FresnoZionism.org — ציונות פרסנו

Like putting Libya in charge of the planning for the Durban II anti-racism conference, or (in 2004) electing Sudan to the Human Rights Commission while it was murdering Darfur residents, the UN continues to find ways to make one spit out one’s morning coffee:

Two weeks after Israel’s alleged bombing raid in Syria, which some foreign reports said targeted North Korean nuclear material, the UN’s nuclear watchdog [the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)] elected Syria as deputy chairman of its General Conference on Monday…

The Syrian news agency SANA proudly reported the election on Tuesday, adding that Syria was also successful in including “the Israeli nuclear arsenal as an item on the agenda of the conference.” — Jerusalem Post

Here’s an honest job for the UN: condemn Hamas for committing war crimes by deliberately targeting civilian populations with rocket fire, kidnapping Gilad Shalit and refusing to allow him to meet with Red Cross representatives, etc.

Technorati Tags: UN, Syria, IAEA

If this is true, it represents a new low in Israeli self-esteem and common sense:

Israel had agreed to cease arrest raids on Fatah-affiliated fugitives in the West Bank if they proved that they were ready to stop all terror activity against the Jewish state, al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade leaders told the Palestinian Ma’an news agency on Saturday.

Reportedly, 178 Palestinian fugitives from the West Bank would no longer be sought by security forces if they proved that they had ceased terrorist activity. Martyrs Brigades Jenin chief, Zakahriya Zubeidi, was said to be one of the names on the list.

Also on the list is Daoud Haji, one of two terrorists who participated in a 2002 attack against troops at the Ein Arik checkpoint. Six soldiers were murdered in the massacre when Haji and another terrorist stormed the checkpoint shooting both soldiers on guard and those sleeping in a near-by caravan. — Jerusalem Post (my emphasis)

Note that it’s not clear what they would have to prove. It is nonsensical, anyway, to ‘prove’ that you are “ready to stop” doing anything. What constitutes proof? I know someone who has ‘proved’ that she is “ready to stop” smoking a million times, but she still smokes.

This is supposedly being done because these terrorists are the Fatah elements most “dedicated to standing up against Hamas”. I don’t need to point out that despite their differences, the one thing that they do agree with Hamas about is their desire to kill Jews.

Deals with the devil always turn out badly. Let’s hope that this report is just wishful thinking on the part of the al-Aqsa terrorists.

Update [1436 PDT]: PM Olmert has confirmed that it’s true, although a spokesperson said that Zubeidi is not included.

“The agreement serves Israel’s interests in that the Fatah men on the list will lay down their arms and leave the cycle of terror,” a senior Israeli official said. — YNet

Of course. Thank goodness.

Update [15 July 0818 PDT]: Zubeidi will be pardoned after all.

Technorati Tags: Israel, Fatah, Hamas

This gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘health care crisis’:

Eight people arrested in connection with failed car bombings in Glasgow and London all have links with the National Health Service, the BBC has learned. Seven are believed to be doctors or medical students, while one formerly worked as a laboratory technician.

A suspect in hospital after the Glasgow attack has been named as Khalid Ahmed, who is believed to be a doctor…

Australian media have identified a man arrested at Brisbane Airport as Dr Mohammed Haneef, 27, who has worked at Halton Hospital in Runcorn, Cheshire. He was detained while trying to board a plane to India. — BBC [my emphasis]

Meanwhile, UK officials have taken the point of view that the attacks are not related to Islam:

[British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown has banned ministers from using the word “Muslim” in ­connection with the ­terrorism crisis.

The Prime Minister has also instructed his team – including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith – that the phrase “war on ­terror” is to be dropped…

Officials insist that no direct links with Muslim extremists have been publicly confirmed by police investigating the latest attempted terror attacks. Mr Brown himself did not refer to Muslims or Islam once in a BBC TV interview on Sunday…

[Smith] said: “Let us be clear – terrorists are criminals, whose victims come from all walks of life, communities and religions. Terrorists attack the values shared by all law-abiding citizens. As a Government, as communities, as individuals, we need to ensure that the message of the terrorists is rejected.” — Daily Express, UK

Can you imagine Churchill in 1941 saying something like “the Luftwaffe pilots who are bombing us come from all walks of life, etc.” and refusing to mention Germany or Nazism?

A former homeland security spokesman said “we know that the vast majority of Muslims are not involved in terrorism and we have to accept there are sensitivities about these matters”. Are they also too dumb to understand the difference between a condemnation of radical Islamic terrorists and saying “all Muslims are terrorists”?

Thanks to Little Green Footballs for both of these links.

Technorati Tags: terrorism, UK bombings, Gordon Brown

A tough race which Syrian President Bashar Assad won by a majority of 97.6% (he was unopposed, of course). From MEMRI.

On wall: “A Democracy of 99%, And Even More!” On toilet paper: “Referendum.”

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon, May 29, 2007

The following is from the Kuwait Times:

“This great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy and multi-party system,” [Syrian] Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majeed said at a news conference to declare the results. “There has been some repetition of votes but we caught them by reviewing the voting lists,” Majeed said in response to a question about the possibility of vote-tampering.

Imagine my relief!

Technorati Tags: Syria, Lebanon, Assad