backdrop of this Hadith that we should look at Hadiths that mention dates as part of the Prophet’s food. Lady Ayesha reports: “The Prophet never had two meals in one day unless one of them was dates.” Normally the Prophet ate dates one at a time, but some people would take two or more dates in one bite. This may not be pleasant to look at,

Remember, this is Islamic religious writings.

They would eat eagerly. The Prophet noticed that and he did not want to embarrass them. Therefore, he ate two together and told them so in order that they could do the same without feeling uneasy about it.

What a guy. Now, what is the religious teaching here?

When he ate two at a time, he said to us: ‘I have eaten two together, and you do the same.’”

Them's prophecy words. Amazing. There's more...

Anas reports: “Dates were brought to the Prophet. He started to share it out as he sat close, and ate of it. His eating was fast.”

The mental image that comes to mind is that of a chain saw roaring. But wait, what are the health implications of eating too many dates?

...severe muscle cramps...dental problems consisting of severe erosion of tooth enamel...and gum disease that required surgery...acid reflux ...as well as the usual symptoms of excess sugar consumption (fatigue, sugar highs/blues, excess urination, constant thirst, etc.).

Most of all, dates are one of the oldest natural laxatives. Maybe that had something to do with another Hadith about Mohammed and dates.

I remember a story from grade school about a kid who was eating too many dates. His mother took him to see Mohammad (The Prophet, not the 7-11 cashier) and asked him to give the boy some advice. Mohammad politely asked them to come back the next day. The mother pleaded; the day-long journey on the moody donkey had been most unpleasant. But Mohammad insisted they come back the following day. After much complaining the woman finally complied.

The following day Mohammad turned to the boy and advised him ["Don't eat too many dates."]. The puzzled woman asked why they had to make the same trip twice for this simple advice? The Prophet answered "I also had too many dates yesterday and couldn't possibly preach against something I was guilty of."

This is either the prophet having embarrassing gas problems (recall buzzing chain saw), or this was a case of "Do as I say, but not as I do". Either way, the prophet is to be praised.

It's Only Wrong If The Zionists Do It

Palestinian information minister Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi is accusing Israel of unspeakable atrocities.

Barghouthi affirmed that his government has exerted, and still is exerting, tremendous efforts to stabilize a comprehensive and reciprocal truce between the Palestinian resistance factions and Israel, but Israel was the one that rebuffed the offer.

A "comprehensive and reciprocal truce", according to Palestinians includes almost daily rocket attacks on Israel, as well as the usual unsuccessful suicide bombing attempts. Can't imagine why Israel doesn't agree.

He charged that the IOF troops had met the Palestinian calm with 130 assassination attempts through which they wanted to provoke the Palestinians into retaliating to such crimes.

Israel attempts to kill terrorists, which is morally and legally obligatory, while in late February Palestinians were guilty of killing 130 of their own in terror groups' infighting. But, it seems, Palestinian deaths are only an outrage when Zionists do it. The fine doctor continues.

"Calm would never be feasible unless it was reciprocated", Barghouthi asserted,

He got that right, but one wonders when his government will begin to do its part. In fact, the Oslo accords are still waiting for the Palestinians to begin doing what they committed to do. But, then again, they are just exercising their "rights".

Palestinians Demonstrate Against Violence

Actual caption for both of these pictures:

Palestinians attend a demonstration against violence in Gaza April 23, 2007.

link

link

Makes one wonder if they understand the notion of "peace".

Ahmed, Get Your Gun

Or rope because it sounds like it is time for some more of that Palestinian-style vigilante justice.

A Palestinian merchant from Hebron, in the southern West bank, on Tuesday disposed 2,000 sacks of chips because they were inappropriate for human consumption.

In case you're wondering, you're supposed to be outraged.

Dissatisfied with the chips supplier, Muhammad Al-Qawasmi, from Hebron telephoned the department for protecting consumers who disposed of the ruined goods.

Ah, the prestigious "Department for Protecting Consumers Who Disposed of the Ruined Goods".

He [Al-Qawasmi] said: "I received the chips two weeks ago, and the children complained about the bad taste."

I can vouch that this can be said of all Palestinian-produced snacks.

"Then I informed the company which produces the chips, who promised to come and dispose of them. However, they did not show, and so I disposed of the chips myself."

In other words, the unreliable "Department for Protecting Consumers Who Disposed of the Ruined Goods" didn't come and throw it in the trash for him, so he threw them in the trash himself. News, this is.

He added, "The phenomenon of ruined products has been widespread recently in the Palestinian market, and so we call on the government to use an iron fist against those merchants who target our kids."

This is indicative of the state of anarchy in Palestinian territory - bad snacks are the result of an intentional plot targeting children that should be punished with the utmost severity (hence, "iron fist"). One can only wonder why Israel is not suspected and accused of orchestrating the entire situation.

No Choice...

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (a misnomer; should be called "Al-Aqsa future-Martyrs' Brigades") is itching for Israel to assist them in making their martyrdoms a reality.

The Fatah-affiliated Al Aqsa Brigades have declared a level of high alert and given its members the green light to ''retaliate painfully and severely to the Israeli crimes."

Israeli crimes = existing.

The high alert is a response to the Israeli killings of many Al Aqsa Brigades' operatives...

i.e., neutralizing terrorists perpetrating terror.

...and the Israeli threats to invade the Gaza Strip.

This claim that Israel had dropped leaflets warning of invasion has been proven to be a rumor, mainly because "no one actually saw the leaflets". But with these people, once the rumor has been believed by enough people, it's as good as true.

[Spokesman] Abu Fuad said "Israel has announced war on the brigades and the brigades have declared war on Israel; the next stage will be the most dangerous, the brigades will not deal with any truce." He added "we have no choice except martyrdom or revenge."

No choice whatsoever. Forget talks, negotiations, peace, goodwill, forgiveness, understanding, respect, love, cooperation, reconciliation - who'd want any of that when you can murder?

Bazur added that the Al-Aqsa Brigades will respond to the Israeli massacres in the "natural way,"

Let's hear it for barbarity.

Yes, let these people have their own state.

News Roundup for April 22

Syria is having "elections". The people have come out to "vote". Middle Eastern "democracy" in action.

Polling centers opened throughout Syria Sunday allowing voters to elect 250 new pro-regime Parliamentarians dominated by the ruling Baath Party amidst a declared boycott by the opposition.

According to Syrian law applied for more than three decades, the 12 million registered voters will have to elect 131 MPs from President Bashar Assad's Arab Socialist Baath Party, 83 "independent" MPs, who are usually businessmen affiliated with the ruling elite, and 36 MPs from leftist parties affiliated with the Baath in the so-called National Progressive Front (NPF).

Opposition parties are banned by Syrian law.

As Bashar says, "See, the people are free to choose in Syria.

----------

Disgraced/disgraceful (take your pick) Israeli Arab MK Azmi Bishara, who is being investigated for criminal wrongdoing (details unavailable because of a court-ordered gag order) decided to resign from the Knesset today.

"Since the last elections, I have had an urge to resign,"

So why did you bother to run, Azmi?

----------

Finally...

Kyrgyzstan. Have you heard much about it? There may be a reason you haven't.

“Why does the United States promote football everywhere? Because through football they spread American values, the American way of life. Here it’s the same with kok-boru,” said Kemir Dyushekeyev, assistant director of Kyrgyzstan’s National Kok-Boru Federation.

Oh yeah, kok-boru. Sounds like fun.

The ancient Central Asian sport of kok-boru, in which horsemen wrestle over a headless goat, may not have caught on in the West, but here it’s a source of national pride - and a wildcard in national politics.

A "source of national pride - and a wildcard in national politics". For KYRGYZSTAN, that is.

Exactly what are the values spread by a sport where the ball is a gutted goat carcass with its head removed and legs cut off at the knees? “Strength, bravery, competition, and camaraderie. There can be no kok-boru without camaraderie,” Dyushekeyev said.

Or without a gutted, headless, limbless goat carcass, too.

At the start of the game, eight players on horseback race to get their hands on a goat carcass...which they usually haul up by one of its truncated limbs. They whip and punch each other for control of the goat, sometimes passing it to teammates, until one player breaks away and gallops across a 200-metre field to toss it into a stone ring.

That sounds like fun. Where can I get me one of those goat carcasses?

Play is supposed to stop if a fallen player is in danger of being trampled, but “there are serious injuries all the time”. Then there’s the whole goat carcass issue.

Ya think?

“Some foreigners may turn up and say, ‘It’s so cruel! Cutting up a goat to play with - how awful!’” tournament organiser Tabakriyev said, his tone showing minimal sympathy for animal rights activists. “But we accept life as it is. We look at it as a sacrifice,” he said.

Not nearly as much as the goat.

“This game didn’t start yesterday, it started 2,000-3,000 years ago. It’s in our blood to play, it’s in our genes,” said Bakyt Tabakriyev.

And that's what happens when the gene pool gets a little too stagnant.

The Injustice

It's been a while, so let's indulge in some good old Palestinian-style victimization, ok? Just put in your favorite dirge cd, grab a box of tissues and maybe a bucket (in case the outrage causes you to puke) and prepare to feel the injustice.

Barhoum: US Military Supplies to Israel Mean More Massacres Against Palestinians

Fawzi Barhoum, the spokesman of Hamas Movement in Gaza Strip, has condemned the “persistent” US military supplies to Israel, affirming that such military aid encourages the Hebrew state to commit more massacres against the Palestinian people.

Barhoum charged, “The US military supplies to the Zionist occupation, including internationally-prohibited bombs...”

"...help[ing] Israel in committing more massacres against the unarmed Palestinian people,"

He also explained that the US and Israel are exploiting the “unjustified” Arab and Muslim silence and passiveness,"

He also urged those parties to rally behind the legitimate Palestinian resistance,

Where, oh, where is the justice? These people have the right to get exactly what they deserve.

Wanted: Therapists for Terrorists

File this under "Terrorists have feelings, too".

Palestinian security forces have been seeking emotional counseling, following "internal infighting in Gaza". Dr. Riad al-Aqra, the director for the Gaza hospital for mental health, said that "although the occupation is a major cause for emotional depression for Gaza residents…Palestinian infighting plays a striking role in the increase of shock, tension and depression, present in previously unseen amounts."

Everyone felt great and had a healthy self-image back when killing Jews was the "in" thing to do.

"One member of the Hamas security force came to me suffering from high tension, which was causing physical problems. He said he felt fear from the fact that he would burn in hell forever if he fired even one bullet at someone," the doctor said.

He told of another case, in which a member of the security forces arrived with similar symptoms. "He said he couldn't fire at another Muslim, and that he felt pain and bitterness," al-Aqra said.

So, fire a bullet at a Muslim = burn in hell. Fire a bullet at a Jew = eternal group orgy in paradise. Maybe a frontal lobotomy would be more appropriate than therapy.

Hamas members were troubled by an additional issue this week: an altercation with the Egyptian branch of the hitherto supportive Muslim Brotherhood. The rift occurred after a senior leader in the organization, Abd al-Munam Abu al-Fatouh, announced that the Brotherhood supports the creation of a secular Palestinian state and a bi-national presence in Palestinian, as a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Did he mean something along the lines of "peace"?? How dare anyone suggest anything other that killing every last Jew in the Holy Land! Talk about insulting and humiliating...

Hamas members were so incensed by al-Fatouh's announcement that the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Muhammad Mahdi Akef, had to release a special statement refuting it.

Oh. My. Gosh. A SPECIAL STATEMENT?!?! I had no idea it was this severe.

"No Palestinian has the right to refute this…The Zionists have no choice but to live under the rule of a Palestinian nation in which they will be free to worship their God and enjoy full rights of citizenship," Akef added.

Hence the essence of the conflict. It begs the question, How can one "have no choice" but "be free" at the same time?

"If the Zionists do not agree, our Palestinian brothers will have no choice but to resist and undertake all actions that are consistent with holy principles that were given to the Palestinians and that are in accordance with their national interests," he said.

And likewise the Zionists "will have no choice but to resist and undertake all actions that are consistent with" defending themselves against terrorists that stubbornly and insistently refuse to do anything but terrorize.

One thing is for sure: these people are messed up in a bad way because their idea of "therapy" is getting murderers back to killing the "appropriate" people.

Hypocritical British Journalists

We saw previously how Gaza is living up to its image as the worst place in the world. Now the terrorist-endorsed friends of Palestinians are banned from reporting their self-induced "oppression".

The foreign press corps has abandoned the Gaza Strip in the five weeks since the kidnapping of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, leading to a significant decrease in coverage. In a statement published on Thursday by the Foreign Press Association [FPA], it announced that "effectively, Gaza has become a 'no-go' zone for our members."

They just figured out what the entire world already knows.

[Bureau chief for ABC and chairman of the FPA Simon] McGregor-Wood acknowledged that "foreign press coverage from Gaza is almost gone; we just don't have the sort of personalized coverage we used to have."

Few foreign journalists are comfortable talking about the situation in Gaza. Those who have managed to make a quick trip there are extremely reluctant to explain how they went in,

Despite widely publicizing Johnston's plight, not all the details on his kidnapping and, more crucially, on the group holding him - the Durmish clan - its demands and methods have been reported by the mainstream news organizations.

I thought reporters were supposed to report the facts to the public?

In some cases, this has been to protect Johnston from any possible reprisal and, but also out of fear of future retribution when reporters return to Gaza.

Ah, things like this just inspire one's confidence in whatever news that comes out of Gaza.

McGregor-Wood denied there was any attempt to hide information.

I thought that the article just said that "not all the details on his kidnapping...on the group holding him...its demands and methods have been reported by the mainstream news organizations". I guess we should just forget all of that. McGregor-Wood explains.

"The main problem is that no one really knows for sure even what group is holding him;"

I thought they knew which clan was holding...him.

"...obviously we wouldn't like to offend groups who might be helping him."

Oh well, reporters mustn't offend anyone (except for those who are Israeli or George Bush supporters, that is), especially the kidnappers who are "helping" him.

The real kicker is that the FPA has members in British Association of Journalists, which decided to boycott Israeli goods this week, although journalists in Israel claim they are ignoring the boycott. Fortunately, the FPA calls the British boycott for the bald hyopcrisy it is.

In its meeting on Tuesday, the FPA also condemned the decision by Britain's National Union of Journalists to boycott Israeli goods. In its statement, the FPA said the boycott "runs counter to the core journalistic values which we are here to uphold and defend, namely objectivity and balance" and that it "may prejudice our membership's already difficult task here in striving to interact effectively with all sectors of Israeli and Palestinian society."

Why? Let's see what they have to say about their fellow British BBC reporter Alan Johnston.

The Foreign Press Association also criticized the boycott resolution for failing to mention the plight of Johnston.

There's British journalistic credibility for you.

News Roundup for April 20

The UN is at it again, poo-poo-ing Israel for more insensitivity toward child terrorists.

A UN envoy [special representative for children and armed conflicts, Radhika Coomaraswamy] Thursday said Israel's detention of Palestinian children and denial of proper trials are "a problem" that feeds the violence in the region.

And all this time I thought it was the 24-hour a day incitement against Zionists on Palestinian TV, in mosques, and in their school textbooks.

She said she urged Israeli officials to consider rehabilitation instead of detention for children detained on minor charges.

Yes, it's Israel's job to undo all those years of Jew-hating that UN money to the Palestinians funds and fuels.

"The process they are subject to is a military process ... and not a judicial process. That is something that we feel is a problem," she said. "I think children are getting very hard and bitter through this experience."

So is Ms Coomaraswamy saying that the children were not "hard and bitter" before they made the decision to try and kill Jews?

Coomaraswamy met with four children in the prison, including one held without trial. A 12-year-old and a 16-year-old were jailed for throwing firebombs, she said. "My sense is this kind of detention practice is feeding the cycle of violence."

My sense is that whoever throws firebombs, or any other kind of terror, is feeding the so-called cycle of violence. But what do I know?

----------

Amnesty International, who was horrified at dictator Saddam Hussein's execution, is again horrified that Iraq is executing more terrorists (*gasp*).

Iraqi authorities executed at least 65 people - including two women - in 2006, a total surpassed only by China, Iran and Pakistan, the human rights organization said. "This represents a profoundly retrograde step," the report said, "one that should not be overlooked simply because far larger numbers of lives have been lost due to ongoing violence."

I guess they expect Iraq to treat mass murderers like Israel and put them in a country club prison. Anmesty should be horrified that it uses Israel as an example of something good, for once.

----------

Well, Hizbullah continues the 'good cop/bad cop' routine, except the way they do it more resembles 'dumb cop/stupid cop'. The UN is concerned about Hizbullah's rearming themselves with Iranian weapons through Syria, and Hizbullah is self-righteously taken aback.

Hizbullah lashed out at the U.N. Security Council, saying reports of illegal arms smuggling from Syria to Lebanon were "inaccurate," and assuring that the group has enough weapons that it need not be re-supplied.

Resigned Hizbullah Energy Minister Mohammed Fneish said the U.N. report was "definitely inaccurate and unrealistic … for merely political desires to distort the truth in favor of some states."

There he goes throwing his "definitely" around again, so you can be sure he is not telling the truth.

"The Resistance arms' supplies are enough to carry out required missions," Fneish said in remarks published by Lebanese newspapers on Friday. "Hence, it (resistance) is in no need for smuggled arms," Fneish added.

When one is lying, it is vital that one is able to have a good memory. From four days ago:

Hizbullah has "enough weapons to defend Lebanon against Israel's aggressiveness," Hassan Nasrallah's advisor said in an interview published Monday by the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat.

Halil addressed the organization's rearming by smuggling arms to Lebanon through Syria. "We object the fact that the border between Syria and Lebanon is being supervised, but in any event the weapons possessed by Hizbullah will not run out if the border is closed," he said.

Given Hizbullah's pathological history and mentally unstable leadership, it is not hard to figure out the truth of what is going on in Lebanon.

----------

And finally...

Islam doesn't appreciate witch doctors soiling its image.

Witch doctors have “soiled the image of Islam” by prescribing harmful treatments in the guise of faith healing, according to Muslim clerics and doctors who gathered in Abu Dhabi to affirm the healing powers of the Quran.

Hmm, sounds like we may have a Muslim Benny Hinn soon.

Islam “is not opposed to reason, science and modern technological developments,” Ali Salem al-Kaabi, the head of Abu Dhabi’s Family Development Foundation said at a recent conference,

The conference followed several reports in the Belgian media about faith healing practices of some European Muslim communities which turned into tragedy, including the story of a Moroccan girl who died after drinking several litres (quarts) of water mixed with black cumin oil, which an exorcist had said would purge evil spirits.

Black cumin oil? What on earth is "black cumin oil" and what would possess someone to drink it?

The herbal remedy predates Islam and has been administered in the Middle East since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) [Peace Be Upon Him- ed.] is said to have declared that “black cumin heals every disease except for death”.

Since the prophet (PBUH) can't possibly be wrong, this girl apparently just had a bad case of death.

Delegates agreed that the Quran has healing powers, with some going so far as to claim that the holy book can cure AIDS and some forms of cancer.

This is starting to sound a bit creepy.

Many Muslims believe the Koran can cure illness. The most common treatment consists of drinking water with pieces of paper bearing Quranic verses dissolved in it.

Uh, this is starting to sound a bit stupid.

In what he described as a blending of the longstanding practice with modern technology, Sharif Shukran, an Algerian biomedical engineer attending the conference, proposed transforming the sound of Koranic verses into electromagnetic waves and passing them through the water instead.

Ok, this is ridiculous. There's more, though.

In December 2006, a top Malaysian university published a report claiming that the postures used during Muslim prayers benefit the heart and spine, while increasing the capacity for memory and attention.

Of course, this is Islam! It has an answer for everything!

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the study affirmed the power of prayer in a person’s life, the New Straits Times reported in December. “The study investigates the physiological interactions and effects of the salat (prayer) postures on the human body,” Abdullah said.

More likely, it seems that all of that blood rushing to the heads of Muslims when they pray has caused something to go way wrong with their ability to think properly.

News Roundup for April 19

Iran is promoting the Palestinian cause again, but in a way that does not help.

Venezuela's chare d'affair to Tehran described Palestinian nation as a victim of injustice and inequality, and called on the world countries to open their eyes to the ongoing catastrophe in Palestine.

Actually, the world's eyes see clearly what the Palestinians are doing to themselves, which is why Holland refused to let PM Haniyeh visit them, on the grounds he is a terrorist.

Hamas, of course, disagrees.

Palestinian legislator Dr. Salah Al-Bardaweel of Hamas Movement has scathingly condemned on Thursday the EU “selective” policy in dealing with PA ministers, affirming that attempts to isolate Hamas in the Palestinian arena will definitely fail.

It will definitely fail. Definitely. Definitely it will fail.

----------

In light of the media's parsing the syllables of whatever Hamas terrorists say to show their new-found "moderation" and acceptance of Israel, Hamas' own Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahar, deputy Palestinian Legislative Council member and the former Palestinian Foreign Minister, clarifies the meaning of the Mecca agreement for everyone.

Dr, Zahhar said that "what happened in Mecca agreement were four issues; firstly , the agreements and laws that are related with the Palestinian issue which was signed by Arab countries and the PLO, but we didn’t mean (Oslo agreements), because it is known here that we did not recognize the Oslo Agreement and we will not recognize it at all.

In other words, when Hamas agreed to "respect" all signed agreements, it meant that it would respect all agreements with Arab countries, but not agreements with Israel.

" regarding the word " respect" or " accept" .. if I respect your views , it doesn't mean that I accept your views. So , the saying that we are accepting the Oslo agreement is not true"

So, they "respect" Israel's view but will unconditionally continue to try to wipe it off of the map despite any agreements they said they would "respect". Is this possible? Al-Zahar explains.

What does commitment mean in Law ?? does respect mean commitment ?? If respect means commitment , then why the two words are different in Language ..they are surely different". If Hamas wanted to recognize "Israel" , we will say it frankly. Hamas does not have the intention to recognize "Israel" at all because we will contradict the Quran,

If anyone thought a signed agreement with these people means anything, think again.

----------

Hizbullah continues to be stubborn as a mule over the Hariri tribunal. They have major objections about the nature of the tribunal but, for some reason, refuse to say what those objections are.

Hizbullah has stood rigid in its stance, refusing to offer to the U.N.'s top legal adviser Nicolas Michel the group's "observations" on the international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes.

"Undoubtedly, we have remarks about the regulations of the tribunal, but we will only present them to a legitimate (Lebanese) government," he was quoted by An Nahar as saying on Thursday.

And, for Hizbullah, the only "legitimate Lebanese government" in their eyes is one that answers to the call of the foreign occupiers, Syria.

Fneish warned that establishment of the tribunal would "threaten and undermine stability in Lebanon,"

Meaning that Hizbullah is threatening to undermine the stability of Lebanon if they don't get their way.

...adding that international intervention will not solve the months' long political stalemate that has crippled the country.

Meaning that the "months' long political stalemate that has crippled the country" caused by Hizbullah will continue until they get their way.

Hizbullah has one goal: bring Lebanon under full Syrian control for Iranian purposes. They call themselves "Lebanese", but there is no greater enemy to Lebanon that these terrorists.

Terrorist is as terrorist does.

----------

And finally...

Another endorsement for the balanced, impartial, and fair BBC from a convicted terrorist.

Jailed Tanzim head Marwan Barghouti called for the release of kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston, who was abducted by gunmen in the Gaza Strip over a month ago.

“I call for the immediate release of the journalist in the name of 10,000 Palestinian prisoners.

I think he means, for the price of 10,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Johnston is a friend of the Palestinian people,” Barghouti said.

Palestinians understand who their friends are. Too bad for Alan Johnston that it didn't benefit him.

Don't Tell the Martyrs

Some honest Palestinian voices speak about how they feel about the idea of returning to Palestine and Israel if they had the choice.

A large and growing number of young Palestinians born abroad have no interest in coming to the Palestinian Authority or Israel, Palestinians in London have told Ynetnews.

They expressed anger at Palestinian leaders for continuing to trumpet a "right of return," a call which is neither desirable nor realistic, the men said, adding that the demand is merely an attempt to force concessions out of Israel during peace talks.

Is that so?

"If we returned to the Palestinian territories, we would feel like second class citizens," he added. "We have different accents,"

But aren't they are your Palestinian "brothers"?

"We don't have any homes in West Bank and Gaza. For us, it will be more desirable to live in Arab countries and Europe," he explained.

So much for the "We will redeem our homeland with every last drop of our blood" chants we hear from them on TV all of the time.

"No one wants to live there, not because we don't like our country Palestine, but because we can't live there," Rahim added. "If we all went, it would destroy the Palestinian economy. If we got an opportunity to live in Europe, we would enjoy a good standard of life. We can visit Palestine," he said.

This isn't going to sit well with the martyrs.

"I'm Muslim and I practice my religion and pray every day. I don't feel that talking about where refugees prefer to live will make me a traitor or that I'm working against the Palestinian case," Rahim said. "We want to have an independent Palestinian state, but a lot of refugees will prefer to live in the West if they got that opportunity. Actually, all of the second generation Palestinians born in Lebanese refugee camps don't think about returning to Palestine or living there permanently… from a religious point of view, we have the right to choose what we want if that will make our life better, including living outside of Palestine," he added.

Apparently this guy didn't get the memo.

"They [Arab and Palestinian leaders] want more from Israel - more land, and Jerusalem. We know and they knew that we will not be able to return to Israel or Palestinian territories. They are just using this issue to get more compromise," he argued.

In other words, it's not about peace (hence the formula "Land for Peace" - they want LAND).

"Palestinians do not love Lebanon, and Lebanon does not love us," he said. "We have no right to work, or access to schools and hospitals. We get no citizenship or passports. They do not want us in Lebanon," he said.

Arab brothers treating Palestinians worse that the evil Zionists? No way!

"The leaders of Palestinian factions in the Lebanese camps are the only ones speaking," Ali said, but added that they were not representative of the views of many Palestinians. "Our leadership is corrupt... The Palestinian leaders just say what they say because they don't want to admit that the refugees don't want to return," he added.

I'll bet that whatever is left of the martyrs is probably spinning in their graves, or wherever they are strewn.

100

In celebration of my 100th post I thought I'd do something completely different. Click on the picture, one of my favorites, to get the full effect.

It's a redneck family reunion, I think. I'd be willing to bet there were more than a few brewskis involved somewhere. Good times.

Can't Be Too Careful

My last post showed that it's ok to marry a goat, but apparently it's not ok for vegetables to intermingle.

Soldiers say the most heinous crimes are committed by al-Qaeda in Iraq fighters, who have attacked hospitals, used female suicide bombers, raped and tortured. They are said to inflict their hard-line religious beliefs in bizarre ways, such as prohibiting shopkeepers from putting cucumbers (considered male) and tomatoes (female) in the same bins.

What exactly are they afraid of? That the cucumbers and tomatoes will give everyone immoral thoughts? Or maybe it's that are they afraid that there will be rampant veggie cohabitation? Just wait until they realize that all those cucumbers together in the same bin is trouble just waiting to happen.

I Wonder If The Honeymoon Is Over Yet

You gotta wonder about these people (typical BBC does not relate that these are Muslims). From last year:

A Sudanese man has been forced to take a goat as his "wife", after he was caught having sex with the animal.

The goat's owner, Mr Alifi, said he surprised the man with his goat and took him to a council of elders.

They ordered the man, Mr Tombe, to pay a dowry of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) to Mr Alifi.

Um.

Mr Alifi, of Hai Malakal in Upper Nile State, told the Juba Post newspaper that he heard a loud noise around midnight on 13 February and immediately rushed outside to find Mr Tombe with his goat.

"When I asked him: 'What are you doing there?', he fell off the back of the goat, so I captured and tied him up."

Mr Alifi then called elders to decide how to deal with the case.

"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife," Mr Alifi told the newspaper.

Er.

"We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together," Mr Alifi said.

Oy.

I don't think Mohammed had this in mind. Or did he?

And Now For Something Completely Similar

And you thought that the hysteria over the supposed Zionist AIDS-infected melons story was ridiculous. Now viruses can be caught over cell phones.

Rumours of a deadly virus being transmitted by via mobile phones have caused some mosques in the country’s biggest city, Karachi, to announce that people are dying of a mobile virus and that they should be wary of God’s wrath.

Wow, I was not aware that stupidity is a sin.

Meanwhile, in Lahore, Jinnah Hospital doctors treated two patients claiming to be infected by the “deadly phone virus” after listening to phone calls on their cell phones. The patients said that they needed immediate medical attention. Tariq, one of the patients, said, “While talking to a relative, I couldn’t hear anything for a few moments. I think I’m infected with the mobile phone virus.” The doctor who treated him said they had found no signs of any thing wrong with him.

Obviously the doctor neglected to check the patient's head.

The cellular operators have moved to calm subscribers and said in a joint statement, “The rumours are baseless. They do not make any sense in technological terms.”

But what they don't understand is that the more wild and baseless the rumors, the more likely they will be believed.

Cell phone service providers stated that there was no scientific proof of such claims of deaths through calls. “There is no proof of a virus that can harm the human body after a person receives a call,” they said.

Yeah, just like there is no proof that the Mossad was involved in 9-11.

Oh well, things like this should be no surprise anymore. Apparently people who believe that it's ok to murder others by blowing one's self up in order to promote their faith and get them into an orgy in paradise find no problem believing things like this.

The World's Most Impossible Job

You have to feel sorry for this woman in the Jerusalem Post article New PA tourism minister aims to 'rebrand' Palestine.

Making sure that local communities benefit from tourism is one of her main objectives as minister. [Ms. Khuloud] Daibes faces formidable challenges in her new job.

That is the understatement of the century.

While trying to market the world's most well-known international terrorist hideout and kidnapping capital as a tourist stop, her job seems to get more difficult with each week that passes. First, two weeks ago,

Tuesday, 27 March 2007, four Palestinians, an elderly woman and 3 children, were killed and 20 others injured...when the earth barriers around a sewage disposal pool broke 150 meters to the north of the village. As a result, sewage water flooded...the village... The level of sewage water was 2 meters high in the village.

Now this,

Mountains of garbage piled up across Gaza on Saturday and acrid smoke billowed from burning refuse bins as a municipal workers' strike over unpaid salaries spread to the territory's five biggest towns,

Terrorist anarchy, rampant kidnappings, extra-judicial street killings, rivers of sewage, and mountains of garbage. There's a tourism slogan in there somewhere.

Ms. Daibes acknowledges that she can't do it alone.

We are counting on cooperation with the outside world to give Palestine the image it deserves,

Actually, Ms. Daibes, that is exactly what you don't want.

Yes We Have No Fanatics

I like this. On Wednesday, Israel let some religious Jews up on Temple Mount and everyone up there seemed to go berserk about it. The Palestinian Information Center website said this:

Jordan on Wednesday condemned the recent Israeli fanatics' intrusion into the Aqsa Mosque's plazas...

And they show this picture:I guess that they already have plenty of fanatics up there, thank you very much.

Words Cannot Describe...

Absolutely breathtakingly unbelievable. If there was anything remotely redeemable about the UN, this moved it way beyond the point of no return.

On April 9, 2007 there was a United Nations believe-it-or-not moment extraordinaire. At the same time that Iran’s President Ahmadinejad declared his country was now capable of industrial-scale uranium enrichment, the U.N. reelected Iran as a vice chairman of the U.N. Disarmament Commission.

Yes Ripley, the very U.N. body charged with promoting nuclear nonproliferation installed in a senior position the state that the Security Council recently declared violated its nonproliferation resolutions.

So in Iran at the Natanz nuclear facility Ahmadinejad gloated: “With great pride, I announce as of today our dear country is among the countries of the world that produces nuclear fuel on an industrial scale.” And in New York, courtesy of his U.N. platform, Iranian Disarmament Vice-Chairman Seyed Mohammad Ali Robatjazi railed against “noncompliance with the NPT [nuclear nonproliferation treaty] by the United States” and “the Zionist lobby.”

So, Iran gets re-elected to the Disarmament Commission and immediately accuses America and Israel of no complying with the NPT. If that is not enough absurdity, here's more.

It took the U.N. a mere five days to rehabilitate Iran after the British kidnap victims made it home alive. Just the night before on April 8, Faye Turney, the only female victim, revealed her Iranian abductors stripped her to her underwear, caged her in a tiny, freezing cell, and subjected her to mental torture such as leading her to believe that her death was imminent.

But while this was actually happening to Faye Turney, Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, the president of the U.N.’s lead human-rights body — the U.N. Human Rights Council — was making this announcement, March 26, 2006:

I would like to make the following statement adopted by the Council. One,…the Human Rights Council has in closed meetings examined the human rights situation in…the Islamic Republic of Iran…Two, the Human Rights Council has decided to discontinue the consideration of the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran…Three,…members of the Human Rights Council should make no reference in the public debate to the confidential decisions and material concerning [the Islamic Republic of Iran]…

As the world observed Iran breach and flaunt nearly every international convention of legislated decency for the civilized world, the UN Human Rights Council officially ended their inquiry into Iranian actions and closed the discussion on the subject.

And for the cherry on top:

Following the election on Monday of Iran as vice chairman, the U.N. Disarmament Commission elected Syria as its rapporteur.

If you are wondering what it takes to receive criticism from the UN, just ask Israel, who is condemned on almost a daily basis.

News Roundup for April 11

The first conspiracy of the day is headed by American Vice President Dick Cheney, according to the always dependable and well-informed Hizbullah.

"Dick Cheney has given orders for a covert war against Hizbullah... there is now an American program that is using Lebanon to further its goals in the region," Sheikh Naim Qasem, Hizbullah's deputy secretary general, told the Guardian in an interview published on Wednesday.

There is good reason for Hizbullah to fear Dick Cheney. If he shoots his friends in the face, just imagine how he will treat his enemies.

----------

Next conspiracy is courtesy of (yawn) the Zionists, whom Saudi Arabia believes controls the US Congress.

“The reasons for that are many, the first of which is the Zionist lobby in the United States,” Prince Turki [Al-Faisal, former Saudi ambassador to the United States] said... “The lobby supports and encourages Congress members to take hostile stances toward Saudi Arabia,” he said.

If that's the case, I don't know why the USA even bothers to hold elections since every decision is controlled by lobbyists. You'd think that the American voters would have caught on by now.

Prince Turki said that before Sept. 11, 2001, public surveys showed that 45 percent of Americans believed that the Kingdom was a friendly nation. “After it was announced that 15 of the 19 hijackers who took part in the attacks were Saudi, public surveys showed that 60 percent believed that Saudi Arabia was a hostile country,” he said.

Well that proves it. Only a Zionist conspiracy can explain such a shift of public opinion. If it weren't for that, Americans naturally would have all but converted to Wahabi Islam by the droves after 9/11.

----------

Also from ArabNews, talking about the possible hostage payment Palestinian PM Haniyeh mixes his metaphors.

“The ball is in Israel’s camp and everything now depends on the answer that Israel will give to the just Palestinian demand to free our prisoners,” he said.

Maybe he meant that the bomb is in Israel's camp. Could be.

----------

Speaking of prisoners, Hamas is appealing to the world over one of their leaders in Israeli jail.

Palestinian lawmakers from the change and reform bloc of Hamas Movement made appeals to the free world and legal and human rights organizations to seriously step in and pressure the IOA [sp] into releasing Dr. Aziz Dwaik, the PLC speaker.

Since when has Hamas ever shown the slightest interest, or even regard, for anything pertaining to freedom, respect for law, or human rights?

“The IOF [sp] arrest of the symbol of Palestinian legitimacy and the second man in the PA hierarchy constitutes an unprecedented violation of international laws and conventions, which obviously indicates that the IOA is trampling on those laws”.

And since Hamas only ever made a mockery of all "international laws and conventions", why should anyone in the international community possibly object if this avowed terrorist remains in jail where he deserves to be?

----------

And finally...

Palestinian prisoners in Israel jails apparently don't understand what the concept of "jail" is.

The Palestinian captives in Israeli jails, including women and children, are set to go on a single day hunger strike en masse Wednesday to protest the IOA solitary confinement policy in those jails, Palestinian sources affirmed.

Last I checked, the very idea of jail was supposed to limit prisoners' freedom. maybe getting arrested isn't as fun as they thought it would be.

He [Suleiman Abu Sunaina, prisoners and ex-prisoners’ affairs minister in the PA] added that his ministry was and still is exerting all it could in order to bring the prisoners out of jail and fold their file once and for all.

Fold their file? Must be another metaphorically-challenged Palestinian.

For her part, Palestinian MP Khaleda Jarrar of the PFLP, who chairs the prisoners committee in the PA legislature, criticized statements uttered by a number of PA ministers over the exchange deal, adding, “Premature statements over the issue are indeed tampering with the prisoners’ feelings”.

Bwess their wittle hearts - terrorists have feewings, too, you know.

She also noted that the IOA is denying the captives their religious rights, including free time for prayer.

Actually, if prison and/or solitary confinement does anything, it is most conducive for prayer.

The IOA use the isolation policy as a mean to psychologically and physically torture the prisoners, and to break their determination and morale.

And for criminally insane terrorists, to "break their determination and morale" is just the ticket.

Massacre? Massacre!

Arab MK Mohammed Barakeh asks for a healthy dose of moral equivalence that is hard, if not impossible, to swallow by accusing Israel of

being persistent in committing "massacres" against the Palestinian people all over occupied Palestine although in different manners.

MASSACRES, he says. MASSACRES of "different manners". The MASSACRES are

-coercing Palestinian Jerusalemites and those living in the 1948-occupied lands to gather in specified communities,

-denies them cultivation of their land with the aim to confiscate it after forcing them out of it,

-isolation and confinement of Palestinian citizens dwelling in the Negev desert in Ghettos in preparation to seize their fertile agricultural lands,

-Millions of Palestinian refugees in occupied Palestine, neighboring Arab countries, and in diaspora are the living proof of the ugliness of the Zionist massacres against them over the past six decades,

(Got that? "Living proof" of MASSACRES.)

-canceling residency IDs of scores of Palestinian Jerusalemites and demolishing their homes in order to frustrate and force them out of the city,

(Never mind that no proof is given, or if there happens to be a reasonable explanation behind any of these accusations, but) to sum up the MASSACRES: coercing, denying, isolating, confining, confiscating, seizing, canceling, demolishing, frustrating, forcing out.

MK Barakeh is correct that the MASSACRES are of a "different manner": they are the manner of MASSACRES in which no MASSACRE of any sort or stretch of the imagination takes place. Except a MASSACRE of the definition of the term "MASSACRE".

Holding Lebanon Hostage

Hizbullah thinks the world should revolve around them. And they scream foul when it doesn't.

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hizbullah's second in command, has accused the government majority of not wanting an international tribunal, but running Lebanon, instead. "They don't want the court, they want to control Lebanon,"

Isn't that how a government should rule, according to the will of the majority? Seeing how Hizbullah represents a small minority, it seems they are suggesting Lebanon should do what a minority wishes.

The UN Resolution on the Rafik Hariri assassination has a clause that if Lebanon cannot approve the international tribunal into who killed Hariri, the UN can implement the formation of the tribunal without the explicit approval of Lebanon's government and parliament under Chapter 7.

Addressing the ruling team, Qassem said: "If they are threatening us with Chapter 7, this means they don't want the court,"

Then how does he explain the fact that the majority of Lebanese parlaiment met today and overwhelmingly agreed to petition the UN to invoke Chapter 7 since pro-Hizbullah factions are blocking parlaiment convening to vote on it?

"They hide behind the tribunal to prevent the opposition from taking part in decision making," he [Qassem] said.

Never mind the fact that he just contradicted himself. If the opposition would let parliament convene and vote, then there would be a decision. But Hizbullah doesn't want democracy to work; they want control.

Qassem also accused the ruling team of blocking "every solution we offer" in an attempt to end the political impasse that has gripped Lebanon for four months.

Every solution they offer gives Hizbullah undue, undemocratic, and (especially) undeserved power in the government. No wonder the majority doesn't accept the offers of the ones preventing the government from even meeting.

So Hizbullah is doing what Hizbullah does best: Terrorizing. This time it is by holding an entire nation hostage politically and economically. They don't care if they rip the country apart with yet another civil war as long as they get the power and control over the Lebanese population at the behest of their Syrian and Iranian masters who want to continue to wreak havoc in the Middle East.

Occupation: the Problem (and the Cure)

This is a perfect example of how Palestinians blame Israel while admitting Israel actually helped in every way possible, despite Palestinian incompetence.

The Palestinian ministry of agriculture failed to announce the spread of foot and mouth disease from the north to the south of the West Bank. If the Israeli radio (Arabic language) had not reported the spread, Palestinians would not know.

Palestinians don't announce, but Israel makes aware.

Palestinian officials accused the Israeli occupation of spreading the disease in the West Bank by hindering Palestinian vets from attending to their work through the erection of checkpoints and barriers.

Why did this happen? It's the occupation, stupid!

An Israeli civil representative refuted the accusations and claimed that Israel had given the Palestinian vets 500,000 medical doses to fight the disease in Beit Furik, near Nablus and then supplied another 100,000 samples of the serum. A Palestinian official acknowledge the receipt of medicines and expressed gratitude to the Israelis.

Erm, what was that about the "occupation"?

However, he condemned the checkpoints and barriers, which obstructed the operating of vets and spread the disease from Nablus to Tulkarem and then Hebron.

Oh yes, it was the occupation. No, I mean it wasn't. Or was it?

The Palestinian ministry of agriculture also informed the Israelis that they could not afford the medicines.

Thankfully for them, Israel is generous to those who even hate them to death. Otherwise the disease would be completely out of control and all herds would have to be destroyed.

After the spread of the news, Dr Jihad Beni 'Odeh, the veterinary director of Nablus governorate, admitted that foot and mouth disease had appeared in the governorate 40 days ago.

Good thing Israel was on top of the situation, Dr. Jihad.

He added that the situation nowadays is almost completely under control.

So why the hysterical overreaction about the "occupation" causing a problem? I guess they can't resist any possible opportunity to blame Israel, even if it makes them look stupid.

'Odeh assured citizens that there is no risk in buying meat.

That is, of course, unless he can think of some way the occupation can be accused of endangering the meat-buying process. Stay tuned because I'm sure they will think of something.


UPDATE - Another Palestinian news outlet makes observations on the foot and mouth disease problem in the PA and adds a suggestion of culpability.

...Palestinian ministry of agriculture which was designated to Hamas in the late Hamas led government and which Hamas has insisted on keeping it for another tour, is in a deep coma .

Also

DR. Najat Abu Bakir , a member in the Legislative council , called on the Palestinian ministry of agriculture to show more responsibility towards protecting a large scale of a main source of living for the Palestinian people .

Don't hold your breath waiting for Palestinians to do anything other than fight and kill Jews.

Sacrificially Redeeming That Homeland

A recent post noted a common Palestinian complaint is that there is little, if any, concern for the nearly "12,000 Palestinian prisoners including women, children" etc. One reason for so many young Palestinians in detention is just good, old-fashioned hooky.

The Israel Prison Service conducted a study following a high rise in the number of Palestinian youths being held in security prisons.

The study showed that the boys would intentionally carry out light offences in order to be arrested so they can sit their matriculation exams from prison, where they get allowances on their exams.

The sad fact is that the youths know that committing crimes against Israel and being arrested will bring only benefits and prestige, and with the knowledge that nothing negative or bad will ever come of their incarceration in any way.

The message here is very clear: Crimes against Israel do pay, one way and another.

British Marines Actually AWOL

Iranian news makes the claim that the British Marines are not being held against their will.

British Marines Enjoying So-Called Captivity

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- While British Prime Minister Tony Blair still makes wrathful statements about the TV interviews of his country's marines, the latest series of photographs released by FNA display that British troops are enjoying their ideal conditions in Iran.

It's just like shore leave, except in a fundamentalist Islamic warmongering nation that may put them to trial and execute them.

Today's photographs show that the British troops are having fruit and coffee, speaking to each other, playing chess and on the whole spending their desirable leisure time in Iran instead of serving missions in the cumbersome conditions of the Persian Gulf.

Yeah, why would people who chose this line of work want to actually be doing that sort of thing?

The 15 detainees, including 8 sailors and 7 British marines, were arrested by Iran's boarder guards on 23 of March, 2007.

Hence the title of the article "So-Called Captivity".

Despite allegation by some western media that the marines had made the confessions under duress, photographs, specially[sp] those taken today, prove that the British troops have acknowledged to their guilt freely and under an open atmosphere.

Right. Imagine this scenario - Iran to marines: "You have 2 choices: Admit you trespassed and we give you good food, clean clothes, and you'll live to see your family, friends, and homeland again soon; or if you would like to deny trespassing, the sweaty, muscled, hairy man behind you will chop off your head in front of this video camera after he has had his 'way' with you in front of the video camera, all of which will be distributed all over the internet and news media outlets. You are free to choose."

Who else would like to be a "so-called captive" of Iran? Any takers? Anyone?

More News from Balestinian Wepsites

In a previous post we saw RBG's. Now we're seeing "pullets".

Palestinian medical sources said that Palestinian injured seriously after he received four pullets in his body.

Must have come from a bistol.

Weeping, Wailing, Gnashing Teeth

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, dubbed the world's most powerful woman by Forbes magazine, visited Palestinian high-ranking "sources" and left them extremely disappointed. Get your big box of tissues ready.

-[Merkel] lacked all elements of common decency and respect,

And what exactly are the "elements of common decency and respect"?

-was not polite as a high-ranking official like her should be,

Exactly how polite should a high-ranking official be?

-failed to observe basic codes of conduct,

Where exactly does one find a listing of the "basic codes of conduct"?

-did "everything possible to provoke the Palestinian people",

In other words, Merkel did not kiss up to them and empathize with them enough. Clear provocation.

-underestimated the suffering of these people,

And after this trip will never underestimate the Palestinian ability to complain and blame Israel for everything under the sun.

-interested only in the case of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,

Who is a soldier kidnapped by terrorists.

-did not say a word about 12,000 Palestinian prisoners including women, children, old people and sick people, in Israeli jails,

The majority of whom were arrested for being involved in terror-related activities.

-visited the families of the three captured Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and Gaza she refused to meet any of the families of the Palestinian prisoners,

She refused to engage in moral equivalence between terrorists and non-terrorists.

-discrimination was obvious in her visit from the very beginning,
-refused to meet Abbas in Bethlehem to see the separation wall, which causes endless suffering to Palestinians,

Probably because the source of suffering from the wall is the terror which Palestinians refuse to oppose.

-refused, even during Easter to witness the Israeli measures of restriction on Christians, banning them from entering the holy city of Bethlehem,

Christians, who are pawns cynically used by the Palestinians for their propaganda purposes.

-cancelled a meeting with the representatives of the Palestinians Non-Government Organisation's[sp],

Which are repetitious anti-Israel boilerplate wastes of time events.

-concentrated only on the issue of Shalit and did not pay much attention to the issue of peace process or the Israeli measures on the ground, which make the lives of Palestinians unbearable,

Israeli "measures on the ground" are, in fact, controlled by Palestinian actions "on the ground".

-refused to meet any of the ministers despite the decisions of the Europeans to meet with some of the ministers, thus contradicting the trend of the EU,

Trends are not laws or obligations. It's a free world.

And under the heading "Holocaust Hangover", more complaints.

The result of the visit of Merkel, according to the sources, "raises the question about the impact of a biased Germany policy, how can such a policy play a role in reviving the peace process and how can Merkel be a fair party?"

Not "fair" in the moral equivalent sense of the term, but "fair" in the moral sense of the term.

Finally, the sources asked whether "the Palestinian people have to pay the price for the suffering of the Jews and the crimes committed against them?"

No, the Palestinian people have to pay the price for their own terrorist actions and the crimes committed by them.

I can understand their dilemma, but I do not see the problem. Kudos to Chancellor Merkel.

Legislating Unholy Gas

I kid you not. Islam has a rule for everything, according to a question/answer session on Arab News.

Q.1. It is reported by Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up at night, performed ablution and then offered some voluntary prayer, then he slept and snored before rising again and offering prayer, without performing ablution anew. Does not sleep invalidate ablution? If so, how should we understand this Hadith?

Confused? Read on.

A.1. Sleep in itself does not invalidate ablution. If you sleep while sitting on a chair, your ablution remains valid, even though your sleep may take an hour or longer.

Really?

This is because while seated, wind cannot be discharged.

In other words, one supposedly can't fart while seated. That statement is obviously completely false.

No other way of invalidating ablution takes place.

Ah, the crux of the dilemma: apparently one's previous ablution is invalidated by the soiling action of farting. Did not know that.

Take the case of a person who lies down and gets to sleep, then wakes up later. If someone tells him that he was close to him throughout and he neither heard nor smelled any discharge of wind...

That's FART in layman's terms.

...from him during his sleep, he can perform prayer without having a fresh ablution. He relies on the information of this person to make sure that his ablution was still valid.

You better hope that the person is telling the truth. This is a good assumption to make because you better believe that if I heard someone fart in the middle of the night, they'd be sure to hear all about it the next day AND for many moons to come.

Some scholars, however, notably Ibn Hazm, maintain that any sleep invalidates ablution and we need to perform ablution after we wake up if we wish to pray.

Better safe than sorry, you know.

The Hadith does not say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) snored, nor has it ever been reported that the Prophet snored when asleep.

Apparently snoring is not apropros for a prophet.

The Hadith mentions that the Prophet lied down, then blew out his breath, then rose and prayed without ablution.

Nope, that definitely doesn't qualify as a "snore".

Ibn Abbas does not mention that the Prophet actually slept.

I'm sure he was just resting his eyes.

The overall impression we get is that the Prophet had a few minutes of rest, and that his breathing was audible at the time.

Maybe he was just pretending in order to raise the issue for future discussion. Who knows?

The fact that he went to prayer without performing ablution suggests one of two possibilities:

Only two? Drumroll please.

either he was certain that he did not get to sleep, but merely relaxed so that his breathing was regular and audible, or he was informed by the angel Gabriel that his ablution remained valid.

There is yet a third possibility not raised: Mohammed (peace be upon him) fell asleep and floated a stanker.

Saying It Again

Yet more fine reporting from Hamas' website about a supposed invasion of Gaza by the IDF.

Abu Obiada , the spokesman of the Qassam Brigades said "we have nothing to lose, but this invasion will not be a walk in the park for the enemy. We will turn the Strip into a graveyard for soldiers of the occupation’

He further adds:

"We have nothing to lose, but this invasion will not be a walk in the park for the enemy. We will turn the Strip into a graveyard for the soldiers of the occupation.”

I guess if you keep saying something, eventually you will come to believe it. Keep at it, Abu Obiada.