The True Meaning of Jihad

Muslims and their acolytes in the West have been attempting for long time to convince infidels that jihad means inner struggle rather than holy war.

Does anyone believe that this protester in Anaheim, CA is asking Hamas to fight Zionism through inner struggle? I doubt it.

President-elect Barack Obama describes the economy as "bad and getting worse"

From the Associated Press, January 5, 2009: President-elect Barack Obama describes the economy as "bad and getting worse."

Obviously this statement is designed to gain support for his economic policies and force politicians to vote for a stimulus package that when all is said and done will be the largest expenditure in US history.

In reality, Barack Obama should emulate FDR who in his inaugural address gave the "We Have Nothing to Fear Itself: speech. One of the things that presidents have to do is be cheerleaders for the county and in economic matters show optimism. Statements such as the one made by Obama today tend to become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Someone should remind Obama how Carter's "Malaise" speech helped the economy.

Miguel d'Escoto Brockman and the Shame of the United Nations

d'Escoto embracing Ahmadinejad at the UN

Last week I had the opportunity to watch on C-Span a press conference with Miguel d’Escoto Brockman, current President of the United Nations General Assembly and anti-Semite extraordinaire. This U.S. born Nicaraguan diplomat and Maryknoll priest, as well as Sandinista, is well known for his leftist sympathies and for being a virulent critic of Israel and the United States. In the course of this particular press conference he again placed the blame for the current crisis in Gaza squarely on Israel. Even journalists questioned this unprecedented attack by a President of the General Assembly, who, in this position should at least give the semblance of impartiality.

Throughout his career d’Escoto has criticized Israel as an apartheid state, and called for boycott, sanctions and divestment as a method of fighting Israeli policies. In a particularly virulent attack d’Escoto accused Israel of “crucifying our Palestinian brothers and sisters.” This accusation, loaded with double meaning, brought condemnation from many Jewish organizations and a call for his outsting from his current position. Of course all these condemnations fell on deaf ears and he remains in his post. During Ahmadinejad’s visit to the U.N. he was warmly received by d’Escoto, who was also seen applauding Ahmadinejad and embracing him after his speech.

The United Nations is again moving into the ideological positions it had in the 70’s. A test of the Obama administration will be to see how Barack Obama, who in Berlin referred to himself as a citizen of the world, deals with this government of the world. One good start would be for him to join those calling for Mr. D’Escoto to be fired. I will not hold my breath waiting.

A U.N. School Used by Hamas

This video shouws Beit Hanoun Elementary School as is being used by Hamas to launch mortar bombs. Click here to watch the video.

Pilar Rahola

Pilar Rahola

Pilar Rahola is a Spanish politician, journalist and activist. She is a passionate defender of the United States and Israel and an indefatigable fighter against anti-Semitism. All these despite being ideologically from the left. Her articles are published in Spain and throughout some of the most important newspapers in Latin America. She is the recipient of major awards by Jewish organizations.

I came across this speech and felt that it was worthwhile placing it in my blog. I translated it and assume full responsibility for any errors. If you want to visit her blog, you can do so by clicking here: Pilar Rahola. Some of her articles translated into English.

Why don’t we see demonstrations against Islamic dictatorships in London, Paris, Barcelona? Or demonstrations against the Burmese dictatorship? Why aren’t there demonstrations against the enslavement of millions of women who live without any legal protection? Why aren’t there demonstrations against the use of children as human bombs where there is conflict with Islam? Why has there been no leadership in support of the victims of Islamic dictatorship in Sudan? Why is there never any outrage against the acts of terrorism committed against Israel? Why is there no outcry by the European left against Islamic fanaticism? Why don’t they defend Israel’s right to exist? Why confuse support of the Palestinian cause with the defense of Palestinian terrorism? An finally, the million dollar question:Why is the left in Europe and around the world obsessed with the two most solid democracies, the United States and Israel, and not with the worst dictatorships on the planet? The two most solid democracies, who have suffered the bloodiest attacks of terrorism, and the left doesn’t care.

And then, to the concept of freedom. In every pro Palestinian European forum I hear the left yelling with fervor: “We want freedom for the people!” Not true. They are never concerned with freedom for the people of Syria or Yemen or Iran or Sudan, or other such nations. And they are never preoccupied when Hammas destroys freedom for the Palestinians. They are only concerned with using the concept of Palestinian freedom as a weapon against Israeli freedom. The resulting consequence of these ideological pathologies is the manipulation of the press.

The international press does major damage when reporting on the question of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. On this topic they don’t inform, they propagandize. When reporting about Israel the majority of journalists forget the reporter code of ethics. And so, any Israeli act of self-defense becomes a massacre, and any confrontation, genocide. So many stupid things have been written about Israel, that there aren’t any accusations left to level against her. At the same time, this press never discusses Syrian and Iranian interference in propagating violence against Israel; the indoctrination of children and the corruption of the Palestinians. And when reporting about victims, every Palestinian casualty is reported as tragedy and every Israeli victim is camouflaged, hidden or reported about with disdain.

And let me add on the topic of the Spanish left. Many are the examples that illustrate the anti-Americanism and anti-Israeli sentiments that define the Spanish left. For example, one of the leftist parties in Spain has just expelled one of its members for creating a pro-Israel website. I quote from the expulsion document: “Our friends are the people of Iran, Libya and Venezuela, oppressed by imperialism, and not a Nazi state like Israel.”

In another example, the socialist mayor of Campozuelos changed Shoah Day, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, with Palestinian Nabka Day, which mourns the establishment of the State of Israel, thus showing contempt for the six million European Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Or in my native city of Barcelona, the city council decided to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, by having a week of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Thus, they invited Leila Khaled, a noted terrorist from the 70’s and current leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization so described by the European Union, which promotes the use of bombs against Israel. And so on and so on.

This politically correct way of thinking has even polluted the speeches of president Zapatero. His foreign policy falls within the lunatic left, and on issues of the Middle East he is unequivocally pro Arab. I can assure you that in private, Zapatero places on Israel the blame for the conflict in the Middle East, and the policies of foreign minister Moratinos reflect this. The fact that Zapatero chose to wear a kafiah in the midst of the Lebanon conflict is no coincidence; it’s a symbol.

Spain has suffered the worst terrorist attack in Europe and it is in the crosshairs of every Islamic terrorist organization. As I wrote before, they kill us will cell phones hooked to satellites connected to the Middle Ages. An yet the Spanish left is the most anti Israeli in the world.

And then it says it is anti Israeli because of solidarity. This is the madness I want to denounce in this conference.

Conclusion:

I am not Jewish. Ideologically I am left and by profession a journalist. Why am I not as anti Israeli as my colleagues? Because as a non-Jew I have the historical responsibility to fight against Jewish hatred and currently against the hatred for their historic homeland, Israel. To fight against anti-Semitism is not the duty of the Jews, it is the duty of the non-Jews.

As a journalist it is my duty to search for the truth beyond prejudice, lies and manipulations. The truth about Israel is not told. As a person from the left who loves progress, I am obligated to defend liberty, culture, civic education for children, coexistence and the laws that the Tablets of the Covenant made into universal principles. Principles that Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. That is to say that as a non-Jew, journalist and lefty I have a triple moral duty with Israel, because if Israel is destroyed, liberty, modernity and culture will be destroyed too.

The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn’t want to accept it, is the struggle of the world.

The Muslim in the Airport Terminal

Once again we are bombarded with reports of a Muslim family being kicked out of a plane after passengers overheard them discussing the location of the safest places on an airplane. Given that they look Arab and that the woman interviewed was wearing traditional Muslim garb, one would assume that they would have been more sensitive to the concerns of their fellow passengers and refrained from discussing such topic. This is not the first incident of Muslims being denied the right to fly after being overheard discussing in airports subjects such as security and terrorism.

The first time this happened, I accepted it at face value, the second time too, but by now I begin to detect a pattern. All these incidents seem designed to offer Muslims millions of dollars worth of worldwide free advertising by the mainstream media. Go to an airport dressed as a Muslim Arab, say something that would scare the passengers, get removed from the flight by the airline, get interviewed by security personnel, call the press and BINGO. Immediately reports begin to appear on television, newspapers and magazines. The usual canards about America, racism, intolerance and Islamophobia are spread around the world. And then the apologies begin. The airlines apologize, the security agencies apologize, editorial writers wring their hands in agony. How could we have done this to such nice and innocent family?

Innocent my foot. Look deep into these stories and you will probably find an organized movement utilizing the same method to discredit the United States that is being used in the Middle East to propagate the image of victimhood. Remember the bombarded milk factories in Baghdad, the carefully placed doll in the middle of rubble in Beirut and the smoke superimposed by computer over Lebanon?

If I am wrong and those are innocent victims, then one word of advise to Muslim fliers. When sitting in an airport terminal discuss the superiority of falafel over hamburgers. You might get hungry, but you will reach your destination on time.

More Links From Boca Raton

Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Decemeber 30, 2008


Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Decemeber 30, 2008

Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Decemeber 30, 2008

Sunday we are flying back to New York and Monday I will start writing again. Meantime here are another couple of interesting links.

Today, January 1, 2009, the presidency of the European Union is taken over by the Czech Republic, and already I see reasons for optimism. The administration of President Václav Klaus has been a staunch ally of the United States, a clear and rational voice in criticizing the “Greens” and global warming, and as this report shows, a strong supporter of Israel in this time of crisis and isolation.

Meantime, in Fort Lauderdale, a pro Palestinian demonstration with the typical vicious “nuke Israel” and anti American signs. Thank you Tom Trento for the report.

More voices of sanity on global warming. This time from Ireland's environmental minister.