8 great Zionism reads from Bev Goldman

BEV GOLDMAN

Read them all or choose those that suit you best. Print out as a perfect Shabbos read. 

1. Why fighting extremists can’t be politically correct

Clifford May, Jewish World Review, 10 December 2015

Even the most distinguished members of the foreign policy community have yet to formulate coherent responses to the 21st century’s most threatening expressions of violent extremism. The strategies suggested – e.g. more economic development projects, more education projects, more civil society projects, more attempts to battle corruption – are not likely to cut the mustard.

2. PM slams Abbas’s ‘impossible fantasies’ on ‘return’ of 6 million refugees

Editorial staff, The Times of Israel, 8 December 2014

In a recent interview Abbas ruled out recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, implied a comparison between Israel and the Islamic State, said he never believed in the Arab Spring, and revealed that in his most recent meeting with Barack Obama, he disabused the US president of the notion that any part of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood could be considered moderate.  In his comments on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, Abbas was blunt: “We cannot recognize a Jewish state. We will stand against this enterprise, not out of obstinacy, but because it contradicts our interests,” he said. “The first to suffer from this law would be the 1.5 million Arabs who would no longer belong to Israel, due to their religion.”

3. Britain unveils world’s “toughest” anti-terrorism law

Soeren Kern, Gatestone Institute, 7 December 2014

The government argues that the new powers – intended to prevent British jihadists from fighting abroad and to stop them from returning if they do – are necessary to keep Britain safe. Civil liberties groups counter that the measures are “draconian” in scope and represent a dramatic expansion of government surveillance powers, ones that are ripe for misuse if they are not matched by strong safeguards. A key provision of the new law would authorize the government to seize the passports of terror suspects traveling to Iraq, Syria and other jihadist battlegrounds.

4. Israeli election is about a lot more than governance

Michael Coren, Toronto Sun, 6 December 2014

The country’s parliament, the Knesset, is a product of an electoral system so egalitarian that tiny parties and interests have excessive influence, meaning that extremely orthodox Jews have long had a sway far beyond their numbers.  It is virtually impossible to form a government without them as part of a coalition.  Now, however, their numbers have indeed grown to such an extent that this imbalance is not so misleading.

5. A Pyrrhic Palestinian victory in France

Michel Gurfinkiel, Middle East Forum, 5 December 2014

The French executive — President François Hollande as well as Prime Minister Manuel Valls and diplomacy chief Fabius — has definitely made up its mind about the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. It sticks to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as defined by the 1993 Oslo accords and subsequent agreements. Accordingly, it opposes the recognition of the state of Palestine under the present circumstances, since such a move would wreck the Oslo accords for good. However, in order to revive and accelerate the peace process, France is prepared to hold a peace conference in Paris with Israel, the Palestinians, and the powers or international organizations that may have been involved at one point or another.

6. Palestinian human rights activist calls for major overhaul of UNRWA

Bassam Eid, Algemeiner, 4 December 2014

Eid, who was raised in the UNRWA refugee camp in Shu’afat, east of Jerusalem, has harshly criticized the agency for perpetuating the plight of the refugees as well as for its political relationship with Hamas.

7. Saudi restaurants begin banning single women

The Clarion Project, 30 November 2014

Various restaurants around the kingdom have objected to ‘shocking’ behaviour which includes flirting, smoking and using a mobile phone.

8. The Koran and eternal war

Raymond Ibrahim, Middle East Forum, 26 November 2014

The Koran, Islam’s number one holy book, itself is full of intolerance and calls for violence against non-believers.  That Islam’s core texts incite violence and intolerance has many ramifications, for those willing to go down this path of logic.

Bev Goldman scours the web to bring SA Jewish Report Online readers the best in Zionist reading from all angles. This week her topics, as always, are varied and very interesting indeed.

1. Why fighting extremists can’t be politically correct

Clifford May, Jewish World Review, 10 December 2015

Even the most distinguished members of the foreign policy community have yet to formulate coherent responses to the 21st century’s most threatening expressions of violent extremism. The strategies suggested – e.g. more economic development projects, more education projects, more civil society projects, more attempts to battle corruption – are not likely to cut the mustard.

2. PM slams Abbas’s ‘impossible fantasies’ on ‘return’ of 6 million refugees

Editorial staff, The Times of Israel, 8 December 2014

In a recent interview Abbas ruled out recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, implied a comparison between Israel and the Islamic State, said he never believed in the Arab Spring, and revealed that in his most recent meeting with Barack Obama, he disabused the US president of the notion that any part of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood could be considered moderate.  In his comments on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, Abbas was blunt: “We cannot recognize a Jewish state. We will stand against this enterprise, not out of obstinacy, but because it contradicts our interests,” he said. “The first to suffer from this law would be the 1.5 million Arabs who would no longer belong to Israel, due to their religion.”

3. Britain unveils world’s “toughest” anti-terrorism law

Soeren Kern, Gatestone Institute, 7 December 2014

The government argues that the new powers – intended to prevent British jihadists from fighting abroad and to stop them from returning if they do – are necessary to keep Britain safe. Civil liberties groups counter that the measures are “draconian” in scope and represent a dramatic expansion of government surveillance powers, ones that are ripe for misuse if they are not matched by strong safeguards. A key provision of the new law would authorize the government to seize the passports of terror suspects traveling to Iraq, Syria and other jihadist battlegrounds.

4. Israeli election is about a lot more than governance

Michael Coren, Toronto Sun, 6 December 2014

The country’s parliament, the Knesset, is a product of an electoral system so egalitarian that tiny parties and interests have excessive influence, meaning that extremely orthodox Jews have long had a sway far beyond their numbers.  It is virtually impossible to form a government without them as part of a coalition.  Now, however, their numbers have indeed grown to such an extent that this imbalance is not so misleading.

5. A Pyrrhic Palestinian victory in France

Michel Gurfinkiel, Middle East Forum, 5 December 2014

The French executive — President François Hollande as well as Prime Minister Manuel Valls and diplomacy chief Fabius — has definitely made up its mind about the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. It sticks to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as defined by the 1993 Oslo accords and subsequent agreements. Accordingly, it opposes the recognition of the state of Palestine under the present circumstances, since such a move would wreck the Oslo accords for good. However, in order to revive and accelerate the peace process, France is prepared to hold a peace conference in Paris with Israel, the Palestinians, and the powers or international organizations that may have been involved at one point or another.

6. Palestinian human rights activist calls for major overhaul of UNRWA

Bassam Eid, Algemeiner, 4 December 2014

Eid, who was raised in the UNRWA refugee camp in Shu’afat, east of Jerusalem, has harshly criticized the agency for perpetuating the plight of the refugees as well as for its political relationship with Hamas.

7. Saudi restaurants begin banning single women

The Clarion Project, 30 November 2014

Various restaurants around the kingdom have objected to ‘shocking’ behaviour which includes flirting, smoking and using a mobile phone.

8. The Koran and eternal war

Raymond Ibrahim, Middle East Forum, 26 November 2014

The Koran, Islam’s number one holy book, itself is full of intolerance and calls for violence against non-believers.  That Islam’s core texts incite violence and intolerance has many ramifications, for those willing to go down this path of logic.