Rami, Rami, Rami

I thought this would be a good time to bring myself out of blogging slumber. This article by Rami G. Khouri, Violent cults don't speak for all Muslims, is typical of his preaching to the Middle Eastern choir. Rami anoints himself messiah for showing America's "juvenile" and "immature" stereotype of the Arab-Islamic world by (drum roll) stereotyping Americans! His ending sentence:

A good starting point would be for Americans to distinguish between tiny fringe cults and mainstream majorities, both in Arab societies and in America itself.

Ok, let's use his examples, shall we? In Mr. Khouri's own words:

Osama bin Laden and colleagues reflect Islamic societies to the same degree that the cult of polygamous Christian nuts recently broken up in Texas represents American society. The Yearning for Zion Ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a freak of American culture and society, not a symbol of it. Radical Muslims who wage war against the United States similarly represent a fringe of their societies, not its essence.

1) For Americans, this before now unheard of group "Yearning for Zion Ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" is a fringe group of a fringe group of a fringe group who, though like mainstream Muslims themselves allow polygamy, are a threat to practically no one. Bin Laden, on the other hand, represents quite a large following of a monolithic Sunni brand of Islam stretching across the globe, unknown thousands of followers who are funded by unknown millions of dollars, and responsible for unknown hundreds of thousands of deaths.

2) Who in America supports "The Yearning for Zion Ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"? Where are the rallies on their behalf, people speaking with solidarity for them, individuals rushing to join their ranks, or mobs wreaking havoc in the name of their cause? Why are most Americans glad that these not jobs are being dealt with? Followers of Bin Laden's form of violent jihad, on the other hand, are everywhere taking hostages, killing civilians with suicide murder, making their death videos that give credit to the Sheikh", civilians (or "the street") dancing and handing out sweets at the deaths of others, burning effigies and chanting death to the infidel of the moment, torching property and killing bystanders, and so on.

3) Rami selectively cites terror against America, while omitting Islamic terror against Europeans and Jews worldwide. Is that different? Should Americans nuance away the shredded bodies of Israeli women and children as understandable? If Islamic radicals have done these things to Israel, and then to America because of association, then there cannot be any distinction. Surely Rami can figure that one out.

4) While there is plenty of scoff about how America is handling the Mormon cult by Mr. Khouri, as well as his derision of how America handles the "fringe" elements of jihadi Islamists, there is no alternative word about what should be done. If the "nonviolent Arabs and Muslims who make up 99 percent of their societies" are completely impotent, unable, unwilling, and/or incompetent to deal with their own 1% jhadi problem, of what worth is there in listening to their criticism? One would argue that these "experts" actually contribute to the problem.

5) As many perversions that are proudly committed by Islamic radicals, where is the hate that burns in the breast of the American average Joe? How is the bitterness of disgust expressed by the citizenry of the Great Satan? How many moderate Muslims have been victims of the rage of the mindless western mobs? Compare that to the aforementioned Muslim "street", which frothily seethes worldwide on a daily basis. This can only make us wonder who is lecturing whom about what?

Rami intended to separate out the “fringe” from the “mainstream” in his argument, but he falls victim to his own criticisms of "over-simplifications", "pontifications", and "immaturity" that frustrate him about America so. Instead of adding clarity and sobriety to the debate, Mr. Khouri only succeeds in wallowing himself in the stagnant cesspool of that same ignorance.One final thought: What if Rami G. Khouri used his influence, position, and prestige to actually influence his own Middle Eastern readership in order to work to rid themselves of that “fringe” scourge that cripples every corner of the region and beyond, instead of courageously igniting the American/Israeli effigy on a regular basis? Methinks the answer to that lies somewhere out there in the “fringe”.

Values and Nature

When you think of the word "Palestinian", what comes to mind? (Hint: TERROR!) Seeing how Palestinians invented and perfected modern Islamic terrorism, it takes a lot of hutzpah for the Lebanese government to actually say this:

OnMonday evening, the Lebanese cabinet authorised the army to step up its efforts and "end the terrorist phenomenon that is alien to the values and nature of the Palestinian people".

I only wonder if they said it with a straight face.

News Roundup for May 23

Hamas is giving Israel some free, friendly advice.

Hamas’ political leader and its representative in the joint factional office Ayman Taha has warned the Israeli occupation government that any attempt to assassinate any of the Movement’s political leaders would inflict adverse repercussion[sp] on the Hebrew state.

But reperucussions not nearly as adverse as they would experience.

However Hamas’ political leaders had repeatedly asserted that they aren’t afraid of the Israeli threats as they were and still are fighting for a noble and just cause.

They're not afraid, but they are all in hiding.

Many Hamas leaders and activists in the Gaza Strip have gone underground for fear of being targeted by Israel, sources close to Hamas said Monday.

Hamas urged its members to take precautionary measures following reports that Israel was planning to assassinate senior political and military officials of the Islamic movement. The measures include a ban on the use of cellphones and cars, as well as gathering in public places.

Funny way of showing one's bravery.

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Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority is accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing.

Israel has resumed a policy of "ethnic cleansing" through its "criminal acts" in the Gaza Strip, the Fatah spokesman in the occupied West Bank, Fahmi Za'arir, charged on Tuesday. Za'arir accused Israel of targeting "everything" in the Gaza Strip. "They kill people randomly, including civilians," he said.

And

For his part, PA information minister Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi described Israel’s brutal atrocities in Gaza Strip as “real war crimes that the world couldn’t ignore[.]” “The IOA gave itself the right to indiscriminately kill and destroy every thing Palestinian be it a child, a woman, or an elderly person”, Barghouthi affirmed.

Well, if that's true (and we KNOW the Palestinians would NEVER exaggerate), what should we make of this report from the same Palestinian news site?

In Khan Younis city, seven Palestinian citizens of Kudaih family were kidnapped at the hands of the IOF troops believing they were resistance fighters after large numbers of IOF troops sneaked into Khuza’a town, east of the city, under intensive air cover and surrounded a number of Palestinian homes in the area.

Hebrew sources affirmed that the IOF troops had “mistakenly” apprehended seven Palestinians and briefly seized them before releasing them after intelligence reports affirmed they weren’t the wanted “catch”.

I thought that "ethnic cleansers" who gives "itself the right to indiscriminately kill and destroy every thing Palestinian be it a child, a woman, or an elderly person" would surely have taken this opportunity to slaughter these people indiscriminately.

That's the problem with the web of lies: it's hard to keep track of them all and, sooner or later, the truth comes out and makes you look stupid.

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And finally...

Either I have missed the news of the century or a very hot place has just frozen over, because the Palestinians talk as if they have been wanting peace.

Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi, the PA information minister, has affirmed that the statement of Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni rejecting the ceasefire offer made by the Palestinians posed clear evidence that Israel was interested in military escalation.

The PA unity government had proposed a comprehensive, simultaneous, and reciprocal ceasefire, but the Israeli occupation government turned down the proposal.

Rockets have never ceased to fall on Israel since the withdrawal from Gaza in the summer of 2005, despite the many so-called "ceasefires" the Palestinians have offered. In light of the "ceasefires" that fall daily between factions in Gaza, who could possibly imagine that this has a single shred of credibility at all?

He lashed out at Livni’s rejection of the proposal charging that the IOA threats of launching military operations against the Gaza Strip unveils that there was no Israeli peace partner.

Having a peace partner precludes the notion of wanting peace in the first place, which is contrary to the current Palestinian government's platform of exercising their "right" to "resist", or commit terror.

Moreover, Barghouthi condemned the Israeli threats of targeting Palestinian leaders and ministers, asserting, “Such unwarranted threats clearly reveal that the IOA wasn’t interested in reaching peace and stability in the region, and that it prefers the language of aggression and violence over the language of calm and rational[sp]”.

Well, leaving terror leaders alone has only increased the terror everywhere, so maybe ridding the world of the sources of hate and violence can't possibly do anything except create better conditions for peace, if there ever will be peace.

Maybe this is just a satire piece and I'm misreading it.

News Roundup for May 21

Hamas is preaching hell fire again.

For his part, Hamas’ political leader MP Mushir Al-Masri affirmed that the IOF dream of hitting Hamas' military strength and popular base would certainly fail, warning that the IOF targeting of any of Hamas’ political leaders would open “hell fire” on Israel.

What is interesting is that Hellfire missiles are frequently used in the targeted killings of terrorists. Ah, the irony.

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Speaking of irony, Palestinians are suddenly interested in international law.

In a statement, [Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Ashraf] Jum'ah said the targeting of Palestinian leaders violates all the laws of conflict situations. He affirmed that the targeted killing is contradictory to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Terrorists quoting the rules of war. You can always count on them to see the speck in others' eye.

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The Palestinian government is at a loss to explain the obvious.

He [PA information minister Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi] also urged the international community and the Arab and Muslim worlds to immediately intervene to bridle the Israeli occupation government, charging that the unexplainable silence from those parties had encouraged the IOA to pursue its crimes against the Palestinian people.

Maybe, just maybe, everyone sees Palestinian "root causes" that brought the current Israeli response to their door. Sounds plausible.

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Which is worse: 30 dead or 50 dead?
The 30:

It noted that more than 30 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the [Israeli] offensive 5 days ago.

The 50:

Members of both Hamas and Fatah said Monday that internal infighting was far from over, just one day after Egyptian mediators announced a new cease-fire aimed at ending nine days of fighting that has left roughly 50 people dead.

According to the Palestinians, obviously the 30 killed by Israel is the "no brainer".

The minister [government spokesman, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi] said that many options were discussed including "raising the issue at the United Nations Security Council or the General Assembly, and at the Arab League, in addition to the Islamic Organization." He also said that the issue might be raised at the European Union and with the Middle East Quartet (UN, EU, USA and Russia) in addition to Arab countries in order to pressure Israel to stop its attacks and aggression.

If Israel does anything, take them to the highest court in the universe because only Palestinians are allowed to slaughter Palestinians.

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Hamas talks about the harmless rockets they are firing into Israel.

The political advisor of the Palestinian prime minister, Ahmad Yousif, on Monday refused to halt the launching of homemade projectiles at Israeli towns.

Yousif depicted the projectiles being hurled at Israeli targets as "fireworks which alert the world that there can be no solution except forcing Israel to halt its hostilities."

He considers the homemade projectiles part of the Palestinian right to self-defence. He said, "They represent a message which says 'no to siege and no hostility' and they do not contain nuclear heads."

Tell that to the woman killed today in Sderot by one of those harmless "fireworks".

Oh well, Israel is not bombing Gaza with nuclear bombs, so no real harm done there either.

Yousif told Ma'an that he does not expect Hamas to cease launching projectiles as long as Israeli aggression and the international embargo on the Palestinian people continue.

Like they say, the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. I guess it's safe to say that the inmates are running the asylum.

I'm Sure It Makes Sense in Arabic

Terrorist groups love to throw pity parties, and the PFLP-GC is no exception. In a recent attempt at describing their sad state of affairs, metaphors were mixed.

“It became obvious that stabbing Hamas in the back with treacherous bullets harmonizes with the IOF troops targeting of the Movement under the full blessing of the USA”.

At least they weren't being shot at with traitorous daggers.

The Legendary Non-Martyred Martyr

Hamas is claiming a heroic martyrdom operation that is apparently reaching urban legend proportions. Even sifting through the braggadocio, what they claim happened seems highly unlikely. Not to mention the fact that no other news corroborates anything they claim.

Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades executed special martyrdom operation in Biet Lahia. Zionist executive forces [?] raided the eastern area of Biet Lahia. They entered inside the Palestinian land about three to four kilo meters[sp]. They began to destroy the private properties, farms, and houses. Further more[sp], the forces arrested many of the Palestinian civilians and tortured them.

And I'm sure the people that were arrested and "tortured" were simple Gazans doing nothing more than minding their own business. Right.

After five hours of monitoring the Zionist executive forces, which estimated about 20 soldiers in Biet Lahia. An executive force from Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades surrounded the Zionist force. At 21:00, the martyrdom began to move towards the Zionist forces.

What exactly is a "martyrdom" and how does one of those move?

In that time, the Zionist executive forces thought that they were going into picnic.

Yes, I'm sure the Zionists were comparing torture stories over some pita and hummus.

Suddenly, he began firing at them. He was far from them about 20 meters.

Ah, so the "martyrdom" is an individual.

The Brigades added "He didn’t face a real resist from the Zionist forces despite they were had a lot of advanced weapons. He succeeded to pull out".

So the "martyr" didn't actually become a martyr. He lives to martyr again. The Voice of Palestine, however, elucidates picnic-crashing to maybe give us more clues as to what happened.

[T]he QB [Qasssam Brigades] affirmed that after five hours of monitoring and surveillance, a commando unit of the QB stationed in Beit Lahia city spotted a gathering of IOF troops north of the city and decided to attack them. One of the unit’s fighters, the statement explained, stormed the IOF base where at least 20 Israeli soldiers were relaxing after wreaking havoc in Palestinian lands.

Wreaking havoc is tiring work, let me tell you.

The resistance fighter attacked and peppered them with dozens of bullets and hand grenades, killing at least five of them and wounding others before safely withdrawing. The IOF command acknowledged the attack, but claimed that two Palestinian attackers were killed; the QB immediately denied such claims, affirming that the lone attacker succeeded in returning to base after 2 hours of continuous hiking in “very difficult circumstances”.

It seems the rest of the unit split and left "martyrdom" to fend for himself.

In addition, the QB underlined that the attack, which was dubbed as “stunning lightening”,[sp]”,

Stunning, except for the fact that this happened over 24 hours ago and still no report of any supposed Israeli deaths by any credible news report. But, considering the source of the news, this is to be expected.

This operation is just the beginning of the surprises.

I agree, but who surprises whom is probably not what they think.

News Roundup for May 18

Across the Arab world there is despair at the Palestinian infighting.

Arab governments appeared at a loss Thursday over how to stop the stunning wave of bloodshed in Gaza, which threatens to wreck their already faltering efforts to resume the Arab-Israeli peace process.

The fighting sparked despair among Arabs watching television footage of what looked like open warfare between Palestinians. "May God curse you all," renowned Egyptian columnist Ahmed Ragab wrote,

A sentiment shared by many.

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For Hamas' part, it is time to dish out the blame.

The international community, Israel and Arab countries are to blame for the current inter-Palestinian fighting in the Gaza Strip for failing to lif[t] an economic siege on the Palestinians, a senior Hamas official said Wednesday.

As usual, everyone in the world is at fault for the fighting except those doing the fighting.

[Deputy head of Hamas' political bureau] Abu Marzouk told The Associated Press by telephone in Damascus, "The continued financial and political siege has pushed matters to this simmering tension."

Hamas believes that it is their right for other nations to give them endless millions of dollars without any conditions or expectation to stop committing terror.

The major donors have demanded that Hamas recognize Israel, renounce violence and commit to past agreements before aid is restored. Hamas has rejected the demand.

And, therefore, international donors reject giving money to stubborn warmongers.

Abu Marzouk ruled out the possibility of a Palestinian civil war. "This is absolutely rejected by all Palestinian parties," he said.

Denial: it's not just a river in Egypt. They can reject the possibility of civil war all they want, but that hasn't yet stopped it from happening on their streets.

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And speaking of Hamas' hardline ideology, even Egypt, who has tirelessly tried to help the Palestinian government succeed, admits that peace with Hamas is impossible.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed great concern over the increasing strength of Hamas in talks with senior diplomatic officials on Wednesday, declaring that the organization will never sign a peace agreement with Israel, Haaretz has learned.

"With Hamas no way," he reportedly said.

Mubarak painted a dark picture of the situation with Hamas and said there was no chance for peace with the organization. "Hamas will never sign a peace agreement with Israel if it stays in power," the Egyptian president said.

Not exactly news, but it's good to hear voices of clarity from Middle Eastern leaders.

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On Iranian newssite FARS, a little Photoshopping helps to communicate the message. Here is the picture of Hizbullah's logo accompanying an article about the group.
Here's the entire logo.
Thank you, FARS, for sterilizing the news for us.

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And finally...

Likewise, Iran is quickly becoming the Shi'ite version of the Taliban. First, no social intermingling.

Owners of trendy internet cafes, as well as bars and restaurants popular with young Iranians have received a letter signed by national police authorities in which new measures are announced to enforce "the country's moral health." "Public places will not be allowed to use dark windows anymore or curtains which make it impossible to view from the outside what is going on inside," said the letter, which states in particular that men and women must not be allowed inside internet cafes together but in separate days or schedules "to avoid unpleasant promiscuity."

Nope, don't want that. Also, even fully burqa-ed women on bicycles are too provocative.

Iran is to start manufacturing "Islamic bicycles" for women that conceals their figure, the government newspaper Iran reported on Thursday.

"This bike has a cabin which conceals half of the cyclist's body," the newspaper said. Elaheh Sofali, an architect of the project, told Iran it would encourage women's sports in the Islamic republic.

This about sums it all up:

How sex-obsessed is a culture that teaches a woman that she is basically a walking, sitting or reclining set of genitals? How over-aroused is a society in which men are expected to have no qualms about throwing themselves on any woman who happens to walk by, unless a powerful signal, in the form of a divinely ordained dress code, forbids them to do so?

I suggest a culture that has no concept of personal responsibility (see all iof my other posts). But, hey, what do I know?

There Is Nothing To Fear Except...

Terrorism: is there anything worse? According to the Saudi's, the answer is YES.

Foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday expressed grave concern at the rising tide of discrimination and intolerance against Muslims, especially in Europe and North America. “It is something that has assumed xenophobic proportions,” they said in unison.

Speaking at a special brainstorming session on the sidelines of the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM), the foreign ministers termed Islamophobia the worst form of terrorism and called for practical steps to counter it.

The ministers described Islamophobia as a deliberate defamation of Islam and discrimination and intolerance against Muslims.

So according to them, suicide murder bombings of thousands of innocent civilians that blow off limbs and shred bodies is not as bad as people being afraid of the Islamic terrorists who do such things.

“This campaign of calumny against Muslims resulted in the publication of the blasphemous cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a Danish newspaper and the issuance of the inflammatory statement by Pope Benedict XVI,” they said.

Yes, this is MUCH worse that killing hundreds of people weekly across the globe.

“The increasingly negative political and media discourse targeting Muslims and Islam in the United States and Europe has made things all the more difficult,” the foreign ministers said. “Islamophobia became a source of concern, especially after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but the phenomenon was already there in Western societies in one form or the other,” they pointed out. “It gained further momentum after the Madrid and London bombings. The killing of Dutch film director Theo van Gogh in 2004 was used in a wicked manner by certain quarters to stir up a frenzy against Muslims,” the ministers pointed out.

How dare the media report these things that Muslims did in the name of Islam.

“The linkage of terrorists and extremists with Islam in a generalized manner is unacceptable,” they said. “This is further inciting negative sentiments and hatred in the West against Muslims,” they said.

They are saying that when terrorists make videos explaining why they commit the terror in the name of Islam, what is unacceptable is that anyone reveals this.

The ministers also pointed out that whenever the issue of Islamophobia was discussed in international forums, the Western bloc, particularly some members of the European Union, tried to avoid discussing the core issue and instead diverted the attention from their region to the situation of non-Muslims and human rights in the OIC member states.

Core issues = put the blame of the actions of Muslims everyone but the ones committing the terror.

“Because of Islamophobia, millions of Muslims in the Western countries, many of whom were already underprivileged in their societies for a variety of reasons, are further alienated and targeted by hatred and discrimination.”

Never mind the fact that those millions of Muslims are not openly repudiating the terrorists who commit the atrocities, but rather blame third parties.

Let's all rearrange our fears and put Islamic terror as an "unacceptable" and improper taboo to speak about, and rampage against those who have any negative thoughts against Islam.

News Roundup for May 16

Hamas is not having a good day.

Hamas gunmen mistakenly ambushed on Wednesday a jeep carrying their own fighters, killing five of them, in the bloodiest day of Palestinian infighting since violence erupted in the Gaza Strip four days ago.

D'oh!

But according to other accounts, the five victims were members of the Fatah-affiliated Preventive Security force.

Either way, 5 more terrorists are dead.

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Despite that, Hamas is standing firm.

Hamas Movement has affirmed that in spite of the OF troops’ threats to invade Gaza Strip and kill Palestinian resistance leaders...the resistance option will remain its strategic option.

No kidding.

Hamas’ affirmation came in a statement it issued on Tuesday and a copy of which was obtained by the PIC, where it vowed to remain the "hard rock"...

Read: Stubborn as mules.

...that will foil Israeli conspiracies and expansionist projects.

Yes, in Hamas' alternate universe, Israel getting completely out of Gaza qualifies as "expansionist projects".

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Hizbullah makes more self-fulfilling prophecies.

Lebanon's Damascus-backed Hizbullah on Tuesday predicted "discord" in Lebanon if the United Nations imposes an international court to try suspects in the 2005 murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri.

And who will be the instigators of said "discord"? Hizbullah!

"I warn the Security Council and the United Nations that international institutions should not be the means to sow divisions and discord," Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar told reporters.

All the UN and international community wants to do is support the will of the majority of Lebanese. What's wrong with that?

"The United Nations will be held responsible for any Security Council resolution that pushes Lebanon into discord, and we warn against such a decision," he said.

More blaming others for your own actions.

"The sovereignty of international institutions stops at Lebanon's sovereignty. We reject any undermining of constitutional institutions."

Unless of course Syria and Iran are the ones undermining Lebanese sovereignty. Then it's ok.

News Roundup for May 15

Ever notice that when Palestinians kill each other they can't help blaming others? Today, inter-terror killing occurred in Gaza with several terrorists dead by their own brothers. Here's how they described it:

Headline: On Nakba day : 9 martyrs by IOF [Israeli Army] and Hamas fire

Notice how Israel always gets the lead billing. So how many terrorists did Israel actually kill?

The number of Palestinian martyrs on hands of the Israeli Occupation Forces and Hamas , have risen to nine in Gaza today , where members of Hamas killed seven members of the national security service in cold blood next to Abu Joba oil station eastern of Gaza.

The Israeli army announced that they killed a Palestinian security man who approached the security fence eastern of Gaza while he was trying to flee the artilleries launched by Qassam members at a national security military site .

So Israeli killed one and Hamas killed 7 (never mind the math doesn't work). It's always Israel's fault anyway.

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Speaking of a people with zero personal responsibility, the mufti of Jerusalem plays Pilate and washes his hands of all violence that he calls for.

The warning came following a tour of the Al-Aqsa compound by extremist Israeli rabbis under police protection. The tour was on the occasion of the Israeli occupation of the mosque 40 years ago. Tamimi said "the Israeli government is responsible for any repercussions of the tour."

If Muslims riot and kill because Jews visit sovereign Israeli land, it won't be the fault of the rioters and killers.

The supreme judge said "the Al-Aqsa Mosque has always been part of the Islamic religion all over the world due to a heavenly decision." He quoted a verse from the holy Qur'an as evidence to support his argument.

Well then, that conveniently proves it.

Tamimi added that the mosque is a pure Muslim property, which is evident in its construction, domes, walls and yards. It is one of three mosques that Allah requires the Muslim worshippers to visit.

So, if the "construction, domes, walls and yards" were to change to, say, churches, would that then prove that it is then Christian property?

[Murdered Arab taxi driver Tayseer] Al-Karaki was killed by a French-Israeli who admitted that his motive was the taxi driver's Arab nationality. Tamimi said "the cruelty of decapitating the Palestinian citizen reflects Jewish hatred and spitefulness towards the Arabs."

Then what does it say about Palestinians who lynched and disemboweled two Jews in Ramallah in the summer of 2000?

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Hamas mourns on of its lifelong terrorists (guess who is to blame).

Despite the agreement between Hamas and Fatah with the presence of the Prime Minister. The traitors still playing in the Palestinian arena and targeting Al Qassam members to satisfy the Zionists. The crimes committed with an American weapons, vehicles and equipment dedicated to this matter.

I guess they would be happier if Russian or Chinese equipment was used.

Yesterday, they assassinated the citizens under the charge of belonging to Hamas.

Fair enough, since Hamas is a terrorist organization.

They defiled the mosques and distributing barriers[?]. Today, they continued their work instead of the Zionist occupation in assassinating the wanted Qassam leaders.

So Israel took a break from the tedium of occupation and assassinated a terrorist. That's one way to look at it.

Ibrahim Salman Munia (Ghanim) 45 years from Shijaia area – east of Gaza city

He was martyred at dawn on the hands of those who call themselves "presidential security". They are in fact traitors to the Zionist occupation.

So if they are "traitors to the Zionist occupation", then that means they are loyal to Hamas-like terrorists. I think they mean something else, but with these people who knows?

We confirm here that his blood will not be in vain[?] and they will be subjected to the judgment one day.

So just leave everyone alone and let Allah sort it out later. Can't these guys mind their own business?

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And Hamas is warning that Israel will continue the targeted killings, as opposed to just using their loyal Zionist Fatah boys.

The Zionist cabinet has decided to intensify military operations against the Palestinians particularly the assassination of leaders and members of Palestinian resistance factions.

"Palestinian resistance factions" = terrorists. What is the problem with this?

On the other hand, Amir Peretz, the minister of war, alleged that any ground incursion into Gaza would be the last option the Zionist government might resort to.

Lucky for Hamas.

But Hamas from its side said that any incursion or assassination will be faced with the available sources.

Meaning?

In the same frame, Hamas also added that may be[sp] there will be surprises.

Maybe Hamas could really surprise everyone and start making sense, for once.

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And finally...

On the homepage of the official Palestinian news site WAFA, in light of all of the violence and killings between factions, there is no mention of any of it. Except for one item.

IOF Wounds Youth in Jenin

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded on Tuesday morning a youth in the West Bank city of Jenin, Security sources said. They added that Mohammed Ghanem 16, was shot with a live bullet when Israeli troops stormed the city and Jenin refugee camp amid intensive fire shooting at citizens' houses. His condition is reported to be moderate.

Now THAT'S news!

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

For those who need to be educated on the differences between men and women, here's a Saudi sheikh giving a 2.5 minute lesson (caution: you might feel dumber after watching it).


$20 says this guy is still sleeping on the couch.

Just Desserts

Iran passes moral judgment upon the unworthiness of the United States to host the United Nations on American soil.

A prominent Iranian lawmaker [Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaoddin Boroujerdi] stressed that the Untied States is not a proper host for the United Nations Organization and called on all member states to demand a transfer of the UN headquarters from New York.

Considering that the UN is in charge of grave affairs, any transfer of the headquarters should be carried out through a consensus of the member states and rectification of the articles of association, he said.

Grave affairs? Does he mean like putting Iran in charge of the U.N. Disarmament Commission? Or appointing Syria as its rapporteur?

Or appointing Zimbabwe as the U.N.'s Commission on Sustainable Development?

Or putting China[!!], Cuba[!!], Pakistan[!!], Russia[!] and Saudi Arabia[!!!] on the U.N.'s Human Rights Council?

Or is he talking about the gravest matters of Security Council resolutions, like the ones aimed at bringing to a halt Iran's nuclear program, which even today President Ahmadinejad said Iran would never do?

"The US has proved that it does not deserve to host the United Nations member states," he [Boroujerdi] underlined.

He is exactly right: Get the U.N. off of American soil because America deserves better!

Road To Nowhere

Being the brave warriors they believe they are, Hamas takes pride in their "resistance" and steadfastness against the Zionists. They use their martyrs as examples of those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the cause.

Dr. Abdel Aziz El-Rantisi was elected the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He held a large rally to accept the nomination and vowed to continue to road of resistance.

Three years ago, however, Rantisi got what he had coming to him via a well-placed missle.

Abu Obaida , the spokesman of the Qassam Brigades declared that we are on the road of Rantisi which is the road of resistance.

In another story about Palestinian women who were suicide bombers, including a grandmother, we see the same metaphor.

The Palestinian woman [sp] improve the great sacrifice in the road of resistance against the occupation forces' aggression...

And Hamas leaders abroad vow to continue the struggle.

Osama Hamdan, Hamas deputy in Lebanon, confirmed yesterday that the movement will persist in resistance and will never give up this road till the withdrawal of the occupation , restoring the usurped rights and the return of the Palestinian refugees.

He said" Hamas will keep the promises, will be honest to the rights and the blood of martyrs , and will continue in the road of Jihad till the end of the occupation ,

That's an inspiring image, but now comes the predictable whining and crying about the price of their noble resistance.

The families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails leave their homes at 3:00am and return at midnight when they go to visit their sons in jail. ... The journey does not take more than two hours in normal circumstances, yet the families will not sleep the night before they visit their sons. They have to prepare for a long and exhausting journey, as they are forced to pass from one bus to another; from one checkpoint to another. ... The families often call that journey, "the road of humiliation",

The "road of resistance" = "road of humiliation". They chose it, so we say to them: Enjoy the ride!

News Roundup for May 12

In the ocean next to Gaza, even the fish are martyrs.

Joy has filled the hearts of hundreds of Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip this week as they expressed their happiness over the most plentiful fishing season in 40 years, especially in the shadow of the Israeli navy restrictions on fishing off Gaza's coast.

This spring was a surprise for fishermen and drew smiles on their faces as their nets yielded sardines, which Gazans always crave for.

Rami Abu Hasirah, a fisherman, said: "Thanks to God, today fishermen netted tones of sardines, which will compensate all the losses over the past months."

Hamdi Baker, 42, fisherman, said: "Today the sardines broke the blockade!"

Yes, the sardines did an act of jihad and broke through the Zionist siege and sacrificed their little bodies in order to be eaten by the suffering Palestinian people as their contribution to the cause. Yeah, that's the ticket.

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Hamas is complaining again. This time it's about other Arab countries talking peace with Israel instead of striving to murder Jews by the hundreds.

The Hamas Movement on Saturday lashed out at Arab official meetings with Israel, saying that the Arab countries should rather focus their efforts on breaking the siege imposed on the Palestinian people. A West Bank spokesman for the Movement said in a press release that the Arabs should have rather opted to lift the political and economic siege imposed on the Palestinians.

So Hamas says that they prefer Arab countries give money and support to them instead of meeting with Israel about possible peace. Of course they do.

The spokesman recalled that Israel ever since the Arab peace initiative was voiced in the Beirut summit in 2002 had declared its absolute rejection of it as evident in former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon's words that the initiative was not "worth the ink it was written with".

Since then Sharon change 180 degrees and withdrew from Gaza, something he swore he would never do. Things are completely different now.

However, the present Israeli political leadership chose to invest the Arabs' insistence on this initiative to seek normalization of relations with the Arab and Islamic countries without having to pay any price in return, he opined.

Again, Israel withdrew from Gaza and many parts of the West Bank. Even Israel's Foreign Minister said today that Israel's withdrawals will continue, which proves Israel has paid, and will pay, a heavy price.

The spokesman advised the Arab countries to make use of the apparent weakness of American hegemony in the region and the deteriorating internal Israeli conditions and to seek other alternatives to achieve the Arab people's interests.

Being the bloodthirsty murderers they are, Hamas wants other countries to move in for the kill. How dare anyone look for peace when you can have wholesale slaughter.

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Even Nasrallah is upset and confused about why more Arab countries are more interested in talking more with loser Israel than the über-victorious Hizbullah leader.

Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah accused the Arab world of running to Israel's rescue following its "defeat" at the hands of his group in last summer's war by renewing a land-for-peace offer to the Jewish State. I tell the Arab world, 'Israel is spread out before you. You are welcome to learn its strengths and weaknesses.' But at a time when Israel is so weak, the Arabs are renewing the Arab Peace Initiative in order to save (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert," Nasrallah said.

Wow Nasrallah; that's pretty bad when a weak Jewish Prime Minister is preferred over you.

Nasrallah vowed that his group would prove to be a tougher enemy if a new war broke out. "If another war breaks out we will fight better than we did in July,"

Is it possible for Hizbullah to fight any worse?

Nasrallah said he would welcome the establishment of an Arab or Lebanese commission of inquiry to investigate whether his group had erred in launching the cross-border attack.

Be careful what you ask for, Nasrallah - you might just get it. Your ability to predict the future is not your strong suit.

He added that Israel erred when it believed that its mighty air force would be able to halt daily rocket attacks on northern Israel.

He's right. Instead, Israel's mighty air force simply flattened everything (and everyone) south of the Litani River.

"Israel's disrespect and arrogance in Lebanon lead to its defeat … by the willingness and wisdom of the resistance," he carried on.

Yes, Israel could use many more "disrespectful and arrogant" "defeats" at the hands of the "wisdom of the resistance", just like the one last year.

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The Salafist (Wahabbist) Islamists in Gaza are accusing Hamas of being too "soft".

Hossam Al Jazar , the Deputy Director of Al Baz charity association , accused the Palestinian Islamic factions by adopting a negative and escalating stance towards Salafi preachers . Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper quoted Al Jazar as saying " The Islamic organizations – in reference to Hamas – have adopted a negative stance against us and they struggled us .

They escalating stance and struggle us. Excellent news, this is.

" The Islamic organizations [Hamas] are currently busy with their political programs and we are now the only preachers ", Al Jazar said[.]

Ah, so Hamas is not murdering enough for their tastes.

He resumed " Many have started fighting us after they became aware of our strong religious authority among the public , for we are not being busy by anything except God's worship .

And what exactly is "God's worship"?

He resumed " we have announced earlier that we are against violence in our preaching activities , we don't force any body to do anything we just advise those whom we believe are against the rules of the Islamic religion ".

Got that? They themselves are "against violence" in their "preaching activities", "don't force anybody to do anything" and "advise" those to follow Islamic rules, meaning they incite others to commit Islamic terror. Anybody see the problem with that?

News Roundup for May 9

In Lebanon, the pro-Syrian cabinet members who resigned last year want to rejoin the government.

Six pro-Syrian Opposition cabinet ministers on Tuesday were reportedly considering rejoining Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government as caretakers, a move aimed at curtailing the ruling majority's continuity in power.

Heaven forbid that the majority in a country have the most say in what their government does.

"We don't want the country's destinies to lie in the hands of the ruling team," the [unnamed] resigned minister said.

In other words, instead of the representative majority of the Lebanese people determining Lebanon's future (you know, self-determination), the pro-Syrian (and therefore anti-Lebanese) minority wants the control of Lebanon. Typical.

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Hamas is again warning against peace with Israel, or with anyone else for that matter.

MP Mushir Al-Masri, secretary of the Hamas parliamentary bloc in the PLC, has warned that secret meetings between PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli premier Ehud Olmert posed great dangers to the Palestine cause.

He's admitting that peace is a danger to the Palestinian cause. It makes sense because how can the Jews be driven into the sea when there is peace?

The Israelis are exploiting those meetings to beautify their image before the international community, Masri said, warning that the meetings would also provide a cover for the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

Actually, the talks will result in the Palestinians acquiring huge amounts of land. But don't confuse them with the facts.

Masri rejected the allegation that such meetings are meant to discuss means of easing the siege on the Palestinian people, noting that many former meetings were held but the siege remained as is.

So they are choosing the guarantee of having a siege than the possibility of having it lifted. And all this time I believed them when they said the occupation is "brutal" and "unbearable". Silly me.

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Since Hamas opposes peace, naturally they are preparing for war.

Militant Hamas on Tuesday threatened Israel with a painful response should the Jewish state attack the Gaza Strip, a Hamas spokesperson said.

Yawn.

Hamas militants kidnapped [Gilad] Shalit 10 months ago, aiming to exchange him for Palestinian militants jailed in Israel. Shalit's abduction triggered the deadly month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas last year.

Actually, Shalit's abduction triggered the invasion of Gaza. The two soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah triggered the war in the north (I know how much terrorists like to take credit for all of the mayhem in the world).

Another Palestinian group, Popular Resistance Committees, warned that any Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip will "not be a field trip", according to media reports. Soldiers will return to their families "tidy, but in coffins", said Abu Abir, a spokesperson for the group.

That's big talk from people who, by the hundreds, usually end up in small pieces strewn across Gaza.

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And finally...

Iran is quickly becoming beyond parody.

The conservative head of Iran state-run television has said all homegrown drama programmes should feature scenes showing characters praying or they will be denied airtime, the ILNA news agency reported.

"In the current year, television productions that do not have prayer scenes will not be allowed to air," said Ezatollah Zarghami, who is appointed by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Something tells me that, for the first time in history, people will start to look forward to the commercials.

The new directive appears to apply to drama series and television films but it is not clear whether it also includes programmes such as game shows and sitcoms.

Since game show contestants already pray heavily, there should be no problem here.

He said children's programmes should also seek to teach the young about praying, which mature Muslims are required to perform five times a day as one of the five pillars of Islam.

Not to mention Islam's sixth pillar: obligatory open hatred of Jews. More than likely Iranian television will include the Muslim version of Mickey Mouse.

No doubt that from this suicide terror will increase, since after being forced to endure this programming Iranians will be looking for an escape from this imposed hell-on-earth.

Shafted. Or, How to Shaft.

Masters of one-upsmanship, the Palestinians never miss an opportunity for revenge, even if it is of the diplomatic sort.

Palestinian officials in Bethlehem have alleged that the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, refused to meet mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarsi, during his tour of the Palestinian territories.

Alleged nothing. Since the German foreign minister didn't meet with the mayor, there is no "alleged" about anything. Anyway, here's the unforgivable crime.

According to the mayor's office, the FM described Bartarsi [sp] as an "undesirable personality".

Hard to imagine that Batarsi, who is a member of the arch-terrorist group PFLP, could be "undesirable" in any way. Regardless, in these parts a personal insult becomes a national crisis.

Batarsi described the German position as an insult to the Palestinian people.

Insulting a terrorist = insulting all Palestinians. He does have a point there, but it seems his fragile ego is a bit inflated. Now, let the revenge offensive begin.

He says "I address the whole world: telling them that Bethlehem has only one formal representative, the Mayor, and he who does not want to meet with the mayor is persona non grata because the municipality, which was elected democratically, represents all the people of Bethlehem."

You don't snub me! I snub YOU!!!

A huge banner was erected in manger square, in the centre of Bethlehem, which said in Arabic, English and German: "Whoever boycotts Bethlehem Municipality is not welcomed in the Town of the Nativity."

You go, girl. That's tellin' him. But, of course, there's more.

Batarsi also affirmed that he will send a message to Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Palestinian leadership asking them to take a united position against the boycotting of municipalities.

In doing this, one will have no choice but to visit the little mayor, bless his heart.

Batarsi added, "The international community has to pay respect to the Palestinian democratic process and not boycott the municipality of Bethlehem."

You got that world? You must respect terrorists and you must meet with them. But what about the original charge that the German foreign minister made that supposedly started all of this?

An official German source has denied that the German foreign minister dubbed the mayor of Bethlehem an "undesirable personality".

Oh well. But like they say, if the shoe fits...

Wasn't Meant To Be

Sad news to report on a recent post which detailed the goat wedded to a Sudanese man.

A Sudanese man who married a goat was in mourning today after his wife died when she swallowed a plastic bag.

You could say she "gave up the goats".

She is said to have left a male kid - not a boy.

(Insert rim shot.) Thanks for the clarification there.

Moral of the story: When you're "feeling your oats", don't feel your goats.

Well, Isn't That Just Special? - Updated

In Oslo, an interfaith soccer match to promote religious understanding between Christian and Muslim leaders was scrapped because Imams on the Muslim team refused to play a team that included women priests.

"Some say that bodily contact is the problem. It leads to special feelings that can lead to something forbidden," explained Imam Senaid Kobilica,

How naughty. Such kinds of interfaith dialogue must be forbidden.


UPDATE - And if you do not avoid participating in mixed sports, it will be observed for you. Severely.

Palestinian militants opened fire at a sports day at a United Nations-operated elementary school in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing a bodyguard of a local Fatah leader and wounding seven other people, medical officials said.

Local residents said the gunmen, whom they described as Muslim extremists, arrived at the school and warned through loudspeakers against letting boys and girls participate in the sports day.

The gunmen said the event "taught children immoral values."

Just feel the love (but don't get any "special feelings" or anything like that).

Be Careful How You Drink

Arab News has their weekly exposition about their prophet Mohammed and what we can learn from him. If you thought that taking a drink of water was mundane, you are an ignorant heretic infidel because EVERYTHING in life has religious consequences.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) often taught by practical example. He might not state any recommendation, but he would make his conduct clearly visible so that people would learn and emulate his practice. Muslims have always been keen to follow his example, because they realized that whatever the Prophet did was good.

Or they had nothing better to do than to worship this man.

Moreover, even in ordinary matters that are not related to religion, we will earn reward from God if we intentionally follow the Prophet’s example.

You gotta love the diversity of thought in Islam.

There is, however, nothing religious about taking a drink in large gulps or short sips. Yet the Prophet’s companions were keen to follow his example in the way he drank water. Anas reports: “When the Prophet took a drink of water, he stopped to take a breath three times."

Not two. Not four. Three.

"He used to say that in this way, the drink is ‘more gratifying, enjoyable and helps healing.’ Therefore, I stop three times to take a breath when I drink water."

Naturally. But this is not a rule.

There is no doubt that drinking slowly, in small portions, and taking a breath each time is better and healthier. Moreover, there are a number of reports that the Prophet mentioned God’s name each time before resuming drinking, but these reports are rather poor in authenticity.

And it gets worse.

-People mention that drinking while standing is strongly discouraged by Islam. Yet there are several Hadiths that make clear that this is a misconception.

-Other reports also confirm that the Prophet used to take his drink of water standing...

-In another Hadith one of the Prophet’s companions reports: “I have seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) drinking when standing and when seated.”

-He [Mohammed] said: ‘The one pouring the drinks is the last to drink.’

-[Mohammed] said: ‘Take it in turn starting on the right side.’...The Prophet thus demonstrated that when there is a preferred way, it should be followed in all situations and should not be disregarded in order to appease someone of a senior position.

-Sahl ibn Saad reports: “One day the Prophet was brought something to drink. A young man was to his right and some older men were to his left. ... The Prophet put the drink into the young man’s hands.”

Only in Islam can there be disputes about drinking water. So much so that it is repressive.

Hence, we read about scholars refraining from doing some ordinary thing because they did not know how the Prophet did with such a matter. When they learned how he did, they performed that thing in the same way.

No doubt they drank no water until they learned the "correct" way to do it. It really makes you wonder about these people.

News Roundup for May 3

**Breaking News**
Remember, you heard it here first.

Geoff Hoon, the British defence secretary during the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, admitted in an interview published on Wednesday that Britain and the United States had not properly planned what would happen after the invasion.

No way. Hoon, however, offers this equally-piercing analysis.

“Given what we know now, I suppose the answer is that we should have known, but we did not know that at the time.”

Look out Drudge, Abu Yussif is in da house!

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More from the disgrace(d/ful) former Israeli Arab MK Azmi Bishara and his buddies, Hamas.

Hamas urged the world’s conscience to back the right of Bishara to return to his mother country, Palestine, because he is “the son of Palestine and not a foreign migrant who came from outside and occupied and settled in it”.

Seeing how Bishara refuses to return because Israel wants to prosecute him, it is strange why Hamas accuses Israel of not allowing him return. But this is Hamas, who dwell in an alternate reality from the rest of the world, speaking.

Finally, Hamas urged Bishara not to surrender to the Israeli will that want him to remain out of his country, and called on him to return to occupied Palestine the soonest in order to shoulder the national burden with his Palestinian brothers regardless of the consequences.

Yes, Bishara. Hamas doesn't care if you spend the rest of your life in jail. Go on, be a patriot!

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And in case you were confused, Iran's president is setting the record straight.

Iranians are faithful people who wish peace, justice and welfare for the entire mankind, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said,

Oh, then that explains their bulldozer approach to acquiring nuclear weapons. But being the peace-loving people they are, Ahmadinejad leaves us with a peace-loving threat.

Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iranians are a peace-loving nation, but meantime warned, "Those who think that they can prevent the Iranian nation from making progress and finding access to advanced science and technology through resorting to certain bodies that they themselves have created are in deep mistake."

Get the hip boots - someone is going to be "in deep mistake" soon.

[He] meanwhile stressed that his people will never give up even an iota of their rights either.

Feel the love. Group hug anyone?

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The Palestinians are keeping a nervous eye on Israeli armament.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth stated on Thursday that Israel has trebled the range of its Prego missiles to 4800 km. These new missiles also have the capability of carrying nuclear heads.

I'm no geography expert, but that definitely puts the Palestinians within range of Israeli rockets. Somebody needs to tell the brave freedom fighters they might want to behave.

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And finally...

Pakistani politics get nasty.

PPP leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan on Wednesday warned PML President Shujaat Hussain not to make baseless accusations against him.

He [Ahsan] claimed that Shujaat had used Sheikh Waqas for his “character assassination” in the National Assembly during his absence. Waqas responded that Ahsan thought of him as a child, which he was not.

No? Well, I'm glad the Daily Times cleared that up for us.