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501 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Grunis decides Alshech will stay on as judge. Tel Aviv District Court vice
president to receive severe reprimand for amending court protocols

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 358 words

Supreme Court President Asher Dan Grunis said on Monday that Judge Varda Alshech
will not be dismissed from her post for amending a court protocol, but will
receive a severe reprimand.

The Bar Association filed a complaint against Alshech, who is the Tel Aviv
District Court vice president, in 2011. The complaint came after a lawyer who
had taken part in a hearing before the judge identified differences between the
the minutes of the court hearing he received immediately after the session and
another copy of the protocol he received several months later.

In a letter to Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, Grunis said Alshech could remain
a judge and noted that Judiciary Ombudsman Eliezer Goldberg, a retired Supreme
Court justice, had not recommended terminating Alshech's tenure when he accepted
the complaint against her.

Grunis wrote that a careful study of Goldberg's report on Alshech showed that
the amendments she made to the protocols reflected what had happened in the
court hearing. Therefore, he wrote, Alshech had not "faked" the protocols.

The judge would not be dismissed, but a "stern reprimand" would be recorded in
her personal file, Grunis said, noting that in one of two formal discussions he
had held with Alshech he warned her against carrying out similar actions in the
future.

"There is no place to use my authority under the Basic Law: The Judiciary to
recommend that the Judicial Selection Committee end Alshech's tenure," Grunis
said. "I do not have authority to file a complaint to the Judges Disciplinary
Court; however, in my opinion there is no reason to take such a step."

Grunis added that Alshech had made "an important contribution to the development
of bankruptcy laws."

Bar Association chairman Effi Neve slammed Grunis's move.

"Unfortunately, we cannot accept [Supreme Court] President Grunis's decision.
The facts, as laid out by the Judiciary Ombudsman, require that steps be taken
toward a disciplinary proceeding at the very least," Neve said, adding that
Grunis should take Monday's decision on Alshech into account should there be
future complaints about the erosion of public confidence in the judicial system.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Varda Alshech (Credit: Courtesy Courts Directorate)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

502 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Indian police say Iranians were behind bombing of Israeli diplomatic vehicle.
Official in Jerusalem: This should serve as 'wake-up'call to Non-Aligned
Movement group of nations

BYLINE: HERB KEINON and KANCHAN GUPTA in New Delhi

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 832 words

NEW DELHI - After months of painstaking investigations, police in India have
come to the firm conclusion that Iranian nationals associated with the country's
Revolutionary Guards plotted and carried out the bombing of an Israeli embassy
car in New Delhi on February 13.

The wife of the Israeli defense attache, Tali Yehoshua-Koren, was wounded in the
attack.

An Indian journalist allegedly recruited by the Revolutionary Guards is in
custody in India.

A team made up of senior investigators from the Delhi Police will soon visit
Tehran to present their findings to Iranian officials and seek further details
prior to asking for the extradition of at least five men and a woman suspected
of planning and executing the attack.

Indian courts have issued the documents required to facilitate criminal
investigations and collect evidence abroad. The documents have been dispatched
to the government in Tehran.

Copies of the police report have been submitted to India's Ministry of Home
Affairs and shared with the country's external and internal intelligence
agencies. The detailed account of the sequence of events, including a
reconstruction of the incident backed by evidence, has left officials and others
stunned.

Until now, aside from Pakistan, no country or "state actor" has been involved in
carrying out trans-border terror strikes in India.

The move will likely have an adverse impact on bilateral relations between India
and Iran unless Tehran pro-actively cooperates with New Delhi to bring the
perpetrators to justice.

An Israeli government official said the Indian announcement "was not a surprise"
and that New Delhi has known about Iranian involvement in the attack for some
time, but was now being more specific about the details.

The official said the acknowledgement of Revolutionary Guard involvement was
significant because India is known for its position in the Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) and does not automatically endorse stands taken by Israel, the US or the
West.

"When they come out and say this guy was sponsored and used by the Iranian
government, we would hope that this would serve as a wake-up call to many in the
NAM that Iran's behavior is simply unacceptable, and that Iran's support for
terrorism across the world, including in many developing countries, is a threat
to those countries," he said

The official added that NAM members should think seriously about attending a
conference the movement has scheduled for August in Tehran. The Indian
revelations, he said, should further show these countries the "true, aggressive
character of the Iranians."

Relations between India and Iran are far less warm and effusive than they were
even six months ago.

Sanctions have contributed to the chilling of relations, but so has the blatant
violation of international law in the targeting of Israeli diplomats based in
New Delhi.

Oil imports from Iran have been drastically reduced and further cuts are on the
slate. Support for Iran in the Indian media has fallen drastically.

The Delhi Police report says the five men and the woman believed to be involved
in the attack are members of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic
Revolution, popularly referred to as the Revolutionary Guards - a branch of
Iran's military.

The government of Iran, therefore, cannot dissociate itself from the agency or
the actions of its members.

The details and extent of involvement by the suspects were pieced together with
the help of disclosures made by a Shi'ite Indian Urdu-language journalist, Syed
Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi, who was arrested within days of the bombing. The suspects
had been in touch with Kazmi for a decade, turning him into a sympathizer and
then an ally.

The five men operated from behind elaborate covers that were created to
camouflage their links with the Revolutionary Guards.

Houshang Afshar Irani, the man who planted the "sticky bomb" on Yehoshua-Koren's
car, claims to be a construction worker. His associates have similar covers:
Sedaghatzadeh Masoud - said to be the operational head of trans-border attacks
and the brains behind similar bombings either carried out or thwarted in
Georgia, Bangkok and New Delhi - claims to be a salesman for a commercial
company on Baharestan Street in Tehran.

Syed Ali Mahdiansadr claims to be a store owner in Tehran, Mohammad Reza
Abolghasemi says he is a clerk for Tehran's water authority and Ali Akbar
Norouzishayan uses the alias of a retired accountant based in Tehran.

The woman uses the name Leila Rohani. She is believed to have been involved in
the attacks in Georgia, Bangkok and New Delhi. She was last seen in Bangkok,
where she took a flight to Tehran.

There are presently three Iranians and a Hezbollah operative in jail in Thailand
for a thwarted attack there.

Two Iranians found with explosives are under arrest in Kenya, and a Lebanese
national who has admitted to being a Hezbollah operative is being held in
Cyprus.

Details of the findings by Delhi police investigators are believed to have been
shared with Israeli officials.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE the vehicle in which Tali Yehoshua-Koren,
wife of Israel's defense attache in New Delhi, was wounded by a bomb there in
February. (Credit: Parivartan Sharma/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

503 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

PA slams GOP candidate for calling Jerusalem 'Israel's capital.' Romney's
refusal to meet with Abbas 'unacceptable,' Fatah official tells 'Post'

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 455 words

The Palestinian Authority and various radical Palestinian groups Monday
condemned Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's remark that Jerusalem
is the capital of Israel.

The radical groups called for boycotting Romney.

A senior Fatah official also criticized PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad for
meeting Sunday evening with Romney in Jerusalem, noting that the presidential
candidate had not included Ramallah in his recent tour.

The official told The Jerusalem Post that Romney's refusal to meet with PA
President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to the area was "unacceptable." Romney,
the Fatah official said, "apparently does not recognize President Abbas as the
elected president of the Palestinians."

Fayyad was quoted on Monday as saying that this was the second time he had met
with Romney. He said he had met with him not on a personal basis but in his
capacity as prime minister of the PA.

The meeting was almost completely ignored by PA-controlled media outlets. Some
news websites reported the meeting only after it was mentioned in the Israeli
media.

Hamas and other groups expressed outrage over the meeting. Hamas spokesman Fawzi
Barhoum accused Romney of insulting the feelings of Palestinians and Muslims by
declaring that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel during his visit.

"These are racist and extremist statements that deny the rights of the
Palestinian people," Barhoum said. "His statements distort and forge history and
mislead public opinion."

The Hamas spokesman claimed that Romney's statement gave Israel a green light to
Judaize Jerusalem and build more settlements.

"Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinians and Palestine and we will never
give it up," he stressed.

Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) also denounced Romney's
remarks about Jerusalem and called for a boycott of the candidate.

Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, said Palestinians
and Arabs were mistaken in pinning hopes on any US administration. He said
Romney's statements would not change the fact that Jerusalem "belongs to the
Palestinians and will be restored sooner or later."

Talal Abu Zarifeh, a DFLP official, said Romney's position on Jerusalem
"contradicts international laws and resolutions which consider the city part of
the territories that were occupied in 1967."

He urged all Arab and Islamic countries to exert pressure on the Americans to
stop their "blind bias in favor of Israel."

Jamil Muzher, a member of the PFLP, said his group believed that there was no
real difference between Democrats and Republicans.

"The two parties are competing to show which is more loyal to Israel," he
charged.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MITT ROMNEY follows PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad from the room
in Jerusalem where they held their meeting on Sunday. (Credit: Jason
Reed/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

504 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Musical mayhem: The Klezmatics are coming

BYLINE: DAVID BRINN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1387 words

You have to be pretty confident in your history and sense of self to release an
album called Jews With Horns. And one listen to The Klezmatics' genre-smashing,
progressive klezmer/shtetl sounds reveals a whole lot of proud Jewish identity
expressed through a vibrant musical landscape. These Jews with horns - and
accordions, keyboards, violins and attitude - can really rock a house, as that
mid-'90s album or any other music they've recorded or played live over the last
25 years will attest.

Much in the same way that groups like The Pogues manhandled traditional Irish
music and exposed its raw, punky roots, The Klezmatics have largely been
responsible for moving klezmer music out of the ghetto and into the gutter. By
dragging the traditional music of Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe out of the
mothballs of history and into the dynamic mashup of the present, the veteran New
York-based band has championed klezmer as a living, breathing creature, not a
museum piece.

"The way klezmer was originally played, there was nothing nostalgic about it,"
said Frank London, the band's multi-instrumentalist, who along with Lorin
Sklamberg (lead vocals, accordion, guitar, piano), and Paul Morrissett (bass,
tsimbl, vocals) founded The Klezmatics in 1986. "It was music coming from
another world that didn't exist anymore, and when it was revived in the US in
the 20th century, there was a big sense of nostalgia about it. One of the first
things we did was to get rid of all the nostalgic elements, and going back to
the roots of the music which enabled us to appreciate it on its own terms.

Along the way, they've led the modern-day klezmer revival and attracted hordes
of fans - some who arrive from the Jewish heritage appreciation angle and others
who find similarities between The Klezmatics brand of musical mayhem and that of
en vogue gypsy/Balkan dance music outfits like Balkan Beat Box or Gogol
Bordello. They'll all converge when the band returns to Israel next month for
three shows, August 28 at Zappa Tel Aviv, August 29 at Zappa Herzliya and August
30 at Zappa Jerusalem.

London, who was speaking from his New York home last week, said that the band's
ability to think out of the klezmer box and widen its appeal is based first and
foremost on a rock solid knowledge and love of the traditional klezmer sounds.

"With The Klezmatics, we've been better able to mix our music with non-Jewish
elements and different sources, because we're actually so based in the
traditional klezmer environment," said London. "Once you know yourself and
you're at home, the more you can feel free to travel to other places and still
keep your identity. That way, you don't end up getting lost in a morass of
musical vagueness."

The feeling was anything but vague when the Jewish London was first exposed to
klezmer as as student in 1980 at the New England Conservatory, where he focused
on Afro-American music. An invitation to be part of an NEC Jewish music concert
led to the formation of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, where London honed his
skills for seven years.

"I was very blown away by klezmer's funky rhythms, the polyphony, the wild
old-world, old-school ornamentation, the particular way it expressed its
Jewishness and how the instrumental music was not at all kitschy or corny the
way most Jewish music I had heard up to that point was," he told The Klezmatics'
official biographer.

Enchanted with the music, London answered an ad in New York's Village Voice in
1985 searching for klezmer musicians. He went for an audition, bringing with him
a Balkan accordionist he knew named Lorin Sklamberg. When the dust cleared, they
became the anchor of the fledgling band, and not the person who placed the ad.
Initially calling themselves Hortzeplotz, they soon renamed themselves The
Klezmatics, a play on words inspired by the '80s shock punk rock band The
Plasmatics. The core trio is filled out with longtime members Matt Darriau
(kaval, clarinet, saxophone, vocals) and Lisa Gutkin (violin, vocals).

Over the course of a dozen albums and numerous multinational tours, including
past visits to Israel, The Klezmatics have earned the title of the world's most
popular klezmer band. And on their Grammy-winning 2006 album Wonder Wheel, they
branched out by setting a dozen previously unsung Woody Guthrie lyrics to music.
They've also been the subject of a feature-length documentary film, The
Klezmatics: On Holy Ground, and have collaborated with artists as diverse as
violinist Itzhak Perlman, Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and
Israeli vocal icon Chava Alberstein.

London, who has frequently visited Israel for musical projects like opening Beit
Avi Chai's first Jewish Music Days festival in 2007 with his AndraLaMoussia side
project, and collaborations with oudist and violinist Yair Dallal and brass band
Marsh Domdura, found that the modern klezmer revolution was slow to emerge here,
but that young Israelis are now embracing their ethnic roots.

"From the time we started in the mid-1980s, there has been such a resurgence of
interest in this music in the US, and in Israel, whose people originated it, you
would never even hear klezmer. It's interesting how over the years, the Israeli
acceptance of Yiddish culture and music has become more attractive," said
London, adding that the process has coincided with and even been boosted by the
boom of similarly styled regional music.

"Look at Balkan Beat Box, who are friends of mine. They started doing Balkan
music, and got selected to perform at Jewish music festivals not because the
music was Jewish per se, but because the people making it were Israeli - so it's
under a Jewish umbrella by this weird definition.

"There are similarities between klezmer and Balkan music, especially the way a
number of those bands use the same kind of techniques of taking traditional
music and stretching them in the way that we and other klezmer bands have been
doing. At the risk of sounding polyannish, it's all good, it makes the scene
richer."

One unexpected offshoot of the resurgence of klezmer thanks to The Klezmatics is
the phenomenon of young American Jews connecting to their heritage through the
music. Instead of being embarrassed by the Yiddish shtetl era and trying to wipe
out the past through assimilation, modern klezmer is hip and ethnic in a society
where ethnic is now considered cool. But London doesn't see the band's music as
a pied piper to bring Jews back to their roots.

"That certainly wasn't our goal, but I'm sure for some people who hear our
music, it leads them to rediscovering a part of their own Jewish identity," he
said. "Many people are affected by us in musical terms, not religious ones. By
engaging in Jewish music like klezmer, it bringing people in contact with Jewish
culture and Jewish identity. But where that leads them is a personal choice."

Appreciating The Klezmatics on strictly personal terms is easy to do, and one
way the band has succeeded in remaining fresh and vital over 25 years is by
adding elements of the unknown into each performance. London likened it to the
approach of The Grateful Dead, who performed set songs but always spread out
with jamming and improvisation.

"Our show is never the same night to night - we build it into the way we make
our arrangements and our set lists - it keeps up fresh, honest and in the
moment. With The Dead, they were expected to do something unexpected, and when
you start with that philosophy it helps," he said.

The band's shows in Israel - the first of which took place at the Safed Klezmer
Festival 20 years ago, are always different in content and spirit, London added.

"Each concert sort of presents its own spirituality - the goal of The
Klezmatics, and of any artist, is to be as authentically connected to the moment
as possible, so to come with a certain presupposition about something or how
we're going to feel is sort of antithetical to that philosophy. In Israel, we're
surrounded by history and culture, but we're playing in clubs that are probably
similar to rock and jazz clubs in New York or anywhere else. But what makes the
show special is being in the moment, talking to the people letting the
experience happen."

Whether you're there for the music, the Jewish content, or just to dance, the
Klezmatics' shows next month will undoubtedly be an experience.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The world's most popular klezmer band will bring its funky rhythms to
Israel next month

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE CHOSEN MUSIC: The Klezmatics add a modern dimension to
klezmer music. (Credit: Courtesy/PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

505 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

The 'NYT' should rethink its Jerusalem bureau chief

BYLINE: SCOTT KRANE

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 645 words

On January 24, 2009 The New York Times' then-Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan
Bronner wrote an honest essay in the paper on reporting "the conflict" and
objectivity. "I have written about the Arab-Israeli conflict on and off for more
than a quarter century, and have spent the past four weeks covering Israel's war
in Gaza," he wrote. "The two sides speak in two distinct tongues, how the very
words they use mean opposite things to each other, and how the war of language
can confound a reporter's attempts to narrate - or a new president's attempts to
mediate - this conflict in a way both sides can accept as fair."

Bronner continued his essay on objectivity and mediation: "It turns out that
both narration and mediation require common ground. But trying to tell the story
so that both sides can hear it in the same way feels more and more to me like a
Greek tragedy in which I play the despised chorus," he wrote.

"It feels like I am only fanning the flames, adding to the misunderstandings and
mutual antagonism with every word I write because the fervent inner voice of
each side is so loud that it drowns everything else out."

When assuming the position of Jerusalem bureau chief in 2008, he came under fire
when it was reported initially on the blog Electric Intifada that Bronner's son
was in the IDF. According to the Times' code of journalistic ethics - made
public on their website - a conflict of interest was thus committed. And so, the
left was offended.

The Times' code of ethics reads: "Staff members must be sensitive that direct
political activity by their spouses... may well create conflicts of interest or
the appearance of conflicts... If news room management considers the problem
serious, the staff member may have to withdraw from certain coverage. Sometimes
an assignment may have to be modified or a beat changed."

This then also presented a conflict of interest, according to uber-leftist Max
Blumenthal, for former deputy editor-in-chief, under Bronner, Isabel Kershner.
Kershner, who wrote for The Jerusalem Report in the '90s is married to Hirsh
Goodman, who worked for the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS),
which Blumenthal claims is directly connected to the IDF, which is partly true.

The Times' current Jerusalem bureau chief, as patrons may have noticed, Jodi
Rudoren has come under fire from both right-wingers for her leftist affiliations
and opinions, as well as by upholders of journalistic integrity, who stress
objectivity in reporting.

I agree with the latter camp. It seems to me that the most crucial
characteristic for a journalist reporting the news is indeed objectivity. That
is, the ability to be non-partial on the issue which is being reported on.

THE REASON for this, all partisanship aside, is that the situation - finding the
right person for the job has become an absolute nightmare for the newspaper.
Ethan Bronner was too hip to the issues prior to hitting the field (leave aside
attacks by the left). Jodi Rudoren is not serious enough for such a position,
and perhaps does not know the country well enough - not as well as Kershner,
Bronner or Rudoren's deputy bureau chief, Myra Noveck (whose husband, Gershom
Gorenberg, blogs subjectively for the Daily Beast's "Open Zion"). Being naive
could perhaps assist objectivity, but according to the right, Rudoren is too
opinionated (for instance, she endorsed Peter Beinart's book).

Israel is not a country like any other in the world. It is a country in
conflict. In fact, when referring journalistically to Israel (that is, the
Jewish state), many simply say: "the conflict," which is really a shame, because
the job of the Jerusalem bureau chief should be to oversee the news in the state
of Israel and not to please Jews or Muslims.

The writer is a freelance writer and the author of the forthcoming book, Like
Clocks out of Control: The Poetics of John Ashbery

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: TRAFFIC SPEEDING by the New York Times building. (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

506 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

On weekend of Tisha Be'av and Olympics, US presidential hopeful's visit makes
ripple, not splash

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 675 words

WASHINGTON - Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney might have chosen a
less-then-stellar moment to try to gain attention in Israel, arriving as he did
on Tisha Be'av. But even in America, where most people were not observing a day
of spiritual mourning on Sunday, his trip hit a news dead-zone that was just as
significant.

Not only did his visit coincide with the weekend's regularly scheduled pause in
the news cycle, TV viewers were glued to the opening of Olympic competition just
hours earlier.

The combination did not make for a considerable boost for Romney on the Israel
portion of his multi-day foreign trip. Even the news talk shows that fill the
airwaves on Sunday mornings and focus on policy and politics were up against US
basketball superstars in their first Olympic match.

CNN, in assessing the Romney trip, found agreement between analysts on the Right
and Left on a major point: It was very bad timing.

"The Olympics are going on. Nobody's paying attention to this," said Erick
Erickson, editor of the conservative website RedState.com.

"I don't know why he went over there," said liberal columnist and commentator
L.Z. Granderson. "I don't think a lot of people are paying attention."

The timing even raised questions about the wisdom of the trip - after all, the
time conflict with the Olympics wasn't exactly an unanticipated development.

On the other hand, when everything going on in the US is getting overshadowed by
sporting competitions in the UK, maybe it is just as good a time for a candidate
to be out of the country. It wasn't as if Romney had to give up on fund-raising,
which is a major occupation of candidates during the dog days of summer.

The former Massachusetts governor reportedly raked in $1 million at the
Jerusalem fundraiser Monday morning after similar events in Britain.

And even if Romney didn't get the full-court press of photos and video from his
overseas trip the way then-candidate Barack Obama did when he addressed a sea of
supporters in Germany or held a press conference in the missile-besieged town of
Sderot in 2008, that might be to the Republican candidate's benefit.

Most of the coverage of Romney has focused on the unforced errors he's made,
starting with his comments about Britain's Olympic preparations before he even
arrived in England, in which he called early obstacles "disconcerting" and
stated it was "hard to know just how well it will turn out" during a Wednesday
interview.

Those remarks earned him a rebuke from Prime Minister David Cameron and scathing
headlines in British tabloids - and none too positive ones in the US, either.

Romney's anticipated stop in Germany was scrapped when it turned out that
Chancellor Angela Merkel would be on summer holiday, and the awkward logistical
dance continued when he abruptly canceled a meeting with Israeli Labor Party
leader Shelly Yechimovich as Israeli political considerations tangled up the
American candidate.

Then, just as reporting on Romney's tough comments regarding Iran at his policy
speech in Jerusalem on Sunday began to gather steam, he made further comments
seen as an insult by the Palestinians at the Monday morning fundraiser.

The Palestinians were already peeved that Romney referred to Jerusalem as
Israel's capital (a comment that at least had the political payoff of also
pleasing many Jewish and Evangelical voters), when he chalked up differences in
the Israeli and Palestinian economies in part to culture.

"It is a racist statement and this man doesn't realize that the Palestinian
economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," Saeb
Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, was
quoted as telling the Associated Press.

The Romney campaign said the statement was grossly misunderstood, as it had been
made in the wider context of historical economic differences between many
countries and was not the only issue Romney was pointing to.

Either way, it looks like Michael Phelps isn't the only competitor not getting
everything he had hoped for on foreign soil.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: LETTER FROM AMERICA

GRAPHIC: Photo: MITT ROMNEY visits the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers
of 1970 in Gdansk, Poland, yesterday. (Credit: Kacper Pempel/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

507 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Letters

BYLINE: Harvey Schwartz, Stanley Wexler, Meira Oved, Pesach Goodley, Wendy
Blumfield, Audrey Goodman, Hanspeter Buchi

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1217 words

Horrendous editorial

Sir, - I was amazed to see your horrendous editorial "Tisha Be'av's meaning"
(July 29). It was chutzpah to blaspheme the beliefs of millions of Jews
(including most of your readers) by referring to the Temple merely as a "holy
slaughterhouse" and suggest, referring to Tisha Be'av, that the rabbis "call the
whole fast off."

Tisha Be'av is the national day of mourning for the numerous tragedies that have
befallen the Jewish people, beginning with the sin of the spies, which led to 40
years of exile in the desert, and the destruction of both the First Temple and
the Second Temple. On this day believing Jews recite kinot (lamentations) not
only for the loss of the two temples but for numerous other tragedies in Jewish
history, such as the slaughter by the Romans of the ten martyrs, the massacres
of the Jewish martyrs of York, the Crusades, Chmielnicki, the burning of the
Talmud in Paris and, of course, the Holocaust.

These may not seem important to your editorial board but they are of extreme
importance to sensitive, believing Jews all over the world. The remarks in your
editorial are extremely demeaning not only to the Jewish people, but, I must
believe, to most if not all of the people whose names appear on your masthead.

It is not necessary for your editorial board to wait until Yom Kippur to ask for
forgiveness for this outrageous editorial. They can - and should - do it
immediately.

HARVEY SCHWARTZ

Jerusalem

Sir, - The Jerusalem Post has always been supportive of Jewish holidays. That is
why I was shocked when I read "Tisha Be'av's meaning."

At a time when hundreds of thousands of Jews were fasting and praying in memory
of the exile and the destruction of the Temples, the writer of the editorial, in
a very untimely manner, suggested that the observance of Tisha Be'av be
abandoned or at least revised to deal instead with contemporary social problems.

The writer describes the Temple as a "holy slaughter house" - a crudeness based
on ignorance and totally offensive to Jews who revere the memory of the Temple.
The true designation of the sacred sanctuary is to be found in the verse: "For
my house shall be called a house of prayer by all the nations of the world"
(Isaiah 56:7).

Citing the Rambam's rationalization for animal sacrifices is not relevant to
Tisha Be'av, which did not require any special sacrifices.

The writer makes a great deal of the fact that the observance of Tisha Be'av
this year was delayed to the tenth of the month and was thus less strict. The
tenth of Av is an intrinsic part of the Tisha Be'av period because when the
Temple was set on fire on the ninth, the flames burned throughout the day of the
tenth. Many Tisha Be'av observances are carried out during the tenth day of Av
even in regular calendar years.

Last, but not least, when the writer proposes that the day be dedicated to
current problems in Jewish history, it should be noted that Tisha Be'av prayers
do not stop with the Temple. They continue to bewail ruthless killing of Jews
during the past 2,000 years.

The kinot include prayers mourning the dead in the crusades, and lately prayers
have been added to bemoan the destruction of millions of Jews in the Holocaust,
whose memory is still fresh in the minds of many Tisha Be'av observers.

STANLEY WEXLER

Jerusalem

The writer is a rabbi

Strength from Collins

Sir, - Hooray to Liat Collins for "Jerusalem calling..." (My Word, July 29) on
the subject of the BBC's convenient elimination of Jerusalem as Israel's
capital. She exquisitely expressed what many of us expats, not only from the UK
but from the US, feel when our former landsmen attempt to rewrite history.

It is confusing and conflicting to repeatedly find ourselves in a position in
which our former nation of residence takes a stand opposing our present state of
affairs. We often feel we must make excuses for, defend or explain that stand.
Whoever said it was easy to be a Jew?

This conflict of identities is nothing new to Jews, even within our own state.
Thank God for our children, the sabras, who seem to lack this conflict of
identities. Collins handled this beautifully in her eloquent article and in so
doing strengthened the rest of us.

Just as the popular claim once was that the earth is flat, so it is with
Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation. Despite popular opinion, it shall
remain so until the end of days.

MEIRA OVED

Jerusalem

Last signs of Britain

Sir, - The letter suggesting the renaming of Jerusalem's King George Street
("Street signs," July 29) is so obvious it never should have had to be written.

It also contains an erroneous phrase: "surely the time has come." The time came
with the dawn of the day that Jerusalem was again the Jewish capital of the
State of Israel, when landmarks of Britain's infamy should have been the first
order of governmental business.

Words are the power that tunes minds. Changing the name of every British-named
street can be a germinal incentive to vitalizing Jewish pride and moral strength
at a time when it is existentially essential. And it's too vitally important for
being a bureaucratic playground.

The Post must immediately hoist the banner to help make it a major public issue
and commitment.

PESACH GOODLEY

Telz Stone

Unfair taxation

Sir, - How typical of this government to propose an increase in VAT during the
summer holidays, when every schoolchild in the land is taken by a parent or
grandparent to purchase the long list of textbooks, supplies and clothing
without which they cannot start the new school year ("VAT set to rise at least
1%," July 25).

Many other countries also charge VAT. But in the UK, for example, there is
exemption on children's clothing and school supplies, as well as on textbooks.
Isn't it time the Education Ministry enforced a code for purchasing these
supplies whereby schools would make wholesale orders and distribute them on the
first day of the new term?

If Israel boasts about free education, these supplies should be distributed free
or purchased at minimal wholesale prices. However, that might be too much to
expect from a government that buys expensive cars and creates superfluous
ministerial positions.

WENDY BLUMFIELD

Haifa

Sir, - We all know that the government needs to raise taxes and that raising the
value added tax from 16 percent to 17% is the easiest way to increase income.
But it will hit hardest those who are least able to pay.

The tax has a more direct effect upon the people in the lowest income bracket
and is going to rise without a whimper being heard from the social justice
protestors or anyone with a moral conscience. Writing a letter is all I am able
to do to raise my own voice in protest.

AUDREY GOODMAN

Herzliya

Disagrees on coverage

Sir, - Martin Woker ("Criticism unwarranted," Letters, July 24) is in favor of a
free media. This, however, does not mean freedom to present one-sided articles
and comments guided by an anti-Israel point of view.

Looking at the reporting of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung on Israel, including the
West Bank, I cannot share the positive opinion of those "trusted professionals"
who were asked to review it. Such a review must also consider articles from
leftist Israelis invited to write in the NZZ.

Instead of getting comments from the other side, the NZZ simply rejects
criticism.

HANSPETER BUCHI

Staefa, Switzerland

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Libyan Jew returns to UK safely after Benghazi imprisonment. Businessman Raphael
Luzon held, interrogated by 'preventive security' for four days, doesn't advise
any Jew to go to Libya

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 673 words

Raphael Luzon, a former Libyan Jew, returned to the UK safely on Sunday after
security forces in Benghazi imprisoned and interrogated him for several days.

Luzon said his ordeal began in Benghazi on July 22 when "suddenly a friend sent
me a text warning me to be careful that security forces are looking for me," he
recalled. "I immediately called the Italian consul who came to my hotel, but
when I went to the lobby to meet him he was surrounded by 12 to 15 armed men.
They didn't let the consul speak, they put me in the car and took me outside
Benghazi."

Luzon, who said he was in the country for business, was kept behind bars at a
military camp outside the Mediterranean city without being told why.

"I felt my life was in danger for the first 24 hours because no one knew where I
was or what had happened to me," Luzon said. "In the morning high officials
came. One of them, a general shouted at my captors saying they should have
brought me food and water."

The Libyan Jew said men he identified as belonging to the muchabarat, or the
preventive security, interrogated him daily.

Meanwhile, news that a "Jewish leader was abducted" appeared in the Libyan
press.

After four days in prison, Luzon was freed and kept under house arrest at a
friend's residence in Benghazi. Still, he was not allowed to leave the country.
A citizen of Britain and Italy, Luzon said both countries intervened on his
behalf. He credited British MP Robert Halfon, whose father was a Libyan Jew, and
Italian consul Guido Bessanti, for securing his release.

Asked why he had been arrested, Luzon said he was still not sure.

"I don't know why, but privately I've been told that there is a big fight
between the groups and everybody wanted to be the one that arrested and released
me," he said.

Luzon and other members of the former Jewish community of Libya, who were forced
to leave the country in the 1960s and 1970s, have for years been lobbying for
the return of considerable private and communal Jewish assets that were
confiscated by the regime of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi. After Gaddafi's
fall in 2011, there was hope the country might open up and address the
grievances of its exiled Jews, but so far little progress has been made.

Last year David Gerbi, another Libyan-born Jew, received death threats after he
tried to reconsecrate a synagogue in Tripoli, forcing him to flee the country.
Luzon, who makes a point of distancing himself from Gerbi, has been negotiating
with Libyan officials over the rights of Jews to little avail.

Elio Raccah, a member of the Jewish Libyan community in exile based in Italy,
the country's former colonial ruler, said he had few expectations that he would
be welcome back to Libya in the near future.

"What really counts is popular sentiment, I am convinced nothing has really
changed over there as far as the Jews are concerned," he wrote in an email to
the Post. "[The Libyans believe Jews are] undesired greedy ogres to be ridden of
in Palestine and, of course, in Libya."

The question of Jewish rights remains mute in Libya, where a multitude of rival
groups and clans are fighting for power in the power vacuum created by Gaddafi's
ousting. Last month, when elections were held for the first time, the National
Forces Alliance, a non-Islamist, liberal party, emerged triumphant, bucking the
Islamist trend in Arab Spring countries like Tunisia and Egypt. It remains to be
seen, however, whether Western-educated Mahmoud Jibril who leads the party will
be able to re-establish the rule of law in the oil-rich nation.

Despite his recent experience, Luzon said he had not given up fighting for the
rights of Libyan Jews.

"It will take a long, long time if they will allow some Jewish assets to be
returned," he said, "but I think the country would allow Jews to return for
holiday or business in a few years."

"They were under a regime for decades and they do not distinguish between a Jew
and a Jewish Zionist, religious or secular," Luzon added.

Meanwhile, he added, "at the moment I do not advise any Jew to go to Libya."

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Raphael Luzon (Credit: Courtesy Raphael Luzon)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Over-regulation and public criticism

BYLINE: DAVID J. MARTIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 948 words

I have had a hand in international business affairs involving Israel for some 35
years. During that time, I have witnessed a dramatic change in the reactions of
foreign - primarily US - businessmen to the idea of doing business in or with
Israel.

Initially, it was not unusual to hear an American businessman say: "I am
prepared to donate money to Israel, but not to do business there."

As time passed, however, the perception of Israel changed. No longer was Israel
a place to make a "small fortune" - i.e. to convert a large fortune into a small
one. The bureaucracy was deemed manageable and business practices began to take
on internationally accepted standards. These developments, together with the
"Start-Up Nation" quality of Israeli business, attracted significant foreign
investment in many fields.

During the past few years, the winds have changed. Three events in particular
have once again thrown Israel back decades in international business perception.

The first event involved the retroactive change in royalties payable on offshore
gas finds. Populist politicians began bemoaning the rape of national resources
by business tycoons. One after another, self-made critics published
self-righteous tirades against the offshore gas prospectors, counting their
riches even before a single liter of gas was extracted from the ground.

When these profits were compared with minimum wage and average income, the
prospectors were made to look like pariahs. What about the substantial risks
taken by the prospectors who literally poured hundreds of millions of dollars
into the ground before they knew if the fields would be productive? What about
all of the companies who tried previously to find gas or oil and lost their
entire investment? Not a word. The ever-hypocritical Israeli public acted
precisely as expected, by maligning the successful explorers while at the same
time begging to invest in their securities offerings!

I happened to be in New York when the Sheshinsky report was issued. I was
shocked to find that US businessmen had been following the drama in great
detail. When the committee decided that the retroactive revision of gas
royalties was appropriate since it was "really" an amendment of the tax laws,
one of my American colleagues said: "It smacks of the basest political
subterfuge one would expect from a third-world country. When previous
exploration activities were unsuccessful, did anyone suggest that the government
reimburse the investors for their losses?"

How many of the committee members ever put their own capital in such a risky
venture? (When I returned to Israel, I quickly checked the backgrounds of the
committee members - overwhelmingly present and former government officials.)

The second event involved the world real-estate crisis that crippled companies
throughout the globe. When Israeli companies could not meet their debt
obligations, the same populists and critics derided the restructuring activities
which allowed the companies to survive.

Two new Hebrew expressions were branded: The major shareholders became
"Tykoonim" and the public was deemed to have taken a "haircut." The latter was
particularly offensive since it raised the memories of Nazi victims whose hair
was shaved against their will upon their entry to the camps. Once again, not a
word about the profits that Israeli investors had made over the years as they
participated - through the investment companies - in the global real-estate
bubble. Not a word about the Israeli investors who drove prices to the sky.

The third event is essentially another populist outcome of the "Tykoon"
branding: "concentration" or "rikuziyut."

Like any modern, capitalist economy, success bred success. Companies that were
successful in one field, plowed their profits into other areas. Using the same
skills that brought them previous profits, the growing companies enjoyed similar
successes in new fields. These activities were carefully watched by the
Antitrust Authority.

As soon as competition could be materially impaired, with resultant potential
adverse affects on the public, the Antitrust Authority stepped in. One of the
positive results of this regulation of investment was that successful investors
and managers began to spread their talents - and once again they succeeded.

To the same self-righteous critics who proclaimed their naive, populist, but
economically baseless platitudes against the gas profits, the "tykoons" and the
"haircuts," this was further, fertile ground to spread their calumnies. For
unknown reasons, "concentration" of success became anathema - and the public, of
course, picked up on these proclamations.

Investors and business entrepreneurs finally became exasperated with these and
related developments, and have begun to flee from over-regulation and unfounded
public criticism, to shores which are more welcoming. The Bank of Israel has
reported on a net outflow of investments in Israel for many months. Similarly
and consequentially, there has been a constant stampede to purchase dollars,
with a concomitant increase in the exchange rate. Israel is suffering from a
"brain drain" of businessmen and a "monetary drain" of hard currency.

If Israel wants to regain its position as a modern economy, whose greatest
resource is its human talent, then it must create an environment to provide
investors, promoters and entrepreneurs with the conditions necessary to succeed.
Self-righteous criticism by neophyte politicians may make headlines; but such
criticism will not do what only business success can do - create jobs, attract
foreign investment and keep Israeli businessmen at home.

The writer is an advocate & attorney at law with Weksler, Bregman & Co.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The ever-hypocritical Israeli public acted precisely as expected, by
maligning the successful explorers while at the same time begging to invest in
their securities offerings

GRAPHIC: Photo: TIME FOR some capitalism. The Azrieli towers at night. (Credit:
Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Israel: A superpower of sustainability

BYLINE: DANIEL MERON

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 832 words

"We do not rejoice in victories. We rejoice when a new kind of cotton is grown
and when strawberries bloom in Israel"

- Golda Meir

Israelis tend to think the United Nations preoccupies itself with classic
political issues, but the reality is different. On taking office, Ban Ki-moon,
the UN secretary-general, declared his priority would be promoting worldwide
sustainable development.

Last month, in Brazil, the Rio+20 Conference met to discuss sustainable
development. The conference attracted over 100 heads of state and 50,000
participants. For Israel the conference was a considerable success.

"Sustainable development" is economic growth in which resource use aims to meet
human needs, while preserving the environment so these needs can be met for
generations to come.

Israel's success at Rio+20 was not guaranteed. The Syrian government tried to
ban two Israeli environmental organizations from participating - the JNF and
Life and Environment (an organization representing 130 Israeli environmental
NGOs). At the very time the Syrian regime is slaughtering its own people, it has
time to launch a diplomatic attack on Israel. A worldwide Israeli diplomatic
campaign ensured that the Syrian ploy failed.

The Palestinians failed to have their status upgraded at the conference to that
of a full-state member. Unfortunately Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad
al-Maliki chose to use his speech as a platform to attack Israel rather than
talking about cooperation and the environment.

The Israeli delegation came to Rio+20 with a vision of sustainable development
for the world. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in his greetings, said that
Israel is a country that manages to "do more with less," and in the future
expects to do even more with much less.

Israel's ability to do more with less and successes in sustainable development
have brought international recognition, causing a number of UN and international
figures to describe Israel as a "sustainability superpower."

Dr. Daniel Hillel from Israel was recently awarded the World Food Prize for
pioneering an innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land
regions. CNN selected Yosef Abramowitz, founder of the Arava Power Company, as
one of six world leading "green pioneers."

In 2008, Time magazine named Shai Agassi, the founder of Better Place, the
company responsible for introducing the electric car, as one of the
"environmental heroes" of the year.

In a further sign of international recognition, the head of the Israeli
delegation to Rio +20, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, was
elected vice chairman of the Conference. In his meetings with colleagues from
around the world, many expressed a desire to increase partnership with Israel,
mainly in water management.

This is hardly surprising: Israel is the world's leader in water re-use and
recycling. Israel treats and recycles 80 percent of effluent water for
agriculture. There are 35 desalination facilities in Israel. The Ashkelon
desalination plant is the world's second largest.

Israel is a world leader in desalination and by 2015, 75% of Israel's water
supply will come from water desalination. The UN General Assembly recently
adopted an Israeli proposed resolution calling for international investment in
agricultural technology.

Israel is also a world leader in forestry as we implement Ben-Gurion's dream of
making the desert bloom - and one of the only countries that had more trees at
the end of the 20th century than at the start.

Thousands of experts flock to Israel every two years to attend WATEC: The Israel
Water Technologies, Renewable Energies and Environmental Control exhibition.
This November, Eilat-Eilot, the largest renewable energy conference of its kind
will be held in Eilat.

Since 1958, MASHAV (Israel's agency for international development cooperation at
the Foreign Ministry) has brought to Israel over 270,000 professionals from
across the globe to take courses, learn from experts and see sustainable
development in practice. Israeli experts have also been sent to the developing
world to run courses there.

During the Rio+20 conference the Israeli government, for the first time,
invested in an international campaign on CNN branding Israel as a world leader
in green technology. The Foreign Ministry launched a Facebook Page called "GREEN
ISRAEL" and an environmental YouTube channel.

Many places around the world suffer severe drought. Millions in Africa face
life-threatening hunger. Israel is willing and able to continue to share its
technology and know-how with the world and be a "light unto the nations" of
sustainable development.

In the words of the prophet Isaiah: "I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water." (Chapter 41, verse 18)

The writer is the coordinator for Sustainable Development in Israel's Foreign
Ministry and was a member of the delegation to the Rio+20 Conference. Previously
he was the Minister for Congressional Affairs at the Israeli Embassy in
Washington.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SUSTAINABLE LIVING. A cow at the Knesset. 'Israel's ability to
do more with less and successes in sustainable development have brought
international recognition.' (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Former MK Degani buried in Kfar Vitkin

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 110 words

Former MK Amos Degani died on Saturday at age 86. He was buried in Moshav Kfar
Vitkin on Sunday. Degani was an MK from 1957-1969. He was voted in as a member
of the Mapai faction in the third through fifth Knessets, breaking off from the
party in 1965 to become a founding member of David Ben-Gurion's Rafi party. In
1968, he joined Labor, which in 1969 became part of the Alignment.

After his tenure in the Knesset, Degani was a member of the Histadrut's
coordinating committee and served as the head of the Hefer Valley Regional
Council from 1975 to 1995. Degani leaves behind his wife, Teresa, two daughters,
seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Amos Degani (Credit: Courtesy Knesset)

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Planned cuts to police to be reduced

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 151 words

A NIS 181m. cut to the Public Security Ministry will be "significantly reduced,"
officials said Monday, allowing the Israel Police and the Prisons Service to
continue to carry out their vital functions.

The reduction in the budget slash follows an understanding reached between the
Public Security Ministry and the Finance Ministry, with the backing of Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Officials could not yet say exactly how much the budget cut would now be.

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich highlighted the dangers of the
cuts. "[If the planned cuts go ahead] there will be less police on the streets,'
he said. "This cut is a decisive blow to current working plans. It will harm the
Israel Police. It will harm the personal security of each and every one of us.
It must not go ahead. This is a blow against society, which is seeking a sense
of security and a quality police presence," he added.

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Panetta to push for giving Iran sanctions more time. US secretary of defense
says Jerusalem has 'not made any decisions with regards to Tehran'

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 362 words

US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will arrive in Israel on Wednesday to gauge
Israel's determination to attack Iran and to try to persuade Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu to give sanctions and diplomacy more time.

Panetta will arrive in Israel on Wednesday after brief stopovers in Tunisia and
Egypt and will be met by an honor guard at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.

He will sit down to a work meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak before later
talking to Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

This will be Panetta's second visit to Israel in 10 months and his ninth meeting
with Barak.

Defense officials said talks with Panetta would focus on Iran's continued
nuclear program and the volatile situation in Syria, as well as Israel's ties
with Egypt.

Officials said that due to the timing of the visit - just days Republican
presidential candidate Mitt Romney's visit to Jerusalem - Panetta is expected to
affirm the US's commitment to Israel's security, and possibly even announce a
new security package.

Shortly before landing in Tunis on Monday, Panetta told reporters new sanctions
were set to be imposed on Iran next week.

"With regards to where Israel is right now, my view is that they have not made
any decisions with regards to Iran and that they continue to support the
international effort to bring pressure against Iran," Panetta said.

During his visit, Panetta will tour an Iron Dome counter-rocket defense battery
and meet with the Israel Air Force soldiers who operate it. The US has provided
Israel with $205m. for additional Iron Dome batteries and recently announced the
allocation of an additional $70m.

"We feel that the more we can support them in building that kind of defense
system, the more we can send a clear signal to others that Israel is going to be
able to defend itself against such attacks," Panetta said.

He also disregarded Romney's claim on Sunday that Israeli-US ties were strained
and said there was unprecedented defense cooperation between the two countries.

"I'm proud of the defense partnership that we've built over the past several
years," he said. "The US-Israel defense relationship, I believe, is stronger
today than it has been in the past."

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: US DEFENSE Secretary Leon Panetta speaks in Tunisia yesterday.
(Credit: Reuters)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Who's a better friend to Israel? Jerusalem could obtain something tangible from
Panetta's visit this week

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 657 words

Like a kid at the circus, Israel just can't get enough of the different acts.

First it was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who came to Israel earlier this
month and in some of the harshest rhetoric yet by a senior member of the Obama
administration, declared that the US would use "all elements of American power"
to stop Iran.

Next were Thomas Donilon and John Brennan - US President Barack Obama's senior
security and counter-terror advisers - who came to Israel to coordinate moves on
Iran and Syria. Their visits were followed up with Obama's signing into law the
new United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act last Friday.

Then came Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney whose aides told
reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday that as president, the former governor would
support Israel's decision to unilaterally attack Iran.

Wednesday will top off this round of "Who's a better friend to Israel?" with
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's visit, which will include a tour of an Iron
Dome counter-rocket defense battery the US is helping to finance.

Israel understands that it is being used as something of a pawn in a larger
chess match that really doesn't have much to do with Israel.

But even if it is being used it doesn't really mind since in the meantime it is
enjoying the show and is also reaping some benefits.

While the round of visits are clearly connected to the US presidential
elections, Panetta, Clinton and Donilon are also trying to get Israel to give
the US and the international community more time to stop Iran with sanctions and
diplomacy. A new round of sanctions is expected to go into effect next week and
the US hopes that it will contribute to Iran's growing isolation.

But this does not mean that Israel isn't looking to obtain something tangible
from these visits. Last time Panetta visited Israel in October, he seemed to
walk away with the impression that an Israeli strike against Iran would take
place between April and June.

While that never happened, the publication of that prediction in The Washington
Post helped create the panic Israel had been working to cultivate over the past
couple of years, leading to the imposition of additional rounds of sanctions on
the Iranian regime.

However, when he meets on Wednesday with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and
Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Panetta will most likely walk away without the
calming assurances he might otherwise have hoped for. Israel has an interest in
remaining ambiguous about its intentions on Iran and if, when and how it will
act.

In addition to discussions on regional issues, Israel is also likely to try and
understand from Panetta the significance of the new bill Obama passed into law
on Friday.

While some media have hyped up the bill's inclusion for example, of the
potential sale of refueling tankers, Israel is not looking to buy new tankers -
especially old and used American ones it does not have experience using.

Instead, the Air Force prefers to wait for Boeing to complete development of the
US Air Force's future tanker and then buy some of those once they hit the
market.

The bill also calls for increased support of the development of missile defense
systems. That has been going on for decades and according to some estimates, the
US has poured over a billion dollars into systems like the Arrow, David's Sling
and Iron Dome over the years.

In other words, the bill basically mentions everything that the Obama
administration has been doing for Israel and vows to keep at it. One official
from a US-based Jewish group nevertheless stressed that while the bill is an
affirmation of what Congress would support, it will ultimately be up to the
president to choose to do something.

For that reason, when hailing the bill on Friday, Barak specially mentioned the
$70m. the US recently pledged for the Iron Dome, but nothing else. That is
because there is nothing yet tangible to speak of.

Panetta's trip might change that.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Photo - Apl de ap to DJ Tel Aviv party

BYLINE: David Brinn

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 168 words

Apl de ap to DJ Tel Aviv party Black Eyed Peas's member Apl de ap is returning
to Israel next month to DJ at a summer "I Gotta Feeling" party taking place at
Bitan 1 of the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds on August 13. The Filipino-American
rapper, drummer, singer and producer born Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. will host a
number of other DJs at the event which promises to feature state of the art 3D
effects broadcast on oversized screens. Scheduled guest DJs include Dmitir Vegas
& Like Mike, and DJ Nicolaz from Tomorrowland, and Tel Aviv DJs Yuval Zach and
Roy Rosenfeld. Apl de ap and the other members of the Black Eyed Peas have been
on a hiatus from the band for the last year. In 2011 The Black Eyed Peas were
ranked 12th on the Billboard's Decade-End Chart Artist of the Decade, the group
performed in Feburary 2011 at the halftime show of Super Bowl XLV. The band
performed in Israel twice, in 2006 and 2007, endearing fans with versions of
"Hava Nagila" and expressing unbridled affection for the country.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Apl de ap to DJ Tel Aviv party. Black Eyed Peas's member Apl de
ap is returning to Israel next month to DJ at a summer "I Gotta Feeling" party
taking place at Bitan 1 of the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds on August 13. The
Filipino-American rapper, drummer, singer and producer born Allan Pineda Lindo,
Jr. will host a number of other DJs at the event which promises to feature state
of the art 3D effects broadcast on oversized screens. Scheduled guest DJs
include Dmitir Vegas & Like Mike, and DJ Nicolaz from Tomorrowland, and Tel Aviv
DJs Yuval Zach and Roy Rosenfeld. Apl de ap and the other members of the Black
Eyed Peas have been on a hiatus from the band for the last year. In 2011 The
Black Eyed Peas were ranked 12th on the Billboard's Decade-End Chart Artist of
the Decade, the group performed in Feburary 2011 at the halftime show of Super
Bowl XLV. The band performed in Israel twice, in 2006 and 2007, endearing fans
with versions of "Hava Nagila" and expressing unbridled affection for the
country. (Credit: Courtesy)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Romney receives letter from MKs calling for Pollard clemency. Prime Minister's
Office won't attend Knesset hearing on jailed Israeli agent

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 376 words

Officials in the Prime Minister's Office delivered a letter from Knesset faction
heads to presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday,
urging him to support clemency for Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard.

The heads of every non-Arab Knesset faction from Meretz to the National Union,
representing 109 MKs, signed the letter. A similar letter was delivered to US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton two weeks ago.

"We, the heads of the Knesset factions, the elected representatives of the
citizens of Israel, want to bring a deeply painful issue to your attention, the
plight of Jonathan Pollard," the MKs wrote. "It is not disputed that Jonathan
Pollard broke the law and he deserved to be punished. Nevertheless, the citizens
of Israel are united in their request for his immediate release on humanitarian
grounds. He has served nearly 27 years in prison and his health has deteriorated
to a point that is life-threatening."

The letter pointed out that Pollard is the only person in the history of the US
to receive a life sentence for spying for an American ally. It noted that the
maximum punishment ever meted out for that offense was 14 years.

"The citizens of Israel have great difficulty in accepting this fact, especially
in light of the special, warm relationship between our countries," the MKs
wrote. "Many Israelis have verbalized their concern thus: 'How can it be that
Pollard serves the same sentence that is meted out only to those who have spied
for the very worst of America's enemies?'"

The MKs urged Romney to follow in the footsteps of current and former senior
American officials who have endorsed Pollard's release.

Unlike Clinton, Romney did not make any public statements about Pollard on his
Israel visit. The matter was raised in his private meetings. In his only public
comments about Pollard so far, Romney told the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations in December that he was "open to examining" the
case.

The Knesset State Control Committee will convene Tuesday to monitor the
government's efforts to bring about Pollard's release.

The Prime Minister's Office told committee chairman Uri Ariel (National Union)
that despite his requests, it would not send representatives to the meeting.

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

'Average citizens' flood Netanyahu's Facebook wall following tax increases

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 940 words

"Hi Bibi. How are you? I am the average citizen."

Thus begins a protest letter on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's Facebook
Timeline that got over 40,000 "likes" in five days and inspired a deluge of
copycats.

Tali Oz Albo wrote the letter last Wednesday after hearing Netanyahu's
announcement that "there is no such thing as a free lunch" and about subsequent
increase in taxes.

Meanwhile, David Cohen - a US immigrant and owner of the Dancing Camel
microbrewery in Tel Aviv - tried to replicate Albo's success, posting on
Netanyahu's wall on Sunday that the increased taxes on beer are threatening his
livelihood.

Both Albo and Cohen are small business owners who, after looking for a way to
express their frustration with new austerity measures, took to Facebook. Neither
has received a response from the Prime Minister's Office but both received
overwhelmingly supportive reactions on the social network.

"I was working on Wednesday morning when I heard Netanyahu say there's no such
thing as a free lunch. It made my blood boil; I felt like I had been stabbed in
the stomach," Albo told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. "Raising taxes hurts the
middle class, people who don't have any more money to give. The government is
taking from people who are already in overdraft, who can't afford to raise their
children."

Albo, a married mother of two from Nahariya who has participated in recent
social protests and voted for Meretz and Labor in the past, owns her own online
marketing firm and works from home. She explained that social media is a tool
she uses every day; therefore, she took to Facebook to write a very sarcastic
letter to the prime minister.

"I just wanted to tell you," she wrote in the letter, "that since I finished my
army service (about 18 years ago) and lovingly did my duty for the country, I
have been sitting with my legs crossed every day at one in the afternoon. Why?
Because I know that you'll knock on my door, I'll open it and you'll bring me my
free meal!"

"I didn't start a business in the State of Israel and pay taxes from here to
Honolulu," Albo continued. "I and my husband don't bust our butts to pay rent
every month and raise our children."

Soon after Albo posted her invective it was picked up by the popular
Hebrew-language "Tweeting Statuses" group on Facebook and went viral. By
Saturday 23,000 people "liked" the letter, a number that almost doubled by
Monday.

"Behind every like is a person hurt [by the new taxes and budget cuts]," Albo
said.

On Saturday night she opened "The Average Citizens' Group" on Facebook, which by
Monday afternoon had gained over 1,700 members, including MKs Nitzan Horowitz
(Meretz) and Orit Zuarets (Kadima). The group is meant to facilitate discussion
of "the next step, so we can live like human beings" following the announced
austerity measures.

"If there's a pie it needs to be split equally," Albo said. "The prime minister
is supposed to be an expert on economics. Suddenly, he panicked and is taking
from the average citizen. It is scandalous. He doesn't care about people who
aren't surviving."

The letter by microbrewer Cohen had a more earnest, respectful tone and came
from a more supportive place, with Cohen admittedly having voted Likud in the
last election out of identification with Netanyahu's "philosophy of fiscal
restraint."

"I couldn't find another way to get to [Netanyahu]," he explained. "At first I
sent it as a private message, which was probably naive of me. In the US I could
call my congressman and someone would at least acknowledge me."

After Cohen received no response, he posted the letter on Dancing Camel's
Facebook wall and "Tweeting Statuses," after which it received "likes" from
hundreds of Anglos and native Israelis and was reposted in dozens of Facebook
groups and blogs.

Cohen recounts the story of his aliya from New Jersey nine years ago and the
founding of Dancing Camel in Tel Aviv in 2006.

"I asked for no government subsidy, I received no government handout. I invested
my own money - every last penny that I saved from working 20 years as a CPA in
New York," he wrote. "Whether from the language, the business culture or the
stifling bureaucracy, I have endured obstacles at every stage... I have done
this because I refused to be shaken from the belief that this is my home and
that this is where the history of the Jewish people will be written for the next
2,000 years."

Cohen lamented the fact that beer production was targeted for a tax increase of
over 200 percent, saying it was likely to lead to the closure of his business.

"The boutique beer industry in Israel is only just now getting off the ground.
With over 25 licensed breweries we have brought tourism, employment and national
pride to a global industry that traces its very roots to this region," Cohen
explained. "I am imploring you, I am begging you, for my own wellbeing, but also
for the wellbeing of the country, don't cast away people like us."

According to Cohen, the new tax weighs heavily on smaller breweries, leading to
an increase in prices and giving a greater edge to large bottling companies like
Tempo and Coca-Cola.

"Israel has the fourth-highest beer prices in the world. Two-thirds of my
manufacturing costs are taxes," he explained.

Cohen also took issue with the way the decision to raise taxes on beer was made,
with "no committee, no review, just five minutes of forethought" and without any
vote. In addition, he said, if the tax on beer is presented as a "sin tax" it
should apply to vodka and tequila, which is "what teenagers on street corners
drink, not boutique beer."

"It is preposterous," he said. "Why were these obvious targets missed?"

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Kahlon: I didn't have the heart to vote for cuts. Kadima forces special session
on sweeping austerity measures set for on August 6

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 464 words

Social Welfare Minister Moshe Kahlon said he opposed Finance Minister Yuval
Steinitz's economic austerity plan in Monday's cabinet vote, because he could
not bear to vote for a plan that would harm the poorest sectors of the
population.

Kahlon tried all day Monday to restore cuts that he said would harm the elderly
and the handicapped. When he failed, he told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
that he would vote against Steinitz's plan.

"My heart didn't let me vote in favor," Kahlon said. "I know of people who live
on not much more than 2,000 shekels a month and now they won't be able to buy
fruit. These people need more, not less."

Interior Minister Eli Yishai, whose Shas party ministers voted against the plan,
said he would continue fighting to minimize the damage from the cuts. He blamed
the country's economic problems on Steinitz's lack of foresight.

The four Independence Party ministers voted against for complicated economic
reasons.

Independence leader Ehud Barak said that rather than raise taxes and cut cabinet
ministries' budgets, the Treasury should increase the national debt or sell more
bonds.

"A country, just like a family, cannot live beyond its means," Barak said. "When
someone in a family needs help, families dip into their personal savings and pay
it back later. That is what a country should do as well."

Kadima on Monday submitted the 25 signatures of MKs necessary to force a special
summer Knesset session during the recess after the government passed sweeping
austerity reforms. The meeting will be held August 6.

"The little guy will once again have to pay big time," Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz
said. "The little guy cannot carry the weight of the bloated government of
Netanyahu on his back. The government scattered checks it could not cover for
three years and at the last minute is forcing the public to pay for its
irresponsible policies.

"The prime minister needs to ask himself how he brought Israel to an
unprecedented economic hole and he needs to explain to the citizens why they
have to pay the price."

Labor head Shelly Yechimovich slammed the government for approving the austerity
measures, saying the move would primarily hurt the middle class.

"Netanyahu's cuts, which were approved today by the government, are not the
solution but part of the problem," she said. "A just and fair economy and
society are the basis upon which the state of Israel must be founded. But these
concepts are completely foreign to Netanyahu."

Meretz MK Zehava Gal-On called the cabinet's decision "cruel."

"Economic discussions held today by the government were fixed and their results
were predetermined," she said. "Government ministers, many of whom purportedly
support the social justice agenda, have betrayed themselves as the lackeys of
Netanyahu and Steinitz."

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Moshe Kahlon (Credit: netanyahu.com)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Romney nets over $1m. in first-ever presidential fund-raiser in Israel

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 654 words

US Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney left Israel for Poland Monday
with over $1 million more in his campaign war chest than when he arrived,
following the first-ever presidential fund-raiser in the country.

Some 47 people attended breakfast at a room in Jerusalem's King David Hotel with
Romney, his wife, and one of his sons, at the price of $50,000 per couple.
Romney spoke for some 20 minutes and focused on the economy, both in the US and
in Israel. He then took a couple of questions.

Romney's wife, Ann, also spoke briefly, and expressed her attachment to Israel.

"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which
is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across
the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per
capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality,"
Mitt Romney said.

Citing Harvard professor David Landes' book The Wealth and Poverty of Nations,
Romney attributed the differences to culture, an innovative business culture,
and the resilience of the Jewish people.

"I am overwhelmingly impressed with the hand of providence, whenever it chooses
to apply itself, and also the greatness of the human spirit, and how individuals
who reach for greatness and have purpose above themselves are able to build and
accomplish things that could only be done by a species created in the image of
God," Romney said.

"I come to this place, therefore, with a sense of profound humility, as I look
around here at great people who've accomplished a great thing, and also a sense
of spiritual connection, acknowledging the hand of providence in establishing
this place and making it a holy city."

MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List - Ta'al) slammed the presumptive Republican
presidential hopeful's comments, saying they represented a combination of
"racism and ignorance," along with totally ignoring the limitations on "an
economy under occupation."

Romney sat during the breakfast at the head of a U-shaped table with casino
magnate Sheldon Adelson, who has said he is willing to spend $100 million to
defeat US President Barack Obama in the coming elections.

Among others attending the event were New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, New
York hedge fund manager Paul Singer, New York lawyer Phil Rosen, New York
healthcare venture capitalist Ken Abramowitz, Miami businessman Simon Falic,
Detroit developer John Rakolta, Bob Pence - a Virginia based commercial
developer - and Lisa Spies, who is Romney's finance chair.

Marc Zell, co-chairman of Republicans Abroad Israel, pointed out that 15-20
percent of those in the room were American-Israelis.

Abramowitz, who flew in especially for this event and Romney's speech Sunday
evening overlooking the Old City walls, said he did so because "I passionately
want Romney elected."

"If he can take the time out of his busy schedule to come here, I can come and
greet him," said Abramowitz, who has attended a fundraiser a month for Romney
for the past 10 months.

Asked if he thought Romney felt an emotional connection to Israel, Abramowitz
said he felt the former Massachusetts governor had a warm place in his heart for
Israel.

Romney, he said, appreciates Israel from a business perspective, and also has
deep respect for America's allies.

In addition, said Abramowitz, as a Mormon - a religion with only some 14 million
adherents around the world, similar to the world's Jewish population - Romney
understands what it is like to be part of a minority religion that has felt
religious persecution.

Zell said Monday's event was the first time either party had held a fund-raiser
in Israel.

Under US law, only US citizens or holders of valid Green Cards are allowed to
contribute to campaigns.

Zell said both parties were fundraising aggressively overseas, with the Obama
campaign having held dinners in numerous countries, including China, Hong Kong
and Switzerland.

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Tunis calling

BYLINE: MATTHEW SCHWEITZER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 898 words

The nation that set the Arabic-speaking world on fire stands in a position to
inspire the region again. For Egypt and Libya, Tunisia's reforms provide a model
for their own faltering democratic processes. However, Tunisia may be a far more
powerful example with regards to the Palestinian Authority still trying to
hammer out its own governmental structure.

Largely "built" in Tunis during the 1980s, after PLO leader Yasser Arafat fled
there from Beirut, today's Palestinian Authority seems to draw significantly
from its past experience. For PA President Mahmoud Abbas, it is apparent that
the lessons he learned in Tunis have influenced him, a man who places a high
value on key issues such as education, women's empowerment and employment.

Tunisia's month-long revolution last year sparked the Arab Spring movement,
encouraging dissent across the region, and leading to the ouster of Egypt's
Mubarak and Libya's Gaddafi. Since Tunisia's dictator Zine El Abdine Ben Ali was
deposed, his former country has made great strides towards becoming the first
Arab Spring country to reach the democratic end-goal, praised by leaders in many
Western nations. Moreover, it has become a remarkably moderate country, given
the Islamist influence prevalent there.

Last week in Tunis, a freely-elected assembly heatedly debated a new
constitution. In the early hours on Tuesday morning, July 17, Tunisia's most
powerful Islamist party reelected a moderate, Rachid Ghannouchi, as its head,
muffling more radical calls for Islamist leadership. The majority party,
Ennahda, even announced that Sharia Law would not influence the character of new
legislative or judicial systems, an apparent concession to the secular parties
that form the ruling coalition.

Such cooperation between conservative and secular factions, straddled by
Ghannouchi, could help form the basis of similar dialogue between analogous
parties in the West Bank and Gaza. The political dynamics in the Palestinian
territories resemble Tunisia's to a certain degree.

Abbas, head of the West Bank's secular Fatah party, has tried time and again to
reconcile with the Islamist Hamas leadership in Gaza. A list of Middle Eastern
cities attests to the failed attempts: Cairo, Mecca, Sanaa. But as Tunisia
enters the next phase of its revolution, there might yet be hope.

Ennahda most closely resembles the political face of Hamas, and the connections
between the two groups are strong. Ennahda leadership have described Palestine
as "the central cause of the Arab-Muslim nation," and Hamas leader Khaled
Mechaal recently addressed the congress of Tunisia's ruling Islamist party.
These ties are of course worrying, for despite Hamas' reforms in recent years it
still remains committed to militant resistance to Israel. Ennahda's support -
and success in Tunisia - emboldens adherents to this stance.

Yet Ennahda has managed to work effectively within a Tunisian coalition with
secular democratic parties. Ghannouchi's election solidified this cooperation.
The most important debate in Tunis today is not whether agreement is possible,
but rather whether a strong presidency or a parliamentary system is best. The
outcome will most likely to be a compromise with the liberal and left-wing
opposition parties. Hamas should follow this example.

Although closed-door policy sessions have produced "few smiles" according to
Tunisia's Human Rights Minister Samir Dilou, Ennahda party officials announced
that there would be an opening of a great number of posts to members of small
parties that were not yet part of the ruling "troika," the coalition of
Ennahdha, and two secular parties, the Congress for the Republic and Ettakatol.

The biggest hurdle facing the secularists is their own disunity, which was a
major reason for their defeat in the most recent elections when many secular
votes were wasted on independent candidates. Fatah politics mirrors this
discord. Numerous rivalries exist within Fatah leadership and competing local
councils. Like their Tunisian counterparts, this rivalry led to an electoral
loss, in this case to Hamas in the 2006 elections.

Can the secularists in Tunisia teach Fatah a lesson?

The coming months will provide a more definite answer, but the outlook is
positive. Most secular Tunisians feel that they could defeat Ennahda in future
elections if only they were united. The 85-year-old former prime minister, Beji
Caid Essebsi, who has played a prominent role in Tunisian politics since the
1950s, is trying to achieve this feat. If Fatah can learn a lesson from Essebsi,
it should be this: unity before opposition. Only by finding a single voice can
its policies become electorally viable.

As for Hamas, it should learn a thing or two from Ennahda: political
participation above militancy. The international community will never recognize
Hamas as a legitimate factor until it ceases from its terrorist activities and
joins the political community.

If Palestinian factions finally come together, a constructive dialogue can be
opened with Israeli officials to manage their enduring conflict. If the right
lessons are learned, Tunis's success could model the achievement of this goal.

The writer is the Dean's Scholar at the University of Chicago, and the founding
editor of The Post-War Watch, an online repository of original analysis about
the legacy of Western operations in the Middle East and the region's future.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Tunisia's Arab Spring can teach the Palestinians a thing or two

GRAPHIC: Photo: EMULATE THIS. Tunisians sit on the steps of the opera house in
downtown Tunis. (Credit: Seth J. Frantzman)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Senior police officer sexually harassed woman

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 293 words

A senior policeman from the Judea and Samaria district sexually harassed a woman
over a period of months via phone calls, the Justice Ministry's Police
Investigations Department said Monday.

According to an indictment filed on Monday, Dep.-Cmdr. Marc Amiel, of the
Investigations Department of the Ariel Police Station, made dozens of calls to a
woman found to possess drugs for personal use, and failed to notify her that her
case was closed.

The woman's home was searched by police in August 2010 and found to contain a
small quantity of drugs. She was detained for questioning and admitted to using
drugs for medical purposes.

Police released the woman after questioning, and within a few weeks, Amiel
closed the case against her. However, he allegedly did not notify her of the
closure as required by protocol, the charge sheet said.

What allegedly came next was a series of sexual offers made over the phone.

"The accused allegedly called the woman, presented himself as an officer, and
said her case was before him pending a decision. He asked her to arrive at the
station with documents on her medical and physical condition," the charge sheet
said.

The woman complied, and began telling her difficult life story to the officer,
while breaking down in tears. He allegedly promised to close her case.

In the following four months, Amiel allegedly called the woman dozens of times
from his office and personal cellphone, and told her she was depressed because
of lack of sex, while offering to "ease her suffering."

The woman rejected the offers, saying she was interested in a friendship
instead, but that allegedly did not stop barrage of alleged sexual offers.

"The accused misused his authority as a policeman, and breached public trust,"
the indictment said.

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Border Police kill Palestinian near Ma'aleh Adumim. Two passengers, one officer
injured when van with 13 workers fails to stop at checkpoint

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff; Reuters contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 196 words

Border Police officers killed one passenger after firing at a Palestinian
vehicle traveling toward a checkpoint near Ma'aleh Adumim on Sunday night.

A Border Police spokesman said the driver failed to stop his car despite
repeated warnings by the officers. Palestinian paramedics evacuated two
Palestinians to a Ramallah hospital, while a third, who was severely wounded,
was rushed to Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem, but
did not survive.

A Border Police officer, lightly injured by shrapnel, was taken to Hadassah
University Medical Center on Jerusalem's Mount Scopus.

A spokesman for the Border Police stated that the Palestinians "had intent to
harm the officers."

Bethlehem-based news agency Ma'an quoted one of the men from the van saying it
was transporting 13 workers to Jerusalem.

The driver of the van received a message from another driver that the soldiers
at the checkpoint were being strict and decided to take another route, Khaled
Abdullah told Ma'an.

"As the driver started to turn, Border Police opened fire at the car without
asking the driver to stop," he said.

Forces searched the vehicle and opened an investigation into the incident.

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Photo - CALLING FOR REVOLUTION

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 31 words

CALLING FOR REVOLUTION. Activists and relatives of political prisoners wave
banners and shout slogans yesterday during a protest against the government in
front of the Tora prison in Cairo.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: CALLING FOR REVOLUTION. Activists and relatives of political
prisoners wave banners and shout slogans yesterday during a protest against the
government in front of the Tora prison in Cairo. (Credit: Reuters)

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

International accrediting committee finds Bar-Ilan's Statistics Department
lacking

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 181 words

The Council for Higher Education in Israel has instructed Bar-Ilan University to
freeze its statistics program for the 2012-2013 school year.

The move came after an international accrediting committee found shortcomings in
the university's Statistics Department, including a lack of lecturers and
learning material that is not up-to-date.

Bar-Ilan is the only university in Israel where students are able to earn a
degree in statistics and mathematics, as opposed to studying statistics as part
of a social sciences program. According to a university spokesman, registration
for its statistics program waned in recent years, and Bar-Ilan consulted with
the Council for Higher Education about suspending it.

Soon after, the international accrediting committee was brought to Bar-Ilan to
examine its Statistics Department and found that it did not meet its standards.

The spokesman said Bar-Ilan is freezing the program for one year in order to
examine the situation and find a solution to the department's enrollment
problem. One possibility, he said, was to separate the degree from mathematics.

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July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Syria's wealthy dragged into revolt

BYLINE: STEPHEN STARR/The Media Line

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 1146 words

BEIRUT - Ahmad is from a well-to-do Sunni family and lives in a wealthy area of
central Damascus. He was recently married and is trained as a dentist, but his
interests stretch from politics to Arabic music. In the past he spoke of his
admiration for President Bashar Assad, whom he saw as a man attempting to angle
free from the regime forces of his father's generation to build a new Syria.

Seven months ago when I last spoke to Ahmad (whose last name cannot be published
for security reasons), he preached of giving the authorities time to enact their
reforms "because the alternative - civil war - is so much worse than them," he
said. At that time, he spoke of how reform "takes time" and of how changing a
40-year-old system takes "much longer than a couple of months."

The recent violence in Damascus has seen Ahmad, like thousands of other Syrians,
flee the city for Lebanon. Tens of thousands of middle-class Damascenes
packed-up and left for Lebanon when on July 16, government forces began an
operation to oust rebels from parts of the city. Ahmad left shortly after, his
family following a couple of days later.

Earlier this month, the violence that has gripped much of the country finally
arrived in Damascus. The so-called Free Syrian Army - comprised primarily of
defectors from the regime's forces - mounted a campaign of attacks on government
buildings in several districts of Syria's capital.

The regime's response was immediate and brutal.

Government helicopters fired rockets and security forces shelled the residential
areas where the FSA was operating. Hundreds of residents caught in the crossfire
were killed and many more injured. On July 20, following four days of intense
fighting in south and northeast Damascus, the rebels fled in what they called a
"tactical withdrawal."

Today, civilians in the affected areas still fear a backlash from government
militias, or shabiha, for what the regime may perceive as their compliance with
the rebels.

It has been this brutality, this total lack of regard for civilians, says Ahmad,
which has changed his and others' views about the Syrian government.

"Six months ago I would say 60 percent of people in Damascus wanted the regime
to stay; three months ago maybe 40%," says Ahmad.

"But now, so much more blood has been spilt; only maybe 10% of people in the
city still support them. Now we have seen firsthand what they are capable of
doing to us," he adds.

"There were streams of families clutching their belongings walking along the
streets of central Damascus during this time [of the battles]. This is something
we are not used to, this is something we see on television happening to people
in Homs or Idlib or Iraq - not here in the heart of Damascus," he says as he
muses on the prism of historical pride Damascenes have come to view themselves
through.

For Damascenes - who had not been directly affected by the regime's weapons; who
had not had their homes destroyed in shelling or relatives killed in the
fighting - for these few days there was no electricity, no food and no one dared
to move in the streets. The regime had taken over the city. "The stench of
garbage was horrific," Ahmad recalls.

Damascus has changed almost out of recognition over the past months, he says, as
he tells of the bleak situation facing the city where the vast majority of
civilians are dependent on their savings to survive.

Motorists no longer stop at traffic lights at night. Western-style cafes built
to meet demand from a once-growing number of young, wealthy Damascenes are doing
a very slack trade. Illegal, unlicensed, street traders have mushroomed on
sidewalks in all parts of the city center. For many, it has been these small but
noticeable changes that have swelled a sense of fear in the capital.

The breakdown in law and order inside Damascus, says Ahmad, has been most
apparent in the aggressiveness of the security forces that now man checkpoints
throughout the city.

"Last week they stopped my wife and I when we were driving. They were very
aggressive, asking us who we were, where we were going, but in a very aggressive
way. It was as if they wanted to arrest us, they were looking for a reaction, an
excuse to take me in. But I stayed calm, fortunately."

Ahmad spoke of driving to the restless Eastern suburb of Qudsayiyya - a
10-minute drive from the city center, where apartments regularly fetch sell for
more than $1m. - earlier this month where he reported driving through a scene he
could not quite believe.

"Telephone and electricity pylons were smashed on the streets, everywhere was
dark. I saw five bodies left out in the open. Their [the regime's] idea was to
show the locals that this is what happens to you if you oppose us, if you
demonstrate."

Such scenes have forced him and his family to organize backup plans. His father
has rented an apartment in Jounieh, a resort town north of Beirut, for when
fleeing Damascus becomes necessary.

But the revolution has hit wealthy peoples' pockets, too.

"My father has three apartments in Damascus and they're all empty. He had a good
business but now, like everyone, it's finished. He's thinking of moving to Saudi
and maybe then to the UK with the rest of my family if he can."

The vast majority of Damascus residents fleeing the capital have found
themselves in a far graver situation than Ahmad, and are running for their
lives. His friend sitting with us at a cafZ on Nejmah square in downtown Beirut
lives in the Lebanese-Syrian border town of Chtoura and says there are 30,000
Syrians living there temporarily.

As of last week UNHCR, the UN organization which supports refugees, has
registered 120,028 refugees in Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan. The actual
figure is likely to be far greater.

However, the fact that the city's elite are forced into such action - and such
radical views given the prosperity they enjoyed under the Assad regime - is
startling.

But Ahmad is returning to Damascus, or Sham as it is colloquially known, soon.
There he will wait and hope for the regime to fall.

"The big problem for people is that they cannot make any plans. They are stuck
one day at a time, every day for 16 months."

Relative quiet has returned to the capital during the past few days as the
Syrian army concentrates its efforts on assailing rebel forces in the northern
city of Aleppo where, like Damascus, opponents to the Assad regime have taken
control of a number of residential neighborhoods.

But the violence will return to the capital.

The rebels' inability to defeat regime forces during recent skirmishes in the
capital does not necessarily mean the government will prevail. It does, however,
mean this revolt will continue for some time, and that many more lives will be
lost.

Families like Ahmad's, who live several hundred meters from the presidential
palace - the ultimate prize for rebels - are likely to find themselves fleeing
the city once more.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SYRIAN REFUGEES carry their belongings to the Masnaa crossing on
the Syria-Lebanon border. (Credit: Reuters/Mohamed Azakir)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

526 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Tal Law set to expire tomorrow

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 418 words

The Council for Military Service Equality, a leading campaign group for national
service-draft reform, issued a statement on Monday "to remind the prime minister
and the defense minister" that the Tal Law will expire within 48 hours, after
which they will have to "begin to draft all 18-year-olds into the army,"
including from the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community.

Since 2002 the Tal Law has provided the legal framework for full-time yeshiva
students to defer national service, but it expires on August 1 with no law to
replace it.

This means that the 1949 Law for Security Service - which mandates military
service for all citizens at the age of 18 - will be incumbent on yeshiva
students as well.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said that in light of the failure to replace the
Tal Law, the draft would be widened, once the law expires, to include haredi men
"on the basis of preparatory work done by the IDF over the past year to prepare
for increased haredi enlistment," which the government had requested.

It seems unlikely, however, that the 54,000 full- time yeshiva students who are
currently deferring their military service, or the several thousand haredi men
turning 18 this year, will be drafted on August 1.

Barak has already stated that the Defense Ministry is forming a special
committee to draft - within three months - a temporary order to fill the legal
vacuum until the Knesset passes a new law to deal with the issue.

But groups campaigning for IDF draft reform have threatened that if haredi men
are not drafted they will file a stream of lawsuits to the High Court of Justice
against the Defense Ministry demanding that it adhere to the 1949 law.

In its statement on Monday, the Council for Military Service Equality added that
the budget currently being drafted does not include an increase in funds for the
army to draft large numbers of haredim. The council said this was a deliberate
step which will be answered "on the ground" and through legal channels.

The religious freedom lobby group Hiddush along with the Free Israel movement
sent letters to Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and the government's legal
adviser stating that come August 1 the transfer of any funds to yeshiva students
on the basis of the Tal Law will be illegal. Every month NIS 13 million are
transferred to yeshiva students from the state amounting to some NIS 400 million
a year. The organizations have also filed a petition with the High Court of
Justice to prevent the funds being transferred after the law expires.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Cabinet approves austerity measures. VAT, income tax for above-average wage
earners rise by 1 percentage point. Ministry budgets slashed by 5%

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 820 words

The cabinet approved a series of sweeping austerity measures Monday, including
tax hikes and spending cuts which it hopes will raise NIS 14.15 billion next
year and reduce the budget deficit by 1.5 percent.

The plan passed by a vote of 20 to 9, with the four Shas ministers, the four
Independence Party ministers and Social Welfare Minister Moshe Kahlon (Likud)
voting against. When Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz saw that Defense Minister
Ehud Barak was voting against it despite his ministry being exempt from the
cuts, Steinitz decided to slash NIS 100 million from the defense budget. Late
Monday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that part of the NIS
100 million will be used to fund the fortification of the Barzilai Hospital,
while the other half will go towards easing planned cuts to education
programming.

According to the plan, value-added tax will rise by one percentage point to 17%
Wednesday. All income between NIS 8,881 and 41,830 per month will be taxed an
extra 1%, while all income above NIS 67,000 per month will be charged a 2%
surtax, starting January 1.

Netanyahu acknowledged that the package was "harsh," in his comments at the
start of the weekly cabinet meeting, but he said the global economy was
deteriorating and that the time has come to take additional steps to protect the
Israeli economy and Israeli jobs.

"Governments that did not act in time, did not take determined action and did
not act responsibly, caused great harm to their people, both in terms of mass
unemployment and in terms of crumbling social systems," Netanyahu said, in
reference to the conduct of Greece, Spain and other struggling European
countries in the past few years.

"We will not allow that to happen. I will not allow that to happen. We need to
act responsibly, with determination and in time," the prime minister said.

Steinitz said the reforms were "not enjoyable," but stressed that the government
must show it will meet next year's 3% deficit target and maintain Israel's "good
image" as an island of economic stability and place for investment. He added
that the measures were being taken "not only for the economy, but for the
people," so that Israelis do not suffer the same fate as their counterparts in
Europe and the US.

Under the package, tax for the fourth highest income bracket, those earning
between NIS 8,881 and 14,430 per month, will increase from 21% to 22%. Tax for
the second and third highest income brackets will rise 1% to 31% and 34%
respectively. Tax for the highest and two lowest income brackets will remain at
48%, 14%, and 10% respectively.

Employers will also share the burden. Their contributions to the National
Insurance Institute for all workers earning over 60% of the average salary will
rise from the current 5.9% to 6.5% in 2013, 7% in 2014, and 7.5% in 2015.

A temporary order introduced in February 2011 which increased the purchase tax
on investment apartments will be extended to the end of 2013. The order
stipulates tax of 5% on properties costing up to NIS 1 million, 6% on properties
costing NIS 1 to 3 million, and 7% on properties costing NIS 3 million and
above.

The Green Tax, which sets purchase tax rates for vehicles based on their
pollution levels, will be updated according to the latest Environmental
Protection Ministry data.

In a bid to bring in around NIS 5 billion in revenues, the Tax Authority's power
to enforce regulations will be strengthened, larger fines will be imposed on
businesses caught making black market transactions and the Encouragement of
Capital Investments Law will be amended to allow for tax collections from large
corporations that benefit from specific arrangements with the state.

In addition to all these reforms, the government last week increased the
purchase tax on cigarettes and cigars from 260.6% to 278.6%, and purchase tax on
beer from NIS 2.18 per liter to NIS 4.19 per liter.

On the expenditure side, the government will implement an across-the-board 5%
cut to ministry budgets for the remainder of this year and a further 3% cut next
year, to finance what Netanyahu and Steinitz have called "changes in
priorities."

Only the Education Ministry escaped such a massive cut: Its budget will be
reduced by 1% this year and an extra 3% next year.

About NIS 700 million shekels will be diverted toward three tasks: preventing
migrants from crossing into Israel from Sinai, reforming the national
firefighting system and preparing the Home Front for an emergency.

Netanyahu promised the government would not reverse any of the actions it took
to reduce the cost of living as part of its implementation of last year's
Trajtenberg Report. He said 300,000 families will still save NIS 800 per month
when free education for children ages 3 to 4 and free after-hours education care
for children ages 3 to 9 is implemented in September, and that close to 400,000
families will still receive hundreds of shekels in tax credits.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Binyamin Netanyahu (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem
Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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528 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

The facts about the Jewish vote in the US

BYLINE: KENNETH WALD

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 700 words

The debate arises in every presidential campaign: Will this be the election when
pundits, pollsters and prognosticators ask when American Jews will break their
longtime alliance with the Democratic Party and start to embrace Republican
candidates? Will Jewish voters migrate toward the right side of the aisle once
and for all? With Republicans concentrating on attracting the Jewish community
to their ranks, will Jewish voting behavior change?

To get to the bottom of these questions, let's first take a look at some of the
basics. American Jews make up no more than two percent of the US population, yet
manage to play an outsized role across the broad spectrum of national politics.

Dating back to the 1920's, Jewish voters have consistently, repeatedly and
overwhelmingly voted for Democratic candidates at the presidential, statewide,
congressional and local levels. And despite the belief that Jews would follow in
the footsteps of other ethnic groups in growing more politically conservative as
they became more established in the United States, the Jewish community has
remained, by and large, a staunch, reliable Democratic constituency.

This, and recognizing the ongoing fascination with Jewish voter patterns among
the political classes, led the non-partisan Solomon Project to release a report
analyzing the Jewish vote over the past four decades. The results illuminate
clear trends and habits, and demonstrate incredible consistency in Democratic
support among the Jewish community.

Though the sample size is small, this analysis paints a clear picture of
American-Jewish political participation, delving deeply into the details of
state and national polling data, party breakdowns, age, gender, marital status,
level of religious observance, and a host of other factors.

The report illustrates a few clear facts. First, breaking down the research into
two eras, Jewish backing of Democratic candidates has actually grown over time.
Next, Jewish support for Democrats far outpaces the party's support nationwide.
Finally, a majority of Jews identify themselves as Democrats and a plurality as
liberals - and those numbers have remained remarkably stable over time.

Digging deeper, the study determines that Jewish women and more highly-educated
Jews are more likely to vote Democratic than the rest of the community.

Older Jewish voters continue to vote for Democrats at incredibly high rates and
there is no evidence to suggest that younger voters will move away from
Democrats in the future. On the other end of the age spectrum, more than
three-quarters of Jewish voters under the age of 30 have sided with Democrats in
the past three presidential elections.

Since 1992, Jewish backing for Democrats has risen compared to previous decades
- and there is no concrete reason to believe any hype about lasting or sustained
gains for Republicans.

Despite the predictions of Republican strategists and conservative analysts, the
numbers tell a clear story: the American-Jewish community has stood with the
Democratic Party in election after election. Is there any reason to expect much
change in November?

The polling shows that Jewish voters continue to approve of US President Barack
Obama's job performance and policies - from his efforts to revitalize to the
economy to his landmark health-reform legislation. If history is any guide, it
appears that Obama will earn their confidence, trust - and most importantly -
their votes in the fall.

Between now and November there is going to be a lot of talk about the Jewish
vote. According, to data since 1972, American Jews have been Democrats for
decades and whatever happens on election day, it's important to remember to
inspire our political discourse with facts and figures. The Solomon Project was
able to give us some numbers to actually analyze the voting behavior of the
Jewish community in a data-based way.

Dr. Kenneth Wald is a co-author of the new Jewish vote analysis by the
non-partisan Solomon Project, 'Jewish American Voting Behavior 1972-2008: Just
the Facts.' Wald is the Samuel R. 'Bud' Shorstein Professor of American Jewish
Culture & Society at the University of Florida and was a contributor to the
book, Jews in American Politics.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Jewish backing of Democratic candidates has actually grown over time.
Next, Jewish support for Democrats far outpaces the party's support nationwide

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE PRIME MINISTER hosts a Bible study group. (Credit: Marc
Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

529 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Biblical rhapsody and regret

BYLINE: DAVID M. WEINBERG

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 636 words

The annual Herzog College Bible study seminar at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon
Shvut - attended recently by over 6,000 men and women, young and old, religious
and secular - is a magnificent enterprise, an intellectual treat, and an
exhilarating spiritual experience. Yet the Israeli press regularly ignores this
uplifting event, year after year. The military censor itself couldn't have done
a better job of blocking news of the conference.

Why? Probably because Israeli journalists are embarrassed by the Bible's
popularity. They're petrified that so many people feel that the Bible is
relevant.

The Herzog College Bible studies seminar was founded 20 years ago by its parent
institution, the Har Etzion hesder yeshiva in Alon Shvut. The seminar offers a
choice of 200 lectures across five days, ranging from biblical archeology to
hermeneutics; linguistics; poetry; prophecy; politics; theology; history;
geography; translation; cosmology and creationism; mysticism; midrash; and law,
covering all 24 books of the Bible.

The classes are both academic and traditional, incorporating 21st century
scholarship and Talmudic interpretation and creative readings alongside
conventional approaches. Dozens of books with contemporary analysis of the Bible
are published every year by the college. The lecture days are nearly always sold
out, as is an additional day of biblical field tours.

Herzog College lecturers are yeshiva deans and university professors, men and
women, scholarly giants such as Rabbis Yoel Bin Nun, Yaakov Medan, Elhanan Samet
and Menachem Liebtag - who have birthed the critical study of Bible within the
yeshiva world - along with academic stars like Professors Uriel Simon, Amos
Frisch, Yonatan Grossman and Yael Ziegler.

Alas, these names mean nothing to the average Israeli.

To understand my frustration, consider this: Were five staid old professors of
literature to gather at Ben Gurion University for a half-day seminar to mark the
publication of a new novel by Amos Oz - the whole country would know about it!

Each of those aged academics would be interviewed several dozen times by Israeli
television and radio and every self-respecting newspaper. The media would be
awash in celebration of the wisdom and wit spilling forth from the pen of a
favorite literary oracle. The feting would go on for weeks. Such high culture!

Were it a new AB Yehoshua novel, even The New York Times and Le Monde would join
the festivities. In fact, Oz and Yehoshua might get knighted for their new
books, and the five bespectacled, balding professors who professionally study
their works would all get Israel Prizes - and yet more media attention.

Happily, the Bible seminar's growing popularity suggests that many Israelis
indeed feel that the Bible is relevant to modern Israel. The Bible is relevant
because it roots our identity in this land and inspires us to build-up the land
of Israel. The Bible is relevant because it fleshes out the mistakes of our past
and prescribes fixes for the future. Because it demands of us loyalty to God and
to high moral principles. Because it teaches personal responsibility and public
accountability. Because it insists on social justice and social welfare.

Every year, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow and Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau use their Herzog College
bully pulpits to exhort about the need for greater social justice in Israeli
society, drawing instruction from the prophets Isaiah, Micha and others. "Zion
shall be redeemed with justice and righteousness" (Isaiah 1:27).

But since the theological imperatives of the Bible are considered of no
consequence by today's elites and yuppies, the social impulses of the Bible get
thrown out with the Divine bathwater. That's really too bad.

The writer is the director of public affairs at Bar-Ilan University's
Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Israeli journalists are embarrassed by the Bible's popularity. They're
petrified that so many people feel that the Bible is relevant

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE PRIME minister hosts a Bible study at his residence.
(Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

530 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

Philanthropist Fred Worms dies at 91. Businessman gave to Jerusalem's cultural
and religious life, 'spent 50 years making aliya'

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 1281 words

It's difficult to know whether Frankfurt-born philanthropist Fred Worms, who
died on Monday at age 91, should be referred to as a German, a Brit or an
Israeli. In fact, he too had an identity problem in this regard judging by his
autobiography A Life in Three Cities: Frankfurt, London and Jerusalem published
in June 1996.

The highly successful businessman and benefactor greatly contributed to
developing the cultural, sporting and religious landscape of Jerusalem and
Israel. He is best known for establishing Kfar Hamaccabia in Ramat Gan, which
hosts the Maccabia Games, and co-founding the International Jewish Sports Hall
of Fame.

Though he and his wife Della only made aliya in 2009, they have been active in
the life of the country for decades.

"We've been making aliya for 50 years, but two years ago we completed the
process and did it properly," Worms told The Jerusalem Post last year.

"I had a remarkably lucky and wealthy business career, and I knew I had to pay
something back to 'Medinat Yisrael' [the State of Israel] and Hashem [God], so
I've been busy for many years doing just that."

Worms, who amassed his wealth as an entrepreneur in engineering, automobile
accessory and real estate in post-World War II Britain, gave together with his
wife to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to build the Scopus Student Village,
the capital's Botanical Gardens, the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Hillel,
the Israel Museum, Emunah, the B'nai B'rith World Center, the Pelech and Efrata
schools, the Shalom Hartman Institute, the Steinsaltz Institute for Jewish
Studies and the Jerusalem Foundation, among others.

Worms was born into an Orthodox home in Frankfurt on November 21, 1920. He was a
Zionist from an early age and a member of the Habonim Dror movement. When the
Nazis came to power in Germany, it was no longer possible for Jewish schools or
youth groups to have their summer camps in Germany and the Habonim camp moved to
Switzerland where Worms took on a leadership role.

As life in Germany became increasingly difficult for Jews, Worms' mother, Meta,
who divorced his father when Worms was 10 years old, decided Germany had become
too dangerous, and so in April 1937 she sent her son, who was then 16, to
London.

He enrolled at St. Paul's School in Hammersmith. Going to a church school was a
major culture shock for the boy who only a few weeks earlier had been a pupil at
the Samson Raphael Hirsch School in Frankfurt.

After leaving school in 1939, Worms applied for a job as an articled clerk with
a highly reputed accounting firm. The young man had the audacity to tell his
employer that he would not work on Sabbath or other Jewish holidays. The
employer, who had offered him a good salary, was taken aback and reminded him
that he was in the heart of London, not the East End, then a predominantly
Jewish neighborhood. Worms apologized for wasting the man's time, but the
employer, who was also Jewish, was impressed with his integrity and made the
concession.

When the war broke out, Worms, like many otehr German refugees during the war,
both Jewish and non-Jewish, was interned as an enemy alien briefly.

Afterwards, Worms worked as a chartered accountant and eventually became an
entrepreneur in the engineering and motor car industry.

In 1950, Della Rosenberg, a pretty young woman at the Norrice Lea Synagogue,
caught his eye, and he found himself concentrating less on the service and more
on her. He proposed to her after a seven-week courtship. They were engaged for
nine months and married in the Norrice Lea Synagogue on February 6, 1951.

The couple had three daughters - Nadia, Hilary and Caroline - who each left home
at age 18 and settled in Israel. It was in the cards that their parents would
follow.

Fred and Della Worms, an inseparable couple, frequently visited Jerusalem not
only to visit their daughters, grandchildren, and eventually great-
grandchildren, but also to attend to their many philanthropic projects.

Through the Fred and Della Worms Charitable Trust and the separate Fred Worms
Charitable Trust, they supported numerous causes in Britain and Israel,
particularly those supporting education, cultural heritage, the arts, the
environment and conservation.

In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II conferred the title of Officer of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire on Worms in appreciation of his exceptional efforts
as chairman of the B'nai B'rith Housing Association of Great Britain which had
provided housing for the elderly.

Worms, a lover of sports, belonged to the Maccabi Sports Club. After serving in
various positions with British Maccabi and the Maccabi World Union, Worms
succeeded Pierre Gildesgame as president of the MWU, serving in that role from
1982 to 1986. In 1994 he was elected honorary president, and retired from the
post on May 2, 2010, to coincide with Herzl's 150th birthday.

In 1992, Della and Fred Worms were awarded the Jerusalem Medal, designed by
Jacques Lifshitz, for Benefactors of the Holy City. Two years later, they were
made honorary fellows of the Israel Museum.

The Worms have been committed supporters of the Israel Museum since soon after
its establishment, but their most meaningful contribution came in 1990, when
Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, the founder of both the Israel Museum and the
Jerusalem Foundation, was celebrating his 75th birthday. Worms asked him what he
wanted for his birthday.

Kollek replied that he would like to pray in the Cochin synagogue. The Worms
were quite happy to pay for his trip to India, but that's not what he meant.
Kollek wanted to pray in the Cochin synagogue in Jerusalem. He wanted the
ancient synagogue to be brought to the capital and to be permanently installed
in the Israel Museum.

Kollek's wish was their command, and the Cochin synagogue, which had been
dismantled and reassembled at the Israel Museum, was formally opened to the
public in June 1995 with the participation of the Indian ambassador and some 400
Indian Israelis from Bombay and Cochin.

In June 2011, Worms received the Teddy Kollek award in a ceremony at the
Knesset, particularly meaningful in light of his long and close relationship
with the famed Jerusalem mayor.

When the Worms family first acquired a property in Herzliya some 50 years ago,
they continued to commute to London, where so many of their friends had summer
homes.

But later, thanks to Kollek, they moved to Jerusalem. They were looking for an
apartment for one of their daughters and Kollek suggested that they purchase a
ruin in Yemin Moshe from the Jerusalem Foundation and rebuild it in accordance
with their needs. This is exactly what they did, including building a separate
small apartment for themselves. They later moved to King David's Court, adjacent
to the King David Hotel, which became their permanent home when they made aliya
in 2009 and not just their holiday home.

Notwithstanding advancing age, Worms continued his philanthropic activities in
Jerusalem, and never lost his enthusiasm for Jerusalem's cultural life. He
participated in recent events at the Israel Museum, in mid-April he attended the
launch of the Living Water section of the Children's Discovery Garden at the
Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, and in January was in the audience for British
actor David Weston's presentation at the Konrad Adenauer Center of Shakespeare
in Jerusalem.

Worms made aliya to Jerusalem, a city that he loved dearly, more so because the
walls of the Old City were visible from the balcony of his apartment.

His final resting place is neither in Frankfurt nor in London, but Jerusalem,
which captured both his heart and his mind.

His funeral took place at Har Hamenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem's Givat Shaul on
Monday evening.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Fred Worms in Jerusalem. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The
Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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531 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 31, 2012 Tuesday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 384 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 31, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that UNSCOP in Geneva finally
decided to visit the Jewish refugee camps in Europe and to ask for evidence from
officials of the International Refugee Organization.

The two kidnapped British sergeants were still missing and were feared dead. The
Irgun Zva'i Leumi announced that both sergeants were tried by an underground
court and condemned to death and that the sentence had been carried out.

Twenty-two sick refugees, out of 4,500, landed from the Exodus 1947 group at
Port de Bouc, as others stood firm in their demand to be taken to Palestine.

British foreign secretary Ernest Bevin told the House of Commons that if all
parties concerned in the future of Palestine accepted the British attempt to get
a settlement "appalling things" would be avoided. The appalling things, he said,
happened as a result of terrorist attempts to defy both Britain and the UN.

Two British soldiers were killed by a mine close to Afula.

The remaining refugees from Fourteen and Return to Zion landed in Cyprus.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 31, 1947, The Jerusalem Post reported that president Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and
his wife were cheered by large crowds upon their arrival in Brazzaville, Congo
Republic.

Moshe Sneh (Communist) and Israel Guri (Mapai), the chairman of the Knesset
Finance Committee, criticized the banning of publication of a certain passage in
the State Comptroller's Report No. 12, in reference to the budget of the Negev
atomic reactor.

The Knesset passed the Cabinet Formation Legislation.

The Soviet editors of the two largest Russian newspapers, currently in Cairo,
lauded the Egyptian rocket developments.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 31, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported that motorists who failed to fill
their tanks faced a dry weekend as the country's petrol stations began a 48-hour
strike.

In Washington, Congressional officials declared that they were now very pleased
with Israeli cooperation in the Irangate investigation, and were impressed with
the thoroughness of the report that outlined Israel's role in the affair since
1985.

Police and forest rangers were placed on special alert as Jewish National Fund
officials warned that they might be facing a summer offensive by politically
motivated arsonists, in the wake of the huge forest fires near Jerusalem.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

A window into the Jewish soul. Desire to understand God's will through Talmud
leads thousands to seven-year study odyssey

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1524 words

The seven-year Talmud-studying marathon known as Daf Yomi reaches its grand
finale on Monday night, when tens of thousands of people in Israel and some
hundreds of thousands around the world will rejoice at having completed the
study of the Babylonian Talmud - all 2,711 pages.

In the previous (11th) cycle, which ended in 2005, more than 300,000 Jews
spanning the globe celebrated the end of the grueling course, and expectations
are even higher for 2012 given the ever-growing enthusiasm for the program.

This year, more than 90,000 people are expected to attend one event alone on
Wednesday night, a mass celebratory ceremony concluding the Talmud at MetLife
Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with numerous other parties of many
thousands of revelers being held in Israel and other locales.

Daf Yomi ("a page a day") involves the study of one double-sided folio page of
the Babylonian Talmud (Gemara) every day for seven-and-a-half years.

The growing popularity of the Daf Yomi idea - begun in 1923 by Rabbi Meir
Shapiro in Poland - during the past few cycles, and the general increase in
Torah study around the world, has been quite remarkable.

The Talmud is in essence an exhaustive compilation of rabbinical discourses on
Jewish oral law and tradition, redacted in the sixth century - and in almost
every yeshiva in Israel and around the world the majority of the day is devoted
to Gemara study.

For those devoted to deciphering the intricate details within the debates of the
Talmudic sages, such intense study of ancient Jewish law and jurisprudence is a
direct path for connecting with God.

One organization that has been at the forefront of efforts to make the study of
traditional Jewish texts more accessible is Dirshu, an international
organization based in Israel that promotes the Daf Yomi program and other
Torah-study initiatives in 15 countries.

According to Gershon Kroizer, a senior Dirshu director, more than 107,000 people
have participated in the organization's international programs in the past seven
years, including 8,000 people in its Daf Yomi course.

Dirshu's Daf Yomi course is somewhat different from other programs in that it
emphasizes the retainment of knowledge acquired throughout the process, a
feature of much of the organization's work.

"Daf Yomi focuses on the fulfillment of daily targets and accomplishments, but
if one is not careful all the knowledge a person learned can be gone again two
weeks later," Kroizer said.

To forestall this problem, Dirshu has established a system of tests taken at
regular intervals on the material studied in the preceding period.

Those participating, numbering several hundred around the world out of the 8,000
Dirshu Daf Yomi students, are tested every month on the previous 30 pages of
Talmud studied, every four months on the previous 120 pages, and every half-year
on the entire amount of material learned up to that point.

Substantial monetary stipends are provided to those passing the tests as an
incentive.

"It's not enough to just read through the Gemara and then forget about it,"
Kroizer asserted. "One has to really make an acquisition on that knowledge
because in this way you have it in your hand, so to speak - it's yours and it
will always stay with you. This is the goal of our Daf Yomi program."

This philosophy guides much of Dirshu's work around the world. The organization
is based in Israel but operates in 15 countries including the US, Canada,
Brazil, the UK, France, Belgium and Russia.

The goal of the organization, when it was established in 1998 by rabbi and
businessman David Hofstedter, was the general strengthening of global Torah
study. To this end Dirshu created several programs on the model of frequent
testing, incentivized by monetary stipends, for learning Jewish law and ethics,
the Mishna (on which the Gemara is based) and in-depth Talmud study.

"There's nothing else like it in the world," Krozier said of Dirshu and its
work. "The importance of Torah study is ultimately to strengthen a person's
character. If you really toil in your studies then one becomes intimately
familiar with the Torah, with Jewish law, and therefore [with] how one should
act in and behave in life, and how to improve one's behavior - both in relation
to a person's interaction between himself and his fellow man, as well as in his
relationship with God."

"This is the goal of Dirshu," he said.

But to many outside Orthodox Jewry, the complete devotion to the study of what
can appear to be arcane and complex details of ancient Jewish law is somewhat
bizarre. And it is this culture gap that partly underlies the modern day
political and social battle being fought in Israel between the haredi and
secular sectors of society.

Rabbi Aharon Feldman, a prominent ultra-Orthodox leader in the US, current dean
of the renowned Ner Yisrael Yeshiva in Baltimore and former dean of the
outreach-focused Ohr Somayach Yeshiva in Jerusalem, highlighted what lies behind
the intense focus on Talmud study.

"Torah is the lifeblood of the Jewish people, and it can't be understood without
the oral tradition - which is what the Talmud is," said Feldman, who will be
addressing a siyum (concluding ceremony) being staged for the Anglo community in
Jerusalem, as well as another siyum being held by Dirshu. "Studying the Talmud
is therefore a window into the Jewish soul, through which every aspect of the
Torah is explained."

The importance of studying Talmud, Feldman pointed out, is beyond merely finding
out what one should and shouldn't do.

"Torah is the will of God and the Gemara is its interpretation, so when someone
becomes engrossed in studying the Talmud, then what he is doing is immersing
himself in the mind of God, in figuring out the will of God and what he wants
from mankind," he said. "In this way, learning becomes for man an act of total
subjugation to God."

According to Feldman, it is this fundamental principle that provides the
fascination and attraction for the tens of thousands of people around the globe
who devote their time to studying the Talmud - whether in full-time yeshiva
study or as part of their daily or weekly schedule, in different frameworks
including the Daf Yomi program.

"Everything done by the Jewish people and all aspects of Jewish law is
determined by the Talmud, and so by studying the Gemara one gets an enlightened
insight into the workings of the Jewish people," Feldman said, noting that there
have never been as many yeshiva students studying at any time in Jewish history
as in 2012 - even at the height of the European Jewry - nor have there been
yeshivot with as many students.

The Daf Yomi program, the rabbi added, is extremely helpful as a framework for
regular study for those not undertaking full-time Torah learning.

"It's a way for working people to maintain their connection to Torah study," he
said.

One such person is Yossi Dinner, a young musician living in London who plays in
a band at weddings, bar mitzvot and other celebratory events.

Discussing his reasons for starting Daf Yomi, Dinner said that he had been
inspired by Hofstedter, who held a siyum in 2005 at the end of the previous
cycle, at which Dinner was present.

"I was awed by the fact that a famous businessman with a crazy schedule was
still able to devote time every day to giving a Daf Yomi lesson and thereby
complete the Talmud," Dinner said. "I told myself then, 'If he can make time for
it, then maybe I can too,' despite the fact that I work full-time as a factory
manager in London and also play at weddings and simchot in the evenings."

Speaking of the importance of his Daf Yomi studies, Dinner said the program
linked him to the Torah world.

"If I wouldn't be learning Daf Yomi, I wouldn't feel that the Gemara is a part
of my life," he explained. "Today, I can proudly assert that I truly belong to
the Torah world."

The Shas political movement is holding its siyum with an extravaganza at
Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium on Monday night, and all 20,000 tickets have been
sold. Shas's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, will be the guest of honor.

Dirshu is putting on its celebratory event at the 12,000-capacity Yad Eliyahu
Stadium in Tel Aviv - which it expects to fill - also on Monday night. It will
be attended by Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, the leader of the "Lithuanian"
haredi world, as well as other senior rabbis from the haredi, hassidic and
Sephardi streams. The event will feature musical performances from a 101-strong
choir of boys, as well as a specially assembled orchestra.

The United Torah Judaism party will hold its event on Wednesday night at the
capital's Ammunition Hill, with more than 15,000 people expected to attend along
with haredi politicians and senior rabbis.

And more than 5,000 English-speakers living in Israel will attend a siyum at the
Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyenei Ha'uma) on Thursday night.

Regardless of which party those complete the Talmud choose to attend, one thing
is for certain: After studying a folio page of intricate Talmudic law every day
for seven years and five months, having stood up to this challenge and prevailed
they will certainly merit their night of rejoicing.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DIRSHU'S CELEBRATION of the completion of the last Daf Yomi
cycle, in March 2005 at Yad Eliyahu Stadium in Tel Aviv, is pictured. (Credit:
Dirshu)

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July 30, 2012 Monday

Mitt Romney: A true friend of Israel

BYLINE: DANNY DANON

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 508 words

The American presidential elections are upon us, and as with every four-year
cycle, each candidate and both parties try to convince voters in the US that
they are the true pro-Israel candidate.

In this election, those who want what is truly best for Israel are presented
with a starker choice than usual. On one hand, there is Gov. Mitt Romney, who is
taking the time to visit us at the moment, and who time and again has spoken out
strongly for Israel's rights to safeguard our own interests.

On the other hand, incumbent candidate President Barak Obama has all but adopted
the Palestinian negotiation position and given Israel the cold shoulder on every
possible occasion.

Romney has decided to visit us just three short months before the most important
election of his life. By coming here, Romney is indicating to his Israeli
friends his deep commitment to the State of Israel and the importance that he
places on his friendship with the Jewish people.

Not only is the governor taking the time to visit the Jewish state in the midst
of his campaign, but he has also stated repeatedly that should he win the
presidency, his first official trip abroad would be to Israel. It is these types
of pledges - along with his steadfast statements affirming Israel's right to
defend itself from all threats, both near and far - that is convincing so many
Democratic pro-Israel voters to switch sides and vote for the Republican
candidate in the upcoming election.

Obama, on the other hand, has been anything but resolute in his support for
Israel since he was elected in 2008. In his now infamous Cairo Speech, the
president put the onus of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict squarely on the
shoulders of what was once called America's only true ally in the Middle East.

When later pressuring Israel into the ill-advised construction freeze, Obama was
the main reason that for the first time since the establishments of the State of
Israel, that Jews were outlawed from building homes in their historic homeland.
At the same time, it was considered completely legitimate for the Palestinians
to continue building (legally and illegally) and creating their "facts on the
ground" throughout Judea and Samaria.

To add insult to injury, Obama was able to find the time to visit many of
Israel's neighbors during his first term - including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
Turkey - but he could not fit a quick stop to Israel into his schedule to
discuss these new policies with his Israeli counterparts.

It is my belief that the State of Israel should not be involved in our allies'
elections. We should, however, be ready to cooperate with any candidate who
supports our cause. There are too many enemies in our region and around the
world who threaten our very existence to ignore such friends as the United
States.

That being said, we do have the right to examine each candidate for who they
truly are, and to state clearly when one is a greater friend of Israel than the
other.

Welcome to Israel, Gov. Romney!

The writer is Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and chairman of World Likud.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MITT ROMNEY shakes hands with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
(Credit: Reuters)

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July 30, 2012 Monday

No 'buyer's remorse' for voting for Obama

BYLINE: ALAN M. DERSHOWITZ

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1019 words

Republicans are trying to woo away Jews who voted for Barack Obama in 2008,
hoping they have experienced "buyer's remorse." I, for one, have experienced no
such remorse.

I have gotten from President Obama pretty much what I expected when I voted for
him: a pragmatic, centrist liberal who has managed - with some necessary
compromises - to bring us the first important healthcare legislation in recent
history, appointed excellent justices to the Supreme Court, supported women's
rights, eliminated the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, maintained the wall of
separation between church and state, kept up an effective war against terrorism
and generally made me proud to be an American who cast my vote for him.

Even with regard to his policy toward Israel, which has generated much of the
impetus for this "buyer's remorse" campaign, President Obama has kept his
promises.

During the last campaign, I and others urged candidate Obama to go to Israel and
visit Sderot, which was being shelled by rockets from Hamas-controlled Gaza. He
then went to Sderot and while standing in front of the lethal rockets that had
inflicted so much damage - physical and psychological - to so many children and
adults, this is what the candidate said:

"I don't think any country would find it acceptable to have missiles raining
down on the heads of their citizens. The first job of any nation state is to
protect its citizens... If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my
two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop
that. And I would expect Israelis to do the same."

And when the IDF finally had to respond to the rocket terror with Operation Cast
Lead, President Obama supported Israel's actions and his administration
condemned the Goldstone Report as deeply flawed and biased against Israel.

Now, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is visiting Israel. I'm glad
he is, because support for Israel must always remain bipartisan. No presidential
election should ever become a referendum on support for Israel. Certainly the
upcoming election will not be, because both candidates strongly support Israel's
security. Each candidate must earn the vote of each citizen based on the
totality of their records, and must not take the support of any group for
granted.

The Obama administration has worked hand in hand with Israel in developing the
Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow defense capabilities. It has approved the
sale of F-35 stealth fighters to the Israel Air Force. It has conducted large,
joint military exercises and has coordinated intelligence operations with
Israeli secret services. That is why I was not surprised when Israel's Defense
Minister Ehud Barak said that he could "hardly remember a better period of...
American support and cooperation and similar strategic understanding... than
what he have right now."

The greatest threat Israel faces today is from Iran, a nation ruled by
anti-Semitic, Holocaust denying, terrorist-inciting Mullahs, who would sacrifice
millions of their own citizens to destroy "the little Satan," which is how they
refer to Israel (the United States being "the big Satan.")

There are some, in both parties, who wrongly believe that a policy of
"containment" - that is, allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons but containing
their use by the threat of tit-for-tat reprisal - is the right strategy.
President Obama has explicitly rejected this benighted approach and has instead
announced that his policy is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,
even if it takes military action to do so. In the meantime, he has ratcheted up
sanctions and diplomatic pressure while explicitly keeping the military option
on the table.

Several months ago, President Obama invited me to the Oval Office to discuss his
Iran strategy. He looked me in the eye and said, "I don't bluff." His actions
with regard to Osama bin Laden and the Somali pirates who endangered Americans
and threatened to kill them demonstrated his willingness to use force when
warranted. So does his increased use of drones to target terrorists who are
beyond the reach of capture. I believe President Obama when he says that Iran
will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons on his watch.

President Obama also understands that no sovereign nation can ever outsource the
protection of its own citizens against a nuclear Holocaust. If Israel were to
decide - as a last resort, after exhausting all diplomatic, economic and
intelligence options - that it had no choice but to take military action against
Iran's nuclear programs, I am confident that the Obama administration would not
condemn that action (as the Reagan administration condemned Israel's correct
decision to destroy Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981!) These are President Obama's
own words on this important issue: "Iran's leaders should have no doubt about
the resolve of the United States - just as they should not doubt Israel's
sovereign right to make its own decisions about what is required to meet its
security needs."

The issue of Israeli security must be distinguished from the issue of Israeli
civilian settlements in the West Bank. Israel's settlement policy is deeply
controversial within Israel and among Jewish supporters of Israel in the United
States. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have been critical of
some Israeli decisions regarding the settlements. I have sometimes agreed and
sometimes disagreed with these criticisms. Reasonable supporters of Israel will
have different views on the settlements and on how best to move toward a
two-state solution that assures Israel's security.

When I decide who to vote for as president, I ask myself who will be best for
America and for the world. An important component of my answer involves my
assessment of the candidate's willingness and ability to protect Israel's
security, since I strongly believe that a strong Israel serves the interests of
the United States and of world peace. I am confident that President Obama will
keep his promise "always [to] have Israel's back" in the face of the continuing
threats posed by Israel's enemies.

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Different scenery, same result for Pe'er

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 344 words

Much has changed at Wimbledon following its Olympic facelift.

Most noticeably, the familiar green advertising backgrounds have been replaced
by non-commercial purple canvases and much of the proficient staff of the annual
Grand Slam event have made way for clueless newcomers.

However, there are some things that never change.

To name two: the rain and Shahar Pe'er being knocked out in the first round.

I guess that may be a little harsh.

After all, it was world No. 3 Maria Sharapova who thrashed her 6-2, 6-0 on
Sunday and in recent times she tends to make it as far as a second round before
losing.

However, Pe'er has gone so long since her last winning run that you begin to
wonder if she will ever string together two victories again.

Not since the Doha event more than five months ago has Pe'er progressed past a
second round, a run of 14 tournaments.

She never had a chance against Sharapova on Centre Court.

Shahar said before the match that she would like nothing more than to beat the
snobby Sharapova, who according to the Israeli is one of the least friendly
players on tour.

But Pe'er never came close to testing the Russian.

Not only did Shahar enter the encounter 0-6 in her career against the Russian,
but Sunday's match was also played on the Wimbledon grass under the roof,
conditions which highlight the Israeli's weaknesses and accentuate Sharapova's
strengths.

As disappointing as it may be to see your Olympics end after one match, Pe'er
will quickly put Sunday's loss behind her.

She didn't really expect to beat Sharapova and the sad truth is that she has
recently had plenty of practice at overcoming defeats.

And that is the real concern.

"It's not just this year that I've been struggling it was also last year," Pe'er
said after the match with a wry smile.

"I'm continuing to work hard on my game. I can't ask myself to give any more
than my all and that is what I am doing."

There is no shame in losing to Sharapova, but Pe'er's current run of futility is
quickly becoming a cause for embarrassment.

And worst of all, there seems to be no end in sight.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ALLON SINAI'S London Diary

GRAPHIC: Photo: IT WAS another brutal defeat for Shahar Peer yesterday, falling
to Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-0 in just 65 minutes. (Credit: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Fiscal fright

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 700 words

A number of negative indicators have pointed to a coming economic slowdown and
the urgent need for fiscal discipline. The economy has been hit hard by Europe's
economic meltdown.

The Europeans make up Israel's single largest export destination. And with
Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland dragging down the more stable
economies of Germany and France, it is not surprising that Israeli exports are
hurting. Compounding the problem is the stagnation of the US economy and slower
growth rates in China and elsewhere in the Far East.

In June, the trade deficit (adjusted for seasonal influences and not including
ships or diamonds) was $1.85 billion, the largest since January. Looking at the
entire first half of 2012, exports as a proportion of imports dropped to just
67.5 percent, from 76% in the same period last year and 83% in the first half of
2010. And weaker export is plaguing all economic sectors from hi-tech to
low-tech to traditional industry. Hi-tech in particular, which at one point
accounted for more than half of export revenues, now compromises 46%.

The sharp drop in exports is one factor contributing to the depreciation of the
shekel against the dollar. And the depreciation of the shekel will increase
inflationary pressures. Unemployment will inevitably rise as well, as the global
economic slowdown is felt locally.

Unsurprisingly, the Central Bureau of Statistics downgraded its GDP growth
estimate for the first quarter of 2012, to an annualized 2.7% from 3%, and even
this might be overly optimistic.

At a time when the economy is slowing, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's
government has instituted several major spending increases. The minimum wage was
raised and public sector wage hikes were given to interns, nurses, social
workers and contract workers.

The budget for higher education was increased; a security fence is being built
on our border with Egypt to prevent African migrants from entering; the
Trajtenberg Committee for Socioeconomic Change's proposed cut in the defense
budget was not only scrapped, the defense budget was increased in light of the
unstable geopolitical situation. Under the circumstances, the government has
scrambled to otherwise reduce government expenditures and to increase revenues.

On Monday, the cabinet is scheduled to vote on a number of steps include raising
value-added tax from 16% to 17%; raising income tax by one percentage point for
those who make more than NIS 8,881 and by two percentage points for those who
earn NIS 67,000 or more; an across-the-board cut in all ministry budgets (except
defense, education and social services); and raising the tax on cigarettes and
beer.

The urgency of the cuts and tax hikes grew after credit rating agencies warned
that Israel might be downgraded if the budget deficit for 2013 reaches 4%. The
government has already decided to increase the deficit from 1.5% of GDP to 3%,
against the recommendation of Bank of Israel Gov. Stanley Fischer. And even that
limit might be violated if economic growth continues to slow down.

Still, while it is important for the government to maintain fiscal discipline,
one cannot help getting the impression that the recent steps proposed to reduce
the budget deficit were the result of hasty decision-making. As former Bank of
Israel governor David Klein pointed out, "It appears as if somebody is
frightened and said that something needs to be done quickly."

Raising VAT is, of course, the easiest way to quickly increase state revenues,
but VAT is also a regressive tax that hurts the poor disproportionately. And
raising income taxes for the middle class will only increase the burden on that
section of society that is already struggling to make ends meet.

Unfortunately, more ambitious reforms such as increasing competition in fields
such as banking, food production and insurance or increasing efficiency at our
ports, the Israel Electric Corporation or the public sector have been neglected.

Admittedly, implementing such reforms would require a willingness on the part of
the government to confront powerful business and labor interests. But these
reforms would do more to lower costs, stimulate business activity and reduce
income inequality.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Bill would ban fur sales, with exception for streimels, science

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 519 words

A Knesset bill introduced late last week would forbid most sales of fur in
Israel. Animal rights activists praised the legislation.

Unlike a measure Tirosh proposed in 2011, which received heavy opposition
particularly from fur hat proprietors in the haredi community, the current
measure would allow the sale of fur needed for science or to follow traditional
customs or express cultural identity. No fur is produced in Israel.

The bill, drafted by MK Ronit Tirosh (Kadima) in conjunction with the
Israel-based International Anti-Fur Coalition, received the support of eight
Knesset members from across the political spectrum - Tirosh, Eitan Cabel
(Labor), Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz), Yoel Hasson (Kadima), Dov Henin (Hadash),
Miri Regev (Likud), Nino Abesadze (Kadima) and Masud Ganaim (United Arab List).

"Fighting for people's consciousness is a daily undertaking, and this
legislation may yet save millions of animals," Jane Halevy, executive director
and founder of the International Anti-Fur Coalition, said. "It's time to do this
at last and finally end the fur trade in Israel. Such legislation should gain
immense respect for Israel and its citizens."

The text of the bill explains that there is no longer any necessity for fur, as
synthetic fabrics heat much more efficiently, and fur is now simply a fashion
item and status symbol. A ban on the sale of fur within Israel would provide
animals protection according to the Animal Welfare Law, and would be in
accordance with the values of human compassion and Judaism, the bill text says.

The fur industry uses millions of animals every year - animals that spend their
lives in tiny mesh cages and quickly face death, according to the Anti-Fur
Coalition.

"Israel may well become the first country to ban fur sales nationwide," the
coalition said, noting that many cities around the world already ban sales of
fur. Such cities include Dublin and Fingal in Ireland and West Hollywood in
California.

"The hope is that Israel shall be the first to join, as an entire nation, the
growing number of compassionate fur-free cities," the coalition said.

Because the bill would not interfere with international sales to Israel, Halevy
told The Jerusalem Post that she felt the opposition to it would be much less
than to previous proposals, and she felt it had a good chance of passing in the
Knesset.

Also, because a few cities throughout the world have now adopted anti-fur rules,
Israel doing so would not be quite so unprecedented, she added.

"Israel has this splendid opportunity to lead [the movement] as a country,"
Halevy said.

The organization Anonymous for Animal Rights told the Post that its members hope
lawmakers "will be responsive to public sentiment" and approve the bill.

"The Israeli public strongly opposes animal abuse, and fur is perceived clearly
- a corpse of a helpless creature who was killed violently," the group said.
"There is no justification for crushing bones in foot traps or skinning
conscious animals - accepted and documented methods of the fur industry -
certainly not for articles of clothing that are never needed in the Israeli
climate."

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MK RONIT TIROSH, who wrote the anti-fur bill, attends a meeting
at the Knesset Thursday to introduce the legislation. (Credit: Ronen Machleb)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Questions and lessons from the Burgas bus attack

BYLINE: BOAZ GANOR

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1273 words

The terrorist attack against a busload of Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria,
poses a number of questions, and necessarily shakes up the security
establishment. Although the attack in Burgas is still being investigated, the
details published to date indicate that it was perpetrated by a terrorist with a
Western appearance. International media have cited this fact as a way to cast
doubt on the responsibility of Hezbollah and Iran for the attack, and as a way
of suggesting that the attack may have been carried out by affiliates of
al-Qaida or by local radicals.

In fact, the use of terrorists with a Western mien or citizenship is not foreign
to Hezbollah. Among the many examples of this, it is enough to recall Steven
Smirk, a German convert to Islam recruited by Hezbollah who was arrested in 1997
in Israel, where he had come with the intention of perpetrating terrorist
attacks; or Hussein Mikdad, a Lebanese citizen who came to Israel in 1996 on a
British passport, and who ultimately was seriously wounded by a "work accident"
explosion in his room at the Lawrence Hotel in Jerusalem.

Another question for which there is as yet no definitive answer is whether or
not the attack in Burgas was a suicide attack. Did the terrorist blow himself up
in or near the bus? Or did he place a backpack laden with explosives in the
baggage compartment of the bus?

On one hand, the suspicious behavior of the terrorist shown in the airport's
security video appears to be that of a suicide attacker. In addition, the body
of the man suspected to have been the terrorist - or what remains of it - was
apparently found at the scene of the attack. However, suicide attackers don't
usually carry identification; yet the Burgas terrorist was carrying a fake US
driver's license bearing his photograph.

Moreover, he was wearing a wig - something very unusual, which may indicate that
he wished to disguise his identity to evade being caught after escaping the
scene of the attack.

These contradictions might make sense if the terrorist was himself deceived -
that is, if he knew he was carrying a bomb, but did not know he was meant to
blow himself up during the attack, such that when he placed the backpack in the
bus's baggage hold and released the safety catch, he was unwittingly sealing his
own fate. Or perhaps someone else detonated the explosives remotely, before the
terrorist managed to flee the scene.

This version of events seems even more probable in light of the information
that, prior to the attack, the terrorist toured the airport grounds in a taxi.
Such behavior is not characteristic of a suicide attacker, who arrives on the
scene in full command of the knowledge and tools necessary to the attack, culled
from prior intelligence, and honed through training. A late-stage reconnaissance
tour like the one made by the Burgas terrorist may be understood as an attempt
to devise an escape route after the attack, thereby suggesting that the
terrorist had no idea he was striding toward his own death.

The explosives themselves also raise questions. As the airport security video
clearly illustrates, the terrorist was carrying a particularly large backpack,
one striking enough to have aroused suspicion. However, published reports
indicate that the giant backpack contained a mere 3 kg. of explosives - a bomb
that could easily have been hidden in a small messenger bag. Often, such bombs
have been swathed in layers of metal (nails, screws, ball-bearings), which are
meant to increase the shrapnel spewed in the attack and cause as much harm as
possible. However, even if that had been the case here, the backpack's
proportions would not square with the quantity of explosives.

The last questions to be addressed are these: Could this attack have been
prevented? And what can we learn from it for preventing future attacks?

To prevent this type of terrorist attack, two things are needed: intelligence,
and security. Intelligence provides the information necessary to identify
terrorists before they attack, and thereby to forestall an attack, or at least
focus security on specific targets, plots, and/or times. The number of potential
targets is nearly unlimited. A country must protect its citizens everywhere and
at all times, but a terrorist need only identify a single security breach - and
exploit it. To this end, terrorists are constantly collecting information, and
adjusting their plans accordingly.

Thus, any sliver of relevant intelligence can help focus security efforts.
Israeli security forces can be proud of their multiple achievements - some of
which have been made public - in thwarting many terrorist attacks planned by
Hezbollah and Iran, even in the past year.

For example, they recently averted a terrorist attack in Cyprus, where a
Hezbollah operative was arrested just before he was meant to be carrying out an
attack similar, if not identical, to that perpetrated in Bulgaria. It appears
that Israeli (and Bulgarian) security forces had no foreknowledge of the attack
in Burgas. This in and of itself does not mean there was an intelligence
failure. The investigation that will certainly continue in the coming weeks
will, in part, answer the question of whether signs were missed that would have
indicated a planned attack.

Providing security for Israeli tourists in Burgas is extremely complex. Israel's
stated policy is that responsibility for the safety of Israeli (and other)
tourists rests on the shoulders of the host country. Justified though it may be,
this policy is also very convenient for Israeli security agencies and decision
makers. However, how does it square with a statement made this week by Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that "the State of Israel is a guarantor for its
citizens, whoever they are and wherever they may be"? Does this mean that the
State of Israel must be responsible for the security of its citizens when they
are tourists abroad?

Clearly, the State of Israel cannot and should not provide security for even
some of its nationals when they are overseas. The security needs of Israeli
tourists are met by travel advisories and by the general and specific behavior
guidelines published by counter-terrorism coordinator office and the Foreign
Ministry. However, the attack in Burgas would appear to require us to think
again about Israel's commitment to guarding the security of Israeli tourists.

A very small number of sites are renowned for being popular Israeli tourist
destinations. The large concentration of Israelis at these sites, whether as
individuals or in groups, naturally attracts Israel's enemies. The security
arrangements at these sites therefore need to be different than they are
elsewhere. But here, too, Israel cannot and should not be responsible for the
security of Israeli tourists.

Israel is, however, obligated to conduct occasional spot-checks and surveys of
the risks and threats to its citizens - even without prior intelligence - and to
inform its citizens of any severe gaps in security, even as it demands that
these be redressed by local security forces and/or by the tourist agencies and
charter companies that organize group tours. Alternatively, and as a means of
pressuring these agencies, Israel's security authorities should warn the public
not to use the services of a given agency, for security reasons. This is the
principle security lesson derived from the attack in Burgas. It adds no
significant costs, and does not replace the obligation of the host state to
guard the safety of all of the tourists within its borders.

Dr. Boaz Ganor, founder & executive director, International Institute for
Counter-Terrorism (ICT), IDC Herzliya.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: TOURISTS WAIT at a bus stop after leaving Burgas Airport.
(Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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539 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Long days, quick exits for Israelis on Day 3. Pe'er dispatched by World No. 3
Sharapova 6-2, 6-0; Gymnist Maksiuta falls thrice

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI/Jerusalem Post correspondant

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 824 words

LONDON - Shahar Pe'er's second Olympics lasted just 65 minutes after she dropped
to a 6-2, 6-0 defeat to world No. 3 Maria Sharapova in the first round of the
women's singles at Wimbledon.

The 25-year-old Israeli believed the final score-line didn't do her justice, and
that may be so, but she never came close to threatening Sharapova and was at the
Russian's complete mercy throughout the match.

"Obviously I'm disappointed because I lost, but I think the match was a little
closer than the score-line indicates," Pe'er said.

"I had my chances and gave my best, fighting until the last point. I really
believed I could win.

"But she is one of the best players ever and you have to give her the respect
she deserves."

Despite the deflating defeat, Pe'er cherished every moment of the Olympic
experience.

"I'm proud to represent Israel each and every time I am given the opportunity,"
she said. "Four years is a long time, but I really hope I will be able to take
part in another Olympics."

Pe'er broke Sharapova in the first game of the match, but she gifted the Russian
a break back immediately and lost her serve twice more in the first set, sending
a forehand long to lose 6-2.

A Pe'er double fault in the second game of the second set handed Sharapova an
early break after which the Russian quickly wrapped up proceedings.

As painful as Pe'er's loss may have been, it pales in comparison to the agony
felt by gymnast Valeriia Maksiuta on Sunday.

The 24-year-old, who made aliya from Ukraine five years ago, fell off the beam
twice and lost her balance on the final landing, falling backwards. She also
lost her handling once in the uneven bars and eventually recorded a poor overall
result of 45.699 points.

"I worked really hard to get here, but I just couldn't do it," a shocked
Maksiuta said.

"I can't explain what happened here. This is undoubtedly the biggest
disappointment I have experienced in my life.

"I'm in shock and I don't even want to go home."

There was also disappointment for the Israeli delegation in the pool, with Yakov
Toumarkin and Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or both coming no where near their personal
bests and failing to advance to the semifinals.

Toumarkin, who became the first Israeli to win two medals in a single European
Championship in May, would have advanced to the 100-meter backstroke semis had
he equaled his national record of 54.14 seconds. But he came up well short,
clocking a time of 54.91s to finish in 24th place overall in his first Olympics.

"I'm disappointed. I don't know how to explain this," the 20-year-old Toumarkin
said.

"I didn't feel good right from the start. This was my first ever Olympic swim
and it lifted a lot of pressure.

"I hope that this will help me when I compete in the 200m backstroke. My goal
remains to reach an Olympic semi."

Shapira Bar-Or ended the men's 200m freestyle in 21st place in a time of 1:48.60
minutes.

"I'm not that disappointed," said Bar-Or, who reached the 200m free semis in
Beijing four years ago.

"I recorded a season's best time, but unfortunately it wasn't enough because
there are many quick youngsters who deserve a lot of credit."

Like Bar-Or, Misha Zilberman's Olympics also came to an end on Sunday when he
suffered his second straight defeat in the Badminton tournament.

Zilberman finished bottom of Group I after suffering a 21-9, 21-15 loss to Derek
Wong on Sunday, a day after falling 21-13, 21-12 to Denmark's Jan O. Jorgensen.

Zilberman and judoka Golan Pollack will already be turning their focus to Rio
2016 after Pollack lost to France's David Larose in the first round of the
under-66kg competition early Sunday.

After youngsters Pollack and Tommy Arshanski failed to make their mark in the
first two days of the judo competitions, Soso Palelashvili enters the frame on
Monday when he faces Turkey's Sezar Huysuz in the last 32 of the under-73kg
event.

The bronze medalist from the recent European Championships was handed a first
round bye and comes up against a beatable opponent for a place in the last 16.

Matters will be getting far more complicated after that, but Palelashvili will
be focusing on one fight at a time.

Israel's only shooter in London, Sergey Richter, opens his account on Monday in
his signature event, the 10m air rifle.

The 23-year-old finished sixth in the event at this year's European
Championships and has fond memories of the Olympic venue after ending the World
Cup event at the Royal Artillery Barracks in second place.

Monday will also see Israel's first sailor get in on the action in Weymouth,
with Nufar Edelman to compete in the first two races of the Laser Radial event.

(BOX)

Today at the Olympics

Judo: Soso Palelashvili vs Sezar Huysuz - second round under-73kg (competition
to continue throughout the day)

Shooting: Sergey Richter - Men's 10m air rifle (qualification and possible
final)

Sailing: Nufar Edelman - Women's Laser Radial (races 1 and 2)

Olympic television coverage will begin daily at 11:30 a.m. on Channel 1 and
Eurosport

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Box at end of text.

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: ISRAELI GYMNIST Valeriia Maksiuta falls off the asymmetric
bars during the women's gymnastics qualification yesterday. It was a brutal day
for Maksiuta (also pictured, inset) who fell two other times. Israeli tennis
star Shahar Pe'er had a difficult day as well, falling to World No. 3 Maria
Sharapova 6-2, 6-0. (Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

540 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Letters

BYLINE: Vicky Scher, Zvi Fink, James Adler, Richard Jacobs, Mark L. Levinson,
Alexander Bar-Elan, Geoffrey Preger, Dani Gigi, Thelma Blumberg Abramowitz,
Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1176 words

IOC, PA and Israel

Sir, - "Sports is a bridge for love," wrote Jibril Rajoub in his letter to the
International Olympic Committee ("PA thanks IOC for refusing to hold minute of
silence," July 27). If so why do the Palestinians spew such hatred?

He also described sports as a way for "relaying peace between peoples." If so,
why do they refuse to compete with Israeli teams? Is that not a "factor for
separation and spreading racism...?"

Rajoub accuses Israel of attempting to "exploit the Olympic Games for propaganda
purposes." The Palestinians are masters at that game and use it at every forum
and opportunity to delegitimize Israel.

And if you love people, you do not go and murder them the way the Palestinians
did in 1972, in this way dishonoring and belittling all the Olympic Games stand
for.

The Israeli squad went to the games with hope and open hearts, to give what it
is that athletes give. Maybe the Palestinian Authority should take a leaf out of
their book.

VICKY SCHER

Jerusalem

Sir, - Jibril Rajoub's congratulations to the IOC for not allowing a minute of
silence on behalf of the murdered Israeli athletes accentuates the recognition
that the murder of unarmed, innocent civilians is the Palestinian national
sport.

ZVI FINK

Modi'in

Sir, - As a frequent critic of Israel's policies on the West Bank I want to
register my unconditional and infinite outrage about the International Olympic
Committee's utterly detestable refusal to commemorate the Israeli athletes who
were ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly cut down with subhuman bestiality at the 1972
Olympic Games.

The Olympics, a place beyond politics, was violated by a bloodbath. That the IOC
will not commemorate this speaks volumes about the anti-Israelism in the world
today.

That there will be no official commemoration is straight out of Orwell's 1984,
Huxley's Brave New World and everything Franz Kafka wrote.

JAMES ADLER

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sir, - The International Olympic Committee's refusal to even mention the names
of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Olympics is nothing less than a
travesty. It reveals without any doubt that it is not only elitist but immutably
anti-Semitic.

The IOC not only insulted Israel and the Jewish people, it betrayed the very
meaning and principle of the games. It, and not only the Germans, who hosted the
Munich games, was responsible for the safety of our athletes.

What is called for is an acerbic denunciation of the IOC by our prime minister,
a withdrawal from this year's games and the Olympics altogether, a demand for
the resignation of the entire IOC, especially its president, and a call for all
decent and principled nations to join us.

RICHARD JACOBS

Haifa

Already underway

Sir, - The great Israeli comedian Talia Shapira liked to lower her voice and
impart this truth to the audience: "Life has already got underway." Please tell
Hirsh Goodman, who in "A win-win situation" (PostScript, July 27) pleads for
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, that negotiations are
already underway.

When PA President Mahmoud Abbas sets preconditions for meeting with Israeli
representatives, it is a move in the negotiations. When Israel refuses to
comply, it is another move.

Time will choose the winner, and whichever party brings strength, smarts and
patience will have time on its side.

MARK L. LEVINSON

Herzliya

Cruel cut

Sir, - Regarding the recent controversy about circumcision and its ban in
Germany ("It's not about Jew-hatred," Letters, July 27), the Bible says that God
created man in his own image. Since a male infant is born with foreskin, it must
be assumed that God is uncircumcised also.

God is also supposed to be absolute and his creations perfect. So who gave the
right to man to mutilate what God created?

One can be just as devout or Jewish with one's foreskin as without. That this
barbaric ritual has been practiced for umpteen years is no reason why it must
continue forever.

ALEXANDER BAR-ELAN

Bitzaron

Sir, - Amid the current outcry over circumcision, it is an interesting sideline
to note that for many years the British royal family (with roots in Germany, and
certainly not Jewish) used to circumcise its male babies. Indeed, I was told
that my own mohel (ritual circumciser), a highly-respected physician, was "By
Appointment" the official royal circumciser. This tradition was apparently ended
by the late Princess Diana, who refused to have her sons circumcised.

Years later I tried to produce a documentary film on the history and practice of
circumcision in different cultures. In the course of my research I wrote to
Buckingham Palace with a serious request for some information, only to receive
the following terse reply: "This information is not available." By implication,
the story was not denied.

GEOFFREY PREGER

Caesarea

Greenpeace speaks up

Sir, - In "'Oil is here to stay'" (July 26), Patrick Moore falsely presents
himself to the media and activists as an "expert" on environmental issues in
order to promote anti-environmental positions.

While it is true that Moore was a member of Greenpeace in the past, he turned
his back on the organization's principles, surrendering to economic temptations.
He claims he saw the "light," so he left. Greenpeace believes that he fell
victim to the economic interests of large corporations.

Moore is a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Institute (NEI), the Canadian energy
firm Energy Next and dozens of other companies related to the mining, logging
and polluting industries.

His judgment has been proven to be wrong in the past by the Atomic Energy Agency
and the American Commission on Nuclear Energy Control, which showed that Moore
was mistaken in his assessment of radiation leakage in nuclear reactors he
claimed had been "secured" but later were revealed to have leaks that were much
more dangerous.

Moore came to Israel to promote the dangerous prospecting of oil shale,
something that has never succeeded anywhere else in the world. Greenpeace is
well aware of society's energy needs. It also understands and takes into account
the needs of humanity and the importance in choosing to live in sustainable
ways.

Oil extraction using unconventional methods is dangerous. Not only does it not
offer a long-term solution for fossil fuel energy or work with biodegradable
materials, it endangers many of our vital natural resources.

DANI GIGI

Tel Aviv

The writer is communications officer for Greenpeace Mediterranean

Tears for a tomb

Sir, - Michael Freund's "Jewish unity and Joseph's Tomb" (Fundamentally Freund,
July 26) was so powerfully written that it brought tears to my eyes. When will
justice enable the Jewish people to visit the tomb as it should be, instead of
only occasionally and at three o'clock in the morning while escorted by the
army?

THELMA BLUMBERG ABRAMOWITZ

Jerusalem

The writer is grandmother of Ben-Yosef Livnat, who was killed by Palestinian
police in April 2011 during an unescorted nighttime visit to Joseph's Tomb

CORRECTION

The upcoming shows in Israel by The Klezmatics are August 28, 29 and 30, and not
as published in Billboard on July 27.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

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July 30, 2012 Monday

IDF setting up elite reconnaissance units to ferry supplies to troops behind
enemy lines

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 356 words

The IDF plans to establish an elite reconnaissance unit with a high level of
maneuverability for providing logistical support for military forces operating
behind enemy lines.

Under a plan drafted by OC Logistics Corps Brig.-Gen. Mufid Ganem, a special
unit will be added to each IDF division and will be responsible for bringing
critical supplies to troops operating behind enemy lines when regular logistics
units are incapable of doing so.

A decision on the establishment of the new units will be finalized at the
upcoming General Staff workshop during which Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz
will rule on the military's next multi-year procurement program.

The IDF came under harsh criticism following the Second Lebanon War when it
failed to open up supply lines to units that were operating just a few
kilometers beyond the border.

Since then it has put an emphasis on beefing up battalion logistics units to
ensure that they will be able to bring supplies to combat soldiers as needed and
in line with the progress of the ground advance during a war.

Each new unit will consist of several dozen soldiers who receive high-level
combat training with an emphasis on navigation. The units will be equipped with
fast and durable vehicles for easy maneuverability in difficult terrain.

"This will be an addition to the regular supply lines for getting special
equipment to a unit or reaching forces that are operating deep inside enemy
territory," a senior officer from the Logistics Corps explained.

In April, the Logistics Corps held an exercise to improve its delivery of
ammunition and supplies to forces cut off from regular supply lines. During the
drill, the IDF practiced dropping ammunition, food, supplies and even Hummer
vehicles from C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.

In another improvement, the IDF recently completed the installation of new
software for its Tzayad digital program that enables commanders to monitor
supply levels. Tzayad creates a digital picture of a battlefield and allows
units to share information on the location of friendly and hostile forces, as
well as imagery collected from ground and aerial sensors.

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

IMA, patient groups denounce NIS 9b. health system shortfall, ministry silent

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 508 words

The heads of the Israel Medical Association, national medical societies and
patients' rights organizations, along with leading medical economists, sent a
letter on Sunday to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, protesting against
planned cuts in health budgets.

"We... express our shock at the intention to make an additional reduction in the
health budget and call on you in a clear demand not [to do it]! Not this year
and not next year. According to a careful calculation by experts in health
economics, there is a deficit of NIS 9 billion in public expenditures for
health. These funds are needed not to provide the citizens with a luxurious
health system, but to supply citizens with the basic medical care set down by
law," they wrote to Netanyahu, who formally serves as health minister.

Copies were sent to Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman, ministry
director-general Prof. Ronni Gamzu and heads of doctors' unions.

Litzman and his officials did not initiate any public protest against the cuts,
and the ministry had no comment when asked for one on Sunday.

The two-dozen petitioners noted that 40 percent of health expenditures in Israel
are privately funded - the highest figure among the numerous countries that
provide their residents with national health insurance.

"This points out the growing gaps in the lack of equity in providing health care
here and the growth in inefficiency in the system," they wrote. "The Supreme
Court recently stated that the state has failed in its role by not taking action
to properly update the basket of health services. By doing so, it harmed the
health funds' ability to provide the health services they are bound to supply by
law."

The health system leaders added that as people who are in the corridors of
health fund facilities and public hospitals on a daily basis, they regularly
"see the faces of honest citizens and taxpayers, who in their most difficult
hours encounter an eroded and tired system and medical teams whose strength has
waned. We feel the pain of the patients who have to wait for hours, days and
months for vital medial treatment and feel the frustration of doctors, nurses
and other medical teams who cannot give them the medical treatment they were
meant to provide," they complained.

They went on to "remind" the prime minister that cutting the health budget
"harms the readiness of the population for emergencies, is a declaration of war
on the middle class and hurts the weak links of Israeli society."

Meanwhile, the pensioners' union in the Histadrut labor federation demanded that
the government cancel value-added tax on medications and other basic products,
and called on Netanyahu not to increase VAT by 1 percentage point, as planned.
Union chairman Gideon Ben-Israel said the higher costs would harm the
functioning of the elderly, a quarter of whom are defined as poor, with
three-quarters of them in the three lowest deciles of income.

The elderly take medications at 11 times and visit doctors at eight times the
average rate of the general population, Ben-Israel said.

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

In visit to Iran, Syrian FM says Assad regime committed to Annan plan. Walid
Moualem and his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi slam 'foreign interference'
in Syria

BYLINE: JOANNAS PARASZCZUK; Reuters contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 648 words

In Tehran on Sunday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said that his country
was committed to Kofi Annan's six-point plan.

Moualem arrived to discuss the Syria crisis with his Iranian counterpart, Ali
Akbar Salehi, and other senior officials, the Iranian Students' News Agency
(ISNA) reported.

Speaking at a press conference - the first time he has appeared in public since
a Damascus bomb attack killed four of President Bashar Assad's most senior
officials on July 18 - Moualem said the Annan plan was the only way to resolve
the crisis because it would prevent external interference in Syria and allow for
a political solution.

The Annan plan aims to end 16 months of violence in Syria, during which 18,000
people have been killed.

It calls for a cease-fire as a first stage in the political transition to ending
the violence.

It also calls for access for aid, the release of arbitrarily detained people,
freedom of movement for journalists and the freedom to protest peacefully.

The Syrian foreign minister blamed "terrorist groups" for the violence in his
country, and said Syria was capable of defending "every inch of its soil."

Moualem added that the violence served the interests of the "Zionist entity" -
in other words, Israel - according to the Syrian General Organization of Radio
and TV, a state-run agency subordinate to the Ministry of Information.

Syrian state media reported that Moualem and Salehi had both agreed there was a
"focused campaign by the US, the West and also some Arab countries" against
Syria.

Moualem accused Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey of intervening in his country.

"Syria today is stronger in the face of aggression. Last week, they were
defeated and the battle failed [in Damascus] so they moved on to Aleppo, and
their plots will fail there also," Moualem said.

On the issue of Syria's chemical weapons stocks, Moualem said that "regardless
of whether we do or do not have such nonconventional weapons, the fact that
Israel has aggressive nuclear capabilities has been recognized by the US." The
foreign minister added that part of Syria's territory was "under Israeli
occupation."

"Apart from that, we have said repeatedly that we are ready to establish a zone
free from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction," he
said, noting that Syria presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council
in 2003 calling for a "zone free of weapons of mass destruction [in the Middle
East], in particular nuclear weapons."

Moualem said Syria would agree to nonproliferation of chemical weapons if Israel
signs the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Meanwhile, Salehi said Israel was behind a "global conspiracy" against Syria,
and added that the Syrian leadership had worked to meet the demands of the
Syrian people and carried out a series of reforms "for pluralism and democracy."

"It is naive to imagine the illusion of a power vacuum in Syria," the Iranian
foreign minister said.

In its report of the talks between Moualem and Salehi, the ISNA said the two
foreign ministers called for an end to "foreign interference" in Syria and
blamed the bloodshed on terrorist groups.

Salehi said Syria was "a friend and a brother country," according to ISNA.

During the press conference, Moualem also said that Syria was depending on
Lebanon to secure its borders and prevent "the infiltration of terrorists" from
its territory.

The comments came after Syria's ambassador to Lebanon called on the Lebanese
government on Friday to take stricter measures to prevent "armed groups" from
entering Syria.

Also on Sunday, Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, head
of the Druse community in his country, told Beirut's An-Nahar newspaper that the
Syrian regime had a "presence in Lebanon" and said some Lebanese security
agencies were receiving orders from Damascus. Jumblatt also slammed Hezbollah's
support of Assad's regime.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A FREE Syrian Army member shouts next to a damaged figurine -
which he said represents late Syrian president Hafez Assad, current President
Bashar Assad's father - in Aleppo yesterday. (Credit: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

At least five policewomen complained about Jerusalem Police head Shaham.
Harassment complaints 'just tip of the iceberg'. Justice Ministry calls media
reports 'inaccurate,' refuses to release more information

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 387 words

The sexual harassment allegations against Jerusalem police head Asst.-Ch. Nisso
Shaham continued to increase in severity on Sunday, as the media widely reported
that at least five policewomen filed complaints against Shaham.

Widely-quoted sources said that the five harassment complaints are "just the tip
of the iceberg" and called his sexual harassment "systematic" in the police
force. The Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department slammed the
reports, calling them "not only inaccurate but completely wrong" and accused the
media of fabricating quotes from the investigation. A ministry statement said
the high-level unit will maintain its silence to protect the integrity of the
investigation.

On Thursday, the investigations department announced it had conducted a
months-long undercover probe against Shaham and suspected him of sexual
harassment, indecent assault and improper sexual relations. Shaham went on
forced leave pending the completion of the investigation.

A Justice Ministry spokesman confirmed on Sunday that more than one policewoman
filed complaints over Shaham's conduct, but would not elaborate on any other
aspect of the investigation.

The probe is further complicated by the fact that Shaham's wife, career
policewoman Dep.-Ch. Varda Shaham, was previously the number two person in the
investigations department. She retired from the unit 10 years ago, though a
Justice Ministry spokeswoman said the personal connection would in no way
influence the investigation.

Dep.-Ch. Nissim Edri, the head of the Zion precinct, was also placed on
administrative leave on Thursday due to the suspicion that he was aware of
Shaham's actions and did not take appropriate action as required by law.

On Thursday, police Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danio appointed Manny Yitzhaki to the
position of temporary police chief of the Jerusalem district. Yitzhaki was
formerly Shaham's deputy, until he left about a week ago to oversee the special
police investigative unit Lahav 443. Shaham did not appoint a new deputy in the
interim.

Danino briefly referred to the investigation on Friday by stating that "the
Israel Police will not compromise on the values that are at the base of the
organization.

"One law for the police officer and the commander - all are equal before the
law."

Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Nisso Shaham (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Latvian boy can use right hand for first time thanks to Rambam Medical Center

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 231 words

Kyril, a 12-year-old boy from Latvia whose congenital defect made it impossible
for him to eat, scratch or do anything else with his right hand, is now able to
function normally and return home, thanks to surgeons at Rambam Medical Center
in Haifa.

Kyril suffered from brachial plexus palsy, a defect that occurs in one in 3,000
to 5,000 births. But in 90 percent of cases, the disability passes by the age of
three months. In the case of the Latvian boy - and about eight Israeli children
a year - it never did.

A week ago, the boy arrived in Haifa to undergo a relatively rare and
complicated operation by Dr. Mark Edelman, head of the pediatric orthopedics
department at Rambam. The surgeon turned the boy's wrist 65 degrees around and
set it in its new location with six screws. His shoulder bone was also moved to
the right place.

Edelman said that it was only the second case he had encountered in his career
as a surgeon.

"Kyril taught himself to cope with life using only one of his hands. This is a
very difficult disability for such a small child," he said.

After the three-hour operation and one day of hospitalization, he was discharged
last week. By using a new type of locking plate in his arm, the need for several
days of hospitalization, a plastic cast for weeks and other treatment was
eliminated. Kyril feels well, and for the first time in his life, is able to use
both hands.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: KYRIL, 12, lived until now with only one working hand. (Credit:
Courtesy Rambam Medical Center)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Remembering Munich

BYLINE: YORAM DORI

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 929 words

Along with billions of others from around the world, I watched the opening
ceremony of the Olympics in London. Like the vast majority of Israelis, I felt
angry that the organizers decided to ignore the murder of 11 of our sportsmen at
the 1972 Munich Games.

In the beginning of the broadcast, in a kind of protest, I darkened my TV screen
for a minute. During this time, I remembered again what happened 40 years ago.
When I visualized the Israeli delegation walking - with Shahar Zubari bearing
our flag - I remembered his family member, the wrestler Gad Zubari, the only one
to escape from the room the terrorists took over in the Munich village.

In that moment, two images passed before my eyes. One was of the Israeli
delegation in Munich, in its white and blue uniform, marching happily and
smiling at the opening ceremony. The other was of 11 IDF cars, on each of them a
coffin containing our murdered athletes' remains.

I was then married a year, with my wife at the beginning of her pregnancy with
our first son, living in a small apartment in the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood of
Tel Aviv. The home black-and-white television, as was customary, broadcast
mostly snow, so we had to adjust the antenna for clearer reception.

Selected sections from the Olympics were broadcasted from time to time, in black
and white, and the main way for me to get informed on the latest events in the
Olympic Games was to use a big old radio, which was placed in the half room that
served as a bedroom. In the snowy TV broadcasts, I watched the rise of
Shachamorov to the 100-meter finals and the wonderful achievements of the Jewish
swimmer, Mark Spitz, whom I saw earlier at the Maccabiah games swimming like a
dolphin in the Galit pool, in Yad Eliyahu.

In this Olympics I had some emotional involvement. The shooting coach, Kehat
Shorr, was the rangemaster of the range near the Ramat-Gan stadium, where during
my days as a teacher in the Ironi Hey High School in Tel Aviv, my students were
training in the Gadna, and the coach and I were talking. Shorr was also friendly
with my wife, who was a Gadna instructor in "Ironi Alef" high School at that
time.

Two of our Olympic coaches in those games - Amitzur Shapira and Mooney Weinberg
- were my wife's teachers when she was studying at the Midrasha in the Wingate
Institute for Physical Education, two years earlier. She knew Weinberg's wife,
and Amitzur's trainee, Esther Shachamorov.

Thus, in these particular Olympic Games, we, the newlyweds, had an emotional
involvement beyond me being a sports "freak."

On the morning of September 5 we heard for the first time on the radio about the
terrorist takeover of the Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village. From that
moment on, we didn't leave the bedroom. Glued to the radio, we listened to the
broadcasts and fragmentary news that came from Munich.

Initially we heard that one of the dead was Mooney Weinberg, the wrestling coach
who tried blocking the terrorists from going through the door with his body, and
paid for it with his life. Then came the news of the murder of Yossef Romano,
the weightlifter who tried to stop the terrorists using a fruit peeling knife
that was in his room, and got shot to death.

Every few minutes a new ultimatum by the kidnappers was broadcasted. True and
false information of the German willingness to negotiate and the terrorists
demands came through. My wife, who was at the beginning of her pregnancy, could
not stand the tension and pressure and fell asleep somewhere in the late evening
hours. I stayed stuck to the radio.

Sometime in the early morning a report aired that the Israeli athletes were
taken to the airport, boarded on helicopters, and that the German commando
forces were able to rescue the hostages alive. With that knowledge of the
evacuation of the athletes, and the tragic deaths of Weinberg and Romano, I fell
asleep feeling relief accompanied by great pain.

In the morning, as usual, we woke up around seven o'clock on our way to work at
the "Gadna." As soon as she opened her eyes, my wife asked me about the
athletes. I replied that it was reported that most of them were rescued and
alive. We turned on the radio to hear the details, and then we were exposed to
the horrible truth. The rescue operation failed and all our athletes were
slaughtered.

Murdered at the Olympic Games - a symbol of peace and brotherhood among nations.
Murdered because they were Israeli.

With their return we went to Ben-Gurion Airport to receive the coffins. My wife
and I stood on the porch of the visitors at the airport (there was such a thing
once), and we watched the plane land slowly, and from it, carrying out 11
coffins draped with the national flag.

Eleven coffins, and inside of them coaches, referees, weightlifters and
wrestlers who went to Germany to honorably represent their country and came come
in boxes.

These are the people the Olympic Committee has refused to mention for the last
40 years. These athletes are the ones that the British Organizing Committee,
headed by Sir Sebastian Coe, found not worth mentioning in the opening ceremony.

The ceremony honored British history at length, but could not provide one
sentence about the athletes who were murdered during the Olympic Games.

Many excuses have been made. The murder of our 11 athletes in Munich is part of
the Olympics forever. They are a component that has to be mentioned to
demonstrate to the world that we all are completely engaged, in our mutual
agreement that such a horrific incident will not be repeated ever again.

The writer is a senior adviser to President Shimon Peres

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ISRAEL'S OLYMPIC team observes a minute of silence during the
memorial ceremony for Israeli athletes and coaches killed at the 1972 Munich
Olympic Games, in Beijing. 'The murder of our 11 athletes in Munich is a part of
the Olympics forever.' (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Tenor love

BYLINE: RACHEL MARDER

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 761 words

Italian operatic tenor Francesco Demuro is proud of his Sardinian heritage and
intent on sharing it with audiences. That's why when he performs in Israel for
the first time next week he will sing some traditional folk songs from his
island. Taking the stage at the Music, Love and Wine festival with the Ra'anana
Symphony over the Tu Be'av holiday weekend, the Porto Torres native has
performed all over the world, including singing the role of Alfredo in La
Traviata at the Seattle Opera in 2009, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor in Hamburg
and Rodolfo in La Boheme in Vienna. Demuro, 34, made his operatic debut playing
Rodolfo in Verdi's Luisa Miller at the Regio Theater in Parma in 2007. He
studied at the Conservatory in Sassari and at the Conservatory in Cagliari,
where he was the private student of soprano Elisabetta Scanu. Ahead of his
Israeli debut on August 4, Demuro answered some questions from The Jerusalem
Post.

Do your parents come from an opera background? How did you get your start in
opera and what drew you to it?

No, I come from a family that taught me the love for popular traditions,
especially the Sardinian songs, that I encountered since I was a child. Apart
from my island's traditional songs, in my house we used to listen to songs of
the great Italian tradition.

You joined the Minicantadores at age 12? What do you love about traditional
Sardinian song?

Yes, I started to sing on my island's stages even before I was 12. The very
first time I was only 11. Minicantadores was group all formed by children, young
talents. I was a member of this group for several years, until I became a member
of opera's great performers. For the Sardinian people, the popular song is a big
call to their identity. It's a tradition that is passed from father to son, from
generation to generation. It's an archaic singing that comes from the soul. I
love it deeply, it represents my origins. I still value my traditions, by making
it to be known everywhere in the world.

How has your career matured? What will you be performing at the Music, Love and
Wine concert and what is your connection to it?

It was a path that matured during the years, through the listening of the great
Italian traditional songs. Step by step I encountered the most cultured songs as
well. And that was when my love for the lyric and its beautiful arias was born.
At the concert, I will sing opera arias and also some traditional Italian songs.
I will also honor the Israeli public with a couple of traditional folk songs
from my island.

Is this your first time in Israel? Did Israel's politics play a role in your
decision to visit?

I've never been to Israel before, and I'm very happy I was invited. I firmly
believe that music is a great means to unify people. It's a universal language
that overcomes cultural, religious and linguistic differences.

You once said that La Boheme is the work of your heart. How do you convey this
deep emotion to the audience?

Yes, it's definitely one of my favorite works. I love Puccini as a composer. I
can always feel very strong emotions when I perform his works. I open my heart,
let myself go completely [and] let the notes of this wonderful music overwhelm
me.

Your entrance into American opera has been called a significant moment. What
does it mean to you? What directions would you like to see your career take?

Yes, it was a moment of big emotion. The American people were very supportive
and affectionate toward me. It was a particularly important moment in my life
and in my career. What I wish is to always be able to sing peacefully, with
great maestros and people who can transmit something humanly. I don't expect
much, only to be always able to feel deep emotions and work well and in good
health.

What has been your favorite role to play?

My favorite composers, from whose works I have had the most roles, are Verdi,
Donizetti and Puccini. There are several roles that I prefer and that I
particularly love. Recently, I performed very often Alfredo from La Traviata. I
should say Il Duca di Mantova from Rigoletto and Edgardo from Lucia di
Lammermoor.

Tell me about your family.

I have a beautiful family consisting of three beautiful daughters: Alessia,
Ilaria and Ilenia. My wife's name is Vittoria and she's the one who always tries
to make things work. She takes care of all of us with great love and devotion.
She gave me the strength and the push to be able to face all of this.

Music, Love and Wine will be held August 4 at 9 p.m. at the Ra'anana Amphipark.
Tickets are NIS 109-169. To order tickets, call *9066 or go to eventim.co.il

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Italian opera singer Francesco Demuro is looking forward to performing at
the Ra'anana Music, Love and Wine festival next week

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'I FIRMLY believe that music is a great means to unify people.
It's a universal language that overcomes cultural, religious and linguistic
differences,' says Italian tenor Francesco Demuro. (Credit: Courtesy/PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Police retrieve stolen parrots worth NIS 40,000. Robber 'dressed up as policeman
and seized birds'

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 329 words

Police in Karmiel recovered stolen parrots worth NIS 40,000 and returned them to
their owner on Sunday.

The investigation began last Tuesday when a resident of Majdal el-Kurum, Mahmoud
Mana, who has been raising rare parrots for 20 years, reported heading out to
work in the morning and returning in the evening to find 12 expensive and
colorful birds missing. The robbers had broken locks.

"Two days later, on Thursday, the robber came back dressed as a policeman, with
handcuffs and a firearm, and identified himself as a [police] officer to my
wife," Mana told The Jerusalem Post.

Mana asked his wife to put the suspect on the phone. "He claimed police
suspected me of possessing stolen parrots. I told him I was coming home, and he
said I would be arrested if I did," Mana said.

Mana's father arrived at the home, and demanded that the "officer" present a
search warrant.

"We are a quiet family and we've never been exposed to this sort of thing," Mana
said. The "officer" stole another two birds and fled the home.

Mana contacted police, and gave investigators the phone number of the suspect,
who had called him earlier that day. "Within 10 minutes, he was in police
custody. Later, he admitted to stealing some of the parrots. Then he admitted to
stealing all of them. I raised them for years and worked like a donkey to ensure
their welfare," Mana said.

Asked how the suspect knew he raised valuable birds, Mana said the man had
visited him a month ago to trade chicks.

Police said the suspect, from Peki'in, made a full confession. Officers
recovered half of the animals, and are working on getting the rest back.
Investigators believe the missing birds were sold in the Triangle region east of
Netanya.

"I would like to thank Karmiel police very much," Mana said. "Especially the
investigators, for their swift assistance."

He added that the parrots were disturbed by the incident, and had been making
distress sounds until they were reunited with him at the police station.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Police returned these birds to their Galilee owner (Credit:
Israel Police)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Iranian threat dominates Peres, Romney meeting

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 444 words

The main thrust of the discussions between President Shimon Peres and Mitt
Romney, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, was Iran.

Romney called on Peres at his official residence on Sunday morning after
concluding a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Peres was keen to raise the issue of the threat that a nuclear Iran poses to
world stability.

The two men were on the same page with regard to Tehran.

Romney completely concurred that the threat Iran would pose to Israel, the
region and the world is "incomprehensible and unacceptable." Like Israel, he
told Peres, the US is greatly concerned about the development of Iran's nuclear
capabilities, and will do everything possible to prevent it from becoming a
nuclear-armed nation.

Peres reiterated what he has said previously to various world leaders including
US President Barack Obama.

"We support the international coalition led by the United State of America in
its policy of economic sanctions, while leaving all options on the table to deal
with the threat of a nuclear Iran," he said.

Peres and Romney also discussed the escalation of the crisis in Syria, the need
for the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Israel's
hopes in its relations with Egypt and various developments throughout the Middle
East.

Romney told Peres that Israel and the US share a deep and abiding friendship and
a commitment to many years of alliance. "We share a passion for freedom and
democracy. We value human rights and dignity; we have an appreciation for the
power of free enterprise to lift people from poverty; and we love peace and hope
to share peace with our friends and other nations throughout the world, he
said."

Romney emphasized America's bipartisan support for and commitment to Israel's
security.

On the Palestinian issue, Romney was in favor of a two-state solution, but was
adamant that Hamas cannot be part of a peaceful resolution.

Romney was very interested to hear Peres's estimation of how Israel's relations
with Egypt would pan out, and expressed the hope that there would be greater
economic cooperation between the two.

He noted that Israel's reputation as a "start-up nation," together with its
advanced technology, could be beneficial as a basis for upgrading economic
relations with Egypt.

In addition to Israel's outrage at the atrocities that Syrian President Bashar
Assad is perpetrating against his own people, Peres told Romney the country is
carefully monitoring Syria's arsenal of chemical weapons.

Romney said the US is equally concerned about the Syrian violence and is anxious
to find a path to peace that would lead to greater stability in the region.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: PRESIDENT SHIMON PERES shakes hands with Mitt Romney, the
presumptive Republican candidate for US president, at his residence in Jerusalem
yesterday. (Credit: Moshe Milner/GPO)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Cuts to police budget will lead to more crime, Aharonovitch warns

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 341 words

Plans by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to cut NIS 181 million from the
Public Security Ministry's budget will result in more crime and violence on the
streets, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch warned Sunday.

Although the ministry accounts for just three percent of the state budget, it
will absorb 14% of overall government budget cuts, according to figures.

"There will be fewer police on the streets," Aharonovitch said in a statement
distributed by the ministry.

"This cut is a decisive blow to current working plans," he continued. "It will
harm the Israel Police. It will harm the personal security of each and every one
of us. It must not go ahead."

The minister called the planned cuts a "blow against society, which is seeking a
sense of security and a quality police presence."

Aiming his dissatisfaction at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance
Minister Yuval Steinitz, Aharonovitch added that it was "inconceivable that the
prime minister and finance minister would now deliver such a harsh blow to
personal security and to plans the prime minister himself had authorized."

According to the ministry, police will have to shut two large police stations or
four small stations if the cuts go ahead. Additionally, the force will be
limited in its ability to deploy officers, and crime fighting in the Arab
community will be harmed "despite the prime minister's demand for law
enforcement in the Arab community."

Border Police task forces set up to combat violence would also be disbanded, the
statement said. Holding cells for illegal migrants would be shut, too, and
reforms to the Fire and Rescue Service, which were trumpeted earlier this month
by Netanyahu, will now face difficulties, as would programs to combat street
violence, drugs and alcohol.

Sources in the Public Security Ministry said that in addition to the budget
reduction, the Finance Ministry was delaying the transfer of hundreds of
millions of shekels already owed to the ministry, throwing a wrench in planning
for law enforcement and emergency services.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem
Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Road rage shooting could trigger more violence in Arab village, say police

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 170 words

Police sent forces to Tabash, east of Haifa, on Sunday due to concern that a
deadly weekend shooting incident could lead to more violence.

On Saturday, one man was killed and two were wounded after a driver opened fire
on villagers who had asked him to refrain from blasting music. The dead man was
named as Bakar Tabash, 23.

Police say the driver apparently had created a racket in the area due to wild
driving and was asked to stop by locals. They believe he later returned and
opened fire.

One of the two wounded men is in serious condition; the second was lightly
wounded. They are being treated at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. One of
the wounded men is Tabash's brother.

Shots were later fired at the suspect's home and a vehicle was torched in what
police believe were revenge attacks.

The police's Northern District mobilized large numbers of units to the area to
separate the factions and prevent gun battles from breaking out.

Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the armed disturbances so
far.

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Keren Neubach and Menachem Ben - more than just a storm in a teacup

BYLINE: SUSAN HATTIS ROLEF

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 917 words

Keren Neubach is a talented, bright, hard-working and professional media
personality. Though politically she is inclined to the Left, no one ever doubted
her intellectual honesty, or claimed only right-wing politicians are targeted in
her criticism.

However, it is the Right that is in power today, and it was the Right that was
in power in 2004 as well, when Neubach was removed from her position as
political reporter on Channel 1 by then-director-general of the Israel
Broadcasting Authority, Yosef Bar'el. The main criticism against Neubach then,
as it is today, was that she has a "strange" inclination to be critical of the
government, something that the right-wing government apparently cannot stomach.

Neubach's career in public broadcasting was not terminated in 2004, and she was
allowed to continue to broadcast as a presenter, both on TV and the radio - a
not totally unwelcome development as far as she was concerned.

However, in November 2011, Neubach was once again removed - this time as
presenter for Channel 1 TV's investigative Mabat Sheni ("Second Glance")
program. The (lame) excuse given? She is not photogenic (in Hebrew the term used
was: lo overet masach - does not go over well on screen), though it was clear
that her photogenic qualities were not the issue.

Now Neubach is under fire again; the current director of Kol Yisrael, Michael
Miro, has decided to add "a balancing presenter" to her popular daily radio
program Seder Yom ("Agenda") on Reshet Bet of Kol Yisrael. Seder Yom deals with
current social and economic issues.

Though I usually tune in to the classical music station while driving, I
frequently switch to Reshet Bet when the reception of the music station is
disturbed, and so I occasionally find myself listening to Neubach's program.
While I have invariably found the program interesting, I must admit I have
reservations regarding Neubach's inclination - which is very typical of Israeli
TV and radio presenters - to interrupt those she is interviewing if she happens
to disagree with what they are saying.

In fact, I resent this phenomenon to such an extent that last Friday night, when
the presenter of Ulpan Shishi, Danny Kushmaro, kept interrupting Finance
Minister Yuval Steinitz, who was trying to defend the new economic decrees, I
actually felt sympathy for the beleaguered Steinitz, who continued bravely to
struggle to defend his policies, and to end his sentences.

Having said all this, nothing justifies Miro's actions. Firstly, adding a
"balancing presenter" to a successful program, the success of which is largely
due to its existing presenter, is simply not professional. Short of removing the
program you feel is not balanced politically (or which irritates your bosses),
you can either have alternate presenters on the same program, or you can create
a separate program that will deal with the same issues from another point of
view.

IN FACT, if it were not for the fact that Miro is apparently intent on
infuriating Neubach to the point that she will decide to resign, he could learn
a lesson or two from the Knesset Channel (Channel 99), where there are
presenters from all sections of the political spectrum, each of whom presents
issues on the agenda from a different political vantage point. The result is
quite incredible, turning the viewing of the Knesset Channel, whose budget is
fully covered by the Knesset itself, into a fascinating experience.

The second problem with what Miro did is his choice of "balancing presenter."
Apparently Miro did not have a large number of right-wing presenters to choose
from. In fact, several of the candidates expressed their disapproval of the move
on ethical grounds. But the final choice - the highly controversial publicist,
poet and literary critic Menachem Ben - was no less than scandalous. Ben likes
to play the role of provocateur.

For example, he openly stated on Big Brother VIP, in which he participated in
2009, that he seeks to outlaw homosexuality, denies that Aids exists as a
disease, and rejects the theory of evolution (all this is recorded in video
clips online). In short, Ben does not miss an opportunity to make provocative
statements that are anything but politically correct.

Haaretz publicist Benny Zipper has termed Ben a sort of clownish idiot-savant,
who as such has an important role to play in society, in that he is able to
uncover various manifestations of human hypocrisy, and reach non-conformist
conclusions, without his fearing the consequences, even though one must add that
this has led on several occasions to his being fired from various positions that
he held.

But what on earth does Miro expect Ben to contribute to Keren Neubach's program
(which Ben admits he never even heard before making his debut on it a week ago
Sunday) except turn it into a freak show, and drive Neubach up the wall?

AT THE time of this writing, it is not clear how this whole episode will end.
Neubach has reacted with a partial strike, and her supporters have been
demonstrating outside the Kol Yisrael studios, but whether Michael Miro will go
the whole way and fire her, or reverse his decision, only time will tell.
However, in so far as he is Binyamin Netanyahu's man, and has supposedly
coordinated his moves with him, one cannot help wondering what the prime
minister's plans are for the public Broadcasting Authority.

The writer teaches at the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College and was a Knesset
employee for many years. She is a senior strategic adviser to President Shimon
Peres.

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

GOP candidate becomes latest visitor to snub Yechimovich. Labor suggests
Netanyahu did not want them to meet without a 'babysitter'

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 698 words

Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich's attempts to portray herself as an alternative
candidate for prime minister suffered a severe blow on Sunday when presumptive
Republican candidate Mitt Romney canceled a meeting with her at the last minute.

Romney became the third world figure to snub Yechimovich in just over a month,
following Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton. When Putin and Clinton violated diplomatic protocol by skipping a
meeting with the then-opposition leader, Labor MKs privately blamed Yechimovich
for lacking a diplomatic agenda and an international presence.

But this time, even MKs not counted among Yechimovich's closest allies put all
the blame on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who they said intervened to
persuade Romney to cancel his meeting with her.

Labor officials noted recent reports about the close relationship between Romney
adviser Dan Senor and Netanyahu's senior adviser, Ron Dermer. MK Isaac Herzog,
who was supposed to meet Romney with Yechimovich, noted that when Senor called
less than three hours before the meeting to cancel it, he was at the Prime
Minister's Office.

"Romney was purposely misled by political officials who are worried that Shelly
continues getting stronger," Herzog said. "Someone was interested in her not
being given equal footing. We were willing to be flexible with the meeting but
got a firm no. We are sorry Governor Romney did not get to hear from the only
viable alternative to Netanyahu on the political scene."

Herzog said that when Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz replaced Yechimovich as
opposition leader, he called Romney's team to inform them that a meeting was no
longer required by diplomatic protocol, but they insisted on keeping the meeting
on the schedule. Her associates said they were in touch with Romney's team on
Sunday morning about such details as who would stand where in the
Yechimovich-Romney photo-op.

"She creates more and more fear in the Prime Minister's Office," Labor MK Daniel
Ben-Simon said. "Instead of exposing Israel's opposition, he seeks to hide it.
It's not an accident that three of her meetings were canceled."

Labor officials suggested that the meeting might have been canceled because
Yechimovich refused at the last minute to have Israeli Ambassador to Washington
Michael Oren take part in the meeting. One Labor official said Netanyahu did not
want her to meet Romney without "a babysitter present in the room."

A source in the Prime Minister's Office denied intervening to cancel the
meeting. Asked why the Americans did not remove Yechimovich from the itinerary
when she ceased being opposition leader, an Israeli official involved in
planning Romney's visit said he did not know and that the cancellation took him
by surprise.

A meeting between Romney and Mofaz at the capital's King David Hotel passed
without incident, except one gaffe when Mofaz complimented US President Barack
Obama's commitment to preventing the nuclearization of Iran. Mofaz is seen as
enamored of Obama, who joined a meeting between Mofaz and US National Security
Adviser Tom Donilon in Washington last month.

"We have to be ready for all options on Iran, but the time for military
operations has not yet come," Mofaz told Romney. "This is a time to tighten the
sanctions on the Iranian regime and be ready for any development which we should
handle in full coordination."

The two men also spoke about Israeli politics, regional issues, the need for
Israel to mend ties with Turkey, and the importance of returning to the
negotiating table with the Palestinians.

MK Danny Danon (Likud), who frequently meets with Republican politicians and
pundits, called Romney a true friend of Israel, and said his visit emphasizes
his commitment to the future of Israel and its people. He said Obama's recent
attempts to improve relations with Israel were "too little, too late," and would
not lead voters to forget years of giving a cold shoulder to the Jewish state.

"Obama took a stance in favor of the Palestinians whenever possible and did not
visit Israel during his tenure as president, even though he visited Egypt and
Saudi Arabia," Danon said.

Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: US PRESIDENTIAL candidate Mitt Romney meets with Kadima chairman
Shaul Mofaz in Jerusalem yesterday. (Credit: Jason Reed/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Romney: US must give Israel diplomatic support, not just military and
intelligence cooperation. Republican presidential hopeful has tough rhetoric on
Iran but stops short of pledging military action. PM joins candidate in
stressing their friendship

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1278 words

US military and intelligence support for Israel is not enough, and Washington
must ensure there is no public diplomatic distance between the two countries so
Israel's adversaries don't get emboldened, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt
Romney said Sunday in Jerusalem, in a barely veiled swipe at President Barack
Obama.

Romney, who has said repeatedly in recent days that he had no intention of
criticizing Obama on foreign soil, did not mention the president by name once in
a 20-minute outdoor foreign policy address he gave in the shadows of Jerusalem's
Old City.

But he didn't need to, because it was clear that he was referring to the often
rocky relationship between Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu when he
said, "Diplomatic distance in public between our nations emboldens Israel's
adversaries."

Obama, in the early days of his tenure, was quoted as saying that there was
nothing wrong in showing "daylight" between the US and Israel.

"Standing by Israel does not mean with military and intelligence cooperation
alone," Romney said, apparently referring to the ties that both Israeli and US
officials say have reached unprecedented heights under Obama. "We cannot stand
silent as those who seek to undermine Israel voice their criticisms. And we
certainly should not join in that criticism," he said.

Romney, at the event attended by some 300 guests invited by those close to his
campaign, seemed to strive hard to place distance between himself and Obama.

He stressed the Jewish people's connection to Israel, something Obama famously
did not do in his Cairo speech in 2009.

"To step foot into Israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an
ancient promise made in this land," Romney said. "The Jewish people persisted
through one of the most monstrous crimes in human history, and now this nation
has come to take its place among the most impressive democracies on earth.
Israel's achievements are a wonder of the modern world."

He stressed his relationship with Netanyahu, whom he referred to as "my friend"
and characterized as "one of the strongest voices" articulating the values the
US and Israel share.

After the speech, in comments he made before meeting the prime minister for the
second time that day, for dinner, Romney made it a point to refer to Jerusalem
as Israel's capital, putting distance between him and the Obama administration,
whose spokesmen in recent weeks have been unable to name Israel's capital.

Chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat criticized Romney's comments.

"Mitt Romney's words are damaging, they harm peace, stability and security,"
Erekat was quoted by Israel Radio as saying. "We reject these statements
completely."

One of the main focuses of Romney's speech, as in his meetings throughout the
day with Israel's leaders, was on Iran. Here he pushed a hard rhetorical line
but stopped well short of saying whether he would order a military strike to
prevent Tehran from getting nuclear weapons.

"When Iran's leaders deny the Holocaust or speak of wiping this nation off the
map, only the naive - or worse - will dismiss it as an excess of rhetoric,"
Romney said. "Make no mistake: The ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral
defenses. They want to know who will object and who will look the other way."

Romney said his message to both Israel and Iran was that neither he nor his
country would "look the other way."

Saying that "we have a solemn duty and moral imperative to deny Iran's leaders
the means to follow through on their malevolent intentions," he was short on
details about how this would be done.

"We should employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its
nuclear course, and it is our fervent hope that diplomatic and economic measures
will do so," he said. "In the final analysis, of course, no option should be
excluded. We recognize Israel's right to defend itself, and that it is right for
America to stand with you."

Dan Senor, a top foreign policy aide to Romney, told reporters on a flight from
London to Tel Aviv that Romney would back an Israeli attack on Iran.

Romney, asked about that in an ABC interview from Jerusalem on Sunday, said: "I
think I'll use my own terms in that regard, and that is that I recognize the
right of Israel to defend itself."

The early evening speech, delivered at a time when many in his audience were in
the 23rd hour of their Tisha Be'av fast, came at the tail-end of a day crammed
with meetings that began with a meeting with Netanyahu, which was dominated by
talk about Iran.

Romney, in statements to the cameras before the meeting, said he wanted to hear
Netanyahu's perceptions and ideas regarding the situation. A former one-term
governor from Massachusetts, Romney's current trip to England, Israel and Poland
is widely seen as an effort to bolster his foreign policy credentials and begin
to create the perception in the eyes of American voters of a man with
statesmanlike qualities.

He said he wanted to talk with Netanyahu about "further actions that we can take
to dissuade Iran from their nuclear folly."

Netanyahu, who referred to Romney as "Mitt" and said they have been friends for
decades, said he appreciated comments the candidate made recently to the effect
that "the greatest danger facing the world is of the ayatollah regime possessing
nuclear weapons capability."

Saying that he could not agree with that comment more, Netanyahu added that "I
think it's important to do everything in our power to prevent the ayatollahs
from possessing the capability. We have to be honest and say that all the
sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one
iota. And that's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military
threat, coupled with the sanctions, to have a chance to change that situation."

Romney, who arrived on Saturday evening and had to cancel a planned fund-raiser
Sunday evening because of the Tisha Be'Av fast, said he was "honored to be here
on the day of Tisha Be'av, to recognize the solemnity of the day and also the
suffering of the Jewish people over the centuries and the millennia."

Unfortunately, he said, "the tragedies of wanton killing are not only things of
the past, but have darkened our skies in even more recent times."

Following the morning meeting with the prime minister, he went to a meeting with
President Shimon Peres.

Romney, who did not mention the Palestinian issue once during his speech, was
quoted by Peres's office as saying he was in favor of two states for two
peoples, but that Hamas could not be part of that equation. "Everything must be
done to strengthen the peace between Israel and the Palestinians and between
Israel and its neighbors," he said.

Romney met during the day with PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, as well as with
Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz.

A planned meeting with Labor chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich was canceled at the
last minute.

Romney also paid a visit to the Western Wall, packed on Sunday because of Tisha
Be'av. Asked in the ABC interview about that visit and whether he shared with
his wife, Ann, what he was going to write on the note he left in the Wall,
Romney said that he and his wife read to each other what they wrote. "My
thoughts were in regards to peace, my family, my wife and the source of our
salvation," he said.

Romney is scheduled to hold a $50,000-a-couple fund-raiser on Monday morning at
the King David Hotel before leaving for Poland - the final leg of his foreign
trip. Among those expected to be in attendance at the fund-raiser is US
billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who has contributed significantly to the campaign
and who had a front row seat, along with his wife, Miriam, at Romney's speech.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: US PRESIDENTIAL candidate Mitt Romney places a note at the
Western Wall yesterday. PRIME MINISTER Binyamin Netanyahu chats with US
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the Prime Minister's Office in
the capital yesterday. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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The future of Israeli politics

BYLINE: BARRY RUBIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 991 words

"Can't anybody here play this game?" -Casey Stengel, New York Mets' manager

Stengel's complaint is the precise description of Israeli politics nowadays. To
a remarkable extent - and this has nothing to do with his views or policies -
Binyamin Netanyahu is the only functioning politician in Israel today. No wonder
he is prime minister, will finish his current term, and almost certainly be
reelected in 2013.

Consider the alternatives.

The number one such option is Shaul Mofaz who is head of Kadima. Mofaz was a
competent general but is a dreadful politician. He may be the least charismatic
man I've ever met. Tzipi Livni, his predecessor, was a disaster as leader of the
self-described centrist party. Here is a list of her major failures:

* She did not take the opportunity to oust the smarmy party leader Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert when the corruption charges against him piled up.

* She mishandled the coalition negotiations when she did become acting prime
minister, leading to the government's fall.

* She barely beat Mofaz in the party primary.

* Although her party had one seat more than Netanyahu's in the 2009 election,
Livni bungled the chance for some kind of coalition or rotation agreement. True,
Netanyahu held the upper hand and had no incentive to give up much but that was
all the more reason for her to offer him a good enough deal so she wouldn't be
totally thrown into fruitless opposition.

* As leader of the opposition, Livni was a total failure, never providing a good
counter to Netanyahu's positions and showing signs of personal panic that
shocked people. Even the anti-Netanyahu media couldn't rally behind her.

SO LIVNI was a catastrophe; Kadima, itself a merger of ex-Likud and ex-Labor
party people, developed no personality of its own.

Mofaz's record is quite bad, too. In fact, as one Israeli joke puts it, in terms
of damage, Mofaz accomplished in three months what it took Livni 18 months to
do. He said he would never leave Likud for Kadima, and then did so a few hours
later. He said he wouldn't join Netanyahu's coalition, then he did, and then he
announced he was leaving not too much later over the issue of drafting yeshiva
students.

Everyone knows that if an election is held, Kadima will collapse. Where will
most of its voters go? Almost certainly to Netanyahu. So Mofaz is bluffing and
everybody knows it. He cannot afford to have elections.

So there's another joke in Israel that the country will have "early elections"
just about when Netanyahu's term comes to an end, after the end of 2013.

Then there's the Left.

The Labor Party has split, with the smaller, more national security-oriented
faction led by Defense Minister Ehud Barak sticking with Netanyahu's coalition.
That group should also disappear in the next election.

The remaining party has veered to the Left and put the priority on domestic
social issues. That might well revive the party - especially with the defection
of lots of Kadima voters - but it won't win them an election. The party is now
led by Shelly Yechimovich, whose career experience consists of having been a
radio journalist and has never been a cabinet member.

Of course there were social protests in Israel last year about high prices for
some consumer goods and for apartments. There are genuine problems. But these
are the result of economic policies that also brought Israel one of the best
records of any developed country in the world during the international
recession.

And the fallout from the Arab Spring puts national security issues front and
center once again.

Along with this has been the collapse of the social protests. Last year the
movement could mobilize hundreds of thousands - though the media exaggerated its
size - and had broad public sympathy across the political spectrum.

Now it is reduced to a few thousand at most. Why? Because the loony leftists
ousted the moderate leadership which had some realistic proposed solutions.

Yechimovich has no monopoly on picking up the support of the discontented.
Israelis are realists and know that, unfortunately, a lot of the money intended
to be used for social benefits now has to go to build a fence along the border
with Egypt and build up Israel's defensive forces there.

Then there are various centrist good-government style parties that are likely to
take votes from Labor and from each other - notably the one began Yair Lapid,
whose father was also a journalist who started a failed centrist,
good-government and secularist party.

As I've often remarked, there is no country in the world about which people
think they know more and that they actually know less. We often focus on bias,
but ignorance is equally important.

There are three key factors necessary to understand contemporary Israeli
politics.

First, Netanyahu is not seen by the electorate generally as being right-wing and
hawkish but as being centrist. He has successfully been developing this posture
now for about 15 years without much of the Western media appearing to notice.

Second, Israelis don't really see the likelihood that different policies are
going to make lots of Arabs and Muslims love Israel, or bring peace with the
Palestinians or end the vilification of Israel in the Left. All of those things
were attempted by means of Israel taking high risks and making big concessions
during the 1992-2000 period. Israelis remember - even if others don't - that
this strategy doesn't work.

Third, there are no other politicians who are attractive as potential prime
ministers.

We now know that US President Barack Obama's administration thought that he was
going to overturn Netanyahu and bring Livni to power on a platform of giving up
a lot more to the Palestinians on the hope that this would bring peace. The
editorial pages of American newspapers and alleged experts still advocate this
basic strategy.

They couldn't possibly be less connected to reality.

The writer is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA)
Center.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: THE REGION

GRAPHIC: Photo: KADIMA'S WOES. Former party leader Tzipi Livni and current
leader Shaul Mofaz in the Knesset last year. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The
Jerusalem Post)

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Photo - HIGH-TECH FUN

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 84 words

HIGH-TECH FUN. Sama Sama Park at the Eretz Israel Museum is an Israeli start-up,
a new technological development that allows visitors to create their own
sight-and-sound show as they play instruments designed for that purpose. Laser
beams that produce sounds, playing tablets, underwater instruments and
electrifying lights are all part of this hi-tech amusement park. You have to see
- and hear - it to believe it. An adventure for the senses. Runs through August
26. For more info visit www.samasama.co.il

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: HIGH-TECH FUN. Sama Sama Park at the Eretz Israel Museum is an
Israeli start-up, a new technological development that allows visitors to create
their own sight-and-sound show as they play instruments designed for that
purpose. Laser beams that produce sounds, playing tablets, underwater
instruments and electrifying lights are all part of this hi-tech amusement park.
You have to see - and hear - it to believe it. An adventure for the senses. Runs
through August 26. For more info visit www.samasama.co.il (Credit: Courtesy/PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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July 30, 2012 Monday

Police bar Jews from Temple Mount yesterday

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 265 words

Police closed the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors on Sunday morning, the fast of
Tisha Be'av, due to fears of "provocation" - despite a promise on Saturday night
that the holiest site in Judaism would be open to Jewish worshipers.

Nearly 100 right-wing activists arrived at the entrance to the Temple Mount only
to be informed that the site was closed to Jews.

The activists held a reading of Lamentations (Eicha), the traditional text of
Tisha Be'av that commemorates the destruction of the Temples, outside the
entrance to the Mount.

"There were indications from Muslims and from Jewish worshipers that there would
be a possibility of incidents taking place on the Temple Mount, so after a
security assessment made in the early hours of this morning, the decision was
made by Jerusalem district police in order to prevent any incidents," police
spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

"The time has come for the racist policies of the police to end," MK Michael
Ben-Ari (National Union) said, accusing Public Security Minister Yitzhak
Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beytenu) of "implementing apartheid policies" by barring
Jews from the site.

"The fact that this happened on Tisha Be'av shows how much the Temple Mount is
not in our hands," said Likud activist Moshe Feiglin, who compared the decision
to a "modern destruction" of the Temple.

Feiglin said Jerusalem police head Asst.-Ch. Nisso Shaham had promised the
Temple Mount would be open to Jews on Sunday. On Thursday, Shaham was forced to
take a leave of absence following an investigation into allegations of sexual
harassment and assault of policewomen.

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Rabbis call for social responsibility on Tisha Be'aa. Benny Lau: We must fix the
alienation between religious and secular, care for elderly, young couples

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 555 words

Thousands of people descended on the Western Wall Plaza on Sunday to mark the
Tisha Be'av fast, pray and listen to the reading of the Bible's Book of
Lamentations.

The 25-hour fast, the second most important in the Jewish calendar, commemorates
the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, as well as several
other tragedies that befell the Jewish people during its history, and is seen as
a day of national mourning and soul-searching.

In comments made on Sunday, Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar highlighted the need for
national unity and to overcome societal differences.

"During these days in which we mourn for the destruction of the Temple and
Jerusalem, the exile of the Divine presence and the dispersal of the Jewish
people, and the loss felt in each generation in which the Temple is not rebuilt,
it is incumbent on us to think deeply about what we can contribute and do to
accelerate the building of the Temple," Amar said.

"Our sages taught us that both Torah study and acts of kindness will hasten this
process. When we say acts of kindness, we mean thinking about the other, for a
person to love his fellow man, kindness through love, because what brought about
the destruction was baseless hatred among the Jewish people."

Amar called on the public to "shake off" the inclination toward "baseless
hatred" that has beset the Jewish people during its history, to distance oneself
from argument and look for the good in each other.

"When we do so, we'll see that the majority is good, in the majority of times we
agree with one another, not just the majority but the overwhelming majority, and
that the things that divide us are small."

In a similar vein, prominent national-religious leader Rabbi Benny Lau spoke of
the need for social responsibility to fulfill Torah-mandated requirements for
repairing society.

"[We need to show] responsibility for elderly parents, for children who have
become young couples who are working hard to stand on their own two feet, and
responsibility for our community that includes new immigrants and long-standing
citizens, conservatives and innovators... responsibility for the huge gap
between the religious and secular that is causing alienation and detachment
[from one another]."

Lau emphasized that the Tisha Be'av fast of the present day "is not depressing,"
and that the prayers of the Jewish people today need to be different from
previous generations because "the city [Jerusalem] is not desolate, and is not
in mourning without its children."

Separately, MK Arieh Eldad of the National Union spoke on Saturday night during
a tour around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem and said that the Dome of
the Rock on the Temple Mount will be dismantled when the Temple is rebuilt in
the near future.

"When the time comes to build the Temple, and it's coming soon, we'll saw up the
building that stands there at the moment, we'll saw it up and they can take it
wherever they want to, because the Third Temple needs to stand in that place,"
he said.

MK Taleb al-Sanaa of the United Arab List-Ta'al called on the attorney-general
to initiate criminal proceedings against Eldad for "wild and irresponsible
incitement that may ignite a fire in the entire region."

Eldad said in response that he was referring to the Dome of the Rock, "which is
not a mosque and where no prayers are said."

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MEN READ the Book of Lamentations at the Western Wall on
Saturday night. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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July 30, 2012 Monday

A-G announces tougher legal guidelines for wildlife trade. Move a response to
calls by Erdan, animal rights groups regarding export of animals to overseas
labs

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK and SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 537 words

Animal rights groups on Sunday praised a decision by Attorney-General Yehuda
Weinstein to implement legal guidelines and tougher policies on the trade of
wild animals.

The announcement came in response to a request from Environmental Protection
Minister Gilad Erdan.

The new rules will establish a legal infrastructure for determining new policy,
which Weinstein said could include a ban on importing wild animals for the
purpose of exporting them to third countries for use in laboratory testing.

The policy will be subject to a hearing in which all relevant parties, including
Erdan, the Health Ministry, the Animal Experimentation Council and animal
traders, will be invited to provide input.

In his letter to Weinstein, Erdan said Israel's current policies had turned the
country into a "global animal trading center." He added that wild animals were
treated the same way as other commercial goods.

He asked the attorney-general to consider outlawing trade in animals trapped in
the wild, but not the import of wild animals for experiments aimed at advances
in life-saving medications.

In response, Weinstein said Israel was "no longer willing" to be a global center
for the wild animal trade, but added that legally there was no justification for
a total ban ahead of a full examination of the issue.

Regarding Erdan's request to restrict the purposes for which animals may be
imported, Weinstein said there were "serious [legal] difficulties" in
implementing this because it was inconsistent with the 1994 Animal Welfare
(Animal Experiments) Law. However, he noted that there was no legal impediment
to forcing traders to operate through "breeding farms" in order to limit
imports.

The High Court of Justice ruled last month that the Mazor Farm, a Petah Tikva
breeding center, could not export a group of female macaque monkeys born in the
wild to an animal testing laboratory in the US.

The animal rights group Let the Animals Live, which petitioned the court against
Mazor Farm, hailed Weinstein's announcement as another victory in its campaign
against the farm.

Let the Animals Live spokeswoman Eti Alterman said on Sunday that new policies
would mean the attorney-general "clearly thinks that the environment minister's
decision to ban the cruel international trade in monkeys is appropriate and
legally justified."

The group said it hoped the new policy would be "implemented with immediate
affect and put to an end the terrible place called Mazor Farm."

Alterman added that Israel's trade in wild monkeys "puts us on par with the
Third World."

In response to the attorney-general's announcement, the Environmental Protection
Ministry emphasized that since taking office, Erdan had been championing
policies on animal protection, particularly regarding the use of wildlife to
promote economic interests.

"The adoption of my policy to protect wildlife by the attorney-general is a leap
forward toward protecting animals and wildlife," Erdan said.

The implementation of his policies will be subject to a number of preliminary
proceedings, according to the ministry. Erdan therefore noted that he would act
as soon as possible to execute all the legal and administrative requirements in
order to reduce the suffering to animals.

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July 30, 2012 Monday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 388 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 30, 1947, The Palestine Post reported from Port de Bouc, France, that
the 4,500 Jewish "illegal" immigrants aboard the Exodus 1947 thanked France for
its hospitality, and refused to leave the British prison ships, saying that they
wanted to go to Palestine. A French official said that he would not force anyone
to disembark. France had also announced that it made no deals to limit
migration. The refugees announced that they would rather starve than land in
France.

"Do not grieve too much, what we have done we did out of conviction." This was
the last message to their families from Ya'acov Weiss (23), Meir Nakar (21), and
Avshalom Haviv (20), who were hanged at Acre, as conveyed by Sephardi chief
rabbi Nissim Ohana, who was brought to Acre by the police at the request of the
condemned men. They were buried in Safed.

The Va'ad Leumi warned the Jewish underground against possible reprisals,
especially insofar as the fate of the two kidnapped British Army sergeants by
the Irgun Zva'i Leumi was concerned. The searches for the two missing sergeants
continued and several arrests were made.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 30, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that president Yitzhak Ben Zvi and
his wife, on the first leg of their three-week official African visit, had
arrived in Paris, where they visited the Jewish War Memorial.

The cabinet had rejected unanimously the granting of an Israeli visa under the
Law of Return to Dr. Robert Soblen, a Soviet spy sentenced in the US, who had
previously fled to Israel, was deported, and was currently in England.

The Jewish Agency closed its offices in Algeria.

Finance minister Levi Eshkol expressed disappointment at the postponement until
the autumn of Israel's applications in connection with the Common Market.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 30, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported from Washington that according to
assistant secretary of state Richard Murphy, appearing before a Congressional
panel, Israel enjoyed a widening regional military supremacy.

According to Lebanese press reports Israel was stepping up its efforts to try to
secure the return of the airman captured by the Amal Shi'ite organization and
two missing Israeli soldiers.

A forest fire broke out in the Jerusalem hills between the kibbutzim Ma'aleh
Hahamisha and Kiryat Anavim. A suspected arsonist was arrested.

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July 30, 2012 Monday

Back lot Israel

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 669 words

With a setting Jerusalem sun casting shadows on the Tower of David and the walls
of the Old City as his background, US Republican presidential hopeful Mitt
Romney got what he wanted Sunday before he even delivered a word of his speech -
valuable Holy City campaign footage.

Romney is, of course, running for president. He is visiting Israel now because
he is running for president. Everything he says now about Israel, Iran and the
Middle East, as well as everything US President Barack Obama says and does now
about Israel, Iran and the Middle East, must be seen within that prism.

In other words, take it all with a grain of salt: Both what Romney is saying,
and what Obama is saying and doing. This does not mean that they do not mean
what they say or do, only that it all must be put in the wider context of the
campaign.

Romney's comments about needing to stop Iran's "nuclear folly," and his senior
advisers' remark on the plane to Israel from England that Romney would back an
Israeli strike against Iran, must be taken in the same vein as reports - denied
up and down by the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday - that US National Security
Adviser Tom Donilon recently briefed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on
Obama's contingency plans for an attack on Iran.

The AP story Saturday saying the CIA viewed Israel as a "spy threat" must be
seen through this prism as well. It was no coincidence that someone leaked this
type of information to AP the same day Romney arrived in Israel and would
deliver a speech the next day saying the two countries should always be
inextricably close.

Likewise, it was no coincidence that Obama signed a law enhancing US-Israel
security cooperation to the tune of $70 million in additional funds on Friday,
just a day before Romney arrived; or that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
visited two weeks ago for the first time in nearly two years; or that Secretary
of Defense Leon Panetta is due to arrive on Wednesday.

It is all politics. Moreover, it is all legitimate politics.

Israel is an important issue for a significant segment of the US public - Jews
and Evangelical Christians. It is therefore more than legitimate for candidates
to want to prove their bona fides on an issue important to wide swaths of the
electorate. This is not pandering to the Jews; it is election campaigning.

By the way, all those wringing their hands about how unseemly it is for Romney
to come here now - so obviously wooing voters - should think back four years
when candidate Obama and his rival John McCain both came to Israel in July 2008.
Romney used the Old City walls as a back lot to his professions of empathy and
sympathy for Israel on Sunday; Obama used a pile of fallen rockets in Sderot.

Netanyahu's meeting with Romney was no more a blatant intervention into US
politics than Obama's meeting and photographed handshake with then-prime
minister Ehud Olmert.

And both candidates - Romney now, Obama then - went for the photo-op at the
Western Wall.

It is US election season and, as such, Israel is a prop in the campaign - kind
of like a diner in Iowa or a truck-stop in Florida. Every serious candidate
makes the stop, though some do it more artfully than others.

One asks, for instance, why it was necessary for Romney to come precisely on
Tisha Be'av. Could he not have flown from England to Poland, the next stop on
his three-country journey, and then to Israel - coming here on Monday, not
Saturday evening, just as the fast began? Also, his last minute cancellation of
a meeting with Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich was not handled all too adroitly.

But that is just background noise, a momentary distraction, something that will
be forgotten in hours. What will be remembered, or at least what the Romney
campaign hopes will be remembered, will be that picture of him looking
presidential against the back lot of the Old City walls, with the Tower of David
to the north, and Dormition Abbey to the south.

Welcome to Israel, an important back lot - once again - for the US election
campaign.

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NOTES: ANALYSIS

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Design students imagine innovative future for Beersheba's Old City

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 549 words

Ousting an unappealing parking lot in the middle of Beersheba's Old City, design
graduate Noa Liber dreams of reviving the land plot with a green energy complex
- powered by bicycles.

The new "green parking lot" would be covered by a sculpted metal pergola, which
when powered by stationary bike pedals, would provide cool air and shade for
loungers below. After a certain amount of pedaling, those at work would be free
to take the bikes around the city for a ride.

"I looked to create interaction between people in Beersheba," Liber told The
Jerusalem Post. "I want to create gathering and interaction because today there
are no places where people can sit and come and enjoy the city."

Liber's idea was part of a series of projects that recent graduates of Ramat
Gan's Shenkar College of Engineering and Design exhibited, in which they planned
various schemes for an innovative future of Beersheba's Old City. In their final
year of Shenkar's Interior-Building and Environmental Design program, the
students used the Old City as a laboratory for developing "urban rooms" and
renewing the city itself, under the guidance of Prof. Shraga Kirshner, according
to the college.

If Liber was going to eliminate an entire parking lot, she felt that she had "to
give something in return."

A bike rental facility, which would take physical work as payment rather than
cash, was the perfect new parking lot, she imagined.

"I thought that this could be good for everybody," for both the loungers under
the pergola as well as those who come to rent the bikes, she said.

While she and the other students do not yet know if the city intends to adopt
any of their ideas, Liber said that one municipality representative attended
their exhibition.

Some of the other projects include a "hidden city" of gardens created by Vera
Watts, in which a city of concealed gardens would be located among select
buildings around the Old City. The entrance to the gardens would be hidden and
narrow, intended to surprise guests and "to reveal large and impressive space
that functions as a small Garden of Eden within an urban hub," according to the
college.

Meanwhile, Ester Benyaminovich planned a renewal of Keren Kayemeth
LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund's Old City pedestrian mall in a project called
Activity Adaptive Street, which would include a plastic ceiling cover high above
the pedestrians that would create a comfortable microclimate system.

Another student, Marina Veretihin, designed a birds-eye lookout for observing
Beersheba's urban landscape, which would be located on a cliff at the edge of
town that provides a panoramic view, accompanied by a sound experience generated
by wind pipes.

Providing a place for community gatherings, student Hila Gabay designed a
seating area that would have the space to host street performances and large
events, but would also have the capability of transforming into modular communal
seating on days when no attractions are occurring.

Linking various building stories and roofs together, student Rachel Miriami
designed a new walking trail that would wrap around the Old City at changing
heights.

By providing these ideas for such an ancient part of their city, the students
aimed to uniquely redesign Beersheba's Old City quarters and "breathe life into
it," according to the college.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MARINA VERETIHIN, a student at Shenkar College of Engineering
and Design, stands next to the birds-eye lookout she designed for observing
Beersheba's urban landscape. (Credit: Shenkar College)

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

India, US looking to learn from Israel's border security

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 424 words

A growing number of countries are flocking to Israel to study border security as
the Defense Ministry works to complete the construction of a physical and
technological barrier along the Egyptian border.

In August, a delegation from India will arrive to study the various technologies
used by the IDF to secure the borders with the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and
Egypt, and which could be implemented as part of India's own fence with Pakistan
and Bangladesh.

The interest in Israeli border security has spiked since Israel began
constructing a barrier along its border with Egypt to stem terrorism and
infiltrations by illegal migrants. The Defense Ministry and IDF have so far
completed about 150 km, of the fence; plans are to complete the remainder by the
end of the year.

The fence is 5 meters in height and layered with barbed wire. It is supported by
dozens of radars that are deployed along the border to issue alerts about
possible crossings while the potential infiltrators are still kilometers away.

Israel's primary concern is with the growing number of terror attacks along the
border. Last week, shots were fired at a bus carrying IDF soldiers. While there
was damage to the bus, no one was wounded. On June 18, terrorists crossed into
Israel from Sinai and killed an Israeli contractor working on the border fence,
while last August eight Israelis were killed in a cross-border attack.

India is interested in beefing up its border security to prevent future
incidents like the Mumbai attacks in 2008. The Indian press reported Sunday on a
tunnel that had been discovered under the border with Pakistan in the contested
Kashmir region.

Another country closely following Israel's decisions on border security is the
US, which is building a barrier along its border with Mexico.

The Department of Homeland Security is, for example, testing the ELM-2112 family
of persistent ground surveillance radars, developed by Elta Systems, a
subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, and used by the IDF to detect
intruders before they reach the border.

Five different versions detect individuals at ranges from 300 m. up to 20 km.,
and vehicles at up to 40 km. The radars feature four stationary antennas, each
covering a 90-degree sector enabling persistent surveillance and tracking over a
wide area.

Several radars can be integrated into a single network to provide an integrated
picture of a border area. In addition, the command-and-control interface
features icons resembling an animal, vehicle or person based on the target
detected by the radar.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 141 words

Burgas victim released from hospital

Gilat Kulang, a victim of the attack on the Israeli bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, a
week and a half ago, was released from the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus
in Petah Tikva on Sunday after her condition improved significantly. Her
husband, Itzik Kulang, was killed in the attack.

Jerusalem Post staff

Abbas, Mashaal to meet in Cairo

Preparations are being made for a meeting between Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Cairo in the coming
days, the Bethlehem-based Ma'an news agency reported on Sunday. The two were
expected to discuss Fatah-Hamas reconciliation efforts. The groups signed a
reconciliation agreement last year but never implemented it. Both Abbas and
Mashaal met with Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi in Egypt earlier this month.

¥ Jerusalem Post staff

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 30, 2012 Monday

Steinitz: I hope we won't need more tax hikes. Budget cuts expected to pass
despite some ministries' opposition

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN and NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 819 words

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz refused Sunday to rule out introducing further
tax hikes later this year on top of those announced last week, but said he hopes
there will be no need for such a move.

"This package is supposed to provide a solution for dealing with the deficit, to
protect Israel's credit rating, its investments and economy," Steinitz told Army
Radio. "We are dealing with the deficit so that Israel will not end up looking
like Ireland, Spain or Greece. We are doing this now, because if we don't we
will end up paying much more in the future."

The cabinet is expected to approve value-added tax and income tax increases on
Monday, in a move the Treasury estimates will boost state coffers by NIS 14
billion next year. Should it pass, VAT will increase immediately by 1 percentage
point to 17%. Starting on January 1, all income between NIS 8,881 and 41,830 per
month will be taxed an additional 1%, while a flat 2% tax will be imposed on all
income above NIS 67,000 per month.

Last week, Steinitz signed an order to increase purchase tax on cigarettes,
cigars and alcohol. He also announced that the government intends to collect NIS
3 billion owed to it by large corporations, which were exempt from paying tax
for certain periods of time under agreements committing them to investing in the
economy.

Steinitz's plan includes a NIS 700 million cut in the budgets of cabinet
ministries. Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch warned that the
expected NIS 180 million cut in his ministry's budget would lead to "more
violence and crime." Union leaders in the health industry called the Health
Ministry's budget cut "disastrous."

But Aharonovitch might end up voting for the cuts on orders from his Yisrael
Beytenu party chairman Avigdor Liberman. And the health minister will vote in
favor, because his name is Binyamin Netanyahu. Deputy health minister Ya'acov
Litzman (United Torah Judaism), who runs the ministry, does not get a vote in
the cabinet.

The Independence Party's four ministers will meet on Monday morning to decide
how to vote. They flexed their muscles on Sunday, suggesting that they might
vote against the plan if cuts to the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry's
educational technology division were not restored.

Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Shalom Simhon said that if the Education
Ministry is exempt from the cut, his ministry should be as well, because it also
funds educational projects. Nevertheless, Simhon and the other Independence
Party ministers are expected to vote in favor.

Channel 10 reported that Negev and Galilee Development Minister Silvan Shalom
and Minister-without-Portfolio Michael Eitan, both from the Likud, might decide
at the last minute to vote against the measures.

But the only definite no votes will come from the four Shas cabinet members.
Shas chairman and Interior Minister Eli Yishai demanded that the VAT be lowered
on water, electricity, and bread.

"Raising taxes will harm thousands of families in Israel, who have already been
hurt by the increasing cost of living," Yishai warned on Sunday night.

Labor chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich released data compiled by her office that
show that 67% of the government's planned tax increases are regressive, meaning
that the tax rate decreases as the amount subject to taxation increases, thus
affecting poorer people more than the rich.

Yechimovich said the decision to raise income tax on the second, third and
fourth income tax brackets, while ignoring the highest bracket (NIS 41,830 to
NIS 67,000 per month), imposes an even greater burden on engineers, hi-tech
workers and others who she said form the most productive segment of society. She
said the value-added tax increase would also enlarge the burden on households,
explaining that 27% of the income of the poorest 10th of the population goes
toward VAT, compared to just 8% from the richest 10th.

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of "torturing the middle class"
and wasting its money on political deals and ministers who do nothing.

Bank of Israel Gov. Stanley Fischer reiterated his praise for the government's
steps in a statement late on Saturday, calling them "necessary" to deal with the
twin threats of the euro's collapse and the spiraling budget deficit.

"Given this situation, the prime minister and finance minister's measures are
brave and essential for improving our budgetary situation in 2013. They will
enable us to manage the economy and support growth - to the good of the
country's citizens," Fischer said. "The Bank of Israel will continue to conduct
monetary policy that maintains price stability, supports growth and guards the
stability of the financial system."

Tzvi Oren, chairman of the Federation of Israeli Economic Organizations and
president of the Manufacturers Association, convened an urgent meeting of the
federation's presidium on Sunday evening, to discuss how to deal with the
imminent tax hikes.

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Yuval Steinitz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

566 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Athletes counter BBC in film: Jerusalem is our capital

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 339 words

Following the BBC's refusal to recognize the capital of the Jewish state,
members of the Israeli Olympic team prepared a video last week in which they say
they are proud to represent Israel "and its capital Jerusalem."

On its website listing of countries participating in the London Olympics, the
BBC had listed "East Jerusalem" as the capital for the Palestinian Olympic team,
but listed Israel without a capital.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's spokesman Mark Regev wrote a letter on July
19 to the director of the BBC's bureau in Israel, Paul Danahar, complaining of
the lack of mention of a capital city on Israel's page.

"I am dismayed by the BBC's decision to discriminate against Israel on the BBC's
Olympic website," Regev wrote. "Every country [and non-country] participating in
the London 2012 games has been given a page on your website with background
information about the country, including mention of the capital city. Every
country [and non-country], except Israel.

"Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, and accordingly we
respectfully request the immediate rectification of this matter," he added.

Following the letter, the BBC did make some changes.

In the newest edition of the Israel entry, Jerusalem is entered as the "seat of
government," with the proviso that "most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv."

The "Palestine" entry was also altered and now reads that "East Jerusalem" is
the "intended seat of government." Ramallah, the entry read, "serves as
administrative capital."

Palestine, according to the site, "is recognized as a competing [Olympic]
country by the IOC but is not recognized as a modern state."

This change was not satisfactory for Jerusalem. Regev, in a follow-up letter,
made clear that for Israel "seat of government" was not acceptable, and he would
appreciate if "Israel's capital be identified accurately on your website."

Regev was notified that this was the BBC's policy, and that there would be no
further changes. He said that the government would continue to pursue the
matter.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

East side, west side, all around the town

BYLINE: BEN G. FRANK/Special to The Jerusalem Post

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 2087 words

NEW YORK - I travel the world. Yet, frequently I was summoned home especially
after I heard these exhilarating words ringing in my ears:

New York, New York, a helluva town.

The Bronx is up, but the Battery's down.

The people ride in a hole in the groun'.

New York, New York, it's a helluva town!

Undoubtedly, Paris, Rome and London are worldly cities. But New York City (NYC)
with its approximate eight million residents remains the 'king of the hill.'

The sites and symbols, the panache, the vibrancy, the historic reality and myth
that 'if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,' attract the curious
and adventurous.

On top of that, New York, America's largest city as well as its financial,
cultural and entertainment capital, draws thousands of tourists each day to its
urban center. So, what does a former resident (this writer) who moved away after
six decades of living in this 'Shtetl on the Hudson,' do on a return visit?

He does what every sightseer does: Frequents old haunts and neighborhoods
including some of the great tourist attractions: Times Square, Rockefeller
Center, Lincoln Center, the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, the 9/11
Memorial, the UN headquarters, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Museum of the
City of New York, the world-renowned art museums, such as the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, the cruises around Manhattan and the double- deck bus tours.

The Jewishly-inclined tourist can visit Temple Emanuel, the Jewish Museum, the
Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Jewish Theological Seminary, The Center for
Jewish History, Fifth Avenue Synagogue, Yeshiva University, Hebrew Union College
Jewish Institute of Religion, the former Jewish neighborhood: the Lower East
Side; the Tenement Museum, the latter infusing nostalgia of those box-car homes
on Delancey, Essex and Eldridge streets.

"This is the neighborhood where your great-grandparents lived," New Yorkers tell
their grandchildren as they visit the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, a National
Historic Landmark.

Jews, who number about 1.5 million in the five city boroughs as well as Long
Island and Westchester County, have been living here since those 23 Jews arrived
in 1654 from Recife, Brazil, and were treated badly by Henry Stuyvesant, the
Dutch governor.

Usually tourists are overwhelmed by that popular sport of shopping-till-you-
drop. Bring sneakers, and 'vagabond' shoes, so you can act like a 'couple of
swells' marching up Fifth or Madison avenues or along 57th St; where you've
entered the mecca of glamorous department stores and up-scale boutiques. Then
hike down through the canyons of Wall Street, Battery Park, and pop into
fashionable shops in Lower Manhattan. Saunter up or down the crowded sidewalks
of Chinatown, Little Italy, Tribeca, SoHo and NoHo, (neighborhoods north and
south of Houston st.), as well as a new section known as NoLita, deriving from,
NOrth of Little ITAly. In case you get lost, NoLita lies east of SoHo, south of
NoHo, west of the Lower East Side and north of Little Italy and Chinatown.

Looking for a respite, stop in at the Ground Support CafZ, 399 West Broadway at
Spring St. in SoHo where young people and college students abound.

Grand Street in Little Italy is the location of one of New York's most famous
cafes, Ferrara, which serves up bakery and light fare. Established in 1892, it's
still going strong with lovers of coffee and ice cream.

When you're meandering down Broadway near Houston, don't just look at the
fashion mannequins in the boutiques, gaze up at the facades of the buildings
lining this jammed street, the area was once part of a vast manufacturing and
printing center long gone. Forget the glass-covered skyscrapers and imagine all
townhouses around Greenwich Village's Washington Square Park, a few of which
still may be around, as in the days when Edith Wharton and Henry James wrote
about society in the late 19th century.

New York has its drawbacks - it's mostly brick, asphalt, and steel, with very
little green space, though there's small welcoming green spots and, of course,
Central Park where you can warm a park bench and take in the view of the kingly
apartment buildings, along Fifth, Central Park West and South.

This summer, most American tourists will tell you that New York City is
especially expensive. Still, you'd never know there's a severe economic
recession in the US if the packed, top restaurants or the steep ticket prices of
Broadway theaters are any indication. But it could be worse: Ranked by a
worldwide cost-of-living index in March 2012, by Mercer Press, New York City
ranked 33 and Tel Aviv, 31, among the 50 top most expensive cities.

Tourists are a boon to the economy and visitors come here to observe new sites,
one of which is the recent arrival of the Shuttle Enterprise onto its new home
on the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. The shuttle is one
of only four in existence and for New Yorkers, well, they're truly excited that
this piece of space history will be docked in their backyard. The shuttle
display is set to open July 19 when the public will be able to walk directly
beneath the shuttle. (The inside, however, will remain off-limits).

Miss far-off Asia? Travel to Mott St., Chinatown, filled with boutiques and
souvenir shops. As for eateries, highly-recommended and very reasonable are Joe
Shanghai's and Delight 28 restaurants, both on Pell St. To see the less
commercial Chinatown, head across the river to Flushing, Queens.

Forty-second St. may be famous, but so is West 47th St., the diamond district.
It's jewelers are predominantly Jewish; in fact in weekday mornings, many
hassidim arrive in buses to diamond exchanges in the long block between Fifth
and Sixth avenues where the babel of Yiddish, Turkish, Russian, Hebrew, Persian,
Spanish, and English floods your ears.

Warning signs caution visitors not to buy or sell from street vendors. A
recommended jeweler is Gary Rayzman of Harry's Jewelers, Booth 17, 71 West 47th
St.

Rayzman hails from Odessa and this engaging person can tell you stories of how
it was secretly making jewelry in the former Soviet Union. A well-known
designer, he can fashion a keepsake of your choice or sketch suggestions.

Two of New York's finest strictly-kosher meat restaurants, are Le Marais, 150
West 46th st. and Prime Grill, at 60 East 49th St.

A dozen blocks away is Columbus Circle, a good location hotel-wise and a short
walk from the Lincoln Center of opera, symphony, ballet and drama.

After a long flight, the affluent stop at one of Travel and Leisure's 500
World's best Hotels, The Trump International Hotel and Tower, - at One Central
Park West, a great location at the juncture of Columbus Circle, Central Park
West, Central Park South and Broadway.

Located at One Central Park West, this facility possesses twelve junior suites ,
99 executive one-bedroom suites and 30 two bedroom suites.

Professionalism and hospitality is the hallmark of this 52-story hotel with its
new spa and treatments, salt pure pool, state-of-the-art business facilities.
Trump International Hotel and Tower is proud of its Forbes Five-Star , AAA Five
Diamond and Michelin Three Star and New York Times Four-Star-restaurant, Jean
Georges with its contemporary French cuisine.

Just across from The Trump International Hotel is the reaching- to-the sky Time
Warner Center, home of the Whole Foods Market at Columbus Circle and located
down the escalators on the Concourse Level.

Whole Foods, the home of a wonderland of upscale food shopping and dining, is
Manhattan's second largest grocery store and America's first national 'certified
organic' grocer, opened nearly a decade ago. I heard Israelis speaking Hebrew;
one expressing wonder with such a huge selection to satisfy vegans.

Just up the street is Congregation Shearith Israel: the Spanish and Portuguese
Synagogue, on Central Park West, the oldest congregation in the US. Not far from
Columbus Circle is Carnegie Deli on Seventh Ave. at 56th st. which serves
over-stuffed deli sandwiches, and it's just a block away from historic Carnegie
Hall where world-class musical artists perform.

Movement is crucial in New York, amid the speed-walking, the pushing, the hustle
for a seat on the subway or the bus; its all part of this hurried city where the
tourist becomes a human chip in a fast moving tide. Soon, however, you'll
accommodate your pace to the common tempo and then, you'll be in the 'New York
state of mind.'

Welcome to the Big Apple!

(BOX)

Upper East Side has it all

NEW YORK - Grand Central Terminal (GCT) on East 42nd St. and Vanderbilt Ave. is
a gateway not only to Manhattan but to the 'silk-stocking neighborhood' of the
Upper East Side.

To pick up the pulse of NYC, park yourself between 6 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in this
monumental railway station where about a half-million persons every day pass
through this late-Beaux-arts facility. Dubbed the 'crossroads of a million
private lives on a gigantic stage on which are placed a thousand dramas daily,'
you can watch the tide reverse to the suburbs latter that day.

A great place to rendezvous with friends before you go out on the town is the
clock atop the information desk in the middle of the main concourse.

Need a snack? Take escalator down to glatt kosher Mendy's in the expansive food
court below. Regarding food on the East Side, the dairy kosher restaurant, Va
Bene, Second Avenue, between East 82nd and 83rd Sts is highly recommended.

An express subway stop from GCT brings one to shopper-haven 'Bloomies,'
otherwise known as Bloomingdales, at 59th St. Also on Lexington, stands historic
Central Synagogue, the oldest synagogue building in continuous use in New York
City, a historic landmark, featuring the round Moorish finials on top of its two
columns -- each surmounted by a Star of David. Another landmark on this avenue
is the 92nd St. Y cultural center.

The Upper East Side is also crowded with fitness facilities. Many travelers and
vacationers believe in taking advantage of new multi-pronged approaches to
life-long wellness.

In this day of physical fitness, travelers are finding that the city has geared
up to welcome those who want to stay fit whether on vacation or business.

Looking for an unusual fitness facility, I met Boaz Saar, co founder and trainer
of The Fitness Cell. Boaz is an Israeli who served as a lieutenant in IDF
special forces and as a krav maga instructor. The facility is located at 128
East 72nd and he's opening a new location at 321 East 61st St.

Boaz told me he believes in striking a balance within the trinity of body, mind
and spirit through kinesiology (the science of movement). He is a fierce
proponent of the Gestalt approach to overall fitness, the sum is greater than
the parts.

Joining Boaz in a new program in his facility at 321 East 61st for a fusion of
martial arts and resistance training will be Lorna Kleidman, three-time world
champion in kettlebell sport which is very popular among women. Lorna is a
teacher of kettlebell's dynamic movement, highlighted by its technique of
resistance lifting. The kettlebell which, according to Boaz and Lorna, is
popular in Israel, uses all of your body at one time. It's different than
barbells, dumbbells or medicine balls because the kettlebell is centered in the
palm.

Moreover, because of its handle, the kettlebell's center of mass is extended
beyond the hand - and moving the bell in a circular motion increases metabolism,
fat loss, coordination and functional strength.

"Lorna's method makes it look more graceful and not so strenuous," said one
participant.

A recommended hotel for convenience and charming elegance on the Upper East Side
is the San Carlos Hotel, 150 East 50th St., between Lexington and Third avenues
and walking distance to many of the sites mentioned here. An outstanding feature
at the San Carlos, one of Manhattan's premier four-star hotels, is the wide
variety in its complimentary continental breakfast offered to guests. The 147
spacious and luxurious accommodations, including 83 deluxe rooms, 20 executive
suites, 42 one bedroom suites and two penthouse suites with terraces are
comfortable and clean.

Ben G. Frank, journalist, travel writer, is the author of the just-published,
'The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti &
Beyond,' Globe Pequot Press; as well as 'A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, 3rd
edition'; 'A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia and Ukraine,' and 'A Travel Guide to
the Jewish Caribbean and South America. Pelican Publishing Company.' Blog:
www.bengfrank.blogspot.com - twitter: @BenGFrank

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Whether you're an old-time resident or a first-time visitor, New York
City still has the ability to mesemerize and enthrall. Box at end of text,

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: THE METROPOLITAN Museum of Art and Temple Emanuel are just
two of the architectural and cultural magnets of the world's most stimulating
city. THE HISTORIC Central Synagogue on Lexington Ave., New York City. (Credit:
Ben G. Frank)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

568 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

What is driving the EU's refusal to label Hezbollah a terrorist group? The Dutch
appear ready for a ban on Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, while Germany and
France have showed no appetite for one

BYLINE: BENJAMIN WEINTHAL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 1098 words

BERLIN - Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman's diplomatic push last week in
Brussels to convince the EU to designate the Lebanese-based Hezbollah group as a
terror entity was met with robust resistance.

Liberman sought to inject new life into the drive to outlaw Hezbollah because of
the murders of five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver on July 18. Israeli and
US intelligence agencies believe Hezbollah carried out the suicide bombing.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, whose country heads the
26-member EU presidency, said there is "no consensus among the EU member states
for putting Hezbollah on the terrorist list of the organization," and claimed
there is "no tangible evidence of Hezbollah engaging in acts of terrorism."

Counter-terrorism blogs and experts on both sides of the Atlantic were
immediately awash with reactions that quickly mounted overwhelming evidence to
refute Kozakou-Marcoullis's contentions.

Jacob Campbell, a research fellow at the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy
in the United Kingdom, and author of a report in late June on the EU "Helping
Hezbollah," told The Jerusalem Post on Friday, "Within just days of the Burgas
bombing - almost undoubtedly perpetrated by Hezbollah - the Presidency of the EU
Council explicitly ruled out the possibility of listing Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization, insisting that there is no 'tangible evidence' to link Hezbollah
to terrorism. This ludicrous statement was made despite an earlier resolution
adopted by the European Parliament, which cites 'clear evidence' of terrorist
acts committed by Hezbollah. On this issue, as in so many others, Brussels
appears to have its head buried firmly in the sand."

The United States classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Writing on
his World Affairs blog, the US Mideast expert Michael J. Totten wrote that
Hezbollah's "first act of terrorism was the destruction of the US Embassy in
Beirut in 1983. I could sit here all day and list all the incidents between then
and now, but I won't. European officials know perfectly well what Hezbollah has
done. Their refusal to blacklist it has nothing to do with their ignorance or
with Hezbollah's innocence."

In an exhaustive account on the popular Long War Journal news website, Bill
Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, documented
that "Hezbollah has provided support and training to other terror groups to
carry out suicide operations, including Hamas and al-Qaida."

Though the UK has outlawed the military wing of Hezbollah, the Iran-sponsored
group continues to have wide political and organizational latitude across Europe
to advance its ideology and increase its operational potency. According to
Germany's domestic intelligence agency (Verfassungsschutz), Hezbollah has
roughly 900 active members in the Federal Republic. Germany, like France, has
showed no appetite for a ban of Hezbollah. France has shied away from imposing a
ban on the group so as to preserve its diplomatic influence in Lebanon.

Major security blind spots toward EU and Israeli security filled the German
media after the Bulgaria attack. The head of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs
Committee, Ruprecht Polenz told a German radio program that there is no proof
that Iran or its proxy Hezbollah was behind the attack in Bulgaria. Polenz, a
controversial deputy from Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union
party, is engulfed in an anti-Israel scandal because of his support for a German
"peace activist" who has denigrated Israel.

There has, however, been one national-based legislative resolution to urge the
EU to pull the plug on oxygen for Hezbollah's main supporter, Iran's
Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Dutch parliament in late 2009, in an initiative
first reported in the Post, urged, in a broad-based cross-party resolution, that
the EU ban the Revolutionary Guard Corps because, "this organization has played
a leading role during the bloody suppression of the recent popular protests
[against the fixed reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] and that it is
increasingly active in facilitating international terrorism, among which support
to Hamas, Hezbollah and anti-Western militias in Iraq."

The EU simply ignored the Dutch appeal. Last summer, lawmakers in Italy's
Chamber of Deputies unanimously passed a resolution calling for the
international community to ratchet up its pressure on Syrian President Bashar
Assad, to "end his government's repression of democracy activists, as well as
Iran's and Hezbollah's influence in Syria." The EU, once again, took no action
against Hezbollah.

Prof. Gerald Steinberg, the head of the Jerusalem-based watchdog group NGO
Monitor, told the Post that "in Lebanon, millions of euros from the EU budget
are provided under the banner of 'education reform,' while the education
minister has mandated the teaching of 'Resistance,' meaning Hezbollah terrorism,
backed by Iran, as demonstrated tragically in Bulgaria. Without full
transparency in decision-making and independent evaluation, the history of EC
failure in dealing with Middle Eastern realities is perpetuated."

The Post first reported on Germany's Interior Ministry issuing an administrative
order in 2008 that merely restricted the Hezbollah television station Al-Manar
from buying advertisements, fund-raising for its Beirut studio and the reception
of its programs in German hotels. According to the Brussels-based European
Foundation for Democracy, "Al-Manar TV was removed from all European satellites
in 2004 and 2005 when it was found to violate European and national audiovisual
directives."

The foundation has long argued that Al-Manar ought to be banned because its
programs are "aimed at spreading violent ideologies, jihadism, indoctrinating
young children with hate, inciting terrorism and glorifying suicide bombers,
spreading viciously anti-Semitic propaganda, and calling for attacks against
Western targets. Al-Manar TV reaches between 10-15 million viewers daily and is
used by Hezbollah to recruit terrorists and reportedly is used communicate with
sleeper cells around the globe."

Israel has, without a doubt, a dog in the fight to ban Hezbollah in Europe,
because the group seeks to obliterate the Jewish state and to murder its
civilians and Jews abroad. Hezbollah killings of French soldiers in Beirut and
the Bulgarian bus driver would suggest that the EU also has a major dog in the
fight, but it is still unwilling to confront Hezbollah.

Benjamin Weinthal is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies and a reporter for The Jerusalem Post.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

GRAPHIC: Photo: HEZBOLLAH GUNMEN carry a wreath for Hezbollah's Martyrs' Day in
south Beirut on November 11, 2011. (Credit: Sharif Karim/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 303 words

Two Israelis die in Bolivia car crash

Two Israeli backpackers died in Bolivia's salt flats when their jeep crashed,
Israel Radio reported on Friday. Their families have been notified.

In recent years, seven Israelis have died in accidents in the salt flats, two of
them last year. ¥ Jerusalem Post staff

3 Gaza rockets hit Sderot; woman hurt

Three rockets fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip struck farm fields in
the Sderot area on Saturday. A woman suffered light injuries while running to a
bomb shelter after hearing the red alert siren warning that the rockets were en
route. She fell, injuring her leg. The woman was admitted to Barzilai Medical
Center in Ashkelon. ¥ Jerusalem Post staff

5 arrested for terrorizing Jewish camp

Five people were arrested last week for allegedly terrorizing a Jewish camp in
Pennsylvania. CNN quoted authorities as saying Tyler Cole Spencer, 18, Mark
Trail, 21, Cassandra Robertson, 18, and two minors intimidated Jewish campers
and staff members at Camp Bonim in northeastern Pennsylvania on three occasions
on July 14 and 15. The suspects allegedly drove recklessly through the camp,
damaging property and shooting at campers and staff with a paintball gun. The
suspects are accused of shouting anti-Semitic slurs while rampaging through Camp
Bonim.

"The vicious, cruel and obscene nature of the language hurled at the campers is
unspeakable," CNN quoted Wayne County District Attorney Janine Edwards as
saying. "Luckily none of the children suffered any serious physical injury;
however, the emotional damage done is immeasurable. This is outrageous conduct
and will not be tolerated." The adult suspects were charged with ethnic
intimidation, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and
institutional vandalism, according to the report. ¥ Jerusalem Post staff

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Israel looks to keep strong Judo legacy going

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 533 words

Since 1992, judo has usually beenÊthe focus of the first week of the Olympics
for the Israeli delegation.

The London Games will be no different.

Israel's first two Olympic medals came courtesy of judokas Yael Arad and Oren
Smadja 20 years ago in Barcelona, and with Arik Ze'evi also scaling the podium
in Athens in 2004, three of the seven medals in Israel's history have been in a
sport completely foreign to the country not so long ago.

Israel's judokas have also claimed countless medals in World and European
Championships over the years and in the past two decades there has been little
doubt that judo - together with windsurfing - presents the country with its best
chance of medaling at the Olympics.

However, for all the national pride its breakthrough success created, judo in
Israel was brought to its knees by mismanagement just last year and was in
danger of falling into complete ruin.

After two decades of remarkable success, Israeli judo experienced a meltdown.

Years of internal wrangling in the Israel Judo Association led the Corporate
Authority in the Ministry of Justice to appeal to court in a request to
dismantle the failing federation in November 2010.

In September 2010, the Corporate Authority revoked the judo association's proper
corporate-governance approval, meaning it could no longer receive any government
funding.

Two days later, chairman Edi Koaz announced that the association has ceased all
professional activity, including the direct support it provides Israel's top
judokas.

Koaz, who had controlled local judo for the previous 14 years, was finally
ousted and after a year of rebuilding under attorney Nimrod Tepper, Smadja's
former coach Moshe Ponti was elected as chairman.

Smadja, who began guiding the national team at the start of 2010, went several
months without a salary due to the IJA's liquidation, and even more critically,
athletes were unable to travel abroad for major competitions, significantly
hurting their chances of amassing the ranking points they required to achieve
the Olympic Committee of Israel's criteria of being placed among the world's top
20.

With five judokas competing in London, two of them with a decent chance of
claiming a medal, the crisis seems like a distant memory now.

However, while the status of Arik Ze'evi and Alice Schlesinger would have likely
always ensured they would have made it to London one way or another, Soso
Palelashvili was only handed a spot on the delegation after winning a bronze
medal at April's European Championships, while youngsters Tommy Arshanski and
Golan Pollack needed a late appeal to be sent as two of the team's three
up-and-coming athletes.

"I feel I have come a full circle after 20 years and that makes me very proud,"
Smadja said last week.

"You must remember that apart from Ze'evi and Schlesinger no one gave any of our
athletes any chance to be in London. But we were determined and managed to
achieve our goals."

The present judokas have a chance to emulate their predecessors over the next
five days in London.

Equally important, the future of the sport in the country is once more looking
bright, meaning judo should play a major role in Israel's Olympic calendar for
many Games to come.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Allon Sinai's London Diary. Day 3

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571 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Tisha Be'av's meaning

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 634 words

Tisha Be'av, the day set aside in the Jewish calendar to mourn the destruction
of both the First and Second Temples, is postponed a day this year. Instead of
the ninth day of the month of Av, the fasting, the abstinence, the refraining
from washing, the sitting low to the ground and the wearing of shoes without
traces of leather are all observed this year beginning Saturday night the 10th
of Av.

Technically, this year the fast should be called Asarah Be'av, not Tisha Be'av.

The day of mourning is delayed out of respect for Shabbat, a day for resting,
rejoicing and eating. (The fast of Yom Kippur is observed when it falls on
Shabbat because the opportunity to fast in exchange for the atonement of one's
sins should evoke joy.)

Because the fast is delayed a day, certain leniencies are permitted. For
instance, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are given sweeping exemptions
from the fast. The reasoning for this is as follows: If the mourning is not
taking place on the allotted day anyway, why go out of our way to obligate those
for whom the fast is particularly difficult? If the rabbis were to take this
reasoning one step further (which they don't), they might be persuaded to call
the whole fast off.

The knowledge that this year's fast is postponed might lead some of us to take
Tisha Be'av less seriously. Further complicating the situation is the difficulty
many of us have identifying with Tisha Be'av even when it falls on Tisha Be'av.
How many of us can truly say that we yearn for the day when a holy
slaughterhouse is once again built on the Temple Mount?

It is difficult not to agree with American writer Leon Wieseltier's claim that
"it was in the absence of a Temple that Judaism began to soar, owing to the twin
blessing of cosmopolitism and introversion."

Even Maimonides noted in his Guide for the Perplexed that God commanded the
Jewish people to bring sacrificial offerings as a temporary measure at a time in
history when they were accustomed to idolatry.

If we are unable to feel real sorrow for the destruction of the Temple, how are
we to go about making this Tisha Be'av a meaningful day of mourning? Perhaps one
way is to recognize, through even a cursory look at current events, just how far
the Jewish people are from redemption, whether heavenly or earthly.

Here is just a sample of depressing recent developments:

* At the Olympic Games launched Friday in London, the International Olympic
Committee has stubbornly refused to spare even one minute of silence for the 11
killed at the 1972 Munich Games.

* Compounding the outrage at this callousness is the knowledge that terrorists
targeting the Israeli delegation is no thing of the past. During their stay in
London, Israeli athletes and trainers are in need of extra-tight security that
sets them apart from all other countries.

* Meanwhile, the Europe Union refused this week to blacklist Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization. This is the same Iranian proxy that is involved in a
spate of about 20 attempts in the past two years to murder Israelis and Jews
abroad.

* And with President Basher Assad's grip on his country loosening, Israelis are
rushing to get government-issue gas masks out of fear Syria's chemical weapons
stockpiles will be used against them.

The destroyed Temple can stand as a metaphor for all those things in the world
that need to be fixed.

But there is also a bit of consolation: Never before have the Jewish people been
better poised to fix what is wrong in the world or, at the very least, cope with
it.

While Wieseltier might be right that Jews "slowly but steadily snatched a
spiritual victory from a national defeat" after the destruction of the Temple
and exile from their land, the return of the Jewish people to sovereignty in
their historic homeland has opened up vistas of new potential.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Zoabi: Israel to blame for Burgas attack. Balad MK also slams efforts to
memorialize slain Olympic athletes

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 298 words

MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad) said on Thursday that Israeli policy was responsible for
the terrorist attack that killed five Israelis in Bulgaria on July 18.

"Israel is not a victim, and even when civilians are killed, the occupying
Israeli policy is to blame," Zoabi told Channel 10.

"If there was no occupation, no repression and no blockade, then this wouldn't
have happened," she said during an interview at Haifa's Gordon College of
Education.

According to Channel 2, Zoabi also came out against Israel's efforts to have the
Palestinian massacre of 11 Israeli sportsmen at the 1972 Munich Olympics
remembered with a moment of silence during the opening ceremonies of the London
Olympics on Friday.

"Why don't they commemorate the Palestinians that Israel murdered," Channel 2
quoted Zoabi as saying. "If Israel would say that it recognizes the injustice it
has done to Palestinians, then it would also be logical to ask the world to
remember all the sides. But it is hypocritical to continue to bring up the
victims of 40 years ago, while Israel wants to hide the victims of recent
years."

Zoabi on Friday denied the reports, saying that the media had ignored her
condemnation the murder of Jewish civilians in Burgas, Bulgaria, and her
participation in a minute of silence in their memory in the Knesset.

The media, she said, also ignored her central contention: that the "occupation"
is the central act of terrorism, the center of conflict and suffering in the
region.

In July 2010, the Knesset Ethics Committee punished the lawmaker for
participating in the May 2010 Gaza protest flotilla, on board the Mavi Marmara,
forbidding her to take part in all Knesset discussions until the end of the
summer session - a decision Zoabi called "the decision of an automatic
right-wing, racist majority."

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Haneen Zoabi (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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573 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Website offers reward for clip of Obama's speech at dinner for Palestinian
activist

BYLINE: BEN SHAPIRO/Special to the Jerusalem Post

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 636 words

LOS ANGELES - The US Internet news portal Breitbart News is offering a $50,000
reward to anyone who can provide a videotape of a 2003 dinner honoring a radical
Palestinian American academic attended by then-Illinois state senator Barack
Obama.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, the Los Angeles Times reported that Obama
attended a farewell dinner in Chicago for his longtime friend Rashid Khalidi.

Khalidi reportedly served as the director of the PLO's WAFA news agency in
Beirut during the 1970s. At that time, the PLO was one of the most active
terrorist organizations in the world.

The 2003 dinner was a tribute to Khalidi on the eve of his departure from the
faculty of the University of Chicago. Khalidi left the university for Columbia
University in New York City where he was appointed the Edward Said Professor of
Arab Studies and the director of Columbia's Middle East Institute.

Obama has acknowledged a close, long-term friendship between his family and the
Khalidi family. Khalidi and his wife, Mona, who was the editor of the PLO's
English news service in Beirut from 1976 to 1982, hosted a fund-raiser for
Obama's failed congressional campaign in 2000.

According to the Times report, at the 2003 dinner, Khalidi told his Palestinian
American guests to support Obama's 2004 bid for the US Senate. According to the
report Khalidi said, "You will not have a better senator under any
circumstances."

During Obama's tenure as a director on the board of the Woods Fund of Chicago,
the charitable group donated $75,000 to Khalidi's Arab American Action Network.

The Times article notes the virulently anti-Israel discussion that took place at
the 2003 Khalidi dinner. Among other things, a Palestinian read a poem accusing
Israel's government of terrorism and sharply criticizing US support for Israel.
The speaker reportedly threatened Israel, saying that if Palestinian interests
are not secured, "then you [Israel] will never see a day of peace." Another
speaker likened Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria to Osama bin Laden.

The report claimed that Obama struck "a different tone... and called for finding
common ground," but provided no direct citations of his speech to that effect.

The event was videotaped and the Times reported that it had a copy of the video.

Due to the nature of the anti-Israel rhetoric expressed at the dinner and the
longstanding friendship and mutual professional support between the Obamas and
the Khalidis, the Times report generated widespread public interest,
particularly among opponents of Obama's 2008 presidential run. The Times was
asked repeatedly to release the videotape.

Despite the obvious public interest in the film, the newspaper repeatedly
refused to honor those requests. Four years after its initial publication,
interest in the dinner still runs strong.

In light of the continued relevance of the story, Breitbart News announced its
decision to offer $50,000 to anyone who will provide the videotape of the
dinner. The $50,000 reward is contingent on Breitbart News being able to obtain
independent authentication of the video recording, as well as verification that
the video recording contains Obama's complete remarks at the event.

Explaining the initiative, Breitbart News editor-in-chief Joel Pollak told The
Jerusalem Post, "The Khalidi tape may be crucial to understanding Barack Obama's
policy of confrontation and isolation towards Israel. The Los Angeles Times
refused to provide a full account of what was on the video, and other media
failed to question that decision or to search for the facts themselves. It is
essential that the American people see the video for themselves - not just to
understand the past but to make an informed decision about the next four years.
It is well past time that we vetted Barack Obama - and the mainstream media."

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Rashid Khalidi (Credit: Columbia University)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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574 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Obama signs law enhancing US-Israel cooperation on eve of Romney's arrival

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 305 words

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama signed a law enhancing US-Israel security
cooperation Friday, the day before Mitt Romney flew to Israel.

In a brief Oval Office ceremony, Obama also announced $70 million in additional
funds for Israel's Iron Dome short-range missile defense system, a funding boost
first announced by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in May. The money has been
re-purposed from other Pentagon projects, according to the White House.

Obama was joined by two members of Congress, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California)
and Rep. Howard Berman (D-California), a former and past chairman of the board
of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the chairman of the
Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.

Speaking to reporters after the signing, Boxer denied that there was any
political calculation when the signing was held and that it was not connected to
Romney's trip to Israel.

She noted that Congress, half of which is controlled by Republicans, was the one
that dictated the pace of passage for the bill. The president has 10 days to
sign a bill once it has been passed by the legislature.

The legislation codifies loan guarantees for Israel, provides additional support
for Israel's maintaining its qualitative military edge, pushes for closer
cooperation between Israel and NATO, and otherwise puts into law several
long-standing US policies.

"I have made it a top priority for my administration to deepen cooperation with
Israel across the whole spectrum of security issues - intelligence, military,
technology," Obama said before signing the new law. "And, in many ways, what
this legislation does is bring together all the outstanding cooperation that we
have seen, really, at an unprecedented level between our two countries that
underscore our unshakeable commitment to Israel security."

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: US PRESIDENT Barack Obama signs the US-Israel Enhanced Security
Cooperation Act in the Oval Office on Friday. Standing are, from left, Richard
Stone, chairman of the Conference of Major American Jewish Organizations; Sen.
Barbara Boxer; former AIPAC chairman Howard Friedman; Rep. Howard Berman; and
AIPAC chairman Lee Rosenberg. (Credit: Larry Downing/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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575 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

A new beat from New York to Tel Aviv

BYLINE: VIVA SARAH PRESS/ISRAEL21c

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 832 words

Turn up your speakers and get ready to tune in to this summer's new music blend
combining two New York-based singers, an Israeli producer and an Israeli music
executive. Aptly called "NYC to Tel Aviv," the music is a common language aiming
to "bring people together."

"It's going to be something that people haven't heard before. People need to get
ready for it. It's going to be groundbreaking," rapper Clap Cognac tells
ISRAEL21c in a telephone interview from his New York studio.

The project is a cross-continent effort that mixes Israeli influences with
American rap and rhythm-and-blues. The players are Cognac and R&B singer Monique
Baines, their manager Gilat Weiman and Rishon Lezion-based music producer Alon
"Meli One" Melamed.

"The culture mix is interesting. It doesn't matter if you're Jewish, Christian
or Muslim - as long as there's a good connection, the music will be good," says
Melamed.

The first single of the project, "Finish Line," has already garnered "Likes" for
its catchy sound.

While friends of Baines and Cognac don't fully understand the Israeli fever
they've caught, both singers are counting down the days until they return for
their second trip to Tel Aviv to record with Melamed.

Cognac said some of his friends "raised their eyebrows" when he told them about
the project. But, he explains, "the whole situation felt right."

"My friends think the project is a brave thing. They look at Israel as the
middle of a war zone," Baines tells ISRAEL21c from her home in New York. "I told
them about my spiritual experience the first time I visited. And they know
there's an opportunity out there that could potentially be bigger than there is
in New York."

Weiman introduced Baines and Cognac to Melamed in New York City, while the
Israeli producer was working on his music in the Big Apple.

The 30-year-old Weiman, who manages both Cognac and Baines, was wrapping up 11
years in the United States - the last six years at Universal Music Group in New
York City - when she made the introductions. She returned to live in Israel in
April.

"There's a strong relationship between the US and Israel and we think people
will be interested in this collaboration effort," says Weiman.

"I've always been interested in Israeli culture and music," adds Baines. "A lot
of people in New York stay within New York limits. We wanted to do something out
of the box."

Baines and Cognac will perform with local deejays and on stages around the
country to raise awareness for the project while in town this summer.

The American singers rave about their previous visit.

"Everybody was very warm. They don't know you from a hole in the wall but they
want to help you get on stage. It was a great experience people-wise," Baines
says. She also enjoyed the cuisine. "I love pita, hummus, tehina - all the fresh
foods. I can't wait to eat more hummus."

"I felt at home in Tel Aviv," says Cognac. "It reminded me of New York City,
Toronto, Atlanta É all the big cities where everybody is on the go, everybody is
diverse. The people are great, friendly. And I love the food."

Both returned home with suggestions for their friends.

"It was hard for me to explain to my friends what Israel is like, but I keep
telling them to save up some of their money and go travel there for themselves,"
Cognac says.

"When I came back to New York, I told people they need to go to Israel," Baines
reports. "I believe music is one universal language that can achieve a goal of
friendship or peace or whatever needs bridging."

The "NYC to Tel Aviv" project is in English and will be promoted digitally to
the American and Israeli markets. In addition to Melamed and Weiman's input,
Baines and Cognac are sharing the mic with a handful of Israeli artists
including dancehall reggaeton singer Alon DeLoco and hip-hop artist SHI 360.

"Music is a good tool for groundbreaking, breaking the barrier from one language
to another," comments Cognac. "Even people who don't speak a language fluently
still know the words to a song."

Weiman hopes Cognac and Baines will continue to work with Israeli artists in
future collaborations.

"The Israeli music scene has a potential to grow, there is cool creativity going
on," says Weiman, who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift and Nelly.
"There's a big creative scene with many styles and genres. There's a lot of
quality."

And though Israeli culture and American culture are not one and the same, all
parties involved in the project say music is music.

"Other than the language and some musical influences - different instruments and
oriental beats - I really didn't notice anything different about Israeli and
American music," says Baines. "My goal is just to go out and be creative. We see
how people complement each other."

"There's something about music that brings people together," concludes Weiman.
"People from all cultures come to concerts. People all over the world listen to
the same music. So I think this project definitely has the power to bring people
together."

www.israel21c.org

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Organizers of an Israeli-American music project hope to break barriers
and bring people together

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: R&B SINGER Monique Baines and rapper Clap Cognac can't wait
to come back to Israel. (Credit: radioscreamer.com)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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576 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

IAF to get two new Iron Dome batteries with extended ranges

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 291 words

The Israel Air Force will take delivery of two Iron Dome batteries with extended
ranges by the beginning of 2013.

The move comes as Israel works to bolster its defenses ahead of a future war.

The new batteries will joint the four that have already been supplied to the IDF
and have seen action over the past year during the various rounds of violence
with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. The IAF recently deployed a
battery near Eilat ahead of the possibility that rocket fire will increase from
the Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel.

The two new batteries will be classified as reserves units and will come
equipped with a new block of software as well as a new radar system that will
enable each battery to protect a larger area.

"These units will be operated by soldiers from the Iron Dome batteries who are
discharged and enter the reserve corps and will be activated also during times
of emergency," an IDF officer explained.

In addition, the IAF plans to take delivery in the coming weeks of an upgraded
and improved interceptor that will also contribute to the extension of the Iron
Dome's range. In May, The Jerusalem Post revealed the air force's intention to
extend the Iron Dome's range, made possible by technological upgrades as well as
modifications to its operational doctrine.

The Iron Dome was originally designed to defend against rockets at ranges from 4
and 70 kilometers. Each battery consists of a radar system and three launchers,
each with 20 Tamir interceptor missiles.

The IAF would not reveal the new range of the upgraded system but officers said
that it would lead to a reduction in the number of batteries Israel will
ultimately require to protect against short-range rockets fired from Lebanon and
the Gaza Strip.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: AN IRON DOME launcher fires an interceptor rocket near Ashdod on
March 12. (Credit: Nir Elias/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Nevo can't make the cut in 400m medley. Swimmer places 10th to miss final;
Judoka Arshanksi wins by unamimous decision

BYLINE: JOSHUA HALICKMAN

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 691 words

Israel's first day in action at the Olympics had mixed results as no less than
nine Israeli athletes competed in various sports including swimming and
gymnastics.

In the 400- meters individual medley Gal Nevo finished a disappointing tenth
place overall and missed the finals with a time of 4:14.77.

Nevo the 2010 Bronze medalist in the European Championships had finished in 11th
place overall in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but only landed up in fourth place at
the recent European Championships this past May.

To date, only one Israeli has participated in a final at the Olympics in an
individual swimming event, with Eitan Urbach making the 100-meter backstroke
final in the 2000 Sydney Games. That could still change as Nevo, a native of
Kibbutz Hamadia will still have the 200-meters individual medley on Wednesday to
join Urbach.

In the final held Saturday night, Ryan Lochte of the United States won the Gold
medal, followed by Thiago Pereira of Brazil in second and Kosuke Hagino of Japan
in third. American Michael Phelps finished in fourth.

As of press time, Alex Shatilov, impressed in seventh position in the Men's
Individual All-Around Gymnastics competition, and placing a solid third in his
expertise the floor exercise.

Shatilov took part in six disciplines during the afternoon in London, including
the aforementioned floor exercise finishing with an overall score of 15.633,
horizontal bars and scored 15.000, the pommel horse with 14.133, parallel bars
where he scored 14.700, vault with 15.533 and 14.033 in his weakest discipline,
rings. His total score of 89.032 will should be enough to land him into the
finals.

Shatilov, who won his third career medal at the European Championships in May,
where he snagged a Bronze medal in the floor exercise, is looking to add an
Olympic medal to his impressive resume.

By potentially finishing seventh overall in the Individual All-Around Gymnatics
Shatilov would take part in the final on Wednesday as well as next Sunday
afternoon where he will have a chance to snag a medal in the Floor final.

Judoka Tommy Arshanski had a successful debut at the Olympic Games by winning
his first match in the under-60kg Judo competition. Only 20, Arshanski received
a first round bye and took on Dutch judoka Jeroen Mooren in a long and intense
bout.

After regular and extra time failed to produce a winner, the judges pronounced
the blue-and-white competitor the winner by unanimous decision. In his second
fight, taking place in the round of 16, Arshanski went up against eventual
Medalist Hiroaki Hiraoka from Japan and lost decisively.

Also on Saturday the tennis doubles duo of Yoni Erlich and Andy Ram advanced to
the second round with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Spaniards Marcel Granollers and
Marc Lopez.

Sunday's action will see Shachar Pe'er take on Russian sensation Maria Sharapova
in Singles play.

Other Israelis who competed in the pool was the only Israeli female swimmer in
London, Amit Ivri who missed going to the semi-finals of the 100-meters
Butterfly by .04 seconds in her first round heat. Imri Ganiel, competing in his
first Olympics finished 32nd overall in the Men's 100-meters Breaststroke.

Felix Aronovich took part in the Individual All-Around Gymnastics competition
and finished a respectable 19th overall with a combined score of 83.199. This is
the 24 year-old's first Olympic games.

More Israelis will be in action Sunday including Judoka Golan Pollack, Nimrod
Shapira in the 200-meters freestyle swimming competition, rising superstar Yakov
Toumarkin in the 100-meters backstroke and Valeriia Maksiuta in the Women's
Individual All-Around Gymnastics.

(BOX)

Today at the Olympics

Judo: Golan Pollack vs. David Larose - first round under-66kg (competition to
continue throughout the day)

Swimming: Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or - 200m freestyle (heats and possible semifinals)
Yakov Toumarkin - 100m backstroke (heats and possible semifinals)

Artistic Gymnastics: Valeria Maksyuta (women's qualification)

Badminton: Misha Zilberman vs. Derek Wong (group stage)

Tennis: Shahar Pe'er vs. Maria Sharapova (first round)

Olympic television coverage will begin daily at 11:30 a.m. on Channel 1 and
Eurosport

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Box at end of text.

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: ISRAELI GYMNAST Alexander Shatilov had a solid start to the
2012 olympics placing thirds in the floor exercise as did judoka Tommy
Arshanski, who topped Dutchman Jeroen Mooren by unanimous decision. (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

578 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Bible stories help cope with emotional problems

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

SECTION: HEALTH; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 1833 words

More Americans - but few Jews - go to their clergymen for counselling about
their emotional problems than to psychologists. Many of the Jews' ancestors in
Eastern Europe went to their rebbes not only to consult regarding religious
practice and belief but also as a kind of therapist. Now a Jewish clinical,
social and developmental psychologist in Chicago is using stories - from Noah to
Job - from the Book of Books to provide help to patients of all backgrounds,
whether they are believers or atheists.

Prof. Kalman Kaplan of the departments of psychiatry and medical education at
the University of Illinois is one of the advocates of the field of biblical
psychology and believes the technique can provide powerful therapy to many
people seeking help for their problems: An ordinary person's woes, for example,
look small compared to the afflictions of Job.

Kaplan is visiting Israel as a fellow of the Fulbright program, the US
government's most prestigious and widely-known academic exchange programs, whose
local participation has been managed by the US-Israel Educational Foundation
since 1956. In the years since its establishment, more than 1,200 Americans and
1,600 Israelis have participated in a variety of Fulbright student and academic
staff exchanges. The late US senator William Fulbright initiated the global
Fulbright program in 1946 to strengthen the foundations of peace by promoting
understanding between the American people and the peoples of the participating
nations around the world.

In a interview this month with The Jerusalem Post, Kaplan said he had been to
Israel many times before and even lived here for 18 months between 2005 and
2007, working at Tel Aviv University's psychology department. He is former
editor of the Journal of Psychology and Judaism, a fellow of the American
Psychological Association and co-recipient of the Alexander Gralnick Award for
outstanding original research on suicide and schizophrenia.

He has also authored or co-authored a number of books, including The Family:
Biblical and Psychological Foundations; A Psychology of Hope: A Biblical
Response to Tragedy and Suicide; Living with Schizophrenia; Biblical Stories for
Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Sourcebook and The Fruit of Her Hands: Biblical
Woman and Her Sense of Purpose.

Kaplan also teaches at Chicago's Spertus Institute, which was founded in 1924 as
his native city's College of Jewish Studies, which today offers an innovative,
non-denominational array of specialized and public programming, grounded in
Jewish thought inspired by Jewish values.

Earlier this year, he taught with a colleague an integrative, 12-week, online
continuing-education course on biblical psychology organized by Spertus in
conjunction with the University of Illinois's College of Medicine. The course
discussed religion, spirituality and mental health and encouraged students to
compare biblical and classical Greek perspectives on a number of mental health
issues.

The founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, always said he was against
religion, said Kaplan, but "he was very much involved in the ancient Greek
religion. Nowhere in medicine has the dependence on Greek thought been more
apparent than in psychology and psychiatry - the very word 'psyche' is Greek and
the main psychoanalytic concept of the formation of character and neurosis was
based on the Greek myth of Oedipus. Freud didn't have such a positive Jewish
identity, but I suppose that at that time, he couldn't have done much better."

The man originally credited with developing biblical psychology was Dr. Eric
Wellisch, medical director of Grayford Child Guidance Clinic in England more
than 50 years ago, Kaplan recalled. "Wellisch was a Viennese Jew who
unfortunately died soon before his book on the subject was published."

The Chicago professor's courses, which attract psychology and theological
students, social workers and others, can benefit everybody who looks to Bible
stories as a guide to try to resolve everyday conflicts and relationships in
non-tragic way.

"Mental healthcare has been based on an ancient Greek orientation to life -
which carries a tragic world view that people can't change things, that
everything is inevitable," he says. "This is so antagonistic to Judaism, which
is much more optimistic. We are a people of hope. Whatever happens to us, we
rebuild again and again. A hopeful view of life can overcome tragedy; in
Judaism, God is everywhere and humanity is here; there is always a dialogue, a
wrestling match. It's a healthier relationship. In Islam, there is submission,
and in Christianity, there is rebellion," said Kaplan, who went to Hebrew school
and studied Bible informally.

His favorite characters include the biblical Abraham, David, Ruth and Job.

"David was so human!" he said. "Even the ones I like have flaws. Parts of David
I didn't like, like the way he got Bathsheba. But the characters have such full
personalities."

"Greek thought sees self and other as fundamentally opposed, while Biblical
thought regards them as working in harmony. The Greek Narcissus cycles between
self-involvement and enmeshment - he ultimately idealizes his own face in the
brook and commits suicide. But Jonah shows psychological development and
ultimately learns the message of (repentance and divine mercy. He can reach out
to another without losing himself."

Biblical psychology, Kaplan continued, "addresses the question of obedience
versus disobedience. If one's god is Zeus, one should and indeed must rebel; if
it is the biblical God, one may benefit from obeying. Consider the two flood
stories: Prometheus must steal the blueprint for the ark from the capricious
Zeus. But the just and God-fearing Noah is freely given the blueprint for the
ark by God.

"The ancient Greek understanding of the world sees Nature as preceding the gods.
In the biblical account of Creation, God precedes nature. The biblical creation
stories do not subordinate man to nature or focus on an Oedipal conflict between
father and son or antagonism between man and woman."

In a famous Greek story, Pandora is described as a curse to man. But, Eve - the
mother of mankind - is described as a blessing to Adam and a helpmeet, said
Kaplan. In the Greek view, attachment to a woman is seen as opposing man's
autonomy, while according to the Bible, attachment to a woman is seen as
positive to achieving autonomy, he explained.

Relationships between parents and children are constant themes on the
psychiatrist's proverbial couch. The story of Abraham carrying out God's order
to bind his son Isaac to the altar to test him before he sacrifices him provides
an alternative to the Greek legend of Oedipus to understand the relationship
between fathers and sons. The biblical story "suggests an unambivalent
resolution of the father-son relationship that is based on a covenant of love
and shared purpose between parent and child."

The Hellenistic culture often deals with castration and the mother as seducing
her son. But ritual circumcision in the Bible "can be seen as a non-injurious
alternative to castration, transforming the father into a teacher and the son
into a disciple. The father wants the son to both succeed and surpass him. The
basis of morality is thus not fear but a covenantal relationship between God,
father and son. The son does not need to rebel against the father because he
already has his father's blessing," Kaplan pointed out. "The Greek mythological
characters wanted to live forever. But in the Bible, people become parents,
which is part of the human condition. The child will one day inherit the
covenant, so you won't block him. It shows we are linked in a chain for one
generation to follow the previous one. It's natural and has implications for
parent/child relationships."

A father's blessing appears in the Bible to resolve conflict in the family.
Originally the source of sibling conflict, Kaplan said, such a blessing may work
to achieve some level of reconciliation between offspring, as does Jacob's
blessings to all his sons. But in Greek mythology, a father never blesses his
children. Instead, family conflict tragically becomes angrier in each succeeding
generation until the family self-destructs, as did the family of Oedipus.

The Book of Ruth provides an alternative to the Greek legend of Electra to
understand the relationship between mothers and daughters, again based on a
covenant of love and shared purpose rather than a compromise based on threats of
abandonment. Unlike the ancient Greeks, who approved of suicide because it "led
to liberty," Jewish thought is clearly against killing oneself as much - or even
more - than murder.

"I've used Jonah often to treat patients who have attempted suicide. Jonah shows
how to integrate self and other. I compare him to Narcissus, who could never
integrate the two and kills himself. I receive patients with various types of
problems and try to fit biblical stories in. I recall teaching a story when a
non-Orthodox rabbi came in. He told me he had been giving a sermon on David and
Bathsheba. A man in the synagogue audience said after the service that he felt
terrible, because he was having an affair with his best friend's wife. After
hearing the sermon, the man said, he was thinking of killing himself. The rabbi
referred him to a suicide-prevention specialist."

But Kaplan thought the rabbi had made a mistake.

"Why didn't he stay with the troubled person and prove to him that David tried
to atone for his actions? David felt guilty but didn't want to commit suicide.
The unfortunate man could have learned from that," Kaplan recalled. "I see a lot
of patients who live in nursing homes, maybe 20 each week. My therapy using
biblical psychology is paid for by Medicare. It works very well."

Jews come to him for help, but "not that many, because most non-Orthodox
American Jews are not biblically literate. It's absurd. Being treated by
biblical psychology usually makes Christians more positive about Jews. They
don't regard Jews as being biblical. You don't hear many Jews in America talk
about the Bible."

Biblical psychology could become a very dominant movement, the professor said.

"It could be the next phase of psychology, after psychoanalytic, then
behaviorist, humanistic and multicultural. Biblical psychology somehow combines
all of them," suggested Kaplan. "It is psychodynamic and concentrates on
behavior, not just feelings. I don't argue for any religion, but just make use
of relevant Bible stories."

As a Fulbright scholar now in Israel, Kaplan has tried to arouse interest in his
field.

"Most secular Israelis don't have any conception of how important the Hebrew
Bible was in Western civilization. Just look at Herman Melville's Moby Dick. You
weren't considered educated in previous centuries if you didn't know the Bible.
In general, that isn't true today either in the US or even in Israel. But still,
in the Republican-voting states in the center of the US, there still is an
awareness of the Scriptures."

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A veteran American-Jewish clinical psychologist who promotes the use of
biblical psychology is in Israel on a Fulbright fellowship. Judy
Siegel-Itzkovich reports

GRAPHIC: 2 photos and 2 drawings: Prof. Kalman Kaplan. King David. Job. (Credit:
Judy Siegel-Itzkovich. MCT. Sweet Publications for WikiCommons)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

579 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Marveling at the kids

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1019 words

I marvel at certain times at the utter Israeliness of my four kids, all
Jerusalem born.

I marvel at the self-assurance and naturalness of their Jewishness. The way they
don't feel the need to apologize or explain, as I - Diaspora born and raised -
often did.

I marvel at their ability to stand up for themselves. The way they can shout
back at a shopkeeper - or tell off a bus driver - almost instinctively, without
blinking an eye.

I marvel at, but am nevertheless concerned by, their fearlessness. The way they
are willing to travel all over the country, and the world, with confidence and
without fear of terror or anything else.

My daughter is currently tooling around in Georgia - the country, not the
Coca-Cola capital - but after the recent attack in Bulgaria, her grandfather
understandably questioned the wisdom of her travel itinerary.

My response: You can't expect the kids to live their lives afraid to go
anywhere. The next day the atrocity in Colorado took place, not that far from
where my parents raised me. Point tragically made.

I marvel at my kid's friendships, and how they lend things to one another
without blinking an eye.

"Nice shirt," I said to my youngest the other day. "Where'd you get it."

"It's Uri's, I borrowed it," he said.

"Nice shorts," I followed, feeling charitable.

Also Uri's.

"Do you need money for clothes," I asked, wondering why he was pillaging his
friend's closet. "What's Uri wearing?"

I don't remember as a kid being so free with my possessions. I had a good buddy,
let's call him Ronnie Kleiner, whose behavior set the tone early on for my
circle of friends' idea of sharing.

Wherever we would go - to a movie, the golf course, on a double date - he would
bring three pieces of sucking candy: two for him and one for me. And that was
the extent of what my friends and I lent each other. We didn't enjoy that level
of friendship whereby my pants were his, or his shirt was mine. Had I ever lent
him anything of value, I would have asked him first to sign a contract. That's
just the way we were - and I liked Ronnie.

THIS LEVEL of friendship has also given birth to what my kids call kombinot
(combinations), another term for what was known when I arrived here long ago as
protexia. That's right, protexia, the mythical and legendary "Vitamin P" that
most immigrants sorely lack when they arrive. Protexia - that informal network
of friends scatted throughout the land able to help when needed: an uncle in the
National Insurance Institute, an army buddy at Hadassah Hospital, a neighbor's
kid working at vehicle registration.

I've been here 30 years, have met a few folks during that period, but really
still don't know how - or am entirely comfortable with - leveraging protexia.

My kids, however, have no such compunctions. My 16- and 18-year-old boys have
more kombinot then I could dream of. And it helps them weather the summer
months, a tough time for teenagers looking for things to do - too old for day
camp, too young for a serious job.

I remember as a teen that there were two ways to bag a summer job - either apply
for it out of the blue, meaning forget it, or get your parents to find you
something.

But my kids are different. They too already realized that if they apply for a
job without protexia they probably won't get it, and they also know I won't be
landing them any positions at The Jerusalem Post. So they opted for a third way
- kombinot. It worked.

Skippy has been working almost throughout this summer vacation, all through
kombinot. His friend knows another friend who has an uncle who needs some kids
to sell food at a job fair.

Another friend has a neighbor building a new house who needs someone to sleep
over and guard the work tools. An ex-teacher needs bodies to help him move
houses. A classmate's father needs help picking produce on a moshav. It's all
kombinot, so much now that he is sending overflow jobs to his younger brother.
My son, the kombinot dispatcher.

BUT IT is not all work. I recently also marveled at how the boys chose to spend
their summer free time. At the beginning of the summer their Bnei Akiva chapter
organized a weeklong, sleepover camp in our neighborhood for Ilan, the Israeli
Foundation for Handicapped Children that assists physically impaired kids
suffering from a variety of neuromuscular disorders.

For seven days my two teenage boys - whom I can't even get to make their beds -
were, together with their friends, totally responsible for some 30 severely
handicapped teenagers. They entertained them, sang with them, laughed with them,
fed them, bathed them and even took them to the restroom.

For a week they created a camp that included everything from going to Superland
to flying over the country in small planes - all with money they themselves
raised during the year by singing on the Ben Yehuda mall.

I never did anything like that as a kid; I was too busy sucking on the single
piece of candy Ronnie Kleiner gave me at the golf course. So I was impressed
both by their dedication and their ability to pull this all off.

GRANTED, IT wasn't 100 percent altruism - they were hanging out with their
friends around the clock and having a good time as well. But what impressed me
was the way they chose to have a good time: sleeping a week on the floor at a
neighborhood school, and working like dogs to show the Ilan charges a good time.

My youngest son brought home for Shabbat lunch the boy for whom he was
responsible. There we were - the family; my son's friend, a child of Ethiopian
immigrants, who partnered with my boy to help the Ilan kid; and the Ilan kid
himself, an Arab teenager from the Western Galilee - all of us sitting around
the table eating cholent. Not exactly - we ate cholent, while the Ilan lad
sufficed with rice and halla.

Surveying the scene, I could only think - rather annoyed - about those who call
us Apartheid Israel. Oh, and all this transpired in the Ma'aleh Adumim
"settlement."

When I mentioned my irritated thoughts later in the day to the boys, they just
shrugged unfazed, and went on doing what they were doing - their "couldn't care
less" attitude giving me yet another reason to marvel.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: OUT THERE

GRAPHIC: Cartoon: (Credit: Pepe Fainberg)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

580 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Hamas invites Mursi to visit Gaza

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 500 words

Hamas on Saturday invited Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi and leaders of the
Muslim Brotherhood to visit the Gaza Strip.

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who is visiting Egypt for the first time
since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, relayed the invitation to Mursi and the
Muslim Brotherhood leaders.

The Palestinian Authority leadership in the West Bank, meanwhile, has expressed
disappointment with Mursi for inviting the Hamas prime minister to Cairo.

The PA position was delivered to the Egyptians through their envoy to Ramallah,
a PA official told The Jerusalem Post.

"We reminded the Egyptians that Haniyeh is not the legitimate prime minister and
that he had been dismissed from his job by President Mahmoud Abbas about five
years ago," the official said.

Haniyeh met separately over the weekend with Mursi and leaders of the Muslim
Brotherhood and discussed with them the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The Egyptians have decided to ease travel restrictions imposed on residents of
the Gaza Strip, Haniyeh said following his meeting with Mursi - their first
encounter since the Muslim Brotherhood candidate won the presidential vote.

Haniyeh was the second Hamas leader to meet with Mursi in the past two weeks.

Earlier, Mursi met in Cairo with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and discussed with
him ways of easing various restrictions imposed on Palestinian travelers.

The Mashaal-Mursi meeting came one day after the Egyptian president met for the
first time in Cairo with Abbas.

Hamas-affiliated media quoted Haniyeh as saying that he agreed with Mursi that
Egypt would also help solve the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Haniyeh said that the most important agreement he reached with Mursi calls for
opening the Rafah-Gaza border crossing for 12 hours every day - from 9 a.m. to 9
p.m.

Until recently, the Egyptians opened the terminal only for a few hours every day
and limited the number of Palestinian travelers to a few hundred.

The number of Palestinians who are permitted to travel through the Rafah
terminal every day will rise to 1,500, Haniyeh added.

He said the Egyptians have also agreed to remove the names of 60 percent of the
Palestinians on a list of people who are denied entry into Egypt.

Palestinians who arrive in Egypt from other countries will no longer be
immediately deported and will be granted 72-hour entry visas, Haniyeh said.

The Egyptians, he continued, will increase the number of employees at the Rafah
terminal to facilitate the travel of Palestinians. "This is an advanced step
toward easing the blockade on the Gaza Strip," Haniyeh remarked.

With regards to the electricity crisis, Haniyeh said that he agreed with Mursi
that Egypt would increase the amount of Qatari-supplied fuel needed to keep the
only electricity power plant in the Gaza Strip, situated near the Nuseirat
refugee camp, operating.

He said that he also agreed with Mursi on the reopening of the Egyptian
Consulate in the Gaza Strip, which was closed after Hamas expelled the
Palestinian Authority in 2007.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Lebanese media show purported video clip of Goldwasser, Regev kidnapping

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 126 words

Lebanese media on Friday aired a clip under the name of Hezbollah that purports
to be of "Operation True Promise," Hezbollah's name for the kidnapping/killing
of IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev on July 12, 2006. The video
shows armed men crossing into Israel from Lebanon, and shooting toward a
military vehicle. The terrorists then approach the vehicle, and open one of the
doors. The clip ends at this point and neither Goldwasser nor Regev are seen in
the video. The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the authenticity of the video.

On July 16, 2008, Israel traded Lebanese mass murderer Samir Kuntar and four
other Hezbollah terrorists, as well as the remains of 199 Lebanese and
Palestinian terrorists, for the corpses of the two soldiers.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: This screenshot from a clip aired by Lebanese media on Friday
allegedly shows terrorists approaching an IDF vehicle in 2006. (Credit:
Al-Mayadeen)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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582 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Letters

BYLINE: Michael H. Davis, Moshe-Mordechai Van Zuiden, Leonard Zurakov, Toby
Willig, Elliot Milgram, Bill Mehlman, Peter Litvack, Cyril Atkins, Louis Garb

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1185 words

Tax curse...

Sir, - In your July 26 paper there was a report on the front page headlined "Tax
hike, budget cuts to pass despite opposition." I think the more correct headline
would have been "Death of social justice."

This government has just undone any good that was accomplished in the past year.
This is especially bad after the op-ed piece "Where's the money" (Think About
It, July 9), which said ministries and state agencies were owed some NIS 125
billion and the country's "black economy" was thought to be NIS 200b. per annum.
Attacking those figures would easily raise the money the government needs.

The British prime minister has said it is morally wrong to avoid taxes. Where
are those who show us what is morally correct? Why do they keep silent and not
denounce the actions of those who avoid paying debts and taxes?

MICHAEL H. DAVIS

Rishon Lezion

...except on sin

Sir, - Regarding "Taxes raised on cigars, cigarettes and beer" (July 25), this
is a sensitive issue because it hits poor people the most. However, it might
also help them opt for better, healthier lives.

There are a few more products that should qualify for a "sin tax": white flour,
sugar, junk food, soft drinks and mineral water, imported foods, all meat, fish
and milk products, cars, gasoline, air conditioners, light bulbs, plastic,
revealing clothing, cosmetics, perfumes, computer games and TV sets (except for
use by the home-bound).

A popular revolt could be prevented by canceling taxes on or even subsidizing
the following: whole grain products, beans, locally grown produce, public
transportation, hiking and biking equipment, desert coolers, neon lighting,
respectable clothing, soaps and shampoos, non-virtual games and toys, sport and
fitness activities, and real books, magazines and newspapers.

I guess everyone can agree - except where it concerns our own sins.

MOSHE-MORDECHAI VAN ZUIDEN

Jerusalem

Sir, - I must say I won't shed many tears over raising taxes on certain "sinful"
items - for me, personally, these taxes will mean nothing since I don't use any
of the items affected (but I'm sure there are many, many people who are grinding
their teeth). However, it seems to me a good thing since it will provide
much-needed funds for the Treasury.

Now, if the government would only do something about the haredi young men (and
Arabs) do not serve our country. All I hear and read is how important it is to
equalize the burden. When is this government going to do something?

LEONARD ZURAKOV

Netanya

Pointing fingers

Sir, - I know that everyone is castigating the prime minister for the increase
in VAT and cuts in ministry budgets ("VAT set to rise at least 1%," July 25).
However, to me it is very obvious that he is preparing for all eventualities,
including war with Syria and Iran.

Wars are very costly, as we all know, and somehow have to be paid for. We are
probably also receiving special arms from the United States, which are of course
not being given to us but are purchased. The prime minister is no fool and
therefore anticipates what must be anticipated.

The Israeli public will grumble but the increase in the VAT is necessary. Israel
stands isolated and somehow must continue to be able to cope with the horrendous
Syrian conflict at its very doorstep, the terrible nature of the Iranian threat
and the constant marches of the social justice groups, all while increasing
productivity. This agenda faces no other country in the world.

No one wants higher taxes but no one should be in the position of having to
balance out the international and domestic situations we have now. We must
tighten our belts for the good of all.

TOBY WILLIG

Jerusalem

Sir, - Regarding the government's recommendation to raise the VAT, Shaul Mofaz's
disgusting comment is matched by your decision to place it as a sub-headline on
your front page. Shame on both you and Mofaz.

ELLIOT MILGRAM

Nahariya

Onerous yoke

Sir, - Seth J. Frantzman's expose of the attempt to further raise the tariff
walls that keep olive oil imports from competing with domestic production
("Drowning in olive oil... prices," Terra Incognita, July 25) is a microcosmic
example of the cartel cronyism that has infected virtually every area of the
Israeli food distribution system.

Armed with a license for the most shameless price gouging ever witnessed, the
perpetrators of this outrage have turned Israel into arguably the most expensive
basic commodities market in the developed world while helping push 35 percent of
our population below the poverty line.

Being a lifelong advocate of free-market price determination, the thought of
price controls is anathema. But absent some real self-restraint on the part of
the cartels and/or a significant lowering of the tariff obstacles to overseas
competition, I can see no other way of lifting this onerous yoke from the neck
of our people.

BILL MEHLMAN

Efrat

By the way, Mitt

Sir, - Mitt Romney will be visiting Israel soon ("Romney takes campaign abroad
for a week," July 25). Do the country's leaders have the chutzpah to ask him to
denounce his church (Latter Day Saints) for retroactively baptizing Jews
murdered during the Holocaust?

As an American Jew who lives in Utah I feel it's outrageous that the Mormon
church has baptized Jews.

PETER LITVACK

Salt Lake City

Matters of taste

Sir, - You used nearly a third of a page to feature a silly article about
someone who tried to make jellyfish edible ("Vengeance against jellyfish turns
out to be more rubbery than sweet," July 25).

The writer admitted that jellyfish were prohibited under the laws of kashrut -
this on a page dedicated to the French apology for the wartime roundup of Jews,
an appeal by the widows of the murdered Munich athletes and the restoration of
awareness of the Jewish past in Poland and Slovakia.

Those items related to Jews who suffered because they were Jews, and who were
Jews because they and their ancestors adhered to Jewish customs and traditions.

Had the piece been printed on the first of April it might have got a laugh but
during the nine days leading up to Tisha Be'Av it was offensive and in bad
taste.

CYRIL ATKINS

Beit Shemesh

Street signs

Sir, - With Britain's latest insult to Jerusalem ("Israel sparring with BBC for
right to have capital listed on Olympic site," July 22), surely the time has
come to consider renaming the capital's second most important thoroughfare.

King George Street was imposed on Jerusalem during the mandate era and
commemorates the irrelevant fact that George V was Britain's monarch at the time
that Gen. Allenby conquered the city.

The continued use of the name is aggravated by the fact that George V himself
made no contribution to society. He sired a son who was a Nazi sympathizer and a
great-grandson who thought it fun to dress up in a Nazi uniform.

His granddaughter, the present monarch, has visited many tin pot dictatorships
and also invited the Butcher of Bagdad to tea. However, Israel is not and has
never been on her itinerary.

Surely the time has come to submit a name with historical Jewish significance
that would remove the stain from this important byway. Yitzhak Shamir Street,
perhaps?

LOUIS GARB

Jerusalem

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Jerusalem calling...

BYLINE: LIAT COLLINS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1238 words

I have just marked the 33rd anniversary of my emigration from - how should I put
this diplomatically? - the seat of British government. I'm trying to be
sensitive here. I've always thought of London as the capital of the United
Kingdom, and so probably have most readers, but I don't want to upset anyone who
has a problem with that. Certainly not during the Olympics, that period of the
brotherhood of man and sporting spirit, or what passes for it in the age of the
global village and global jihad.

I wasn't always so capital conscious, but the question of what to call major
cities has been put on my radar courtesy of the BBC. Writing for a paper which
under the British Mandate was known as The Palestine Post and only became The
Jerusalem Post after senior editors internalized the true meaning of
independence, I'm pleased that the capital of Israel wasn't wiped off the map
before now.

"Mind the gap" announces the famous taped voice at London Underground stations.
Metaphorically, as an ex-Londoner, I feel I'm not so much negotiating a gap as
trying to breach an ever-widening rift while the train is still moving.

A week ago, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's spokesman Mark Regev wrote a
letter of complaint to the director of the BBC's bureau in Israel noting that on
its website's list of countries participating in the Olympics, Israel - alone
among the nations - has no mention of a capital. Palestine, on the other hand,
which does not yet technically exist under international law, appeared on the
site with "East Jerusalem" as its capital city.

"I am dismayed by the BBC's decision to discriminate against Israel on the BBC's
Olympic website," Regev wrote, adding: "Jerusalem is the capital of the State of
Israel, and accordingly we respectfully request the immediate rectification of
this matter."

In the days when the British Broadcasting Corporation ruled the airwaves and
Britain ruled the waves that lapped on the shores of an empire, the BBC was
considered the bastion of truth and objectivity. Those days are long gone. It
failed to take the letter to heart, or maybe it failed to find its heart. In any
case, it merely changed the listing for Israel so that Jerusalem appeared as the
"seat of government," with the proviso that "most foreign embassies are in Tel
Aviv."

The "Palestine" entry was also updated. (Bias? Perish the thought.) "East
Jerusalem" became Palestine's "intended seat of government" and Ramallah "the
administrative capital." Palestine, by the way, is recognized, according to the
website, as "a competing [Olympic] country by the IOC [International Olympic
Committee] but is not recognized as a modern state."

The BBC's refusal to rectify the listings led Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to
issue a statement saying: "Throughout the history of Jerusalem, with over a
dozen conquerors, only the Jewish people have called the Holy City of Jerusalem
our capital. Jerusalem today, under Israeli sovereignty, has returned to the
role it played 2,000-3,000 years ago. There is unprecedented freedom of movement
and religion and the world is welcome and encouraged to enjoy the beauty and
majesty of Jerusalem.

"We will not accept those who deny our history, our sovereignty, and our right
to determine our own capital. Irrespective of the BBC's political agenda,
Jerusalem was, is, and will always be the capital of Israel and the spiritual,
political, and physical center of the Jewish people."

I STILL remember when, where and how the future "Palestine" burst onto the
Olympic scene - and it was not to the sound of a starter's pistol. That's why,
in addition to the BBC's sudden deletion of my capital city and home, I feel
personally slighted by the IOC's refusal to hold a moment of silence for the 11
Israeli athletes murdered by Palestinian terrorists at Munich 40 years ago.

The Munich Massacre, as I have often noted, was the trigger for my aliya - the
moment I realized that, as a Jew, my fate was tied to Israel's wherever I might
be and hence I might as well be in the Jewish state.

Occasionally, non-Israelis express surprise that a terror attack could actually
cause someone to move to the country which is still under constant threat. It's
hard to explain, but obviously the move to Israel is an emotional one. I can
give lots of rational reasons for staying, but the decision to make aliya came
from the heart, not the mind.

I am proud of my British past - but even prouder of my decision to make Israel
my present and future.

I felt one of those particularly painful moments of pride in my country a week
ago following the suicide bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israelis (and a
local tour bus driver). Within hours, Israel had organized a rescue mission with
a medical team to treat the wounded and volunteers carrying out the ultimate
altruistic mitzva of collecting and identifying body parts so that the dead
could be speedily buried in holy soil.

According to Magen David Adom director Eli Bin, there was "thunderous applause"
when the MDA and army rescue teams entered the Burgas Airport terminal to help
take the survivors home. As a friend noted, "Imagine how they felt. All of a
sudden, amid the trauma and chaos, Israeli army officers and doctors came and
showed they cared."

"It's not always pleasant to be Israeli, but this is a country that knows,
within 24 hours, how to bring back all of her wounded and injured from every
place in the world. That makes it a little easier," Brig.-Gen. Dr. Itzik Kreiss
told a press conference at Ben-Gurion Airport on July 19, after he had
accompanied the return of the first flight of victims.

Of course, Israelis would prefer that attacks like this one didn't happen at all
- but that's unlikely as long as there are those who question our right to
exist, our desire to live in peace, and our millennia-old commitment to
Jerusalem, Zion, as our capital.

I admit that what passes as normal life here seems surreal to the average Brit -
even when their self-styled capital is crawling with security personnel because
of the threats that accompany the Games. My "to do" list includes picking up gas
masks from the distribution point in the local shopping mall; I can conveniently
collect the kits that are meant to protect us in the event of nuclear,
biological or chemical warfare at the same time as I buy some sunscreen for a
trip to the pool or beach.

I'm writing these lines ahead of the opening ceremonies and earliest stages of
the Games, which I won't watch. It's not a personal boycott: The start of the
Olympics clashes with Shabbat and Tisha Be'av, the day on which we - still -
mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples, more than 2,000 years
after they were lost; when London, dare I point out, was barely an outpost. (Can
one even use the words outpost or settlement unless it's as a denigration of
Israel?)

I'm planning to be in London (or Londinium, as the Romans called it) later this
summer to celebrate my nephew's marriage. Under the wedding canopy, he will
recite, like Jewish grooms, everywhere, throughout the centuries: "If I forget
thee, O Jerusalem..."

It's said as an act of faith, not a political statement. And with all due
respect from a proud Israeli doda to Auntie, as the BBC is fondly known, "If I
forget thee, O seat of government..." just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Particularly not in the language of the Bible.

The writer is editor of The International Jerusalem Post. liat@jpost.com

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

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NOTES: MY WORD. First published in the International Edition of July 27, 2012.

GRAPHIC: Photo: An umbrella with a Union Jack is seen at the Athletics
Championships at the Olympic Stadium in London (or whatever you'd like to call
it). (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

News in brief

BYLINE: Melanie Lidman, Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 194 words

Police break up Ras al-Amud meeting

Police broke up a meeting in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-Amud on
Saturday, saying Hamas sponsored it. Police Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino gave the
order to close the convention at a community center on the grounds that it was
promoting terrorism. Police detained two of the organizers for questioning. The
three dozen participants at the meeting dispersed without further incident.

This is the first security-related incident in Jerusalem since Ramadan began
last week. More than 160,000 Muslims attended Friday prayers on the Temple Mount
without any violent incidents. The number of worshipers is expected to grow to
200,000 this Friday and 250,000 on the last Friday of Ramadan, national police
spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. ¥ Melanie Lidman

Survivors protest asylum-seeker deportation

Dozens of Holocaust survivors and their families demonstrated in central Tel
Aviv on Saturday evening against the arrest and deportation of asylum-seekers.
Protesters held signs quoting biblical commandments, such as, "Because you were
strangers living in Egypt," and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
Jerusalem Post staff

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

High Court of Justice puts off Migron evacuation to August 21. Ministerial
Settlement Committee, A-G disagree on outpost

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 445 words

The High Court of Justice on Friday agreed to delay the evacuation of the Migron
outpost in the West Bank by 20 days, from August 1 to August 21.

The state requested a delay at a special hearing on the matter last Sunday.

For security reasons, it said, it did not want to evacuate the outpost during
Ramadan, which began on July 20. The IDF said that it was particularly worried
that Jewish extremists would carry out a "price-tag" attack against a West Bank
mosque in retribution for the evacuation of Migron.

The state said that a delay was also necessary for technical reasons because
replacement homes had not been fully set up in the site by the Psagot winery,
where the state plans to relocate the 50 families who live in Migron.

The court had mandated the evacuation of Migron, located on a small hilltop in
the Binyamin region, by August 1 because the modular homes there were built
without permits on private Palestinian property.

Earlier this month, Migron residents announced that they had purchased many of
the lots on which their homes are located from the Palestinian landowners. They
have since petitioned the High Court to cancel its evacuation decree, issued
last August.

The Ministerial Committee on Settlements, which now sets policy for state
responses to the court, said that if the land purchase was authenticated there
was no reason to evacuate the Migron homes.

During Sunday's court hearing, state attorney Osnat Mandel said there was a
disagreement between her office and the government with respect to that claim by
the ministerial committee, because Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein found it
legally problematic.

She said that as a result the state needed until August 20 to present its
position to the court.

On Friday, the court gave the state until 1 p.m. on the 19th to present its
position on Migron.

It plans to hold another hearing on Migron at 9 a.m. on August 21. The court
added that it goes without saying that the state should move quickly to complete
the new modular housing site for the Migron families. It gave the state until
August 21 to relocate the families.

Upon hearing the court's response on Friday, the Legal Forum for the Land of
Israel urged Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to fire Weinstein for failing to
represent the ministerial committee's position in court. It asked Netanyahu to
bring the matter to the cabinet at its meeting on Monday.

MK Uri Ariel (National Union) said the attorney-general's refusal to represent
the government's position in court was "scandalous."

Peace Now, which first filed a petition against the outpost in 2006, called on
the police to quickly finish its investigation of the land purchase claims.

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Away from flashy Olympics opening, 20,000 hold moment of silence in London for
murdered Israeli athletes. Almost 27 million Britons watch Friday evening's
official ceremony, topping viewership of last year's royal wedding

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff, Reuters and JTA

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 576 words

Although close to four hours in length, Friday evening's opening ceremonies for
the London Olympics ignored the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches killed by
Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Games in Munich despite widespread calls for
a moment of silence to mark 40 years.

Nevertheless, more than 20,000 people at various venues in London on Friday
attended the British Zionist Federation's "Minute for Munich" program that was
promoted via social media.

A short memorial service at the Israel Embassy that was organized by the British
Zionist Federation was streamed live online Friday, where federation chairman
Harvey Rose lashed out at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its
decision.

"Shame on the IOC for not appreciating and recognizing what the Olympics is all
about.... Shame on the IOC for its clear anti-Israel bias," he said.

About 200 people marked the Minute for Munich in London's Trafalgar Square,
reciting memorial prayers and lighting memorial candles. Afterwards, they waved
British and Israeli flags in front of media outlets covering the event.

"The British Jewish community is showing its solidarity with our brothers and
sisters in Israel," the British Israel Coalition's Ari Soffer told the crowd,
according to the Jewish Chronicle. "We should not allow this tragedy to go
uncommemorated. This is a time to show our respect and remember the dead."

The families of the victims mounted a global campaign for an official IOC moment
of silence at the Games. The IOC continues to reject the call despite its
endorsement by the Israeli government, US President Barack Obama, Republican
presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney, the US Senate, the German
Bundestag, the Canadian and Australian parliaments, about 50 members of the
British parliament and several Jewish organizations worldwide.

Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat said she would stand at the Games'
opening ceremony to protest the IOC's refusal to hold a minute of silence.

Almost 27 million Britons watched the opening ceremony on Friday, trumping
viewership figures for last year's royal wedding and underscoring a growing
sense of excitement as London hosts the Olympics for the third time.

Around the globe, approximately one billion people were reported to have watched
director Danny Boyle's celebration of British history and culture, the UK
government said on Saturday.

The domestic audience peaked at 26.9 million during a section featuring dancing
doctors and nurses in a tribute to Britain's state-funded National Health
Service, according to figures from the BBC.

Britons showed plenty of stamina during the show, which began at 9 p.m. local
time. More than 19 million were still watching when the Olympic flame was lit at
half past midnight.

The television audience for last year's wedding of Prince William and Kate
Middleton peaked at 26.3 million when the couple reached the altar in
Westminster Abbey, according to industry data. The royal wedding was shown on
several British channels while the BBC has exclusive rights to the Olympics.

Britain has spent around nine billion pounds ($14.1 billion) to build and stage
the Games, last held in the city in 1948.

Some Britons have questioned the cost at a time of deep cuts in government
spending while fears over security and transport furthered tempered enthusiasm
for the world's biggest sporting event. However, the mood appeared to lift as
the Games finally got under way after seven years of preparation.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: NON-COMMEMORATION. Israel's contingent enters the stadium on
Friday night during the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, which, as
expected, ignored the 11 Israeli sportsmen slain at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
(Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Molecular transistors will help tablets and smartphones replace laptops

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

SECTION: SCIENCE; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 859 words

Smartphones and tablet computers are considered the hardware of the
post-personal-computer future, but they have a number of limitations, including
limited RAM (random access memory), which reduces the number of applications
that can be used simultaneously. This even causes battery-operated devices to
empty out too fast. RAM devices are large and thus use a lot of power, so they
don't operate well as mobile devices.

Standard tabletop computers that plug into the wall and laptop computers that
use large, rechargeable batteries currently have the advantage over smartphones
and tablet computers. But these will inevitably replace tabletops and laptops
because they are rapidly closing the technological gap in computing ability and
storage capacity.

A Tel Aviv University researcher recently found a clever solution to these
problems. Doctoral student Elad Mentovich, under the supervision of Dr. Shachar
Richter of the chemistry department and the Center for Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology, explained that the continuing miniaturization of silicon
technology has made it difficult to build large computer memory, especially
because of the difficulty in miniaturizing the capacitors used to store the
data. Mantovich used carbon molecules called 60C (meaning 60 carbon atoms) to
build a tiny, sophisticated memory transistor that is able to transfer and store
energy and completely eliminate the need for a capacitor. It can store both an
electric charge and information at the same time

A capacitor (originally known as a condenser) is a passive two-terminal
electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. It is widely
used as parts of electrical circuits in many common electrical devices.

As long as 15 years ago, experts already understood that hardware constraints
would limit the miniaturization of electronic devices. The idea of a smart
transistor that could eliminate the need for capacitors was suggested. The
molecular memory transistor, which can be produced at a size of five nanometers,
stores data and sends it at high speed. The innovative development, which is
manufactured under standard procedures, could be manufactured at existing
hi-tech factories. Large companies in the industry are showing interest in the
TAU technology, said Mantovich, who in May received first prize at a European
conference on materials research and published his findings in the journal
Advanced Materials and Applied Physics Letters.

He noted that in 2012, major technology companies for the first time sold more
tablets and smartphones than laptops of all types.

"When the new molecular transistors are integrated into the devices of the
future, one will be able to run many applications simultaneously," he said.
There will be much-reduced electricity use, much more memory and longer battery
life.

The next step is to find a fabrication facility that could make the new
transistors. One of the advantages of molecular memory is that it can be made
almost anywhere, using standard equipment and using innovative assembly
techniques that Mantovich himself developed. "The distance from application is
not great." he said.

BIG LAB FOR THE TINY

The world's first laboratory for the integration of tiny systems has been
launched at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at a cost of $1.25 million. The
Miniature Integrated Systems Laboratory at the Broide Center for Innovating
Engineering and Computer Science was donated by Canadian Friends of HU and the
family of Peter Broide.

Staffers will explore the dynamics of complex circuits that are constructed by
multitudes of integrated nano/micro devices. The lab will provide the
technological infrastructure and knowledge necessary to integrate micro/nano
devices into a functioning circuit that can be organically interfaced with
cyberspace.

A unique feature of the laboratory will be to enable the construction of
structures and devices using novel material systems that are not within the
paradigm of current research in nanoscience and therefore are not allowed in
conventional nano-centers. In particular, the laboratory will provide expertise
in microfluidics, and micro/nano electromechanical systems fabrications (MEMS &
NEMS). Both microfluidics and MEMS are essential tools for the biomedical
engineer.

The lab will be the ideal platform for transforming basic research in
nanoscience into viable microsystems, and will also provide the infrastructure
for combining these circuits with computing elements to form the basic modules
of the cyberspace of the future.

An example of the cutting-edge research that will be enabled by the laboratory
is the exploration of potential physical chassis for quantum computing. HU said
the lab will provide hands-on experience to undergrad engineering students in
the techniques that are being employed in nanoscience and nanotechnology R&D and
in the microelectronics and optoelectronics industry.

Broide was one of founders of Eicon Technology Corporation, a pioneer in
computerization and networks that became the fourth-largest firm in software in
Canada and functioned in 70 countries around the world. He was also a donor to
the Montreal Jewish community.

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

US Jews support Obama, but far less than in '08

BYLINE: YONI DAYAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 360 words

Most US Jews continue to back President Barack Obama over presumptive Republican
nominee Mitt Romney, but support for the incumbent remains well below 2008
levels, according to a Gallup poll published on Friday.

Tracking from June 1 to 26 found that Jewish registered voters favored Obama
over his challenger by 68 percent to 25%. This represents similar support levels
as the previous Gallup poll, taken in April-June, which found that 64% of Jews
supported Obama while 29% supported Romney.

Though they are still overwhelmingly Democrats, Jewish support for the the US
president has dropped significantly since 2008. The most recent Gallup poll
shows a 12-percentage point decrease since since 2008, when 74% of registered
Jews supported Obama against then-Republican candidate Sen. John McCain.

Republicans have mounted intense campaigns aimed at attracting Jewish voters to
their party. Romney arrived in Israel on Saturday night for meetings with Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, opposition leader Shaul
Mofaz and Labor party head Shelly Yechimovich. A Republican group backed by US
casino magnate Sheldon Adelson has also unleashed a campaign in battleground
states to "convert" Jewish voters who have been life-long Democrats and who it
is thought can be convinced to turn their backs on Obama.

Gallup, however, predicted that US Jews, traditionally loyal Democrats, are
"unlikely to become much more supportive of Romney," despite the intense
Republican lobbying efforts.

Polling both Jews and non-Jews on their opinions of Israeli leadership, Gallup
found that Americans have a more positive than negative view of Netanyahu.
However, the poll showed that for the first time more Democrats view Netanyahu
unfavorably (31%) than favorably (25%). This represents a change since 1999,
during Netanyahu's first tenure as prime minister, when support levels were
inverted (31% favorable against 25% unfavorable).

Republicans, on the other hand, display growing support for the prime minister,
with 50% viewing him favorably compared to 16% viewing him unfavorably. In 1999,
38% of Republicans viewed him favorably compared to 15% unfavorably.

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

It's not just what Romney and Obama are saying on Iran, but how they're saying
it

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1234 words

WASHINGTON - Usually US presidential campaigns are all about drawing contrasts
between the candidates, but the Obama team has taken the opposite tack when it
comes to Iran's nuclear program, likely the preeminent foreign policy issue of
the race.

The Obama campaign held a conference call this past week attacking Romney's
foreign policy credentials ahead of the presumptive Republican presidential
nominee's trip to Europe and the Middle East that began Thursday. Their
take-down of his Iran policy amounted to emphasizing the similarities between
the two candidates.

"The American people, I think, expect him to outline a plan to pressure Iran -
and to actually say exactly what he would do differently from what President
Obama is already doing," said Colin Kahl, who served as deputy assistant
secretary of defense for the Middle East through the end of last year.

"Because, frankly, all we've gotten from Romney up to this point is tough talk.
All the actual substance that he's put forward, whether it be on sanctions or on
military preparedness, mirrors precisely what President Obama has already done
to put pressure on Tehran," Kahl said.

The notion that Romney's Iran policy is essentially indistinguishable from
Obama's has become a popular trope, echoed in the pages of The New York Times
and Washington think tank reports.

And indeed, the broad contours of the policies are similar - ratchet up
sanctions, increase diplomatic isolation and keep all the proverbial options on
the table. But while the policy differences could be much sharper, to suggest
they have same approach overlooks a key ingredient in policy-making: It's not
just what you say, it's how you say it.

Romney and Obama might have general prescriptions for Iran that are similar, but
their programs could yield very different outcomes because of how they are
communicated; the tone, context and perception of a leader can dramatically
affect how policies play out - and ultimately how successful they are.

Take Obama's foray into Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. The bedrocks of his
policy were the same as previous administrations' - get the parties to direct
talks and look to concessions from both sides to reach a two-state solution -
but his tone was very different.

There was perhaps no greater point of friction between Obama and Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu than the president's opposition to settlements, yet American
objections to the practice stretch back decades. The central divergence in this
case was how publicly and categorically those objections were made, and Israel's
sense that no comparable public demands were being made of the Palestinians.

David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said Obama could
have made more progress if he had expressed his position privately, as other
administrations have. He noted that Obama's "public tone" did not cultivate
trust with the Israeli people and cost him capital that could have injected
momentum into peace talks and willingness to make concessions.

"When you deal with leaders, you come from a point of leverage when you have the
publics on your side," Makovsky explained.

Without public support or buy-in from either side's leadership, the result has
been more than three years of stalemate.

On Iran, as it happens, there are some policy differences between Obama and
Romney - or at least regarding what Romney the candidate has pledged to do. A
foreign policy paper the former Massachusetts governor's campaign released last
week stated that Romney wouldn't exempt China from sanctions for purchasing oil
from Iran as the Obama administration has done and that he would push for
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be indicted for inciting genocide under
the UN's genocide convention.

But just as significant a distinction could well be the "tough talk" that the
Obama campaign dismisses.

"So much of what we're trying to do vis-^-vis Iran is psychological," according
to Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Washington-based Foundation for
Defense of Democracies, who has been consulting with the Obama administration
about how to effectively deploy sanctions against Iran.

The West's intention, he explained, is to change Iran's "risk-reward calculus"
so that Tehran believes it has so much more to lose than gain from having a
nuclear weapon - the destruction of its economy from ever-increasing sanctions
or even more from a military strike - that it stops pursuing one.

The perception of Western determination or lack thereof also affects Israel's
calculation of whether it needs to take action on its own or whether it can rely
on America to do everything at its disposal to stop Iran.

"It's not just about policy. It's about tone, it's about personality, it's about
the projection of power," Dubowitz said.

"[Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei does not fear Obama," continued
Dubowitz. "Whether he should or not is a different story."

The proof of that pudding, Dubowitz argued, has been demonstrated by Iran's
refusal to make any serious concessions in three rounds of talks with world
powers over the past four months, let alone stop uranium enrichment as the US
has demanded.

Romney could change that dynamic and with it how events unfold. He has been much
more willing than Obama to speak of the possibility of using military force or
overturning the regime.

"It's worth working with the insurgents in the country to encourage regime
change," he said when asked about Iran at a January debate. "And if all else
fails, if after all of the work we've done, there's nothing else we could do
besides take military action, then of course you take military action."

Similarly, the first point of Romney's Iran policy program is that within his
initial 100 days in office, he would "make clear that the military option is on
the table by ordering the regular presence of an aircraft carrier task force in
both the eastern Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf region simultaneously."

The paper next stresses, "He will also begin talks with Israel to increase
military coordination and assistance and enhance intelligence sharing."

These points are congruent with what Obama has said, but Romney shifts his
primary emphasis to the military option, by the US or Israel or both, in a way
that contrasts with the White House. And whatever Obama's pronouncements on the
use of force have been, they come in a context of his having emphasized
diplomatic overtures and having publicly cautioned against an Israeli attack,
not to mention upon a backdrop of strained relations with the Netanyahu
government.

Dubowitz assessed that Romney's strong stance could make concessions by Tehran
more likely. He gave the example of Iran's decision to release American captives
on the eve of Ronald Reagan's inauguration because it understood a new sheriff -
with what appeared to be a quicker trigger-finger - was in town.

On the other hand, the bellicose rhetoric could make Iran feel more desperate
and inclined to use military force as a warning through its proxies or otherwise
miscalculate US intentions in a way that triggers a war that neither side wants.

Of course, there is one other important factor to keep in mind about Romney's
current vocabulary.

"Romney's audience is the voters now more than the mullahs in Iran," Makovsky
pointed out. "He will tailor his comments more to them." And those voters will
decide which candidate's words they prefer.

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Romney arrives following rough start to foreign tour in London. Apparent GOP
presidential candidate to meet with Netanyahu, Peres and Fayyad as well as hold
fund-raiser during brief visit

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 616 words

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrived in Israel on Saturday night on the
second leg of a three-country tour that began in London, where he badly annoyed
his hosts by questioning whether the city was ready for the Olympics.

The tour to England, Israel and Poland is largely meant to build up the foreign
policy credentials of the candidate, who has served one term as governor of
Massachusetts and has little foreign policy experience.

While in Britain, Romney said in an interview with NBC that London's
preparations for the games were "disconcerting." This led to disparaging
counter-remarks about him by Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris
Johnson, and a flood of media criticism.

Romney's visit to Israel - his fourth - is widely considered an effort to woo
pro-Israel voters in the US, both Jews and Evangelical Christians, many of whom
are discontent with the Middle East policies of President Barack Obama.

Obama, as well as Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in
2008, both visited Israel in July of that year just a few months before the
elections.

One thing Romney is sure to underline - in an effort to contrast himself with
Obama - is his cordial ties with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He is
scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Sunday morning and again later in the day
after the Tisha Be'av fast when he and his wife, Ann, will dine at the Prime
Minister's Residence with Netanyahu and his wife, Sara.

In between those two meetings Romney will also meet with President Shimon Peres,
Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich, Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian
Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

He is also scheduled to give a foreign policy address during the late afternoon
in Jerusalem, with a pooled press covering the event. Adding to the sense that
Israel is a background prop for the campaign is the fact that Romney will also
sit for an ABC interview from Israel.

Netanyahu and Romney are not scheduled to hold any significant joint public
appearances, with the prime minister very keen on not being perceived in any way
as intervening in the US elections. The media will be limited to a photo-op
before their Sunday morning meeting.

Over the past few months, the prime minister has downplayed the perception that
emerged following a New York Times article in April that the two men were close
friends. The article, which to some read as a warning to readers that Romney was
somehow "in Netanyahu's pocket," characterized their ties as a "warm
relationship, little known to outsiders."

Netanyahu immediately poured cold water on that depiction and in an April
interview with CNN said that after working at the same consulting firm with
Romney in Boston 35 years ago he did not meet him again until many years later
when he was finance minister and Romney was governor of Massachusetts.

Asked whether Romney was his friend and whether he "likes him," Netanyahu
replied, "Well, look, here's an answer that will - should satisfy you. I respect
Mitt Romney as I respect Barack Obama, the president of the United States. And
that's the end of the ranking and the questions that you will undoubtedly try
again and again to draw me into."

Netanyahu also refused to be pulled into the issue of his relationship with
Romney last Sunday during interviews on two US networks.

Romney is slated to leave for Poland at about noon on Monday. Before taking off,
he is scheduled to host a fund-raiser at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on
Monday morning. The event was moved from Sunday evening to Monday morning so as
not to conflict with Tisha Be'av. The cost to attend the event, where Romney is
expected to appear for 45 minutes, is $50,000 a couple.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: US PRESIDENTIAL candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, arrive
in Tel Aviv last night. (Credit: Jason Reed/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

New way found to induce programmed cell death

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

SECTION: HEALTH; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 594 words

An innovative technique to cause apoptosis - programmed cell death - that could
lead to new approaches to treating cancer has been developed by researchers at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science in
Rehovot.

Apoptosis, a complex process that occurs through networks of proteins that
interact with each other, is an essential defense mechanism against the spread
of abnormal cells such as cancer. Cancer cells usually avoid this process due to
mutations in the genes that encode the relevant proteins, with the result that
the cancer cells survive and take over while healthy cells die.

The research, led by HU graduate student Chen Hener-Katz and with collaboration
by Prof. Assaf Friedler of the university's institute of chemistry and Weizmann
Prof. Atan Gross, was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

The study examined the interaction between two important proteins involved in
cell death: mitochondrial carrier homologue 2 (MTCH2), which was discovered in
Gross's lab, and truncated BID (tBID), which are both involved in the apoptotic
process. The researchers found a critical step in initiating apoptosis in the
regions of the two proteins that are responsible for binding to each other.

Following their discovery, the researchers developed short synthetic protein
fragments, or peptides, that mimicked the areas on the proteins that bind to
each other, and by doing so inhibited this binding. In lab experiments conducted
on cell cultures, this caused cancer cells of human origin to die.

"These protein segments could be the basis of future anti-cancer therapies in
cases where the mechanism of natural cell death is not working properly," said
Friedler. "We have just begun to uncover the hidden potential in the interaction
between these proteins. This is an important potential target for the
development of anticancer drugs that will stimulate apoptosis by interfering
with its regulation."

EXPLAINING CANCER TO KIDS

Cancer is difficult for a child to understand, and if the person who is ill is
his or her mother, it makes it even more difficult to tell the truth. Sivan
Rosen Geta, a young Israeli mother, tragically found herself in this situation
and decided to write a children's book to explain the situation to her daughter
Maya. It was originally published in Hebrew and has now been translated into
English, with the title Cancer, and not the Zodiac Crab. The author, who lives
in Afula and was first diagnosed at 18 with the rare type of cancer, adenoid
cystic carcinoma, was treated successfully and married before she was 22. Yet
the tumor metastasized and spread to various organs. Determined to be a mother,
Geta got pregnant and had a girl, Maya. "I looked for tools that could help me
explain the disease and its consequences to our only daughter," she said. But as
Geta couldn't find any, she wrote her own book in Hebrew and drew the colorful
illustrations. Now the hardcover book has been released (www.sivanrg.com).

"I hope wholeheartedly that this book will help children and parents who are
exposed to cancer, to simplify for them the difficult terms related to and
derived from cancer and to get through this difficult challenge as easily as
possible, while constantly believing that it can be beaten," she writes in the
foreword. The storyteller is a little girl whose mother has cancer and, like
Geta, goes abroad for medical treatment, leaving her with her grandmother.
"Cancer, enough, go away!" the book ends. "Just go, get out and never come back,
not even for a day." May it be so.

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NOTES: HEALTH SCAN

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Photo - SORROW IN JERUSALEM

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 71 words

SORROW IN JERUSALEM. People sit on the floor in front of the Western Wall and
read the Book of Eicha yesterday evening as part of the Tisha Be'av service.
Tisha Be'Av primarily commemorates the fall of the two Temples and the beginning
of the Jewish people's exile 2,000 years ago, although the day has traditionally
been used to mark other tragedies as well, and represents the most profound day
of sadness on the Jewish calendar.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: SORROW IN JERUSALEM. People sit on the floor in front of the
Western Wall and read the Book of Eicha yesterday evening as part of the Tisha
Be'av service. Tisha Be'Av primarily commemorates the fall of the two Temples
and the beginning of the Jewish people's exile 2,000 years ago, although the day
has traditionally been used to mark other tragedies as well, and represents the
most profound day of sadness on the Jewish calendar. (Credit: Marc Israel
Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

News in brief

BYLINE: Yaakov Katz, Khaled Abu Toameh, Yaakov Lappin and Melanie Lidman

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 467 words

IAF suspends drills amid malfunctions

A series of malfunctions led the Israel Air Force over the weekend to suspend
midair refueling exercises as well as training flights for its fleet of
older-model F-16s. On Friday, during a routine midair training flight, the hose
disconnected from an F-16I - the IAF's most-advanced combat aircraft - causing
light damage. The air force decided to suspend the exercise and to land both the
F-16 and the Boeing 707 refueling tanker.

The malfunction came after IAF commander Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel decided earlier in
July to ground the force's fleet of F-16 C/Ds, known as "Baraks." That decision
was made after suspicions arose that the heavy heat was causing damage to the
aircraft's single engine.

¥ Yaakov Katz

Abbas in Jenin for 2nd time as president

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the West Bank city of
Jenin on Saturday evening in the second visit since he assumed office in 2005.
Abbas went to Jenin to lay the cornerstone for a new hospital. He was also
scheduled to meet with residents and leaders of the city during his brief visit.
Abbas rarely visits Palestinian cities and villages in the West Bank. He usually
leaves his office and home in Ramallah only when he wants to travel abroad.

Abbas ordered a clampdown in the city and nearby villages after unidentified
gunmen on May 1 opened fire at the home of then-Jenin governor Kadoura Musa, who
died shortly afterward of a heart attack. The security crackdown revealed that
many PA policemen, security officers and Fatah gangsters had been responsible
for scenes of anarchy and lawlessness for many years in Jenin. At least 150
suspects have since been rounded up and sent to the PA's central prison in
Jericho. ¥ Khaled Abu Toameh

Police chief: One law for all police

The suspicions against Jerusalem Police head Asst.-Ch. Nisso Shaham are severe,
Insp.-Gen. Yochanan Danino said on Friday. He added that "the Israel Police will
not compromise on the values that are at the base of the organization."

Shaham is suspected of sexual harassment, indecent assault and improper sexual
relations, the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department said last
week, after an undercover investigation. He has gone on forced leave pending the
completion of the investigation.

"One law for the police officer and the commander - all are equal before the
law," Danino said. The police chief said he could not comment specifically on
the suspicions due to the ongoing investigation. "During this period, a
sensitive security period, filled with challenges and missions - I promise you
that the Israel Police is faithfully carrying out its missions in Jerusalem, and
around the country, and will ensure personal security for the country's
residents," Danino said.

¥ Yaakov Lappin and Melanie Lidman

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

THEATER REVIEW

BYLINE: HELEN KAYE

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 601 words

Richard II & Richard III

By William Shakespeare

Translated by Shimon Zandbank (R. II)

and Meir Weiseltier (R. III)

Adapted and directed by Arthur Kogan

Cameri Theater, July 9 and 13

In the Shakespeare canon, Richard II falls into his middle period, written after
Richard III, but it addresses the themes of his earliest history plays, the
three parts of Henry VI, that deal with the Wars of the Roses (1455-87). For
many, the Wars of the Roses were Divine retribution for England's sinful ways.

To this riving civil war Richard II is the precursor and Richard III the
conclusion.

You can, of course, see only one Richard and come away shaken, but for the full
impact you need to see both because in their scope and execution these
productions are transformative theater that will disturb, terrify, exalt and
enthrall you.

Taking his cue from Elizabethan theater, designer Eran Atzmon has created an
open space that in Richard II emphasizes the sacred and the profane. The
mirrored rear wall is bisected by a giant cross. The forestage is defined by
small hillocks of what looks like coal slag. For Richard III what's left of
Richard II's arena is the rusty scaffolding shrouded in plastic to hide the
dirt, the debris, and a big bloody handprint, revealed when the plastic is
ripped away.

Mostly the same actors play in both productions and their characters reflect the
times' deterioration. For instance, the humorless, casually cruel Northumberland
of Richard II morphs into the gleefully conscienceless, opera-singing and
murderous Tyrrel of Richard III, both generously set forth by Eli Gorenstein.
Dudu Niv creeps up on and briskly snaps up the principled York (R. II) and
opportunistic Buckingham (R. III) with his customary and powerful
understatement. Alon Dahan's blustery, straightforward Mowbray (R. II) is neatly
offset by his anxious, eager, doomed Hastings (R. III). Yossi Graber splendidly
ornaments the ailing, prescient John of Gaunt (R. II) and the aged naivety of
Edward IV (R. III).

Not all the actors double. Ruti Asersai (R. III) lends vulnerability and courage
to her luminous Lady Ann. Yossi Kantz' Derby (R. III) is stalwart. Gil Frank is
Bolingbroke, (R. II), later Henry IV, and plays him with banked ferocity, with
diamond intensity. His Bolingbroke is a hard man who can grasp power and will
know to use it, but who will remain its master.

But the epicenter of Richards II and III is Itay Tiran who plays the title role
in each.

As Richard II, his abuse of the power his kingship grants him leads him
inexorably from golden-haired, white-clad superstar to rag-wrapped, barefooted
has-been. As Richard III, his body half encased in rigid harness, he nimbly and
with gusto orchestrates and executes the moves that will realize his ambition,
and as inexorably, lead to his downfall.

Both Richards are actors, each in his own way, and as such their characters suit
Tiran who revels on the stage like a dolphin in the sea. His R. II moves surely
and with true pathos to self-awareness. He speaks and makes to sing the
beautiful lines Shakespeare gave this Richard, never stooping to mawkishness.

The real shocker is his Clockwork Orange Richard III, a near-sociopath whom
Tiran strips as naked as the man's ambition. He holds nothing back, giving us a
Richard who teeters on the brink of the abyss from the very beginning, and like
his earlier namesake, learns the truth about himself too late.

It's not often that our repertory theaters take the bit in their teeth and forgo
the "sure thing." With Richard II and Richard III, the Cameri has done just
that. A must see. Oh yes! You'll laugh a lot too.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'RICHARD II' (Credit: Daniel Kaminsky)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Cabinet to vote tomorrow on VAT, income tax hikes. Liberman's agreement to back
budget cuts, increases in levies not an indicator of party's support for 2013
budget, sources say

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER, GIL HOFFMAN and Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 483 words

The cabinet will vote Monday on whether to increase income tax for above-average
wage-earners and raise the value-added tax by 1 percentage point to 17 percent.

The moves are part of a series of steps the government says will boost state
revenues by NIS 14 billion next year.

Under the proposal, tax for the fourth-highest income bracket, those earning NIS
8,881-NIS 14,430 per month, will increase from 21% to 22%. Tax for the second-
and third-highest income brackets will also rise 1 percentage point, to 30% and
33%, respectively. Tax for the highest and two lowest income brackets will
remain the same.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz announced the proposed income tax increase on
Friday, three days after he and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said they
planned to increase VAT immediately and implement an across-the-board NIS
700-million cut to government ministries. Purchase tax on cigarettes, cigars and
alcohol increased midnight Wednesday. The government also plans to collect NIS 3
billion that large corporations owe the state.

Sources in Yisrael Beytenu said on Friday that party chairman Avigdor Liberman's
agreement to support the tax increases and budget cuts planned for Monday's
cabinet meeting were not an indicator that the party would back the 2013 state
budget when it comes to a vote later this year.

The prime minister's associates have hinted in closed conversation that
Netanyahu sees Monday's vote as a bellwether for how hard it will be for him to
pass the budget.

The vote on the budget is seen as the indicator of whether Netanyahu will need
to initiate an early election. If he sees that he cannot obtain enough support
to pass the budget, he is expected in October to initiate an election that will
be held at the beginning of 2013.

But if he can get Yisrael Beytenu (15 MKs), the Independence Party (5 MKs) and
Habayit Hayehudi (3 MKs) to support the budget, and convince a few opposition
lawmakers to abstain, Netanyahu may be able to complete his term, which is set
to end on October 22, 2013. The only cabinet members who have said they will
vote against Steinitz's plan on Monday are the four ministers from Shas. Shas
traditionally votes against the state budget in the cabinet, whether or not it
is in the coalition.

Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich on Friday mocked the prime minister
for his spate of recent "contradictory" economic policy announcements.

"You could get dizzy from all of Netanyahu's contradictory economic decisions in
the past three days," Yechimovich said. "One day he's lobbying for a tax on the
rich, the next day he drops it. One day he levies a VAT [increase] and condemns
income tax with all his might, and the next he levies an income tax [rise]. One
day he says there are no free lunches and the next he tries to placate the
public and say families will have more money after the cuts," the former
opposition leader continued.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: Yuval Steinitz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

Photo - Pairing fine art and fine wine

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 83 words

Pairing fine art and fine wine. Come enjoy a toast to art as the Israel Museum
celebrates its annual four-day Israeli Wine Tasting Festival. The NIS 80
entrance fee not only entitles visitors to a wine glass for unlimited tasting
from Israel's best vineyards, but also allows admission to the museum's
galleries, whose opening hours overlap with those of the festival. Runs July 30
through August 2, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 7 p.m.- 11:30 p.m. For more info and
tickets visit www.english.imjnet.org.il

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Pairing fine art and fine wine. Come enjoy a toast to art as the
Israel Museum celebrates its annual four-day Israeli Wine Tasting Festival. The
NIS 80 entrance fee not only entitles visitors to a wine glass for unlimited
tasting from Israel's best vineyards, but also allows admission to the museum's
galleries, whose opening hours overlap with those of the festival. Runs July 30
through August 2, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 7 p.m.- 11:30 p.m. For more info and
tickets visit www.english.imjnet.org.il (Credit: Courtesy/PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 29, 2012 Sunday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 390 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 29, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that six weeks after they were
sentenced to death for taking part in the attack on the Acre Central Prison on
May 4, 1947, Ya'acov Weiss (23), Meir Nakar (21), and Avshalom Haviv (20), were
ordered to be hanged at 4 o'clock that morning, at the same jail. A last-minute
plea to the high commissioner for Palestine was telephoned by Ashkenazi chief
rabbi Dr. I H. Herzog.

Two Hagana ships were "captured" on the high seas by the British navy and
brought to Haifa. The first, Return to Zion, a tiny 100-ton boat, was packed
with 400 "illegal" immigrants. The second ship, Fourteen, a 200-ton schooner,
brought more than 700 European Jews.

One of the three British destroyers escorting the Exodus 1947 deportation convoy
arrived in Port de Bouc, France. There were some 500 sick among its 4,500
passengers, including four expectant mothers and two children with measles.

Two British soldiers, one RAF man, a Jewish interpreter and two Arab constables
were wounded when bombs were thrown at the Tel Litvinsky camp.

UNSCOP delegates sat in private session in Geneva.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 29, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that president Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and
his wife left for a three-week state visit to Africa.

The Lebanese government decided to divert the Hatzbani River, one of the sources
of the Jordan River.

A Jewish girl, Graciella Sirota, was again beaten in Buenos Aires. The
assailants also hit her mother. Sirota had been kidnapped before, burned with
cigarettes and had a swastika cut on her breast. Secondary-school pupils
organized a strike in protest.

Jerusalem was planning for a population of 250,000 by 1970.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 29, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported that prime minister Yitzhak Shamir
vowed that Israel would never return to the borders that existed before the Six
Day War. He had also assured the Soviet Union that it had nothing to fear
insofar as Israeli missiles were concerned. Shamir called on every Jewish family
in the Diaspora to have at least one representative in Israel.

Justice minister Avraham Sharir was formulating an exchange of letters with the
French government which would enable William Nakash to serve his sentence in
Israel. Nakash was sentenced in France to life in prison, but faced an automatic
retrial upon his extradition to France.

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

It's great to be back at the Games

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 497 words

It is only natural that the London Olympics be compared to the 2008 Beijing
Games, especially in my mind, with them being the only two I have had the
pleasure of attending.

Every Olympics is ultimately measured according to the standard set by the
previous Games, making the London Organizing Committee's job especially
daunting.

It seems all but impossible for London to outdo Beijing.

Every one in the British capital understands that, hence the decision to go for
a completely different approach.

From my early impressions, it seems that the organizing committee has decided to
counter bombastic Beijing with leisurely London.

It would be an exaggeration to write that the city is taking the Olympics in
stride, but the laid-back manner of the locals sets a relaxed atmosphere, for
the time being anyway.

While the Beijing Games were all about proving China's muscle to the world,
London 2012 organizers will seemingly be content with everyone simply having a
good time.

One of the key aspects to that is keeping all involved safe, but doing so
without requiring suffocating security measures.

Of course, it is only at the end of the closing ceremony that the massive
security operation can be judged, but without going into too many details it
seems that the organizers have taken every reasonable measure, as well as
several unreasonable ones, while trying to avoid the army-base feel of the
Beijing Games.

Thankfully, there is no more compulsory drinking out of your water bottle at
every security check, just in case the contents might pose a danger to the
safety of the Games.

However, they have gone one step further in London, barring spectators and
journalists alike from taking any liquids through the security checks.

As a result, you will see the same scene repeated time and again at every check
point, first, a look of bewilderment at the soldier's orders, soon followed by a
hasty emptying of one's bottle down the throat.

With the temperatures in the capital reaching the heights of the Beijing summer
in recent days, any precaution against dehydration should be welcomed, but
surely this is taking it a little too far.

Since the 1972 Munich massacre, security has always been a major issue at the
Games and the reality of the 21st century is that terror is a real threat to the
Olympics.

British officials have no intention of taking any chances and called up an
additional 1,200 soldiers on Tuesday to fill the shortfall left by private
company G4S.

But all of these issues will hopefully quickly be forgotten come Friday night
when the greatest show on earth officially gets going.

The Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger" remains as relevant as ever, but
the Games aren't just about winning or even participating.

There is something else that is easily forgotten amid the security concerns,
corporate sponsorships and ceremonial hoopla.

The Olympics are mainly about simple enjoyment of the remarkable stories only
possible in sports, and that is the spirit of London 2012.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ALLON SINAI'S LONDON DIARY Day 1

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Massive US bunker-buster ready for use

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 276 words

In the face of possible military intervention in Syria and a strike against
Iran, the United States has announced that its largest bunker-buster missile
capable of penetrating underground facilities is operational and ready for use
if needed.

Called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), the 30,000-pound bomb - which
contains over 5,000 pounds of explosives - was originally designed to take out
hardened fortifications in Iran and North Korea. The announcement that it is
operational comes at a time that the western world is increasingly concerned
over the potential proliferation of Syria's chemical weapons to Hezbollah.

"If it needed to go today, we would be ready to do that," United States Air
Force Secretary Michael Donley told the Air Force Times this week. "We continue
to do testing on the bomb to refine its capabilities, and that is ongoing. We
also have the capability to go with existing configuration today."

Donley's announcement that the MOP is operational comes after Defense Secretary
Leon Panetta told The Wall Street Journal earlier this year that the bomb had
shortcomings against some of Iran's deep bunker facilities. According to the
report, the Pentagon has spent over $300 million to develop the bomb, which is
made by Boeing.

Israel has closely followed the development of the MOP, also known as the
GBU-57. The MOP is said to be able to penetrate around 60 meters. It is unclear,
however, how Israel would deploy such a bomb which would not fit onto its
current fleet of combat aircraft. The US Air Force intends to deploy the MOP on
B-2 bombers which can carry a far larger payload than the Israel Air Force's
F-15s and F-16s.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

The Muslim Brotherhood's American defenders

BYLINE: CAROLINE B. GLICK

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1887 words

On Wednesday, John Brennan, US President Barack Obama's assistant for homeland
security and counterterrorism, made a quick trip to Israel to discuss
Hezbollah's massacre of Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria last week.

Hopefully it was an instructive meeting for the senior US official, although his
Israeli interlocutors were undoubtedly dumbstruck by how difficult it was to
communicate with him. Unlike previous US counterterror officials, Brennan does
not share Israel's understanding of Middle Eastern terrorism.

Brennan's outlook on this subject was revealed in a speech he gave two years ago
in Washington. In that talk, Brennan spoke dreamily about Hezbollah. As he put
it, "Hezbollah is a very interesting organization."

He claimed it had evolved from a "purely terrorist organization" to a militia
and then into an organization with members in Lebanon's parliament and serving
in Lebanon's cabinet.

Brennan continued, "There are certainly elements of Hezbollah that are truly a
concern for us what they're doing. And what we need to do is find ways to
diminish their influence within the organization and to try to build up the more
moderate elements."

Perhaps in a bid to build up those "moderate elements," in the same address,
Brennan referred to Israel's capital city Jerusalem as "al Quds," the name
preferred by Hezbollah and its Iranian overlords.

Brennan's amazing characterization of Hezbollah's hostile takeover of the
Lebanese government as proof that the terrorist group was moderating was of a
piece with the Obama administration's view of Islamic jihadists generally.

If there are "moderate elements," in Hezbollah, from the perspective of the
Obama administration, Hezbollah's Sunni jihadist counterpart - the Muslim
Brotherhood - is downright friendly.

On February 10, 2011, Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
made this position clear in testimony before the House Select Committee on
Intelligence. Clapper's testimony was given the day before then Egyptian
president and longtime US ally Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign from office.
Mubarak's coerced resignation was owed largely to the Obama administration's
decision to end US support for his regime and openly demand his immediate
abdication of power. As Israel warned, Mubarak's ouster paved the way for the
Muslim Brotherhood's ascendance to power in Egypt.

In his testimony Clapper said, "The term 'Muslim Brotherhood' is an umbrella
term for a variety of movements. In the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous
group, largely secular which has eschewed violence and has decried al-Qaida as a
perversion of Islam. They have pursued social ends, betterment of the political
order in Egypt, etc."

Watching Clapper's testimony in Israel, the sense across the political spectrum,
shared by experts and casual observers alike was that the US had taken leave of
its senses.

The slogan of the Muslim Brotherhood is "Allah is our objective; the Prophet is
our leader; the Koran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the path of Allah
is our highest hope." How could such a high-level US official claim that such an
organization is "largely secular"?

Every day Muslim Brotherhood leaders call for the violent annihilation of
Israel. And those calls are often combined with calls for jihad against the US.
For instance, in a sermon from October 2010, Muslim Brotherhood head Mohammed
Badie called for jihad against the US. As he put it "Resistance [i.e. terrorism]
is the only solution against the Zio-American arrogance and tyranny, and all we
need is for the Arab and Muslim peoples to stand behind it and support it."

Badie then promised his congregants that the death of America was nigh. As he
put it, "A nation that does not champion moral and human values cannot lead
humanity, and its wealth will not avail it once Allah has had His say, as
happened with [powerful] nations in the past. The US is now experiencing the
beginning of its end, and is heading towards its demise."

THE OBLIVIOUSNESS of Brennan and Clapper to the essential nature of Hezbollah
and the Muslim Brotherhood are symptoms of the overarching ignorance informing
the Obama administration's approach to Middle Eastern realities.

Take, for instance, the Obama administration's policy confusion over Syria. This
week The Washington Post reported that the Obama administration lacks any real
knowledge of the nature of the opposition forces fighting to overthrow the
Syrian regime. Whereas one senior official told the paper, "We're identifying
the key leaders, and there are a lot of them. We are in touch with them and we
stay in touch," another official said that is not the case.

As the latter official put it, "The folks that have been identified have been
identified through Turkey and Jordan. It is not because of who we know. It's all
through liaison."

The fact that the US government is flying blind as Syria spins out of control is
rendered all the more egregious when you recognize that this was not inevitable.
America's ignorance is self-inflicted.

In the 16 months that have passed since the Syrian civil war broke out, the
administration passed up several opportunities to develop its own ties to the
opposition and even to shape its agenda. Two examples suffice to make this
clear.

First, in October 2011, according to the Beirut-based Arabic news portal al
Nashra, Dalia Mogahed, Obama's adviser on Muslim affairs, blocked a delegation
of Middle Eastern Christians led by Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai
from meeting with Obama and members of his national security team at the White
House. According to al Nashra, Mogahed canceled the meeting at the request of
the Muslim Brotherhood in her native Egypt.

The White House canceled the meeting days after Rai visited with then French
president Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. During that meeting Rai angered the French
Foreign Ministry when he warned that it would be a disaster for Syria's
Christian minority, and for Christians throughout the region, if the regime of
Syrian President Bashar Assad is overthrown. Rai based this claim on his
assessment that Assad would be replaced by a Muslim Brotherhood-dominated
Islamist regime.

And nine months later it is obvious that he was right. With Syria's civil war
still raging throughout the country, the world media is rife with reports about
Syria's Christians fleeing their towns and villages en masse as Islamists from
the Syrian opposition target them with death, extortion and kidnapping.

Then there are the US's peculiar choices regarding the opposition figures it
favors. Last August, in a bid to gain familiarity with the Syrian opposition,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with opposition representatives at the
State Department. Herb London from the Hudson Institute reported at the time
that the group Clinton met with was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. Members
of the non-Islamist, pro-Western Syrian Democracy Council compose of Syrian
Kurds, Alawites, Christians, Druse, Assyrians and non-Islamist Sunnis were not
invited to the meeting.

Clinton did reportedly agree to meet with representatives of the council
separately. But unlike the press carnival at her meeting with the Muslim
Brotherhood members, Clinton refused to publicize her meeting with the
non-Islamist opposition leaders. In so acting, she denied these would-be US
allies the ability to claim that they enjoyed the support of the US government.

The question is why? Why is the Obama administration shunning potential allies
and empowering enemies? Why has the administration gotten it wrong everywhere?
In an attempt to get to the bottom of this, and perhaps to cause the
administration to rethink its policies, a group of US lawmakers, members of the
House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees led by Rep. Michele Bachmann sent
letters to the inspectors-general of the State, Homeland Security, Defense, and
Justice departments as well as to the inspector-general of the office of the
director of National Intelligence. In those letters, Bachmann and her colleagues
asked the Inspectors General to investigate possible penetration of the US
government by Muslim Brotherhood operatives.

In their letters, and in a subsequent explanatory letter to US Rep. Keith
Ellison from Rep. Bachmann, the lawmakers made clear that when they spoke of
governmental penetration, they were referring to the central role that Muslim
groups, identified by the US government in Federal Court as Muslim Brotherhood
front organizations, play in shaping the Obama administration's perception of
and policies towards the Muslim Brotherhood and its allied movements in the US
and throughout the world.

That these front groups, including the unindicted terror funding
co-conspirators, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), play a key role in shaping the Obama
administration's agenda is beyond dispute. Senior administration officials
including Mogahed have close ties to these groups. There is an ample body of
evidence that suggests that the administration's decision to side with the
hostile Muslim Brotherhood against its allies owes to a significant degree to
the influence these Muslim Brotherhood front groups and their operatives wield
in the Obama administration.

To take just one example, last October the Obama administration agreed to purge
training materials used by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies and
eliminate all materials that contained references to Islam that US Muslim groups
associated with the Muslim Brotherhood had claimed were offensive. The
administration has also fired counterterrorism trainers and lecturers employed
by US security agencies and defense academies that taught their pupils about the
doctrines of jihadist Islam. The administration also appointed representatives
of Muslim Brotherhood-aligned US Muslim groups to oversee the approval of
training materials about Islam for US federal agencies.

For their efforts to warn about - and perhaps cause the administration to
abandon its reliance on - Muslim Brotherhood front groups, Bachmann and her
colleagues have been denounced as racists and McCarthyites. These attacks have
not been carried out only by administration supporters. Republican Senator John
McCain denounced Bachmann from the floor of the Senate. Republican Senator Marco
Rubio later piled on attacking her for her attempt to convince the
administration to reconsider its policies. Those policies again place the most
radical members of the US Muslim community in charge of the US government's
policies toward the Muslim Brotherhood and other jihadist movements.

It is clear that the insidious notion that the Muslim Brotherhood is a moderate
and friendly force has taken hold in US policy circles. And it is apparent that
US policymaking in the Middle East is increasingly rooted in this false and
dangerous assessment.

In spearheading an initiative to investigate and change this state of affairs,
Bachmann and her colleagues should be congratulated, not condemned. And their
courageous efforts to ask the relevant questions about the nature of Muslim
Brotherhood influence over US policymakers should be joined, not spurned by
their colleagues in Washington, by the media and by all concerned citizens in
America and throughout the free world.

caroline@carolineglick.com

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Shapiro: Not clear whether talks with Iran will continue. EU and P5+1 to meet
Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator. Panetta due in Israel next week

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 477 words

The world powers negotiating with Iran have not decided how - or even whether -
negotiations that began in April should continue, US Ambassador Dan Shapiro said
Thursday.

Shapiro, speaking to Israel Radio's Arabic department during a tour of Netanya,
said US President Barack Obama was committed to preventing Iran from getting
nuclear arms.

"We are working together with Israel and many partners in the international
community to put pressure on Iran," said Shapiro, speaking in Hebrew. "There are
very tough sanctions, and there are also the negotiations with the P5+1. We have
not yet decided with our partners how to continue the negotiations, or if to
continue the negotiations, but we are in full coordination with Israel and other
partners."

Low-level talks between Iran and an EU official were held this week in Istanbul,
and another meeting is expected in the coming days between EU foreign policy
chief Catherine Ashton, representing the P5+1 - the US, China, Russia, France,
Britain and Germany - and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

This high-level coordination between Israel and the US on the matter is expected
to continue next week with the arrival for talks of Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, speaking Wednesday at the National Defense College,
of the coordination with the US, said that there was "continuous, intimate and
open dialogue with the US administration - even if we don't always agree."

Barak admitted to differences with the US regarding Iran that had to with the
"paces of our ticking clocks, the differences in capabilities, as well as other
power discrepancies."

These differences, he said, meant that each country had "its own particular
conclusions and points of view... sometimes they are different."

At the same time, he said, the US understood that Israel alone had ultimate
responsibility for decisions affecting its security.

Barak made clear that he did not think that either the stepped-up sanctions or
diplomacy currently being pursued would be enough to stop Iran.

"The Iranians are determined to continue deceiving the entire world, in order to
achieve nuclear weapons. Whoever wants proof, just needs to look at the talks
over the last few months," he said. "The Iranian nuclear program presents a
challenge to Israel, a unique challenge, with the potential to develop into an
existential threat. We have no responsible way of ignoring this."

During that speech Barak indicated that the price of militarily stopping Iran
now would be much less than the price of stopping Tehran after it gets a nuclear
weapon. He also said that one of the lessons Israel needed to draw from the
world's inability to act to stop the butchery in Syria was that the
international community cannot always "mobilize political will, unity of
purpose, or ability to function - even when the situation demands it."

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A week after senior Hamas man released from Israeli prison, PA arrests his aide

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 279 words

The Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank Thursday arrested the
director of the office of Abdel Aziz Dweik, a senior Hamas representative who
was released last week from Israeli prison.

Dweik, who serves as speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was
released from Israeli prison after serving six months in administrative
detention.

The director of his office, Baha Farah, was summoned for investigation by the
PA's Preventive Security Force on Wednesday night. Later, he was ordered to be
held in detention for 15 days.

Dweik condemned the arrest of his aide, saying the only crime that Farah had
committed was receiving his salary from the Gaza Strip.

Dweik held the Preventive Security Force responsible for any harm caused to
Farah during his stay in a Palestinian prison in Ramallah. "Is this the way the
Palestinian Authority greets me upon my release from Israeli prison - by
arresting my assistant?" he asked in a statement.

A PA security official in Ramallah refused to comment on Farah's arrest.

Dweik, the highest ranking Hamas figure in the West Bank, received a phone call
shortly after his release from newly elected Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi to
offer his greetings.

He was scheduled to meet in the coming days with PA President Mahmoud Abbas in
Ramallah, who also phoned him to greet him.

In a related development, PA security forces arrested another four Hamas
supporters in the West Bank over the past few days, sources close to the
Islamist movement said.

One of the detainees, Rashid Khatib, also works as director of the office of a
Hamas legislator in Jericho. The other three detainees had recently been
released from Israeli prison.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Egyptian pranks

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 714 words

Candid Camera-like pranks can be more telling than they might be funny. Egypt's
Al-Nahar TV featured separate interviews with three popular actors - two men and
one woman - who were each told at some point that their appearances were being
screened on Israel's Channel 2. That alone sufficed to trigger violence and/or
vituperation.

It matters little whether each of the three was genuinely outraged or just
thought it prudent to defend his/her reputation from any possible perceived
Israeli contamination. The remotest and most indirect connection to Israel was
presented as justifying fury.

Actor Ayman "Tuhami" Kandeel, believing his female interviewer was Israeli,
began punching her, knocked her to the ground and proceeded to hurl furniture at
the technical crew.

Fellow actor Mahmoud Abdel Ghaffar slapped the interviewer and shook her
fiercely before being assured that "we're all Egyptians here." He excused
himself: "You brought me someone who looks like a Jew. I hate the Jews to
death."

The aggression of actress Mayer El Beblawi was verbal and dripped with
Jew-revulsion: "Israelis are all liars. They moan about the Holocaust, or
whatever it's called. They murdered the prophets. Allah hadn't cursed worms and
moths as much as he cursed the Jews."

This is but one of numerous illustrations of the nature of the New Egypt, the
one forged by a so-called Arab Spring.

To be fair, anti-Israeli and Judeophobic propaganda permeated the
state-controlled Egyptian media even before Hosni Mubarak's overthrow, but if
any gullible Western observers had hoped for youthful, educated and liberal
vibes from the Arab uprisings, such outbursts as these that entertain the
Egyptian masses definitively dash credulous hopes.

In many ways, these seemingly spontaneous reactions are more ominous than last
September's violent attack on the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, complete with the
mob calling for the Jews' death. The foremost difference is that there was no
incendiary rabble frenzy at play here, no stoked mass-psychosis. Instead, the
three actors are the celebrities of Egyptian society, members of its privileged
elite, presumably more literate and expected to be less bigoted.

And it's not just Egypt, despite the fact that we expect better of Egypt - if
for no other reason then because it signed a peace treaty with Israel more than
30 years ago.

All Arab states, in concert, foster an interconnected dynamic that snuffs out
any semblance of forward-thinking, even among the intellectual upper crust upon
whom outsiders count to know better and to blaze trails toward tolerance and
coexistence.

That's what acclaimed Algerian author Boualem Sansal discovered in May after he
dared put in a brief appearance at the third International Writers Festival in
Jerusalem's Mishkenot Sha'ananim. He knew he'd stir a hornet's nest but
courageously decided to affirm his independence. As atypical as one gets in the
Arab world, he has throughout been an outspoken critic of his country's
autocracy, as well as its Muslim fanatics.

Sansal's defiant visit to Israel occurred after he was nominated in Paris for
this year's Editions Gallimard Arabic Novel prize for his book Rue Darwin. The
Paris-based Arab Ambassadors' Council partakes in the selection process.

However, the ambassadors got cold feet following vociferous Hamas condemnations.
Despite the council's backtracking and withdrawal of the 15,000 euro award, the
French Gallimard committee members declared Sansal their laureate in an
alternative ceremony.

Last week, Israel decided to openly speak out on the matter. It's not that
Sansal needs our help, but we perhaps need to let him know that we appreciate
his nonconformity to a culture of hate.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels,
asked all his interlocutors not to remain silent on the Sansal issue if they
indeed believe their own declarations on behalf of broadmindedness and mutual
respect.

This is key. It's tempting to blame all Arab ills on the conflict with Israel,
but these ills spring from within societies that zealously cultivate hate. If
Europe and the West continue to conveniently ignore Arab hate in high places -
sanctioned hate that has become de rigueur - then there is scant prospect for
meaningful reform in the Arab world.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Bnei Yehuda advances; not Netanya

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 308 words

Bnei Yehuda cruised into the third qualifying round of the Europa League on
Thursday night with a 1-0 win in Armenia over FC Shirak, while Maccabi Netanya
suffered a humbling exit despite winning by the same score-line at KuPS Kuopio
of Finland.

Shalev Menashe scored the only goal of the match for Bnei Yehuda to complete a
3-0 aggregate win and book a meeting with PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece.

Netanya's 1-0 win in Finland, courtesy of Ahmed Saba's goal, tied the aggregate
score at 2-2, but the Israelis were sent packing on away goals after losing 2-1
in the first leg at home last week.

Netanya went into the lead in the 40th minute when the Premier League's top
scorer from last season collected Omer Peretz's pass and beat goalkeeper Mike
Hilander.

Despite tying the aggregate score, Netanya still needed another goal to advance,
but the hosts had the better of the second half chances, squandering several
golden opportunities.

Pedro Galvan's goal deep into first leg stoppage time last week ensured Bnei
Yehuda had a comfortable 2-0 cushion ahead of the return leg in Armenia and the
Israelis lead was never threatened.

Any hope Shirak may have had of mounting a comeback ended in the 31st minute
when Menashe scored the breakthrough with an accurate left-footed strike.

Bnei Yehuda's away goal meant the Armenians required four goals to advance and
it was plain sailing for Dror Kashtan's men after that.

Matters will get far more complicated for Bnei Yehuda in the next round, with
PAOK one of Greek soccer's biggest clubs.

PAOK finished fifth in the league last season to qualify directly for the Europa
League third qualifying round.

Thessaloniki is looking to add another chapter to a rich history in continental
competitions after progressing past the group stage and reaching the round of 32
of the Europa League in each of the past two seasons.

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GRAPHIC: Photo: BNEI YEHUDA midfielder Shalev Menashe scored his team's (and the
match's) only goal in a 1-0 road win over FC Shirak of Armenia on Thursday,
completing a 3-0 aggregate victory for in the Europa League second qualifying
round. (Credit: Adi Avishai)

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Firefighters battle large blaze on Mount Carmel

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 164 words

More than 15 fire crews scrambled to tackle a large wildfire on Mount Carmel on
Thursday, managing to stop the flames before they spread to apartment buildings
in a Haifa neighborhood.

Fire trucks and personnel flooded the area on the outskirts of Haifa's Neveh
Sha'anan neighborhood, working for two hours to bring the flames under control.

Several streets were blocked off and a number of homes were evacuated, with some
residents suffering from light smoke inhalation.

Firefighting planes joined the battle against the blaze once the flames had
moved away from high power electric lines.

At the peak of the fire, plumes of smoke could be seen rising over sections of
Haifa, and police sealed off several roads to traffic.

Soon after the blaze was put out, police reported a second fire spreading in a
valley near Kiryat Tivon. Fire crews rushed to the new scene and managed to gain
control of the situation within an hour.

Police and firefighters are investigating the cause of the blazes.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Fischer praises Netanyahu's planned tax hikes

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER; Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 740 words

Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer on Thursday backed Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu's plan to raise VAT by 1 percent, reversing his criticism of
the government's economic policy in June.

"Last month I was somewhat critical about the government's fiscal policy, but
what I have seen in the past two days is very serious progress and very
responsible conduct by the economic decision makers," Fischer said after meeting
with Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz to discuss the 2013 state
budget.

"I hope that within no more than a few days we will see a package that will
really change the Israeli economic situation and allow us to continue to grow at
a very respectable rate," he said.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu and Steinitz announced they plan to ask the cabinet
to vote Monday on proposals to immediately increase VAT from 16% to 17% - the
highest level since 2005 - and to introduce an across-the-board NIS 700 million
cut to government ministries. These proposals are likely pass because not one of
the 15 Likud ministers has announced opposition.

Purchase tax on cigarettes, cigars and beer rose Wednesday at midnight in a move
expected to increase this year's state revenues by about NIS 1 billion. The
cigarette purchase tax rose from 260.6% to 278.6%, adding NIS 2 to NIS 3 to the
price of a pack. The beer purchase tax rose from NIS 2.18 to NIS 4.19 per liter.

On June 28, Fischer slammed the government for doubling next year's budget
deficit target to 3% of GDP, calling the measure unreasonable and warning that
interest rates could not stay low unless fiscal policy was put on a
"sustainable" path. He recommended increasing the deficit to no more than 2.5%
of GDP, a percentage Steinitz has said would force the government to cut a
further NIS 5b. in spending.

Following Thursday's meeting, Netanyahu said the middle and lower classes "will
be left with more money in their pockets" after the implementation of all the
measures on the government agenda."

"I remind you that in a few days we will enact free education from age three,"
he said, "[and] hundreds of thousands of families will save NIS 800 a month. We
enacted tax credit points for working families worth hundreds of shekels a
month, which took effect in January 2012. We enacted serious reductions in
monthly cellphone bills, and we enacted free dental care for children up to age
12. This is a great change, at the end of which the majority of Israelis will be
left with more money in their pockets."

Steinitz said the government's priority was to protect the Israeli economy and
to prevent the problems of the US, UK, Spain and Greece from occurring here. The
3% deficit target was attainable, he said, but to reach it the government would
need to make "unpopular decisions" and then stand by them.

"We are doing these thingsÉ to tell the entire world - after we saw the warning
about Germany's credit rating - that we are serious, we are responsible, we will
continue to defend the Israeli economy and Israeli citizens from crisis,"
Steinitz said.

Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich said Netanyahu was right to say families would
have more money in their pockets following the expenditure cuts, but he could
only have been talking about wealthy families and not about the broader public.

"There is a limit to the fairy tales that can be told to the public," she said
in a statement, "and Netanyahu is knowingly misleading them when he says the
lower and middle class will have more money in their pockets. The VAT increase
will make the life of every Israeli immeasurably more expensive. The poorer they
are, the more tax they will pay, the exact opposite of the fair method of
taxation that is relative to income."

"The budget expenditure cuts will also force families to take money out of their
own pockets for medical and other basic services that they should receive for
free," Yechimovich said. "The most outrageous part is that Netanyahu has
available resources to fill the giant hole that he himself has created, only
that these resources come from the wealthy and he prefers to fill the hole with
the money of the middle class and the poor."

Former Bank of Israel governor David Klein criticized the government Thursday,
saying it has no long-term plan and of makes decisions too quickly.

"It appears as if somebody is frightened and said that something big needs to be
done quickly," he told Army Radio. "That is not the way you manage a state
budget."

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July 27, 2012 Friday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 280 words

65 years ago: On July 27, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that the three
British prison ships transporting the 4,500 Jewish refugees of the Exodus 1947,
which had left Haifa eight days earlier and were sighted off Malta, were
expected to put in at Port de Bouc, a small harbor 30 miles northwest of
Marseilles within a day or two. French torpedo boats went out to meet them.
Sickness was reported on the ships, which were cruising back and forth along the
coast waiting for French instructions. One refugee was reported dead and 150
were seriously ill; a number of them were injured in the struggle against
deportation.

Thirty-two Jewish Haifa families were ordered out of their homes by Maj.-Gen.
Bols of the 6th Airborne Division. An order was also given for the forfeiture of
the Technion garage and the adjacent yard. The authorities claimed that the
inhabitants "have abetted an offence against the defense regulations."

50 years ago: On July 27, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that president
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and his wife left for an official visit to a number of African
countries.

Prime minister David Ben-Gurion warned the nation that it would be faced with "a
life or death struggle in the future."

While the British Court of Appeals had rejected Robert Soblen's plea to be set
free in Britain, the Israeli Cabinet discussed his request for an immigrant's
visa under the Law of Return clause. The 81-year-old psychiatrist was serving
life sentence in the US for the spying for the Soviet Union. He had skipped a
$100,000 bail and fled to Israel. He was expelled in June 1962 and stabbed
himself and cut his wrists before the plane reached London, where he was
hospitalized.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Operation Burgas: Evacuating Israelis from the Bulgaria bus bombing

BYLINE: GABI BARBASH, MD MPH

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 1143 words

The need to send an on-site Israeli medical team was evident as soon as the news
arrived about the bombing of a bus carrying Israeli tourists in Burgas,
Bulgaria, last Wednesday.

The urgency stemmed from the difficulty to obtain accurate information on the
number of casualties or the nature of their injuries, as well as from the
considered opinion that the capabilities of available hospital services were
inadequate to deal with the complicated situation of mass casualties and the
severity of their injuries in that out-of-the-way resort area.

Post factum, it is important to acknowledge that the medical response of the
hospital in Burgas to a complex situation it had never before encountered was
outstanding. Its conversion from a resort town's first response medical station
to a "triage" medical operation was excellent. The staff correctly evaluated the
clinical situation of each casualty, and capably orchestrated the immediate
evacuation of the three most severely injured among them to tertiary hospitals
in the capital city of Sofia, thus almost certainly saving their lives.

The prompt organization of combined Magen David Adom and Tel Aviv Sourasky
Medical Center resources that facilitated the rapid recruitment of a group of
paramedics and senior trauma and intensive care physicians enabled the dispatch
of a medical delegation in a record time of five hours after the bomb exploded.

Burgas Airport was closed for all flights after the event and reopened
exclusively for the incoming flights of our medical delegation. At the entrance
to the terminal, we were met by a group of about 80 Israelis from the three
buses that did not explode but who choose to cancel their vacation and fly back
to Israel. Our deplaning was greeted by their heartwarming applause, reminiscent
of other similar events from the past when a vanguard Israeli crew joined
Israelis in trouble on foreign soil.

We landed in Burgas Airport around midnight. The airport was empty and it felt
as if time had stopped after the explosion. There were scraps of blood-stained
bandages under the seats where some of the wounded had been treated and outside,
near the terminal exit, we could glimpse the sooty skeleton of the exploded bus.
There was some understandable confusion among the Bulgarian officials who were
responsible for admitting us into the country under such extraordinary
circumstances, but a bus arrived for us around one hour later and, after another
delay until the arrival of the security escort that was in place as a precaution
against the possibility of more terrorists waiting outside, we were on our way
to the hospital where most of the casualties had been brought and were being
treated.

At the hospital entrance, we were met by the local Chabad rabbi whom I had seen
explaining the situation on Israeli television before our departure. He offered
his services to take us to the Israeli wounded. Instead, I chose to first meet
with the hospital management as a courtesy as well as to obtain reliable
professional information about the status of the hospitalized patients. I
reasoned that it was essential to create the all-important direct lines of
professional communication, as well as establish a respectful and collaborative
relationship, all of which are so critical in such delicate situations.

The language barrier turned out to be more difficult than we had expected.
Almost no one spoke English and the very few who did were difficult to
understand. The situation was saved by a young woman who was fluent in English:
She met us at the hospital entrance and offered her help.

Her name was Kalina Krumova, and she accompanied us throughout the small hours
of the night and into the morning. We eventually discovered that at 27 years of
age, she was the youngest a member of the Bulgarian parliament. She was a native
of the city of Burgas and hurried there from Sofia to provide any assistance
that she could as soon as she had heard about the terrorist attack. She became
known in the Israeli media as the "Angel from Burgas" and, I hope, she will be
invited to Israel as an honored guest so that the nation can thank her for
extending her help to the Israeli casualties and to those of us in the medical
delegation.

After we had examined all of the casualties, we discovered that most of the
injuries ranged from mild to moderate in degree, and that the three severely
wounded casualties had already been evacuated to tertiary hospitals in the
capital city by the quick-thinking local medical team.

At first, the local hospital staff and management were understandably suspicious
and even a little hostile to what they may have perceived as an "Israeli
takeover."

However, our focused efforts to dissuade those suspicions started to pay off,
and soon there were more and more smiles all around. We even had some
discussions on the management of a moderately injured victim, a 20-year-old who
was hospitalized in their ICU.

With dawn, a virtual armada of Red Cross ambulances was waiting at the entrance
of the hospital, ready to move patients to the airport, where, in perfect
timing, two Israel Air Force Hercules airplanes had just landed. Each of the
Israeli wounded was escorted from the hospital room to the ambulance by a MDA
paramedic and asked to which hospital in Israel he/she wished to be sent after
landing. This information was channeled to the MDA control room in Israel so
that an ambulance would be waiting to transport him/her to the designated
hospital upon landing in Israel.

The convoy of ambulances from the hospital in Sofia to the airport was secured
by the police, and two police motorcycles cleared the traffic en route. Large
groups of Bulgarian citizens lined the roads as if they came to salute the
Israelis. It was later reported that many Bulgarians came to the hospital and
offered to donate blood for the Israeli casualties. We are reminded that
Bulgaria was one of the very few countries that resisted the deportation of Jews
during World War II.

At the airport, the experience on the tarmac was both fascinating and exciting.
The sight of the two enormous airplanes surrounded by the Israel Air Force's
elite 699 Airborne Rescue And Evacuation Unit teams who were busy with the
admission and boarding of the wounded resounds with a national commitment that
knows no bounds. The Bulgarians who were with us in the security zone of the
airport, among them the young parliament member, were surprised at the lengths
to which the State of Israel will go to aid its citizens hit by terrorism.

They were clearly amazed, touched and appreciative. Three hours later, the
planes were in the air with 34 wounded Israelis - less than 24 hours from the
moment they were injured - and in Israeli hands on their way home.

Dr. Gabi Barbash, the CEO of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, headed the
Israeli medical delegation to Burgas.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

'Gov't is the steward of country's natural gas resources.' Energy expert at
ministry conference: Gas discovery belongs to 'every single' Israeli citizen

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 716 words

To ensure that citizens are getting the optimal value for their nation's
offshore resource reserves, governments should mandate independent analyses of
their reserve inventory, an American energy expert said on Thursday.

"Energy and environment ministries are the stewards of your land," said Thierry
De Cort, chief of the Geological and Geophysical Section at the Office of
Resource Evaluation, in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management at the US
Department of the Interior. "You're giving them the responsibility to ensure
that everything that is done out there is done correctly."

De Cort was speaking at a conference titled "Environmental Impacts of Offshore
Natural Gas and Oil Exploration and Production Activities in the Mediterranean
(EIGOA)," held at Bar-Ilan University by the Environmental Protection Ministry
and the Energy and Water Ministry.

It is crucial to conduct all geophysical mapping and surveys in an independent,
consistent matter, rather than simply relying on whatever the oil companies
report, according to De Cort. This type of data is what the US government
collects for the Gulf of Mexico, he explained. Using this data, experts can
forecast potential future outcomes.

"If you have an independent method you apply consistently, then you are able to
aggregate those reserves together," he said.

Likewise, with such a thorough, independent inventory, the government can
perform proper appraisals of property, know its true worth before leasing it to
private companies and provide accurate information to relevant banks, De Cort
explained. In the US, the government must abide by the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act when dealing with its offshore resources - which mandates that
officials cannot lease anything unless they are receiving a fair market value
for the American people.

"The gas that's out there in the Mediterranean belongs to every single one of
you," he said. "They have to make sure they're giving you a fair value for
that."

Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said the gas might belong to every
citizen, but not every citizen wants to have the apparatuses involved with its
transmission on their personal property. "With all due respect to the 'Not in my
backyard' interests, nobody wants to disturb their backyard, but this is a
national environmental and economical interest," he said at the conference.

Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau added, "We have to bring it in a way that
the environment won't be damaged."

Referring to the natural gas discoveries as a "treasure," Erdan said that the
Environmental Protection Ministry will support any decision of the National
Planning and Building Council as to its point of entry. "We need a safe,
reliable transmission system. Natural gas will not fall upon us from the sky.
Unfortunately it needs to be transmitted to the shore," he said. "We need more
than one port of entry and this I leave to the professional discretion for the
Energy and Water Ministry."

While leaving that decision to the ministry, Erdan said that he felt the
decision as to how much gas to export should be postponed for several years in
order to make a more informed decision.

The export quantity question is currently being debated by a committee led by
Energy and Water Ministry director-general Shaul Zemach. The ministry's leader,
Landau, supports the idea of export, particularly to Israel's neighbors Jordan
and the Palestinian Authority.

"Getting the natural gas to Israel and afterwards realizing the potential of
export within it, these are the keys - if not the main key - for removing Israel
from the economic crisis," Landau said. "The need to keep the gas in the country
is important, for environmental and strategic reasons, but export is an
important incentive for developers. This will cause them to come and explore."

However, all the speakers agreed that no matter how much of the gas ends up
being exported, it is crucial to extract the Israeli citizens' new resource in a
way that is as environmentally friendly as possible.

"Citizens and the private sector have central roles in building the energy
future," agreed Robert Forden, head of the economics section at the US Embassy.
"We stand ready to partner with you as Israel develops regulatory standards for
the many divergent aspects of its energy future."

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Of deficits and debts

BYLINE: PINCHAS LANDAU

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 884 words

The Israel public is confused, concerned and angry - rightly so, on all counts,
although at the end of the day, it has only itself to blame. The facts are clear
and are in full view; all that is necessary is to examine them, understand them
and draw relevant conclusions. However, the Israeli public and the media that
serves it do none of these things - with the result that it is confused,
concerned and angry.

Confused? Hardly surprising, with a government that until very recently was
indulging in an orgy of self-congratulation over how wise, far-seeing and
determined it was in pursuing an economic policy that enabled Israel to surf the
global financial tsunami and bounce back into the fast-growth track, leaving its
developed-country peers wallowing in debt, crisis and austerity.

But suddenly the theme has changed and that same government is warning that same
public that if it doesn't shut up and take the medicine Dr. Netanyahu has
prescribed and Nurse Steinitz is administering, it will suffer a dire fate
indeed. We could become like Spain (gasp!), Portugal (HORROR!!) or Greece
(shriek and swoon!!!). So are we doing great, or is disaster looming?

Concerned? Hardly surprising, with our own government displaying schizophrenia
(see above), our neighbors displaying tendencies ranging from homicidal (Syria),
via suicidal (Iraq) to genocidal (Iran), and the continent regarded by Israelis
as the source of culture and civilization (no, NOT America - Europe) engaged in
a prolonged and painful process of self-destruction.

Angry? Hardly surprising, with a political class that is not only overtly
self-serving but also incredibly stupid, inept and inconsistent. When the people
in charge swing from one position to its direct opposite from one day to the
next, the response has to be one of anger - as much with ourselves for electing
this collection of clowns, as with the clowns themselves.

The correct response to confusion, concern and anger is, first and foremost, to
try and think straight. Tune out the babble of the politicians and their lackeys
and focus on real facts, figures, trends, strengths and weaknesses. Let's
illustrate this via a concrete example - just one, but a very important one,
with many ramifications: Israel's debt.

Israel's budget deficit is large and growing rapidly. That's a fact. It is still
much smaller than the deficits of not just the usual suspects - Greece, Spain,
et al - but also of the US and UK. That's also a fact. What do these facts mean?
How are we going to finance this deficit? Presumably by borrowing. But that
surely creates a genuine danger of "ending up like Greece and Spain"? Really?
What does that threatening phrase actually mean?

In the purely financial sense, "ending up like Greece" means that a country
loses access to the financial markets - which in turn means that investors are
not prepared to lend to it. If no one will lend to the country, it will be
unable to pay interest or repay principal on its outstanding debt, and it will
"go bust." It will be unable to buy the things it needs and doesn't produce
itself, such as food, fuel and medicines. Its citizens first will be "wiped out"
financially, then impoverished and ultimately - if the process goes through to
the very bitter end - they will be reduced to starvation. Greece is at the
beginning of that process, but there are African countries that have endured
most or even all of it. In short, as the contemporary slang has it: "You don't
want to go there."

How do you avoid it? Clearly, by not reaching the point where no one will lend
to you. But let's be more specific: Why would "they" refuse to lend to you? The
answer is simple enough: because they don't believe you can or will repay the
loan. As discussed in last week's column, the world is now split between
countries that people are not prepared to lend to at any reasonable rate of
interest, and those they will lend to for nothing or even if it costs them money
(negative interest). In a world driven mad by fear of not being repaid, it is
essential not to be on the wrong side of that divide.

But why would "they" trust you? There are two answers to this, both critical.
One is rational, based on facts and figures. You have a record, which is public
knowledge. Greece, for instance, has spent much - some would say most - of its
182-year modern history in a state of default. On the other hand, Israel, and
the Zionist movement that spawned it, has never missed a payment of interest or
principal in the 110 years since it started borrowing.

In addition to the historical record are the current data, how large are your
debts? In the Israeli case, total debt to the rest of the world is actually
negative; the world owes us more than we owe it. That has been the case for the
last 10 years or so, and Israel's net creditor status keeps growing. If you
didn't know that - and most people don't - then you have a totally distorted
view of the Israeli economy. More recently, the asset side of the Israeli
balance sheet has received a dramatic and massive boost, thanks to the discovery
of large natural-gas deposits off the Mediterranean coast.

Knowing that Israel has both the will and the means to repay its debts is a
powerful incentive for "them" to trust us. But it's not the only one.

landaup@netvision.net.il

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Pass the humous to the Obamas

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 1845 words

Among the more exclusive international clubs is the Club des Chefs des Chefs,
whose members work for royal families and heads of state. Each year, the club
meets in a different country to sample the local cuisine and to engage in what
is called "culinary diplomacy."

Even though Israel does not have a presidential or prime ministerial chef,
Shalom Kadosh, the long-time executive chef of the Leonardo Jerusalem Plaza
hotel, is a member of the club because he, more than any other chef in the
country, has prepared or supervised the preparation of dinners for visiting
dignitaries and has won more international prizes for his cuisine than any of
his colleagues.

Part of culinary diplomacy is sharing recipes and so-called secret ingredients
with other members of the club - but although not with the media.

The club, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, divided its time between
Germany and France because the two countries were celebrating the 50th
anniversary of their post-war reconciliation.

The co-hosts of this year's meeting were Ulrich Kerz, who presides over
Chancellor Angela Merkel's kitchen, and Bernard Vaussion, who is currently
pleasing the palate of French President Franois Hollande. Israel Radio's Gideon
Kutz, who is permanently stationed in Paris, though he travels throughout Europe
and the Middle East, interviewed some of the chefs, including Kadosh and White
House executive chef Chris Comerford, who was the only woman in the group.

Kadosh was very discreet and would not reveal the favorite foods of Israel's
presidents and prime ministers past or present, beyond saying that they liked
their food fresh and properly prepared. Comerford was a little more forthcoming,
saying that the Obamas like fresh, healthy, non-fattening food.

When pressed by Kutz, she said that among the foods favored by America's first
family is humous with just a sprinkling of olive oil. Apparently they like it so
much that they eat it nearly every day.

WHILE ALL the uproar is going on at the Israel Broadcasting Authority, where
politics and personalities are in an endless clash, former Mabat News anchor
Merav Miller, who is on maternity leave and unlikely to be returned to her
former spot, is busy changing diapers. Miller and her husband, Eyal Sherman, are
parents the second time around. Their first son, Yuval, was born two years ago,
and their second son will officially be inducted into the faith today at a
circumcision ceremony-cum-brunch attended mainly by relatives at the Nova
banquet facilities at the Tel Aviv Port.

Miller will be going back to work at the IBA when her maternity leave is over,
but has not yet been told what she will be doing.

THE IBA is shooting itself in the foot by attempting to "balance" Keren
Neubach's daily Seder Yom ("Agenda") morning show by imposing a right-wing
co-host on her. The so-called balancing act this week included journalists
Menachem Ben, university lecturer and contributor to Makor Rishon Dr. Mordechai
Kedar, and satirist Meir Uziel.

Several right-wingers approached by the IBA refused to participate in what is
widely regarded as a witch-hunt against Neubach, who is highly critical of the
government's social welfare policies - or rather the lack of them - and the
bureaucracy to which people in need are subjected.

The upshot of the attempt to clip Neubach's wings have been the daily
demonstrations outside Israel Radio's Tel Aviv studios, the cessation this
Wednesday of the second hour of her program on instructions from the Jerusalem
Journalists Association and a courageous stand by some of her colleagues who are
now being sharply anti-government in the programs they anchor, and who are
making a point of interviewing left-wing politicians on social issues as well as
those right-wing politicians who have a social conscience and are not afraid to
speak out.

Politicians from both sides of the spectrum are angry at what the IBA is doing
to Neubach, a prize-winning journalist, and in the final analysis, with so many
people on her side, including people who disagree with her politically, Neubach
is likely to become the broadcast industry's Joan of Arc.

ON THE subject of heartless bureaucracy, Yehoram Gaon, on his weekly program on
Israel Radio's Reshet Bet last Friday, related the problems experienced by
Israel Prize laureate Hanna Maron, who is still appearing on stage at age 88. In
1970, as the result of a terrorist attack in Munich Airport, she lost a leg and
was fitted with a prosthesis. A year later she was back on stage and screen and,
despite her ordeal, remained a peace activist.

Every couple of years, Maron has to be fitted with a new artificial limb. For
decades this was done through a rehab institute which did all that was
necessary, including the paperwork, as a matter of course. A couple of years
ago, the law changed and Maron and others like her had to submit to special
examinations via the National Insurance Institute to determine their eligibility
for the services they sought. After all the years of putting on a brave front,
Maron now wants to weep because of the callous attitude of the bureaucratic
system. Quoting her, Gaon asked whether there could be any positive change in
her condition. After all, a person without a limb remains a person without a
limb. It can only get worse, not better. Lingering in the air is the question
that if as famous a personality as Hanna Maron goes through this humiliation
when all that needs to be done is to peruse her file, how much suffering is
imposed on relatively anonymous people with no claim to fame?

WHEN SHE was a girl growing up in Lithuania, former state comptroller Miriam
Ben-Porat, who died this week at age 94, dreamed of being a dancer. She may well
have become a prima ballerina, but it is very fortunate that in the long run,
her passion for law proved stronger than her love of dance. Otherwise she would
not have been the first woman to sit on the bench of Israel's Supreme Court, the
first woman vice president of the Supreme Court, or the first and so far only
female state comptroller. She was a great trail-blazer and a woman of
extraordinary integrity and courage who swam against the tide in accordance with
the dictates of her conscience and vigorously exposed corruption in politics and
in other areas of society.

Notwithstanding her advanced age, Ben-Porat continued to lecture in Israel and
abroad, to write frequently on legal matters and to attend important public
events. Her last public appearance was early this month when she attended the
swearing-in ceremony at the Knesset of current State Comptroller Joseph Shapira.

TENS OF millions of people around the world will be glued to their television
sets to watch the opening of the Olympic Games this evening, with speculation
still being voiced as to whether anything can possibly be more spectacular than
the show that was put on by the Chinese in Beijing four years ago. Meanwhile,
the British Embassy in Israel, in a move designed to promote a love for sport
among children, is partnering with 20 organizations, local councils and
municipalities to hold 20 children's events on August 7 in communities across
Israel.

"We want London 2012 to inspire a whole generation of children to open their
eyes to the possibility of sport, the confidence it can inspire, and to shatter
any imagined barriers of aspiration not only in the UK but here in Israel," said
British Ambassador Matthew Gould.

The embassy decided to embrace the challenge of celebrating the games in an
inclusive and innovative way and chose Tuesday, August 7, as the day in which to
have its mega sports event because this is the day on which Israel has one of
its best chances of winning an Olympic medal in the men's windsurfing finals. On
that day, youngsters across the country, representing the overall mosaic of
ethnic, national and religious backgrounds and affiliations, will compete in a
variety of sports and will know at the end of their special day whether or not
Israel has won a medal, and whether they have cause to celebrate more than their
own individual triumphs. Embassy staff will be present at all the events and
Gould and his wife, Celia, will try to get to as many as possible throughout the
day.

POLITICAL PUNDITS have been arguing this week over how long it will take for
Kadima to become history, whether Knesset elections will take place this year or
next and whether there will be a political alliance between former Kadima leader
Tzipi Livni and Knesset wannabe Yair Lapid. In the midst of all this, Minister
for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee Silvan Shalom held a campaign
meeting of Likud supporters in Ashkelon, and American immigrants Jeremy Gimpel
and Ari Abramowitz, who are standing for election in the Habayit Hayehudi
primaries in the hope of eventually becoming MKs, held a parlor meeting at the
Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel's Jerusalem headquarters.

Gimpel's mother, Lynn, and several of her friends conducted an e-mail blitz to
invite anyone and everyone they knew to at least come and listen, if not to sign
up, though Lynn Gimpel conducted a rigorous sign-up campaign among those who did
respond to the invitation. The two would-be MKs are convinced that despite the
odds they can make a difference and that despite Israel's parliamentary system,
in which the individual MK is not responsible to the voters who elected him (or
her), they intend to be the representatives of those that put them into office.
This includes Israel's native English-speakers and Sabras who are first-time
voters and feel disconnected from the current national religious leadership.

The two young men, both ordained rabbis, whose platform is one of Jewish
identity and Jewish education, were criticized for not mentioning national
issues such as social justice, Iran and the environment - to which the reply was
that the Torah has an answer for everything and that if people reconnect to
their Jewish identity, they will find the answers. That doesn't mean that they
want all secularists to become religious. What they want is for all Jews in
Israel to know about Jewish values, to respect each other and to treat each
other as brothers. They are still idealistic enough to believe that they can
make a difference.

AFTER 14 years at the helm of Magen David Adom UK, Eli Benson has stepped down
and has handed over the reins to Daniel Burger, who has been the organization's
deputy CEO for the past 18 months. Burger, the former chief executive of Jewish
Child's Day, praised his predecessor for the way he had, "changed MDA UK beyond
belief - transforming it into one of the UK's leading Israel charities."

Noting that he had a hard act to follow, Burger commented, "Eli Benson is one of
the great fund-raisers in our community. It will be an honor to pick up where he
has left off."

MDA UK chairman Henry Ejdelbaum said that Benson had raised more than $50
million for MDA. Benson has left his post, but not the organization. He will
take up the position of vice president and also assist with major donors.

greerfc@gmail.com

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July 27, 2012 Friday

Fashion police vs Facebook in Tehran. 'No to Mandatory Hijab' campaign grows.
Iranians protest obligatory Islamic dress code as Cyber Police announce Facebook
crackdown

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 805 words

A Facebook campaign against the obligatory veiling of women in Iran continued to
grow this week, attracting over 15,700 "likes" by Thursday.

Support for the effort grew even as Iran's Cyber Police vowed increased
crackdowns on the social network, and after morality police raided and closed
Tehran coffee shops for serving improperly covered women.

Liberal students from Iranian universities launched the Facebook campaign,
called "No to the Mandatory Hijab," two weeks ago. Since then, thousands of
Iranians have "liked" and commented on the Facebook page, which reads "Rules
cannot force anyone to do anything, this includes all people and all women all
over the world."

The page asks Iranians to send in unveiled photographs of themselves, which are
then posted to Facebook with a banner that reads "Unveil Women's Right to
Unveil."

The campaign has also generated enormous interest across the Persian-language
cyberspace, with blogs, Twitter and Facebook discussing it.

While she has not sent her photograph to the Facebook campaign, Naimeh Eshraghi,
a granddaughter of the country's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini, also criticized the mandatory hijab this week.

Eshraghi, a petrochemical engineer, told the Jamaran news site that her
grandfather had never decreed that Iranian women must cover their heads.

"I have a positive view on the hijab, and personally I like it," Eshraghi said.
"However, I'm not really interested in the chador [the usually black,
floor-length, full body covering, whose name means "tent" in Persian], because
it makes things hard for me and also, when a woman is dressed from head to toe
in black, it doesn't really make too pretty a sight."

Another of Khomeini's granddaughters, Zahra Eshraghi, has previously spoken out
against the mandatory hijab.

Ironically, Iran was the first Muslim country to ban the veil. In 1936, Reza
Shah Pahlavi - the father of the last shah, Mohammed Reza Shah - banned the
hijab and the chador, and ordered the police to arrest women who appeared in
public wearing them.

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, however, the hijab has been compulsory for
women in Iran.

However, over the years, many women have pushed the boundaries regarding
head-coverings.

This month, the Iranian police launched a campaign against "un-Islamic" clothing
and hairstyles. In a single weekend, the Basij morality police and regular
officers raided and closed down more than 50 Tehran cafes found to be serving
improperly veiled women, the Iranian Students News Agency reported. (Such
clampdowns are not uncommon - in January, the Iranian police launched a campaign
against merchants of "pernicious Western" Barbie dolls.)

Meanwhile, Iran's Cyber Police announced this week that it was cracking down -
yet again - on the use of Facebook.

In an interview with the ISNA on Tuesday, Cyber Police chief Kamal Hadianfar
said the authorities planned to take down sites on Facebook and elsewhere on the
Internet that promoted "prostitution and licentiousness."

"In 2010, Facebook was a free country for criminals, but thanks to Allah and the
Cyber Police, over the past 15 months we have made great progress in cleansing
social networks, especially Facebook," Hadianfar said.

The Cyber Police chief boasted that the authorities had already shut down a
popular Facebook page, Daf & Paf.

According to Reporters Without Borders, in January the Cyber Police arrested
four Iranians allegedly involved in setting up the Daf & Paf page, which had
27,000 members and allowed Iranians to take part in an online beauty contest by
uploading photographs of themselves.

Radio Zamaneh, a Persian-language news site based in Amsterdam and blacklisted
by Iran's Intelligence Ministry, reported on Wednesday that several Iranian
Facebook users said their accounts had been hacked over the past few days.

Some Iranians, however, are fighting back against the crackdowns and the Islamic
dress code.

Since the police shut down the Daf & Paf site, Iranians created several
"protest" Facebook pages, one of which features a bareheaded woman in an
off-the-shoulder dress with an above-the-knee hemline.

The "No to Obligatory Hijab" campaign has attracted support from men as well as
women, including several prominent Iranian figures.

On Thursday, writer Moniro Ravanipor - who formerly faced trial in Iran for
taking part in the 2000 Berlin Conference - sent in her photograph.

Also featured on Thursday was human rights activist Kourosh Sehati, who was
arrested and detained for helping organize the July 1999 student uprisings,
which led to street battles in downtown Tehran.

The pro-democracy Iran Press News website, which posts news from inside Iran,
reported recently that several people attacked Basij morality police officers
after they arrested a young girl in southeast Tehran for violating the Islamic
dress code.

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July 27, 2012 Friday

A win-lose situation

BYLINE: HIRSH GOODMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1059 words

There are situations - the best - called win-win, where both sides get something
they want out of a deal. Then there is the win-lose situation where you think
you have won, but in fact are destined to pay a heavy price, sort of like
winning second prize in a lottery that sends you a resort in Albania for a
month.

In recent weeks, and in some way thanks to my own unwitting contribution, those
in favor of continuing Israel's hold over the territories have been in a state
of jubilation: We have won, they proclaim.

Dani Dayan, the gentlemanly, soft-spoken, chairman of the Yesha settlers'
council, had an op-ed piece in The New York Times this week saying the clock
can't be turned back, that Israeli settlement in the West Bank is an
established, irreversible fact and that a two-state solution to the
Israel-Palestinian problem is an exercise in futility.

And in a letter to this paper, Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover, the vocal and
uncompromising co-chairwomen of Women in Green, crowed that the Land of Israel
supporters have won, citing no less an authority than myself and a column I
wrote ("OK, you've won; now what?" PostScript, July 13) in which I naively
thought I had dealt with the problems of annexing the West Bank, not ceding it.

"Hirsh Goodman is right," proclaims their opening sentence, something I never
thought I would live to see from any right-winger, let alone the co-chairs of
the Women in Green (which I initially took for a Muslim organization) generally
considered to be on the far-right fringe of things. These are folks who usually
roast me for my cowardly, defeatist and neo-post-Zionist views, whatever that
may mean, in talk-backs and blogs.

Unfortunately, it works out, I am "right" for all the wrong reasons, and as is
so usual in these things, the ladies in green only read that part of the piece
that suited them, the first part of the title, and not the question that
follows: "Now what?"

And in his argument in the Times, Dayan does exactly the same, claiming that a
two-state solution is futile, but failing to deal with the implications of what
this means for the future of Israel as a democratic, Jewish state.

Somehow, the more strident these people are about annexation, the more obtuse
they are about the consequences, just like finding the one sentence out of 300
that supports their view while ignoring the rest, something very convenient, but
dangerous as well.

Democracy for the Arabs in the West Bank is the absolute last thing on the minds
of annexationists and only a hypocrite would claim otherwise. It would make
things so much clearer if they had the guts to say "we've won" for Eretz
Yisrael, but we may have "lost" for Israel as a truly democratic country and
understand the consequences, instead of stating half the argument and quoting
out of context to "prove" a point.

To continue to call for the annexation of the territories without dealing with
the consequences is worse than disingenuous: It's cowardly. Face up to the
consequences of your beliefs.

Smart and honest annexationists, instead of hiding, could openly say, with some
plausibility, that just as Israel imposed martial law on parts of the Arab
Galilee after the 1948 war as a "temporary" measure, so now West Bank Arabs will
have to live under a very benign Israeli military occupation as a "temporary
measure" until things get worked, whenever that may be.

In the meantime, "real" democracy will flourish in Israel, which means using the
weaknesses of the system to continue stacking the Supreme Court, Knesset and
military leadership with "our" type of folks, accelerate the expansion of
settlements and fight any attempt to remove even the most remote and unnecessary
of outposts, as if they were Israel's last stand. Then, while democracy in
Israel takes its course, and military rule continues for the Palestinians in the
West Bank, as the Jews multiply and the Arabs leave, miracles may happen and we
will all live happily ever after, even if it means a war or two along the way.
After all, it is all in God's hands as we well know.

Annexationists and unilateralists have become the new political divide in the
country, both alternatives short-sighted about the long-term implications of
what they are proposing. The unilateralists want to move Israel's future out of
God's hands and into the hands of Israelis themselves to decide their own future
without Divine intervention. They want a Jewish, democratic Israel and are
prepared to unilaterally give up territory for this.

They don't say peace is dead, but don't believe it can happen right now. They
see unilateralism, an Israel essentially west of the security barrier and a
military presence on the Jordan River, as answering Israel's security and
democratic needs, shedding the Palestinians from the national budget and
removing the contentious land issue from the Israeli political debate. When
peace knocks on consolidated Israel's door, they say, they'll be happy to
answer. In the meantime the occupation which is eating Israel from within has to
end.

How refreshing it would be if politicians would just say what they mean, those
who believe in democracy with borders and those who now propagate borders
without peace. How refreshing it would be to hear something constructive and
positive from the annexationists, instead of them attacking everyone else in the
world as anti-Semites or post-Zionists and pounding on relentlessly how Barack
Obama is bad for the Jews.

As for the unilateralists, all one can say is that one knows where these begin,
but not where they end. Throw a pebble in a pond, as it is said, and not even a
thousand geniuses can stop the ripples. Who gets to draw Israel's unilateral
borders? Another committee that creates camels instead of horses?

Israel's situation with the Palestinians can only be resolved through
negotiation. Any other way either destroys democratic Israel from within, or
makes this into a society living by the gun behind circled wagons.

Both prospects are pretty miserable and a little too easy. What a pity they seem
to be the only two alternatives Israeli voters will be offered when elections
finally come this time round and then, who knows, maybe a miracle will happen
and finally the country will get a leader.

The writer is a senior research associate at the Institute for National Security
Studies at Tel Aviv University.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: PostScript

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

614 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

West Bank stalemate keeps the Right in power

BYLINE: JAY BUSHINSKY

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1114 words

Under normal circumstances, the rash of suicides and attempted suicides by
veteran Israelis unable to cope with their financial problems would be a
powerful catalyst for political change.

The tragic self-immolations, mainly due to the incumbent government's lack of a
program for sweeping reforms designed to prevent callousness and indifference on
the part of its officials, and to the mass demonstrations in favor of "social
justice," could have prompted the electorate to replace the right-wing Likud and
its ultra-Orthodox allies with a more socially sensitive regime.

However, absurd as it may seem, one unrelated but overriding issue is standing
in the way: The future status of Judea and Samaria, i.e. the West Bank.

Labor, which proudly carries the banner of social democracy, evidently is
perceived by most voters as being too flexible with regard to the territorial
dispute. It supports the so-called two-state solution in accordance with which
the Palestinians would be given control of the areas conquered in the Six Day
War 45 years ago. Therefore, most Israelis do not consider a Labor-led
government as a viable alternative to the status quo.

Rank and file citizens of Israel are uneasy if not unnerved by the prospect of a
sovereign Palestinian state east of the 1949 armistice line, so much so that
they are willing to cope with the incumbent government's lack of an enlightened
and comprehensive social policy. The thought of a sovereign Palestinian state on
Israel's eastern border from which rockets and missiles could be fired at the
heavily populated Coastal Plain deters the electorate from taking a chance on
Labor and the potentially allied parties further to the Left.

Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yecimovich is not regarded as a hard-liner with
regard to the Palestinians' aspiration for statehood.

She and her supporters are generally believed to be more submissive to the Obama
administration's advocacy of the two-state solution than is Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu and his nationalist Likud Party.

The fact that Netanyahu endorsed it publicly in a watershed speech at Bar-Ilan
University three years ago is disregarded mainly on the assumption that he did
not really mean what he said and simply was trying to look good in American
eyes.

In terms of political reality rather than inter-party rivalry, the biggest
obstacle blocking the way to "two states for two peoples" is the existence of
the Gaza Strip's Islamic fundamentalist Hamas regime. It refuses in principle to
recognize the legitimacy of Israel's national independence because of the
Iranian-backed belief that Palestine is "an Islamic legacy" and that therefore,
as Hamas's ideological founder, the late Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, told me in a
one-on-one interview in Gaza, "All of Palestine must be under Islamic rule."

Speaking in his declining years, Sheikh Yassin said it did not matter which
Islamic state or entity ruled Palestine.

The implication was that Palestine could be governed by the Turks (as it was
until 1917), Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians or any other Muslim nation, (if not
by the Palestinian Arabs themselves).

This attitude has far-reaching implications.

Hamas's control over the Gaza Strip is open-ended. The strategic value of this
situation is immeasurable insofar as Iranian aspirations for regional influence
and (if possible) domination are concerned. Therefore, the Hamas regime's
longevity is likely to persist as long as the Islamic Republic of Iran continues
to exist. And as if this is not enough of a wet blanket for people who care
about Israel's interests, Hamas now has the additional backing of Egypt's Muslim
Brotherhood which is vying with the Egyptian military command for control of the
Land of the Nile.

Another unpleasant fact of regional life that should be borne in mind is that
Hamas has significant support in the West Bank as well.

Its electoral success in the ill-advised and ill-timed election that followed
Israel's unconditional and irresponsible withdrawal in 2005 was not only evident
in the Gaza Strip where it won a majority of the votes, but also in the West
Bank. One cannot rule out an eventual Hamas effort to vie with and ultimately
replace the Palestine Liberation Organization's troubled regime in Ramallah.

If this possibility materializes, the chances of a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian dispute will be nil.

The only sensible alternative could be a one-state solution in which
peace-oriented Israelis and Palestinians establish a single political entity
based on genuine democracy, equal rights and individual liberty. To achieve this
seemingly utopian goal the most essential human quality necessary would be
mutual sincerity and goodwill.

Honest politicians from both nationalities should be encouraged to explore the
prospects if indeed they do exist and to try to make them materialize. There is
ample evidence that the Jews and Arabs of Palestine can live and work together
harmoniously.

For example, it can be found in Israel's hospitals where the professional staffs
consist of Jewish and Arab doctors as well as Jewish and Arab nurses who are
indistinguishable. It also exists in Israel's universities, although the
proportions consist of a substantially higher percentage of Jews and a much
lower percentage of Arabs. Israel's Supreme Court and the various lower courts
also have a binational aspect which has proved itself commendable and efficient.

One of the essential components of this form of inter-ethnic cooperation would
have to include an objective reassessment of the Arab refugee problem as well as
a fair consideration of the Jewish interest in establishing settlements in the
biblical Land of Israel.

This cannot be a one-sided process in which the repatriation of even a single
refugee or descendant of refugees is unthinkable while Jewish settlers freely
lay claim to tracts of land in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). This occurs
regardless of the local Arabs' legal claims to partial or total ownership of the
sites in question.

The bottom line is that 45 years of controversy over the area evacuated by
Jordan's armed forces is excessive and dangerous. It sets the stage for the
renewal of armed conflict as well as concurrent or subsequent foreign
intervention. In the short run, normal economic development and improvement of
the living standards of the Arabs and Jews involved are undermined. What is
needed is political and social flexibility, an end to ideological rigidity and a
priority for peaceful coexistence. There is no country in the world in which
these qualities are more appropriate and essential than the Land of Israel, i.e.
the Holy Land.

The writer is a veteran foreign correspondent.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

615 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Fighting for Afghani hearts and minds

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1503 words

Israel and the US should consider whether a fresh approach to Afghanistan could
provide them with strategic advantages in the region, a new report published by
Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies recommends.

The report comes in the wake of calls by former US under secretary of defense
for policy Michele Flournoy for the two countries to strengthen their links with
Afghan civilian leaders and the country's nascent civil society.

Report co-author Gilead Sher, a senior INSS research associate and former Prime
Minister's Office chief of staff, said that he and his colleague, new media
expert Orit Perlov, examined Afghanistan's civil society to reveal where Israel
and the US could forge future alliances to counter the Iranian threat.

Considering strategies to engage regional actors in Afghanistan to counter
Iran's influence in the region is highly important, Sher said because Tehran has
openly threatened to eliminate Israel with the help of its proxies, Hezbollah
and Hamas.

That Iran has considerable influence over its former Taliban-dominated eastern
neighbor is unsurprising since the two countries share a border as well as
historic, religious, cultural and linguistic ties.

Since the Taliban's ouster in 2001, Iran has invested heavily in Afghanistan's
infrastructure, particularly in the country's western provinces, providing
almost $1 billion in aid. Now, as the US and NATO forces prepare to withdraw
their troops beginning in 2014, Tehran is ramping up its efforts to exert
leverage over Afghanistan.

According to Ahmad Khalid Majidyar, a senior research associate in foreign and
defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington,
Tehran continues to use Afghanistan as a proxy battlefield against the US,
although Washington has tried to seek Iran's help to stabilize Afghanistan.

Majidyar added that over the past decade, Iran has provided the Taliban with
"measured" financial, training and arms assistance, both to project power and to
deter the US from considering a military strike against Tehran's nuclear
installations.

However, Iran does not want a return of the extremist Sunni Taliban movement,
which is ideologically and politically opposed to Shi'a Iran and is aligned with
Tehran's regional competitors Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Majidyar said.

"By aiding the insurgents in Afghanistan, Tehran wants to send a message to
Washington that it could undermine its efforts to stabilize Afghanistan if it is
threatened militarily over its nuclear issue," he added.

As well as developing Afghanistan's infrastructure, Iran has made serious
attempts to make inroads via "soft power" methods, including bribing Afghan
politicians to impact policies in favor of Iran, assisting and organizing Shi'a
groups and funding pro-Iran charities like the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee,
Majidyar noted.

"Iran has also invested considerable amounts in pro-Iranian and anti-American
print and broadcast media in Afghanistan," he added.

A report this month by Reuters claimed that almost one third of Afghanistan's
media is backed by Iran either financially or through content provision.

In April, Afghanistan's National Directorate for Security announced that several
Afghan TV channels and a news agency received financial support from Tehran and
that the Tamadon and Noor TV channels had broadcast pro-regime propaganda.

National Directorate for Security spokesman Lotfullah Mashal also said that
Iran's Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars News and the state-owned PressTV are
both operating illegally in Afghanistan.

Iran's increasing influence over Afghanistan's media could have serious
implications for the US and Israel, regional analysts say.

Steven Kleinman, a former US intelligence officer and director of strategic
research at the Soufan Group security consultancy, warned that the US and Israel
must take Tehran's influence over Afghan media seriously.

"While most people think warfare is about physical weaponry, the end state of
those devices in the physical realm has always been about influencing the
cognitive realm: decision-making, morale and the population's belief in a
sovereign to protect them," Kleinman said.

"The sage use of the media is simply a far more direct and cost-effective means
of achieving through the airwaves what was once only achieved on the
battlefield. And if there is one thing those inside the Islamic Revolution in
Iran have learned, it is how to influence minds on a large scale," he added.

Meanwhile, INSS's Sher also called Tehran's sponsorship of Afghan media "a
source of serious concern."

However, analysts stress that even though Iran has upped its efforts to
influence Afghans' hearts and minds, Tehran has so far failed to derail Kabul's
ties with the West.

Despite Tehran's push to step up its influence by exporting ideology, there is
considerable tension between the two countries.

Part of the tension stems from Afghanistan's desire to be an independent
country, while Iran has viewed the presence of NATO forces in its neighbor with
great suspicion.

In March, Afghan leaders accused Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of
"blatant interference in Afghan affairs" after he blamed US troops for "all the
ills in Afghanistan" during a regional conference in Tajikistan.

Following that incident, Afghan president Hamid Karzai's spokesman told Radio
Free Europe that his country did not want to be a "battleground for a US-Iran
conflict."

Tehran-Kabul tensions also grew after Afghanistan signed a long-term strategic
agreement with the US on May 1, signifying that Washington is prepared to
continue supporting Afghanistan after troops withdraw, and raising Iran's fears
that the US would establish permanent military bases in the country.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the agreement would
"intensify insecurity and instability in Afghanistan."

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, told Afghanistan's Tolo
News last week that Iran wants to help train Afghan national security forces.

Salehi said that Kabul and Tehran are in the process of "drafting a strategic
agreement" that would boost cooperation between the two countries after the
withdrawal of foreign troops and that Iran has a demonstrable interest in
Afghanistan's future, Tolo News said.

Salehi referred to a May agreement Tehran signed with Kabul granting access to
international waters via Iran's Chabahar Port.

Meanwhile, Chabahar Port Authority CEO Shahbaz Yazdani told reporters this month
that Iran wants to build a railway network connecting the port with Zahedan on
the Iran-Afghan border.

Despite Iran's best efforts, regional experts say Afghans still look to the
West, and not to Iran, for guidance.

AEI's Majidyar noted that the Loya Jirga, Afghanistan's grand assembly of tribal
leaders, the country's parliament and civil society unanimously backed a
Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United States.

Meanwhile, INSS's Perlov said that after following around 160 Afghan blogs, key
themes that emerged included Afghans' keenness to explore relationships with the
West, including via Israel.

Although Afghanistan mostly lacks an intellectual middle class, Perlov says her
research uncovered a small but lively Internet and social networking culture
that she said sheds light onto Afghans' attitudes to key issues.

Afghan bloggers talk more about India and Pakistan than about Iran, and while
Israel is not at the center of their attention, they see the Jewish state as a
gateway to the West, she said.

"Afghans had no fear about talking to Israelis," Perlov noted.

Afghan civil society may be weak, but it is growing - and activists are also
using the media as a tool to influence.

The Kandahar-based nonprofit group Afghans for Civil Society, for example, has
established the city's first independent radio station, Afghan Azada ("Liberty")
Radio, which trains local journalists while offering news, Afghan history, music
and information on other issues like health and education.

Meanwhile, aid from the US, the West and regional countries also reduces Iran's
influence over Afghanistan.

Perlov noted that one way for Israel to develop its ties to Afghanistan could be
via India, whose soft power in Afghanistan is on the increase.

Mumbai - which has geographical as well as historical, cultural and commercial
ties with Kabul - has already provided Afghanistan with over $2 billion in aid
and, in October, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed agreements with
Afghan President Hamid Karzai to help train Afghanistan's security services as
well as to provide aid with education, development and energy.

"Afghans want connections with the West," Perlov said - an observation supported
by AEI's Majidyar, who warns that Iran is ultimately seeking to block those
ties.

"The majority of Afghans still would rather be partners with the Western nations
than with their immediate neighbors, Iran and Pakistan," Majidyar said.

"But as foreign troops are withdrawing, Iran has doubled up its efforts to
change that equation."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: BEHIND THE LINES. Developing Afghanistan's civil society could counter
Iran's growing influence in the region, experts say

GRAPHIC: Photo: A man buys an 'Ensaf' newspaper at a kiosk in Kabul. 'Ensaf' is
one of three media outlets the Afghan government has said receives funding from
Iran. (Credit: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

616 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Preparing for war by surprise

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1396 words

On Saturday December 27, 2008, Col. Ofer Levy, then deputy commander of the
Givati Brigade, was out for lunch when he received a phone call informing him
that Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip had begun.

Brig.-Gen. Herzi Halevy, the commander during the operation of the Paratroopers
Brigade, was at home with his family when he received a similar call about the
extensive air strikes the Israel Air Force had just carried out against Hamas
targets scattered throughout Gaza.

Why weren't they at their bases preparing for the operation that would see them
a week later inside Gaza in the largest ground invasion since Israel's
withdrawal in 2005? The answer is simple; They didn't know that the operation
would be beginning that Saturday.

The reason for the high level of secrecy ahead of the operation was obvious: the
IDF wanted to draw Hamas out from its underground hideouts to be able to hit as
many operatives and command posts as possible in the opening series of air
strikes, a mission referred to as "Birds of Prey."

This meant keeping the operation a secret even from the brigade commanders who
would be leading troops into Gaza just a few days later.

When considering possible Israeli military action against Iran, two challenges
frequently overlooked are how to launch such a mission without the entire world
finding out beforehand and how to ensure that the IDF is prepared for the war
that will ensue without letting out that the war is coming.

In the Iranian case this applies mostly to the Northern Command, which would be
expected to wage war against Hezbollah in Lebanon if the guerrilla group decides
to attack Israel following a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, as Israel
expects it will. The forces would need to be on alert and at a high level of
readiness to be able to move into Lebanon and begin working to reduce the rocket
fire into the Israeli home front.

But how can they do that if they do not know that a strike against Iran is
taking place, let alone a war they will be called to fight in?

When comparing a possible strike against Iran's nuclear facilities to the
bombing of Syria's reactor in 2007, there are some similarities but also major
differences. The main difference is that very few people knew about the
existence of Syria's reactor - including top Syrian officials - let alone about
Israeli plans to bomb it. This meant that when Israel finally carried out the
bombing it had both strategic and tactical surprise.

With Iran, this would not be the case. Israeli political and military leaders
say every few weeks that the IDF has a credible and viable military option that
could be used to destroy and set back Iran's nuclear program. Just this
Wednesday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak - in some of the strongest remarks he has
ever made on the issue - said that Israel was better off bombing Iran than
living with an Iranian bomb.

This means that all that is left for Israel is tactical surprise regarding if,
how and when it will carry out such a strike.

When it came to Syria's reactor, the IDF not only needed to prepare for the
strike itself but also needed to invent an excuse why war with Syria was
possible. Very few IDF officers knew what was happening, which made the
invention all the more genuine.

That is how the IDF discovered the English word "miscalculation," which senior
officers repeated often throughout the spring and summer of 2007.

They were referring to a misunderstanding that could occur between Israeli and
Syrian military commanders stationed along the border that could then evolve
into an all-out war.

President Bashar Assad, the IDF explained, was questioning the IDF's strength
and capabilities following its poor showing during the Second Lebanon War the
previous summer. Due to the potential for conflict, these officers explained,
the IDF needed to ramp up training and beef up its troops on the Golan Heights.

The problem was that in Israel, people had difficulty believing that the Syrians
would actually attack Israel due to the obvious advantage the IDF had over the
Syrian military.

The IDF explained that the Syrians had learned the lessons of the Second Lebanon
War the year before and that even though they were lacking the military
capability to defeat the IDF and capture Israeli territory, they had developed a
new strategy based on some of Hezbollah's tactics used successfully against the
IDF.

The IDF made sure to pump the Israeli media full of stories about Syria's new
Hezbollah-style anti-tank units, which even rode on motorbikes like their
Lebanese counterparts. Reporters were then told about Syria's investment in
constructing underground defense and tunnel systems like Hezbollah's infamous
nature reserves to replace the famous Syrian pitas - small, pita-shaped
defensive positions they had constructed atop little hills along the border in
previous decades.

The stories did the job and the IDF began to prepare seriously for a potential
war with Syria. By the time Israel bombed Syria's al-Kibar nuclear reactor on
September 6, the country was completely poised for war.

For Israel, the question now is how to reenact the success of 2007. Most of the
work on this is being led by Military Intelligence's Information Security
Department.

One way may be to use the current volatile situation in Syria - and specifically
fears over the possible proliferation of its chemical weapons - as the pretext
for why the IDF needs to be on alert at all times along the northern front.
Then, when the military is prepared, Israel will attack Iran.

The other option is to simply place the military on high alert - even for a
period of several months - and to explain that it is being done due to the
possibility that Israel will attack Iran.

The advantage in this case is that by placing the military on high alert, Israel
will get the world's attention and possibly create pressure leading to the
imposition of new sanctions. Putting the military on high alert might also get
the Iranians scared to the point that they will finally believe Israel is
serious about using military action and suspend their enrichment of uranium.

The problem with this option is that keeping a military on a protracted high
state of alert comes at a price. It is expensive, soldiers will complain that
they are not allowed furloughs and it will affect the military's overall
training program, which will need to be suspended.

No matter which option Israel chooses, the most difficult part appears to still
lie ahead: a decision on whether or not it should attack Iran. In recent weeks,
the political establishment has been rampant with rumors about how Barak is
trying to persuade Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu about the need for an
attack and vice versa. In the army, senior officers walk around with gloomy
faces, as if war is inevitable.

Barak's comments Wednesday night at the graduation ceremony for the IDF's
National Defense College about the need for an attack against Iran are a clear
break from the quiet that had overtaken the government in recent months with
regard to Iran. Speaking at the same ceremony by video, Netanyahu also spoke
about how the best defense when facing a missile threat, like Israel does, is
the ability to attack.

The political zigzag this week involving Netanyahu's attempt to split Shaul
Mofaz's Kadima Party as well as Tzachi Hanegbi's return to Likud and the
government add to the confusion. On the one hand, if Israel was preparing an
attack against Iran in the near future, how could Mofaz leave the government at
such a critical time? On the other hand, why did he hint that Netanyahu's
decision to take Hanegbi into the government was part of a scheme to create a
majority in a cabinet vote on a strike?

Barak, in his remarks, went even further, admitting that Israel and the United
States view the threat differently and according to different timetables.
Israel, he hinted, is limited in its capabilities and therefore cannot wait as
long as the Americans, who could still attack and destroy Iran's facilities even
once they have been fortified and moved deeper underground.

At the end of the day, though, Barak stressed, Israel will decide what to do
based on its own national interests. For the time being, this sense of urgency
is mostly on the verbal level. Once it starts to take a physical form, it will
probably be the right time to begin cleaning out the bomb shelters.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SECURITY AND DEFENSE. If planning a strike against Iran's nuclear
facilities wasn't hard enough, Israel will also need to find a way to place the
IDF on high alert before the attack, so it can fight the war that everyone
predicts will immediately follow, without letting the world find out in advance

GRAPHIC: Photo: IDF artillery in action during the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
(Credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

617 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Getting ready for the worst

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1031 words

Missile attacks on city centers, chemical warheads and devastating earthquakes -
none of these nightmare scenarios is in the realm of the impossible in our
corner of the world.

Most members of the public, while acutely aware of the existence of the threats,
prefer to focus on other, more optimistic thoughts.

But the IDF Home Front Command's Search and Rescue Battalions - a growing
division within the military - are training four (soon to be five) battalions
solely to ensure that the army is able to deploy forces to potential disaster
zones and save as many lives as is humanly possible.

Thirty-eight-year-old Lt.-Col. Golan Vach, a father of six, is the commander of
the Search and Rescue Battalions, which do most of their training at a base in
Zikim, near Ashkelon.

Vach has a wealth of infantry combat experience, having served in the Givati and
Paratrooper brigades for a total of 15 years.

He told The Jerusalem Post this week that the Search and Rescue Battalions are
every bit as essential to national security as combat units.

"We go in and rescue people from wrecked buildings. We operate in conventional
and unconventional surroundings," Vach said, referring to scenes that could be
contaminated with radioactive, chemical and biological substances.

"With all the threats being talked about in the headlines now," he said,
acknowledging talk of Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons, "the relevance of
these types of forces is high."

Members of the brigades have heard the headlines on Syria's chemical weapons in
recent days, but the news has not had much of an effect on them, Vach continued.
"It doesn't matter. We work on this scenario continually around the clock
[irrespective of headlines]," he said.

The IDF is working all year around to train its units to operate in an
environment affected by unconventional substances and has equipped its rescue
forces with what it says is the most advanced protective gear in the world.

"Our aim is to go into an area, which could be a highway affected by a spill
from an bleach container... or a building struck by a chemical warhead, to
identify and tag the substances, decontaminate people and then treat the
chemical," explained Vach.

Over the past five years, four search-and-rescue brigades have been created, and
a fifth is set to come into existence in August.

Nevertheless, Vach said, it will be civilians themselves who will be most active
in rescue efforts. "The Home Front Command invests a lot of resources to help
civilians to help themselves," he added.

During the 2010 Haiti earthquake disaster, 150,000 people who were trapped in
rubble were rescued by civilians compared to 142 people who were rescued by
professional units that flew in from around the world, including Israel.

Vach said he expected the percentage of people saved by professional teams to be
much higher in Israel in the event of a missile attack or an earthquake
situation.

Once on the scene, members of the brigades deploy engineers, electricians and
doctors and disconnect gas, electricity and water.

"The latter two don't mix well," he said.

Then searchers are taught to "use the most advanced equipment we know about in
the world - their eyes and ears," to locate trapped individuals before relying
on radar and thermal imaging systems.

"A person can give a better picture than any dog, acoustics equipment, or
radar," he explained.

"We look for people who can give us information, like a woman who might say her
mother sent her a text message saying she is trapped. If we know she was in the
living room, our engineer will simulate what the building looked like before it
collapsed and locate the mother," Vach said.

These kinds of pinpoint rescues are called "surgical steps" in professional
jargon, and they provide the focus for the first 24 hours after the disaster.

On the second day, as time runs out for trapped survivors, the rescuers will
bring in heavy equipment like bulldozers and begin sifting through rubble "in
the most gentle way" possible, in order to find people.

"We're building up soldiers who can work in very narrow spaces and deal with
very difficult scenes. Their muscles must be able to break stones, with very
small space for momentum, over a long period of time. They are put under
pressure and, at the end of the six-month training course, we have someone who
can enter this kind of scene," Vach said.

Despite the wide range of man-made threats facing Israel, the Home Front Command
believes that the threat of an earthquake remains the number one disaster
scenario in terms of scope of damage.

Even in a moderate earthquake, tens of thousands of people could be impacted.
"We know we're due for one now. There has been one every 150 years. In 1837
there was one that killed 2,000 to 3,000 people in Nablus alone," Vach said.
"The chances are low, but should a major earthquake strike, the damage would be
awful."

The Search and Rescue Battalions train all year round for just such a scenario
and have large numbers of trained reserve troops on call.

In the event of an earthquake, the battalions can be divided up into tiny groups
to cope with the demand. The groups can be as small as four soldiers each, with
one commanding over three of his comrades, should the destruction be widespread.

Asked if he is preoccupied with the disaster scenarios when he comes home to his
six children, Vach said, "Even if I wanted to think about Hezbollah and
Nasrallah, when I'm home, I'm only thinking about meals and showers for the
kids."

Yarden Greenhoyz, 19, has been serving in the battalions for a year and would be
one of the soldiers called to respond should disaster strike.

She said that after months of training in wreckage sites, pulling dolls out of
ruins and embarking on an all-night exercises that have lasted 17 hours, she is
as ready as she'll ever be.

"The training is like a war. No one knows how they will respond if they're fired
on, if they pull out a mangled body, or hear screams. The response is
individual," she said.

"I know I'll feel stress. But I chose this role, and I will force myself to deal
with it. That's what rescuing is about," Greenhoyz said.

"We hope these scenarios will be confined to training only," she added.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SECURITY AND DEFENSE. The IDF Home Front Command's Search and Rescue
Battalions are training night and day for scenarios the rest of us would prefer
not to think about

GRAPHIC: Photo: Home front troops conduct an earthquake drill. (Credit: IDF
Spokesman's Office)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

618 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Letters

BYLINE: Eli Schmell, Anthony Luder, David Goldberg

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 602 words

Fact on the ground

Sir, - Regarding "Munich widows make last-ditch effort in campaign for Olympic
moment of silence" (July 25), I have a simple suggestion that would accomplish
this and thus commemorate the memories of the Israeli athletes who were the
victims of the Munich massacre 40 years ago.

I suggest that at the opening ceremony, as the teams of the various countries
march into the main stadium, the Israeli squad, when it reaches the center of
the stadium, stops marching, dons black armbands, brings the Israeli flag to
half mast, lowers its heads and stands for a moment in silence before
proceeding.

A little Israeli chutzpah and some old-fashioned Israeli facts on the ground
would be just right for this occasion.

ELI SCHMELL

Rehovot

It's not

Jew-hatred

Sir, - By tying the recent German court decision to outlaw circumcision to a
general thesis on ever-morphing anti-Semitism ("Circumcision," Editorial, July
25), you missed the point and did the fight against both race hatred and
religious intolerance a disservice.

The moves to limit religious rituals seen as cruel (ritual slaughter,
circumcision) have a lot to do with the mania for political correctness that has
gripped a decadent Europe, as well as ignorance, intolerance and simple
stupidity. It is not a manifestation of Jew-hatred.

One must remember that there is a small but growing secular movement in Israel
that is against circumcision; are these people anti-Semites? Famously, a former
head of the British Pediatric Association, a Jew, was tooth and nail against
circumcision. Misguided and bigoted he may have been, but he was not
anti-Semitic.

Of course, circumcision is common in some Christian countries, not to mention
Muslim countries, a fact that suggests nothing with regard to them being
philo-Semitic.

ANTHONY LUDER

Safed

The writer is head of the Department of Pediatrics at Ziv Medical Center

Scorched earth

Sir, - In "Ramot residents incensed over 'helter skelter' tree thinning" (July
19), your reporter was told by a KKL-JNF spokesman that complaints directed
against it were "distorted and false" and that "staff members are present at all
times during the trimming process and continue to supervise all procedures."

The rote assurances by professional handlers make good copy but reflect fiction,
not fact. When neighbors confronted the cutting crew the foreman admitted he and
his men had not been given any real guidelines about which trees to cut, but
were cutting on a basis that could be called somewhere between helter-skelter
and scorched earth. Only after the damage had been done did representatives of
the JNF show up.

At least 80 percent of the forest has been razed, as the tree stumps clearly
show - and the JNF has the effrontery to call it "trimming."

The motives behind the cutting must be questioned. The Post has reported that
city planners and developers want to build apartments here to provide promised
housing solutions. Look no farther than the end of Mishol Hamagalit Street,
where trees have been felled to make a clearing that matches perfectly an
extension of the road and new residential lots - but with a few decorative trees
left in place.

Two years ago the JNF conducted a Tu Bishvat ceremony in the forest, including
the planting of hundreds of saplings. Music and speeches were part of the
program. The saplings were never tended to and died within weeks, foreboding the
future.

A lawsuit prevented the last vestige of trees from being cut, but the damage has
been done. This blight on the JNF's reputation will take decades, literally, to
rectify.

DAVID GOLDBERG

Jerusalem

The writer is a resident of Ramot

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Spare lung from Cyprus transplanted at Beilinson after complicated mission

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 255 words

A healthy lung that could not be used in Cyprus was shipped to the Rabin Medical
Center Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva this week and successfully implanted into
an Israeli who has a rare blood type.

A Beilinson medical team flew by private plane to Cyprus to retrieve the organ,
under an agreement with that country's medical system, which transplants kidneys
into its own patients, but not other organs. When no one in countries near
Cyprus with which it also has organ exchange agreements was found suitable, it
was offered to Israel Transplant.

Dr. Binyamin Medallion, a senior cardiothoracic surgeon, headed the team that
flew to Cyprus and returned with the lung.

The anonymous donor was a 27-year-old Cypriot who suffered lower-brain death
while undergoing brain surgery.

The organ had to be delivered and readied for transplant within four hours.
Every minute was critical. Arrangements were made for the pilot and plane even
before it was certain that the lung was suitable for the would-be recipient. The
Beilinson team placed the organ in a cooler with ice and special solutions.

Funding for the project was approved by Prof. Rafael Beyar, director-general of
Rambam Medical Center who is also chairman of Israel Transplant.

After many tense moments, the lung was transplanted into 60-year-old Michael
Merzeyev, from Tel Aviv, who suffered from silicosis, a condition in which
exposure to marble dust - during work - destroys the lungs. He was in stable
condition on Thursday, and being treated in Beilinson's intensive care unit.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DR. MILTON SAUTA, Prof. Mordechai Kramer and Dr. Benjamin
Medallion visit lung recipient Michael Merzeyev at Rabin Medical Center in Petah
Tikva. (Credit: Rabin Medical Center)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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620 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Mac Netanya: 'One City, One Team, One Family'

BYLINE: DAVID ROUMANI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 11

LENGTH: 480 words

About 100 locals showed up at the Children's 'Club' in Netanya Thursday
afternoon. The club, or "Moadonit" in Hebrew, aims to provide after school
programs for children that come from underprivileged homes.

The Moadonit has been around for a year already, however was just renovated.

Keren, one of the parents who's kids are fortunate to attend this after school
program said, "I could not put into words how much this beautiful renovation
means to the children who spend their afternoons here. It gives these children a
place to play, learn and grow, when they may not have the opportunity
otherwise."

The GM of Elitzur Barak Netanya, Tzvika Leiber, has been instrumental in working
to bring his team all the way from Israeli's fourth division to a competitive
team in the BSL, the country's top tier.

Only a few years ago, in the team's first year in the first division, Barak
Netanya reached the championship.

Since then, Netanya has been looking to improve their organization, both on and
off the court.

David Colburn, the visionary of the non-profit organization (or "Amuta" has
worked with the city municipality and the Netanya Foundation for a couple years
now.

Colburn has contributed in many ways, with the vision of trying to help the
team, city, and the organization 'Hoops for Kids' grow, and affect as many
people as possible.

The Jerusalem Post caught up with Eliran Guetta, the captain of the team, who
just finished his ninth year on the squad.

"Hoops for Kids, has been a great success here in Netanya, both for the children
it affects, and the entire team. After going out to schools, and orphanages in
the city, you really feel that you are making a great contribution to not only
the children, but to the entire community."

When asked what direction he thinks his team is going, Guetta said, "I'm not the
one who makes the decisions, but ever since I joined the team nine years ago, we
have always been improving, and while this past year it may not have been
reflected in our record, as part of the organization you can tell this team is
always looking for ways to improve."

The mayor of Netanya, Miriam Fireberg, was also present at the ceremony, and
briefly addressed the crowd.

"One of the things that every child wants today, is a connection with sports
players and teams. Thanks to people like David Colburn, these kids are given the
opportunity of a lifetime, to participate in practices with professional
athletes."

Leiber concluded the evening with the following remarks: "We look forward to
helping the city of Netanya grow to its full potential, and we love to see the
impact these Moadoniyot have on the children."

Other organizations should definitely look at what Barak Netanya and their
partners have done to help others in the community. These contributions are not
usually seen in other parts of the country, especially coming from a basketball
organization.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: NETANYA MAYOR Miram Fireberg and 'Hoops for Kids' visionary
David Volburn attend a session with Maccabi Netanya and local youth yesterday.
(Credit: Netanya Foundation/courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

621 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

The rationale for Romney

BYLINE: MARTIN SHERMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 2201 words

A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that
they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that
moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most
benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will
finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a
dictatorship. - A passage of disputed origins frequently, but apparently
incorrectly, ascribed to Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee (1747-1813)

It was the most memorable time of my life. It was a touching moment because I
never thought this day would ever happen. I won't have to worry about putting
gas in my car. I won't have to worry about paying my mortgage. You know, if I
help him, he's gonna help me. - Obama supporter Peggy Joseph, at an election
rally, NBC Channel 6 News, October 30, 2008

Not every person who voted for Obama thinks this [Peggy Joseph's] way, of
course. But a sufficient number of Americans do, leaving us wondering how we
change these minds - Jim Geraghty, National Review Online, March 26, 2012

These three excerpts encapsulate the essence of what the upcoming US
presidential elections are about. The choice will be far more fundamental than
one between two parties. It will be between two sharply divergent visions of the
future of America.

Yes, the issues before the US electorate are myriad and complex. Few of them are
clear cut. On many of them, the differences in the positions of the two
contenders for the presidency are more a matter of nuance rather than principle,
at times more rhetoric than operational substance.

Discerning a dichotomous difference

But despite the complexity, there is nothing ambiguous about the decision the
voters will be called upon to make, nor about the historic impact it will have
on the destiny of the US. To a large degree, it will in all likelihood determine
America's course for decades to come, both its domestic and foreign policy,
including relations with Israel.

Regardless of any ambiguity, even overlap, that there might be in the positions
of two contenders on specific issues, there is little difficulty in discerning
the dichotomy in the ideological "envelopes" of their political credo, which,
much like a postal envelope, determines the destination - and the destiny - of
the contents.

In terms of their core concepts, these ideological "envelopes" reflect
profoundly opposing points of departure as to the conduct of life in America and
its relations with its allies.

The difference is between an approach that emphasizes the promotion of
enterprise and one that emphasizes the provision of entitlements; between an
attitude that incentivizes industry and one that induces indolence; between an
outlook that is clearly respectful of success and one that appears resentful of
it; between a belief that encourages self-reliance and individual
responsibility, and one that fosters dependency and societal scapegoating.

Distortive demagoguery?

Undoubtedly this black-and-white (no pun intended) categorization will arouse
howls of protest. It will be dismissed as shallow, simplistic stereotyping, as
distortive demagoguery, as uninformed and unnuanced invective.

But such criticism would be misplaced. For the crude characterization of the
overarching parameters of the opposing belief systems of the two contenders
provides a far more apt appraisal of what is at stake in the upcoming elections
than a detailed analysis of how they propose to deal with specific issues,
however weighty, currently on the US national agenda.

America is on the cusp of a metamorphosis of its fundamental essence. It boils
down to a choice between two irreconcilable paradigms for the county's future.
This election is about far more than differences of policy. It is about how
America wishes to see itself - now and in the future - and perhaps even more
important, about how it does not want to see itself.

It is, therefore, a choice between not only what each contender symbolizes, but,
perhaps even more important, what he does not.

Look again at the introductory quote from the enthralled Barack Obama supporter,
Peggy Joseph, who envisioned that her support for him would bring her a bunch of
free or government-supplied goodies.

Clearly - as conservative columnist Jim Geraghty indicates - not all Obama
supporters subscribe to the Peggy Joseph school of thought, but a significant
and apparently growing number do. By contrast, it is almost inconceivable that
any prospective Romney voter would espouse sentiments remotely similar to those
espoused by Ms. Joseph, as free fuel and accommodation are not a component of
their political expectations.

Likewise, it is equally inconceivable that any political program presented by
Mitt Romney would captivate voters of the ilk of Ms. Joseph since they would in
all likelihood not encourage the belief that an expense-free utopia is at hand -
but rather that tanks should be filled and mortgage payments met through the
fruits of hard work.

See what I mean about the "industry vs indolence" divide I mentioned above? Not
convinced? Read on.

Revealing rhetoric?

It is inconceivable that anyone subscribing to the Romney "ideological envelope"
would have declared, as Obama recently did at a rally in Virginia, that business
owners owe their success to others - primarily the government.

"Look, if you've been successful, you didn't get there on your own. I'm always
struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There
are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than
everybody else. Let me tell you something - there are a whole bunch of
hardworking people out there.... If you've got a business, you didn't build
that. Somebody else made that happen," the president said.

Romney's response could not have been more to the point: "I don't think anyone
could have said what he said who had actually started a business or been in a
business.... Do we believe in an America that is great because of government or
do we believe in an America that is great because of free people allowed to
pursue their dreams and build their future?"

Obama is, of course, correct when he says that businesses profit from
infrastructures built by government: "Somebody helped to create this
unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody
invested in roads and bridge," he said.

However, the Soviet Union also had a government that built roads and bridges and
dams, and even pioneered manned space travel, none of which saved it from utter
collapse.

In an incisive response, former deputy assistant secretary David Cohen makes
this telling point:

"Does the president really think that 'this unbelievable American system' is
based upon the fact that we use public funds to build roads and bridges? If I
may respond to the president by paraphrasing his own words: 'Let me tell you
something - there are a whole bunch of countries out there that use public funds
to build roads and bridge. But none of those other countries has been as
successful as the United States of America, so it must be something else that
accounts for this unbelievable American system.'"

So as Romney asks: "Do we believe in an America that is great because of
government or do we believe in an America that is great because of free people
allowed to pursue their dreams and build their future?"

A question of context?

Although Obama's remarks were enthusiastically received by his audience at the
rally in Virginia, it soon emerged that they were highly offensive to the
millions of hard-working small-business owners on whom the US depends to create
jobs.

Not unsurprisingly, the Obama camp began to claim that critics were taking his
"words about small business out of context."

But these endeavors are, at best, unpersuasive. For as Cohen observes, "It is
irrelevant whether 'you didn't build that' refers to an entrepreneur's business
[the most logical interpretation] or to the roads and bridges that were used by
that business."

Whichever way you slice them, "The president's remarks were clearly a
contemptuous put-down of small-business owners who, in the president's view,
want to take too much credit for their own success," Cohen said.

For anyone - other than the blatantly biased - who watched the video recording
of the address, it is difficult to dispute Cohen's appraisal that "he mocks
small businessmen who have the gall to think they succeeded because they were
'so smart' or 'worked harder than everybody else.'"

It is not easy to escape his caustic conclusion: "The point of the president's
remarks was not to celebrate the courage, hard work and vision that it takes to
make a business successful. Rather, the point was to admonish successful
small-business owners not to get too full of themselves, not to think that
they're so special. And along the way, he managed to denigrate the importance of
intelligence and hard work."

All of which underscores the distinction I drew earlier between ideological
approaches that "are respectful of success" and those which "are resentful of
it."

Formative influences, political proclivities

In many ways, the election of Obama in 2008 was a watershed. But this was not so
much because for the first time a man of color was elected to the US's highest
office and the world's most powerful position.

Rather, it was a watershed because for the first time, the person elected was
someone whose political credo coalesced in an environment where many of its
formative influences (both personalities and ideologies), and the resultant
allegiances and political proclivities, differed sharply (arguably
antithetically) in substance and sentiment from those that historically made
America America.

It would be wildly unrealistic therefore to assume that these differences would
not translate into an interpretation of US interests, and hence a political
agenda, both domestic and foreign, that differs sharply - even antithetically -
relative to how they were viewed and pursued in the past.

And indeed, it certainly appears they have. I have tried to illustrate this
briefly in the domestic sphere, but in the sphere of foreign relations matters
are if anything more disturbing.

The foreign policy front

Deep concerns about Obama's perspective on conducting US foreign policy -
certainly from the Israeli standpoint - arose very early in his presidency. In
his June 2009 Muslim outreach speech in Cairo he declared: "America and Islam
are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and
share common principles - principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the
dignity of all human beings."

Clearly, this is a proclamation that is extremely difficult to reconcile with
reality. After all, life in America as governed by the US Constitution is the
opposite of life under Islam as governed by Shari'a - particularly with regard
to "tolerance and dignity of others."

It is a parallel that Romney would be highly unlikely to draw.

Romney's upcoming high-profile visit to Israel accentuates the far-ranging
differences with Obama.

True, Obama did make a pre-presidential visit to the country in 2008, but the
memories of that have been erased by his conspicuous absence since, particularly
in light of frequent visits to numerous Arab countries in the region and his
publicly sour relationship with Binyamin Netanyahu.

True, Obama can point to instances where his administration acted assertively to
preserve and promote Israeli interests on a number of critical issues.

However, the more circumspect - or cynical - might suggest that this pro-Israel
largesse should not be ascribed to any favorable change in sentiment toward
Israel.

Rather, it should be seen as a result of growing concern over the consequences
of a Jewish voter backlash, fueled by what many considered a grossly biased
approach toward Israel.

Even the stalwart Obama supporter pundit Peter Beinart has complained that Obama
has abandoned his originally "progressive" (read "Palestinian-compliant") agenda
toward Israel because of pressure from mainstream US Jewish groups.

Thus for Israel, the prospect of a White House incumbent with an inherent
affinity for Israel's adversaries and unshackled by considerations of reelection
is one that must be viewed with the utmost gravity.

Reinventing or uninventing America

These are dark times for America - high unemployment rates, aging and
increasingly uncompetitive infrastructures, soaring deficits, and almost zero
interest rates. Together these ailments comprise a predicament that leaves
policy-makers almost "out of bullets."

Honed managerial skill alone will not suffice.

What America needs now is a new (or rather a renewed) vision of itself. Over the
last four years America has been subjected to policies that appear geared more
to unmaking her than remaking her, of deconstructing her rather than
reconstructing her. Obama has left the nation with faded hope and failed change.

America is at a fateful crossroads. It can choose one of two paths: To reinvent
itself or to uninvent itself. Mitt Romney needs to seize the moment and lead his
country along the former and away from the latter.

www.martinsherman.net

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: INTO THE FRAY. Reinventing America or uninventing America: That is how
the choice between Romney and Obama ought to be presented

GRAPHIC: Photo: MITT ROMNEY (Credit: Bloomberg)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

622 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Trailblazing jurist Miriam Ben-Porat dies at 94

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 1174 words

Former Supreme Court justice and former state comptroller Miriam Ben-Porat died
on Thursday at age 94. Ben-Porat, who came to British Mandate Palestine in 1936,
paved the way for other women to shine in the legal profession.

Born in Vitebsk, Belarus, she grew up in Lithuania and studied law at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. Because of her brilliant mind, Ben-Porat was admitted
into what was essentially a man's world.

In 1948, she went to work at the Justice Ministry and in 1959 was promoted to
deputy state attorney. In 1958, Ben-Porat left the State Attorney's Office to
become a judge in the Jerusalem District Court, rising to be the court's vice
president, and, in 1975, its president.

Her strong motivation to fight corruption was evident from early on when she
declared an election for the Jerusalem Municipal Council invalid because certain
envelopes had been improperly stamped and could not be counted, yet - realizing
the difficulties new elections might incur - she asked the Knesset to validate
the previously uncounted votes, as a result of which all envelopes in elections
are now opened.

In 1976, Ben-Porat was appointed acting justice in the Supreme Court. In 1977
she rose to become permanent justice, and in 1983 to vice president of the
court.

Many of her rulings, both as a district court judge and as a Supreme Court
justice, set legal precedents in matters such as inheritance and defamation.

Ben-Porat also ruled that a husband who forces his wife to have sexual relations
is to be regarded as a rapist.

In 1988, when she turned 70, Ben-Porat retired from the Supreme Court, and in
the same year was appointed state comptroller.

As state comptroller she cracked down on all forms of corruption and had no
compunction attacking the government's discriminatory practices against the Arab
community.

Ben-Porat was in high demand as a lecturer in Israel and abroad. In 1991, she
was awarded the Israel Prize, and in 2004 was named a Distinguished Citizen of
Jerusalem. She also received honorary degrees from various universities.

Ben-Porat was among those who believed the lyrics of the national anthem should
be altered so that the nation's minorities not feel excluded.

After her final retirement at age 80 she continued to contribute to legal
thinking through her lectures and writings.

In a message of condolence to Ben-Porat's family, President Shimon Peres wrote
that she had been the cornerstone of the country's legal system and contributed
to forming the character of the state.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed deep sorrow, describing her as "a
trailblazer, an esteemed Supreme Court justice, a state comptroller who
sanctified the values of integrity and transparency, and an Israel Prize
laureate." He praised her "modesty, her upholding of principles and her
dedication to the state" that he said "are a model for equal opportunity and the
supremacy of the rule of law in Israel."

Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman - who had served as an articled clerk to
Ben-Porat - called her courageous, dedicated and intrepid, saying she had worked
unstintingly to maintain the rule of law while upholding the dignity of the
administration and the individual and ensuring the security of the state.

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin credited Ben-Porat with turning critical
investigation into the fourth branch of Israel's democratic system; as well as
imbuing the status of women with new norms. He was full of admiration for the
thorough manner in which she conducted her probes into the political and defense
establishments and the fearlessness with which she presented her findings. She
was the first to launch an investigation in real time, thereby setting a
tradition for her successors, Rivlin noted.

Labor Party leader Shelly Yechimovich also expressed sorrow at Ben-Porat's
passing, calling her one of the most active and idealistic personalities in
Israeli society, an example worth following. She noted that in her capacity as
state comptroller Ben-Porat had upgraded the level of public standards of
accountability and fought against political corruption. Yechimovich expressed
her fervent hope that Israel would be fortunate enough to nurture other people
of the stature of Ben-Porat.

Current State Comptroller Yosef Haim Shapira, whose swearing-in ceremony
Ben-Porat attended earlier this month, noted that in the 10 years she served in
the post, she had transformed that office into an influential institution in the
life of the nation and laid new foundations for the state comptroller and the
ombudsman for complaints from the public. Her focus on issues related to power
and money, uprightness in the public sector, political appointments, and slush
funds, to a large extent set the agenda for the State Comptroller's Office.

In interviews with Israel Radio, former Supreme Court presidents Meir Shamgar
and Aharon Barak both spoke of Ben-Porat's clarity of mind, her remarkable
memory and her attention to detail.

Long after her retirement from the Supreme Court - which she left when it was
still in Jerusalem's Russian Compound - and the completion of her tenure as
state comptroller, she continued to visit the current Supreme Court building in
Givat Ram almost daily. It was there she did her writing on a variety of legal
issues, and it was there that he encountered her only a few days before her
demise.

Among the more famous cases in which both Shamgar and Barak were involved
together with Ben-Porat was the 1984 scandal in which senior Shin Bet (Israel
Security Agency) agents had killed two captured and shackled terrorists who
tried to hijack a bus on route 300 from Tel Aviv to Ashkelon. The agents were
eventually pardoned by president Chaim Herzog and the ensuing controversy led to
a new legal principle that authorized the president of the state to preemptively
grant a pardon prior to indictment.

The preemptive pardon principle was upheld by Shamgar and Ben-Porat, whereas
Barak dissented. However, professional disagreements did not impinge on private
relations, said Barak. Of all the justices who served at the same time as
Ben-Porat he believed he had the closest relationship with her. Not only had
they both lived in the same apartment building, but, as a child in the
Holocaust, Barak spent three years in the Kovno Ghetto where Ben-Porat's family
was murdered, and this created a special bond between them.

Ben-Porat's only child Ronit had been in the US for a month, tending to her own
daughter, who had given birth there. Ronit Ben-Porat arrived in Israel on
Wednesday night and immediately went to see her mother, who was running a fever.
They talked about a lot of things as they always did, with no secrets from each
other. They had always been completely involved in each other's lives. When
Ronit was about to leave, her mother asked her not to disturb her in the morning
because she wanted to have a sound, deep sleep.

She slept so soundly and so deeply, that she no longer woke up.

She was taken to her final resting place at the capital's Givat Shaul Cemetery
on Thursday evening.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Miriam Ben-Porat (Credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

623 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Photo - GREEK FRIENDSHIP

BYLINE: Yaakov Katz

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 56 words

GREEK FRIENDSHIP. An Israel Navy ship visits Piraeus Port in Greece this week.
The navy held maneuvers with the Greek Navy in the Mediterranean Sea near the
port. The navy has been searching for new partnerships in the region ever since
Turkey canceled joint maneuvers it used to hold with Israel following the 'Mavi
Marmara' raid in 2010.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: GREEK FRIENDSHIP. An Israel Navy ship visits Piraeus Port in
Greece this week. The navy held maneuvers with the Greek Navy in the
Mediterranean Sea near the port. The navy has been searching for new
partnerships in the region ever since Turkey canceled joint maneuvers it used to
hold with Israel following the 'Mavi Marmara' raid in 2010. (Credit: IDF
Spokesman)

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

On your marks, get set... Go Israel, go! London Olympics set to kick off with
Opening Ceremony and action-packed weekend

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 936 words

LONDON - After just about four years of waiting, the big day has finally
arrived.

The London 2012 Olympics will officially get under way on Friday night with what
is set to be a spectacular opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium.

Windsurfer Shahar Zubari will carry the Israeli flag and lead out the country's
delegation, which will not be fully represented at the ceremony, with several
athletes choosing instead to get a good night's sleep to ensure they are ready
for their moment of truth.

As many as 10 Israelis could already be in action in the first full day of
competition on Saturday, including several of the delegation's bigger names.

The first Israeli to take part in the Games is set to be judoka Tommy Arshansky,
who will be given a baptism by fire in his debut Olympics.

Arshansky was drawn on Thursday to face European bronze medalist Jeroen Mooren
of the Netherlands in the second round of the under-60kg competition after
receiving a first-round bye.

The 20-year-old Arshansky, who was sent to London as one of the delegation's
three up-and-coming athletes, beat Mooren last year, but lost to the Dutchman in
their most recent meeting.

The draws for all the judo weight categories were held on Thursday.

Thirty-five-year-old Arik Ze'evi, competing in his fourth and final Olympics,
opens against Germany's Dimitri Peters in the under-100kg competition next
Thursday and could face world No. 2 and his conqueror from the Beijing Games,
Henk Grol, in the quarterfinals should he make the last eight.

"I'm going to London with the plan of enjoying it and making the most of my
final Olympics," Ze'evi said ahead of his departure from Israel on Thursday
morning.

"My best might be enough for a medal. I've got profiles on each of my opponents
on my phone and I will be ready for everyone."

Israel's other medal hopeful in the judo, Alice Schlesinger, received a
first-round bye and will likely face nemesis Hilde Drexler of Austria in the
second round of the women's under-63kg competition on Tuesday.

"There is certainly pressure as I'm targeting a medal," Schlesinger said. "But
I'm trying to channel it in the right direction and I believe in my ability."

Golan Pollack will like his chances against David Larose of France in the first
round of the men's under-66kg event on Sunday, while Soso Palelashvili was
handed a first-round bye and faces Turkey's Sezar Huysuz in the last 32 of the
under-73kg competition on Monday.

The second Israeli in action on Saturday will be swimmer Gal Nevo, who will be
hoping to become just the second of his countrymen to ever reach a final in an
individual Olympic event when he takes part in the 400-meters individual medley
heats.

The 25-year-old Kibbutz Hamadia native, who needs to be among the eight fastest
swimmers to qualify for Saturday night's final, is looking to follow in the
footsteps of Eitan Urbach, who made the 100m backstroke final in the 2000 Sydney
Games.

"I feel that I'm in the best shape of my life. Therefore, my target is to
improve my national records which were set a while ago with the full-body
suits," Nevo said on Wednesday.

"I hope that will be enough to reach the final."

Nevo just missed out on a place in the final of the 400m IM in Beijing,
finishing in 11th place, but will be confident of achieving his lifelong dream
and swimming alongside the likes of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in Saturday's
final.

The target for Amit Ivri (women's 100m butterfly) and Imri Ganiel (100m
breaststroke), also in action in the pool on Saturday, will be to set personal
bests in the hope of making the evening semis.

Alex Shatilov, one of Israel's best medal hopes, will begin his quest for a
place on the podium on Saturday.

Shatilov and teammate Felix Aronovich take part in the artistic gymnastics
qualifiers, looking to be among the 24 gymnasts to make the all-around final,
and in Shatilov's case, to also be one of the eight athletes to reach the floor
final.

The floor final will take place on August 5 and Shatilov will be optimistic of
winning a medal, assuming he qualifies, after scaling the podium in the event in
recent World and European Championships.

Also Saturday, Badminton player Misha Zilberman faces Denmark's Jan O. Jorgensen
in the first of his two matches in the group stage, while Israel's tennis stars
could also be in action at Wimbledon.

First round matches will be played on Saturday and Sunday, with the order of
play to only be announced the previous night.

Whenever she ends up playing, Shahar Pe'er faces an almost impossible
first-round encounter against world No. 3 Maria Sharapova.

Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich play Spain's Marc Lopez and Marcel Granollers in the
first round of the doubles event, with Beijing gold medalists Roger Federer and
Stanislas Wawrinka likely waiting in the second round.

(BOX) Weekend at the Olympics

Friday:

Opening Ceremony: (live on Channel 1 at 10 p.m.)

Saturday:

Judo: Tommy Arshansky vs Jeroen Mooren - second round under-60kg (competition to
continue throughout the day)

Swimming: Gal Nevo - 400m Individual Medley (heats and possible final); Amit
Ivri - 100m butterfly (heats and possible semifinals); Imri Ganiel - 100m
breaststroke (heats and possible semifinals)

Artistic Gymnastics: Alex Shatilov and Felix Aronovich (men's qualification)

Badminton: Misha Zilberman vs Jan O Jorgensen (group stage)

Tennis: Shahar Pe'er vs Maria Sharapova; Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich vs Marc Lopez
and Marcel Granollers (first-round tennis action to be played on Saturday and
Sunday. Order of play to be determined the evening before)

Olympic television coverage will begin daily at 11:30 a.m. on Channel 1 and
Eurosport

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Box at end of text.

GRAPHIC: Photo: ONE DAY before the Games officially kick off, Olympic Stadium is
seen at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. The eyes of the world will
be focused on the venue tonight as more than 10,000 athletes from 205 countries
are set to parade into the stadium as part of an extravagent Opening Ceremony
(live on Channel 1 from 10 p.m.). (Credit: Marko Djurica/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Pollard activists to use McCain to pressure Romney

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 565 words

When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visits Israel this Saturday,
he will be followed around by none other than his predecessor, 2008 Republican
presidential candidate John McCain.

Activists working to bring about the freedom of Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard
will hoist massive posters of McCain wherever Romney goes in Israel. The posters
will show McCain, who opposed clemency for Pollard until recently, saying "Free
Pollard Now!" The posters will also feature George Schultz, who was secretary of
state under Republican president Ronald Reagan, and Michael Mukasey, who was
Republican president George W. Bush's attorney-general.

The Free Pollard campaign used a similar strategy with the recent visit of
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was greeted with posters of former
secretary of state Henry Kissinger and R. James Woolsey, who was CIA director
when her husband, Bill Clinton, was president.

But highlighting the Pollard issue during Clinton's visit appeared to backfire,
because she made a statement that was interpreted as condemning him to complete
the life sentence he received 25 years ago for passing classified information to
an ally.

"With respect to Mr. Pollard, he was convicted of spying in 1987," Clinton said.
"He was sentenced to life in prison, he is serving that sentence, and I do not
have any expectations that that is going to change."

A spokeswoman for the Committee to Bring Jonathan Pollard Home called the
statements "a slap in the face to President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu and the people of Israel," and noted that on the same visit
Clinton urged Israel to free Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences in
Israeli jails.

When a senior American official was asked about the secretary of state's
comments three days later, he noted that Clinton was not tasked with dealing
with the Pollard issue, and she had simply repeated the official US position -
which was well known and had not changed.

"I don't think she said anything that newsworthy," the official said of her
comments. "She described the situation."

When asked about its handling of Clinton and Romney's visits, the Free Pollard
campaign noted that unlike the Israel visit of then-presidential candidate
Barack Obama in July 2008, when no one thought to ask him about Pollard, the
issue had risen in prominence thanks to the support for Pollard's release from
senior American officials and the Israeli public.

Romney, like Clinton, will be presented with a letter calling for clemency for
Pollard signed by Knesset faction heads representing 109 MKs across the
political spectrum from Meretz to the National Union.

In his only public comments about Pollard so far, Romney told the Conference of
Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in December that he was "open
to examining" the case. While one Jewish leader said afterward that he was
confident that Romney would see the justice in Pollard's case once he studied
it, another Jewish leader present at the meeting said he was disappointed Romney
did not call for Pollard's release.

"With Romney, it is important to stress the disproportion of Pollard's sentence
and that alleged damage to American security was proven later to have been done
by others," said a spokesman for the Free Pollard campaign.

Peres and Netanyahu are expected to raise the issue of Pollard's fate when they
meet with Romney.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: POSTERS LIKE THESE, featuring the faces and words of John
McCain, George Shultz and James Woolsey, will greet Mitt Romney when he arrives
in Israel. (Credit: Courtesy Free Pollard)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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626 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

PA thanks IOC for refusing to hold minute of silence

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH; Herb Keinon and Jerusalem Post staff contributed to
this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 308 words

The Palestinian Authority has thanked the International Olympic Committee for
refusing to hold a minute of silence at Friday's opening ceremony in London to
mark the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli sportsmen at the 1972
Munich Games.

Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Federation, sent a letter to IOC
chairman Jacques Rogge thanking him for his position, the PA's official news
agency, Wafa, reported.

"Sports is a bridge for love, connection and relaying peace between peoples. It
should not be a factor for separation and spreading racism between peoples,"
Rajoub, a former PA security commander, wrote in his letter.

Wafa said that he sent the letter to the IOC chairman on Tuesday.

A senior PA official in Ramallah confirmed that Rajoub had sent the letter and
said that the Palestinians were opposed to "Israel's attempts to exploit the
Olympic Games for propaganda purposes."

A senior government official responded to the Palestinian letter by saying that
"if the leadership of the PA is not willing to disassociate itself from its
terrorist past, and is unwilling to see the Munich massacre as a brutal act of
terrorism, then in Israeli eyes there will be big questions regarding their true
commitment to peace and reconciliation."

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon condemned the PA for terming as "racist" a
moment of silence for the Israeli victims.

"No, the murder of Israelis because they are Israelis is racist, not the request
to dignify and honor them," Ayalon wrote on Facebook. "On the other hand,
Palestinian Authority media refer to Munich terrorists as 'stars' whose path
should be followed."

"Now, more than ever, there needs to be a minute silence, not just to honor the
eleven slain Israeli athletes but also to demonstrate opposition to those who
laud murderers as heroes and call on others to follow suit."

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

IDF seeking expanded use of robotic systems for minimized soldier risk

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 552 words

In the face of new conflicts in urban settings, the IDF is looking to obtain a
budget for the development and procurement of new robotic systems it hopes will
provide soldiers with an edge on a future battlefield.

While the IDF has used robots for a number of years - mostly with unmanned
aerial vehicles in the air force and in the Combat Engineering Corps - it is
looking to expand the use of robotic systems with the aim of minimizing risks to
soldiers.

One of the systems - the AirMule - is a revolutionary UAV that can fly like a
helicopter and evacuate wounded soldiers in its hull from any terrain.

Developed by Urban Aeronautics, the AirMule has vertical takeoff and landing
capabilities. The IDF Logistics Directorate is hoping that in the General
Staff's upcoming deliberations over the defense budget, it will secure the
funding to complete the development of the aircraft.

"This is a revolutionary system that can fly like a helicopter into a
battlefield and evacuate two soldiers at a time," a senior officer from the
Logistics Directorate said this week.

The IDF's interest in the AirMule stems from lessons learned from the Second
Lebanon War, when a large number of casualties needed to be evacuated by air. In
a future war, the IDF is concerned about the existence of surface-to-air missile
systems in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and the risk they pose particularly to
helicopters.

If budgeted under the IDF's upcoming multi-year procurement plan, the AirMule
could be operational within the coming five years and would likely be deployed
on a division level.

Another system, the Advance Guard, is a new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that
the IDF Ground Forces Command has been developing for long-range reconnaissance
missions.

The new UGV would operate like the Guardium, which is used along Israel's border
with Gaza for routine patrols.

The Advance Guard's basic configuration will carry a number of video cameras,
with the ability to connect to the IDF's digital army network and transfer data
between other land systems. It will also be capable of carrying a variety of
lethal and non-lethal weapons.

"This UGV would be able to go ahead of a force and scout out what is happening
before sending troops ahead," an officer in the Ground Forces Command explained.

A third system, called the Flying Elephant and under development by Elbit
Systems, is also awaiting an IDF procurement budget. A long-range
power-propelled parachute, the Flying Elephant is capable of carrying supplies
to troops operating behind enemy lines.

Powered by a propeller engine and launched by a catapult system, the parachute
uses a special handle to lift cargo once airborne. It then use GPS to locate the
landing site and has a level of accuracy of approximately 30 meters within the
designated coordinates as well as an operational range of approximately 30
kilometers.

"This will help us get supplies to forces operating behind enemy lines in a way
that does not endanger soldiers," the officer from the Logistics Directorate
explained.

Lastly, the IDF's Combat Engineering Corps is developing a new robot to uncover
and neutralize improvised explosive devices. The robot, which uses an automatic
navigation system, would enter enemy territory ahead of troops and serve as a
"tracker" with the capability to detect hidden bombs.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: THE NEW robotic systems of interest to the IDF are pictured:
AirMule, a revolutionary UAV, and Flying Elephant, a long-range power-propelled
parachute. Guardium, already in use, operates much like the Advance Guard - a
new UGV under development by the IDF - will. (Credit: Courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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628 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Obama campaign slams Romney's policies ahead of his arrival in Israel

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 482 words

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney might have pledged
not to criticize US foreign policy while on a trip to Europe and Israel that
began Thursday, but the Obama campaign did not hold its fire.

Obama's team held a conference call with national security figures Thursday
challenging Romney's positions and international approach.

"He doesn't bring any real national security experience for the issues at hand.
He doesn't have foreign policy experience," charged Gen. Wesley Clark, former
supreme allied commander of NATO, who sought the Democratic presidential
nomination in 2004. "We think the American people deserve to hear an alternative
view if there is a challenge. Not just baseless bromides and tired, hackneyed
phrases from the Cold War."

In another move perceived in some quarters as an attempt to undercut Romney's
efforts to reach out to Israel and Jewish voters on his trip, US President
Barack Obama will hold a signing ceremony for a bill enhancing US-Israel
security cooperation on Friday.

The bill, which had wide swaths of bipartisan support and was strongly lobbied
by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, will enhance intelligence
cooperation, American commitment to Israel's qualitative military edge and other
aspects of the bilateral relationship.

Romney began his trip in Britain, where he will attend the Opening Ceremonies of
the 2012 Olympic Games. He is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday.

His campaign wants to highlight his successful stewardship of the Salt Lake City
Olympics in 2002, which he put back on track after severe mismanagement.

But his attendance at the Olympics was not without potential political pitfalls.
Many American Jewish organizations have been lobbying for a moment of silence to
be observed during the Opening Ceremonies in observance of the Israeli athletes
slain in Munich 40 years ago, a request turned down by the International Olympic
Committee.

Last week, the White House weighed in to say it supported the minute of silence,
and Romney originally stayed mum on the issue before eventually endorsing the
remembrance this week.

Though the IOC has not changed its position, a number of other groups have
decided to hold their own moments of silence, including the US Congress, which
commemorated the massacre on Thursday morning.

"We have written repeatedly to the IOC to urge them to reconsider and
re-reconsider their position regarding the moment of silence, and the response
we received repeated the same meaningless excuses the IOC has clung to year
after year," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), chair of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, said at the event.

"We know why the IOC has refused: Because the murdered Olympians were Israelis,
and the IOC does not want to draw the ire of foreign governments who still
object to the very existence of a Jewish state in the homeland of the Jewish
people."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Mitt Romney (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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629 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

The only thing Israelis really know about GOP candidate is that he is not Obama

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 735 words

What do Israelis think about presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt
Romney?

It is a question that will be heard many times before the US elections. It is a
question that will be asked by journalists looking for an angle in the run-up to
the November 6 ballot. And it is a question that will be asked by American Jews
as well as by Christian supporters of Israel.

For most the answer will just satisfy curiosity; for a few it might actually
sway a vote.

For Israelis at this point in the campaign, after a grueling primary season and
just before the Republican National Convention, the answer is simple.

As Benny Cohen, prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's former spokesman and a partner in
a leading Tel Aviv public relations firm, put it, "Israelis don't know anything
about him."

They are likely to learn more over the next few days as the media covers his
36-hour visit that will begin Saturday night. But right now, Romney - for
Israelis - is largely an unknown quantity.

Like people everywhere, Israelis are pretty much concentrated on themselves and
their own problems. Their knowledge of US politics begins and ends with a few
big-name politicians who have been around a long time and have spoken out on our
issues.

Sen. John Kerry is a familiar name here, as is Sen. John McCain - both because
of their presidential runs. Even, maybe, Rep. Eric Cantor or Sen. Dianne
Feinstein. People were familiar with the late senator Ted Kennedy, and they knew
of Joe Biden even before he became vice president.

But Romney? A one-time Massachusetts governor without any track record on
Israel? Why should the average Israeli know anything about him?

Some Americans know him from his leadership of the Salt Lake City Winter
Olympics in 2002. But that event - let alone the management of that event - did
not have much resonance here.

Any Romney name recognition among the public largely comes from the primaries
over the past few months, and speeches he has given blasting US President Barack
Obama for his Middle East policies. Few Israelis have ever heard of Bain
Capital, where he used to work. Few can tell you what his religion is (Mormon).
Fewer still can say where he stands on issues beyond Israel.

With Syria imploding, Egypt dramatically changing and Iran spinning its way to a
nuclear weapon, the US election has not yet become a dominant issue in the
Israeli media. As Cohen said, neither the Hebrew press nor the politicians are
paying that much attention yet to the campaign. Until they do, Romney will
largely remain unfamiliar.

What the Israeli public does know about Romney is that he is not Obama - reason
enough, in the minds of many, to like him.

A poll carried out by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies last month
asked Israelis who would better promote Israel's interests, Obama or Romney.

Twenty-nine percent said Romney, while 22% said Obama. Fully 49% said they
didn't know, an astounding figure considering that Israelis generally - but not
always - like and trust sitting US presidents.

What is also telling about that figure is that Romney outpolled Obama, even
though he has absolutely no track record on Israel.

Romney's rhetoric is good - he says all the right things regarding the changes
in the Middle East and Iran - but he has no paper trail. Nevertheless, more
Israelis believe he will be better for the country than Obama.

The reason seems to be a lingering distrust of Obama. Though polls show that
Israeli attitudes toward the president have improved since the beginning of his
term, he has still - for many - not passed the "kishka" test.

Israelis, always feeling vulnerable, want an American president who not only
likes Israel the way he likes Taiwan or New Zealand, but loves Israel, feels
something special toward it. That is why Israelis liked George W. Bush, and also
why they liked Bill Clinton - though many disagreed with his Mideast direction.
Still, Clinton went out of his way to demonstrate deep personal friendship for
Israel. Obama - more cerebral, less emotional - has not done so.

Obama, even when everyone from President Shimon Peres on down attests to the
unprecedented security cooperation he has overseen, has not transmitted to the
Israeli public a feeling of caring for the country in a special way.

Does Romney have that "warm place in his heart" for Israel? Nobody seems to know
yet. His trip here will be Israel's first real chance to gauge that for itself.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Galilee Medical Faculty in Safed to receive 14 hectares of state land for campus

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 345 words

Ten hectares (about 25 acres) of state land on the southeastern edge of Safed
have been set aside for the permanent campus of the Galilee Faculty of Medicine.

A government ministerial committee approved the request this week by the faculty
- which is owned and run by Bar-Ilan University.

BIU director-general Haim Glick reported that an additional 4 hectares will be
allocated later for the campus, which is being constructed overlooking Lake
Kinneret and is due to be completed in six years. Until then, students at the
medical school - who completed their first two semesters this year - will
continue to study in an old Ziv Hospital building in Safed.

The Faculty of Medicine has signed cooperation agreements with a number of
hospitals in northern Israel, including the Poriya Medical Center near Tiberias,
to upgrade equipment and facilities used by students in the clinical phase of
their studies in local hospitals.

Medical school Dean Prof. Ran Tur-Kaspa said that its first year was successful
for 250 medical students and 60 others in advanced medical research.

The announcement of approval for providing the land for the permanent campus was
made at a ceremony marking the completion of renovations on classrooms at
Poriya.

"What is happening in the Galilee is a miracle," said Glick. "We were sent to
carry out a holy mission of developing the Galilee and advancing medicine. We
feel a powerful experience through brainstorming and cooperation, all aimed at
advancing and improving the faculty of the medical faculty and health in the
entire area," he added.

Poriya director-general Dr. Ya'acov Farbstein thanked BIU for its major
investment in his hospital to improve conditions for medical students during
their years of clinical work.

"I have no doubt that the medical school will boost the Galilee, which will also
built a scientific center including complex medical industries. After the first
year of studies, I believe we are raising the next generation of physicians. I
hope at least some of them will remain in the Galilee when they complete their
studies."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A PROJECTED IMAGE of the future Galilee Medical Faculty campus
in Safed. (Credit: Courtesy BIU)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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631 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

From Jean-Baptiste to Bon Jovi

BYLINE: SARAH HONIG

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 1790 words

Nineteenth-century novelist and editor of Le Figaro Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr
might not be the name which instantly crops up when considering famous French
literati, but he is paradoxically ever-relevant to our Israeli reality. Why?
Because in January 1849 he observed in his satirical monthly Les Guepes that
"plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose."

The English adaptation of his remark is "the more things change, the more they
stay the same."

This truism is nothing less than invaluable for understanding the news which
keep mercilessly bombarding us even in the midst of what's supposed to be the
sweltering summertime's silly season. Each new headlines appear to overshadow
the previous sensation. But should we be shocked in the first place? Or are we
being cleverly manipulated by agenda-merchants?

If we took a leaf out of Karr's journal, we wouldn't have been surprised by any
recent events. Insight fortified by hindsight would have steeled us against
attempts to mess with our minds.

Take the sad case of Moshe Silman's self-immolation. There are various
psychiatric predispositions to dramatic suicide by fire. This has become a not
uncommon form of radical political protest.

On August 17, 2005, Yelena Bosinova, 54, left her trailer home in Kedumim for
the last time. It was two days after Ariel Sharon had kick-started his
disastrous disengagement folly. Yelena wanted to reach Gush Katif to express
solidarity with the Jewish residents, whose expulsion was then starting. But she
was stopped at a police roadblock near Netivot. She couldn't continue nor get
over the fact that the Kadima-led government was callously indifferent to
dissent.

Believing that she'd make it impossible to ignore anti-disengagement protests,
she set herself on fire. It took her nine days to die.

But the more profound tragedy perhaps was that the Left-dominated media which
dictates our mainstream's preoccupations couldn't care less. Bosinova barely got
mention and was largely dismissed as an oddball, if not a certifiable nutcase.
Why, was the inference, would any normal person make the ultimate sacrifice for
some obscure altruistic cause?

Bottom line - no one remembers her. It's as if she never existed and as if her
horrific act never happened. Perhaps we only remember those whom opinion-molders
have a vested interest in promoting.

Thus Silman's horrific act was presented to unsuspecting news consumers as
unprecedented, as a defining moment of monumental proportions, as the outcome of
dreadful despair that might finally bring down the government which the media
moguls abhor.

Both Bosinova and Silman inspired copycats, but in stark contrast to the
dismissive attitude toward her, there were no carping comments about his mental
health. Unlike her, he elicited maudlin sympathy, which was played to the hilt.
Here the inference was that the ultimate sacrifice isn't unreasonable for
non-altruistic financial grievances.

The identical anti-Netanyahu ardor came into play as Kadima began to
ignominiously disintegrate. No emphasis was placed on its origins as the
dishonorable illegitimate product of the machinations of Sharon and his coterie
of self-serving cohorts. Incredibly Kadima was lamented as the luckless casualty
of another "corrupt Netanyahu scam."

But this too was a mere rerun. Earlier, when Kadima headliner Shaul Mofaz took
his party out of the coalition a scant 10 weeks after he entered it, he afforded
another opportunity to sock it to the prime minister whom bias-disseminators
love to hate.

As they did with Silman, they presented Mofaz too as Bibi's hapless victim. The
villain of the piece was the prime minister, who couldn't in all fairness be
expected to commit political suicide by spurning all his allies just to further
Mofaz's transparent prestige-enhancement ploys.

Mofaz's belated loathing for the Tal Law was furthermore disingenuous,
considering that the very Kadima administration in which he featured prominently
had in 2007 extended it, well after the legislation's shortcomings were all too
evident.

Forgotten was the fact that Mofaz joined the government almost immediately after
Netanyahu opted for early elections, as early as September 4. To postpone
Elections Day Mofaz climbed on the coalition bandwagon but scrambled right down
as soon as the September danger dissipated. It served the distortionist cause
better to present Mofaz's latest flip-flop as born of desperation.

This ruled out highlighting the fact that Mofaz actually reverted to type, that
his about-turns are hardly unexpected or new.

When Sharon broke away from the Likud to found Kadima, Mofaz in a righteous pose
sent out letters to all party central committee members assuring them that he
won't take the expedient course because "you don't leave home." But before the
mailman managed to deliver the envelopes, Mofaz had expediently left home.

That was just the first in a long inventory of embarrassing slip-ups and abrupt
zigzags. Mofaz won Kadima's top slot only to be dragged against his will, his
bravado notwithstanding, to new elections. He next called Netanyahu a liar and
vowed vehemently never to enter a Bibi-led coalition. So what if, as we were
reading his lips, Mofaz deftly performed a volte-face and linked his fortunes to
Bibi's (for the short haul)? His position-reversals were always to be
anticipated. Nothing new. The more things change....

The Ariel University kerfuffle constitutes yet another example of cynically
induced amnesia. Here too was a pretext to hammer the government. This time the
veteran universities, some smaller and more limited in scope than Ariel, posed
as Netanyahu's victims.

If Ariel were recognized for exactly what it is - a university - they, the older
institutions, would be denied budgets. We all know how cash-strapped they
already are (their wastefulness aside). Yet another university would make them
so much worse off.

The fact that Ariel has a student body of 13,000 didn't quite matter. The
premise seemed to be that these students needn't be considered or catered for,
regardless of the courses they take, research they do or degrees they earn. Some
are less desirable than others, especially if the objectionable sorts attend
class just beyond the Green Line. The fact that Ariel looms large in the
Settlements Bloc blueprint and is slated to remain Israeli under any deal
couldn't mitigate the intuitive antagonism.

However, for the sake of historical accuracy it must be noted that although
Ariel is Israel's first outside-the-Green-Line university, this story too isn't
strictly-speaking new.

Indeed, it's repeated almost compulsively each time a new university appears on
Israel's map (even when incontrovertibly inside that hallowed Green Line).
Jerusalem's Hebrew University threw a terrifying temper tantrum throughout most
of the1960s and into the early Seventies -for almost an entire envy-driven
decade- when Tel Aviv University took off. Israel, the argument was shouted
indignantly from every available lectern, didn't need any more universities.

At the time, Hebrew U had near-exclusivity, fearing no competition from the
engineers of the Technion, the religious then-diminutive Bar-Ilan and even
smaller Weizmann Institute (which offers no undergraduate degrees).

But secular, ambitious and comprehensive TAU signified a fierce threat and
consequently drew heavy fire from its infancy. No dirty trick was spared either.
No holds were barred. The case put forth most stridently and recurrently was
that the upstart interloper would devour budgets that could otherwise go to the
truly deserving halls of academe....

Sound familiar? It should.

But the been-there-heard-that impression is hardly limited to our own domestic
shenanigans. What-was is apparently what-is elsewhere too. That must be why the
US-sponsored Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) not only excludes Israel from
its deliberations but assiduously refrains from counting Israelis among victims
of terrorism.

There's a perverse logic here. It follows the old Russian adage that "there's
something disagreeable about Jews because they're always associated with
unpleasant things like pogroms." Any connection to Israel in any context is sure
to sour the Obama administration's best-laid plans to appease the Islamic world
and pretend that the progenitors of terror can be reliably recruited to combat
it.

There's no room for input from Israel which has amassed more than a little
expertise in counterterrorism, while there's active courting of such outstanding
Wahabi strongholds as Saudi Arabia which has amassed more than a little
expertise in exporting terror. It, after all, gave the world Osama bin Laden,
most of the 9/11 perpetrators and lots more of that ilk.

It's unrealistic to expect much from the GCTF, hyped as "a major initiative"
when Obama's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched it last September. It
was programmed from the get-go to be Judenrein.

A GCTF "high-level" conference on terrorism's targets in Spain earlier this
month omitted mention of Israelis. Worse yet, it wasn't merely the 11 Muslim
states within the 30-member forum who made-believe we don't exist. Maria Otero,
US undersecretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights,
speechified at length about "victims of terrorism," but, alas, didn't allude to
Israelis.

Are we surprised? Hardly. We're used to it. From way back.

For instance, in 2005, while condemning global terrorism, Pope Benedict XVI
lamented bloodshed in Britain, Egypt, and Turkey. For some reason, Israel wasn't
listed on his roll call. That predictably raised a few eyebrows and the pope was
reportedly miffed because we dared take offense.

Subsequent attempts to whitewash the oversight only made matters worse. The
Vatican contended that Benedict cited only "recent incidents." Nonetheless, a
suicide bombing in Netanya on July 11, 2005, came after the July 7 targeting of
London's mass transit passengers and the human toll in Netanya was greater than
that of the Turkish outrage which followed later.

And lest any of us dismiss this as an isolated glitch, the pope repeated it this
week when in his traditional Sunday blessing he expounded on his "deep shock" at
the "senseless violence" in Aurora, Colorado, but made no reference to the
slaying of Israeli tourists little over a day earlier in Burgas, Bulagria.

No matter. We get the point. Our blood tends to be invisible for the pope and
Otero too.

This brings us to the immortal lyrics crooned by Jon Bon Jovi:

The new improved tomorrow isn't what it used to be.

Yesterday keeps comin' 'round, it's just reality.

It's the same damn song with a different melody...

You know the more things change

The more they stay the same.

Never and forever

Just keep comin' back again.

www.sarahhonig.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANOTHER TACK. If we took a leaf out of Karr's journal, we wouldn't have
been surprised by any recent events

GRAPHIC: Photo: JEAN-BAPTISTE KARR. 'The more things change, the more they stay
the same.' (Credit: Courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

632 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

In need of leadership

BYLINE: URI SAVIR

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 1250 words

For 70 days we waited, with bated breath, for the historic decision, promised to
Israel by the odd couple of our political system - Bibi Netanyahu and Shaul
Mofaz - to create, after 64 years, a shared balance of burdens in serving in the
army and society. The outcome of endless and futile committees and negotiations
was, as predicted, no history and no decision.

The governmental coalition has shrunken to 64 MKs - Bibi and his traditional
allies of the extreme Right and the ultra-Orthodox; a coalition that will not be
able to pass a law replacing the Tal legislation, and probably will not be able
to accomplish much, except possibly the expansion of some settlements.

Elections are in the air, likely to be held in the beginning of 2013. It comes
at a time when Israel is at strategic crossroads on virtually all the important
domains that determine the security and the well-being of the country.

We thus need to ask ourselves three important questions:

1) Are we better off than we were four years ago?

2) What are the strategic decisions that need to be taken by the next government
to ensure a safer and better future?

3) What is the nature of the leadership that Israel needs to face these
strategic challenges?

There is hardly an important field related to our national existence in which
Israel does not face a dramatic crisis. It is not just about being worse off
than four years ago, it is sadly about a grave deterioration of our national
security and well-being.

In the region, we have lost the alliances we had with two out of the three
leading Muslim countries - Egypt and Turkey. Furthermore, our regional posture
has been gravely affected by the Arab Spring. Official Israel always preferred
the comfort of stable relationships with pro-Western Arab dictators to dealing
with Arab public opinion in a more democratic process, given the Islamist
tendencies of the Arab political landscape and the hostility for our handling of
the Palestinian issue. Instead of meeting these challenges, the government is
hypnotized by the illusion of a nonexistent status quo. Much of this is linked
to the total stalemate on the Palestinian issue.

Instead of a possible two-state solution, we have a plague on both our houses,
and many more houses in the settlements. The Arabs and the Palestinians bear
their share of the blame, yet it is primarily up to us to make a strategic and
historical choice to divide the land - according to a partition accepted
internationally, including by the United States - on the basis of the 1967 lines
(with mutual land swaps), or to condemn future generations to live in a
binational state, neither Jewish nor democratic.

Right now, Netanyahu is proceeding hand-in-hand with the settlers toward the
doomsday scenario, which would completely isolate us both in the region and in
the international community, also in relation to the all-important Iranian
issue.

Domestically, our society has in the past four years undergone a dangerous
polarization on many fronts, including in the growing gap between the haves and
the have-nots, as expressed in the protest movement of 2011, which has emerged
despite some macro-economic stability. The schism within Israel is on the verge
of creating social unrest, such as between religious and secular, Jews and
Arabs, new immigrants (especially Ethiopians) and veterans, Left and Right.

These social crises are paralleled by a democratic crisis. Our parliament is
striving not to control the executive, which is by definition its role, but
rather to control the judiciary. The Right did not miss a rhetorical or judicial
opportunity to undermine the clout of the High Court of Justice and to enact
quasi racist legislation.

So four years later we are not only worse off, but we face possibly the most
severe crises, in relation to our regional security, our Jewish and democratic
identity, our social cohesion, and justice and our democratic system. There is a
need for a national rescue based on historic and strategic decision-making of
the next government. Most of the country already knows what the necessary
directions and decisions are:

* A divorce from the West Bank and the settlements in favor of a two-state
solution, with stringent security measures, strengthening our strategic posture
in the region and our legitimacy in the world, also in relation to the need to
build an anti-Iran coalition;

* A new social covenant, in which there is a return to the basic values of the
Declaration of Independence - respect of the other, of human rights and of
minorities;

* A more involved government vis-a-vis social services to reduce the gap between
the haves and the have-nots; and

* A clear balance between the legislative, executive and judicial branches,
through basic laws, or preferably a constitution.

Yet most of the country is also resigned and disillusioned by petty politics and
politicians.

In other words, the next election must be held with a view that Israel is in
need of revolutionary reforms and strategic, historic decisions. In the 2013
election we are not just looking for a new government, but also for new and real
leadership.

Historically Israel had two types of leaders: the fathers of the revolution -
the founding fathers of the state - and the sons of the revolution, mostly
people who rose from the army into politics.

The fathers of the Israeli revolution took the most dramatic strategic and
historic decisions: the creation of the state, the creation of one army (the
IDF), the ingathering of immigrants, the creation of a growing and just economy,
a wide spectrum of international relations, victories in war, and the beginning
of peace. Among them, the outstanding ones were David Ben-Gurion, Menachem
Begin, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.

They acted according to strategic visions of the future, which could be achieved
only with courageous decisions; vision, values and courage that turned Israel
into a dramatic success story.

Then came the sons of the revolution, who are many but in leadership are most
typified by Barak and Netanyahu. Aids to the historic leaders, brave IDF
commanders, yet politicians of a new brand, technocrats led by popularity and
partisan consideration, without the courage of the fathers and mothers to take
unpopular and historic decisions.

The apple fell far from the tree; today's Israel is the result of the actions of
both types of leadership.

Given the crossroads at which we find ourselves, in the next election we must
seek new leadership, one that can lead us into the next stage of the Israeli
revolution - toward peace, security, social justice, cohesion, a prominent place
in the family of nations, and a vibrant liberal democracy.

Who are such leaders? It is easier to answer who they are not - Bibi Netanyahu
(and Ehud Barak for that matter). It is almost taken as a forgone conclusion
that Bibi will win the next election. Well, it doesn't have to be that way. The
people of Israel know that they deserve and need better.

Yet without any grand leaders on the horizon, the next leadership could be as in
many European countries - a team leadership, such as Tzipi Livni and Shelly
Yechimovich, or Yair Lapid and Ehud Olmert, Gabi Ashkenazi and Meir Dagan; we do
not lack gifted, value-driven and courageous people.

First and foremost we need to comprehend what is at stake for the next Israeli
government, and that we are in serious need of profound change.

The writer is president of the Peres Center for Peace and served as Israel's
chief negotiator for the Oslo Accords.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SAVIR'S CORNER

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

633 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

J'lem police chief accused of sexually assaulting officer. Nisso Shaham forced
to take leave pending probe into alleged misconduct

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN; Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 573 words

Jerusalem police head Asst.-Ch. Nisso Shaham was forced to go on leave beginning
Thursday morning, following reports of sexual assault against a policewoman.

The Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department said Shaham was
questioned on Wednesday on suspicion of sexual harassment, indecent assault and
improper sexual relations, after an undercover investigation.

Cmdr. Nissim Edri, the head of the capital's Zion precinct, was also placed on
administrative leave due to the suspicion that he was aware of Shaham's actions
and did not take appropriate action as required by law.

The details of the investigation are under a partial media gag order. Police
Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino appointed Manny Yitzhaki to the position of temporary
head of the Jerusalem district. Yitzhaki was Shaham's deputy until he left about
a week ago to oversee the Lahav 443 special investigative unit. Shaham did not
appoint a new deputy in the interim.

Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby declined to comment on the issue.

In a statement released by his office, Danino said he had "full faith" in the
Jerusalem Police, and urged officers to concentrate on the issues at hand such
as security during Ramadan and the annual gay pride parade rather than the
ongoing investigation.

Shaham was appointed Jerusalem district head in May 2011, and during the past
year he has focused his efforts on haredi neighborhoods. Some of his major
victories include ensuring that Egged buses can drive through Mea She'arim and
that sidewalks are not separated by gender during Succot.

Shaham captured headlines in 2005, when he was the deputy head of the northern
Negev district during the disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Shaham was filmed
while briefing subordinates about the evacuation of protesters from Moshav Kfar
Maimon, during which he told police officers to use batons against anyone
refusing to evacuate and said "let them all burn, those [expletive] settlers."
Shaham was fined for the incident but did not issue a formal apology until 2007.

Since 2005, right-wing activists have considered Shaham an enemy of the
settlement enterprise. When he was tapped to be deputy head of the Jerusalem
district in 2007, the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel petitioned the High
Court of Justice against the promotion based on his comments during the
disengagement.

"We said the public wouldn't have any belief in him, and we thought that if
someone acts this way it is clear that he's not suitable to be a commander,"
Legal Forum spokesman Shmuel Klein said on Thursday.

Far-right activist Itamar Ben-Gvir said it was "symbolic" that Shaham was forced
to take leave on the eve of the anniversary of the 2005 disengagement, which is
on Sunday.

"Only the police and the public security minister didn't internalize the fact
that they're talking about a rude man who is involved in crime and should not be
a candidate for inspector-general," MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said.

MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) praised the police for "sending a message of zero
tolerance for sexual harassment, even if it involves senior officials."

The 54-year-old Shaham is married to Asst.-Ch. Varda Shaham, the deputy head of
the police's Investigation and Intelligence Unit. The couple have three
children.

Shaham grew up in Jerusalem's Kiryat Hayovel neighborhood and started his career
as an undercover police officer in his own backyard. He has been in the police
force for 30 years.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: Nisso Shaham (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

634 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

A battle for two cities

BYLINE: JONATHAN SPYER

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 899 words

The Syrian regime is pouring all available resources into its defense of the two
main cities of Syria: Damascus and Aleppo. While simultaneously constructing an
Alawi enclave in the northwest, the Assads understand that maintaining control
of these central urban areas is vital to maintain their claim to constitute the
government of Syria. Lose the cities, and Bashar Assad's regime will come to
constitute just another sectarian force in a Syrian civil war.

As of now, the dictator's forces appear to have largely succeeded in their
mission in Damascus. In Aleppo, the battle is still on. Those who began last
week to prepare eulogies for the Assad regime have once again spoken too soon.

This is because while the balance of power in Syria is slowly shifting in the
rebels' favor, the essential cause of the stalemate between the sides remains.

The rebels are now far too numerous and powerful for the regime to entertain
hopes of re-imposing its authority throughout the entirety of the country in the
foreseeable future. Assad simply does not have sufficient manpower to carry out
an effective campaign of counter-insurgency throughout the country.

A considerable portion of Syria has now slipped beyond Assad's reach. In the
northeast, Syrian Kurds have established their own autonomous area with the help
of the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq. This enclave is aligned
with neither the regime nor the rebels.

In the northwest, in Idlib province, the regime has abandoned earlier attempts
to maintain its presence in rural areas. An area of rebel control now stretches
from the Turkish border to just west of Aleppo.

So the regime is following a strategy of scaling down the area it seeks to
control and making a supreme effort to ensure that in these designated areas,
its authority remains intact and not open to appeal.

This strategy is enabling Assad to hold on because while he no longer has the
manpower to hold the whole of Syria, he still possesses sufficient equipment and
men to decimate his opponents at any (limited) chosen point in the country. The
lightly armed rebels still have no effective answer to air power, artillery and
heavy armor.

This pattern played itself out in Damascus this week. The appearance of the
rebels in the capital dramatically showcased the weakening hand of the regime.
The illusion of normality that Assad had nurtured in the capital for 16 months
was shattered. This, combined with the successful attack on the national
security building in Damascus, was an ominous sign from the regime's point of
view.

The regime then rallied its most reliable and brutal forces. Republican Guard
Commander Maher Assad's 4th Armored Division began to drive the rebels from the
districts into which they had inserted themselves. As of now, the vital Midan
and Mezzah districts are back in government hands. Sporadic fighting is
continuing in some southern suburbs of the city, including Hajar al-aswad and
Qadam.

The regime is trying to repeat this pattern in Aleppo following the liberation
of districts of the city by the Free Syrian Army earlier this week. Aleppo is
the largest of Syria's cities, with a population of 2.5 million. Control of the
city would mean the inclusion of a major urban area in a rebel-held enclave for
the first time. It would also represent an enormous further blow to the morale
of the regime forces.

For these reasons, the regime is utterly determined to prevent the loss of the
city. In line with its strategy of retreat and consolidation, the government has
withdrawn forces from the Jebel Zawiya area of Idlib province and rushed them to
the defense of Aleppo.

Jebel Zawiya, an area with a long tradition of resistance to centralized
authority, is one of the heartlands of the revolt. The regime's concentration of
forces toward Aleppo is in effect a conceding of Jebel Zawiya to the rebels, at
least for the moment. This is being undertaken to save what can - and from
Assad's point of view what must - be saved.

The regime is approaching the pacification of Aleppo with its usual
single-mindedness.

Fixed-wing aircraft have been used to strafe rebel-held areas in the city.
Helicopter gunships also kept up a steady fire. Their use underlined the vast
difference in equipment between the two sides. Yet the regime's preference for
air power also suggests a reluctance to commit ground forces unless absolutely
necessary. Assad's preference for the use of stand-off fire has been notable in
recent months. It may well suggest that he can no longer rely on the loyalty and
steadiness of parts of his own army.

Still, it is unlikely that Aleppo will fall to the rebels, so the essential
contours of the stalemate are likely to continue to prevail. For as long as they
do, thousands more will continue to die in the Syrian civil war, as the rebels
slowly endeavor to hollow out and grind down Assad's killing machine.

To change the balance and push forward, what the rebels need is greater
international involvement - most importantly, air cover to establish secure safe
zones, training and higher caliber weaponry.

External assistance for the rebels has made the gains of the last months
possible. But more will be necessary if the balance is to be tipped in the weeks
ahead. So as Assad scorches the Syrian earth, the question as to how long this
will continue now largely depends on attitudes in the West, and above all in
Washington.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ARAB WORLD. Bashar Assad is scaling down the areas he seeks to control,
but is making a supreme effort to hold on to Damascus and Aleppo

GRAPHIC: Photo: Damaged buildings are seen in Damascus this week. (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

635 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Photo - LEAVE YOUR SHADOW BEHIND

BYLINE: Judy Siegel

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 136 words

LEAVE YOUR SHADOW BEHIND. A new exhibition at the capital's Bloomfield Science
Museum, 'Footprints of Light,' contains some 20 interactive exhibits that create
colored images and text using regular or laser light. Visitors can create
colored text and pictures that don't have to be erased. The secret is
photochrome, with a changing molecular structure. Special sandals leave
footprints on the floor and then disappear. There's a spray that erases graffiti
and a sculpture that draws pictures by itself. Stand in the light, and your
shadow will appear and remain for a while. Curator Dr. Amir Ben-Shalom said the
museum has filed American and European patent applications for one of the
technologies used. The exhibition, designed and built by museum staff, is
suitable for all ages and will be on view for around a year.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: LEAVE YOUR SHADOW BEHIND. A new exhibition at the capital's
Bloomfield Science Museum, 'Footprints of Light,' contains some 20 interactive
exhibits that create colored images and text using regular or laser light.
Visitors can create colored text and pictures that don't have to be erased. The
secret is photochrome, with a changing molecular structure. Special sandals
leave footprints on the floor and then disappear. There's a spray that erases
graffiti and a sculpture that draws pictures by itself. Stand in the light, and
your shadow will appear and remain for a while. Curator Dr. Amir Ben-Shalom said
the museum has filed American and European patent applications for one of the
technologies used. The exhibition, designed and built by museum staff, is
suitable for all ages and will be on view for around a year. (Credit: Bloomfield
Science Museum)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

636 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Knesset: Women able to sue for more years of unequal pay. Car ownership no
longer bar to income support

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 386 words

Though in the past few months the Knesset seemed to focus on replacing the "Tal
Law" and on various configurations of the coalition, social issues were on many
MKs' minds, with several such bills becoming law in the 2012 summer session that
ended on Wednesday.

The Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee, led by MK Haim Katz (Likud),
kept its title as most productive legislative committee, passing 64 private
member bills, 49 government-proposed bills and 154 ordinances since the 18th
Knesset was voted in in 2012. Of those, 16 bills and 13 ordinances were approved
in the summer session.

"The social bills that have become law show that we faithfully acted for the
greater good," Katz said.

Several of those social bills were approved this week.

One, proposed by Katz and Kadima faction chairwoman Dalia Itzik, allows women to
sue for five years' back pay, if their salary is lower than that of a man in the
same job.

According to Itzik, the current law, under which women can only demand two
years' back pay, prevents them from getting the compensation they deserve. She
added that without her amendment, the law led many women to claim violations of
the Equal Opportunity Law, which are harder to prove in court.

"This is an important step toward equality between men and women in the
workplace," Itzik explained. "The Knesset stands in support of working women in
Israel."

Another law approved this week determines that ownership of a car does not
automatically disqualify a person from receiving guaranteed minimum income from
the state.

Labor chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich, along with Shas MKs Amnon Cohen and Avraham
Michaeli, proposed the bill, which says only ownership of two cars or one car
worth more than an amount determined by the Welfare and Social Services Ministry
is a reason for reducing benefits.

"It took years of negotiations for such a basic matter to pass," Yechimovich
said. "A person can own a jalopy and still live with dignity."

Other social legislation from the summer session include regulation of assisted
living institutions and the rights of their residents, and granting IDF handicap
status to soldiers injured during the first 30 days of vacation.

In addition, National Insurance benefits for Israeli citizens involved in
terrorist attacks against other Israelis were cut by 50 percent.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Haim Katz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

637 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

For whom the bells toll? Why, the Olympics, of course. Chimes to announce
official start of Games today. Opening ceremony to feature farm animals, but no
memorial for slain Israeli athletes, despite international pleas

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 852 words

LONDON - Bells will ring in unison throughout the UK on Friday morning,
heralding the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London later in the day.

Big Ben, Parliament's iconic clock tower, will strike 40 times at precisely 8:12
a.m. for three minutes - the first time it will chime out of sequence since
1952, when it tolled to mark the death of King George VI.

The website of the bell-chiming initiative, which is the brainchild of Turner
Prize-winning artist Martin Creed, called for Britons to ring any bell they own
at precisely the same time, without forgetting to be polite.

"Please remember it is your responsibility to ensure that you respect your
neighbors," Allthebells.com reminded the public. "Please let them know in
advance that you will be ringing; they might even want to join in."

The Games' opening ceremony, directed by Scottish filmmaker Danny Boyle, will
start at 7 p.m. Some 10,000 athletes from 204 participant states will march in a
packed Olympic Stadium waving flags and posing for photos. Besides the usual
dancers, this year's elaborate show will feature 70 sheep, 12 horses, 10
chickens and nine geese, highlighting the country's pastoral tradition.

It will not include a moment of silence for the 11 Israelis whom Palestinian
terrorists killed during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, despite pleas by
Israel, Germany, the US and other countries. Families of the slain sportsmen
gathered in London on Wednesday to denounce the International Olympic Committee
for its decision not to honor their loved ones at the opening ceremony on the
40th anniversary of their deaths.

"They were not accidental tourists," Ankie Spitzer, the widow of slain fencing
coach Andre Spitzer, told reporters. "They came with dreams and came home in
coffins."

The IOC has said the ceremony was not an appropriate venue for such a memorial.
Its president, Jacques Rogge, held a "spontaneous" moment of silence for the
murdered athletes at the Olympic Village on Monday.

Meanwhile, other Olympic controversies have taken place over the past few days
even before a single javelin has been thrown.

Members of North Korea's women's soccer team on Thursday were appalled when they
were accidentally shown on a giant screen beside the flag of South Korea, their
country's archenemy - causing them to storm out of the stadium in protest.

"Of course the people are angry," North Korea's Olympic representative Ung Chang
told Reuters Television, speaking in London. "If your athlete got a gold medal
and [showed] the flag of some other country, what happens?"

The flag flap, which might be likened to organizers accidentally playing the
Iranian national anthem instead of Israel's "Hatikva", prompted a quick apology
from the highest elected official in the land.

"We shouldn't over-inflate this episode," Prime Minister David Cameron weighed
in. "It was unfortunate, it shouldn't have happened, and I think we should leave
it at that."

The same day, Cameron was involved in another embarrassing incident involving
presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

During a meeting between the two men, Romney accidentally insulted his hosts by
saying the organization of the Olympics thus far was "disconcerting."

The British premier immediately fired back with a barb.

"We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling
cities anywhere in the world," he said. "Of course it is easier if you hold an
Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere," referring to the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Utah that Romney helped organize.

The Olympics were last held in London in 1948, an event remembered for its
post-war austerity. Both London and the Games have since undergone immense
change. The Games are now a mega-event with a strong commercial aspect that
draws athletes and tourists from every corner of the globe. Meanwhile, London is
fully recovered from the bombing it suffered during the Blitz. Though it is no
longer the capital of an empire and is currently feeling the effects of the
global economic downturn, it remains an international hub of finance, commerce
and culture.

Still, as Romney alluded to - much to his detriment - if one is expecting the
kind of efficiency or sheer magnitude that was on display at the 2002 Games in
Beijing, one might be disappointed. Recognizing their pros and cons, organizers
of the Olympics in London never hoped to outdo the Chinese in those fields.
Instead, they focused on highlighting British cultural contributions to the
world, environmental awareness and attention to detail, and they say they are
pleased with the results.

"The London Games remain an example of the vision not being changed," said
Sebastian Coe, chairman of the 2012 Olympics and winner of four Olympic medals,
including the 1,500 meters gold in 1980 and 1984. "It wasn't just a sales pitch.
It is a spectacular illustration of the power of the Games to change peoples'
lives and change the face of a city," he said.

"Of all recent host cities, London can claim to be the one that has done the
most to ensure its venues and facilities do not turn into white elephants after
the games," Coe said.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: ISRAELI GYMNAST Valeria Maksiuta trains at the O2 Arena
yesterday before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. ISRAELI WINDSURFER
Shahar Zubari sails in a practice session yesterday ahead of the start of the
London Olympic Games. (Credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters. Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

638 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

B'Tselem video shows IDF soldiers head butting Palestinian

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 610 words

A four-minute video, released Thursday evening by B'Tselem, shows a soldier
head-butting and kicking a Palestinian teen the day before.

The IDF said it was investigating. But it noted that the video, which has time
lapses, does not show the whole incident.

"During routine activity in Hebron, a group of Palestinians refused to identify
themselves," the army said.

One of the Palestinians then attacked a commander who arrived on the scene, an
IDF spokesman said. "This was not shown in the video."

"On the face of it, it appears as if the video was edited in a way that was
biased and does not represent the [entire] event," he said.

The video was shot from an apartment above the scene, by Zidan Sharabati, a
volunteer in the camera distribution project of B'Tselem - The Israeli
Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories.

Initially six Palestinians, four of whom appeared to be younger than 15 years
old, are seen standing next to a soldier at a military checkpoint near an
apartment housing Jewish families, known as Beit Hadassah, in an area of Hebron
under Israeli control.

The soldier holds out his arm and seems to point at one of the young
Palestinians, as if to indicate that they should move back.

Thair Ghanam, 17, puts his hand on the soldier's arm.

The soldier briefly places Ghanam's arms behind his back, and then lets him go.

He then motions the group to head to the stone wall of a nearby building.

In the next shot, two soldiers can be seen pushing a Palestinian, apparently
Ghanam, against the wall, who appears to be flailing his arms. The two soldiers
pull him into the road, and one soldier pushes him down the road.

Ghanam has his hands up, and the soldier holds him by the collar and shakes him.

"Am I creating a disturbance?" Ghanam asks in Hebrew.

"You are creating a disturbance," the soldier says, suddenly head-butting
Ghanam.

"OK," Ghanam says, in a calm voice. "I am creating a disturbance."

Still holding him by the collar, the soldier stands him against the wall. Ghanam
keeps repeating, "It's OK."

Then the soldier kicks him and tries to push Ghanam's legs out from under him.
The soldier then pushes Ghanam back onto the road, and appears to hold him by
the ear.

Blood can be seen around Ghanam's mouth. He manages to free himself from the
soldier and walk away, with the soldier following.

In the next shot, Ghanam's hands are tied behind his back and the soldier is
walking him down the road.

In the last shot, the two are walking, and Ghanam is blindfolded. He is then put
into an IDF jeep.

B'Tselem spokeswoman Sarit Michaeli denied IDF assertions that the video was
edited. But, she said, it is true that it was not shot in continuous sequence.

Sharabati, the volunteer who shot the film, did so in small digital files,
Michaeli said. B'Tselem placed those files in sequence as they occurred into one
video, she said. "We did not drop or cut any footage."

According to Michaeli, both Ghanam and Sharabati claimed that none of the
Palestinians assaulted the soldiers. She noted that the IDF released Ghanam
later that night. "If he was suspected of assaulting an officer, why was he
released?" she asked.

Michaeli added that Ghanam was treated at Aaliya Hospital in Hebron for a broken
nose.

The incident comes in the midst of a number of violent interactions between
Palestinians and soldiers in the city.

On Thursday evening, the Border Police arrested a Palestinian woman in her 20s
near the Cave of the Patriarchs. She tried to pepper-spray soldiers standing
guard there. Border police arrested her and found that she was also carrying a
knife. They said they feared she had planned to attack Jewish worshipers at the
cave.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A VOLUNTEER for B'Tselem filmed this video of a soldier and an
Arab in Hebron on Wednesday. (Credit: B'Tselem)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

639 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

The Olympic Games and 'illegal occupation'

BYLINE: CHIEF RABBI WARREN GOLDSTEIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1213 words

As the nations of the world gather for the Olympic Games, flags wave proudly in
the wind, representing the more than 200 participating countries. Every flag
represents a country marked by borders which determine the athletes'
nationality.

Borders create national identity, not only in sports but in everything cultural
and political, and yet they are artificially - and often arbitrarily - drawn by
human beings, dividing one territory from another, sometimes using natural
barriers like rivers and mountain ranges and often resulting from a quirk of
fate.

South Africa is one example: its present borders date back to 1910. Prior to
that European colonialists had dispossessed the indigenous African population
and established the Cape Colony, Natal and the early Boer Republics of the
Transvaal and Orange Free State.

After the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), these all became one country called South
Africa. Its northern border is the Limpopo River. If you live on the southern
bank of the river you are South African, and on the northern you are Zimbabwean.

What does the "South African nation" mean? It's the same in across the world.
Someone who lives on one side of the Niagara Falls is American and on the other
is Canadian.

What makes these nations different? Who drew up these borders in the first
place? They were drawn up arbitrarily by force of circumstances; is that enough
to form nationhood?

Evidently, it is: So much hinges on a border, which is merely an imperfectly -
and often capriciously - drawn line. Indeed, the arbitrary nature of
international borders has caused many conflicts. Some of the worst bloodshed in
recent history has resulted from these borders. Rwanda and Iraq are classic
examples of how European colonial powers drew borders on a whim and thereby
created countries, bringing together people of different cultures, religions and
ethnicities and forcing them into a unitary state, the consequences of which
were disastrous.

Among the many national flags at the Olympic Games, there is one that represents
the most ancient of the nations, the only one which exists with its original
land, language, religion and values as it had when it was born thousands of
years ago: Israel. It is also the only country on earth whose original borders
are not artificially nor arbitrarily created by human beings but delineated
clearly in the Bible, a book which came into the world more than 3,330 years
ago, authored by G-d Himself. As the Torah states (Numbers 34:1-12): "G-d spoke
to Moshe saying... This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance...
Your southern border shall be from the edge of the Dead Sea to the east... The
border shall go around from Atzmon to the stream of Egypt. The western border
shall be for you the Mediterranean Sea... This shall be for you the northern
border... The border shall descend and extend to the bank of the Kinneret Sea to
the east.

"The border shall descend to the Jordan [River], and its outskirts shall be the
Dead Sea..."

In 1947, the United Nations allocated a much smaller portion within these
borders as the area for the modern State of Israel. Since the Six Day War many
countries have declared Israel's presence in the West Bank an "illegal
occupation."

One can argue that to achieve peace and for other socio-political and
humanitarian reasons a Palestinian state should be established; but to call
Israel a "colonialist occupier" is absurd. How is it possible that the only
nation in the world whose borders are not arbitrary, and who has an ancient,
unbroken connection to its land is accused of illegal occupation? It is a
particularly bitter irony when young nations of the world, barely a hundred
years old themselves, accuse the oldest nation of all of colonialism, and deny
its right to exist within its ancient borders.

Modern-born countries, such as South Africa and others, arrogantly seek to label
goods from the "occupied territories," and yet they were not even a glimmer on
the horizon of human history when there was already a Jewish state in the Land
of Israel. Thousands of years before the United States, or Britain, even
existed, ancient Israel was a thriving Jewish country with great cities such as
Jerusalem, Shiloh and Hebron and many others which the world today classifies as
the "West Bank" but which the Hebrew Bible calls Judea and Samaria. Since Joshua
conquered the land about 3,300 years ago there have been three Jewish
commonwealths and an unbroken Jewish presence in the Land of Israel.

The audacity of those who contest Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is
historically bizarre and unconscionable. Three thousand years ago the great
capitals of today did not even exist; there was no London, Paris, Washington or
Moscow - but Jerusalem was a Jewish city, and it was the capital of the Jewish
state. Since the Roman conquest of Israel about 2,000 years ago, Jews mention
the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple at every wedding and funeral; we
pray for their rebuilding in every prayer service and every time we say Grace
after Meals. If Jerusalem is not the capital of the Jewish people and the Jewish
state, then the very concept of a capital city has no meaning.

The Olympic Games officially open on the 27th of July. It is remarkable that on
the Jewish calendar this date corresponds to Tisha Be'av - the very day which,
more than any other, demonstrates the eternal Jewish connection to Jerusalem and
Israel. It is the fast day on which we mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and
the Temple some 2,500 years and then again, almost 2,000 years ago. (This year,
due to Shabbat, the fast is postponed to Saturday night and Sunday.) Generation
after generation, every Tisha Be'av, Jews mourn these and other calamities of
Jewish history. On this day, synagogues throughout the world will be shrouded in
darkness as the ancient Book of Lamentations, authored by the prophet Jeremiah,
is recited.

The Sages of the Talmud teach us that the pain and mourning of Tisha Be'av
contain the seeds of future redemption. It is not only a day of sorrow, but also
of repentance and reconnection with the Divine moral mission and destiny of the
Jewish People. There is a well-known legend of Napoleon Bonaparte walking into a
dimly lit synagogue on Tisha Be'av night. He asked why the congregants were
sitting on the floor reciting mournful prayers, and was told they were mourning
the destruction of Jerusalem and their Temple some 1,800 years before.
Reportedly, Napoleon then said that a nation which remembers and is connected to
its historic mission and destiny in such a way will one day regain its land,
Jerusalem and its Temple.

Perhaps this year the kings, presidents and world leaders gathered in London for
the Olympic Games will follow in the footsteps of Napoleon and find a synagogue
to enter on Tisha Be'av. Maybe then they will finally appreciate the eternal
Jewish connection to Israel, Jerusalem and the values of the Torah. Maybe then
they too will understand the Divine mission that has sustained the oldest, most
resilient and ever-vital nation on earth, which has seen so many others burst
onto the stage of history only to disappear forever. Maybe then they too will
glimpse the truth of the world's eternal nation.

The writer is chief rabbi of South Africa.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SINAI TODAY

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

640 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Living testimonies

BYLINE: CARL HOFFMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1319 words

Dorothy Parker, American poet, short-story writer, critic and satirist, famously
referred to Los Angeles as "72 suburbs in search of a city." For this very New
York City-oriented author and raconteur, Los Angeles simply did not look, feel
or behave anything like what she regarded as a "city."

Similarly, watching news reports on CNN about the fledgling new country of South
Sudan, one sees images of Juba, the nation's capital, appearing to most of the
cable network's Western viewers as not much more than a huge sprawling village.
But Juba - established as a trading post by a few Greek merchants in 1922 - is
now universally acclaimed as a city, not a village or a town.

So what exactly is a city? This is the underlying question that runs through an
engaging new photographic exhibition called "The City Show," currently on
display at the Center for Contemporary Art in Tel Aviv. Curated by Yanai
Toister, who informs us, "I'm not really a curator. I'm an artist - an artist
who curates," the exhibition is presented with the assistance of the Goethe
Institute and comprises 40 images by 19 Israeli and German artists. The Israelis
photographed mostly in Israel; the Germans throughout the world. The images run
an intriguing gamut of everything from half-built houses near Petah Tikva to
vacant lots in Inner Mongolia; from small settlements in the Golan Heights to
abandoned hotels in Ukraine; and from the archeological remains of ancient
cities in the Negev to a city being built in Abu Dhabi.

Says Toister, "I think the most important thing that I would like a spectator to
leave this exhibition with is perhaps an idea of what a city is today. When does
a village stop being a village and start being a city? When does a city stop
being a city and start being a megacity or megalopolis? Obviously, the answers
to these questions are abstract, vague. That's one important issue that I'd like
to bring up - what constitutes a city. Is it just its human inhabitants, or a
type of construction? What is a city?

"An important thing that I would like to note also is that as far as I'm
concerned, the definition of a city is not only something that is independent of
size but also something that is very difficult to frame within the definitions
of time. Is an archeological excavation a city? Is Abu Dhabi a city? Will it
ever be a city? Does a city require the type of urbanism that we are familiar
with? Those are the issues that are coming to the surface here."

Visitors expecting to find some sort of "celebration of the city" in this
exhibition are certain to be disappointed. There are no charming views of Paris,
exciting vistas of New York or breathtaking studies of spectacularly designed
buildings in Singapore or Dubai. The images are, by and large, somber and
straightforwardly grim. A few, like a photo of construction workers riding in
ski lifts over an empty, blighted landscape, are whimsical in the style of
"deadpan photography," but most portray scenes that many would describe as ugly.
Toister says, "Well, if you want magazine photography, you might as well turn to
a magazine. This is an art gallery. Our responsibility is to present a view of
more complex narratives."

BUT DO those narratives constitute a study of the city, or an indictment? Do the
photographers in this exhibition have a problem with urbanism? "No, we don't
have a problem with urbanism." Toister insists. "And it's not for me to say
whether urbanism as we have known it is good or bad. I don't think that there is
an indictment here at all. As far as I'm concerned there is no moral judgment. I
don't think that 'decay' or 'urban decay' is ugly. It certain cases, and
actually here, it's quite charming."

And yet, in his introduction to the exhibition's catalogue, Toister informs us,
"In his Planet of Slums, Mike Davis contends that in the future, urban
population will not live in cities as we know them today. Instead, it will be
based in megaslums, in which various policing forces will fight with armed
militias over the control of billions of people living in the gutters,
surrounded by chemical waste and exposed to all kinds of pestilences."

Predictably then, the exhibition duly includes two quite compelling images of
present-day urban slums: one spreading around a swamp in Lagos and the other
sprawling along a canal in Manila.

But there are also photographs that say something quite different - images of
cities being built in Abu Dhabi and Ma'aleh Adumim, an empty lot marked out with
surveyor's chalk in Mongolia and the archeological remains of cities in the
Negev and the Golan that vanished thousands of years ago.

Says Toister, "A lot of the images here - I would say most of them - don't fall
within the clear borders of the traditional definitions of a city. Many images
are of what we might call 'pre-city' conditions. Others are of 'post-city'
conditions. For example, we have images of Shivta and Halutza, which were
Nabatean cities. We have an image from an archeological excavation at Sha'ar
Hagolan. Thousands of years ago, this was a major urban center, much more
important than Tel Aviv is today. And we have images of what are supposed to be
cities of the future, such as Abu Dhabi. And neither of the two poles - pre-city
or post-city - actually come closer to the city as we know it today. My
intention in any case is to present the two opposite poles, the two different
polarities within the spectrum of what might be called 'the city.'"

The exhibition is displayed in two galleries, one upstairs from the other. From
a special vantage point on the second floor, the viewer can see the two
photographs - one upstairs and one downstairs - that Toister considers to be the
key pictures of the exhibition, a decaying building in Shoham (the oldest photo
in the exhibition), and a decaying building in Inner Mongolia. The two pictures
are virtually identical - same perspective, same background, same color and
lighting and what almost looks like the same decaying building. This, according
to Toister, is another point that the show is making: that places are like other
places elsewhere in the world. The equivalency between the building in Shoham
and the one in Inner Mongolia, along with other pairs of similar images, is
meant, says Toister, "to demonstrate that certain contemporary issues here in
Israel aren't unique to Israel, but are rather more in line with general urban
sprawl and planning issues."

The alert viewer is likely to notice that there are very few human beings in the
pictures of this exhibition. The few that appear seem almost to be added to
provide size perspective for the scene, rather than as an integral part of the
story. "It just seemed like a better way to tell the story," Toister explains.
"Humans tend to get stuck on images of other humans, and therefore tend to avoid
or miss the story altogether. This was a way to tell a narrative that is more
complex, more complicated."

There are no explanatory signs or cards anywhere near the photographs.
Information sheets are available on tables outside the galleries. The images on
the walls are displayed without comment. Toister wants nothing to get between
the image and the viewer.

Whoever comes to see this show will likely leave with at least one image stuck
in his or her head that simply refuses to go away. For this viewer, there were
two. One is a photo of what appears to be a bombed-out, gutted post-World War II
Berlin, which, upon later investigation, turns out to have been taken in 2009.
The other is a garishly colored, almost surrealistically lit abandoned street
corner in the ruined inner city of Detroit, which looks like it was painted by
Edward Hopper after coming back to life in a post-apocalyptic nightmare world.

"The City Show" is on display until August 24 at the Center for Contemporary
Art, 5 Kalisher Street, Tel Aviv. For further information, call (03) 510-6111 or
visit www.cca.org.il.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The curator of 'The City Show' is trying, through 40 photos by 19
artists, to give viewers an idea of what makes a city

GRAPHIC: 6 photos: Sibylle Bergemann, 'Berlin, Germany,' 2009. Thomas Meyer, 'Al
Quoz,' Dubai, UAE, 2009. Yosaif Cohain, 'Man with a Cat, Ramat Hagolan,' from
the series 'Sukkoth-Temporary Dwellings Permanent Dwellings,' 1992. Julian
Roder, 'Sawmill and Workers Houses,' Lagos, Nigeria, 2009. Dawin Meckel, 'The
Abandoned Eddystone Hotel and the Harbor Light Center,' Detroit, 2009. Andrej
Krementschouk, 'Former Restaurant in Hotel Pripyat,' Prypiat, Ukraine, 2009.

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

641 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

College city

BYLINE: JOHN BENZAQUEN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 1016 words

Last week, I saw an Australian film called The Lighthorsemen. It tells the story
of the capture of Beersheba by the Australian Light Horse Brigade, which was
part of the British Imperial Army in World War I. The town, if can be called
that, is shown as a cluster of buildings built around seven wells. Water was the
reason for the capture of the town - water for the thirsty British army on its
way to capture Jerusalem.

The film, which was released in 1987, is based on historical fact. On October
31, 1917, 800 soldiers from the Australian 4th and 12th Regiments of the 4th
Light Horse Brigade under Brig.-Gen. William Grant charged the Turkish trenches
and with bayonets and breached the Turkish defense line between Gaza and
Beersheba, capturing the wells. On the edge of Beersheba's Old City is a British
Commonwealth cemetery containing the graves of Australian and British soldiers
who fell in the campaign. The town also contains a memorial park dedicated to
the 4th Light Horse Brigade.

Located in the northern Negev Desert, Beersheba today has over 200,000
inhabitants and is the seventh-largest city in the country.

The site of the city is linked to the Patriarch Abraham, who, according to the
Bible, dug a well, planted a tamarisk tree and tended his flocks in the area.
There is no historical evidence of this, and the archeological site of Tel Be'er
Sheva is from a much later period.

The city itself was founded in the 19th century by the Turks when it was still
part of the Turkish Empire. They made it into a government center with a police
station, a small military garrison and, of course, a prison to control the
unruly Beduin tribes in the area.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Beersheba was portrayed by Europeans who
visited the area as a barren stretch of land with a well and a handful of Beduin
living nearby.

The town as we know it today has its beginnings in 1948, when it was captured by
the Israeli army and all its 4,000 inhabitants were expelled.

Beersheba has grown considerably since then. A large portion of the population
is made up of immigrants from Arab countries - mainly Morocco - who came to
Israel during the '50s and '60s. During the '90s, the population was boosted by
immigrants from the former USSR and Ethiopia.

Institutes of higher learning, namely Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the
Shamoun College of Engineering, have a strong bearing in the vibrant real-estate
scene in Beersheba.

Shechuna Alef, one of 17 shechunot (neighborhoods), is currently inhabited by
approximately 10,000 people or 3,250 households. It is located in the vicinity
of the central bus station, bordered in the northwest by Meshahrerim Avenue, in
the east by Regev Avenue and in the south by Tuvia Avenue.

When the government started settling new immigrants in the late '40s and early
'50s, it built four transit camps and called them Alef, Bet, Gimmel and Dalet.
Alef, a shanty town of wooden tin-roofed huts, was the first transit camp and it
was located in the vicinity of the old town in the area of the present central
bus station.

In the late '60s, the government began to upgrade the area. It built four long
blocks of flats, each with four entrances and four residential stories.

The upgrade of Ma'abara Alef was not concluded for nearly 20 years. In the early
'90s, Israel experienced large waves of immigration from the USSR, which was
then in the process of disintegration. In consequence, eight-story apartment
blocks with large four-room apartments were constructed.

Today, private developers are building modern high-rise apartments in Beersheba.
The Dimri development company is building the Sokolov Towers, two 28-story
residential towers which, when completed in early 2014, will be the highest
buildings in the city. More than 200 four- and five-room apartments, lofts,
mini-penthouses and penthouses are being built to the very highest technical
standards.

Itzik Duev, the Anglo-Saxon concessionaire for all of Beersheba, Omer, Lehavim
and Meitar, told Metro, "Demand for real estate in Alef is brisk and because the
Shamoun College of Engineering is located in Alef, demand for housing from
students is very strong and usually demand outstrips supply. To the best of my
knowledge, investment demand for real estate in Beersheba is among the highest
in Israel."

And with good reason: There are approximately 25,000 students in the city, a
very large number for a population of 200,000, which works out to 12.5 percent
of the population.

An average three-room apartment in Alef can cost NIS 430,000. The annual average
rent is NIS 24,000, with an annual yield of nearly 6%. At the current rate of
returns on capital, these are excellent yields.

According to rough estimates, 75% of the current population of Alef is made up
of students who live in rented accommodation.

Duev added that investment demand "is driving prices up in Alef - not
dramatically, but prices are rising nevertheless, and in this area the price is
very closely linked to rental yields.

Currently, the average price for a three-room apartment built in the '60s or
'70s ranges between NIS 400,000 and NIS 440,000. A four-room apartment costs
between NIS 550,000 and NIS 600,000. In the newer, eight-story blocks, a
four-room apartment costs between NIS 650,000 and NIS 750,000 and a five-room
penthouse costs between NIS 950,000 and NIS 1 million.

In the new Dimri Sokolov Tower, a 135-sq.m. apartment costs between NIS 920,000
and NIS 1,050,000.

Recent real-estate transactions

A four-room, second floor, 102-sq.m. apartment in a 30-year-old development was
sold for NIS 535,000.

ÊA four-room, 105-sq.m. ground-floor apartment in one of the eight-story
buildings built in the '90s was sold for NIS 605,000.

A four-room, 85-sq.m. apartment on the fourth floor of an old building in dire
need of renovation was sold for NIS 425,000.

ÊA four-room, 105-sq.m. apartment in a 15-year-old building was sold for NIS
685,000.

A three-room apartment in an old building was recently rented for NIS 2,400 a
month, and a four-room apartment in one of the eight-story blocks was rented for
NIS 3,450 a month.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Beersheba has a vibrant real-estate scene due to its high proportion of
students. Neighborhood Watch

GRAPHIC: Photo: The Shamoun College of Engineering has a strong impact on the
real-estate scene in the area. (Credit: Courtesy Israel Bleicher)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

642 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Plugged in and ready to go

BYLINE: MAURICE PICOW

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 2783 words

David and Aviva Rose were among the first private individuals to receive a
Renault Fluence ZE car from the Better Place electric car company in April.
Since then, they have driven it more than 10,000 km., and they have nothing but
praise for the battery-powered vehicle.

"We received our car on April 4 and did our first battery swap on May 26," says
David, referring to the battery-exchanging stations that the company has opened
across the country to accommodate the new cars, as an alternative to gas
stations. "The average time it has taken to switch the battery has been around
four and a half minutes - about the same time it takes to go through an
automatic car wash."

The Roses, who made aliya from Maryland in 1980, now live in the pastoral
community of Vered Hagalil, just north of the Kinneret. Aviva, a teacher and
counselor, drives the electric car to and from work daily. David hopes they will
soon be able to drive it all the way from Vered Hagalil to Eilat; more
battery-exchange stations are set to come online in the Negev and Arava regions
within a few months.

The Roses are not alone. After more than four years and much anticipation, the
country's first Fluence ZE owners are now taking to the roads in their 100%
electric cars. Better Place's long-awaited launch of 100 of these cars in
January began with a dream by company founder Shai Agassi and the blessing of
the Transportation Ministry back in 2007. The first stage of the company's
countrywide electric car network is now in place, including several
battery-exchange stations in select locations such as Yokne'am, Elyakim, Hadera
and Yarkonim.

"The idea from the beginning was to establish the charging and battery-exchange
network before the cars go out on the road," says Julie Mullins, who works in
communications and marketing development at Better Place.

She explains that each car purchaser enrolls in a monthly service and logistics
agreement with the company, which includes the electricity necessary to charge
the 250-kg. lithium ion battery pack, and enables the car owner to switch the
spent batteries at the company's exchange stations for free.

"At present, there are around 10 of these switching stations already online in
Israel, and several more will be ready in two or three months, enabling drivers
to extend their cruising beyond the average of 140 km. from a fully charged
battery," she says.

In addition to the battery-switching stations, Better Place installs a blue
"charging post" at the purchaser's residence, allowing the owner to recharge the
battery at night when overall electricity rates are lower. It takes around eight
hours to charge fully.

David Rose hopes the car will help reduce air pollution, saying that while he is
aware that electric company power plants use fossil fuels, "the pollution these
plants cause is still much less than overall air pollution caused by cars on the
road."

He adds that people still think his car is a hybrid and keep trying to find the
gas tank.

ELIYAHU AND Shira Smiles, who made aliya 10 years ago from the US on one of the
first Nefesh B'Nefesh flights, received their car in May and have since put
slightly more than 3,500 km on it, mostly on trips outside their home in Ramat
Beit Shemesh.

"People in my neighborhood are mostly religious Jews of American and French
origin. They seem to like the idea of this kind of car, and others are thinking
about buying one," says Eliyahu Smiles, a Mississippi native.

He says he opted for the minimum distance agreement with Better Place, which is
20,000 km. a year and includes all logistical assistance and other benefits.

"They first gave us a 50-percent discount on the monthly service agreement due
to not all charging and battery-switching stations being set up yet; and [the
discount will be in effect] until more stations are in operation," he says. He
received a further price reduction for having signed up in advance for a
four-year plan.

His wife drives the car to her job in Jerusalem three times a week, he says.
"She isn't able to recharge the battery at her job, as there is no facility
available. But so far, she has enough juice in the battery to get there and back
to Beit Shemesh."

Drivers who work for companies that have leasing agreements with car rental
companies like Albar, Eldan and Avis will soon be able to lease the ZE cars as
well. Because these drivers travel mostly to and from work - usually no more
than 50 km. a day on average - they can leave the car to charge at the company
while they work, and drive home on a full battery.

Asked why he decided to buy the car, Smiles points to the Jewish concept of
tikkun olam, or repairing the world.

"Jews like to find ways they can help improve the world in which they live," he
says. "Because of the environmental advantages of owning this kind of car, it
seemed like the right thing to do."

The Smileses' longest trip so far was from Beit Shemesh to Sderot and Netivot,
and then on to Jerusalem. They charged the battery at the Mamilla Mall and later
returned to Beit Shemesh. In each direction, he adds, they switched the battery
in Kiryat Gat as well. They have also taken the car to Rachel's Tomb in the West
Bank.

So far, he is happy with Better Place's service.

"The car has an on-board computer and GPS that 'gets to know' each driver and
can calculate how he or she drives in order to save electricity," he explains.
"The computer can also tell drivers whether or not they can make it to their
destination before needing a recharge or battery swap."

However, he acknowledges that the system has its limits, noting that the
software is "a work in progress like any computer" and that the software program
does not function properly if he leaves the computer's USB in activation mode.

"You only need the software to plan trips, as the company's tech support center
figures everything out. Someone who doesn't know computers might get confused,
though," he says.

In addition, he believes that not using accessories like air conditioning will
enable the car to travel further. "I can see this happens during the hot months
of July and August when use of an A.C. is necessary," he says.

He doesn't know what kind of service he can expect from Better Place later on,
but as of now, he is satisfied.

SO IS former Londoner Brian London, who also received his car in May.

"I was a real petrol guy as far as cars were concerned and have driven all types
of cars, including luxury models like Mercedes Benz and Toyota's Lexus. I went
to a presentation that Better Place had for their car network idea that included
a movie in which the company founder, Shai Agassi, talked about the need to wean
the world off dependence on fossil fuels. This made me start thinking about this
alternative transportation concept. I was really impressed afterward, after
seeing a caravan of them traveling on the highway - the first batch of cars
delivered in January."

London, who arrived in Israel with his family three years ago, took a short test
drive in one of the cars at the Better Place center in Pi Glilot.

"I was very impressed by the car's silence and handling qualities that reminded
me a lot of how high-priced luxury models feel. Yet here was a car that was
being sold for considerably less money - NIS 123,000 for the basic model and the
monthly usage agreement that went along with it. I had been in the market for a
new car, due to my oleh rights to purchase a car [with reduced taxes] nearly
expiring. I was able to purchase this car for a lot less than my target purchase
price, including the service agreement," he says.

Like Rose and Smiles, London took out the minimum usage agreement of 20,000 km.
a year, as he did not drive much on a daily basis.

"I usually drive about 40 km. per day," he says. "But now I want to drive more,
due to the way the car handles on the road. So far, we have driven around 3,600
km. since receiving the car on May 23. I've also exchanged the battery four
times."

He, too, opted for the four-year prepaid service and usage agreement, and
automatically received a discount.

His wife Keren is still reluctant to drive the car, he admits; she prefers to
drive a regular fuel-driven car.

Up to now, they have mainly taken the car on a couple of jaunts from their Ramat
Hasharon home to Jerusalem, and once to Beit Shemesh to see a concert. On their
first trip, to the capital's Mamilla Mall, they switched the battery in Modi'in.

"I was still a bit nervous about running out of charge in the battery. It later
turned out I didn't need to do this, as there would have been enough battery
charge since the Mamilla Mall now has Better Place charging posts in their
parking garage. On the second trip there, and after a four-hour charge at
Mamilla, we got back home with no problem."

Just in case, though, the company does provide extra assurance for its drivers:
According to London, the battery-swapping stations have at least one or two cars
available for car owners' use in the event that there are no charged batteries
on hand.

"This gives people extra peace of mind," he adds.

London's longest trip to date was a recent 306-km. business trip from his home
to the Tefen industrial park near Karmiel, which involved switching the battery
at the newly opened Vulcan Junction swapping station between Haifa and Karmiel.

"We were also helped by being able to charge the battery for three hours while
we conducted our business and had lunch at our destination," he adds.

On the down side, he says that at present his family still cannot go on
extra-long trips, such as to Mitzpe Ramon or to Eilat. He also says that driving
in hilly areas, such as the route to Jerusalem, requires extra power and throws
off the car's mileage calculation computer, which can calculate the energy
needed in flat areas to within 98 percent accuracy.

"I have already noticed that when driving in hilly areas that require more
energy usage, the energy usage discrepancy increases to 10%-15%. This means that
this much additional energy usage has to be taken in account when driving in
these areas, such as to Jerusalem and other hilly areas like the Dead Sea."

Compared to other cars he has driven, he says, the ZE performs well. "It's very
quiet on the road, doesn't shake or shimmy, and has amazing acceleration when
pulling away from traffic lights. One has to understand that while a
petrol-driven car has to go through its acceleration and gear sequence to reach
a certain road speed, the ZE car doesn't have this problem. It goes straight on
and reaches a desired road speed much faster."

In addition, he notes, "the ZE car won't wear out as fast as a petrol-driven
one. The electric motor is much more durable."

WHILE BETTER Place's road service infrastructure is now being implemented here
in Israel, other countries, such as Denmark, are taking more time to go on-line.

According to one Danish car news writer, although there are now around 500
Better Place charging stations in his country, the first battery-switching
station is only now about to become operational. He says that Better Place
delivered 76 Renault Fluence ZE cars last month, but he does not know how many
will arrive by the end of July.

In addition, he says, another Renault electric model, the ZOE (a smaller car
about the size of the Renault Cleo) is being introduced in Denmark, but it does
not have a switchable battery.

"Here, we can also buy the Nissan Leaf ZE car, as well as sport models like the
Tesla [an expensive sports roadster and coupe made by the US's Tesla Motors],"
he says. "The Fluence ZE car can also be bought here directly from Renault, but
one needs to also purchase the Better Place service agreement that goes along
with it."

Here, so far drivers are satisfied with their product, though London admits the
car isn't suitable for everyone.

"Anyone who uses a car to commute short distances to work, say no more than 30
km.-40 km. each way, will be comfortable with this car. But for people who drive
really long distances each day... it might not work out that well for them," he
sums up.

(BOX)

How it works

California native Julie Mullins joined the Better Place electric car enterprise
in August 2008. Having relocated to its first market, Israel, in January 2011,
she now works in the company's communications and marketing development division
and is involved in establishing the electric car network in Australia, Denmark
and the UK as well.

"If we were to explain what we are doing in one simple sentence, I can say that
we at Better Place buy electricity and batteries for these cars, and then
provide the infrastructure that goes with driving them," she says.

In order to market the car so it could compete price-wise with non-electric
models, as well as break into a high-volume auto market, Better Place decided to
separate the ownership of the car and the battery used to power the car. The
cost of the battery alone is around $12,000.

"This battery and car separation idea has enabled a reduction in price for the
car and also is better for the car purchaser," she explains.

People who buy the car sign up for a monthly service package agreement with the
company. These packages started at a minimum annual distance of 20,000
kilometers, which costs around NIS 1,100 per month (NIS 0.65 per km.). However,
the company is now reaching out to drivers who drive less on an annual basis,
and as a result it has reduced the minimum distance to 12,000 km.

"This distance reduction opens the purchase of the [Renault Fluence] ZE car to
customers who don't drive as much, such as retirees," says Mullins.

A car owner or leaseholder who agrees to purchase a three-year service agreement
receives an up-front discount of NIS 0.55 per km.

"For new owners, the service package agreement is more standardized than it was
when earlier purchasers were given special deals as an inducement," she says.
"The prices for the service packages haven't really changed, but we've
structured them on a per-kilometer basis to make the calculation simpler."

According to Mullins, Israelis will soon have other brands of electric cars
available as well, including a Citroen model, the GM Chevrolet Volt and the
Nissan Leaf. However, she points out, these companies will have less flexibility
when it comes to infrastructure.

"At present, only Better Place has an electric car infrastructure," she
explains. "This means that other electric car importers may have to enter into
an infrastructure agreement with our company, at least as far as recharging the
car battery. They will not be able to switch their car's battery, as only the
Renault Fluence car has an exchangeable battery."

The locations of the 10 battery exchange stations now in operation range from
Beit She'an to Kiryat Gat.

"We hope to have stations opening every week, with more in the South, toward
Eilat," she says. Other stations include the Vulcan Junction near Haifa and the
Yarkon Junction near Petah Tikva.

"We are now working with a large number of companies that want to sign up with
us, such as Cellcom and Matrix," she adds. "At least 200 companies are
interested in our concepts, and we are working on converting the desire of these
companies for this technology into orders for fleet cars for use by their
employees."

TAKING OUT one of the cars for a test drive turns out to be an experience of its
own. The acceleration is quick, since the car does not go though a gear-changing
sequence as gasoline-driven cars usually do.

"With an electric motor there is no wasted fuel, like in an ordinary car," says
Mullins, who has come along for the ride. True enough, the car responds well and
is virtually noise-free except for the sound of the tires on the pavement.

Mullins acknowledges that the power plants that supply the electricity for these
cars use fossil fuels like coal, heavy fuel oil and natural gas, but she argues
that the cars reduce air pollution on the roads.

"It's true that all power plants run on some form of fossil fuel - even though
natural gas is somewhat cleaner than the others. The idea, though, is that every
electric ZE car that is being driven means that much less air pollution on the
highways. We now have around 350 cars delivered and many more are on order."

She adds that when the offshore natural gas fields are finally delivering to the
mainland, this will mean less need for power-plant fuels like coal and oil.

"The idea is to eventually wean car drivers off depending on using petroleum as
an energy source," she says, expressing hope that solar and other forms of
renewable energy will one day be available as well.

"It's just a matter of time before the Israeli government realizes that there is
no choice other than to devote more efforts into developing renewable energy
projects," she say.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: On the whole, Better Place customers are satisfied with their product,
though they point to a few less convenient aspects. Box at end of text.

GRAPHIC: 4 photos: Inside a Better Place battery switching station. A car
charges at Better Place. Brian London with his new Renault Fluence ZE. (Credit:
Courtesy Brian London; Maurice Picow; Courtesy Better Place)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

643 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Haifa Museum opens contemporary Japanese art exhibition

BYLINE: Compiled MICHAEL OMER-MAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 1490 words

NORTH

As the Haifa Museum opened an exhibition on contemporary Japanese art, a
six-meter statue by a renowned Japanese artist was uncovered in the museum's
outdoor plaza this week.

The huge statue, by Japanese artist Kanji Yanobe, is called Sun Child and was
designed following the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear reactor
accident in 2011. Yanobe creates sculptures of figures and machines that are
intended to help humanity survive the present and the future. Following the
nuclear reactor accident, he began creating sculptures with characters wearing
radiation suits. The museum described the giant sculpture as the figure of a
child who looks like the 21st-century version of Michelangelo's David, wearing a
radiation suit.

The exhibition inside the museum, which holds the largest collection of
contemporary Japanese art ever in Israel, is presented in a 2,000-square-meter
space. It is sponsored by the Japanese Embassy in Israel and the Japan
Foundation to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two
countries.

Hang-glider pilot entangled in Golan power lines

A 37-year-old hang-glider pilot was moderately injured last weekend when his
parachute became entangled in electrical lines in the Golan Heights. The man
fell four meters after his parachute collided with the power lines. Magen David
Adom paramedics evacuated him by helicopter to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa
after providing initial treatment on the scene. The man's friends reportedly
told MDA paramedics that strong winds caused him to lose control of the hang
glider, leading to the collision and fall.

Man stabbed outside Haifa-area synagogue

A 25-year-old man was stabbed outside a Haifa-area synagogue over the weekend.
Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated the man to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa,
where he was listed in moderate condition. Police had made no arrests at the
time of this report and were investigating the incident.

CENTER

Ramat Gan looks to upgrade national stadium

Representatives of four international architectural firms arrived from Spain,
Germany and England to promote a redesign of the national stadium in Ramat Gan
this week, the Local website reported. The representatives, selected from a pool
of more than 20 firms, were invited to bid on the project and met with Ramat Gan
Mayor Zvi Bar, Israel Soccer Association president Avi Luzon and other
officials.

The plans for improving the stadium include increasing the number of seats to
55,000, adding commercial spaces, building recreational areas and improving the
efficiency of the stadium's land use, according to the report. The
representatives heard about the requirements of the project and toured the area
and the stadium itself. They will present their plans within six months. The
project is being jointly managed by the Israel Lands Authority and the Ramat Gan
Municipality.

Rosh Ha'ayin invests in JFK Street improvements

The Rosh Ha'ayin Municipality has announced that it will soon invest NIS 1
million in renovations and upgrades of the city's downtown John F. Kennedy
Street, the Local website reported. The street has not seen upgrades or
improvements for many years and is being added to a number of streets in the
city center being included in a renovation project to improve the city,
according to the report.

The roadworks have already begun and will continue for several weeks. Work
includes installing new drainage infrastructure, repairing the asphalt and
sidewalks and installing new landscaping and street lighting, Local reported.

Ra'anana reduces water consumption by 20%

The Ra'anana Municipality and its residents have reduced their water consumption
by 20 percent over the past year, the result of water conservation campaigns and
resulting increased awareness about environmental sustainability, the Local
website reported. The results, presented last week by Mei Ra'anana
director-general Nir Barlev, is also the result of increased wastewater
reclamation projects in the city, according to the report.

Bar-Lev also noted that the increased use of computerized drip irrigation
systems and weekly watering programs in the city and surrounding agricultural
areas were to be given credit for the reduction in water use. Ra'anana is
surrounded by 500 hectares (1,250 acres) of agricultural land, tended to by
local farmers, many of whom are second- and third-generation Ra'anana residents,
the Local reported.

Police, Tax Authority crack down on

TA money transfers to Africa

Police and the Tax Authority early this week said that they suspect Tel Aviv
area money exchange agents are transferring approximately NIS 1 billion annually
from Eritrean and Sudanese foreign workers to their families in their home
countries.

The exchange agents are suspected of committing tax evasion and money laundering
in carrying out the transfers. Authorities fear that some of the money may be
being transferred to terror organizations. Four exchange agents have been
arrested and were expected to face a remand hearing later in the week.

East Jerusalem man found drowned on TA beach

A man was found dead on Bograshov beach in Tel Aviv over the weekend, MDA
reported. Paramedics pronounced the man dead on the scene. The apparent cause of
death was drowning. Police identified him only as a resident of east Jerusalem,
and were investigating the incident.

SOUTH

Sderot youth seminar aims to ensure sustainable social activism

A group of high-school students from Sderot gathered at Kibbutz Gvulot this week
for a three-day educational and social seminar, the culmination of a year's
worth of social-work training in the southern town best known for the rocket
fire it sustains.

The group, participants in the Sderot Young Leaders organization, focuses on
training youth to become more socially involved in their community. Throughout
the year, they act as English-language ambassadors for their community, keeping
in contact with overseas communities. Another track of the program trains
younger students in computer repair, hoping to eventually provide working
computers to lower-income families throughout the country who would not
otherwise have access in their homes. The third track focuses on local volunteer
work, encouraging youths to sustainably improve themselves and their
communities.

The seminar at Kibbutz Gvulot included a workshop to provide English-language
instruction to Sderot youths involved in the program, to allow them to perform
more effective ambassadorial work. The students are expected to use their
English to tutor other youngsters. One of the main aims of the organization is
to encourage sustainable and continued social engagement. The English
instruction is also important because some of the youths later travel to the
United States.

The completely volunteer-run program is driven by a 19-year-old soldier on
active duty, who finds time to coordinate the organization's activities.. "He's
an exceptional human being," says Herb Levine, a volunteer with the program,
emphasizing that the youths involved in the program "have tremendous potential
and just need help developing it."

Although the center of much media attention in Israel and abroad due to the
danger posed by near constant rocket fire, Sderot lacks much of the community
organization and activities that young residents of cities in central Israel
enjoy, Levine explains. "Young people in Sderot are not getting what they
deserve," he says. Sderot Young Leaders aims to change that.

Summer road safety campaign kicks off in Eilat

The National Road Safety Administration (NRSA) began holding wide-scale public
service campaigns in Eilat this summer to raise awareness about road safety,
specifically aiming to reach young families. The three main topics of the
campaign, which began in mid-July and will continue through the end of August,
are the use of seatbelts and car seats; the use of cellular phones while driving
and driving while tired; and driving while under the influence of alcohol.

One of the activities is an information booth set up on the Eilat beach
promenade, where educational materials will be distributed. It will also include
workshops for youths as part of the Eilat Municipality's Safe Summer activities,
which will focus on the use of seatbelts and preventing drunk driving. The
campaign will also include a simulator that shows participants how alcohol
impairs their ability to control a vehicle. A radio campaign stressing the
issues is also being launched.

In addition, the NRSA is establishing rest stops for drivers in the Eilat
region, where beverages will be provided, along with educational safety
materials.

Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi says, "Along with improvements made to the Arava
road, which adds to the safety and security of residents leaving and entering
Eilat and of tourists arriving for vacation, we praise the NRSA," which has seen
it fitting to focus on the importance of targeted activities in Eilat during the
summer months.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

644 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Poly-dating

BYLINE: TAMAR CASPI SHNALL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 864 words

If your dating life has hit a lull and you're getting frustrated or you're back
in the dating game after a failed relationship, I have one (hyphenated) word for
you: Poly-dating. Yes, I made it up - but it will be in the dictionary
eventually.

The best way to get your dating life back on track is to actively date. That
means keeping your options open and dating more than one person at a time. If
you find yourself getting serious with one of your suitors than let the others
know. Until then, it's no one's business who - or even how many people - you're
dating.

I came to this conclusion a few years ago after wasting many months
corresponding with a guy I had met on a Jewish dating website but who lived in
another city. I made the mistake of thinking that it was the making of a serious
relationship and rather than go out and meet other people in person, I chose to
stay home and talk to him on the phone for hours. We had deep and meaningful
conversations; we exchanged personal information and talked about what we wanted
for our future. When we finally met and went on a date, we each soon realized it
wasn't meant to be - and I was livid with myself for having passed up on other
opportunities. I had ignored numerous emails from other suitors and turned down
a number of dates all because I thought I should be loyal to the guy I met
first. Silly me. Luckily these websites keep everything archived, and I was able
to later go back and let these men who had contacted me know I was available
again.

From then on I went on dates left and right (keeping in mind the advice I
received from my bubbie about accepting every date) and kept an open mind. Some
were one-and-done kinds of dates, others progressed to date No. 2 and a few
developed into something more. Even then, I was hesitant to stop poly-dating
until I felt confident that one of the relationships was becoming serious.

No one could fault me for poly-dating; many other people were doing it and I had
even been victim myself to the "it's gotten serious with someone else" breakup
spiel. We all have. You know that conversation: you've been dating someone for a
while and things are chugging along nicely. You're comfortable, enjoying
yourself and hoping to have "The Talk" soon. When the phone rings you're excited
to plan another date, but instead you get told that he or she has gotten serious
with someone else and wants to see where it's going. It's a tough conversation
to have but it's a common one, and so you should always react with class and
wish your former prospect luck.

Usually it's not such a blind-side though. Usually you know it's coming. Usually
you feel similarly and have even thought about making up another prospect just
as an excuse to put an end to your agony. Alas, most people don't want to jinx
themselves by pretending to have met someone awesome. After all, your date isn't
that bad; having him or her is better than being alone, and who knows, maybe
things will get better and the feelings will develop?

You can avoid settling by poly-dating. And once you realize one person isn't
worthy of your time, you can end things with him and either add someone else to
your rotation or concentrate on whoever is left.

As long as you're not lying to anyone about your status then you are not doing
anything wrong. Chances are, at the beginning, nobody is going to ask you if you
are dating anyone else because they are dating other people too. Eventually you
may have to 'fess up but, for the most part, what they don't know won't hurt
them. The only time you will ever feel bad is when a prospect who clearly isn't
poly-dating is really into you, forcing you to break things off. Don't lead
someone on when you have other prospects lined up. Cut him loose so that he can
meet someone else. That's life in the single lane.

Poly-dating not only increases your chances of meeting someone, but it also
keeps you from falling for any one person too quickly. If you're overly excited
about someone you've only "met" online, you need to be poly-dating. If you're
already sounding out your first name with his last name after one date, you need
to be poly-dating. If you're still not being asked out for Prime Date Night
after three dates and are instead sitting at home alone, you need to be
poly-dating. If you're telling people you have a girlfriend but said girl is
still claiming to be single, you need to be poly-dating.

Poly-dating is not being a player - you're not purposely out to hurt someone or
deceive someone. The one thing I caution against is getting intimate with your
suitors; once you take a relationship to that level, it's time to call it off
with all the others.

If you're out to meet your future spouse, spend your dates getting to know one
another, finding out what you have in common and seeing if you can spend long
periods of time together without just acting on the physical chemistry.
Poly-dating should be fun and carefree; don't act like you're on a job interview
or treat poly-dating like a chore because then you will come off either as
desperate or a bore. Keep dating as usual - just get out of the habit of
thinking that every first date should turn into a relationship.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dating more than one person at a time not only increases your chances of
meeting someone, but it also keeps you from falling for any one person too
quickly. Dating Games

GRAPHIC: Cartoon: (Credit: Pepe Fainberg)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

645 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Showtime

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 708 words

Theater booking

The Orto-Da theater company is launching a new series of literary-theatrical
encounters. On Wednesday at 8 p.m., The Little Prince Cafe (Cafe Hanasich
Hakatan) in Tel Aviv will host musician-writer Yali Sobol, following the release
of his new book, Fingers of a Pianist, which is based on life in Tel Aviv after
a future war, and literary critic Dr. Arik Glassner, who will talk about how
love and war are portrayed in Hebrew and world literature.

The program will be moderated by writer Sarah Blau, and will feature theatrical
slots based on excerpts from Sobol's book, directed by Orto-Da founder Avi
Gibson Har-El. The on-stage entertainment will be performed by actors from the
Nissan Nativ Acting Studio and will also include a theatrical dance work created
by Avigail Rubin and inspired by the writings of Sigmund Freud on man and
destruction.

For tickets and more information: (03) 751-1136 or www.orto-da.com

The magic of machines

This week, a fascinating new performance exhibition called "Sharmanka - The
Great Magical Machine Show," opened at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv.
Sharmanka is Russian for hurdy-gurdy, a stringed musical instrument that
produces sound by a crank-turned wheel rubbing against the strings, which are
manipulated by the fingers of the left hand.

The exhibition features a wide variety of musical mechanical concoctions
designed and built by Russian artist and architect Eduard Bersudsky. The display
comprises parts of Bersudsky's Sharmanka Kinetic Theater, which the Russian-born
artist built out of carved figures and pieces of old scrap. The mechanical
theater performs shows that relate comic and tragic stories of ongoing struggles
with mortal dangers, and celebrate the joys of life.

Bersudsky created the theatrical contraption in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad)
in 1989 and it has been based in Glasgow since 1996. "Sharmanka - The Great
Magical Machine Show" will be on display at the Eretz Israel Museum until
October 8, and shows, which are suitable for children ages four and up, take
place daily throughout the day.

For tickets and more information: (03) 641-5244 or www.eretzmuseum.org.il

Gutman's take on love

The Nahum Gutman Museum in Neveh Tzedek, Tel Aviv will mark the Tu Be'av day of
love with theatrical runs through the facility's exhibitions on Thursday.

The guided tours will be overseen by actors who will bring to life Gutman's
observations of love to life. Various figures from his works will "come to life"
as they convey the energies and spirit of different kinds of love, including
romance between couples, patriotism, the love of authors for the written word
and forbidden love. The tour will take place twice, at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

For more information: (03) 516-1970 or www.gutmanmuseum.co.il

Geva's objective archival display

A new exhibition of works by veteran painter, sculptor and installation creator
Tzivi Geva opened this week at the Ashdod Art Museum. The show is called
"Object, Transition" and is the result of protracted dialogue between Geva and
curators Yona Fisher and Roni Cohen Binyamini.

The idea for the exhibition was sparked by Geva's decision to dismantle his
south Tel Aviv studio of 15 years and to move the contents to new premises. He
utilized this relocation phase to readdress his works and to adopt an archival
angle on his creations, taking in aspects that relate practical uses of artistic
objects, ready-made works, politic elements and items that he had abandoned many
years earlier.

"Object, Transition" imbues Geva's works with new meaning in their new context,
and in relation to one and other.

For more information: (08) 854-5180 or www.ashdodartmuseum.org.il

It's a kids' world in Bat Yam

The Luna Park in Bat Yam is offering all sorts of fun activities and shows for
children until August 14. In addition to the regular funfair facilities, Tuvia
Tzafir and Moshe Datz will team up on August 7 in their "Tovim Hashnayim"
(Better Together) children's show, which takes in many of the classic children's
stories.

Elsewhere in Bat Yam, throughout the summer, there will be a regular Thursday
farmers' market in Maginim Square as well as street theater, food stalls and
music shows.

For more information: (03) 555-8555 and www.bat-yam.muni.il.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

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Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Legal obstacle course

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 21

LENGTH: 891 words

* PRIOR TO tonight's opening of the Olympic Games in London, the Jerusalem
Institute for Market Studies (JIMS) issued a report written by JIMS Research
Fellow Yarden Gazit which claims that the Israeli Sports Law reduces the
potential for winning Olympic medals in the future by setting up unnecessary
obstacles and barriers to participation in competitive sports. This has a
particularly negative effect on children living in peripheral areas, argues
Gazit, who states, "An international comparison reveals that the Israeli Sports
Law is one of the strictest and severest in the developed world, while the
number of athletes per capita is the lowest in the West. Israeli parents are
required to pay hundreds of shekels every year for medical examinations, whose
value and efficiency are doubtful and have never been tested in Israel, and for
insurance policies providing double coverage to people already covered. As a
result, there is a decline in the number of children competing in sports."

The Sports Law requires every athlete in an official competition (including
children) to pass a yearly medical examination at a sports medicine clinic
recognized by the Health Ministry. Athletes aged 17 and older are required to
take an exercise ECG examination. In addition, the law requires athletes to
purchase accident insurance.

Gazit notes that only two European countries require exercise ECG examinations,
while the rest of Europe, the United States and Australia do not.

Gazit adds that "Child and student athletes are forced to buy two insurance
policies, while they only need one." Children in a recognized school are already
insured by their local authority in policies covered by parents' payments to
schools. The insurance covers children for any kind of accident, whether it was
related to a school activity or not. However, the policy is not recognized by
the Sports Law because the child's name does not appear on the policy.
Similarly, college students pay for accident insurance as part of their student
union dues but are required to purchase additional insurance to compete in
sports.

* SPORTS AND Culture Minister Limor Livnat, who publicly criticized Alex Gilady,
the only Israeli member of the International Olympic Committee, for not doing
enough to persuade the IOC to hold a minute's silence for the 11 Israeli
athletes murdered at the Munich Olympics in 1972, has asked Gilady to intercede
on another issue - the correct listing by the BBC of Jerusalem as Israel's
capital. On its Olympic website, the BBC originally omitted to list Jerusalem as
Israel's capital but listed East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

Following protests by Israel, it amended the listings to read that Jerusalem is
the seat of government of Israel and that East Jerusalem is the intended seat of
government of Palestine, which currently has its administrative offices in
Ramallah. Livnat is not satisfied with the change and wants Jerusalem to be
listed as the capital.

* IDC HERZLIYA is ecstatic that the International Academic Sports Federation
published on its website that in the Israeli sports academic year that has just
ended, the IDC women's teams took first place, the men's teams took second place
out of 30 universities and colleges in the country, and the IDC's overall team
took first place in the country.

Better still, four IDC students and graduates qualified for the Israeli Olympic
team squad. Judoka bronze medal winner from Athens 2004, Arik Zeevi, is a
graduate of the Radzyner School of Law and is now registered at the Arison
School of Business. Judoka student of the School of Psychology Alice Schlesinger
will be competing at her second Olympic Games. The 470-class sailor Vered
Buskila, graduate of the Radzyner School of Law and Lauder School of Government,
will be participating in her second Olympics.

Star high jumper Danielle Frenkel, a student of the Radzyner School of Law and
Arison School of Business, was injured after she qualified and will not be
making the trip on this occasion - but there's always 2016 and plenty of other
prestigious international competitions between now and then.

* IT'S NOT exactly the most clement time to be in Israel, especially for people
who suffer in the heat, but there is relief for visitors who stay within the
confines of their hotels. For those who stay inside, the air conditioning system
provides blessed relief; and for those who prefer to be outside, there's always
the hotel swimming pool. Guests at the Tel Aviv Hilton have an added advantage
as Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,
Riccardo Muti, has discovered. In addition to the pool, the Hilton is right on
the Tel Aviv seashore. Muti is in Israel for a series of concerts with the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and most of his concerts were sold out long
before his arrival.

* AMONG VACATIONERS who apparently don't mind the heat is comedian, actor,
writer and filmmaker Sasha Baron Cohen, who is also an avid bike rider. Baron
Cohen, who has been coming to Israel since he was a child because he has
relatives here, is thrilled with the ease with which he can rent a bike in Tel
Aviv and ride to his heart's delight. During his current vacation, Baron Cohen
and members of his family went to one of the restaurants in the Yemenite Quarter
to celebrate his father's 80th birthday.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Grapevine

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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647 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

An outpouring of love

BYLINE: ABRA COHEN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 729 words

Celebrated long before St. Valentine was around, Tu Be'av is now a mainstream
holiday, which will be observed all around Israel on August 4 this year. As
restaurants and florists gear up for the busy day, those looking to celebrate
the occasion with the company of music and mouthwatering delicacies like wine
and cheese may be interested in the Music, Love and Wine event, hosted in
Ra'anana next month.

Enter Israeli wine expert and connoisseur Yair Haidu, who spent the last 12
years in France, writing, teaching and working in the wine industry. After
recently returning home to Israel from Paris, Haidu is hosting the event, which
bridges his passions for wine, music and culture. He says about this special
day, "We've combined some of the most popular opera pieces around wine,
celebrations and love."

The celebration, which has happened three times in the last 15 years, is
expected to draw its largest crowd this year. Event organizers are expecting
over 4,000 people to attend.

Haidu, who now lives in Tel Aviv, hopes to introduce different types of wine to
Israelis and illustrate that wine is accessible to all, and that enjoying wine
and music together is a great way to share experiences with friends. "I think
this concert opens wine, food, opera and love to the growing public," he says.

The goal of the performance and celebration on Tu Be'av, Haidu says, is "to open
the door to the two worlds," explaining that the holiday is a great reason to
celebrate and a perfect time to meld wine, cheese, music and dancing together.

Tu Be'av, which has roots in antiquity, was once a matchmaking holiday of sorts
for unmarried women. Dressed in white, young single girls would dance in the
fields outside Jerusalem and look for a partner.

Along with the Golan Heights Winery's 30th anniversary celebration at the event,
Haidu is helping to welcome to the country Italian opera singer and tenor
Francesco Demuro, who is a soloist in the Israeli Opera and will also be
performing at the event.

Haidu believes that "wine is part of the broader picture and does not stand
alone," which explains his belief in the importance of bringing multiple aspects
together for Tu Be'av. One of his goals for the celebration is to appeal to all
five senses and to make the evening aesthetically pleasing.

His passion for the finer things and his desire to make them palatable for the
masses started at an early age. Haidu credits his father, famed Israel Prize
laureate, composer Andre Hajdu, with introducing him to music and culture, while
his French mother turned him on to wine and food. Explaining his love for all,
Haidu explains, "I got the 'virus' a long time ago, pre military service." He
combined his passion and hobby with tourism and started taking wine courses in
his early 20s. "I never expected it to be a full-time occupation," he says.

But a full-time occupation is exactly what Haidu ended up turning his passion
into. The founder of the Israeli Academy of wine, he moved to France to work in
various capacities in the wine industry, as a wine critic, teacher and writer.

Currently working in Tel Hai, Haidu is invested in Israeli wines and committed
to educating Israelis so that the culture of wine will open up to the general
public. Trying to change the stigma of wine being only for sophisticated taste
buds is not an easy task, but Haidu believes that holding events like this will
help to change the perception that wine is intimidating and only for
connoisseurs. "[Israelis] feel wine is complicated and that there needs to be a
lot of knowledge involved, but wine is not intimidating," he says.

The Israeli wine industry, which has changed greatly in the past 40 years, has
undergone multiple revolutions that have boosted it into the international wine
market. While Haidu believes it still has room for improvement, he has
confidence in its wine-makers, many of whom have studied wine-making abroad and
come back to produce Israeli vintages.

Haidu's joie de vivre and passion for fruit of the vine go hand-in-hand. As he
prepares for his upcoming concert and wine event, he says he is "not driving
people to drink more, but instead embracing the lifestyle of wine, good life and
well-being."

Music, Love and Wine will be held on August 4 at 9 p.m. at the Ra'anana
Amphipark. Tickets cost between NIS 109 and NIS 169. For more information: *9066
or www.eventim.co.il

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Ra'anana is hosting the Golan Heights Winery and Italian opera singer
Francesco Demuro for Tu Be'av

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: Yair Haidu. '[Israelis] feel wine is complicated and that
there needs to be a lot of knowledge involved, but wine is not intimidating.'
The Golan Heights Winery will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the Ra'anana
event. The Ra'anana Symphonette (Credit: Clay McLachlan; Reuters; Gadi Dagon)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

648 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Port of call

BYLINE: AVIVA BAR-AM

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 1745 words

In 1938, a bridge was built over

the Yarkon River to celebrate

the opening of the Reading

Power Station. The cornerstone

read: "This bridge will be

important in the expansion of Tel

Aviv on both sides of the river.

Hopefully, [it] will... [help] turn the

desolate sands into a blossoming settlement."

Make this historic bridge - called

Wauchope Bridge for the British high

commissioner at the time - part of a

stroll along Hayarkon Street from

Independence Park and as far as the

power station. Begin this wheelchairand

stroller-accessible jaunt at the

northern section of Independence

Park, across from the Melody Hotel at

220 Hayarkon.

For years, the site on which the park

now stands was just a hill of sea limestone.

During the British Mandate,

part of the area was used as a military

base that was taken over by the fledgling

Israeli army in 1948. It was from

here that Israeli forces shelled the illfated

Irgun Zva'i Leumi ship Altalena.

When Independence Park was inaugurated

in 1952, it was the biggest

park in Tel Aviv. The first trees were

planted here on Israel's very first

Independence Day in 1949, along

with foliage that could survive in

sand and salty soil. Sea fennel, scallop-

leaved sea lavender, evening

primrose, tamarisk, oleander and sea

daffodil were planted in the upper

portion of the park. On lower levels

there were taller trees like olive,

sycamore and fig.

Not surprisingly, it turned out that

the park had been established on historic

land: the remains of a

Hasmonean citadel were discovered in

the southern portion, which means

that there may have been Jewish settlement

in modern-day Tel Aviv over

2,000 years ago.

Ascend either the stairs or the ramp

to reach a cheerful playground and

brightly colored hydraulic exercise

equipment. The Hilton Hotel, to your

immediate left was built in 1973 on a

portion of the city's Muslim cemetery.

Local Arabs were extremely upset, but

the Hilton chain refused to move and

Israel, which was extremely interested

in bringing Hilton Hotels into the

country, gave the chain 1.7 hectares

(4.2 acres) of land there. It's too bad,

because it cut this beautiful park area

in two.

Over the years, what was once the

finest park in Israel was sorely neglected.

The boulevard of palm trees

became desolate, plants died and it

became a dangerous neighborhood to

hang out. Recently it was lovingly

restored and the park reopened officially

in 2009.

At the top of the stairs, two charming

bronze statues named for King Asa

of Judah and King Jehoshaphat of

Israel peer out over the sea. Take a

look at the view, then turn right and

follow the promenade as far as a very

tall, very stark and very simple monument

resembling a bird with a broken

wing. The monument honors the

memory of pilots David Sprinzak and

Mati Sukenik.

On June 4, 1948, after Egyptian warships

bombarded Tel Aviv from the

sea, Sprinzak and Sukenik volunteered

to hit them from the air. Together

with the pilots of two other planes,

they attacked the ships. The Egyptians

turned and headed back to Egypt, but

not before shooting down the small

Fairchild aircraft. The two pilots -

newly married Sprinzak, 24 years old

with a baby on the way, and 19-yearold

Sukenik - were killed.

Across from the monument, a large

pergola shades some very inviting

benches that face the water. Further

along, you can walk right through the

Gate of Peace. Created by Italian

sculptor/painter Pietro Cascella in

1972, it makes very interesting use of

stone and, to my mind, resembles

both an Egyptian tomb and an

ancient temple.

BREATHE DEEPLY as you view beautiful

plants and shrubs, which are all

quite squat so they can survive the

ocean winds. Savor the glorious feeling

of space and freedom and of fresh

sea air, so foreign to a Jerusalemite

like myself. Then down to your left

you will see a segregated beach.

Take the stairs back down to the

street, passing a striking red "environmental

structure" and ending at a little

pool. When first inaugurated, the

park featured a bandstand, a playground

and a pool tiled with lovely

mosaics. The pool has been renovated,

and you can rest nearby and

watch the water play of the little

fountains. Afterwards, head for the

street and turn left.

On the other side of the road, the

long structure stretching from No.

254 to No. 262 Hayarkon Street was

built in the early 1930s, when most

people couldn't afford to buy houses.

It's hard to believe today, but the

labor unions actually got together

with the Jewish National Fund and

erected me'onot ovdim (workers' housing),

apartment complexes that surrounded

a garden and generally also

contained a grocery store and a nursery

school. Mortgages were extremely

low, and people were thus able to

afford to own their own dwellings.

Turn left on Nahshon Street, named

for Aaron's brother-in-law Nahshon

Ben-Aminadav. According to the

Bible, when the Israelites reached the

Red Sea upon their exodus from

Egypt, it had not yet parted. The rest

of the Israelites howled and moaned,

so Nahshon jumped in. As the water

began to rise to the level of his face,

the sea parted and he was joined by

the newly freed slaves.

As you cross to the parking lot you

will see a municipal bike stand on

your right: free bikes for 30 minutes

or only NIS 10 for a 90-minute ride.

The lot is adjacent to Hametzitzim

("Peepers") Beach. You will understand

why it is called this if you study

the painting on the wall of the dressing

rooms.

Head for the beach, which has been

completely revamped and is now one

of the city's finest. Here you can take

a dip in the water or exercise on the

hydraulic sports equipment, while

any youngsters with you have a blast

at the great playground. Then begin

walking north to the Tel Aviv Port,

which has undergone an incredible

metamorphosis.

Although a variety of plans were

drawn up for a port in Tel Aviv after

the city was founded in 1909, it was

only after the Arabs began rioting in

1936, and Arab workers shut down

Jaffa Port, that a new one became a

necessity. Despite their concern at losing

control of everything and everyone

going in and out of Tel Aviv, the

British had no choice but to authorize

construction of a new gateway into

the Land of Israel. Worried that the

British might change their minds,

Jewish laborers immediately began

work on a Jewish-run port near the

estuary of the Yarkon River.

Construction had just begun when a

Yugoslavian cargo ship carrying one

thousand tons of cement dropped

anchor in Tel Aviv waters. Thrilled to

the bone, Tel Avivians forgot their

daily worries and came out in droves

to welcome the astounded captain.

People danced and sang and, when a

desperately ill mayor Meir Dizengoff

arrived in the afternoon, the crowds

went crazy with joy. In a shaky voice,

he declared, "Here there will be a

great port." Many a listener wept

upon hearing his words.

Inaugurated on February 23, 1938,

the Tel Aviv Port was functioning at

full force when World War II broke

out a year and a half later and the

British turned it into a military base.

Two minesweepers kept the coast

clear of the enemy while a special

undersea unit carried out dangerous

operations in the water.

As the only one of its kind wholly

under Jewish control before and during

the War of Independence, Tel Aviv

Port was crucial to the budding State

of Israel; through this port it was possible

to bring in supplies, weapons

and the iron plaques used for armed

convoys trying to get through to

besieged Jerusalem.

After the state was declared and Tel

Aviv began to rapidly expand, the

port couldn't handle the traffic. The

government decided to build an alternative,

larger deepwater port in

Ashdod and, after the transition was

completed in 1965, the Tel Aviv Port

was used almost exclusively for fishing

and the buildings were turned

into storehouses. It was not a very

pleasant place to visit.

At the beginning of the 21st century,

a decision was made to renovate

the port. Almost complete, the port

today offers over 60 venues for entertainment,

health clubs, stores, coffee

shops and restaurants. Best of all, you

can stroll in and around the port

while taking big gulps of that wonderful,

fresh sea air.

Continue your stroll by walking up

to the wooden bridge for a lookout

over the water, then come back down.

Stop at a historic hammerhead crane

whose renovation has just been completed.

The crane's iron body was manufactured

in the Land of Israel, while the

motor and electrical systems were

brought here from Europe in 1938.

Unique in Israel, it lifted and carried

every load of 25 tons or more that

went in and out of the port for nearly

three decades, and was vital to the

British war effort. Over the years, sea

winds and salt corroded the crane and

it was dangerously close to collapse

when its restoration began.

NOW CROSS over to the shops, turning

left at Crocket and continuing on.

As the port is still a work in progress,

you may have to take a few detours,

but keep as close to the water as you

can. Soon you will reach the estuary

of the Yarkon River, with a beautiful

rest area featuring trees, benches and

stunning black and white spurwinged

plovers. This is where you will

find the Wauchope Bridge, which by

1995 had deteriorated. Closed in

1995, it was restored less than a

decade later.

If you stand on the bridge, you can

watch the place where the river meets

the Mediterranean, a lovely sight

accompanied by the sound of crashing

waves. And on the other side of

the river enjoy, a lovely little park.

(Watch out for all the bikers!)

After you cross the bridge, you can

continue on the promenade, where

renovation is being carried out on a

lighthouse dating back to the late

1930s. For technical reasons, plans to

completely restore the lighthouse

proved unrealistic, however the exterior

will soon look exactly as it did

long ago.

Immediately beyond the lighthouse

stands a pole which is actually a monument

to the 157th Brigade of Great

Britain's 52nd Division. It is from

here that soldiers crossed the river

during the British conquest of

Palestine in 1917 and captured the

Turkish positions on the other side.

Now you will reach a handsome bay

where all that is left of a wall built to

protect the power station during

World War II are two squat round

structures. They look suspiciously like

the pillboxes the British used as guard

posts all over Israel during the Arab

Revolt - except that there are no

openings for the guards. Their function

remains a mystery.

A second bridge boasts the tri-colored

markers that proclaim this route

as part of the Israel Trail - an indication,

if you needed one, of its importance.

Follow the walkway as far as

you are able, then turn around and

rest near the river or the sea in one of

dozens of picturesque, shady spots.

NOTE: There is a ramp you can take

into and out of Independence Park.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A wheelchair- and stroller-accessible jaunt along Hayarkon Street takes
you from Independence Park to the Wauchope Bridge. Street Stroll

GRAPHIC: 6 photos: The renovation of this historic crane was recently completed.
The estuary of the Yarkon River features black and white spur-winged plovers.
Hametzitzim Beach. A monument resembling a bird with a broken wing at
Independence Park honors the memory of pilots David Sprinzak and Mati Sukenik.
The exterior of the Reading lighthouse is being restored to its 1930s glory. The
function of two round squat structures that resemble the pillboxes the British
used as guard posts during the Arab Revolt remains a mystery. (Credit: Shmuel
Bar-Am)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

649 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Market-place economics

BYLINE: SAM SOKOL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1136 words

Grocery shopping has been, for the most part, a sore point for Western
immigrants living in Beit Shemesh. Israeli chains such as Yesh and Zol B'Shefa
have provided what many Americans, Canadians, British and South African Israelis
considered to be sub-par service and excessive prices. Meanwhile, supermarkets
created to cater to the "Anglo" crowd, such as Best Market, have given customers
a positive overall experience, but at the cost of hundreds of shekels added to
monthly food bills.

However, the arrival in Beit Shemesh of a store belonging to the Osher Ad
franchise has signaled the beginning of a price war and, with the promise of a
new Rami Levi market opening within the next six months, local residents are
finally seeing a drop in food prices.

The two main supermarkets in the largely Anglo suburb of Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef
are the aforementioned Yesh and Zol B'Shefa. Both mostly cater to an
ultra-Orthodox crowd and carry items bearing the ultra-strict kosher
certification of the anti-Zionist Eda Haredit. Prices have largely remained
stagnant at the two shops, and the level of customer service has caused
resentment among many of the new immigrants who gravitate toward the
neighborhood.

In Israeli supermarkets, there is often outrage aimed at cashiers who allow
their friends to enter the express lane with full carts and at the frequent
occurrence of employees delaying customers from completing their purchases while
they chat with whoever is currently at the head of the line.

On one occasion at Zol B'Shefa, a customer recounts, several locals had to
physically restrain the store's security guard as he tried to assault someone
with a beer bottle. Despite customer complaints, the guard continues to be
employed at the store.

Seeking to provide an alternative to the dismal customer service of the Israeli
chains, local Anglo entrepreneurs established Best Market, but while the new
supermarket provided a clean, well-lit and pleasant experience, the store's high
prices have kept many away. Despite providing amenities such as imported
American products and baggers, the store now stands nearly empty on any given
Friday, generally the busiest shopping day of the week.

According to University of Haifa economist and free-market evangelist Steven
Plaut, Israel's high food prices can be attributed more to "the lack of
competition at the production level for various supermarket products" than to
any lack of competition on the retail level. "It is a bit like gasoline - there
is a lot of competition among gas stations but none at all in producing and
refining gasoline," he says.

However, despite this, the opening of Osher Ad has lowered prices immensely, say
local residents, with some claiming savings of as much as several hundred
shekels a week. The lower price tags, shaving already thin profit margins, have
forced shops like Yesh to lower their prices as well, although customer service
does not seem to have improved.

"I think competition is great for the consumer," says local resident and blogger
Rafi Goldmeier. "It forces the supermarkets to compete by providing better
service, better pricing and a better shopping experience in other forms as
well."

"I am saving money and I attribute it to the competitive pricing in place," he
says. "The supermarkets had little competition before and prices were high. With
Osher Ad joining the local marketplace, they have changed the game. Even if
their prices are not lower across the board, they have still had a major effect
on the market - they provide a variety not previously seen in a local
supermarket, wide aisles and high ceilings, clean floors, numerous checkout
lanes that move at reasonable speeds, and of course many of the items are priced
lower."

There has been something of a religious angle to this story as well, naturally.
Everything in Beit Shemesh seems to come down to religion at some point. When
Osher Ad first opened in the predominantly secular neighborhood of Migdal
Hamayim, the management placed a rack of garments and a sign outside the
entrance, calling on patrons to cover themselves before entering the store so as
not to offend haredi sensibilities.

Local residents were aghast that they should be made to comply with
ultra-Orthodox modesty standards in their own non-religious neighborhood, and
Osher Ad eventually relented. This led to several local rabbis placing a
"herem," or religious ban, on the store.

Herem notwithstanding, the store is jam-packed on Fridays and many customers can
be seen wearing blacks hats and coats, their sidelocks flapping in the breeze
from the industrial air-conditioning.

Other local stores have begun lowering their prices as well. A source at
Shufersal, which services the residents of Beit Shemesh proper, told Globes that
"We won't let ourselves become uncompetitive. Whatever they do, we will do too.
We have a working mechanism. There is no way that we will be caught dearer. On
the contrary, we can only be caught being cheaper."

Yishai, another local, says that the price wars have benefited him immensely,
with savings of up to NIS 1,500 monthly now that he has begun shopping at
Shufersal rather than at Best Market.

"When Osher Ad opened up, Shufersal dropped all its prices even further - we
started saving a couple hundred shekels more. I estimate that with my family of
five, I save about NIS 1,000 to NIS 1,500 a month shopping at Shufersal versus
Best Market; even more in the new price war.

"I have heard that we have two Rami Levis coming soon," Yishai says. "That
should make for even more competition."

Not all of his neighbors are happy about the price wars and competition that the
new supermarkets are bringing, however.

"There is a general feeling that some small businesses are ripping us off," he
explains. "It is a sensitive subject. After posting lower prices on the Beit
Shemesh community list I got angry emails from people who said that I should pay
the extra NIS 1,500 a month to shop at a small business and not a chain. I don't
see why; chains employ lots of local people as well."

The savings are real and the increasing competition between supermarkets is very
good for the consumer, but with low profit margins there is a limit to how low
prices can drop and be sustained. At the end of the day, economist Plaut
believes, Israelis will have to demand an end to the government's policy, which
he claims has been "to suppress competition in food production to as great an
extent as possible, to prohibit imports of competing products in most food
markets and to endeavor to make food prices as high as possible." Israel must
stop pandering to the "farm lobby," he says.

While that may be the long-term fix, in the short term, many Beit Shemesh
residents are at least happy that they can save a few hundred shekels a month,
especially in this economy.

LOAD-DATE: August 6, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Beit Shemesh residents save on groceries as supermarkets compete for
customers

GRAPHIC: Photo: Osher Ad. Sparking a price war. (Credit: SAM SOKOL)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

650 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Exploring natural talent

BYLINE: ORI J. LENKINSKI

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 655 words

In many societies, classical dance is a hobby enjoyed by the privileged. After
all, the expense required to finance years of classes, endless purchases of
tights, leotards and ballet slippers and tickets to performances is usually left
to those with money to spare. However, in several towns and cities around the
world, dance offers a rare opportunity for the less fortunate. Such is the case
in Brazil.

In sports, the best players are often the ones who have to fight to make their
talent known. For artistic director Jorge Texeira, seeking out hidden stars was
his major motivation for establishing Cia Brasileira de Ballet 11 years ago.

"There was great need to give a chance to many young, eager and talented
dancers," Texeira explained in a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post.

Texeira's company is home to nearly 30 artists between the ages of 18 and 24,
many of whom began their careers thanks to scholarships granted by the company's
ballet school.

"The goal was to educate underprivileged children and give them new
possibilities in life through art. Having a school that produces professional
dancers every year is wonderful. And seeing the kids grow, graduate and have
successful careers internationally is very rewarding for me and for the
dedicated staff," he says.

Texeira, along with his cast of 26 dancers, will perform in Israel during the
first two weeks of August. The company will present a mixed program, consisting
of three very different ballets, in Karmiel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Kiryat
Motzkin, Beersheba and Herzliya.

The company is the first of its kind in Brazil. Though dance is a prevalent form
of expression in the country, ballet has never been the major outlet for the
love of movement. Samba, the national dance form of Brazil, is about as similar
to ballet as hip hop music is to Mozart. However, Texeira sees a common thread -
the Brazilian passion.

"The richness and variety of rhythms in Brazil affects me positively. Brazilian
people are known for their sensuality. This visceral interpretation comes from
the heart. That's what makes the CBB stand out, that's what makes the
difference: the energy of being on stage for pleasure. We do it with our hearts
and souls. It's the joy of dancing, of being the biggest carnival in the world,
the best football; it's what is in our blood. So many of these dancers are
virtuosi, just like our football players - they have natural talent for dance,"
he says.

In preparation for one of the company's most substantial tours to date, the
staff has been working overtime. "We have been preparing for this engagement for
one year," says Texeira. "The group has been working hard, training for more
than eight hours a day, seven days a week."

The three ballets the CBB will perform each presents a different genre within
the classical dance world.

"We will go through a very traditional ballet like the Raymonda Suite, move to a
more playful one, the Don Quixote Suite, and end with the Brazilian Suite, all
with the highly technical and artistic performance that identifies our company.
The Don Quixote Suite is our main performance. It is a very happy ballet, more
relaxing and in some ways closer to our Brazilian style of dance and music. The
Raymonda Suite is very traditional and demands more maturity from the dancers.
The Brazilian Suite was specially developed for this festival. It is a short
ballet in neoclassical or contemporary style danced to popular Brazilian music.
This will be the opportunity for Cia Brasileira de Ballet to show their highly
technical dancing together with their soul," says Texeira.

CBB will perform at TAPAC on August 3. At the Jerusalem Theater on August 4. At
the Beersheba Performing Arts Center on August 6. Twice at the Karmiel Festival
on August 8. At the Herzliya Performing Arts Center on August 9. And at the
Kiryat Motzkin Performing Arts Center on August 10. For more information, visit
www.karmielfestival.co.il.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Cia Brasileira de Ballet tours the country with a trio of distinctly
different classical pieces

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

651 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

A body of work from China

BYLINE: ORI J. LENKINSKI

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 504 words

With summer in full swing, the Suzanne Dellal Center's aisles have earned a new
level of tread. As the end of July approaches, the center is gearing up for a
new month filled with premieres, guest performances and festivals. Such is the
ebb and flow of the annual Hot Dance Festival, which fills July and August with
dance from all over the world.

This year, the festival will host the exceptional international guest troupe The
Guangdong Modern Dance Company. A major player in the Chinese dance world, GMDC
will present a mixed program with three pieces from the current repertoire. This
year, GMDC is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Based in one of the most
bustling areas of China, GMDC has served as a magnet for talented artists from
many disciplines.

The troupe was originally founded by the Department of Culture of Guangdong
Province, with Willy Tsao, the godfather of Chinese dance, as its artistic
director. Twenty years ago, the cultural landscape of China was much sparser.
With the establishment of this company, Guangdong became the first province to
support and house a modern dance company in the country. In the years since,
China has developed greatly as a home for contemporary dance, with young
companies springing up every year.

Tsao passed on his role as artistic director to Pun Sui-fai several years ago to
found Beijing Dance LDTX, which performed in Israel in February. Tsao continues
to lead GMDC as the managing director.

For its Israeli engagement, the company has prepared a program called "Three
Episodes: Between Body and Soul." The three episodes are Voice After and
Mountain and Water by Liu Qi, resident choreographer of GMDC, as well as Touched
by Xing Liang.

Voice After was initially inspired by a poem by Chinese poet Zhao Zhenkai,
otherwise known as Bei Dao. Bei Dao's poem describes the ocean waves flowing
while a storm brews in the sky. Voice After is the second part of a trilogy
entitled Other Suns, choreographed by Lui Qi. The initial premiere of the work
took place in 2009 in San Francisco and was a collaboration between GMDC and
American ensemble Margaret Jenkins Dance Company.

Mountain and Water, also by Lui Qi, is a multimedia experience. Drawn from the
ancient Chinese form of ink paintings, Mountain and Water is danced in front of
shifting images on a large screen. Here, Lui Qi showcases her ability to
choreograph with great delicacy, favoring slow and subtle movements over dynamic
leaps and twirls.

Xing Liang is considered to be one of the best contemporary dancers to ever
emerge from China. Although at first he was reluctant to study the form, Liang
was trained in Beijing and went on to pursue a career in dance. Having danced
for a number of respected companies, Liang struck off to create on his own.
Touched is a pure dance piece. In this work, Liang limited himself to using the
body only to express the extreme emotions he sometimes feels.

GMDC will perform on August 11 and 12 at the Suzanne Dellal Center. For more
information, visit www.suzannedellal.org.il.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Guangdong Modern Dance Company presents a mixed program from its
current repertoire

GRAPHIC: 2 photos:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

652 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

A blessing on your house

BYLINE: RUTH BELOFF

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 78

LENGTH: 1023 words

I am a great fan of cooking competitions on TV, so I was an avid watcher of
Channel 2's Master Chef. And I always envied the judges, who got to taste all
the delectable dishes the contestants cooked up as they vied for the coveted
title of Israel's Master Chef.

So imagine my delight when I was offered the opportunity to have dinner at
Hamotzi, the new restaurant in Jerusalem owned by Avi Levy, this year's winner
of Master Chef, in partnership with the owner of Cafe Rimon.

Opened just two months ago on a little side street near Mahaneh Yehuda, Hamotzi
is a small, homey place that rings to the rafters with cheerful clients and
melodious Mizrahi music. The kosher meat restaurant specializes in Algerian
fare, and the decor reflects that North African flavor.

Diners can eat outside at the tables on the paved sequestered alleyway or in the
restaurant itself. As you enter and walk a few steps down into the interior,
there is a distinct Casbah feeling to the place, with its archways and stone
walls - but bright, clean and colorful. There are about 12 pale green formica
tables with chairs, as well as green sofas against the right-hand wall. Beyond
the archway is a bar with a set of long glass teardrop fixtures overhead. And
that's it. Small, cozy and ready to serve.

As manager Nadav Ron explains, the aim of the restaurant is to be
family-oriented, friendly and comfortable; to have customers feel as if they
were eating in their own home. To that end, the wait staff do not wear uniforms
but dress in whatever clothing they feel comfortable in.

The menu - which is only in Hebrew - is select and very reasonably priced. At
lunchtime, the prices are a little lower than at dinner. While Levy creates each
of the dishes, his mother, Miri, comes in every morning and cooks up two special
dishes of the day.

In keeping with the name of the restaurant (as in the blessing "hamotzi lehem
min ha'aretz"), the only bread served at Hamotzi is challa, which is made
especially for them. Before one even selects anything from the menu, a plate of
bread is brought to the table, as well as an array of appetizers, namely tehina,
pickled vegetables, matbucha, beets, eggplant and mangold (chard). Each patron
also receives a shot glass of very strong anisette to get the party started.

Certain types of spices and oil are the keynotes of Algerian cuisine. As Ron
puts, it, "You have to feel the oil and the spices. If you don't, then it's not
authentic."

That was a little daunting for me, as I don't have a high tolerance for spicy
food. But I have to say that the food wasn't too hot for me to handle, nor was
it overly oily.

For our meal, my dining companion and I shared the tasting menu (NIS 120). A
tasting menu is a great way to be introduced to a new restaurant because you get
to sample a little of each specialty. Plus you find out what your favorites are
so that when you go back again, you know what to order as a main dish.

Some of the dishes are as follows: makud - fried potato kubbeh with a spicy
tomato sauce (NIS 34); Savta's salad - Arabic cucumber, boiled potatoes, egg and
anchovies (NIS 32); fried fish in spicy lemon sharmola sauce (NIS 43); cigars
stuffed with veal sweetbreads (NIS 47); eggrolls stuffed with meat and matbucha
(NIS 45); chicken (pargiot) stuffed with veal sweetbreads and beef (NIS 67);
beef meatballs on a bed of cabbage and onions (NIS 56); fried meatballs with
rice (NIS 56); shoulder of beef in tomato sauce (NIS 62); filet of (mussar) fish
(NIS 69); chicken plancha with lemon and onions (NIS 62); and beef head with
chickpeas and potatoes (NIS 64).

Hamotzi also has a wine list, which is rather short right now. Ron says they are
working on determining which wines are best to pair with the dishes on their
menu.

For me, one of the stand-out dishes was the fish (dag mussar) in a sauce that
happened to be a special that day. I'm not even a fish fan, but that dish was so
delicious, that when my companion left the table to make a phone call and the
fish arrived, I had to force myself to leave him some to taste. The fish was
bass, and the sauce was made with lemon, crushed peppers and amba.

Other highlights were the sweet and sour meatballs and cabbage, the deep-fried
meatballs with rice, and the tender bite-size pieces of chicken with tehina.

Another specialty we tasted was the dish Levy had created on an episode of
Master Chef when the challenge was to make a sandwich. His offering was a
roulade of minced chicken, spices and a hard-boiled egg baked in challa and
served as a slice.

So the dishes kept coming, and my companion and I savored each one. You'd be
surprised at how filling just a taste of this and a smattering of that can be.

Full, but never too full for dessert, we ended our meal by sampling the two
desserts the restaurant has to offer. One was a mini cigar stuffed with crushed
pistachio, served with a thick white jaban sauce made of egg whites, syrup and
lemongrass (NIS 21). The other was called yo-yo - spheres made of flour and
almond paste and coated with coconut (NIS 19). This was accompanied by a little
samovar-like teapot filled with refreshing mint tea.

During the meal, Levy came over to our table to say hello. After having seen him
for so long on TV, I felt like I already knew him. He said he was very proud of
his restaurant, which was buzzing with customers. He said he wanted to keep it
small and family-like and had no plans to expand the premises.

What I particularly noticed about the place was that everybody seemed so happy
to be there. All the clients and the staff seemed so cheerful and high-spirited.
As a result, the restaurant is noisy - but in a good way. In a way that makes
you feel like you're in the company of a gregarious, fun crowd.

So if you go to Hamotzi, don't expect to have a quiet, intimate tete-a-tete. But
do expect to have a good time, a great meal and, if you're lucky, the
opportunity to shake hands with Avi Levy and give your compliments to the
reigning Master Chef.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Hamotzi

Kosher

4 Mashiach Baruchof

Tel: (02) 631-0050

Open Sunday to Friday for lunch; and Tues., Wed. & Thurs. for dinner as well.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dining. Breaking bread at Hamotzi in Jerusalemis both a pleasure and a
privilege

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

653 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Pulling strings in Jerusalem

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 783 words

The annual International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jerusalem has been doing
brisk business for 21 years now. For more than two decades, entertainment
consumers of all ages have been flocking to the Train Theater to catch quality
indoor and outdoor shows that take in a wide swath of storylines, esthetics and
material and technological means.

This year's festival takes place August 5-10, with the lineup featuring
top-class acts from the US, Spain, Italy, Holland, France, Switzerland and
Belgium, as well as plenty of excellent homegrown shows.

Train Theater general manager and festival artistic director Dalia Yaffa Maayan
says the event is designed to achieve two main objectives. "As a creative body,
the Train Theater aims to provide its audiences with enjoyment and cultural
inspiration and to develop and advance the medium of puppet theater."

Judging by the achievements of Amit Drori in recent years, the latter is being
duly achieved. Drori is going great guns across Europe with his Savannah show,
which recently had a highly successful run in Germany.

Savannah is a fascinating production that tells a story loosely based on
interaction between human beings and animals - principally elephants - with the
onstage characters played by robots. The machines in question do not exactly
give the impression of cutting-edge technology which, explains Drori, is by
design.

"I do not try to create the illusion of real elephants. Rather, they are a
metaphor for the real thing. The illusion is the result merely of imagination
and association."

The rough and ready ethos, says Drori, is his way of making his characters more
accessible and imbuing them with appeal. "We're used to encountering cold
machines that come from the world of mass production and industry, but these
robots are built by hand, and they are very personal machines."

Drori's training for this line of work is of the grassroots variety. "I come
from visual theater and I always try to animate objects in my work," he notes.
"To begin with, I operated puppets using conventional techniques. But over time
and as my skills developed, I started became more involved in the mechanism of
the puppets. I started using the mechanism as an esthetic approach."

While Drori furthered his puppeteering mastery, technology was marching on. "The
technological development of the last few years, and particularly the Internet,
have enabled me to use robotics for poetic ends, basically to expand my creative
toolbox."

For him the technology is a means to an artistic end. "I don't have any formal
training in technology," Drori declares. "The technological work is the result
of self-learning, trial and error, particularly the esthetic approach that I and
my co-designer Noam Dover have developed for using robotics in our craft."

Drori gets his ideas from images and the world of myth. "For Savannah, what
motivated me was an image of a lost Paradise, and I started to create animals
around that," he says.

He adds that he tries to keep things as loose as possible. "The project aims to
take object animation as far as possible and places the objects center stage. So
it was important for me not to offer a ready-made story but to work with the
animals and discover how they express themselves."

There are also strong ecological messages to Savannah. "I knew I wanted to tell
a story of a fall from paradise through a situation of death," says the
director. "This is the principal story of the elephants, a very tragic animal
that also sheds light on the destructive nature of mankind. This work moves in
circles between man's creative force and his destructive force."

Over the years, technology that not just impacted on the way creators their
artistic wares it has also conditioned the way audiences relate to entertainment
formats, and the way we perceive storytelling. Constant exposure to mass media
and the Internet has, by and large, made us accustomed to getting information at
the click of a button. That, presumably, has made inroads on the work of people
like Drori, who tend to convey their intent at a more gentle pace.

Drori begs to differ. "We are certainly less innocent today, but I try to be
less blatant. I look for theater that feeds off high sensitivity, that pays
great attention to detail and asks the spectator to get involved."

There are eight domestic works premiering at this year's puppet festival. There
are also a number of free street performances, including shows for children and
adults on August 6 as part of the Balabasta program at Mahaneh Yehuda, and a
number of puppet shows at Hutzot Hayotzer.

For more information about the puppet festival: (02) 561-8514 and
www.traintheater.co.il/puppets-festival/f-about.php

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The International Festival of Puppet Theater is designed to entrance the
audience and advance the medium

GRAPHIC: 2 photos:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

654 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Kosher and cordial near the Kinneret

BYLINE: YIFTAH BERLIN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 77

LENGTH: 706 words

You don't just drop in to Roberg on the way to somewhere else. In fact, you
don't just happen to be in Moshav Livnim, the small community in the Galilee
where Roberg is located, on the way to somewhere else. You either go there to
stay at one of the beautiful guest houses or to eat at Roberg - or both.

Roberg is not just another restaurant but a place to have a long, leisurely
dinner or lunch, a break from the daily rush. We spent a good three and a half
hours there before realizing it was getting very late.

You may call it an educational establishment (which it really is at times when
the chef conducts cooking classes there). The owners aim not only to feed their
hungry clients but to feed with love. They very happily show their love for the
guests and for the art of gourmet cooking, aiming to surprise and excite their
clients, pampering them and treating with the utmost attention to their every
desire.

Every little detail is planned - from the warm, familiar welcome to the
presentation of the food and, of course, the ingredients and the preparation.

Ilan Roberg, an experienced chef, has enlisted his sons to help in the kitchen
and the running of the restaurant. And, doting over the diners, he is eager to
share his knowledge with whoever is interested, giving away secrets and recipes,
disclosing names and addresses of suppliers and educating the diners about the
dishes.

So confident is he, that he broadcasts live from the kitchen onto large plasma
screens in the dining area, showing diners how the dishes are being made before
they reach the tables. Needless to say, the kitchen is spotless, and the cooks
looked as if they were on a cooking show rather than in a hot and busy kitchen.

Diners can choose to order from the rich menu (NIS 140 per person) or have the
tasting menu and surrender to the chef completely. We chose the tasting menu
(NIS 184 per person) and were very happy we did. Roberg and his sons turned out
to be no less than virtuoso cooks.

The wine of choice was Roberg's wine of the month. This month it was the Barkan
Fusion Merlot.

Very shortly after making our decision, small saucers started landing on our
table - served by lovely waitresses all. As we soon found out, they were local
girls from Livnim.

There were freshly baked buns, fried eggplant in cherry tomato relish, mushroom
in carrot relish, delicious kohlrabi carpaccio, roasted eggplant stuffed with
tiny lamb kebabs, cabbage salad with an Asian dressing and a great egg salad,
tuna pate, liver pate and a large plate of antipasti.

The lovely waitress offered to refill the little saucers again and again, but we
declined as we knew there was much more to come.

The meal continued with a fillet of tilapia in tempura with cherry sauce and
wasabi. Next came two soups - a green fennel soup and an orange soup with
ginger.

To cleanse our palates, a refreshing passion fruit sorbet was served next and,
with a sip of the wine, we were getting ready for the main dishes.

There was a plate of chicken thighs off the bone (pargiot), served over white
rice with silan sauce, sesame and a hint of ginger; a small bowl made from
kadaif noodles that held chopped liver laced with rose-leaf jam; and smoked
chicken breast, seared and served with peanut and coconut sauce. And it didn't
end there. The beef dish was comprised of mini-burgers and an entrecote steak.

The kosher restaurant seems to be very popular. When we were there, it was full
of young and happy diners and the sounds of laughter, dishes and serious eating.

Very full, we waited before tasting the dessert platter - a long dish with
homemade ice cream, dark chocolate cake, Malabi pudding based on coconut cream
and seasonal fruit.

The tasting menu has limitless refills and cold drinks included. Another option
is a meal from the menu. Breakfasts are served upon reservations. The restaurant
can host groups of up to 80 people.

Note: During the Bein Hakramim Festival, August 1-3, the restaurant will be open
longer hours, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and offering many specials and
reduced-price deals. For reservations and directions, call (04) 671-5656.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Roberg

Kosher

Moshav Livnim

(situated above the Sea of Galilee, on the western side)

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dining. Roberg in Moshav Livnim is the ideal place to have a delightfully
long and leisurely meal

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

655 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

Sweeter than wine

BYLINE: MAXIM REIDER

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 513 words

Tu Be'Av, the festival of love, will be celebrated at the Ra'anana's Amphipark
with a summer concert featuring the Ra'anana Symphonette and world-renowned
Italian tenor Francesco Demuro. But love is not the only theme of this special
evening. It is complemented by its eternal companions, wine and music.

This will not only be the Israeli debut of the Italian megastar but also a
mini-festival hosted by one of Israel's leading wine specialists Yair Haidu. It
is a double celebration, marking 30 years of the wineries in the Golan and 20
years of the Ra'anana Symphonette, which was founded as a result of the mass
influx of highly trained classical musicians from the former Soviet Union in the
early 1990s.

Wine, cheese, stories but, above, all music. Soloists of the Israeli Opera will
also perform with the famed tenor in a program featuring popular operatic
classics.

Born in 1978 in Sardinia, Demuro made his major operatic debut in 2004 as
Rodolfo in Verdi's Luisa Miller. Since then, he appears on the world's best
stages, such as La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera.

"It was the artistic director of the Symphonette, Omer Meir Wellber, who helped
bring him to Israel because Demuro appears under his baton in several programs,"
explains the orchestra's CEO and founder Orit Fogel. More than 20 years ago
Fogel, seeing crowds of unemployed Russian-born musicians, decided to create an
orchestra that would serve as a home for "people who are not made for anything
else but playing music," as Fogel puts it.

Since then, the Ra'anana Symphonette has found a niche of its own in the crowded
world of Israeli classical and performs in its upscale home town and around the
country.

This year, the Symphonette's varied program features both traditional and less
obvious programs.

Russian-born, Australia-based Alexander Gavriliuk, winner of the 2005 Arthur
Rubinstein Master Piano Competition, will return to Israel to perform
Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto under Wellber's baton in the season opener
next fall.

The Symphonette's next concert features another Russian-born musician, virtuoso
violinist cum conductor Sergey Krylov. After his successful performance with the
orchestra in the 2011-12 season, he will return with a beautiful program that
includes pieces by Schubert, Mozart and Sarasate and will allow him to showcase
the different facets of his talent.

The Russian conquest of Ra'anana will continue in the next program, featuring
France-based Israeli trumpet and flugelhorn player Sergei Nakariakov, together
with his pianist sister Vera Okhotnikova. Nakariakov is a phenomenal musician
who plays as naturally as other people breathe.

Some of the other programs are the End of the Year concert of The Best of
Musical Theatre Hits from all times, performed by the soloists of the Israeli
Opera's Meitar Opera Studio and conducted by the multitalented David Sebba; a
mini-production of Donizetti's comic opera Don Pasquale, performed by young
vocalists; and an evening where Wellber will perform not only as a conductor but
also a pianist.

For reservations, call *9066.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Ra'anana Symphonette presents a special concert of love arias and
wine

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: INTERNATIONAL MEGASTAR: Tenor Francesco Demuro. CEO AND
FOUNDER; Orit Fogel (Credit: IMG Artists. PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

656 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

All in the name of love

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 78

LENGTH: 314 words

Tu Be'av, the Jewish festival of love, was celebrated in the olden days in the
vineyards. Nowadays, it seems vineyards have been replaced by restaurants, and
the grapes by bottles of wine. Still, any excuse to celebrate is good, and most
restaurants and bars have special offers for Tu Be'av.

The largest restaurant Internet site, zap rest, together with the Tel Aviv
Municipality, will host romantic rickshaw tours around the city, stopping by
romantic sites and giving away vouchers for restaurants in Tel Aviv, on Thursday
August 2. (www.rest.co.il).

The Olive Leaf in the Tel Aviv Hilton offers a special package that consists of
a romantic dinner for two, a luxurious night at the hotel and a sumptuous
breakfast for NIS 1,350.

The Seatra restaurant in the elegant Sea & Sun complex in the northernmost part
of Tel Aviv offers specials on August 2 and 3, with romantic red decorations and
dishes. (03) 699-6633.

Jerusalem's gourmet Lara restaurant will celebrate the holiday for a whole week,
ending on August 2, with a special seven-dish menu and some surprises for NIS
190 per person.

Not far from Jerusalem, at Rama's Kitchen in Nataf, you can celebrate Tu Be'av
on August 2 at 7:45 p.m., as the round moon rises, with romantic tales and
special dishes created for the evening and served with excellent wines from Flam
Winery, at NIS 290 per person. Call for reservations (02) 570-0954.

And Meatball in Rishon Lezion offers a special menu or a heart-shaped burger.
(03) 964-6468.

A little farther north, near Savyon, the Goldstein gourmet deli and restaurant
offers special desserts for the holiday, with two glasses of champagne, for NIS
44. (03) 533-0304.

And if it's only chocolate that will win your loved one's affection, the
heart-shaped chocolate mousse at Boutique Central Bakery is sure to please.
www.boutiquecentral.co.il.

Look for more specials at restaurants in your area.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Many restaurants and hotels around the country are offering romantic
specials for Tu Be'av

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

657 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 27, 2012 Friday

The Elevators raise the Grateful Dead

BYLINE: DAVID BRINN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 698 words

They may have been archetypical hippies, but they weren't naive. That's why the
Grateful Dead, the band that epitomized the Woodstock Nation better than anyone
else, never appeared in the film or album of the same name commemorating the
1969 event that immortalized Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, The Who and the other
1960s icons whose careers exploded in its aftermath.

"They were the only artists to have the business savvy to realize they were
getting ripped off," says Aryeh Naftaly, the 52-year-old leader of The
Elevators, who will be performing a tribute to the rock legends on Thursday
night, August 2, at the Jerusalem Woodstock Revival.

"All the acts were being offered $5,000 for the rights to appear on the album
and in the film about Woodstock, and the Dead said, 'No way. This is going to be
worth a fortune.' They tried to negotiate for more, but it didn't work out, so
that's why they're not in the film or the record. Some people don't even realize
they played at Woodstock."

That anonymity didn't prevent the San Francisco-based 1960s psychedelic pioneers
from flourishing in the 1970s and beyond with a shift in style that focused more
on well-crafted, melodic country-tinged rock alongside their trademark extended
improvisational weirdness. That blend, along with the charisma of guitarist
Jerry Garcia and the unfailing promise of taking concert-goers on a musical
journey with no road markers, created a loyal following known as Deadheads, who
continue to keep the band's music alive, 17 years after their demise due to
Garcia's death in 1995.

Even though Naftaly first took notice of the band in the late 1960s while riding
his bike past a free concert the band was giving in his native San Francisco, he
didn't really take a liking to them until a few years later, when they released
a powerhouse series of recordings - Workingman's Dead, American Beauty and the
live Europe '72 - which highlighted songs and tight playing over tenacious
jamming.

"What attracted me to them was that the quality of the songwriting was
phenomenal," says Naftaly, a resident of Moshav Mevo Modi'im. "It's a shame that
so many of the great songs on Europe '72 - like "Jack Straw" and "Tennessee Jed"
were never recorded in the studio."

Naftaly, who moved to Israel in 1985, pursued a career in music based on the
Dead's musical philosophy of spiritual exploration, and in 1987 he founded the
band Ein Safeq, which occasionally backed Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Since the band
broke up in 1998, he's released five solo albums and worked with many artists
such as Ehud Banai and Hadara Levine-Areddy.

Naftaly never gave up his love of the Dead, though, and performed tribute shows
regularly over the years with like-minded musicians. Four years ago he formed
The Elevators, who feel equally at home playing Grateful Dead music as they do
their own original Hebrew Jewish soul songs, as exemplified by their 2009 debut
album Olim. Joining him on guitar and vocals are Rob Steiner on keyboards, Tom
Curran on bass and Michael Roth on drums, all versed in the nuances and
modalities of Grateful Dead music.

Alongside Geva Alon performing Neil Young, Crystal Ship with a Doors show,
Ummagumma with a Pink Floyd tribute, and a host of others, The Elevators will
take the stage for the first time at next week's fourth annual Woodstock
gathering at Jerusalem's Kraft Stadium. It won't be the first time the Dead are
being represented at the festival, though, as kibbutz jam band Tree presented a
powerhouse set two years ago, heavy on the explosive late 1960s heavy side of
the band. According to Naftaly, this year will focus more on songs, but with the
Dead it's difficult to separate the song from the jam.

"We'll take a well-crafted song and deconstruct it," says Naftaly. "I think that
the whole idea behind their music is that you never know where it's going to go.
And if you do try to plan it out, it won't feel right. That's why we leave the
arrangements open and see what the moment brings across. It's a like a
conversation - you never know how it's going to develop."

Gates open for The Jerusalem Woodstock Revival IV at Kraft Stadium 5 p.m. More
information is available at www.woodstockfestival.com

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Tribute bands will pay homage to such 1960s legends as Neil Young, The
Doors and Pink Floyd at the Jerusalem Woodstock Revival

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Photo - WE'RE HOME!

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 73 words

WE'RE HOME! New olim show off their Israeli identity cards yesterday after the
Jewish Agency held a special welcoming ceremony for them, as well as an
exhibition on absorption services, at Jerusalem's Renaissance Hotel. In
attendance were Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky, Interior Minister Eli
Yishai and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar. The new immigrants arrived in
recent days from France, Britain, South Africa and South America.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: WE'RE HOME! New olim show off their Israeli identity cards
yesterday after the Jewish Agency held a special welcoming ceremony for them, as
well as an exhibition on absorption services, at Jerusalem's Renaissance Hotel.
In attendance were Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky, Interior Minister Eli
Yishai and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar. The new immigrants arrived in
recent days from France, Britain, South Africa and South America. (Credit:
Sasson Tiram)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

659 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

JPost launches range of free apps

BYLINE: ELANA KIRSH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 543 words

The Jerusalem Post has launched a new range of free apps for Apple and Android
devices as part of an expanded digital focus.

Editor-in-Chief Steve Linde hailed the plan as bringing the Post to the forefr
ont of the new digital age.

"Integrating ourselves into digital media is an exciting journey for The
Jerusalem Post," Linde said. "For the past 80 years, the Post has reported and
recorded Israel's most significant historic events in its printed edition.
Thanks to digital media, we now can not only inform our readers about the latest
situation, but also engage them, receive feedback on our reports and be more
active in giving those who love our newspaper the stories and information they
need and want."

The channels for news consumption these days at the Post are more varied than
ever. While many consumers still prefer to come straight to the source - the
"classic" daily newspaper and its website www.jpost.com - millions of people use
social media sites as news aggregators, prefer apps over browsers, skim daily
email bulletins for updates or rely on search engines for the most relevant
results.

That's where the easy-to-navigate apps for Apple and Android devices come in.
Readers can now select the appropriate JPost channel wherever they are and enjoy
the same free online experience. Like jpost.com, all JPost apps are updated 24/7
with breaking news from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Original
current affairs analyses and feature pieces are also showcased on the new apps,
as well as Facebook, Twitter and email share buttons.

The Post is also developing its social media program to keep readers updated all
over the Web. Its social media team - headed by Social Media Editor Ruth Eglash
and Social Media Manager Zohar Friedman - is intent on getting JPost updates and
features out to readers on the Web. According to Eglash, the Post has a
responsibility as the oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper in
Israel not only to keep up with the changing times, but to lead the way forward.

"Digital media is the future of journalism, and that includes utilizing social
media platforms to engage the audience like never before," she says. "We are
very excited to start using these new platforms to interact with The Jerusalem
Post's loyal readership and use them to reach out to a new audience worldwide."

The Post's Twitter feed provides minute-by-minute headline updates as well as
live coverage from the paper's team of new-media-savvy reporters. On its
Facebook page, a growing community of users shares ideas, photos and stories,
and debates the big issues with users from all over the world. JPostTV's YouTube
channel is now also open for subscription, with email updates whenever a new
video is uploaded, including both breaking news clips from across the country
and original feature videos.

JPost.com, too, has been undergoing remodeling, with a recent redesign
streamlining the homepage to highlight more news and fewer ads in a clear,
easy-to-skim format. New topical content areas covering the ongoing violence in
Syria, this week's opening of the London Olympic Games and the US presidential
race have also been introduced to provide the reader with even more in-depth
coverage of the events shaping our time.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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660 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

An 'asak' end to the Knesset's summer session. MKs in jeans talk about flying to
China in an anticlimactic follow up to Kadima split rumors

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 778 words

If the last day of the Knesset's summer session could be described in one word,
it would be asak.

Asak is a slang term well-known to those who served in the IDF. It is an acronym
for "the atmosphere at the end of the course."

Just picture the last week of school: No one is doing homework anymore; everyone
is talking about what trips they have planned; and it is rare to see someone
making a real effort. That was most of the Knesset on Wednesday.

The MK cafeteria, where ministers and party leaders often hold court on
Wednesdays with reporters hungry to hear the latest gossip - whether it is on or
off the record - was a ghost town. One could almost hear the rustling of
tumbleweeds.

Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov watched and chuckled at his spokesman scolding
a reporter (of a different publication, of course) who did not cover his trip to
Bulgaria this week. Security told a couple of tourists they cannot enter. A few
Kadima MKs tucked into their lunches at separate tables, perhaps to avoid being
suspected of planning yet another rebellion.

MKs in the cafeteria approached Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi Peled (Likud),
who was admittedly unsure whether this would be his last day in the Knesset
before his long-planned retirement, but who looked glum, regardless.

Several MKs did not hide the fact that they're ready for vacation, showing up in
jeans. The MKs include some who are often seen in high heels or suits, as well
as MK Dov Henin (Hadash), who always sports denim.

As far as real parliamentary work is concerned - not politics, but passing laws
- the last day of a session is a busy one. This Wednesday, for example, there
were 34 bills on the agenda, a number that only rose as the day went on. Faction
managers geared up for a 12-hour-or-more day, providing their MKs with lists of
the party's position on each bill.

Faction managers aside, though, the atmosphere in the Knesset was one of
disappointment, anticlimax and a readiness to start the nearly three-month
recess.

Disappointment (of non-haredi MKs, at least), because the promise of a
replacement for the "Tal Law" remains unfulfilled one week before the law, which
allows haredim to indefinitely postpone enlistment, is officially canceled. Yet,
equality in the burden, which dominated discourse in the Knesset this session,
was not on the agenda on Wednesday.

Anticlimax, because after an attempt to split Kadima from the Right failed,
persistent rumors that MKs would break off from the Left did not come to
fruition, either.

Instead, all reporters wanted to know was which Kadima reporters are flying to
China on Saturday night.

A Kadima mission to China has been in the works since the days that Tzipi Livni
was foreign minister. Despite all of the turmoil, and the fact that rumors of
her possible departure from the party were in the news as recently as Tuesday,
Kadima faction chairwoman Dalia Itzik insisted on leading the Far East tour in
order not to insult the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Ten MKs were supposed to go, but Itzik had trouble pulling together a group of
six - the minimum the Chinese would accept. Those definitely attending were MKs
Ronit Tirosh, Ya'acov Edri, Akram Hasson, Yulia Shamolov-Berkovich and, of
course, Itzik.

When asked how she could represent Kadima when, only yesterday, she said she
wants to find a group of seven to break off and called party leader Shaul Mofaz
a liar, Shamolov-Berkovich insisted that she only implied Mofaz is a liar.
Anyway, with the news that Itzik was unable to round up the minimum number of
MKs for the trip, Shamolov Berkovich changed her mind in the evening, saying she
wasn't sure if she's going or not, because her 11-year-old is on vacation from
school and they need quality time together.

MK Arieh Bibi (who wore jeans today), one of the four who were challenged by
Mofaz for rebelling, took what other Kadima MKs called the classier route, and
pulled out of the trip. He said his reason is that he has already been to China.

The inhabitants of the Knesset reporters' corridor were so lacking in what to
write, that six of them came out of their offices to listen to Kadima MK Yoel
Hasson - one of the leaders of the left-wing separatist group - say he still
isn't sure whether he'll go to China or not, because "the timing is bad."

He is sure, however, that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will lose the next
election, even if polls show otherwise.

"Are you breaking off of Kadima with Haim Ramon?" one reporter wanted to know,
hoping for some action on this very asak day.

"I can definitely say no to that, because Haim Ramon is not a Knesset member,"
Hasson replied, artfully avoiding answering the real question with a grin.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Reporters notebook

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE KNESSET begins a three-month summer recess today. (Credit:
Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

661 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Report: Police, prison officials losing jobs in wake of Carmel Fire report

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff; Ben Hartman contributed to this story

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 716 words

The commander of the police's Northern District, Asst.-Ch. Rony Atia, was
expected to resign or be fired, and other law enforcement officials already have
retired, following severe criticism of the way they handled the December 2010
Carmel Forest fire, Army Radio reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Ze'ev Even-Chen, a former police Central Region commander and father of Topaz
Even-Chen Klein, who, along with 43 others, was killed in the fire, has led a
public campaign for the dismissal of law enforcement and political officials
who, according to him, mismanaged the crisis.

Even-Chen and others have submitted a petition to the High Court of Justice to
remove these officials. The petition is based on, among other things, a report
by then-state comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss and scathing criticism of the law
enforcement sector's state of readiness going into the crisis, and its
management of the crisis once the fire started.

According to the Army Radio report, Atia was called to a meeting on Tuesday with
Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and national police chief
Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino. The two pressured him to announce his early
retirement in order to assist the law enforcement community in moving on from
the incident and ending the bad press it has been receiving.

The report also said that one Israel Prisons Service officer had been forced to
retire two months ago; that the police force's deputy inspector-general will be
retiring early; and that another officer in the police had been removed from his
post following criticism from Even-Chen and others.

Even-Chen has also called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to fire Interior
Minister Eli Yishai and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.

The petition to the High Court was submitted two weeks to the day after the
State Comptroller's Office released its report on the fire. The report found
glaring failures in the way Yishai and Steinitz handled the disaster, as well as
in their preparation of rescue services for such a catastrophic event.

The petitioners stated that Netanyahu and Aharonovitch "have the obligation to
use the power given to them by law and remove these people from their positions
and to draw personal conclusions based on what is written in the State
Comptroller's Report."

The petition adds that the failure to exercise this power would be an "extreme"
oversight.

"There is no authority without responsibility, and no responsibility without
anyone being held responsible," the petition says.

Even-Chen wrote personal letters to Netanyahu and Aharonovitch following the
disaster - letters he said were not answered, leaving no choice but to turn to
the court.

The petition includes excerpts from the comptroller's report that focus not only
on the conduct of Steinitz and Yishai, but also on criticism of a series of
police, Prisons Service and fire department commanders. It calls for
Aharonovitch to examine these failures, adding that "in the moment of truth, at
the moment when their professional and leadership capabilities were put to the
most important test of all, the following people, unfortunately, showed
leadership that was rife with failure."

Attorneys for the petitioners wrote that their clients "are not seeking revenge.
They are concerned. As people who served in the security services for more than
a few years their concern is for the principle of responsibility that has
defined the security services since the founding of the state until today."

Even-Chen took center stage at a social justice protest in front of around
10,000 demonstrators in Tel Aviv at the beginning of July. He spoke of his plans
to submit the petition and drew a connection between the failings detailed in
the comptroller's report and the claims of failed national leadership made by
social justice protestors.

"The disregard for people's lives is something that must be stopped and you must
make this part of your protest," he told the crowd. "Look what happens: No one
is responsible. The finance minister blames the interior minister; the interior
minister blames the finance minister; the Finance Ministry says it's the Prisons
Service; they say it's the police or the firefighters. Everyone says, 'It wasn't
me, it was him.' It's one big kindergarten and the prime minister is in charge."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Rony Atia (Credit: www.police.gov.il)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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662 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

A 12-step plan to sober up for peace

BYLINE: DOUGLAS BLOOMFIELD

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 907 words

With the Arab world in turmoil from the Maghreb to the Gulf, few are paying much
attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict these days.

Libya, Tunisia and Egypt are experimenting with democracy and have new
governments just feeling their way, and no one can be sure which way they will
go. Syria is exploding in civil war, and while the Assad regime appears to be
steadily weakening, it still has the most guns, tanks and planes. And Russia is
running interference for the Assad regime at the United Nations to block
international intervention.

Nuclear negotiations with Iran are going nowhere, and Tehran increasingly
appears to be using the talks simply to stall for time while it accelerates
uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, the regime is threatening to attack American
bases, close the Straits of Hormuz and spread chaos and violence if faced with
military action from its foes.

Against that background, no one is speaking seriously any longer about the
centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian standoff to establishing regional
stability. President Barack Obama came to office with that view and crashed into
a stone wall of reality. Barring a third intifada or dramatic escalation of
violence, it is likely to remain on a back burner well into next year.

Marc Lynch, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said, "I
see no prospect for movement on Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking anytime in the
near future or in the medium future."

Low expectations got a brief bump up when Shaul Mofaz brought the Kadima party
into the government with reviving peace negotiations with the Palestinians a top
item on his agenda, but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu never really showed
much more than rhetorical interest in the subject, and it was dropped when Mofaz
pulled out of the coalition 70 days later.

Netanyahu demonstrated his disinterest once again this week with his
government's announcement of plans to demolish eight Palestinian villages in
order to give the IDF more space for training exercises.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talked up the peace process in her recent
meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders but all she got was pious promises
to pursue peace, but no action, nor is any likely in the foreseeable future
beyond a feckless effort by Palestinians to revive their bid for UN membership
this fall, a dramatic gesture that will change nothing on the ground.

Real progress requires that both sides sit down with each other, and neither is
seriously interested.

Before anyone can even talk about talking, much less negotiating, Israel and the
Palestinians will have to restore enough confidence in each other to persuade
them it is worth their while, Ambassador Dennis Ross, the veteran American peace
envoy, told a Center for a New American Security forum last week. For now the
top-down lack of trust is pervasive, and there is a growing belief on both sides
that peace is never going to happen.

Ross proposed a 12-step plan to get Israelis and Palestinians back on the
(peace) wagon and to begin to restore trust. Twelve steps sounds like an
appropriate metaphor given both sides' long-term intoxication with the blame
game and the need to sober up about achieving a political settlement. But
they've been drinking the nectar of complacency for so long that the status quo
appears preferable.

Ross listed six steps for each side.

Israel

1. Provide compensation incentives for settlers to voluntarily begin leaving
settlements.

2. Build housing for settlers who leave so they will know there is a place to go
that they will want to live in.

3. Stop construction in areas that Israel is sure to leave; put the new housing
in the major blocks Israel is expected to retain or inside the 1967 Green Line.

4. Open Area C, the 60 percent of the West Bank now under full Israeli security
control, to Palestinian economic activity currently barred. It will demonstrate
Israel is serious about leaving.

5. Expand the Palestinian police presence in Area B, 22% of the territory, to
include security responsibility and lower the Israeli profile.

6. In Area A, the 18% of the West Bank where the Palestinian Authority has civil
and security responsibility, minimize Israeli incursions to an absolute
necessity.

Palestinians

1. Put Israel on your maps and in your textbooks, websites and government
documents to demonstrate that you are serious about a two-state solution.

2. If you are so confident about your rights to the land, acknowledge there is
also a historical Jewish connection to the land.

3. Stop celebrating everyone who kills an Israeli as a martyr if you want to
show you are serious about coexistence.

4. Start conditioning your public for the difficult decisions and compromises
they will have to take for peace; the more you treat yourself as a victim the
more you perpetuate yourself as a victim.

5. Replace the refugee camps with permanent housing.

6. Build your infrastructure and institutions of your state; it is good for you
and tells the Israelis what kind of state you want to have.

Before the two sides can resume negotiations they have to begin speaking
seriously to their own people about their responsibilities and show, not simply
tell, the other side that they are ready, able and willing to make peace.

Each side has lost faith in the other's commitment to peace, and has a profound
sense that it is right, Ross said. "It's not a question of right or wrong. There
are two rights."

bloomfieldcolumn@gmail.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: WASHINGTON WATCH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ANOTHER CHANCE for peace. Clinton envoy Dennis Ross meeting with
then Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat in 2000. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

663 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff, Lahav Harkov, Melanie Lidman, Gil Shefler

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 566 words

Woman tries to drown self, 2 kids

A Nazareth resident apparently attempted to drown herself and her two young
children at a Haifa beach on Tuesday.

Haifa Municipality security guards on a routine patrol saw the woman entering
the sea fully clothed with her children. When she failed to heed their calls to
stop they followed her into the water, pulling the woman and her children to
shore.

The three were taken to the Haifa police station. Police later found a letter in
the woman's car in which she listed various hardships she faced, and were
investigating whether the letter indicated suicidal intent.

Police called a child investigator to take initial testimony from the children,
as well as social workers to help investigate the woman's background. They were
also awaiting an evaluation of the mother's emotional state in order to conduct
an initial investigation. ¥ Jerusalem Post staff

Bill fining employers of migrants advances

Anyone employing or renting a home to illegal migrants will face five years in
prison or a NIS 500,000 fine, according to a bill that passed its first Knesset
reading Wednesday.

Nine lawmakers supported the legislation proposed by Likud MKs Ophir Akunis and
Miri Regev, who outspokenly oppose illegal African migration into the country.
Four MKs voted against the bill.

"The infiltration issue has become a strategic threat to Israeli society and
makes the lives of many citizens intolerable," Akunis said. "The bill will stop
the infiltrators' main incentive to come to Israel, which is to find work." ¥
Lahav Harkov

8-year-old killed in car accident

An 8-year-old boy was killed in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem on
Wednesday morning after he was hit by a car while crossing the street. The boy
was killed instantly. Police opened an investigation into the incident. ¥
Melanie Lidman

Factory worker electrocuted

A worker at a factory in the Hartov Industrial Park in Beit Shemesh was
critically injured after being electrocuted in the courtyard of the building on
Wednesday afternoon. Paramedics and firefighters rushed to the scene of the
Tuttnauer factory, which makes medical products, after a man was injured while
fixing the electricity. He lost consciousness and was evacuated to Hadassah
University Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem in critical condition. ¥
Melanie Lidman

Synagogues to hold Munich memorials

Some 400 synagogues around the world, from Sydney, Australia to San Diego,
California, will hold a prayer for the victims of the 1972 Munich massacre this
Saturday. The Global Moment of Prayer, which coincides with the opening of the
Olympics in London the day before, will honor the Israeli athletes murdered in
the Olympic Games held in Munich 40 years ago.

"I came up with this idea just two weeks ago in response to the rejection by the
International Olympic Committee for an official and public recognition of the
Munich tragedy," said Netanya-based Barry Shaw, who is behind the initiative.
"It was the right thing to do. If we Jews do not remember this awful event and
the death of our sporting elite, then who will? It is our collective way of
telling the families of the murdered Jewish sportsmen that Jews worldwide are
paying their tribute to their loved ones and praying for their souls." So far
Shaw's idea has received the blessing of UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and South
African Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein. ¥ Gil Shefler

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

664 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Obama, Romney backers trade barbs at 'Post' TA debate

BYLINE: HADAS PARUSH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 478 words

The US presidential race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney found its way to
Tel Aviv this week, in a debate organized by The Jerusalem Post, along with
IVoteIsrael and the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel.

Moderated by Post Editor-in-Chief Steve Linde, Monday night's debate at Beit
Daniel in Tel Aviv highlighted some of the main concerns for the room full of
American Israelis.

On the Left side of the discussion table, Hillel Schenker, representing
Democrats Abroad Israel, praised Obama's dedication to Israel's security and
wellbeing, as well as his revival of US standing in the international arena.

To the Right, Marc Zell, representing Republicans Abroad Israel, was arguing
that US international standing has never been so low.

"Maybe the world didn't like George Bush, but they respected him," he said. Zell
said that if Romney will run the business of America then "the economy has a
fighting chance of getting back on its feet and America's standing in the eyes
of the world will be able to lead around the world and particularly in our
region."

Regarding Iran, Schenker said that "Bush's great achievement was to eliminate
the Iraqi counterpoint to Iran, which strengthened Iran's situation tremendously
in the region and in the world," creating the current crisis we have with Iran.
Obama has set red lines, he said, working towards preventing a nuclear Iran.

Zell, however, countered that all Obama has done is try to talk to the
ayatollahs, who in turn told him "to take a walk. The person who has been
working to prevent the nuclearization of Iran," he said, "is the prime minister
of this tiny country [Israel]."

Zell said that Obama was avoiding the subject of Iran until it became an issue
in connection with his reelection.

Zell also gave away that in his upcoming visit to Israel during his campaign,
Romney would talk about certain issues of interest including US recognition of
Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Schenker was a little less promising, yet more diplomatic.

"Every presidential candidate can say whatever he wants as a candidate about
Jerusalem, but the fact is that when you are sitting in the White House, you
cannot declare that Jerusalem is the official capital until a comprehensive
peace agreement is achieved between Israel and its neighbors. This is the
reality," Schenker said. "You have to work with both the Israelis and the
Arabs."

The series of political debates aims to encourage inform Americans living in
Israel to register to vote, and to better inform them about their voting
decisions for the upcoming US presidential elections on November 6.

Another debate will be held Thursday, July 26, in Beit Shemesh at Netach Menashe
Beit Knesset at 8 p.m., moderated by Post political correspondent Gil Hoffman.
The debate will feature Zell and the counsel and past chairman of Democrats
Abroad Israel, Sheldon Schorer.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'JERUSALEM POST' editor Steve Linde moderates a debate in Tel
Aviv Monday night between Hillel Schenker of Democrats Abroad Israel and Marc
Zell of Republicans Abroad Israel. (Credit: Hadas Parush)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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665 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

BBC bias

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 717 words

The British Broadcasting Corporation could never be accused of showering Israel
with sympathy, or even credited with gracing Israel with the rudiments of
objectivity. Nonetheless, the BBC has managed to flabbergast even those Israelis
who hadn't expected minimal fairness from it.

The BBC has devoted a web page to the Olympic athletes. Most of the entries are
straightforward enough, but not so the ones devoted to Israel and "Palestine,"
which, though not a sovereign state, did win recognition as a member of the
Olympic Council of Asia since 1986 and the International Olympic Committee since
1995.

On the latter's country profile page, the BBC listed "East Jerusalem" as the
capital of Palestine. No capital whatever was noted on the page devoted to
Israel, not even "West Jerusalem." As expected, that generated considerable
commotion and even a written complaint from government spokesman Mark Regev.

Discomfited, the BBC tried a quick fix, defining Jerusalem as Israel's "seat of
government," but not without failing to add that "most foreign embassies are in
Tel Aviv."

The corresponding revamp on the Palestine page seeks to strike equivalence with
the following: "Intended seat of government: East Jerusalem. Ramallah serves as
administrative capital."

Evincing no hint of regret, the BBC later waxed indignant and argued that the
modifications on its website were "generated by online lobby activity." The
inference is that there was something untoward in said "online lobby activity"
and that the BBC had its arm unjustly twisted.

Moreover, no opportunity appears to have been missed to render Israel's image
disagreeable. The photo chosen to represent Israel on its BBC profile shows an
IDF soldier screaming at an Arab, with the caption reading: "Israelis and
Palestinians have been at loggerheads for decades."

The Syrian page, in contrast, looks idyllic. It pictures three pretty girls in
white Muslim garb with older black-clad women in the background, all smiling.
The caption informs us innocuously that "the overwhelming majority of Syrians
are Muslim."

Concomitantly, the campaign to commemorate the 11 Israeli athletes slain by Arab
terrorists at the Munich Olympics exactly 40 years ago received zero coverage on
the BBC. That's starkly different from the choices made by other international
news providers, British ones notably among them.

The BBC's palpable anti-Israel predispositions are nothing new. Malcolm Balen, a
senior editorial adviser, compiled a report in 2004 on the BBC's radio and
television broadcasters' attitudes toward the Israeli-Arab conflict. The
20,000-word Balen Report is said to contain scathing criticism of the BBC, which
fought tooth and nail against demands that it release it under the Freedom of
Information Act.

But despite Balen's admonitions, the BBC remained unrepentant and failed to
clean up its act. A most telling case in point was its coverage of the March
2011 Itamar massacre, where Palestinian terrorists invaded the home of the Fogel
family and butchered the father, mother, their two young sons and
three-month-old baby daughter.

The BBC's version abounded in outright inaccuracies and mind-boggling omissions.
Worst of all, it was given scant resonance altogether. It was unmentioned on BBC
Television and was accorded only a fleeting brief reference on radio.

In his testimony to Parliament earlier this month, the BBC's outgoing
director-general, Mark Thompson, belatedly acknowledged that his organization
"got it wrong." Yet as this latest controversy surrounding the BBC's
misrepresentations indicates, the BBC willfully keeps right on getting it wrong.
It doesn't exert much effort to get it right.

Last summer, for instance, it featured a story claiming that a Jerusalem court
sentenced a dog to death by stoning. This was an utter hoax, which a preliminary
check would have revealed. Yet apparently the goodwill didn't exist to accord
Israel fair treatment. The temptation to paint Israel in the most unflattering
colors plainly couldn't be resisted. The fabrication in this case was so blatant
that the BBC eventually removed this item but not before it blackened Israel's
face.

Yet more than such shenanigans damage Israel, they undermine the BBC's own
integrity. For its own good, it ought to desist from so flagrantly exposing its
bias.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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666 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Supporting Israel's middle class

BYLINE: FAINA KIRSCHENBAUM

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 677 words

This summer's social protests do not have the same energy as last year's. And
not surprisingly. Without a specific platform, it is hard to get people
enthusiastic for another wave of mass demonstrations. "Social justice" is not
going to come from those whose only articulated goal is the toppling of the
government.

Contrary to the cries of the protesters, it is the government that is making
real strides in making this country fairer. This month, the Knesset passed the
Economic Concentration Bill on its first reading. This law is about opening the
financial markets to greater competition - a step that will revolutionize the
way we do business on every level. It will take years for a more competitive
financial market to develop, but once the process has begun, there will be no
stopping it.

Moreover, this bill restricts business groups with a pyramid structure. Today,
almost all pension funds are invested in large-scale pyramid schemes, which by
definition are risky. Banning two- and three-level pyramid schemes means greater
transparency for our savings programs, less risk and more competition.

This increased competition has the potential to affect all aspects of the
economy, leading to a palpable reduction in the cost of living - something every
summer protester should support.

In my eyes, the Economic Concentration Bill is an example of the government
fulfilling its role to make the conditions fairer and more conducive to the
average person's reaching his or her earning potential through hard work. The
proposed law may not be perfect and may yet undergo some changes. But the
principle is right and marks tremendous progress for Israel.

I am well aware that reducing the cost of living through increased market
competition is not what the protest leaders had in mind when they called for
government intervention. They wanted more government subsidies.

As someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, I have a natural aversion to big
government. But beyond my personal experience, throughout Europe we see that big
government is ultimately unaffordable (I am fond of Margaret Thatcher's line,
"The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's
money") and discourages people from taking full financial responsibility of
their lives.

No one can argue with the protesters' claims that the middle class has trouble
making ends meet in spite of working full time and that housing is unaffordable.
But the answer is not more government subsidies. Instead it is good legislation
that protects the little guy and allows for more competition to bring prices
down.

Housing is a complex issue that cries out for reform. For years, Yisrael Beytenu
has been advancing policies to free up more government land for residential
purposes, to have more building tenders, and to reduce the crushing bureaucracy
involved in construction.

I have filed a High Court petition against the Housing Minister to introduce an
earning-capacity criterion so that tax payers receive priority over those who
live off of state subsidies. Some Haredi leaders see this as an attack on their
community. But really it is simply giving the working middle class their fair
dues.

If the protests took up the call for affordable housing through the policies
mentioned above, we could reach a critical mass of support to push legislation
through that could put home-ownership within reach for so many.

The summer protests have the potential to bring urgent issues to the top of the
public agenda. Calls for big government will not bring us the financial security
we seek. We need to continue in the path of the Concentration Bill, both giving
people the support they need and removing any unnecessary obstacles to maximize
their earning potential.

I, as a member of Knesset, would be heartened to see a successful summer
protest. An informed and politically active public is good for democracy. Let's
move away from nebulous cries for change and concentrate on good legislation and
together improve the lives of many.

The writer is a member of Knesset for Israel Beiteinu.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SOCIAL PROTESTORS in Tel Aviv. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The
Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Knesset approves national firefighting authority law

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 230 words

The Knesset voted into law a bill to create a national firefighting authority on
Wednesday.

The national authority will replace of the dozens of local fire authorities in
place throughout the country. Fire chiefs will divide the country into seven
fire districts, similar to the police's districts, and all firefighting units
will be overseen by the fire commissioner.

Fire and Rescue Services Commissioner Shahar Ayalon welcomed the new law, saying
it would better serve the public.

The law was made possible due to an agreement reached last week between all
government ministries involved in the reform, after months of disagreements and
a stalemate over funding. Under the reform, the fire service's budget will
receive an additional cash injection of NIS 1 billion per year.

Harel Locker, director-general of the Prime Minister's Office, managed to bridge
a deadlock in negotiations by proposing a gradual budget increase.

"For the first time in many years, we are submitting a national fire service
with one commander and two branches - the ground branch, which has been
upgraded, and the aerial branch, which has been established," Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu said last week.

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch said, "We are witnessing an
historic day and are in a completely different place than where we were
one-and-a-half years ago. There is a great change here."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Shahar Ayalon (Credit: Courtesy Fire and Rescue Services)

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668 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Israeli pride grows as flag raised in village. Excited athletes and officials
attend sunny ceremony to hoist the blue-and-white

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 571 words

The level of excitement among the Israeli delegation ahead of the start of the
London Olympics on Friday continued to climb like the temperatures in the
English capital on Wednesday after the country's flag was raised in the Olympic
Village, marking the official arrival of the athletes.

Several of Israel's sportsmen and women attended the short and colorful ceremony
held under sunny skies in temperatures reaching 33 degrees before turning back
their attention to the real reason they have come to London.

Among those in attendance was swimmer Gal Nevo, who will not be at Friday's
Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium as he will be getting to bed early to be
ready to compete in his first race on Saturday morning.

Nevo is hoping to become just the second Israeli swimmer to reach a final of an
individual Olympic event when he jumps into the pool for the 400-meters
Individual Medley heats.

"I've been in London for just 24 hours but I already feel acclimatized as if
I've been here much longer," Nevo said on Wednesday.

"I feel that I'm in the best shape of my life. Therefore, my target is to
improve my national records which were set a while ago with the full-body suits.

"My first goal is to set a personal best and I hope that will be enough to reach
the final."

Daniel Taub, Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, was on hand to watch the
Israeli flag being raised into the London sky, hoping it will be the first of
many such occasions in these Olympics.

"Everyone was very excited to see the flag being raised," Taub said.

"We hope that thanks to our athletes this will not be the last time this happens
in London."

The 2012 Games will be the sixth Summer Olympics for Olympic Committee of Israel
Secretary General Efraim Zinger, but he claimed to be as moved as ever by the
ceremony.

"I was overcome by emotion singing the anthem and watching the flag, but we are
here to do a job," Zinger said.

"Our goal is clear - to make sure everyone of our 37 athletes will be at their
best in their moment of truth."

Director of Israel's Elite Sport Department, Gili Lostig, has overseen the
athletes' preparations from day one, and with four Olympic Games already on his
resume, he knows exactly what they require to make sure they peak when it
matters most.

"The village is slowly filling with our athletes and our first target is to help
them get back into their regular routine," Lostig said.

"We enter the competitions in full force on Saturday and we have 37 athletes
here who have been given all they need to succeed."

Two more of the Israeli sportsmen competing on Saturday are gymnast Alex
Shatilov and judoka Tommy Arshansky.

While Shatilov enters the men's artistic gymnastics qualifiers as one of
Israel's best medal hopes, Arshansky's presence in London is a pure bonus for
the judoka, who became the last athlete to be added to the delegation when the
OCI's high court accepted his appeal to be one of three up-and-coming Israelis
in the Games.

"We will know more about Arshansky's chances after we see Thursday's draw, but
we are hoping he can at least win one battle," Lostig said.

"Shatilov knows what is at stake on Saturday. I think the presence of fellow
gymnast Felix Aronovich will help him a lot as it gives him a colleague to talk
to.

"Everyone is already talking about the floor final on August 5, but Shatilov
first has to make sure he does his job in Saturday's qualifiers and he will have
to be at his best."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: AFTER ATTENDING a ceremony to raise the Israeli flag in the
village Israeli swimmers Yakov Toumarkin and Gal Nevo pose outside the Israeli
delegation's apartments at the Olympic Village in London. (Credit: OCI/courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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669 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Jewish unity and Joseph's Tomb

BYLINE: MICHAEL FREUND

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 912 words

Last week, in the most unlikely of places, I came face to face with the power of
Jewish unity. It was well after midnight when the convoy of heavily-guarded
Israeli cars and buses began the short drive through the deserted streets of
Shechem (Nablus). Posted along the way were young men in IDF uniforms, keeping a
watchful eye on the hundreds of Jews who were braving the late hour and our
hostile neighbors to visit an ancient Jewish holy site in the heart of
Palestinian-controlled territory.

For years, I had wanted to visit Joseph's Tomb, the burial place of one of our
greatest Biblical forbears and one of Israel's premier sites of religious,
historical and archaeological significance. Indeed, the late Dr. Zvi Ilan, one
of Israel's foremost archeologists, described Joseph's Tomb as "one of the tombs
whose location is known with the utmost degree of certainty and is based on
continuous documentation since Biblical times" (Tombs of the Righteous in the
Land of Israel, p. 365).

According to the Book of Joshua (24:32), "The bones of Joseph which the Children
of Israel brought up from Egypt were buried in Shechem in the portion of the
field that had been purchased by Jacob." Ancient rabbinic texts such as the
Midrash mention the site, as did the early Church historian Eusebius of
Caesarea, who visited it nearly 1,700 years ago. Arab geographers, medieval
Jewish pilgrims, Samaritan historians and even 19th-century British
cartographers all concur regarding Joseph's Tomb and its location.

But ever since Israel ignominiously abandoned the site under a hail of
Palestinian gunfire on October 7, 2000, visiting it has become a logistical
challenge. Currently, Israelis are allowed access to the tomb only once a month
in the wee hours of the night and under tight IDF supervision.

BASIC PRINCIPLES such as freedom of worship and assembly are tossed aside, with
the result being that a total of only about 1,200 Jews are able to visit the
tomb in the one night per month that is made available. That may sound like a
lot, but the demand is far greater. During my visit, I noticed how the
cellphones of the organizers did not stop ringing, as they were forced to
contend with people who were pleading to be granted a space on one of the buses
so they could visit the Tomb. Nearly all had to be turned away.

When we arrived at the small compound, which was recently refurbished after
having been desecrated by local Palestinians, worshippers descended from the
buses and rushed into the tiny room, seeking to get as close to the tomb as
possible.

Silent prayers were recited, as various worshippers rocked back and forth, their
eyes closed and heads turned heavenwards. Others pulled out small volumes and
quietly wept as they read the timeless words of the Psalms.

After putting in a few pleas of my own to the Creator, I looked around the room,
marveling at the spiritual power of the place. Many nations pay tribute to their
founding fathers, but only the Jewish people do so in such transcendent terms,
invoking their righteousness in the hopes of eliciting Divine mercy.

And then a scene caught my eye, one so subtle yet sublime that it took me a few
moments to appreciate its splendor.

Standing at the tomb, next to each other, were four men with seemingly nothing
in common. One was a Religious Zionist IDF officer in drab green uniform.
Alongside him stood a Hassidic Jew with a long-flowing white beard, dressed in
traditional garb. Next to him was a Sephardi policeman standing beside a tourist
from America in a baseball cap emblazoned with the letters "NY."

THESE FOUR Jews all live in different worlds, I thought to myself. Their
backgrounds are varied, their customs and ideology are diverse, and even the
daily rhythms of their lives are different.

And yet, for a few brief moments, they were all drawn to this holy place, and
despite everything which may divide them, they stood there together as one,
putting aside all the distinctions and discrepancies. They were four Jews who
had come to pray, nothing more and nothing less.

And that is how it ought to be.

For millennia, Joseph's Tomb has been a magnet for Jewish pilgrimage and prayer.
But nowadays, it is serving an equally important function: as a shrine of Jewish
unity and concord. How perfectly ironic, I thought to myself, that Joseph, who
had been the victim of sibling rivalry in the Biblical story, would now prove to
be such a force in forging Jewish fraternity.

Given our current circumstances, that alone should be reason enough to expand
Jewish access to his tomb. Currently, like thieves in the night, Jews are
compelled to slip into Shechem under cover of darkness in a monthly arrangement
that is as humiliating as it is off-putting. No self-respecting nation would
impose such restrictions on visiting a site of such national import, and neither
should Israel.

The Jewish state should reassert full control over Joseph's Tomb and put
measures into place that would ensure that Jews can visit whenever they wish,
including during daylight hours. Freedom of religion demands no less.

Twice in Jewish history, Joseph was forsaken by his brothers and handed over to
foreigners. The first time was in the Biblical story, when he was tossed into a
pit and sold to traveling merchants. The second time was in October 2000, when
his tomb was surrendered to Palestinian rioters.

It is time that we right that wrong once and for all and take back Joseph's Tomb
and with it, the key to Jewish unity.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: FUNDAMENTALLY FREUND. After putting in a few pleas of my own to the
Creator, I looked around the room, marveling at the spiritual power of the place

GRAPHIC: Photo: WORSHIPPERS AT Joseph's tomb. (Credit: Courtesy Michael Freund)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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670 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Tax hike, budget cuts to pass despite opposition

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN, HERB KEINON and NIV ELIS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 739 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is not expected to have a problem getting
cabinet approval for his plan to raise taxes and cut the budgets of government
ministries, despite a public outcry over the proposals on Wednesday.

The cabinet will convene to vote on the plan on Monday instead of Sunday due to
the observance of the Tisha Be'av fast. Shas fiercely criticized the plan, but
its leaders admitted that they had no chance of blocking it, because 15 of the
29 ministers are from Likud and not one Likud minister has announced opposition
to it.

Shas leader and Interior Minister Eli Yishai came out against Netanyahu's
planned increase to the value-added tax, saying the regressive tax hurt weak
sectors of society.

"I think we need a progressive tax, so the rich pay more and the poor pay less,"
Yishai said in an interview with Army Radio. "It can't be that a middle-class
person pays exactly what a rich person pays."

Items like luxury cars, jewelry, restaurants and hotel rooms, which the rich are
more likely to purchase, should be taxed at a higher rate than water,
electricity, bread and life-saving medicine, he said.

Proposed budget cuts, the minister continued, involve the same problem, hitting
the weakest sectors of society by taking away vital support and services. The
funds are not coming off ministers' salaries, he noted.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) also criticized Netanyahu's
initiative. He expressed frustration that he had not been consulted about the
move prior to Tuesday's announcement, but said he was waiting to see the final
proposal before instructing his ministers how to vote.

Habayit Hayehudi leader and Science and Technology Minister Daniel Herschkowitz
said he would also wait until he saw the proposal on Monday before making a
decision, adding that the nine days culminating in the observance of Tisha Be'av
are an inauspicious time for making key decisions.

The prime minister, at a working meeting in his office on the new economic steps
that will come before the cabinet on Monday, explained that "managing the
national economy is like managing a household. You must balance expenses and
income, you cannot spend on everything, you must choose."

He said that major projects the country has undertaken over the last year - such
as building a fence along the Egyptian border to stop the flow of infiltrators,
upgrading the country's firefighting capabilities and dealing with the changing
security situation in the region - cost money.

Netanyahu said that on Monday, the cabinet would prioritize where the country's
money should be spent, while maintaining a balanced budget and not exceeding it.

The prime minister also said the government would ensure the "general framework
of revenues, because that is the way we preserve the Israeli economy, unlike
what is happening in Europe and in other places in the world."

According to Netanyahu, the employment rate in Israel is greater than in almost
any other Western country.

"We do not want hundreds of thousands of unemployed, we want Israelis to work
and earn a living, and that is what we are doing with a responsible policy, as
will be expressed by the cabinet next Monday," he said.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said at the meeting that Israel had successfully
staved off the global economic crisis for three years.

"We have succeeded in preserving the Israeli economy and Israeli citizens from
the catastrophe that we see in America, Europe and other places," he said. "In
order to continue doing so, we need to maintain budgetary and economic
responsibility."

Steinitz said the government would "submit a series of steps that will increase
state revenues by billions of shekels, some immediately and some in 2013."

He said the steps were critical to maintaining the confidence of the
international community, credit rating companies and investors.

The finance minister said that the steps to be brought to the cabinet on Monday
represent "the line of defense for the Israeli economy and the citizens of
Israel."

"Whoever suggests otherwise, whoever proposes that we declare that we will not
meet the deficit target [now at 3 percent], suggests Spain or Greece," he said.
"One should see what is happening in Spain or Greece and understand that whoever
refuses to increase state revenues and maintain budgetary and economic
responsibility, brings Israeli citizens closer to what is happening in Greece,
Spain, Italy and other places."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Yuval Steinitz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Google: Israelis prefer to research online but purchase offline

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 574 words

Israelis spend more time than Americans and Europeans researching products
online but are likelier to complete their purchases at bricks-and-mortar
outlets, Google's Consumer Commerce Barometer reported Wednesday.

The study, which surveyed consumers in Israel, the US, UK, Germany, France and
Italy, found that Israelis had the highest preference for researching travel,
technology, cinema tickets and personal appliances online, but the lowest
preference for researching books, toys and clothing accessories using that same
method.

Israelis ranked number one for online cinema ticket and personal appliance
purchases, but ranked in the bottom or close to the bottom in each of the other
seven fields. Eighty-seven percent of Israelis said they researched travel
before ordering a flight or accommodation, but only 49% completed their
purchases online. In comparison, 86% of Brits researched travel over the
Internet and 75% completed purchases online.

These findings support those made by a McKinsey study on Israel's Internet
economy early last year, which estimated that Israelis bought NIS 20 billion
worth of goods at land-based stores after first researching the products online.

Google believes these habits will eventually disappear, Paul Solomon, head of
communications for the Internet giant's Israel branch, told The Jerusalem Post
in an interview conducted via Google+'s Hangout video-chat platform.

"E-commerce is inevitably increasing, and as the Internet becomes more
influential in our lives, it will become more influential in our purchasing
decisions as well," he said.

Consumers unsurprisingly used mobile Internet far less than regular Internet,
Google's study showed, although Israelis were found to be the most advanced when
it came to mobile research - no matter what the product. For example, 9% of them
used their phones to research travel, compared to 2%-5% in the other countries,
and 8% used phones to research finance and real estate, double second-placed
Britain with 4%.

If you are Israeli and have ever used your mobile device to search for more
information about products while shopping, then it turns out you are not alone.
Thirty-nine percent of Israelis admitted to using an iPhone, Android or other
smartphone device to obtain information about products while inside a store,
compared to 35% of Americans, 31% of Brits, 21% of Italians, 20% of French and
14% of Germans.

The study also compared Israelis' and Brits' research and purchase behavior in
the area of hotel stays. While the same amount of Israeli and Brits (67%)
researched accommodation online, only 52% of Israelis purchased a hotel stay
online, compared to 77% of Brits. Both citizenries were most likely to start
their search on travel-related websites, followed by search engines, word of
mouth and product/price comparison sites.

Solomon said businesses could draw three conclusions from the report: they need
the right digital assets, such as mobile-adaptive websites; they must be able to
promote their digital assets using search-engine marketing to reach the people
searching for their particular service; and they should consider selling online,
if they do not already do so, because the data suggest that Israelis will
purchase online when given a proper opportunity.

Finally, Solomon suggested that social networks also take note, saying, "For all
their popularity, they are not yet playing a major part in the commercial
decision-making process."

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Haniyeh to meet Egypt's Mursi in Cairo today

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 360 words

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday
with Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi.

Haniyeh, who left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border terminal Wednesday, is
accompanied by a 17-member delegation of Hamas officials and businessmen. He
will be the second Hamas leader to meet with Mursi since the latter assumed
power.

Last week, Mursi met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal - the first meeting of its
kind between the two men since the presidential election in Egypt.

The meeting came one day after Mursi met in Cairo with Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas.

Ousted president Hosni Mubarak had never met with any representative of Hamas.

Leaders of Hamas who were invited to Cairo in the past few years held meetings
only with Egyptian security officials. Under Mubarak, the Egyptian authorities
had treated Hamas as a security, and not political, issue.

Moreover, Mubarak's regime had never recognized the legitimacy of the Hamas
government in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas is hoping the meetings with Mursi would lead to a gradual lifting of
travel restrictions imposed on Palestinians, especially those living in the Gaza
Strip, a source close to the Islamist movement said Wednesday.

According to the source, Haniyeh will urge the new Egyptian president to allow
male Palestinians aged 18-40 to enter Egypt without a visa entry.

Haniyeh, the source added, will also request that Egypt help transfer
Qatari-supplied fuel to the Gaza Strip to avoid a humanitarian crisis. The
Egyptians have refused to cooperate in the transfer of the fuel through their
territories, offering instead that it be sent to the Gaza Strip through a border
crossing with Israel.

Another source said that Haniyeh is carrying a plan to establish a free-trade
zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Earlier this week, Egyptian and Palestinian sources claimed that Mursi had
instructed his government to stop deporting Palestinians who arrive by plane at
Cairo Airport without an entry visa. Mursi is also reported to have instructed
his government to stop harassing and detaining Palestinian travelers who enter
Egypt from the Gaza Strip.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ISMAIL HANIYEH, prime minister of Hamas, flashes a victory sign
at the Rafah crossing as he enters Egypt yesterday. (Credit: Ibraheem Abu
Mustafa/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

High Court grants state third delay in Beit El case

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 296 words

The High Court of Justice on Wednesday acceded to the state's third request to
delay the demolition of five unauthorized apartment buildings under construction
in the Beit El settlement.

The buildings were built without permits on land classified by the state as
private Palestinian property.

In April 2011 the state promised the court it would remove the five structures
within a year. But in April of this year it asked to delay the demolitions until
the end of May in light of the Passover holiday and a number of Palestinian
activist events, including Nakba Day on May 15.

It also said that the state was weighing the possibility of authorizing
buildings plans that would legalize the structures.

The structures are located outside the area included in Beit El's master plan
but are within the boundaries of the 1970s land-seizure order that allowed the
IDF to take land from the Palestinian village of Dura al-Qara for military
purposes. Beit El was built on that land.

Their status is slightly different from that of the five stone apartment
buildings of the Ulpana outpost, which which were located outside the boundaries
covered by the land seizure.

Toward the end of May the state asked the court for another extension,
explaining that it wanted to present the court with information with respect to
the five buildings. The court gave the state until July 19. The state then asked
for another delay.

On Wednesday the court gave the state an additional month, until August 19, to
provide it with the information. But it also fined the state NIS 5,000 for its
continued delay, which will be awarded to the petitioner.

A Palestinian resident of Dura al-Qara first petitioned the court against the
construction in December 2010 with assistance from the Israeli legal NGO Yesh
Din.

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Urban decay

BYLINE: EHAB ABOU HOUSIEN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 303 words

Haifa has always been considered the "bride" of the north side of this country;
the shape of the city geographically resembles a fair lady with a long dress
that flows into the ocean. Nowadays, however Haifa is experiencing the
phenomenon of "urban decay" (also known as urban rot and urban blight) - the
process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into
disrepair and decrepitude.

In these pictures I wanted to represent the idea of an urban spectrum, starting
with old, abandoned buildings and areas at one end, with modern buildings and
public figures representing the other end of this spectrum. Streaming vehicles
connect the two sides of the city with an imaginary thread of light.

Old buildings blend in in a harmonious yet contradictory way. They lend a city a
special flavour, but on the other hand attract less people to come visit and
invest in the area, which in turn prevents development or reconstruction. In
another picture there is a busy government building beside an old, closed up
mosque. This plot is not usable as it is, and that's a waste.

The painting of the dancing woman was found on a main street in the old city.
The building is abandoned and in disrepair. No one is using it in any way, nor
is the site being maintained. The photos where taken Wednesday in the afternoon
and you can see the emptiness representing the idea of decay.

In the last picture I wanted to represent the other side of the city, the Carmel
Center, always full of people of all ages, with lots of places tourists and
locals can make use of.

The two sides of the city call out for a connection, but for some reason this
gap only seems to grow wider. Too bad for a city considered a national treasure.

The writer is a photographer who lives in Haifa and loves to explore the
cityscape via photography.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: VIEWPOINT

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: (Credit: EHAB ABOU HOUSIEN)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Taxes raised on cigars, cigarettes and beer

BYLINE: NIV ELIS and JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 301 words

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz signed an order Wednesday evening increasing
taxes on cigars, cigarettes and beer.

The order, which went into effect at midnight, lobbed a 10 percent tax on
existing retail inventories of tobacco products and increased the sales tax on
future purchases from 260.6% to 278.6%, adding an estimated NIS 2-3 to the price
of each pack of cigarettes. The price of beer also went up as the tax rose from
NIS 2.18 to NIS 4.19 per liter.

The Finance Ministry estimates the new levies will net the state some NIS 1
billion.

So-called "sin taxes" are popular policy tools as they both increase government
revenues and deter "bad" behaviors, such as drinking and smoking.

Steinitz also agreed with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that the cabinet
will vote on Monday regarding tax changes for Israel's largest companies,
including both increases and breaks. Companies that amass profits instead of
paying out dividends, which are taxed, will now be able to pay a reduced tax as
an incentive to pay these dividends. The state expects to net some NIS 100
billion from the deal.

Earlier Wednesday, before Steinitz signed the order, heads of the Israel Cancer
Association voiced their support for the plan to raise taxes on tobacco and
alcohol.

In separate letters to Steinitz and Netanyahu, who formally serves as health
minister, ICA president Prof. Eliezer Robinson and director-general Miri Ziv
said the organization had long supported such tax hikes because significantly
reducing consumption saves lives. More than 10,000 people a year in Israel die
from the effects of smoking or secondhand smoke, they said, and others are
debilitated from serious diseases including heart attack, cancer and respiratory
disease.

"There is no safe level of tobacco use," they asserted, "and it is addictive."

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

BBC replaces 'conflict' picture with Bauhaus architecture to illustrate Israel
entry on website

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 291 words

Israel might not have convinced the BBC to list Jerusalem as the country's
capital, but it did manage to get the broadcasting giant to place a more
flattering picture on the country profiles page of its website.

As of Wednesday, a school student in Manchester or Leeds turning to the BBC's
website for information on Israel was no longer met by the photo of an
aggressive-looking member of the Border Police shouting at a Palestinian.
Instead, the picture was of graceful Bauhaus architecture in Tel Aviv.

When the Prime Minister's Office turned to the BBC last week to get Jerusalem
listed as its capital on the network's Olympic Web page, it also raised the
question of the illustrative picture on the country profiles page.

While other countries in the region either currently or recently engulfed by
bloody clashes had pictures of smiling kids (Syria), a mosque (Egypt), a
storekeeper (Libya) or a race track (Bahrain), only the section on Israel had a
picture that illustrated ugly conflict.

On Wednesday morning that changed, and government officials in Jerusalem
expressed satisfaction at what was viewed as a "small victory." They also said
this showed that when the BBC was presented with a "good and strong case," there
were people who will listen and make changes.

That same degree of satisfaction, however, does not exist regarding the BBC
website's listing for countries participating in the upcoming Olympics, where
Jerusalem is listed only as Israel's "seat of government" and not capital, with
the proviso that "most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv."

Before the Prime Minister's Office formally complained, Jerusalem was not listed
even as Israel's seat of government, although east Jerusalem was listed as the
capital of "Palestine."

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Shurat HaDin warns UK satellite operator to end Iran deals. Inmarsat providing
28 Iranian military vessels, oil tankers with services, rights group says

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 667 words

A Tel Aviv-based civil rights group warned on Wednesday that British satellite
operator Inmarsat could face criminal prosecution if it continued providing its
technology to Iranian oil tankers.

In a letter to Inmarsat, Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center) said the company could
risk civil as well as criminal proceedings in US courts if it did not stop
supplying its guidance services to Iranian military vessels and tankers.

Shurat HaDin director and civil rights activist Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said the
warning letter came in the wake of recent US Treasury Department sanctions
against Iranian vessels.

The sanctions, imposed earlier this month, identify 58 National Iranian Tanker
Company (NITC) vessels by name. The Treasury Department said that identifying
the vessels would help companies and individuals comply with sanctions against
Iran and undermine Iranian attempts to use NITC front companies to evade
sanctions.

Twenty-eight of the vessels that the department named appear on Inmarsat's
shipping directory as being in receipt of the company's services.

Ahead of EU oil sanctions, NITC "reflagged," or registered in other countries, a
large number of its vessels to mask their ownership and so evade sanctions. Many
of the ships on the Treasury Department's list have been reflagged in countries
including Tuvalu in the South Pacific. However, Shurat HaDin said that this did
not affect their legal liability under US sanctions, because the ships were
either under Iranian control or primarily dedicated to supporting Iran.

According to Jane's Intelligence Weekly, the Telecommunications Company of Iran
(TCI) is the Islamic Republic's national signatory to Inmarsat. Iran's
Revolutionary Guards have effectively taken over TCI since the Mobin Trust
Consortium, a company that the Guards partially own, won a 2009 tender.

Meanwhile, other documents available on Inmarsat's website list TCI as a Point
of Service Activation - the company's term for an entity that has concluded a
contract with Inmarsat for its C or Mini C satellite system, which vessels use
for two-way communication.

In its letter to Inmarsat, Shurat HaDin said that providing aid to Iran was
illegal.

By materially supporting Iran's oil industry, the organization alleged, Inmarsat
was facilitating the Iranian regime, including its nuclear program.

"To the extent that Inmarsat's satellite support is utilized by Iran's military
agencies, Inmarsat is a direct participator in Iran's terrorist activities and
nuclear weapons program," the letter read.

Shurat HaDin cited a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court in the Holder v.
Humanitarian Law Project case, which held that providing any support to a
terrorist organization, even for supposed humanitarian purposes, was sufficient
to impose criminal liability.

"The analysis in Holder is no less accurate or binding when applied to the
business activities of a sophisticated sovereign entity that orchestrates
terrorist operations globally," the rights group argued in its letter.

Darshan-Leitner said on Wednesday that the organization would not tolerate
Inmarsat's "profiting from the blood of innocent people."

"Anything short of immediate and decisive action on our part would be akin to
acceptance," she said.

She called on Inmarsat to uphold its legal obligations in compliance with US
Treasury regulations and immediately cease its support for Iran.

"It is a simple issue of justice," she added.

Inmarsat did not respond by press time to a Jerusalem Post request for comment.

Shurat HaDin's warning comes as other groups have also stepped up campaigns
against Iran's shipping industry.

On Tuesday, US-based group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Japanese
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to end his country's provision of sovereign
insurance guarantees for companies shipping Iranian oil.

According to UANI, last week, Japanese crude carrier Ryuho Maru loaded 1.7
million barrels of Iranian crude on behalf of two companies, JX Nippon Oil and
Energy Corp and Idemitsu Kosan Co.

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Industries leaving Israel due to overly harsh environmental regulations, claims
compliance attorney. Ministry claims measures prioritize public health, and
match those of Western world

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 1368 words

Israeli industry is gradually drifting outside the country's borders and seeking
refuge elsewhere, in response to the increasingly stringent environmental
regulations the government is enforcing, a prominent environmental compliance
attorney recently told The Jerusalem Post.

Arie Neiger has been providing environmental compliance advice to large industry
players for the past three years, today focusing primarily on members of the
Manufacturers Industry, which represents more than 70 percent of all industry in
the country. During a meeting in his Tel Aviv office, he told the Post that
homegrown industry was shrinking - in part due to the strict environmental
regulations that the government has approved of late.

"Contrary to what most people believe, the environmental regulation is harsher
here than in the EU and US," he said.

In principle, Israel follows the same environmental regulations as the strictest
in the European Union, but Israel does not design these regulations in the same
cost-effective manner that the EU does, according to Neiger. Unlike the EU and
US, Israel lacks any regulatory assessment mechanism independent of the
country's ministries, he explained.

"Nobody in Israel is tasked or assigned to do this job - to take the proposed
regulation and find out how much it is going to cost," he said.

As an example, he brought up the issue of cleaning up contaminated soil,
eliminating toxic substances from the ground that can cause illness. The funds
required to do so are extensive - just cleaning all the contaminated soil at
army bases will cost about NIS 20 billion.

"How much health are we going to gain by that?" he asked. "How many lives are we
going to save?"

For that same NIS 20b., he continued, the country could build hospitals and buy
life-saving medicines.

While he stressed that the government should, in fact, be cleaning contaminated
soil, he argued that it should prioritize most crucial areas - such as land
beneath kindergartens - and perhaps consider a slightly less stringent cleaning
regimen.

Similar types of situations where cost-benefit analysis must be weighed include
choosing between polluting but cheaper fuel oil and expensive diesel to operate
a factory, and determining whether to maintain lower tax rates on small cars,
which can, in turn, cause a Treasury deficit, according to Neiger.

In response, the Environmental Protection Ministry called the attorney's
suggestions "cheap demagoguery" and stressed that preventative efforts to
maintain public health must be the highest priority.

"Instead of drinking toxic water, breathing the fumes of contaminated lands and
afterward resorting to life-saving drugs and long medical treatments, the
ministry believes that the correct solution is simply to prevent the pollution
ahead of time, to treat hazards created over years and thereby prevent the
suffering caused to residents," read a ministry statement to the Post. "Every
shekel invested today in treating hazards saves at the same time dozens of
years' worth of shekels that would otherwise be used for medical treatment,
output loss, compensation payments to victims, and ultimately also the treatment
of the hazard itself or land purification."

To handle cost-benefit analysis when creating regulations, the ministry said,
the office has an internal economic and technology cluster that routinely
performs in-depth economic analyses on the effects of environmental regulations
on the economy.

However, Neiger argued, it is crucial to establish a separate office outside the
ministry that objectively examines the cost of environmental regulations.

"If cost isn't something you have to take into account, why not adopt the
harshest measures available?" he asked. "The result will be the harshest
environmental regulations in the world."

The measures that continue to pass have directly resulted in industries moving
out of Israel, he charged.

Among the most problematic regulations in his mind are those regarding air
pollution. Whereas in Europe, air pollution levels for factories are a bit more
flexible, Israel mandates the strictest of standards, according to Neiger.

Europe follows a rule of thumb that factories are supposed to employ the Best
Available Technology (BAT) when selecting emission filtration mechanisms. When
dealing with particles and volatile compounds, the BAT rule there requires
technology that leaves only between 5 mg. and 20 mg. per cubic meter in the air,
he explained. Most of the technology available cannot perform any better than 10
mg. per cu.m., yet in Israel, such factories are required to use technology that
filters down to 5 mg. per cu.m. - a demand for which technology is not readily
available, according to Neiger.

Therefore, he said, Israeli industries are moving their factories to places in
Europe, where the level is more flexible.

"The difference between 20 and five is not even measurable. It's just the
principle," he added.

Industry all over the world is shrinking, but in Western nations like Germany
and France, governments are trying to draw industry back because they know that
it is a great equalizer for employment, according to Neiger. In Israel, however,
small factories are simply closing down because they cannot meet the new
standards or even afford the fees required for an emissions permit, he said.

"A great number of them are closing, and nobody knows about it because it's a
manufacturing facility that employs 15-20 people," he added.

One of his clients that has largely shifted its operations outside the country
is Israel Chemicals, for which more than 50% of production now occurs abroad. An
Israel Chemicals subsidiary, Bromine Compounds, has a facility in The
Netherlands, and is debating whether to build its next facility there or in
Israel.

"There's one reason to do it in Israel, and that's Zionism," Neiger said.
"[From] the moment you decide to go into the market [to] the moment you have a
full manufacturing line in The Netherlands is 1.5 years. In Israel it is six
years. In The Netherlands, you have much more reasonable environmental
standards, certainly less harsh than in Israel."

While he did not blame Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan personally
for what he sees as a trend of fleeing industries, he did criticize the minister
for what he called "a scorched-earth policy," charging that Erdan "runs" to
implement all new regulations proposed.

"Give us European regulations that are acceptable and used all over Europe,"
Neiger said. "This is a statement I can formally give you on behalf of Israeli
industry. We can cope with all European regulations."

Refuting Neiger's statements, the ministry slammed him for what the office
called "a collection of false claims" that he "makes every few months and whose
purpose is to recruit additional customers to his office and show industrialists
that he is taking care of them and protecting them."

Emphasizing that Israel is one of the most crowded and smallest countries in the
Western world, the ministry stressed that no piece of land could be spared.

"As for the claim that Israel's industry is shrinking, the fact is that the
ministry does not know of even one case in which a factory was closed because of
the environmental revolution," the ministry statement said. "Israel executes
this revolution in recent years by means of processes and regulations that the
Western world went through already years ago. This way, the ministry adopts
international standards and regulations that are accepted in the most advanced
countries."

Without such internationally accepted regulations, which are economically
feasible and beneficial to the Israeli market, goods manufactured in the country
might not be able to retain its current export capacity or competitiveness
throughout the world, according to the ministry. Messages such as Neiger's can
only worsen the relationship between Israeli industry and the country's
citizens, the ministry argued.

"The ministry sees industry as an essential cornerstone in Israeli society," the
statement said. "Its ambition is therefore to allow for industry to develop
while minimizing the damage to the environment and public health, and to
maintain the best standards of international practice."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Arie Neiger (Credit: Courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Intel Capital to more aggressively pursue investment opportunities here

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 357 words

Intel's global investment arm, Intel Capital, will be more aggressive in
pursuing Israeli investment opportunities, managing director for Western Europe
and Israel told reporters in Tel Aviv Wednesday.

Battisti, sitting alongside veteran Intel Capital Israel investment director Uri
Arazy and newly appointed investment directors Yair Shoham and Merav Weinryb,
said the organization would focus most of its coming efforts on Israel and two
Western Europe countries he declined to name.

"We realize we have had missed opportunities here [in the past]," Battisti said.
"There are three places in this part of the world which are incredibly
innovative, and Israel is one of them. We are going to double down our bets in
each of those three places. The difference between Israel and the other two is
that Israel's population is a small fraction of the others', but it comes up
with just as much innovation."

Intel, the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips, employs 8,000
Israelis in six locations: Haifa, Yakum, Herzliya, Petah Tikva, Jerusalem and
Kiryat Gat. Intel Israel's exports totaled $2.2 billion last year and $22.4b. in
1999-2011, according to the company.

Sixteen of Intel Capital's portfolio companies have made exits so far this year
- six of them through IPOs and 10 of them through M&A transactions. Two of the
sales involved Israeli companies: Anobit, a designer of flash-memory
controllers; and AeroScout, a developer of Wi-Fi-based radio-frequency
identification tags for monitoring valuable assets.

Battisti said Intel Capital would be open to investing in both early-stage and
late-stage companies as part of its new Israel search and to writing checks for
as low as $100,000 and as high as $50 million. He said it would do exactly the
same thing in Israel as it has been doing in Western Europe: looking at every
potential investment and putting money into those that it thinks will produce a
return.

"I won't do something for the sake of doing it," Battisti said. The earlier it
is [in the life of an acquired company], the riskier. This is risk capital to
the extreme. We are willing to do it, but it has to pay up."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MARCOS BATTISTI, Intel Capital's managing director for Western
Europe and Israel, is flanked by Intel Capital Israel investment directors Merav
Weinryb, Uri Arazy and Yair Shoham yesterday in Tel Aviv. (Credit: Israel
Hadari)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Barak: Bombing Iran's facilities preferable to nuclear-armed Tehran. Defense
Minister calls inaction on Syria a lesson to Israel about world's inability to
intervene. Ahmadinejad claims 1,000 centrifuges added in two months

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 380 words

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Wednesday - the same day Iran announced it
had added 1,000 more centrifuges - that dealing with a nuclear-armed Iran would
be much more deadly and costly than confronting Tehran before it goes nuclear.

Barak, speaking to the graduating class of the National Defense College, said
that Israel's leaders were facing the most "complicated and complex" security
challenges the country had ever faced.

Barak touched on a recurrent theme in his comments - that the international
community's failure to stop the massacre in Syria should be a lesson to Israel
about the world's ability to enlist the "political will, unity of purpose and
ability to act even when the reality necessitates it."

Saying that the Arab Spring had gradually turned into an Islamic summer, Barak
said that at its moment of truth Israel could rely only on itself.

The defense minister added that he was well aware of the difficulties and
complexities involved in stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear arms.

"But," he said, "it is perfectly clear to me that dealing with this challenge
when it matures, if it matures, will be inestimably more complex, inestimably
more dangerous and inestimably more costly in human life and resources."

Barak's words came the same day that Iran defiantly made clear that it was
moving forward with its nuclear activities. Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying Iran currently had "11,000 centrifuges active
in enrichment facilities" in the country.

If true, this would amount to an increase of 1,000 centrifuges in the past two
months, since the International Atomic Energy Agency put the number of
centrifuges spinning in Iran at 10,000 in a report it released in late May.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who has warned consistently in recent months
that Iran was moving steadily forward with its nuclear program under the cover
of talks with world powers, said in a recorded message aired at the National
Defense College graduation ceremony that in a region surrounded by missiles the
best defense was "the ability to attack."

Netanyahu said that while Israel had harnessed the international community to
apply heavy pressure on Iran, Jerusalem was "committed to doing everything in
our power to stop the nuclearization of Iran."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Law sanctions business dealings with Iran

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 274 words

Any corporation doing business with Iran, directly or indirectly, will face
sanctions, according to a law passed by the Knesset on Monday.

The bill passed its third and final reading with 47 in favor and three opposed.

"We need to work so these sanctions have a chance to fulfill their goal, so we
can avoid using force against Iran," Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee chairman Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima) said in the plenum.

Bar-On scolded Hadash MKs Dov Henin and Muhammad Barakei for saying the bill
represents "voices of war," explaining that war is exactly what the legislation
is meant to prevent.

Although the Kadima MK is a vocal critic of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu,
he denied the Hadash MKs' claim that the bill is meant to help the prime
minister politically, saying it is "worthy and necessary."

According to the new law, any business found to be helping Iran will not have
economic rights in Israel, including putting in bids, receiving permits and
licenses, as well as receiving economic aid from the government. Helping
includes dealing with foreign companies that work with or in Iran.

A staff dedicated to sanctions in the Finance Ministry will determine who is
aiding Iran.

Earlier this month, Bar-On called for Israel to lead the way in the economic
battle against Iran.

Bar-On pointed out that in the public discourse in Iran, many officials have
said "all options are on the table," and sanctions are one of those options.

"This bill is the State of Israel's moral compass, and we hope to use it to set
an example for the nations of the world," he stated. "It is necessary as part of
the civilian effort against Iran."

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Tisha Be'av video gets hostile reception from Egyptians. Arab viewers of
'educational' clip with image of Mursi claim it promotes replacing mosque with
rebuilt Temple

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 517 words

A video that a Jerusalem religious educational organization released on YouTube
ahead of the Tisha Be'av fast has received significant attention from the
Egyptian press and public in the five days since it was posted.

The video, which the Temple Institute says is designed to "change the way people
think about the Temple and the commandment to rebuild it," has garnered almost
200,000 hits in five days. It depicts two children building a sand-castle model
of the Temple on a beach, and fleetingly features a copy of The Jerusalem Post
open to an article about new Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi.

Tisha Be'av, the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av, which falls out on Saturday
night and Sunday this year, is the second-most important fast in the Jewish
calendar and commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, as
well as several other tragedies that befell the Jewish people during its
history.

According to the Temple Institute, Egyptian activists flooded the YouTube page
of the video with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slogans - which were subsequently
removed - protesting what they interpreted as a subversive suggestion that Mursi
would not hinder the rebuilding of the Temple on the Temple Mount, where the
Dome of the Rock shrine and Al-Aksa Mosque stand.

Several Egyptian and Palestinian news websites also picked up on the video.

According to its website, the Temple Institute's "long-term goal is to do all in
our limited power to bring about the building of the Holy Temple in our time,"
while in the short term seeking to "rekindle the flame of the Holy Temple in the
hearts of mankind through education."

The organization has reproduced the Temple vessels in strict accordance with
Jewish law, including a golden Menora costing $2 million, and also strongly
advocates Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount.

In response to the backlash over the video, it said that the paper having fallen
open to a page featuring Mursi was entirely coincidental, and that the film was
meant as "an educational tool for Jews during the nine days [of mourning from
the first to the ninth of Av], to enrich their understanding of the Holy Temple
as a house of peace and prayer which is truly missed."

According to the institute, people have become "entrenched in mourning for the
sake of mourning, instead of contemplating the true meaning of the Tisha Be'av:
the loss of the Beit Hamikdash [Temple], a universal house of prayer and peace
for all nations." The video seeks to redress this, it said.

In a related development, a symposium on the Jewish concept of negative and
derogatory speech is set to take place in Efrat Saturday night, the eve of the
25-hour fast.

Habayit Hayehudi MK Zevulun Orlev will be participating in the conference, as
will Rabbi Ya'acov Medan, a co-dean of the Har Etzion yeshiva in the settlement
of Alon Shvut, and Bar-Ilan University law professor Gidon Sapir, among other
public figures.

The ninth of Av this year actually falls on Friday night and Saturday, but
Jewish law forbids fasting on Shabbat, except on Yom Kippur, so the fast will be
observed on Sunday instead.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Prepare well for warm Tisha Be'av fast

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 295 words

The Ninth of Av fast is the same as that on Yom Kippur - nearly 25 hours - but
physically it is regarded as the most difficult of the year because it comes at
the height of summer, when even those abstaining from food and water move around
rather than stay inside air-conditioned synagogues.

It begins at 7.41 p.m. on Saturday and ends at 8.09 p.m. the next day.

Postponed from Shabbat to Saturday night and Sunday this year, Tisha Be'av
requires preparation if you fast, says Magen David Adom. The meal before the
fast should include carbohydrates like potatoes or pasta, as well as vegetables
and proteins like eggs, fish or chicken. It is best with no salt, sugar or
carbonated drinks. Drink a lot of cold water.

The elderly and those with chronic diseases should consult with a doctor about
whether they are fit to take part in the fast and whether they must continue to
take medications. Pregnant women in their third trimester should not fast,
according to MDA, which has vast experience from treating hundreds during and
after fast days. At any other stage of pregnancy, seek medical advice.

Kidney stones might appear during a fast, according to MDA. Headaches, fuzzy
vision and, later, difficulty in urinating could mean dehydration, so seek
medical help.

The Meteorological Service predicts high temperatures all around the country on
the fast day, so as much as possible stay in cool rooms or, if outdoors, in the
shade. Anyone suffering from chest pains, weakness, respiratory difficulties or
excessive sweating, or noting signs of dehydration, should call MDA at 101.

MDA recommends ending the fast with a light meal - first a tepid drink, and then
a piece of cake or two slices of bread with cheese, for example. Only an hour
later should one eat a regular meal.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Ramon does not want Kadima takeover. Rebel MK: Party name has become a burden

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 388 words

The July 25 deadline for completing a split in Kadima before the Knesset's
three-month recess came and went Wednesday without any MKs leaving the party.

Sources close to former Kadima council chairman Haim Ramon said he had drafted
the seven MKs required by law to break off from the party but he decided to wait
with the move until the public outcry over the Likud's attempt to split Kadima
had subsided.

Options available to Ramon include waiting a week or two and then splitting the
party during the recess, waiting until the Knesset returns on October 15, or
trying to draft a majority of the MKs in the faction for a hostile takeover of
the party.

The advantage of the first option would be that it would enable Ramon to start
building up his new party and preparing for the next election. But splitting
Kadima during the summer would be complicated because the Knesset House
Committee, which must approve any split, can be summoned at a moment's notice
when the Knesset is in session but must be notified three days in advance during
the recess. During those three days, MKs can be pressured to change their mind
about leaving Kadima.

Waiting until the Knesset returns would distance the split from the Likud's
botched attempt to break up the party. But it would keep wavering MKs in limbo
and could endanger the political maneuver.

If Ramon drafts 15 of the 28 Kadima MKs, they could legally wrest control over
the party, its infrastructure and its name. But an MK close to Ramon said
Wednesday that this option was not being considered, because "Kadima's name has
become a burden and is no longer a political asset."

Along with the split in Kadima that did not happen Wednesday, the Knesset's
summer session ended without Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu initiating
elections. Rumors spread through the Knesset Wednesday that Netanyahu could
initiate a quick election Wednesday night and surprise his political
adversaries, but a Netanyahu adviser quashed the rumors.

Over the summer, Netanyahu intends to begin the process of passing the
controversial 2013 state budget. If he sees that it would be impossible, he is
expected to initiate an election in October that would take place at the
beginning of 2013. If Netanyahu can pass the budget, he may be able to complete
his term, which is officially set to end October 22, 2013.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Financial independence after a divorce

BYLINE: AARON KATSMAN

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 753 words

'You'll never make it without me," is the a hateful and unfortunately common
emotional dagger thrown by an angry husband at his soon-to-be ex-wife, going
through divorce proceedings. While many readers are gearing up for next week's
resumption of the summer wedding season, I have spent countless hours counseling
a couple of recently divorced women to get on their feet financially.

Each of the women told me that their ex-husbands used the "You'll never make it
without me" line, adding that it was such a devastating thing to hear, they are
using it as motivation to get their finances on track and become financially
independent for the first times in their adult lives.

For many divorced women, their new financial reality can be intimidating. The
need to coordinate a multitude of professionals, including accountants, lawyers,
financial advisers and insurance agents, often means running themselves ragged
because they are doing this while trying to hold down a job and raise the
children.

One of the women I am working with has five small children, a
three-quarters-time job and is spending all her "free" time trying to make sense
of the mess her ex made, including taking out loans in her name, maxing out
credit cards and sticking her with the debt, etc. How does she have time?
Thankfully she has a great support system of people helping her with
babysitting, making meals and even shopping for her.

Here are some money tips for women having gone or going through a divorce.

Tip No. 1: Take stock

The first thing a divorcee needs to do is get her hands around the budget. This
is the first step toward financial empowerment. Many clients have told me that
by doing this relatively simple exercise, they feel they gained a level of
financial control they never assumed they would have. Regardless of whether you
kept a budget while married isn't relevant. You are going to have a whole new
set of expenses and will probably have different sources and levels of income
than you had previously. Break your expenses down to those that are monthly and
those that are annual. Once you have that organized, write down all of your
various sources of income, salary, child support, National Insurance Institute
payments (Bituach Leumi), etc.

What's important in budgeting is to let your income drive your expenses. This
means that once you know how much money enters your bank account each month,
create a budget that limits your spending to the amount of income you have.
While this seems basic, most individuals let their expenses drive the process,
meaning that they spend money without discipline and hope that at the end of the
month they don't go into overdraft.

Understanding your budget can also play a major part in the asset division
during your divorce proceedings. A well-known family-law expert recently told me
much aggravation and time would be saved if women knew how much money they
needed to live off of. With this information, women can avoid spending years and
thousands of dollars fighting for every last penny. If you know how much you
need to live, you'll know how much money to ask for.

Tip No. 2: Invest lump sums

As part of a divorce settlement, many women come into large lump sums of money
and have no idea of what to do with it. It's important that this money is used
to help meet any financial goals that you may have. If after doing your budget
you see that you will need more income to make ends meet, then you will want to
make sure that your money is invested in a way that can maximize the amount of
income produced, while preserving or even growing your portfolio.

Tip No. 3: Take charge

For many this new situation is actually therapeutic. According to family
mediator Kathleen O'Connell Corcoran, PhD, "After divorce, women experience less
stress and better adjustment in general than do men. The reasons for this are
that (1) women are more likely to notice marital problems and to feel relief
when such problems end, (2) women are more likely than men to rely on social
support systems and help from others, and (3) women are more likely to
experience an increase in self-esteem when they divorce and add new roles to
their lives."

Use this newfound independence and take control of your new financial reality.
Speak with a financial adviser and create a plan that will enable you to get on
with your life and be financially independent.

aaron@lighthousecapital.co.il

Aaron Katsman is a licensed financial adviser in Israel and the United States
who helps people with US investment accounts.

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NOTES: YOUR INVESTMENTS

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

IDF waits for Defense Ministry instructions with only a week to expiration of
Tal Law. By August 1, Barak will have to decide whether haredim are drafted or
exempt

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 399 words

A week away from the expiration of the Tal Law, the IDF has yet to receive
instructions from the Defense Ministry regulating ultra-Orthodox military
enlistment.

According to a High Court decision in February, the Tal Law will expire on
August 1. While the government has been trying to draft a new bill, it has yet
to present one in the plenum, making it unlikely that a new law will be passed
into legislation by next Wednesday.

Due to the legislative lacuna that will be created, the ultimate decision on
drafting haredi youth will fall into the hands of Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Under Israel's 1986 Defense Service Law, all 18-year-olds are obligated to
enlist in the IDF, except for those who receive exemptions from the defense
minister.

"We are waiting to see if a new law is passed and if it is not then [we will
wait] to receive instructions about the new draft guidelines," explained a
senior IDF officer, involved in the draft process.

Barak will have the authority to order the IDF Human Resources Department to
issue draft orders to all haredim who have not yet served in the IDF and are
still of eligible age. If that happens and the orders are ignored, the IDF would
then have the authority to arrest the haredi draft dodgers.

Alternatively, Barak could also decide to exempt haredim from service, an
unlikely move considering the political price it would entail for the defense
minister.

"This is a complicated situation and the best scenario is that a new law is
passed," the officer said.

The Military Advocate-General's Office is expecting to face a series of
petitions to the High Court of Justice against the inequality starting August 1
from secular and national-religious youth who are slated to begin their service.

Sources in the Military Advocate-General's office explained that while the
petitions would likely be filed, no haredi youth are slated to be drafted on
August 1, and regardless it would take time to carry out the entire enlistment
process, which usually begins at least a year prior to a soldier's scheduled
induction.

Meanwhile Wednesday, the Defense Ministry announced that on Thursday it will
draft around 200 youth into the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, also known as Nahal
Haredi. The ministry said that it will constitute the largest draft into the
unit since it was established some 12 years ago and is a 33 percent increase in
draftees since the last draft.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Letters

BYLINE: Paul Berman, Menahem (Mel) Alexenberg, Esther G. Offenbacher, Yonatan
Silver, Monty M. Zion, Zoe Bermant, Geoffrey Harris

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1208 words

Political enslavement

Sir, - MK Moshe Gafni, in "Haredi politicians, draft reform campaigners reject
Ya'alon proposal" (July 24), is quoted as saying: "Those who study Torah are the
guardians of the Jewish people...."

I would like to amend that statement: Those who practice Torah by serving in the
army and working are the guardians of the Jewish people.

Any politician worth his salt knows he must put together a platform that will
attract the maximum numbers of voters. It is not surprising that haredi
politicians run on a platform that includes exemptions from military service,
exemptions from joining the workforce, and maximum social benefits. Once this
chain is broken and haredim go to work and are inducted into the army they won't
need haredi politicians any more.

Let's help free the haredim from their enslavement to haredi politicians.

PAUL BERMAN

Shoham

Amazing story

Sir, - Marc Zell ("Making Ariel University a reality," Comment & Features, July
24) tells an amazing story in which I had the privilege of participating.

I came to Israel from the United States 12 years ago to teach at the College of
Judea and Samaria. To see it grow during that time from a small college to a
university with 13,000 students is a powerful demonstration of the Zionist
miracle of our start-up nation.

As a former professor at Columbia University and research fellow at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I can attest to the excellence of Ariel
University's educational and research programs. I proudly identified my
affiliation with Ariel in papers published in international peer-review journals
and in books.

It was my great honor to have taught at Ariel University until I retired as its
first professor emeritus.

MENAHEM (MEL) ALEXENBERG

Ra'anana

It takes a village

Sir, - I was pleased to read "Bill on nutritious food in schools passes first
reading" (July 23).

The idea of changing the Bamba generation's eating habits by attempting to
upgrade the quality of school meals sounds like a simple and admirable step.
Unfortunately, the United States has learned from decades of evaluating diverse
programs aimed at improving nutrition among school children that changes like
the one proposed in this bill rarely accomplish very much.

Only when programs have involved the participation of food services,
teacher-directed classroom activities and direct parental commitment has
measurable improvement been demonstrated. Making it stick in the long term
requires charismatic and dedicated leadership.

As a professional nutrition educator I sadly doubt the plan to upgrade and
publicize the food composition of school service meals can by itself succeed in
bettering our children's eating habits.

ESTHER G. OFFENBACHER

Jerusalem

Jewish penicillin

Sir, - It's poetic justice that as a direct result of its seemingly implacable
enmity against the Jewish state, Iran is suffering from a desperate shortage of
chicken soup ("Soaring price of chickens puts ordinary Iranians in hot soup,"
Business & Finance, July 23).

Who knows? Perhaps our shared appreciation for this dish can herald a truly new
Middle East. Maybe one day, Iranian tankers will deliver fuel at Israeli ports
and return home filled with chicken soup.

As peace plans go, I've heard far worse than "chicken soup for oil."

YONATAN SILVER

Jerusalem

Davis and Leibler

Sir, - The continued animus between British Jewish leader Mick L. Davis and Post
columnist Isi Leibler ("Scandal or not," Letters, July 23) made me consider who
is a Zionist.

The definition I have always accepted is that Zionism is a form of nationalism
of Jews and Jewish culture that supports a Jewish nation-state in territory
defined as the Land of Israel.

The recent Levy Report confirms that this land includes all of Judea and
Samaria. Thus, any person who advocates BDS against Jewish settlements in these
areas forfeits the right to be considered a Zionist, and any organization
employing such a person similarly forfeits such rights.

There are, of course, some true Zionists who believe that some of these areas
should be granted to the Palestinians to form their own state in order to avoid
losing a Jewish majority in Israel.

MONTY M. ZION

Tel Mond

Sir, - Isi Leibler ("New scandal impacts on Anglo-Jewry," Candidly Speaking,
July 19) claims to "hold no personal animus" against United Jewish Israel Appeal
head Mick Davis. Yet he goes on to mention Davis 12 times in an opinion piece
that purports to be about Joe Millis's opinions on Israel (mentioned only five
times by comparison).

Millis does not act as spokesperson for UJIA. Anyone who has an understanding of
the practices of UK Jewish charities would know that above Millis sits a team of
executive professionals that include a director of communications, a CEO and a
chairman, and that behind that team sits a remarkable communications
lay-committee made up of industry-best professionals in marketing and
communications, many of whom also sit as trustees on the UJIA board.

As a former marketing manager at UJIA it is important to note that like Millis,
I never met Davis before or during my tenure. Also, I never wrote or released
any public statement about UJIA without at least half a dozen or more people
reviewing it and approving it.

To call Millis's appointment a "scandal" is simply ludicrous and uninformed, and
shows the author of the piece to indeed hold some kind of personal animus
against Davis.

There is no one person in our UK Jewish community more dedicated and supportive
of the State of Israel than Mick Davis. He is entitled to express his opinions
about Israel, even when critical of its behavior. For Leibler to criticize him
for doing so after writing such an appalling opinion piece is quite simply
hypocritical.

ZOE BERMANT

Bushey, UK

Learn from Saddam

Sir, - Irwin Cotler's "Combating Iran's cycle of denial, deception and delay"
(Observations, July 20) was comprehensive and informative, but not particularly
encouraging.

Success in depriving Iran of its nuclear option by diplomacy or sanctions seems
increasingly unlikely. Even if successful, attacking its nuclear installations,
an enterprise fraught with difficulties and expensive in resources and possibly
lives, cannot promise more than a temporary effect.

American policy should learn from the late, unlamented Saddam Hussein. After 12
years of inconclusive warfare with Iran he unleashed a number of Russian rockets
on Tehran. Iran's rulers understood that the war was no longer for soldiers at
the front or children in the minefields, but in the streets and their own
palaces. The war ended forthwith.

Similarly, a threat to destroy a small area of Iran from the sea unless Tehran
undertakes total compliance and allows full inspections would be eminently
persuasive. Such action would involve minimal risk to life and undue expense of
resources. Of course, it would need to be preceded by intensive warnings.

If unsuccessful, the follow-up would be a similar attack on the gorgeous Iranian
capital. Carrying out this threat would surely bring immediate compliance.

Iran's facility with missiles increases constantly so that any external
interference should be sooner - much sooner - rather than later. Meanwhile, we
hope that our own defenses will be equal to any Iranian reaction.

GEOFFREY HARRIS

Ra'anana

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Liberman: European refusal to blacklist Hezbollah has serious regional
ramifications. EU issues statement after meeting in Brussels sharply criticizing
Israeli policies

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 529 words

The European Union's refusal to place Hezbollah on its list of terrorist
organizations will have "severe ramifications" for Middle East stability and
global security, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton on Wednesday in Brussels.

His comments came a day after Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis,
whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said at a press
conference with Liberman that there was "no consensus among the EU member states
for putting Hezbollah on the terrorist list."

Liberman, who said in an Israel Radio interview Wednesday that there was
substantial support inside the EU for the move, told Ashton that "everyone knows
who and what the Hezbollah organization is, and all are aware of the criminal
and terrorist activities it perpetrates."

The decision to place Hezbollah on the terror blacklist needs agreement from all
27 EU countries, something Israel has been working at - so far unsuccessfully -
since the mid 1990s.

According to a statement from his office, Liberman also told Ashton that
previous peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors were not between the
people, but between Israel and the rulers of those countries.

He said these agreements did not facilitate reconciliation between people or
build a peace based on sturdy foundations. Future agreements, to work, need
first to get the support of the public and opinion makers, he said.

Liberman's meeting with Ashton followed Tuesday's annual EU-Israel Association
Council meeting.

The EU issued a statement about that meeting on Wednesday that, alongside a
reiteration of the EU's "fundamental commitment to Israel's security," included
a litany of complaints against Israeli policy.

"The EU expresses deep concern about developments on the ground which threaten
to make a two-state solution impossible, such as, inter alia, the marked
acceleration of settlement construction, ongoing evictions of Palestinians and
the demolition of their housing and infrastructure in the occupied Palestinian
territory, including East Jerusalem, the worsening living conditions of the
Palestinian population and serious limitations for the Palestinian Authority to
promote the economic development of Palestinian communities, in particular in
Area C," the statement read.

It also said the EU was concerned about reports of a possible resumption of
construction of the security barrier, "because the EU considers that the
separation barrier where built on occupied land is illegal under international
law, constitutes an obstacle to peace and threatens to make a two-state solution
impossible."

The statement also expressed "deep concern" about settler extremism; called for
the immediate opening of crossings for aid, commercial goods and people to and
from Gaza; wished for "intra-Palestinian reconciliation"; and encouraged Israel
to "increase efforts to address the economic and social situation of the Arab
minority."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said it was "disappointing to observe
that the EU, instead of publishing a review that summarizes the discussion,
chose to publish an agglutination of complaints and grievances."

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Piece of her heart

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 902 words

Next week's fourth annual Woodstock Revival event at the Kraft Stadium will
offer Anglos, and similarly musically infused Israelis, another opportunity to
shake a leg or two, and revel in those long-lost Sixties vibes, when free love,
flower power and anti-Vietnam protests dominated the younger generation's
consciousness in most of the western world.

Each year since 2009 the event has attracted close to 2,000 people of all ages,
and from all walks of life and religious leanings, to catch live acts that do
their utmost to capture the sounds and vibes of some of the artists that made
the 1969 three day festival on Max Yasgur's farm such a watershed experience.

While most of the artists who will appear at the Kraft Stadium on August 2 are
far too young to remember those halcyon days, let alone the event itself, Libi
not only remembers Woodstock, she almost joined the other close to half million
faithful who made the long trek to Bethel, New York to catch the likes of
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin.

"I bought a ticket to the festival and put in my drawer and then, one day, I
found it had been replaced by an El Al plane ticket," says the 60-year-old
Boston-born grandmother-of-two who goes exclusively by her given name, and will
perform a program of Janis Joplin numbers at this year's Woodstock Revival,
along with her Flashback band.

Libi's parents evidently thought it would be more beneficial for their
18-year-old daughter to come to this part of the world, for the first time, than
to head off for the landmark pop-rock extravaganza. And it turned out to be a
half-decent idea after all.

"I remember, on the plane, I sat next to another girl whose parents had also
sent her to Israel and she cried all the way there," recalls Libi. "But when we
landed and got off the plane she kissed the tarmac."

Libi was similarly taken with her first impressions of Israel.

"There was something about the air, the smell of the air, that got to me. I was
overwhelmed."

On that occasion the teenaged Libi came here for a few months of studies, and to
soak up some of the vibes of a country that was still caught up in the euphoric
aftermath of the Six Day War. Ten years later she came back to stay, and to
leave her indelible mark on the Israeli rock scene.

"I was around doing my thing in the Eighties," she says. "We were the first loud
heavy rock and roll band with a female lead."

Twenty-five years ago this was a far more conservative country than it is today,
and the sight of a scantily-clad female singer putting out sensuous vibes by the
bucketload on stage must have been quite a shock to the national system. Quite
simply, Libi caught Israel unawares.

"Oh my God, it was a real shock for everyone!" Libi notes with a chuckle. "For a
start we were the only people doing Rolling Stones songs on stage, and crazy
stuff like AC-DC and Led Zeppelin. I remember once I was getting ready for a
show, and a fan of mine took me back to his house and his mother, this lovely
Mizrahi woman, who was very provincial, had made a fantastic spread for us but,
as I walked passed her in the hall, if she could have pressed herself further
into the wall she would have done that. For her, I was so bizarre."

But things have caught up with the then-bombshell queen.

"Now, I'm like white bread. Back then the material we did, with the [original]
Flash band, was so controversial that we were not allowed to be on the radio.
Supposedly a blacklist was made to put us on it."

And it wasn't just the musical side of the act that ruffled the Establishment's
feathers, there were some esthetic logistics to be navigated too.

"When I went to look for show clothes, I either had to make them myself or go to
a sex shop, to get fishnet hose or something that I could make look like
something I wanted to wear on stage."

But the shock parameters have been shifted.

"Now, to do something that's considered crazy, you've really got to think hard.
But I'm not going to change the way I do things. Anyway, these days, retro is
the thing."

As any marketing executive will tell you, if you hang around long enough you
come back into fashion.

"Exactly," Libi concurs, "right now I'm in style."

After strutting her stuff here for a couple of decades Libi headed back
Stateside when her mother became seriously ill. She came back for good, with her
daughter, son-in-law and twin grandchildren, a year ago.

"Four days after I got off the plane I was on stage at last year's Woodstock
revival. That was great," she recalls.

Her show at this year's Revival will be a blast from the past, in more ways than
one.

"I was asked to do Janis [Joplin]," says Libi, "and I am happy to do so."

It will be her first return to Joplin material since 1968, and she will have
singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum on hand to ramp up the vibes even further.

"I am so excited about doing Janis again. I never do Janis Joplin, because she's
the only one, and I never want to attempt even getting near that, because she's
'that' and there'll never be another 'that.'"

In the end Libi was ready to revive Joplin's ghost.

"I was told to do it for the Woodstock and I'm doing her, and Jimi [Hendrix]. I
get to do the two best musicians in the world. It's a great privilege."

It will, surely, be a privilege to catch Libi do her inimitable thing at the
Kraft Stadium on August 2, too.

For more information about the Woodstock Revival: www.woodstockrevival.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Get out your flowing dresses, floral headbands and bell-bottoms as Libi
and her Flashback band will be channeling their love for Janis Joplin at the
fourth annual Jerusalem Woodstock Revival

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'NOW, TO do something that's considered crazy, you've really got
to think hard. But I'm not going to change the way I do things. Anyway, these
days, retro is the thing... right now I'm in style,' says singer Libi. (Credit:
Tammy Salomon)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

World Bank: Palestinian economy can't sustain statehood

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 683 words

The Palestinian economy cannot sustain statehood while it continues to rely
heavily on donor funds and its private sector fails to thrive, the World Bank
said in a report it published Wednesday.

"No matter what steps the Palestinian Authority takes, it is unlikely to reach
fiscal sustainability until there is a political settlement [peace deal] that
allows the private sector to experience rapid and sustained growth," the bank
said.

The report blamed the problem on the absence of a final-status agreement, which
would allow for a two-state solution.

But Israeli restrictions on movement and access make the situation worse, it
said, as such restrictions limit the Palestinian private sector's ability to
develop sustainable businesses.

The report also chastised the PA for not taking enough steps to educate a
skilled work force, for failing to maximize its land holdings and for not
developing legislation to protect trade.

The PA has made considerable progress in building the institutions it needs for
a future state, but it has not been able to develop a sustainable economic base,
the report said, adding that economic growth has been donor-driven.

"The situation is unsustainable, and aid levels have already begun to fall," the
World Bank said.

A future Palestinian state can only be economically viable with a strong private
sector that generates jobs for the growing population, the report stated.

The Palestinian economy in the West Bank is "skewed toward the public sector and
non-tradables," it added.

According to the report, industry, agriculture, tourism and some other services
have declined, while donor-funded sectors such as public administration,
education, health and electricity have grown from 20 percent of GDP in 1994 to
more than 27% in 2010.

Real growth reached 5.4% in 2007, rising to 7.4% by 2009 and 9.8% in 2010, the
report said, adding that most of that growth was in the West Bank.

The growth, it noted, provided a deceptive picture because much of it was driven
by large donor transfers, which have begun to decline.

In 2007, the international community gave the Palestinians $3.4 billion in donor
funds, more than double the donor-funding level in 2002, the report said.

"Such high levels of aid are not sustainable and since 2008 aid has decreased,"
it stated.

In 2010, donors gave the PA $1.1b.

"But even this large amount did not cover the full recurrent deficit, forcing
the PA to borrow from the local banking sector" to pay the $1.6b. needed for
salaries, the report said.

This leaves the PA with few resources for development, and pushes it further
into dependence on donor financing, it said.

By 2010, it continued, the PA was in debt to local banks for $840 million.
According to the report, the situation is so problematic that even after a
Palestinian state is established, the Palestinian tax base won't be able to
support its government.

In order to develop a future state, the PA must increase its trade and choose a
trade policy so it can foster the private sector. One of the questions it must
answer is whether it should have a customs union with Israel, a free trade
agreement or a non-discriminatory trade policy. It must also create legislation
to protect trade, the report said.

In addition, the PA must take steps to increase the work force, according to the
World Bank, which noted that the West Bank and Gaza have some of the highest
unemployment rates in the world.

To help fix this situation, it must improve its education system, so that it
provides businesses with highly skilled employees, the report said.

"A future Palestinian state will be small and resource poor," it predicted. "The
education system is not providing its graduates with the type of skills required
by a modern economy."

The World Bank also called on the PA to expand land registration in the West
Bank.

Land suitable for development is scarce, the report noted. Available land is
difficult to access because ownership is fragmented and only a small portion of
it is registered and titled, the report said. It pointed out that only 30% of
Palestinian private land was properly registered.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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691 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Israeli pair lives out hoops dream at Yeshiva

BYLINE: DAVID ROUMANI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 11

LENGTH: 973 words

Yeshiva University is not known for their athletic program. If you ask the
average Israeli to name one player on the Yeshiva team, chances are you'll
receive a blank stare in return.

The Yeshiva Macabees compete in the NCAA Division III Skyline Conference in New
York.

Since the Macs play in a lowly division none of their games are televised and
their performance never gains national attention.

However, if Israelis were aware that players such as Omer Haim and Gil Bash
played for Yeshiva this past year, the Macs fan base would surely expand.

The Jerusalem Post caught up with Yeshiva's Head Coach Jonathan Halpert, who
explained what brought the Israelis to the school.

"Gil and Omer are the twenty-ninth and thirtieth Israelis to play for Yeshiva
since Miko Danan arrived in 1990.

"Like the previous players they came to study, compete and experience life in an
American university."

Both Haim and Bash have had experience playing in Israel's Junior and
Professional Leagues. However they each have their own unique story, about why
they chose to attend Yeshiva University.

Haim began playing at the age of six, and later played for two select teams,
Maccabi Rishon Lezion, and Gymnasia Realit Rishon Lezion.

He was first recruited to be the starting point guard for the University of
Bridgeport, one of Division II's best basketball programs at the time.

Haim chose to take a leave of absence and return to Israel following the death
of his mother. His coach was unhappy to lose his starting point guard, and
severed ties with Haim.

"Three weeks later I received a call from Coach Halpert. I didn't know anything
about YU except that their leading scorer Yossi Gev, was Israeli," Haim said.

"I wanted to play basketball, and after meeting with Coach Halpert, I knew he
was someone that I could trust."

In his final season at Yeshiva, Haim averaged a league leading 6.24 assists for
the Macs, and was also third in the league in Assist-Turnover ratio at 1.82.

When he's not on the court, Haim devotes his time to helping others in the
community. He coaches basketball for children, and also launched
'Sandwicharity', an organization that goes around New York City, distributing
homemade packaged meals to people in need.

Gil Bash began playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv when he was eight years old, and
stayed with the club until his senior year of high school, when he was the
captain of the junior team.

After graduating, Bash spent a few years playing for Israeli teams, most notably
for first division squad Ramat Hasharon.

Like Haim, Bash initially planned on spending his college career elsewhere, but
ended up at Yeshiva after things didn't work out.

"I was supposed to play for a Division II program, but there were
complications," Bash said.

"I heard about Yeshiva through friends of mine, and after talking with Coach
Halpert, I decided to go and play for the Macs."

Bash says he was reluctant at first to play for Yeshiva. "At first I didn't want
to come to Yeshiva because it was a Division III school and I grew up in a
completely secular family."

Bash has been an important piece of Halpert's team, contributing through his
scoring as well as his court-vision. This past season, starting alongside Haim,
Bash averaged 11.2 points and was 7th in the league with 3.17 assists per game.

In addition to being a successful basketball player, Bash is working hard to
earn his CPA degree in accounting. When asked about his plans for the future,
Bash said, "I really want to return to Israel, but right now my focus is on my
studies.

"I know that staying in America will not give me the opportunity to continue
playing basketball. The opportunity lies in Israel.

"The adrenaline rush I feel every game and every practice is something that I
can't find anywhere else here in America.

"I have learned a lot from my experience at Yeshiva and I appreciate all the
opportunities they have presented to me."

The players also reflected on the challenges that come with playing college
basketball in America. According to Haim, "the basketball in college is very
different; here the game is more physical and based on athletic skills.

"In Israel and Europe basketball is more about having a high basketball IQ, and
playing smart. There are also a lot more 3-point shots taken."

Bash added, "The main differences are athleticism, physicality, and intensity.

"Basketball is the same all over the world, but here there are much more
talented and skillful players.

"Even though it is Division III, we play against a lot of players who could
definitely play professionally around the world."

Asked whether they would recommend playing at Yeshiva or other programs in
America, Haim and Bash had similar responses. Both agreed that while Yeshiva can
be difficult with its rigorous dual curriculum, the school is located in lively
New York City.

However, they pointed out that the prime location is only advantageous if you
prioritize correctly. They concluded with the following statements: "If you come
to America, with the sole intention of playing basketball YU is not the place
for you."

Education is very important for the two players, and they are happy with their
experiences at Yeshiva, on the court as well as in the classroom.

"Yeshiva University, aside from having a great basketball program, has provided
us with the necessary tools and resources for the future," Haim said.

In the eyes of Coach Halpert the Israeli players have not only contributed on
the court, but also have gained from their time spent at Yeshiva.

"Beyond their studies and athletic victories both Gil and Omer acquired a
greater appreciation and understanding of the principals and values of modern
orthodox Judaism," he said.

"The players and Yeshiva have been a perfect marriage because both they and the
University community have benefited greatly from the shared experiences of the
past four years."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Feature

GRAPHIC: Photo: Israeli Gil Bash playing for the Yeshiva University Macabees.
Bash is one of two Israeli-born players to suit up for the Macs last season.
(Credit: Yeshiva University 2012)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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692 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Haredim flock to exhibit about hassidic Jews at Israel Museum. Curator says
community is interested in seeing how they're portrayed by outside world

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 973 words

The traditional way that hassidic men wear their coat is with the right side
closed over the left side. This is because the right symbolizes mercy and the
left symbolizes judgment, and they want their clothing to be an expression of
the wish that God's mercy will triumph over all.

This is just one of the tidbits from the Israel Museum's exhibit on hassidic
Judaism called "A World Apart Next Door: Glimpses into the Life of Hassidic
Jews." Surprisingly, though, the most enthusiastic visitors to the exhibit are
not the secular public but haredim (ultra-Orthodox).

Despite the fact that the museum is open on Shabbat, haredim from all sects,
both hassidic and non-hassidic, have come to the museum in record numbers since
the exhibit opened on June 19. It runs until December 1.

Exhibit curator Ester Muschawsky-Schnapper, a 30-year veteran of the museum,
believes haredim are drawn to the exhibit for two reasons. First, because their
communities are fairly isolated even within haredi neighborhoods, and there's
the natural curiosity to see how other ultra-Orthodox sects celebrate their
traditions.

Muschawsky-Schnapper said that in her five years of research one of the biggest
concerns was not modesty or how she would portray something, but whether she
would give enough space in the exhibit to a specific stream of Hassidism.

The second reason haredim are drawn to the exhibit is to understand how the
outside world views their community.

"In an organized, concentrated way, [the exhibit allows them] to see how
somebody from outside sees them, and this puzzles them a lot," said
Muschawsky-Schnapper.

"You don't see your own culture organized in rational categories," she
explained. "This is the researcher who does that, or the ethnographer who does
it. To see it in such categories is nevertheless news for them."

As he exited the exhibit on Wednesday a hassidic man who declined to give his
name said he felt "a little weird" that he and his community were part of a
museum exhibition.

"It's not defaming the subject, it's taking a picture," he explained. "It
presents it correctly and there are some new and interesting things."

But the man, a leading rabbi in the Polish hassidic community in Jerusalem, said
he felt like hassidim were presented as "the other" so that secular people could
gawk, and he worried that most of the secular public came to stare at their
differences rather than to appreciate the close-knit hassidic community.

"You can ask anyone here. No one came to learn," he said. "It's like a zoo. You
don't go to a zoo to learn zoology, the same way you didn't really come here to
learn anthropology.... It doesn't reveal anything. It gives a view from the
outside but it doesn't show the meaning of hassidut."

The rabbi added that he understood the pull of the exhibit for haredim.

"I went through everything [in the exhibit] and I tried to understand - what
does it say to a man from the outside?" he asked. Just as the secular public is
curious about haredim, haredim are also curious about what the public thinks of
their lifestyle, he explained.

The fact that the museum is open on Shabbat did not bother the rabbi, who said
it was clear that the exhibit had not been intended for haredim. If the museum
wanted to build an exhibit for haredim it would not have music during the
three-week mourning period leading up to Tisha Be'Av and would have
gender-separate viewing hours, he said.

Haaretz incorrectly reported this week that the museum would offer separate
viewing hours to accommodate haredi visitors. Some haredi groups have reserved
after-hours tours (a practice common with very large groups) that are
gender-segregated, according to the museum spokeswoman, however the regular
museum hours are not gender-separate.

Muschawsky-Schnapper said that during her research she had hoped the exhibit
would be received warmly by the haredi community. She added that she was worried
about "stepping on someone's toes" and making a mistake that would lead the
community or its rabbis to shun the exhibition.

The museum also made a major effort to appeal to the haredi media. It held
separate press conferences for these journalists and retained a haredi public
relations firm to market the exhibit - which has been widely and for the most
part favorably covered on haredi radio and in the community's newspapers and
websites.

Secular visitors to the exhibit on Wednesday said that while it didn't present
new information it was impressive and a little overwhelming to see it all
concentrated in one place.

Shaike, a resident of the Galilee, said he left with the reinforced notion that
the hassidic and secular communities were literally "worlds apart."

"It gives a different perspective to all the army discussion about the Tal law
[equal draft for haredim], that maybe we don't need to put them in the army
because it would really break them and break their way of life," he said. "Maybe
it would be dangerous for us, too, as a secular state."

Shaike and his wife, Bracha, faulted the exhibit for focusing just on the happy
aspects of hassidic life while ignoring issues like death and discord within the
community.

Muschawsky-Schnapper said the harshest criticism had come from secular visitors
who wanted to know why stone-throwing and violence from extremist sects of
haredi communities had been left out. But that was the point of the exhibition,
she said. "Journalists like to write about the scoop; no one writes about warm
family life."

The exhibition has also inspired groups to meet and hold discussions, including
a group of women teachers from the Beis Yaakov school system who met with a
group of secular Tel Aviv women.

"I hoped this would be an outreach," said Muschawsky-Schnapper, who had an
entire hassidic branch of her family that perished in the Holocaust. "My
personal aim was to bring hearts together."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: HAREDI MEN take in the exhibit on hassidic Judaism yesterday at
the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Natural-gas discoveries bring great potential for Israel

BYLINE: BINYAMIN A. ZOMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 819 words

Between 2004 and 2011, Israel reduced CO2 emissions in its electricity
production by more than 17 million metric tons. In terms of CO2 reduction, it's
as if all the cars in Israel were taken off the road for an entire year. In
fact, not only has Israel reduced its CO2 emissions, it has reduced particulate
emissions, nitrogen oxide emissions and sulfur dioxide emissions.

The reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and improvement in air quality were
not achieved by reducing consumption of electricity (Israel actually produced
163 percent more electricity in 2007 than it did in 1990) but by the
displacement of more expensive and polluting fuels with natural gas,
domestically produced and supplied by Noble Energy and its partners.

In 1998, Noble Energy made the somewhat unorthodox decision to explore off the
coast of Israel; at that time, Israel's waters had no commercial hydrocarbon
discoveries. In addition, by coming to Israel, Noble was most likely forgoing
more traditional opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

Nevertheless, Noble took the risk and in 1999 made a small discovery, its first
in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Noa discovery. One year later, Noble
discovered the Mari-B reservoir off the coast of Ashkelon.

The discovery of Mari-B set the stage for the emergence of the natural-gas
market in Israel. Noble Energy, its Israeli partners, the Energy and Water
Ministry and Israel Electric Corporation shared a goal of domestically produced
natural gas for energy production and worked together to achieve it. Noble
Energy and its partners invested hundreds of millions of dollars to develop the
Mari-B Field and install the infrastructure to bring the gas to shore, and they
trusted that government approvals and customer demand would justify the
investment. The ministry and IEC worked together to convert power plants that
could burn natural gas and trusted that Noble Energy would supply that gas in
2004, as promised.

Through hard work and mutual trust, these parties successfully created an energy
market in Israel and made the first steps toward cleaner and more affordable
energy.

Prior to 2004, Israel used a combination of coal, heavy fuel oil and diesel (all
imported) for its electricity production. By 2011, most of the heavy fuel oil
and diesel was displaced and 40% of electricity production was from natural gas.
In addition to the environmental benefits mentioned above, the savings were
immense. Between 2004 and 2011, IEC saved more than NIS 26 billion from
conversion to natural gas. The supply of natural gas continues to provide
savings today. Since the Noa field started to supply gas this past June, IEC
saves almost NIS 5 million every day by displacing heavy fuel oil.

In 2009 and 2010, Noble Energy made two of the largest offshore natural-gas
discoveries in the world over the past decade. The Tamar and Leviathan
discoveries provide an historic opportunity for the State of Israel.

The Tamar discovery is capable of supplying the needs of Israel's domestic
market for the next 20 years. In the coming years, a steady increase in domestic
natural-gas consumption is expected, driven by power generation, industry and
transportation. With one discovery, the State of Israel has discovered resources
that can provide security of supply to the domestic market that many countries
can only dream of.

If the Tamar discovery provides Israel with the ability to supply its domestic
market for the next several decades, the Leviathan discovery has the opportunity
to put Israel on the map as a world supplier of natural gas.

Based on the US Geological Survey's estimates, the full potential of gas
discoveries offshore Israel is more than three times the current amount of gas
discovered. Reaching that potential will require exporting to markets beyond
Israel's domestic market.

Realizing the full potential of the basin by becoming a global supplier of
natural gas will translate into substantial economic and diplomatic benefits for
Israel. At the same time, the additional exploration encouraged by expanding
markets will increase supply for the domestic market, thus enhancing Israel's
energy security. Assuming domestic and exported sales of the full potential
resources over a 60-year time horizon, the net present value of expected
government tax and royalty income is more than NIS 400b. Moreover, taking into
account the direct and indirect economic multiplier effects that developing the
resource will have on ancillary industries, Israel has the opportunity to expand
the present value of its 2011-2070 cumulative GDP by more than NIS 1 trillion.

The stakes are huge for everybody. The government of Israel and industry must
work together, as they did following the discovery of Mari-B, to realize the
potential these discoveries have for the benefit of our environment, economy and
security.

Binyamin A. Zomer is director of corporate affairs for Noble Energy in Israel.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: COMMENTARY

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Ariel - the media misses out again

BYLINE: YISRAEL MEDAD and ELI POLLAK

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1131 words

The decision to turn the Ariel University Center into the eighth university in
Israel has raised a storm in our local media, within Israeli academic circles
and the foreign media.

That the local media was to a large extent unhappy with the decision goes almost
without saying. After all, Ariel is in the so-called occupied territories. Ynet,
for example, in a subtitle had it: "As thousands wait for housing," implying
that the decision regarding Ariel would harm the social fabric of Israel. The
outrage against this yellow journalism was so strong that the subtitle was later
removed.

In a scathing piece in Ma'ariv this past weekend, Kalman Liebskind lashed out at
what he considered illegitimate behavior by certain journalists "whose political
views they find difficult to hide, [who] will accept every little thing someone
throws against Ariel and gallop forward, no questions asked."

Prof. Manuel Trachtenberg, chairman of the Council of Higher Education's
planning and budgeting committee, was portrayed as an objective voice whereas
Professor Israel Aumann, Nobel Laureate, was treated as a "fool who knows
nothing... because there's a kippa on his head."

Yet one of us (EP) heard Professor Trachtenberg proclaim loudly and clearly
already last November that he would do all he could to prevent the accreditation
of an eighth university - even before he received the report of the Council for
Higher Education in Judea and Samaria (CHEJS). This is an example of the
intellectual honesty of those who led the campaign against Ariel.

THE HEBREW University provided fodder for the media via a paper presented by Dr.
Zeev Rotem and put on the desk of the other university heads. His conclusions
were such as to instill fear in any freedom-loving academic. As reported on the
NRG website, he warned that turning Ariel into a university would lead to the
transfer of 3,000 students from other colleges to Ariel, with Bar-Ilan
University and Ruppin college being the biggest losers.

It would supposedly create havoc with the research budgets of the universities
and would create further competition in recruiting new faculty members.

Interestingly, not a word was said about Dr. Rotem's political views - that is,
until Mr. Liebskind did his homework. He found that Rotem was a signatory to
Yesh Gvul petitions containing statements such as: "we declare that we do not
take part in the continued oppression of the Palestinians in the occupied
territories," and "we express our willingness to help as best we can students
who, as a result of their refusal to serve in the territories, will encounter
difficulties."

A typical reaction from within academia came from Prof. Akiva Cohen of the
Communications Department of Tel Aviv University. Cohen, who is supposed to
teach his students how to become fair-minded and ethical journalists, sets a
rather sorry example of professionalism.

Writing on the Social Sciences email inter-university list, he claims that the
document presented by the CHEJS was "shallow" and that not a single department
in any university would have been accredited based on the CHEJS recommendations
- this without having read the CHEJS report; no detailed account of its
deliberations has been published.

Yael Dan anchors the Army Radio station's noon news program. Her questions in
response to correspondent Ya'ara Barak are perhaps representative of the
politicized antipathy of our media:

Barak: "This is the big day of the Ariel University Center."

Dan: "This means what?"

Barak: "An increase in budgets, in research and the development of the city of
Ariel."

Dan: "Mostly increasing the budgets at the expense of the other institutions.

Barak: "Yes...,"

Dayan: "At their expense - they [the other universities] are angry since it will
be at their expense."

Later on Dan had this to say: "It is quite absurd that the CHEJS will decide,
since they will make a decision on their own destiny.

Dan obviously has no idea what she's talking about. The CHEJS is appointed by
the head of the IDF Central Command and was formed because Israel's Left, among
others, insists that Israeli law does not apply in Judea and Samaria. Israel's
CHE has no jurisdiction in the "occupied territories."

But there's more. Consider the "financial argument." Prof. Trachtenberg is
responsible for a budget of NIS 7.5 billion - of which today only 1.3 percent
goes to the Ariel University Center. Yet 10% percent of it - more than the total
sum reserved for research - goes to pay the pension funds of the Hebrew
University, Tel Aviv University and the Technion.

These institutions provide their professors with what is known as a budgetary
pension - that is, the university guarantees the pensions of its staff. As also
delineated in scathing reports by the State Comptroller, these universities,
over a period of many years, did not set aside sufficient funds to assure the
financial health of their pension funds. As a result, we all have to foot the
bill.

Reportedly, the pension rate at Hebrew University is 120 percent. Imagine if the
Finance Minister were to force the Universities to lower their pension expenses
by 10 percent. This alone would more than cover the amount allocated today to
Ariel. Yet our reporters swallow the dire warnings of financial meltdown.

THE STORY is actually much deeper than the question of money, students or
research. The Ariel University Center is the only institute of higher education
in this country which dares to say proudly: "We are Zionists." It is the only
university which has an annual conference dedicated to research about Judea and
Samaria. It was the venue for the Annual David Bar-Ilan Media Conference, in
which serious media criticism and issues were raised. All Ariel students must
take a course in Zionist-Jewish studies. Ariel University's Social Sciences
faculty do not toe the Israel-bashing line of many of their colleagues in the
other universities.

In fact, the real - and justified - fear of Israel's universities is that the
university in Ariel spells the beginning of the end of their hegemony on social
thought, culture and humanistic studies. Israeli students will have the option
to learn something about Israeli history from teachers who do not fully agree
with Professors Neve Gordon or Oren Yiftachel of Ben-Gurion University. They
might even learn that Israel's existence as a Jewish state has some moral and
legal basis. Ariel has a large Communications Department, whose students might
understand that the media in a democratic country must be accountable.

It is these factors that create real fear among those who have been used to
dominating the academic scene. Yet this aspect was hardly mentioned in the
discussion - for obvious reasons.

The authors are respectively vice chairman and chairman of Israel's media Watch
www.imw.org.il

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: MEDIA COMMENT

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE JEWISH community of Ariel in the West Bank. (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Bill: Only 2 rounds for election of president, comptroller

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 163 words

Knesset elections for president or state comptroller will no longer go to a
third round of voting, according to a bill authorized for its first reading by
the Knesset Law, Constitution and Justice Committee on Wednesday.

The current law says the president and state comptroller must be elected by a
61-MK majority. If this does not happen in a first or second round of voting,
the candidate with a plurality of the vote in the third round wins.

The new bill, proposed by MKs Yariv Levin (Likud), Moshe Gafni (United Torah
Judaism), Uri Maklev (UTJ), Yohanan Plesner (Kadima) and Avraham Michaeli (Shas)
forgoes the third round, allowing a future president or comptroller to be
elected by a plurality in the second round. In addition, only the two candidates
with the most votes in the first round can run in the second round.

The legislation was scheduled for a late-night first reading in the plenum at
press time. It will then undergo further committee review and two more readings.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Capital's light rail survives first simulated terror attack

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 975 words

There were ambulances, smoke, sirens, bandages, helicopters, red-stained and
torn clothing, doctors, policemen, soldiers and firemen at Mount Herzl - but
none of the shocked and terrorized faces of the real thing.

The first comprehensive exercise simulating an attack on the Jerusalem Light
Rail proved a success on Wednesday morning, providing training for novice
medical staffers and teaching the veterans new lessons on how to improve their
performance in an authentic mass catastrophe.

The drill was the initiative of the Hebrew University Medical School as a final
test for students completing a 10-day trauma course, a week before they complete
their six years of formal studies. It was arranged by Prof. Avi Rivkind - chief
of general surgery at Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem, head of
its world-acclaimed trauma unit, which he established in 1992, and known as "Dr.
Lifesaver" to many Jerusalemites.

Last year, the medical school drill took place at Teddy Stadium, but with
extensive roadwork going on there to extend the Begin Highway, it was shifted to
the light rail's Mount Herzl station. This marked the new transportation line's
first involvement in such an exercise since it opened to paying passengers
almost a year ago.

Two women from a school for professional makeup came in - as every year - to
lend some authenticity, applying red and purple creams to faces and limbs,
creating encrusted "wounds," spraying red stains on torn clothing and spreading
flour on faces to look like they had been hit by dust from explosions.

"I have been doing this every year for two decades," said makeup artist Nava
Rogel. "I'm used to it."

About half of the 108 members of this year's graduating class are women, and
many of them were in the trauma course.

Medical students acting as doctors, victims, supervisors, photographers and
press spokesmen were on hand. Some "wounded" climbed behind fences to lie among
bushes, looking as if the blast had thrown them there and waiting until their
colleagues found and "treated" them. A disheveled baby doll missing an arm lay
outside the train.

Metal boxes with green dust that simulated smoke bombs, and burnt tires set in
barrels, were set down on Kiryat Hayovel Street at the southern end of Herzl
Boulevard, as air-conditioned train cars emptied of regular passengers and
filled up with soldiers and medical-student actors instead. Others lay down in
the street and tried to look motionless - a difficult task under the hot
Jerusalem sun.

Traffic was diverted from the key artery to the Kiryat Hayovel neighborhood,
causing some annoyance but no alarm to crisis-inured residents.

"Moan! Make it sound real!" yelled Rivkind in his green surgical suit, using his
megaphone as it began to get noisy.

The surprise scenario was that two terrorists had entered the tram, one bearing
a suicide bomb that killed him, and the other dying from shrapnel wounds.
Medical students, Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah ambulance teams evacuated
the train, hauling "wounded" out with their bare hands.

"You're not a porter," yelled Rivkind when a medical student took a victim too
far without first examining and intubating him. "You're a doctor! He's dying.
Treat him on the spot."

Supervisors with notebooks hurriedly filled in checklists and marked down what
the teams were doing. Rivkind's deputy, Dr. Bala Miklosh, also supervised and
watched.

A medical student who had pushed a cushion under her red-splashed blouse to
become a pregnant terror victim received special attention from the teams, which
rushed to evacuate her by MDA ambulance as a helicopter circled above.

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch appeared and consulted with
Jerusalem Police chief Niso Shaham. Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman
arrived with an entourage of aides and tried to take the scene in. Onlookers
from the tangential neighborhood of Bayit Vagan rushed to photograph the scene
after they noticed the action. Journalists and passers-by mulled about, even
stepping over the "wounded."

"Every terror attack and other mass catastrophe starts this way - as chaos. It
is an axiom," said the Hadassah surgeon after debriefing his students for over
three hours at the Ein Kerem hospital. "But you overcome it."

Rivkind, who has probably seen thousands of emergencies, from road accidents to
terror attacks, in his long career, told The Jerusalem Post that having
ministers and top police officials was unusual.

"It was the first light rail drill, and the latest State Comptroller's Report
had criticism of MDA supervision. So everybody came," he said.

He noted that he had shouted at medical students who had rushed into the train
without waiting for bomb experts to give the all-clear. And he told the students
that ambulance staffers should be moving victims, not the doctors who should be
examining and treating them.

"The evacuation was fine. But nobody found a 'victim' that I sent to lie down
among the bushes behind a stone wall. He had to shout, 'I'm hereâ' before other
medical students found him. No one should have gone into the train without the
bomb experts giving the OK. This was the major lesson from the September 11
catastrophe in New York," he said.

Still, he conceded, "it's easy for me to criticize. I have seen so many. I know
what to do. At the debriefing, they watched a video made on the scene to learn
how to do it better. Everybody did his very best to work together."

He also acknowledged that the police should have kept the civilian onlookers to
one side and told the journalists where to go.

After the makeshift catastrophe ended, he checked and found that the train was
full of trash and had some red stains on the floor and seats. He sent a team of
medical students to clean it up, and not long after, the tram made its regular
route through the city, with no passengers noting any difference.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MEDICAL STUDENTS from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem treat
'victims' of a simulated light rail attack at Mount Herzl yesterday. (Credit:
Judy Siegel)

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Democrats, Republicans trade barbs on Mideast policy as Romney packs bags for
the Holy Land

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 747 words

WASHINGTON - Top Republicans and Democrats traded barbs over the presidential
candidates' Israel policy a day before GOP candidate Mitt Romney leaves on
foreign trip that will stop in the Jewish state.

US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor described President Barack Obama as putting
a "real cloud" over the US-Israel relationship and charged that his leadership
on the Middle East was lacking.

"I've been there in the region lately and I hear Arab governments as well as the
Israelis questioning where is America in terms of our leadership," he told Fox
News on Wednesday.

Romney arrives Thursday in the UK to participate in the Opening Ceremonies of
the Olympic games before stopping in Israel Sunday and then visiting Poland.

"It is very clear that Mitt Romney is going to Israel, to the UK, to Poland, to
visit allies of ours who stand with us in times of challenge," Cantor said.

The Obama campaign, however, has been attacking Romney for embarking on a trip
it says will lack substance and for failing to articulate clear foreign policy
differences with Obama.

Vice President Joe Biden made some of the same points as a response to Romney's
appearance at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Nevada Tuesday.

"On Iran, Governor Romney does a compelling job laying out exactly what the
administration is already doing," Biden said in a statement circulated by the
Obama campaign. "The only step he seems to think we should take that we are not
already taking is to launch a war. If that is what the governor is for, he
should tell the American people."

Romney in his speech slammed Obama's Iran policy for including dangerous
intelligence leaks about covert operations and not being more supportive of the
opposition when protests first broke out in 2009.

And in a lengthy foreign policy paper put out by the campaign, he called for
doing more to support Iranians opposed to the regime as well as a clearer
articulation of America's willingness to use force and more diplomatic isolation
of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - including trying to indict him for
inciting genocide under the UN genocide charter.

Romney noted at the VFW convention that he "wouldn't venture into another
country to question American foreign policy," he would use the conference as an
opportunity to criticize Obama's "shabby treatment" of Israel.

"President Obama is fond of lecturing Israel's leaders. He was even caught by a
microphone deriding them," he said, referring to an incident in which Obama was
caught on an open mike conversing with then French president Nicholas Sarkozy in
less than positive terms.

"He has undermined their position, which was tough enough as it was," Romney
charged.

Biden pushed back against Romney's comments, saying in the statement, "Governor
Romney continues his long litany of untruths about our administration's policies
toward Israel."

He referred to record levels of security assistance, staging of the largest
joint military exercises in history and "the most consistent and comprehensive
exchanges ever between our top political, defense, security and intelligence
officials."

Ahead of Romney's trip to Israel, the Obama campaign also indicated Monday that
the president, if reelected, would travel to Jerusalem in his next term. Romney
backers have been trying to highlight the fact that Obama never visited Israel
in his first term, though he did travel there as a candidate in 2008.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), chair of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, was quick to jump on the news of Obama's intended trip.

"We can only speculate about why the president has failed to visit the capital
of our closest ally in the region, but we don't need to speculate about the
timing of the latest hint from the White House that President Obama will travel
to Israel in his second term. It's politically inspired, coming as it does only
days before Mitt Romney heads off to Jerusalem," she charged in a statement put
out by the campaign. "One should not play political games with US foreign
policy, particularly at a moment when the Middle East is a tinderbox."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D-Florida), who is chairwoman of the National
Democratic Committee, fired back that "the only candidate in this race playing
politics with America's bipartisan support for Israel is Mitt Romney." She
added, "The bottom line is that President Obama has been a steadfast supporter
of the Jewish State - and numerous Israeli leaders have spoken out publicly to
agree."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Mitt Romney (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Netanyahu's lunch money

BYLINE: JONATHAN ROSEN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 993 words

On Tuesday evening Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu introduced a series of
taxes and budget cuts that were designed to help Israel meet its newly increased
target deficit of three percent. The slackened pace of Israel's economy is now
forcing Netanyahu to take painful action after three and a half years in power.

"Anyone who says that money can be spent without a thought, without being able
to cover it, for populist purposes, is simply placing the State of Israel at
risk and could easily lead it to the situation we've seen in leading European
economies, which are on the verge of bankruptcy," said the prime minister.

Among other steps, Netanyahu has indicated that VAT will be raised next week to
17%, taxes will be increased on alcohol, cigarettes and gasoline, and all
ministries will have their annual budgets cut this year to save NIS 700 million
immediately. A new tax on people who earn more than a million shekels a year is
also expected to be imposed in 2013.

Those are legitimate decisions that cannot have been easy to make. With
elections in the offing, no one can honestly believe Netanyahu to be eager to
take measures that are almost certain to upset voters.

Members of the opposition have already begun to stoke that public anger with
alacrity. A statement issued by Kadima accused Netanyahu of "carrying out a
confirm kill on the middle class. After having turned his back on the public
that serves and the middle class, Netanyahu is now giving them the finger as
well."

Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich similarly criticized Netanyahu's plan
for disproportionately hurting the middle class and the poor, accusing Netanyahu
of "dismantling the middle class and crushing it, and dangerously deepening the
gaps between the poor and rich. An across-the-board cut of a billion shekels
will bring the middle class to its knees. Netanyahu created the deep hole in the
budget when he recklessly lowered justified taxes on the rich, and now he is
imposing VAT-a cruel, unjust and unintelligent tax that affects the poorest as
well."

Yechimovich was right in her identification of the source of the problem, though
only partially so. The "hole" in the budget was produced not only by lowered
taxes on the rich and on powerful corporations. As economists and government
spokespersons have correctly noted, the increase in the deficit is also the
product of an Israeli economy that has slowed down in response to factors that
lie beyond the prime minister's control, such as a decline in exports to Europe
as a result of the economic crisis gripping the continent.

But the government's defenders are also only partially right. The deficit has
increased as a result of government spending as well. In his public statements
on Tuesday, Netanyahu spoke proudly about the relative stability of the local
economy in the past few years against the backdrop of the global crisis, saying
that Israel had not been equally affected "because we kept the rules of
responsible economic behavior and we will continue to do so. We know that there
is one simple rule in economics that has to be kept: 'there aren't any free
lunches.'"

So where is the money being spent? Netanyahu cited two examples, both of which
were geared to shield him from the opposition's criticism. The first was
security, in which Netanyahu specifically cited the billions that have been
allocated to the construction of a new (and popular) fence along the Egyptian
border. The second was free education for preschoolers that, as one of the
Trajtenberg Committee recommendations, was geared to immunize him from attacks
of the sort put forward by Yechimovich.

But Netanyahu refrained from mentioning the billions that his government has
spent on issues and projects that are less likely to be looked upon kindly by
the general public, which is now being called upon to shoulder the cost of the
budget crisis.

According to a study that was reported earlier this week by Calcalist, the state
loses an estimated NIS 9.4 billion every year as a result of the extraordinarily
low participation of haredi men in the workforce. Some of that money is paid out
to haredi men in the form of stipends that are provided by the Education
Ministry and the National Insurance Institute.

Another significant portion of the money is lost to state coffers in the form of
discounts on municipal tax, government housing and the failure of this large
group of able-bodied people to contribute tax revenues. Needless to say, NIS
9.4b. is a lot of money, more than twice the projected revenues that are to stem
from the hike in VAT.

The Netanyahu government has also been extraordinarily generous in spending
money on controversial projects in the West Bank. In the past few months the
prime minister has readily dedicated tens of millions of shekels to cover the
costs of relocating the squatters in Migron and Givat Haulpana, and by so doing
to buy the silence of the settler lobby and the right wing within his party and
government.

Another fresh example of unnecessary spending, geared to satisfy the hunger of
Netanyahu's political allies on the right, was provided just last week, when
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz announced that NIS 50m., would be allocated to
the academic center in Ariel, once it was made into a university.

The budget crisis Israel is facing is not solely the product of global trends
and "populist" spending on education, welfare, housing, transportation and
healthcare. This crisis also stems from the sumptuous "free lunches" that
Netanyahu's allies, the haredim and the pro-settler lobby, have been served by
this government for the past three and a half years, well above and beyond their
equal due as fellow Israeli citizens. That unconscionable flow of huge sums of
money is the first thing that Netanyahu needs to cut off if he truly wishes to
behave with the fiscal responsibility he so sternly preaches to the general
public.

The author is a veteran Israeli writer and translator.

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NOTES: INSIDE OUT

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Will the weather save the London Olympics? Months of exceptional rain and cold
temperatures make way for summer sun, though troubles continue to plague games
one day ahead of opening

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 457 words

LONDON - It has been a bad couple of weeks for the London Olympics ahead of its
grand opening ceremony, set to take place this Friday.

The government has had to call up 1,200 soldiers after organizers admitted
serious security flaws, and airport workers have threatened to go on strike just
as tens of thousands of Olympians and tourists are set to fly in. From an
Israeli or Jewish point of view, the International Olympic Committee's refusal
to hold a moment of silence for the victims of the Munich Massacre has put a
damper on some of the jubilation.

All this and more has provided plenty of ammo for local Olympic skeptics, who
thought holding the games - which have a price tag of £9.3 billion - in London
was a daft idea in the first place.

But over the past couple of days, help seems to have arrived from an unexpected
quarter: the weather.

After a couple of miserable months that included the wettest June on record -
even by the standards of this famously overcast nation - the sun finally came
out in all its glory to shine a bright light on England. Temperatures on
Wednesday hit a season-high 31¼C in Hyde Park, where scores of sunbathers lazed
on the green lawns under a clear, blue sky.

The Daily Telegraph, in hyperbole typical of the British press, triumphantly
declared the UK "warmer than the Sahara." In fact, the relative heat was a bit
too much for the country's notoriously tardy trains. Greater Anglia, whose lines
connect the capital with the northeast, told commuters the heat had caused
several delays.

Still, almost all agreed it was better basking in the sun than hiding under an
umbrella from the rain.

Hordes of people crowded the parks and open spaces of central London. At
Trafalgar Square, dozens of people cooled off in the fountains underneath the
statue of Lord Nelson, and at nearby Green Park, just across from Buckingham
Palace, it was difficult to find a patch of empty grass to claim. A line
stretched a few dozens of meters from a lorry (as vans are locally called) whose
owner was making a small fortune selling cones filled with vanilla ice cream and
chocolate flakes to parched patrons.

"It just cleared now after months of absolutely terrible weather," said
Charlotte Cooke, one of the many Britons who lay in the shade of the park's
ancient oak trees. "It is pretty incredible. I hope it lasts."

But like all good things, it probably won't.

Forecasts at the moment predict it will remain warm for the rest of the week,
though there is also a strong likelihood of a downpour on the day of the opening
ceremony, according to the BBC.

Of course, for residents of Israel, where sweltering heat and tortuous humidity
are a guarantee well into October, the British obsession with the weather might
seem strange.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE ISRAELI FLAG is raised during a welcoming ceremony at the
Olympic village in London yesterday. (Credit: Mark Blinch/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Widows call to give Rogge silent treatment

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Sports staff

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 108 words

The widows of two Israeli Olympians killed by Palestinian gunmen at the 1972
Munich Olympics are urging spectators to stage a silent protest during Friday's
opening ceremony for the London Games.

At a press conference in London on Wednesday, Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano
asked audience members to stand in silence when International Olympic Committee
chief Jacques Rogge rises to speak at Friday's ceremony, AP reported. Since
Olympic organizers have rejected a moment of silence for the 11 slain Israeli
athletes and coaches, the widows say the silent protest will be a victory in
their fight to have the men remembered at the proper place and time.

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

'Talkbacker bill' passes first hurdle

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 202 words

Websites sued for slander or intellectual property violations because of
talkbacks - online comments - will be required to reveal the identity of the
offending author, according to a government bill that passed its first Knesset
reading on Wednesday.

Nine voted in favor of the "Talkbacker Bill," and two opposed.

The bill allows citizens to petition Magistrates' Courts to instruct a site
owner to give information about a third party who anonymously posted harmful
content online.

The explanatory section of the bill, proposed by the Justice Ministry, points
out that "one of the characteristics of the Internet is the possibility to
express oneself anonymously - which has advantages and disadvantages."

On the one hand, the bill explains, anonymous posting is backed by the right to
free speech and the right to privacy.

However, the Internet cannot be an arena where people are free to do injustices
or violate others' rights without any accounting, the legislation concludes.

The bill was authorized by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation in late
June, and will have to undergo review by the Knesset Law, Constitution and
Justice Committee as well as its second and third plenum readings before
becoming law.

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

No tent city on Rothschild Boulevard, court rules. Tel Aviv District Court
rejects activists' petition to pitch new encampment, awarding city hall the
latest victory in struggle with social justice protesters

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 901 words

In a blow to civil and social rights activists on Wednesday, the Tel Aviv
District Court rejected a petition demanding rights to pitch a new protest tent
city on Rothschild Boulevard.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and five social justice
activists filed the petition three weeks ago, asking the court to force the Tel
Aviv Municipality to change its policies regarding tent protests.

ACRI attorney Sharona Eliahu-Chai slammed the court's rejection of the petition,
saying it "legitimized draconian municipal policies that suppress the freedom to
protest."

Wednesday's court ruling is the latest stage in what has turned into a
protracted legal struggle between social protesters, local residents and
municipal authorities over Tel Aviv's public space.

The seemingly innocuous grassy verges of the tree-lined central Tel Aviv
thoroughfare have become the symbolic frontline in an ideological war over who
has the greatest right to access the city's squares and boulevards - the social
justice protesters, local residents or city hall.

Under municipal rules, activists who want to erect protest tents must first
apply for and obtain a permit from city hall, a policy the petitioners say
constitutes harassment and violates their civil rights.

One petitioner, Tamir Hajaj, said that when municipal inspectors removed the
protest tent he erected in Rabin Square, he applied to city hall for a permit -
but was asked to file separate applications for a business license, a fire
department permit and a police permit. To obtain the latter, Hajaj says he was
told to present official approvals from a safety engineer, an electrician and
Magen David Adom in addition to providing a security guard for the tent.

ACRI said all the bureaucracy is a deliberate ploy to keep the activists off
Rothschild Boulevard's grass.

"The bureaucratic harassment of protesters - which also involves considerable
expense - is a means to suppress protests, specifically the protests of those
who have no other means to make their voices heard in public," Eliahu-Chai said.

She added: "Because of weak concerns about 'anarchy' in the city streets, the
court approved a violation of freedom of expression that is ongoing, harsh and
in no small measure dangerous."

Tel Aviv City Hall, however, says it supports the social justice protests. As
proof, it points to the fact that it has provided the protesters with an
alternative site - replete with chemical toilets and cleaning services - on
which to set up camp.

City hall said public welfare concerns drove the decision to ban tents on
Rothschild, after the summer 2011 camp attracted considerable criticism from
local residents. A group of 48 people who live and work on Rothschild Boulevard
joined in the legal action against the encampment, arguing it infringed on their
rights and posed a serious health hazard as protesters moved out and homeless
drug addicts moved in.

Meanwhile, though some protesters have pitched their tents at the approved
campsite at the Weslowsky Garden, a known gay cruising spot near the central
train station, others say that city hall is trampling their rights by refusing
to allow them to pitch tents on Rothschild Boulevard.

In court, the petitioners argued that public demonstrations are a fundamental
constitutional right, and that the authorities must allow them to mount protests
in major public spaces including Rothschild Boulevard, Rabin Square and Nordau
Boulevard.

The municipality, however, contended that the petition was not focused on a
single, specific decision but rather on city hall's general policies regarding
protest camps, according to which erecting a tent or tent city within the city
requires a permit.

"The municipality is authorized to prevent and remove any obstruction and
trespassing on its streets," city hall's lawyers told the court.

The court ruled that the city has the right to balance the freedom of expression
with other rights and needs.

"There is no dispute over the importance of the constitutional status of freedom
of expression and the right to protest," said Judge Zila Zfat. "But as with any
other basic right, so too is this right relatively limited and dependent on
other basic rights and interests."

Zfat said the municipality's right to limit and set conditions for tent protests
"preserved the basic rights of others" - meaning locals and other residents who
wish to enjoy the city's public spaces.

"The wave of social protests that occurred last year shows that the authorities'
tolerance for erecting tents in public spaces led to an extreme nuisance, with
constant noise day and night, bad sanitation - made even more difficult and
dangerous during the hot summer months - as well as traffic problems, violence,
disorderly conduct and so forth," Zfat added.

The court concluded that the municipality's requirements regarding protest tents
was acceptable.

"This policy does not exclude freedom of expression and the right to protest
but... allows freedom of expression while ensuring that others' rights and
interests are not unreasonably harmed," Zfat said.

Despite losing the latest court battle, petitioners say they plan to continue
the war, vowing to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

There, justices will assess whether the Tel Aviv District Court was right to
rule that city hall's protest tent policies do not violate protesters' rights
under the Basic Laws of freedom of expression.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A TENT set up on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv last summer
advertises free haircuts, referring to the so-called 'haircuts' some bond
holders are forced to take. (Credit: Nir Elias/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

From the ashes: Jerusalem re-imagined

BYLINE: CHARLENE SEIDLE and BRACHIE SPRUNG

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 922 words

As we enter the Hebrew month of Av, Jews around the world begin nine somber days
of mourning leading up to Tisha Be'av (the 9th of Av), one of the most solemn
days on the Jewish calendar. There are many reasons that we mourn on this day,
but most famously it is because of the destruction of Jerusalem and the
thousands of years of exile that ensued. Today, Jerusalem is showing signs of
returning to its innovative roots, and while we are not theologians, this new
spirit of social and entrepreneurial energy should be a cause for celebration
for all those who care deeply about this city.

Jerusalem is a city about which many poems have been written, prayers read and
songs sung, all inspiring intense emotions both for her residents and for people
the world over. Yet, as the city continues to grow and surpass the rest of
Israel's municipalities in population and geographic size, Jerusalem also
regularly appears on the top of the charts as Israel's poorest city.

A related and perhaps most alarming phenomenon is the trend of negative
migration from the city that saps the capital of much-needed human capital.
Today, Jerusalem struggles to compete with Israel's coastal cities in offering
the high-quality, well-paying jobs that are needed to keep young, educated
families in the city. Additionally, housing prices continue to rise at a rate
that makes buying a home completely unattainable for those families. There is an
ongoing competition with Tel Aviv with regard to culture and important quality
of life factors, and it seems that not everyone wants to make their home at the
center of such religious fervor as exists in Jerusalem.

It does not need to be this way. Jerusalem of biblical times was the center of
the world; not only in terms of purely religious beliefs, but also in what we
would today call "social entrepreneurship." In fact, the first Israelite Temple
was built as a result of an innovative public collections system initiated by
King David and seen to fruition by King Solomon. The Second Temple was
re-instituted despite the lack of enthusiasm by the established leadership, and
was the result of an all-out grassroots campaign by the Jews returning from
Persia. Jesus, too, preached his message of social justice from the streets of
Jerusalem.

WE ENVISION Jerusalem rising again as a center of social activism and
entrepreneurship. The city has become a hub for young people fighting to reclaim
and renew the ancient Jerusalem - and we believe the intensity and diversity
which many point to as a negative is actually the city's foremost advantage.

One striking example of this development is the budding community in the
Jerusalem neighborhood of Kiryat Yovel. Originally built as housing for union
workers and students, the neighborhood is today characterized by many different
socio-economic populations, often poor and underprivileged ones that represent
Israeli society as a whole. Today, thanks to organizations like Ruach Chadasha,
scores of young idealistic students and families have been moving into Kiryat
Yovel and working together to improve the neighborhood.

Through educational and cultural programs that encourage communal Shabbat
celebrations and mentoring young children, the organization has connected
veteran residents in new ways to their neighborhood. Ruach Chadasha has also led
the way to developing affordable housing models in Jerusalem, and and is
currently working with its partners to develop the first built-for-rental
housing project in Israel.

Another example of Jerusalem leading the way is the internationally successful
Moishe House. By bringing together residents to live together and host diverse
programs every month for their peers, the Jerusalem Moishe House empowers young
adults to become facilitators and leaders of their community. When Moishe House
first sought to establish a location in Jerusalem some were skeptical. Within a
few weeks of the announcement, this center received more applications than those
received at any of its global locations - demonstrating a thirst for pluralistic
gathering spaces which celebrate diversity rather than blaming it for social
ills.

Such programs are not created in a vacuum. Organizations like PresenTense step
up to train these young social entrepreneurs and provide them with the tools
they need to create innovative community start-ups that change and improve
Jerusalem communities on a daily basis. While these start-ups often shine a
spotlight on the less-than-desirable elements of Jerusalem, we tend to see the
silver (or golden, in this case) lining.

Jerusalem's population, with all its complexities and problems, actually serves
as a microcosm of Israeli society. By encouraging grassroots, entrepreneurial
solutions in Jerusalem, we believe that the seeds are being sown for solutions
to many of the challenges that Israeli society faces as a whole.

While there is still much work to be done, accomplishments are already appearing
on the Jerusalem horizon and we can already see the emergence of a thriving
city. By harnessing the creative energy that is bubbling below the surface,
Jerusalem is being restored to its rightful place as the center of world-wide
social innovation.

Charlene Seidle is vice president and executive director of the Leichtag
Foundation and senior vice president of the Jewish Community Foundation of San
Diego. Brachie Sprung oversees the training of more than 100 entrepreneurs
throughout Jerusalem and the world. Brachie is involved in developing
PresenTense's business model in Israel.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Jerusalem of biblical times was the center of the world; not only in
terms of purely religious beliefs, but also in what we would today call 'social
entrepreneurship'

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Crying over spilt milk

BYLINE: MIRIAM KOSMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 850 words

Ever hear that you are not supposed to cry over spilt milk? Why do the Jews sit
there on the floor every year on the ninth of Av, mourning the destruction of
the Temple eons ago? Our only consolation is our belief that the Messiah will
soon arrive. But, while "they lived happily ever after" is a great ending for a
children's story, the worm of cynicism deep inside smirks at the thought. We
adults have been around long enough to know there are no happy endings, so what
is this naive hoping for Messiah?

And it's not like this hoping is a take-it-or-leave-it footnote to Judaism,
either. Maimonides lists belief in the coming of Messiah as one of the Thirteen
Principles of Faith. Why is it so fundamental?

GETTING BEYOND the cynicism to yearn for Messiah means I understand that there
is a game plan. Life is not an endless flipping of calendar pages, emerging out
of nothingness and hurtling towards more nothingness.

There was a beginning - the Exodus from Egypt - and there will be an end, a time
when we reclaim the relationship of love that started then. During the long
middle of this story, we hold on to the vision we were shown at Sinai, hold on
to it for dear life. We experienced that love once, and we yearn for it forever
more.

It's like the wife of a famous refusenik, who was allowed out of the former
Soviet Union years before her husband. During those years, not a day passed that
she didn't spend agitating for her husband's release. She was living in the free
world. Surely she ate and slept during those years; perhaps she went shopping
occasionally. But her entire existence was defined by her yearning to reunite
with her husband.

We are told that, after death, we will be asked, "Tzipita leyeshua?" Did you
yearn for redemption? G-d will say - I missed you so much. Did you miss Me? Did
you wait every day for Me to return? Did you agonize over My absence? And it
will be in direct proportion to our yearning that we will experience the joy of
re-connection. If we don't mind that You are there, and we are here, we betray
the intimacy of our experience at Sinai.

Yes, we have lives to live, jobs to do - and of course, we live our lives
joyfully. But through it all, the Jew never forgets that there is something
missing. Even at a wedding, moments before we break into song and dance, we
shatter a glass to remind us that though this wedding is a joyous glimpse of the
unity of the future - there will always be a corner in our heart that refuses to
be reconciled with Your absence. A part of us will always ache for You.

RABBEINU YONAH (d. 1263), in his classic book Shaarei Teshuva, cites a midrash:

The king sentenced some bandits to imprisonment. Once in prison, the prisoners
managed to dig themselves a tunnel to freedom. Most of them took the opportunity
to escape, but one stayed behind. The jailer comes in and beats the remaining
prisoner, saying, "The way is open before you! Why have you not escaped?"

We can imagine the prisoner protesting, "Wait a minute! Go find the escapees and
beat them. What are you yelling at me for? I am the good one who stayed where
you put me!"

And the jailer would respond, "No! You are the problem! The others realized they
were in jail; they took the first opportunity to escape. You, by staying put,
have declared that you are comfortable with the way things are. You have
betrayed freedom!"

We are that prisoner. Cheerfully sitting around in galut, exile, we decorate the
cell; we pipe in some music - we're having a grand old time.

"I will remove your heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh,"
Ezekiel says.

But who needs a heart of flesh? A heart of stone is much more comfortable. Who
wants to care so much? Who wants to mourn? Who wants to be so aware of what we
are missing? Get with the program! Put that smile back on your face and get back
on stage.

Yet, sometimes it is pain and mourning that peels us off our infatuation with
the superficial and forces us to dig deeper for the source of real joy. So, G-d
makes galut a little less comfortable. We notice it's getting hotter, and we run
to adjust the air conditioning. We're OK. We've got it. Everything is under
control.

G-d waits. He waits for us to notice that we are in prison. He waits for us to
let the pain catapult us into His arms.

The prophet Zecharia calls us Asirie Tikva, prisoners of hope. Being in a
constant state of hope and longing is hard. It's difficult to live in this world
like strangers in a strange land - never totally fitting in, never feeling
completely at home. Everyone else is dancing to the music, fine and dandy. Only
we (even while dancing) have our eyes pinned to the door, bound by love, with
ropes of hope, to another world, another reality. Yet when that reality arrives,
it is all those years of yearning - those years of mourning what was, those
years of hope for the future - which will bind us to the Source of all Joy.

The writer lectures weekly to hundreds of Israeli university students on Jewish
thought, through the organization Nefesh Yehudi. She welcomes comments and
questions and can be reached at miriamjpost@gmail.com

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

A progressive perspective on Tisha Be'av

BYLINE: STEPHEN LEWIS FUCHS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 690 words

The ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, Tisha Be'av, is a day when traditional
Jews fast in memory of the magnificent Temples of Jerusalem which were each
destroyed in their turn first by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and then again by
the Romans in 70 CE.

The day also is a solemn one in memory of other historical tragedies associated
with that date. For example, it is said that the beginning of the first Crusade
in 1095, a time of persecution and slaughter of the Jews of Europe, and in 1290
the expulsion of Jews from England both took place on that date. Tisha Be'av
also coincides with the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 and the outbreak of
World War I in 1914.

The meaning of this day of tragedies does not rank high in the consciousness of
most non-Orthodox Jews, and that raises the question of what might Progressive
Jews make of Tisha Be'av today.

The destruction of the two Temples and the exile of Jews from our sacred land
that followed, were occasions of death and suffering and sorrow is appropriate.
Certainly all the other historical tragedies associated with that date are
important to remember, too.

On the other hand, the centrality of the Temple in Jewish life ended abruptly
with its final destruction and there is little merit in reviving its traditions
anew. Much of the Temple's centrality revolved around its role as a place for
animal sacrifice as a sign of repentance, thanksgiving or celebration. After the
destruction and dispersion, the Jewish people found other ways worship built
around their synagogues and homes.

Rabbis rose up from the community instead of priests, and our post-Temple
practices have served us well as we wandered through the world. I know of no
Progressive Jews who wish to see a reconstructed Temple, a re-institution of
animal sacrifice, and a return of control over Jewish life to a hereditary
priestly class.

While it was a horrific tragedy of the time, the destruction of the Second
Temple liberated Judaism to become what we treasure today, a religion based on
the study of Torah, of prayer and of acts of kindness and compassion: a religion
and a way of life that reaches deeply into everything we do.

The very vibrancy and strength of the Jewish people over the centuries attests
to the wisdom of what we have become and not what we once were. It may sound
odd, but in that sense Tisha Be'av, especially in the age of a renewed Jewish
Nation in Israel, can be seen as both an occasion of hope and optimism as well
as one of remembrance and sorrow.

It is left to us to reconcile the remembrance of genuine tragedy with the
possibilities for the growth and development of the Judaism that has been passed
down to us. In that context I observe a fast on Tisha Be'av until mid day.
During that time I study the traditional text for the day, the biblical book of
Lamentations. At 1:00 p.m. I partake of a mid-day meal grateful for the Judaism
that has been bequeathed to us over the years, a Judaism that no longer
slaughters animals and sprinkles their blood as a sign of gratitude or as a
petition to God.

I celebrate the fact that a Judaism based on the Temple and its hereditary
priestly class has been replaced by a Judaism we can all access and immerse
ourselves in while we absorb the lessons our people gleaned over the centuries:
that each of us should use our individual talents in our own way to make the
world a better place.

TISHA B'AV for me is also the day when I begin preparing for the period of
introspection culminating in the rituals of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Impetus
for beginning the process of repentance comes from the middle of the book of
Lamentations.

"Let us search and examine our ways and return to he Eternal One!" (Lamentations
3:40).

For Progressive Jews, then, Tisha Be'av can be both a day of mourning and a day
of joy. We mourn for the destruction of the Temple, but we rejoice that we have
developed a strong, resilient means of surviving as Jews. Mourning the tragedies
of the past we begin to search and examine our way forward and face the future
with hope and courage.

The writer, a rabbi, is president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism

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possibilities for the growth and development of the Judaism that has been passed
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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Mourning the destruction in the rebuilt Jerusalem

BYLINE: SHIMSHON HAKOHEN NADEL

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 940 words

Shortly after making aliya, I spent my first Tisha Be'av Eve participating in
the sivuv she'arim, an annual march that circles the Old City of Jerusalem,
organized by the Women in Green. The night began with a reading of Lamentations
in Independence Park, opposite the US Consulate. Following some criticisms of
White House policy, we set off on foot towards the Old City's walls, aglow in
the night. We marched, surrounded by a heavy police presence as Arab youth
looked on, stopping at several points to listen to speeches from activists and
members of Knesset.

But it didn't feel like Tisha Be'av.

Where was the sadness? The mourning? The pain?

Instead, there was a feeling of triumph and victory in the warm Jerusalem air.
Some of the participants waved flags; others chanted slogans and sung songs. It
was unlike anything I had ever experienced. And it made me uncomfortable. I was
used to sitting on the floor in a darkened synagogue, trying to access the pain
of the destruction of Jerusalem and our Holy Temples.

The truth is, Jews the world over struggle to relate to a destruction that
happened 2,000 years ago. How do we make Tisha Be'av meaningful? How do we feel
a real sense of loss for something we never knew?

And in Jerusalem, the challenge is even greater. The opening words of
Lamentations, "Alas - she sits in solitude! The city that was great with people
has become like a widow," seem almost anachronistic. With a population of over
800,000, Jerusalem today is a vibrant city. It teems with tourism, culture and
life. A simple survey of all of the cranes in the sky suggest Jerusalem's
continuous growth and expansion.

How do we mourn for the destruction in a rebuilt Jerusalem?

After the Six Day War, the chief rabbi of the IDF, Shlomo Goren, made changes to
"Nachem," an additional prayer recited on Tisha Be'av afternoon. The traditional
version describes Jerusalem as "the city that is in sorrow, laid waste, scorned
and desolate; that grieves for the loss of its children, that is laid waste of
its dwellings, robbed of its glory, desolate without inhabitants. She sits with
her head covered like a barren, childless woman."

In the IDF siddur that he edited and published in 1970, Rabbi Goren wrote that
this liturgy is "not appropriate when Jerusalem is free and under Israel's
sovereignty." Instead, he chose a text based on the Jerusalem Talmud, the siddur
of Amram Gaon, and Maimonides, which limits the description of Jerusalem to "the
city that is in sorrow, laid waste, and in ruin." The more subtle language,
Rabbi Goren felt, better expressed the new reality of a unified Jerusalem, under
Jewish control.

Serving as Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the State of Israel from 1973-1983, Rabbi
Goren attempted to formally institute the changes he made to Nachem, but was
unsuccessful. While the changes were minor, they were controversial. Rabbis
Isser Yehuda Unterman, Ovadiah Yosef, Tzvi Yehudah Kook and Joseph B.
Soloveitchik, among others, opposed the changes. How can we change the liturgy,
they asked, while Jerusalem is still denigrated without the Holy Temple
standing?

This debate over the wording of Nachem reflects the very real tension of
mourning the destruction today, in a rebuilt Jerusalem. The Jewish People's
2,000-year-old "Dream of Zion," is no longer. It has become a reality. Like the
fiery phoenix, rising from the ashes of gas chambers and crematoria, the Jewish
People returned to their soil. The dry bones in Ezekiel's vision have indeed
come to life, and returned to their land. As the prophet Zechariah foretold,
"Elderly men and women once again sit in the streets of Jerusalem... and boys
and girls play in her streets." The world witnessed the miracle of the birth of
the Jewish state.

But while we have returned to our borders, and in the years since seen the
unification of Jerusalem, things are still far from perfect. We live with a
nuclear threat from Iran looming, enemy states on our borders, and the constant
threat of terrorism. Israel is delegitimized and demonized in the media. And we
are divided as a people. We suffer from a lack of unity and baseless hatred for
one another, which according to the Talmud was the cause for the destruction of
the Second Temple.

So there I was marching in the sivuv shearim, full of mixed emotions, when I
realized that this schizophrenia is the very dialectic of Tisha Be'av itself. In
the Talmud, Tisha Be'av is described as a day of crying and mourning for all
times, yet it is also the symbolic birthday of the Messiah. It is a day which,
over the course of Jewish history, saw many tragic events, yet it is also called
a mo'ed, an appointed time or holiday, and one day will be transformed into a
festival, as is promised.

In one Talmudic account, upon entering the Temple, the Babylonians see the
Cherubs entangled in an embrace, expressing God's love for Israel despite the
devastating destruction take place all around. Tisha Be'av is a bitter day - but
it's also a day of hope.

In the prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel, we describe this young
state as the "first flowering of our redemption." We recognize that something
profound happened 64 years ago, but we are not there yet - we are witness merely
to the first flowering. It's only just the beginning. We live during challenging
and confusing times, but also during exciting times. We live at a unique moment
history.

To truly experience Tisha Be'av is to appreciate how far we have come, and how
far we still are.

The writer, a rabbi, lives in Jerusalem, where he teaches Torah inspired by the
Land and her people. His forthcoming book is Return again: The argument for
Aliyah.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Israel tracking Syrian chemical weapons by satellite, UAV and reconnaissance
aircraft

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 703 words

Spy satellites, advanced reconnaissance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles
are just some of the systems that Israel is using to track events in Syria and
specifically to keep an eye on the country's chemical weapons arsenal.

In recent weeks, Israeli politicians and military officers have repeated the
mantra that Israel is carefully tracking Syria's chemical weapons and has warned
that if it sees a Hezbollah attempt to get its hands on the weapons, it will use
force to stop it.

On Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said that forces loyal to
President Bashar Assad were still in control of the chemical weapons and that
security around the facilities had recently been boosted.

But how does Israel know this, and how is it tracking Syria's chemical arsenal?

Israel regularly keeps an eye on Syria, but has increased its surveillance and
reconnaissance in recent weeks due to fears that as Assad falls, Hezbollah or
another terrorist group will try to get its hands on the massive stockpile.
Syria is believed to have one of the largest chemical weapons arsenals in the
world, including mustard gas, VX and Sarin.

First of all, Israel can use its satellites and currently has five operational
in space, including Ofek-9, TecSar, Ofek-7 and Ofek-5. The IDF also receives
services from the commercially-owned Eros-B1.

The Ofek satellites are reported to have a camera that enables them to see
targets the size of half-a-meter, but the real advantage is TecSar, which is one
of a handful of satellites in the world that use advanced radar technology
instead of a camera.

This enables TecSar to create high-resolution images of objects on the ground in
any weather conditions, as well as at night, and to see through certain rooftops
that are not made of concrete.

When Israel launched the Ofek-9 in 2010, senior defense officials explained that
the presence of five satellites in space provided the country with the ability
to keep "eyes" continuously on a target of interest.

The second capability available to the IDF is the use of reconnaissance aircraft
like the Beechcraft Kingair B200 twin Turboprops that the IAF's Squadron 100
flies.

The aircraft use an advanced and long-range electro-optical camera that enables
operators to search and track land and sea targets, day or night and in all
weather conditions.

Developed by Elbit Systems subsidiary El-Op, the camera is said to be one of the
most advanced of its kind in the world. While the exact specifications of its
resolution are classified, it has amazing resolution, enabling operators to
track targets even from standoff positions of dozens of kilometers.

This would mean that Israel could potentially use these planes to gather
intelligence on Syria while still flying in the Golan Heights or while flying
over the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel also has a large array of UAVs at its disposal for intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance missions. While Israel is known to fly its UAVs
often over Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, it has never revealed that it does the
same over Syria, although foreign reports have claimed that the drones often fly
over Iran.

UAVs have an advantage in flying over countries like Syria that have impressive
and condensed air defense systems, since the drones usually have a relatively
low radar signature and have the ability to fly at high altitudes, out of range
of surface-to-air missile systems.

The two drones suited to such a mission are the Heron TP, Israel's largest UAV,
and the Heron 1. The Heron TP has a 26-meter wingspan - the same as a Boeing 737
- and can reportedly stay airborne for over 24 hours. The Heron 1 is a smaller
version but is also capable of long-range missions and can stay in the air for
over 24 hours.

Israel is likely working closely with the United States - which has more
reconnaissance satellites and is also said to be tracking movements at Syria's
chemical weapons facilities.

Human intelligence - in the form of spies on the ground in Syria - is also
available to the West to help create a picture of what is happening at the
facilities. This is most probably being done with the assistance of officers who
have defected from the Syrian military, as well as with the rebels themselves.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Arab League gives PA green light to seek UN recognition of statehood

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 358 words

The Palestinian Authority has received a green light from the Arab League to
seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state, PA officials said Wednesday.

The officials told The Jerusalem Post that no date has been set for presenting
the application to the UN. But one official said that the application would be
presented to the UN "probably before the end of the year." He said that the
application would include a request for recognition of Palestine as a non-member
state of the UN.

The official voiced confidence that the PA request would be approved by a vast
majority of UN members.

"We know we have a big majority in the UN that would vote in favor of
Palestinian membership," the official told the Post.

He denied reports that the PA was planning to file the request in early
September, as indicated by the Palestinian Foreign Affairs Ministry in Ramallah.

The PA was forced to abandon another request for UN membership last year after
failing to secure the backing of nine members of the Security Council. The PA
says that the new application will be filed with the General Assembly, where it
hopes to gain the support of at least 130 countries,.

Another PA official said that the Arab League foreign ministers, who met in
Doha, Qatar, last weekend, declared their backing for PA President Mahmoud
Abbas's intention to seek UN membership.

The Arab League, the official added, advised Abbas to "assess all his options"
before going to the UN. The Arab ministers told Abbas that they were concerned
that such a move would anger the US administration and prompt Congress to impose
sanctions on the Palestinians, including closing down the PLO diplomatic mission
in Washington.

At the Doha gathering, Abbas complained that Israel's policies have damaged the
peace process and made it impossible for him to return to the negotiating table.
Abbas also told the Arab ministers that the US was strongly opposed to his plan
to seek unilateral UN recognition of a Palestinian state.

Abbas also complained about the severe financial crisis facing the PA government
in the West Bank and urged the Arab countries to provide the Palestinians with
emergency financial aid.

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

'Oil is here to stay.' Extracting oil shale can provide Israel energy security,
if done in environmentally friendly manner, expert says

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 1077 words

While people must dramatically change their behaviors to reduce their negative
impact on the environment, oil is a critical energy source that will be here to
stay for the foreseeable future, according to a prominent Canadian
environmentalist.

"Unless there is some major breakthrough that we can't envision yet, we will be
dependent on oil for most of our transportation for decades to come," said Dr.
Patrick Moore, chairman and chief scientist of the Vancouver-based Greenspirit
Strategies Ltd.

The management and procurement of such oil must, however, be carried out in an
environmentally responsible manner, he told The Jerusalem Post during a meeting
in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Moore, his president and CEO Tom Tevlin, and senior
vice president of policy and planning Trevor Figueiredo were in Israel this
week, visiting with officials at Israel Energy Initiatives (IEI), the firm
aiming to extract oil shale from the country's Shfela basin near Beit Shemesh.

A veteran environmentalist, Moore grew up in the wilderness of Brisitsh
Columbia, attending a one-room school in his village until he went on to high
school and then college at the University of British Columbia. There, he said,
he discovered ecology as well as the beginning of the modern environmental
movement.

"Like many people my age at that time, I was radicalized," he said.

He soon joined a small group opposing Alaskan hydrogen bomb testing, and in the
basement of a Unitarian church, they decided to launch a protest fishing boat to
travel to Alaska.

"We named it the Greenpeace," Moore said.

After his arrest along with the 12 other protesters on the boat, Moore finished
up his PhD and spent the next 15 years committed to working at Greenpeace, where
he eventually became an international director, until his departure from the
organization in 1986. He left Greenpeace due to what he called "zero tolerance"
policies and established Greenspirit a few years later.

At Greenspirit, he and his colleagues said they have become devoted to a concept
of sustainability according to an "operational definition" - which focuses on
continuing to procure the food, energy and materials needed for survival today
while reducing the environmental footprint by changing people's behaviors.

"We believe that we can radically reduce our negative impact on the environment
by changing the way we do things and changing the technologies," he said, giving
the simple example of turning off the lights in a room or swapping a halogen
bulb for fluorescent.

While environmentally friendly behaviors are crucial, so is providing for the
human population and adhering to a balance of "economical, environmental and
social priorities," according to Moore.

"I believe that too much of environmentalism is isolated from the need to take
these things into consideration," he said. "At the extreme end, it's almost as
if nature would be better off without people altogether."

In the past few days, he and his colleagues have visited IEI's proposed oil
shale pilot extraction site, have reviewed all of the relevant maps and data,
have visited the company's laboratories at Ben-Gurion University and have met
all the key people involved with the project, he said.

In the Shfela basin, the company has estimated reside 40 barrels of usable oil
in the shale rock layer buried about 300 meters under the Earth's surface.
Stressing that an impermeable layer separates the shale and the area's aquifer,
and that the drilling will entail in-situ, underground oil-heating through
horizontal pipes, IEI has promised that its drilling will be as environmentally
friendly as possible. Having completed exploratory trials, the company is eager
to begin its pilot phase, but environmental activism groups such as Greenpeace
have adamantly opposed the project's continuation - citing risks to the aquifer
and to open space.

"In general it would be a good idea for Israel to have its own oil supply,"
Moore said. "I understand that we're going to need oil for some time."

Oil will remain absolutely critical to both Israel and the world, particularly
in terms of transportation needs for the coming decades, while alternative
sources such as hydroelectric, nuclear and geothermal may be ideal for
electricity systems, he explained.

"An in-country industry producing oil would be a huge economic boom to Israel,"
Moore said, stressing that an energy-secure Israel would more likely lead to
peace in general.

"There's an economic component, and there's the environmental component of the
relatively small footprint of this form of extraction," he explained.

Although he stressed that Greenspirit had not yet become a direct "proponent" of
IEI's oil shale program, he said the company abided by the environmental, social
and economic principles that "fall into our definition of sustainable."

"In general we support this approach because it has these attributes," he said.

Tevlin added that "there's work to be done - we have to find out how the process
goes."

While Greenspirit has experience working in a wide range of industries in
agriculture, energy and mining across the world, the organization's time spent
handling oil sands in Canada are perhaps most applicable to the Israel oil shale
project. In Canada, some of the oil sands are mined from the surface - and then
after oil extraction, return to the ground clean - while others require a
similar in-situ drilling process, Moore explained.

"We support the Canadian oil sands because every square inch of land by that law
must be reclaimed," he said. "We've seen it with our own eyes."

Although the area being "actively disturbed" remains this way for some years, it
truly does undergo a proper rehabilitation process afterward, he added.

For the leaders at IEI, bringing in Moore and his team provides the company with
critical strategies as to how to promote sustainable development, a field in
which Israel is still very new, IEI CEO Relik Shafir explained.

"We think that utilizing their experience and know-how will be beneficial to our
approach," Shafir said.

Moshe (Musa) Gabay, vice president for business development and legal affairs at
IEI, was directly responsible for finding Moore and said he and his colleagues
knew "we need to seek help outside of Israel," in order to implement a
comprehensive sustainable development strategy.

"To me, it fit perfectly," Gabay said. "[Canada] is a perfect example of a
country that is facing successfully the challenges of developing a resource."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT Patrick Moore lectures during his visit to
Israel this week. (Credit: Courtesy)

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July 26, 2012 Thursday

Photo - FAMOUS JERUSALEM WINDMILL TO TURN AGAIN

BYLINE: Melanie Lidman

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 101 words

FAMOUS JERUSALEM WINDMILL TO TURN AGAIN. More than 135 years after the blades
stopped turning on the old Moses Montefiore Windmill overlooking the Old City of
Jerusalem, the stately structure was refitted yesterday to allow the grinding of
flour for exhibition purposes. The NIS 5 million, six-month renovation project
was sponsored by the Jerusalem Foundation and the Christian Friends of Israel
from Holland, with government funding. It will operate five days a week. It was
fitted with a backup mechanism to turn the blades, as the wind, now blocked by
tall buildings, is not always powerful enough to do so.

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GRAPHIC: Photo: FAMOUS JERUSALEM WINDMILL TO TURN AGAIN. More than 135 years
after the blades stopped turning on the old Moses Montefiore Windmill
overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem, the stately structure was refitted
yesterday to allow the grinding of flour for exhibition purposes. The NIS 5
million, six-month renovation project was sponsored by the Jerusalem Foundation
and the Christian Friends of Israel from Holland, with government funding. It
will operate five days a week. It was fitted with a backup mechanism to turn the
blades, as the wind, now blocked by tall buildings, is not always powerful
enough to do so. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 361 words

50 YEARS AGO

On July 26, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that a quarter of Tel Aviv's
400,000 inhabitants lived in slums, yet the city was absorbing at least 1,000
new settlers a month.

Dr. Robert Soblen, a Soviet spy, sentenced in the to life imprisonment, who fled
to Israel and was deported, and was presently in England, asked for an Israeli
visa under the Law of Return. The Interior Ministry was considering his request.

The Arabs asked Austria to bar the government attempt to compensate Israel with
700,000 marks for Nazi victims.

Finance minister Levi Eshkol returned from Europe, and expressed cautious
optimism on the future of Israel-Common Market relations.

There was near panic in Montevideo following the beating of an elderly Polish
survivor of the Nazi extermination camps and many other similar incidents that
occurred there recently.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 26, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported that Moscow had softened its
warning to Israel on Jericho rockets and had invited the country to help free
Asia from missiles.

An IAF helicopter destroyed a small terrorist boat on Lake Karoun in Lebanon.

According to an official analysis by Israeli experts of an EC Council of
Ministers' Copenhagen Declaration of July 13, 1987, "a change for worse" had
occurred within the previous few months in European Middle Eastern policy. The
Copenhagen declaration stated that there had been "a deterioration in the
economic and social situation in the territories and in the whole area," which
might threaten the achievement of peace.

10 YEARS AGO

On July 26, 2002, The Jerusalem Post reported that a faction of Fatah was
threatening all senior Israeli government and army officials, including prime
minister Ariel Sharon, in response to Israel's killing of senior Hamas military
commander Salah Shehadeh and 14 other Palestinians, among them nine children, in
Gaza earlier in the week.

US ambassador Daniel Kurtzer told Israel, on behalf of an international task
force, to ease the travel restrictions on Palestinians, lift curfews, and
improve access for humanitarian relief.

Archeologists began a search for more Dead Sea Scrolls, using sophisticated
hi-tech equipment.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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712 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Officials' 'blind eye' attitude thwarting Yemen's attempts to rehabilitate
al-Qaida terrorists. Released fighters return to terror and create new cells

BYLINE: ALI SAEED/The Media Line

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 1279 words

Jamal Abdulnaser, an al-Qaida operative in his early 20s better known as
al-Qudami, is currently in detention in Lawdar, Abyan, in south Yemen.

Two years after his release from prison, where he had served a four-year
sentence for involvement with the terror organization, he and 16 other Islamists
were captured last month when the military ended the months-long uprising in
Abyan by local al-Qaida affiliate Ansar al-Sharia.

When Qudami was a child, his father drove a tanker truck to provide water to
families in Yemen's capital, Sana'a. When the boy was old enough, he began
making deliveries with the truck as well. His father assumed that the boy was
content, and had no idea that the teenager was in contact with al-Qaida.

Yemeni intelligence, however, had suspicions. Intelligence officers pursued the
boy, but he fled. Officers seized the family's tanker truck and asked one of
Qudami's uncles, a prominent tribal leader from Amran, to help locate the youth.

"The intelligence officer promised not to hurt him unless there was concrete
evidence [of wrongdoing]," according to the uncle.

Eventually the family located Qudami, and on March 13, 2006, his father and
another relative "took Jamal to the Political Security Officer to release the
truck," said the anonymous relative.

Yemeni intelligence questioned the 16-year-old Qudami, and the youth admitted
that he "took photos of the US Embassy" in Sana'a when he drove past in the
family's tanker truck. He also admitted that he had driven to Ma'rib and Shabwa,
where he had been trained in the use of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), the
relative said.

Upon hearing his son's confession, Qudami's father was furious. The relative
remembers the exchange between father and son.

"Take him, I disown him; this is a devil!" the father railed, to which the
unrepentant Qudami replied, "Do not worry, Dad, I will be your mediator... to
enter paradise."

The boy was sent to the Political Security Prison in Sana'a. In prison, he went
through a reform program and listened to lectures by Jude Hamoud al-Hitar, the
former minister of religious affairs.

Hitar was head of the Dialogue Committee, a group determined to convince
al-Qaida members to renounce their extremism as part of a rehabilitation program
that a former government minister had created in 2006. The Political Security
Organization (PSO) subsequently released a number of (reformed) terrorists.

On July 13, 2007, the PSO held a trial in which the boy was interviewed to
evaluate whether he had undergone ideological changes that made him fit for
release. The boy's mother and uncle came to the trial for support.

But in front of the judge and his relatives, Qudami shouted, "Death to traitors,
death to spies!"

His uncle remembers the judge looking at him and asking, "What do you think?"
The uncle replied, "I just came here for the sake of his mother," who was crying
next to him.

To his family's surprise, Qudami was released from prison on August 10, 2010. He
moved back in with his family and was married a few months later. On his wedding
day, two vans filled with men the family did not recognize arrived, according to
his uncle.

"His father went out with his Kalashnikov [rifle] to kill [Qudami and his
friends], but his mother called me [to intervene], and I came straight away," he
explained. Following his successful mediation, Qudami's father allowed his son
back into the family home.

But Qudami didn't stay for long. After only five months, he moved to an unknown
place.

"Perhaps he went to Abyan," his uncle speculated. "At first, he was in contact
with his mother and his wife by phone, but his mother told me that the phone
calls ended after the last battles between Ansar al-Sharia and the military"
early last month.

A Yemeni soldier attached to the 111th Brigade in Lawdar, Abyan, told The Media
Line that Qudami was one of 17 suspected al-Qaida operatives imprisoned there,
all of them captured in June as the army fought to drive the terror organization
out of Abyan.

The story of Qudami's release from prison and subsequent al-Qaida involvement is
not unique.

An intelligence officer in Sana'a - who spoke with The Media Line on condition
of anonymity, fearing for his safety - told of other al-Qaida fighters who had
gone to Abyan and fought with Ansar al-Sharia after being released from PSO-run
prisons.

The release of allegedly reformed prisoners "presents a highly dangerous threat,
because they have fighting experience and their return to the field adds an
efficient element for the organization," said Aish Awas, director of security
and strategic studies at Sheba Strategic Studies Center, a Sana'a-based think
tank.

Awas told The Media Line that those who had been released from intelligence-run
detention facilities had the capacity to attract and recruit new members for the
extremist groups.

"They have recruiting skills and the capacity to deal with security
organizations and create more cells," said Awas. He explained that "it is a more
critical threat when those who are released were mistreated in prison, a thing
which motivates them to seek revenge in very violent ways."

A source at the country's Ministry of Defense said that the freed operatives
were very likely to carry out suicide bombings targeting important military and
civil infrastructures, including foreign and Arab interests.

"Mohamed Ali Haider, who was captured in June 2006, was released [in] early June
2010 after he showed good behavior in prison," the intelligence officer said.
Haider later joined al-Qaida in Abyan and was killed this past June in one of
the last battles with the military.

In October 2011, tribesmen in Abyan reported a suspected Ansar Al-Sharia member,
Abdullah Saeed Haiban, to the 111th Brigade in Lawdar. Col. Abas al-Bahnawani
then led a campaign to arrest Haiban, who swallowed cellphone SIM cards and
damaged a cellphone when confronted. Since no government offices were
operational in Abyan at the time due to Ansar al-Sharia's presence, Gen. Mahdi
Maqwal, then commander of the Southern Military Region, had Haiban sent to the
PSO in Al-Baida.

Haiban was detained in Al-Baida for six months and then released following
pressure from Abyan Governor Ahmed al-Misari. Upon his release, he vowed revenge
on his captors. This past March, Haiban led an attack against the 2nd Battalion
of the 111th Brigade, killing Bahawani and several other officers, and seized
military vehicles. Haiban is now fighting for al-Qaida in south Lawdar.

Those who are not released stand a good chance of "escaping" from prison -
something 113 have done since 2006.

In 2006, 23 al-Qaida terrorists escaped from the Political Security Prison in
Sana'a. Nasr al-Faqih, an officer with the Ministry of the Interior, recaptured
three of them.

"Each time I caught an al-Qaida suspect, the administration of the Political
Security Organization called the chief of the police station [and told him] to
let the detainee go," he said.

He also mentioned the case of a thwarted bombing at the United Nations offices
in Sana'a in 2006. He and another soldier correctly suspected a 17-year-old of
wearing an explosive belt. The terrorist cell responsible for planning the
attack was subsequently captured, but Faqih claims that he faced three
assassination attempts because of his role in the arrests.

He fled the country after accusing the Ministry of the Interior of turning a
blind eye to the assassination attempts.

Other notable former prisoners include Naser al-Wahishi, head of al-Qaida in the
Arabian Peninsula, and Qasim al-Raimi, military commander of the organization.

Both escaped from the Political Security Prison in Sana'a in February 2006 and
are still active in al-Qaida.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SUSPECTED al-Qaida members sit behind bars at the state security
court in Sanaa in 2010. When convicts are released, they often return to terror.
(Credit: Khaled Abdullah/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

713 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

In search of water

BYLINE: YEHOSHUA HALEVI

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 218 words

When the mercury rises in the Middle East, our thoughts turn to water, a scarce
commodity at any time of the year but especially in summer. Fortunately, the
myth of the desert oasis is not fiction at all. Spring-fed streams, like the one
pictured here at Hidden Falls in the Ein Gedi Reserve, run cool and clear 12
months a year, rewarding parched hikers with refreshing relief before their
return to the dusty trail.

The name is a bit of a misnomer, as on more than one occasion I've been joined
at this site by several dozen students. Nevertheless, they generally move on
quickly, leaving behind an even deeper quiet created by the absence of their
chaos. This shot downplays the falls, which are about five meters in height, but
still follows basic rules of composition by using a strong foreground element as
a jumping-off point to finding the main subject. I chose camera settings that
allow for a long exposure to give the water a milk-like color as it makes its
way to the Dead Sea. Israel indeed flows with milk and honey. You just have to
know how to look.

Yehoshua Halevi is an award-winning photojournalist and event photographer. For
queries on simha photography in Israel and Europe, e-mail
smile@goldenlightimages.com View the entire Israel the Beautiful series at
www.israelthebeautiful. blogspot.com

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Israel the Beautiful

GRAPHIC: Photo: (Credit: YEHOSHUA HALEVI)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

714 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Not so messy

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 112 words

Messymedia6. Ctrl + Art, an innovative art event that combines street art with
other activities, will take place next Wednesday in Kfar Saba. Digital graffiti
art on the walls, new video games on huge screens, Avatar dancing, rock and
electro music and much more will all be open and free for families, youngsters
and art lovers.

The multidisciplinary event, an initiative of the Midrasha Art School at Beit
Berl and the Kfar Saba Municipality, will give students an opportunity to share
their work with audiences for the first time.

Sapir Compound and Jerusalem Street in Kfar Saba, Wednesday and Thursday. Art
events from 8 to 11 p.m. Activities for children from 6:30 p.m.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Weekly Focus. An interactive digital art event will take place in the
streets of Kfar Saba

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: Eliran Vig 'NextWorld.' Lital Arieli, 'Mechanical Hand.'
Natalia Malenkevitz. Noga Levy, Sculpture. Sivan Laliv

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

715 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

SAY WHAT? Red mimeni!

BYLINE: LIAT COLLINS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 25 words

Red mimeni!

Meaning: Leave me alone; get off my back (Lit. Get off me)

Example: All day you've been bugging me about making that phone call. Red
mimeni!

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Say What?

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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716 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Who needs it?

BYLINE: LAURA TAUB

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 786 words

Serums have become a regular part of the daily beauty regimen, yet when asked,
most women (and men) find it hard to explain what the difference is between a
serum and a cream.

The products known as serums were first used in beauty salons before being
introduced to the mass market. Dafna Ziv, head consultant of Vichy Israel, says
that a cosmetic serum is a highly concentrated product, containing approximately
10 times more of active substances than creams. Therefore, it deals with
cosmetic problems more quickly and effectively.

Serums have active ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbal essences,
oils, hormones, enzymes, proteins or hyaluronic acid. The small size of the
molecules used in most good serums helps them penetrate the skin better.

First introduced as long as 20 years ago, today there are many different kinds
of serums that target different problems.

Most serums are divided into categories such as lifting, revitalizing
(rejuvenating and regenerating), moisturizing, nourishing, anti-inflammatory,
soothing and anti-stress, and are used as a base before applying cream.

Says Ziv, "Using a serum under cream helps deliver moisture deeper, beyond the
outer layer of the skin, thus helping delay the appearance of fine lines, and
treats sun damage and age spots."

Iris Agiv, head consultant at Lancome Israel, says that today serums are the
most important part of daily skin care. "The active ingredients in the serum are
very concentrated and can be used either to enhance the effect of the cream used
- using a serum and a cream that focus on the same problem - or to complement
it, using a serum that addresses a different problem."

Agiv says that serums are good for all ages. For those in their 20s, it can help
protect the skin and prevent the appearance of age signs later in life. For
women 30 and up, it is recommended to use serums both day and night before
applying the cream. "It's important to remind women that serum is not enough;
they need to use cream on top of it."

The serum penetrates the skin, and a cream creates a special protective layer
that will safeguard the serum against evaporation and protects the skin against
discomfort and dryness.

Most cosmetic companies now have more than one serum in their line. Here are a
few that are available in Israel. When choosing the right serum for you, make
sure it targets the problem you want to address and use it daily. Like all
active cosmetics, serums have an expiration date, so don't save them for later.

The products

Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 has a unique, highly concentrated formula that provides
an immediate firming effect but is suitable for sensitive skin. NIS 369.
Available at private pharmacies only.

Overnight Repair Serum by Dermalogica is designed to help skin repair itself and
delay signs of aging. NIS 398. Available at cosmetic stores. Call 073-210-2030.

Perfecting Serum by Dr. Murad has a silky texture and can be used over makeup,
providing a smooth finish to the skin. NIS 395. Available only at April stores.

Innovate MesoMix Cocktail Serum is part of the Innovate series, designed to
prolong and enhance the effects of the Mesotherapy treatment. NIS 320. Sold only
by beauticians.

Kart Cosmetics Brookosome Ace is an active concentrate that aims to rejuvenate
the skin by activating the genes within the deep dermis. The serum, designed for
home use, uses active ingredients never before used outside clinics. Available
at licensed cosmetic centers.

Derma Solution Vitamin C Serum. NIS 183. Available only at licensed beauty
centers.

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector helps to eliminate and prevent
dark spots and skin discoloration. NIS 435.

La Mer Regeneration Serum combines all the known qualities of the brand, based
on its secret Miracle Broth, with added active ingredients extracted from a
marine plant called Eryngium maritimum, which enhance the rejuvenating qualities
of the broth. NIS 1,450. Available only at Hamashbir in Ramat Aviv.

Bobby Brown Intensive Skin Supplement is designed to smooth and refine the skin,
adding radiance to one's appearance. NIS 300.

Hlavin Love Line Serum should be used as a base before the cream as part of the
daily routine. NIS 99.

Fibrogene Response Nourishing Serum by Darphin is for women with very dry skin.
The serum helps reduce the appearance of fine lines. NIS 430.

Shiseido Future Solution LX promises the ultimate regenerating effect thanks to
an extremely high concentration of active ingredients that reduce stress in the
skin, bringing back its inherent ability to renew itself. A new capsule
technology helps the active ingredients penetrate the skin and reach deep into
the dermis. NIS 2,300 at most pharmacies, Hamashbir and SuperPharm stores.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lookin' Good. Serums have become a must in the beauty routine, but do you
know what they're good for?

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

717 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

A toast to London

BYLINE: ADAM MONTEFIORE

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 1032 words

As the sporting world gathers in London to play, it is time to pay tribute to
London. As well as soccer and the queen, it is a city that is known for being
the center of the wine trade and has been so for more than 200 years. It was
there that port, sherry, champagne and Bordeaux were first brought to the
world's attention.

Most of the world's best wine writers, apart from Robert Parker, are based in or
close to London. Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke are icons, and
others like Tim Atkin, Tom Stevenson and Stephen Brook are read and respected
the world over.

Arguably the world's top wine education bodies are based in London. The Wine &
Spirit Education Trust, The Institute of Masters of Wine and Court of Master
Sommeliers are based in the United Kingdom.

Three of the world's most important wine-tasting competitions are held in
London.

Awards at the Decanter Fine Wine Awards, International Wines & Spirits
Competition and International Wine Challenge carry special weight. The leading
wine auction houses of Christie's and Sotheby's are also based in London.

New trends in wine often begin in London. The first sighting of Australian,
Chilean and South African wines was in London, long before they succeeded
elsewhere. The reason is that London is the most cosmopolitan of all wine
markets, in a country without a significant wine industry of its own. In France,
the wines available are mainly French; in California, they are mainly from
California; in Israel, mainly from Israel. However, in England everyone is
there.

It is not the most successful wine market for Israeli wines. The mecca for
Israeli wines is the United States. Surely, the size of the Jewish community has
something to do with this, but also the knee-jerk reaction about Israel is more
positive in the US than it is in England. Still, England is the third-largest
export market for Israeli wines. Israeli wine has been in England since 1898,
when the Palestine Wine Company was founded in London and began selling Palwin
wines. Carmel wines have been in London during three centuries.

London is a wine paradise. You can visit a specialist wine shop like Berry
Brothers & Rudd on St. James Street, which does not appear to have changed since
Dickensian times, but scratch below the surface and you will find a retailer as
up-to-date and savvy as any.

The retail wine market is very much in the hands of the large supermarkets.
These are great places to purchase wine. They have a comprehensive range of
wines, and prices are attractive. Look for Tesco, the largest, or Waitrose,
arguably the best of the chains. Dalton, Teperberg, Barkan and Segal all have
wines listed at Tesco. Barkan is listed at Waitrose.

Marks & Spencer, the iconic retail chain specializing in clothing and food, has
a very good wine section. It is now running an innovative promotion of Eastern
Mediterranean wines. Israeli wines are listed alongside Greek, Lebanese and
Turkish wines. This is focusing on the region that gave wine culture to the
world, made terrible wine for 2,000 years and is now one of the most exciting,
dynamic new wine regions that exist. The Israeli wines at M&S are Barkan
Sauvignon Blanc and Binyamina Merlot.

If you don't want to buy wine in the large supermarkets, the best venue is
Majestic, a chain of warehouse stores where purchases are made in case lots. If
you prefer to shop in London's most exclusive store, a visit to Harrods in
Knightsbridge is a must. It has a very prestigious wine shop. Carmel, Clos de
Gat and Yatir wines represent Israel there, among the world's finest.

A more traditional stopping point for the Jewish community is Selfridges on
Oxford Street. It has a kosher section in the magnificent food hall, with a
range of kosher wines. However, Israel is also featured in its main wine shop,
which is small but very exclusive. There you will find a Castel and Carmel
Kayoumi wine alongside Chateau Musar.

The English have long been derided for their cuisine.

Those who want the traditional fare will be looking for fish and chips as a
take-away meal, steak and kidney pie in the local pub or roast beef in the local
carvery. However, many foodies are convinced that London is now the most
dynamic, varied and high-quality gastronomic capital on the planet. So there is
much to enjoy, ranging from fish and chips at the Golden Hind to a classical
Michelin-star dinner at Le Gavroche.

Many of the world's finest restaurants are in London, and some of the best are
close to the outskirts of London. Visit the three-star Fat Duck at Bray in
Berkshire, arguably the finest restaurant in Britain, and you will find two
Israeli wines on the wine list.

The Carmel Kayoumi Shiraz and the Yatir Merlot Shiraz Cabernet blend fly the
flag.

While in London, don't forget the beer. Visit the local pub and enjoy some Real
Ale Bitter pulled by hand pump. This is a beer style not truly replicated
anywhere else. Just don't expect the traditional draft beers to be gassy like
the ales sold here. If you want to visit a brewery, I recommend a visit to
Fuller's in Chiswick. Taste its London Pride Bitter on draft with a ploughman's
lunch. This is the essence of England. Not beer in a keg or bottle. If beer is
not your bag, London is home to some of the best wine bars, such as the
Kensington Wine Rooms or Wonder Bar at Selfridges.

If you are looking for the Israeli connection, you may seek out one of the
innovative Yotam Ottolenghi's four restaurants. This Israeli-born chef brings
the flavors of Israel to London.

Apart from Selfridges, kosher wines may be found at shops called Sussers and The
Grapevine in North London. The best kosher restaurant is Bevis Marks, next to
the beautiful 300-year-old Bevis Marks Synagogue in the City.

Finally, though England has a very small wine trade, it is now producing
sparkling wines which, believe it or not, challenge champagne on quality.

Look for Ridgeview or Camel Valley to toast the Olympians. Even though the fine
wine emphasis has switched to the Far East, as far as wine is concerned, London
still rules the waves.

Adam Montefiore works for Carmel Winery and regularly writes about wine in
Israeli and international publications. adam@carmelwines.co.il

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Wine Talk

GRAPHIC: Photo: (Credit: Thinkstock)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

718 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Ripe and ready

BYLINE: NERIA BARR

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 866 words

Consumed around the world in many diverse ways - raw, cooked, baked, canned -
the tomato is not a vegetable but a fruit. And not just any fruit. Tomatoes are
rich in vitamins and lycopene - an antioxidant that is also found in red peppers
and carrots - and has many other health benefits as well. But the tomato, in all
its shapes and forms, is first and foremost a very tasty food that is also good
for you.

Although the tomato came to Europe from South America only 400 years ago, most
Mediterranean cooking cannot be complete without it. And in Italian cuisine, the
tomato holds a place of honor.

Chef Amir Schuller of the Italian restaurant Bellini in Neveh Tzedek has made
use of the abundance of tomatoes this summer and devised an all-tomato menu.

He serves a cold tomato soup in a pastry "cup," makes pasta with many different
tomato-based sauces, and fries tomatoes. He has agreed to share a few of his
most trusted, easier-to-prepare recipes with us.

Tomato Tart Tatin

Tart tatin is an upside-down tart in which the fruit, traditionally apples, is
caramelized in butter and sugar before baking. In this version, the chef
replaced the apples with tomatoes for a quick and delicious savory tart, which
can be served as a main dish with salad or as an appetizer when cut into small
portions.

200 gr. pastry leaves (preferably with

butter, not margarine)

2 Tbsp. butter

6 tomatoes (best are Tamar)

Juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 Tbsp. balsamic

vinegar)

10 leaves basil

6 cloves garlic, minced or chopped

100 gr. Parmesan cheese, grated

100 gr. mozzarella cheese, sliced

Dried oregano

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Heat oven to 200. With a sharp knife, cut an X in the bottom of each tomato and
blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes.

Remove and place immediately in ice water. Remove the skin of the tomatoes (it
should peel easily) and slice each tomato into 6 slices.

In a skillet large enough to hold the tomatoes, melt the butter, add sugar and
let dissolve. Add tomatoes, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes or until
tomatoes release their juices. Remove from heat and let cool.

Butter a 26-cm. pie pan. Arrange the tomatoes in the pan, arrange the mozzarella
slices evenly, sprinkle with Parmesan, garlic, oregano salt and pepper and
drizzle the lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.

Roll out the pastry dough to fit the pan exactly. To make it fit, cut the dough
with scissors. Place on top of the tomatoes, tucking the pastry in at the edges.
Using a fork, make small holes in the dough.

Place the pie pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 180. Bake 25-30 minutes,
until pastry is golden.

Let the tart sit for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it from
the pan. Set a large serving plate upside down on the tart and turn it over so
the tart comes out. Garnish with basil leaves.

Cold Tomato Soup

This refreshing cold soup is fortified with a little vodka, to spice up your
evening.

20 tomatoes

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Bunch basil, leaves only

1 tsp. hot chili powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vodka

Cook tomatoes, carrot, salt and water in a tall pot over low heat until tomatoes
fall apart, at least 30 minutes.

Add basil leaves, chili powder and sugar and stir well.

Using a hand blender or a food processor, puree soup until smooth. Strain the
soup through a sieve to get a smooth, red liquid soup. Let cool and add vodka.
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

Cold Pasta Salad

My favorite picnic dish is a pasta salad. I usually throw in many leftovers and
try to make it as colorful as possible. In this recipe, the chef uses dark
olives, fresh mozzarella balls and eggplant. But if you use zucchini, feta
cheese and red peppers, the salad will be just as good.

1 package pasta (penne or fusilli)

1 eggplant

2 Tbsp. olive oil, for cooking

20 cherry tomatoes, halved

30 fresh oregano leaves

10 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

300 gr. fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut

into small cubes

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Drain and let cool. Heat
the oven to 180.

Cut the eggplant into 1/2-cm. slices, brush the slices with olive oil and season
with salt and pepper. Bake the eggplant until cooked. Remove from the oven and
chop coarsely.

Place pasta, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, olives, oregano leaves and mozzarella in
a salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss and
serve.

Tomato Jam

This is great as a relish and adds flavor to every dish, especially sandwiches.
Unopened, refrigerated and closed tightly, the jam can keep for many weeks.

1 kg. cherry tomatoes

1 kg. sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

Juice of 1 lemon

1 anise star

Cook all the ingredients in a pot over low heat for about 1 hour. Stir from time
to time with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until tomatoes lose their shape
and the liquid thickens.

To check if the jam is ready, place a small saucer in the freezer. When very
cold drop a tsp. of the jam's liquid on the chilled saucer and wait 2-3 minutes.
Move your finger in the middle of the puddle. If the jam does not run, it's
ready. If not, keep cooking.

When the jam is ready, pour into a clean glass jar, close tightly and
refrigerate.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Take advantage of the low price of tomatoes and cook an all-red meal for
Tu Be'av

GRAPHIC: 4 photos: (Credit: Boaz Lavie)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

719 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Top 10 things to do

BYLINE: Compiled by Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 731 words

FILM

The Dark Knight Rises

Eight years after Batman vanished into the night, turning from hero to fugitive
assuming the blame for the death of Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight resurfaces to
protect his beloved city from a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's
finest. Starring Ann Hathaway, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon
Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Tom Hardy.

FESTIVAL

Red-hot jazz

The 26th annual Red Sea Jazz Festival opens on Monday. The lineup of 20 acts
includes jazz bands and bands that touch on the periphery of the genre. Jazz
fans will be excited by the inclusion of American pianist Geri Allen. Bassist
Christian McBride (pictured) returns as leader of a trio, which includes
Christian Sands on piano and Ulysses Owens on drums. Other jazz imports include
trumpeter Sean Jones and saxophonist Kenny Garrett, while Craig Adams will
infuse the proceedings with a high-energy and highly entertaining gospel
program.

For tickets and more information: (08) 634-0253 and www.redseajazzeilat.com

DANCE

Mixed media

Till We See Blood, a new work by Odelya Kuperberg, will premiere as part of the
Hot Dance Festival at the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv. The performance
features four musicians and five dancers in a performance of rock and dance.

Tonight at 9. (03) 510-5656 or www.suzannedellal.org.il

ART

Original flowers

La Culture - Flowers, modern art at affordable prices, an initiative of the Tel
Aviv municipality together with a group of young upcoming artists, will take
place for the second time. The exhibition gives young artists a platform to
display their work to potential buyers and give art lovers a chance to buy
originals for under NIS 500. With flowers as the subject of this year's
exhibition, there will be prints, paintings, photographs, installations and more
on that theme.

Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 9 Mazeh Street, Tel Aviv

Ê

Mystical moments

The new photography exhibition by French-born photographer Jean Noel Begard at
the Bar'am Museum in Kibbutz Bar'am is entitled "Rashi's Tomb." It includes 16
images taken at the Lag Ba'omer celebrations held near the tomb of Shimon
Bar-Yohai at Meron.

July 27-August 27, Kibbutz Baram, Upper Galilee.

MIXED BAG

The universal capital

Under the Mountain - a Festival for New Public Art, part of the Jerusalem
Cultural Season, will take place between July 30 and August 4. It will include
artistic events such as political karaoke, provocative tours, demonstration
workshops and red fountains at Safra Square, all under the slogan "Everybody has
a city called Jerusalem."

For more information about the events and a full program, go to
www.jerusalemseason.com

MUSIC

First in love

A celebration of Hebrew love for Tu Be'av will be held at the new Entertainment
Complex in Rishon Lezion. There will be special menus, movies, music and dancing
all about love, and at midnight a concert by Berry Sakharof (pictured). Entrance
to all the activities is free.

Wednesday from 8 p.m. Entertainment district, old industrial area, Rishon
Lezion.

UPCOMING

MUSIC

Sweeter than wine

Opera Love and Wine is the title of the Ra'anana Symphonette's summer concert
with Italian tenor Francesco Damoro, Israeli Opera soloists and wine expert Yair
Haidu (pictured) as host. On the program are Italian love songs, famous love
arias from various operas and wine from the Golan Winery. The concert, marking
Tu Be'av, the Jewish festival of love, will take place on August 4 at Ra'anana's
Amphipark. For tickets: *9066; (03) 745-7773; or www.eventim.co.il.

DANCE

Dance frenzy

The Karmiel Dance Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary next month with a
host of international dance troupes, such as the Brazil Ballet, the Pittsburgh
Dance Theater, the Guandong Modern Dance Company and Ballet Metz from France
(pictured). From August 7 to 9 there will be more than 100 shows, with over
10,000 dancers and an expected audience of more than 250,000. For more
information and tickets, call (04) 988-1111 or go to www.karmielfestival.co.il

FESTIVAL

City of the dolls

The largest International Puppet Festival to date will take place in Jerusalem
from August 5 to 10. More than 100 shows, featuring top puppeteers from around
the globe, will be performed for children and adults in venues throughout the
city, among them nine premieres and award-winning presentations. For more
information, go to www.traintheater.co.il/puppets

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 10 photos: Ballet Metz from France will perform at the Karmiel Dance
Festival

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Jerusalem Post

July 26, 2012 Thursday

Nighttime adventures

BYLINE: NERIA BARR

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 1157 words

Even in the coolest region in Israel - the Galilee - summer is hot, sometimes
unbearably hot. If staying in an air-conditioned hotel room all day is not your
idea of a good vacation, how about resting during the day and going on
adventures at night?

The Galilee is where you will find not only beautiful scenery but also open
doors and open hearts. One such welcoming spot is Mavrhatey, an authentic
Ethiopian hut and cultural center at Kibbutz Evron. Yonei Skiba was nine years
old when she came to Israel from Ethiopia. After graduating from university and
working for a few years, she decided to build a mud hut like the one she
remembered from her village in Ethiopia. She built an exact replica of her old
home from memory. Later, she discovered that not only did it help her overcome
issues concerning her background, but it helped others and it attracted many
native-born Israelis who wanted to learn more about the lives of the Ethiopian
Jews, their customs, clothes, music and food.

Skiba opens every visit to the center with a taste of traditional Ethiopian
food, a talk, a video and stories. She then opens a trunk with traditional
dresses for visitors to try on and leads the way to the hut. There she makes
coffee from scratch, explaining how life was run in the village, the role women
played and respect for the elders. And she has some great stories. Along with
the coffee comes traditional music and dance. There are many other activities
for children too (from age eight). Reservations must be made in advance. Closed
Saturdays. Tel: 052-236-0959; mavrhatey.co.il.

The hour before sunset is the perfect time for a scenic tour of one of the many
wadis in the area. Itai Birinboim takes visitors in his jeep to hidden corners
and scenic points. One such treasure is the Balatun Reserve, named after a
knight who came to the area 1,000 years ago as a Crusader. Birinboim took us
through thick natural growth up to a vista where we could watch the sun set. On
the way, he provided a tracking adventure, named all the flowers and trees and
had many stories to spice up the journey. Trek-Yam jeep tours, boat rides and
kayaking at Rosh Hanikra, (04) 982-3671.

There are quite a few dining options in the area, For example, Cochinella is a
family-run Italian gourmet restaurant in Betzet, near the Lebanese border. Anat
Nir is the manager of the trattoria. Her mother, Havatzelet, creates magic in
the kitchen along with her sister Lea. The sisters came to Israel from Hungary
in the 1950s and raised their families here. Yaron, the grill man, is Anat's
brother and the rest of the family help as well. Decorated with checkered
tablecloths and wooden furniture, this welcoming spacious restaurant serves
generous portions of delicious pasta, salads, grilled meat and fish dishes. Open
mostly on the weekend. Not kosher. Call for reservations, 052-372-1328.

If you are up for some adventure combined with history, you can join Yotam and
Udi Edelman for a historical reenactment of the attempt to blow up the Achziv
Bridge in Operation Markolet, known as Night of the Bridges, a Hagana venture on
the night of the June 16-17, 1946, in British Mandate Palestine. The aim was to
destroy 11 bridges linking the neighboring countries to immobilize
transportation. The reenactment is exciting, complete with instructions for a
night walk, and it ends with a surprise. The activity is recommended especially
for groups with children. Udi Edelman, Rosh Hanikra, for groups up to 30, age 10
and up, (04) 982-3671.

Other night activities may include stories with Oren Schwartz from See Galil,
who will come to your group with his guitar.

See Galil offers tours with multilingual expert guides who live in the Galilee.
They will lead you to secret corners, adjusting the tour according to each
group's interests and budget. For evenings around the campfire and magical
tours, call See Galil, Sigalit Krasner, 077-780-2060; www.seegalil.info.

A sporty and fun option for the early morning hours or the afternoon is a
bicycle tour with Dooki at Ofan-Bateva located in Moshav Ben-Ami. Dooki rents
out bicycles and helmets and takes cyclists on tours along the rivers and wadis
of the area, including natural pools and other attractions, depending on your
skill and stamina. David Taub, www.opan-bateva.com; (04) 982-4339.

Staying overnight

When in the area, a good starting point is the Ness Amim Guest House. Ness Amim
is a kibbutz-like community located close to Nahariya, founded by European
Christians as a sign of solidarity with the Jewish people after the Holocaust.
The location is beautiful, offering panoramic views of the mountains of the
Western Galilee and the Mediterranean coastline.

Ness Amim is inhabited solely by volunteers who work and live there for limited
periods of time. The volunteers work in the Ness Amim Guest House and the
service branches of the village. The period of stay ranges from a few months to
several years. On Friday nights, everyone gathers together to sing Israeli songs
and eat a festive Shabbat dinner together. The guest house and dining room are
kosher and offer delicious meals. The rooms and apartments are comfortable,
situated in the midst of green lawns, and there is a swimming pool. All the
staff members are fluent in English. Guests return for the quiet, simple and
wholesome experience. (NIS 480 to NIS 550 for two; (04) 995-0000).

A very different, and highly recommended, kibbutz guest house in the area is
Bayit V'kayit at Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot. The recently renovated cabins are
decorated in a clean, modern style, with parquet floors, ecological wooden
furniture created by a Swedish carpenter, comfortable beds, lovely porches and
photographs from the kibbutz's early days. A four o'clock light meal awaits
guests, with locally prepared jams, breads and fruit. Guests are invited to the
kibbutz's swimming pool and the local brunch, a rich meal that is famous
throughout the area, offering dozens of salads, pastries, locally made cheeses,
antipasti, egg dishes and much more. (Tama Mines, (04) 993-3271;
baitvkait@loh.co.il).

For those seeking a luxurious vacation, Martine and Meir Weiss invite families
and groups to rent a beautiful, fully equipped four-bedroom villa with all the
amenities, such as private swimming pool, huge garden with lawn and secluded
romantic nooks, a modern, fully stocked kitchen and dining room, a living room
with an 80-inch television, a large porch with sofas and hammock, as well as a
movie screen and projector, outdoor sauna and hot tub and a view of the Lebanon
mountains. The 4 Seasons Villa is located in Moshav Betzet. And considering that
out of the four bedrooms, two are spacious and luxurious suites and kids can
sleep on the floors (mattresses and bedding are provided), it can accommodate
four couples and their children. NIS 4,500 to NIS 7,500 a night for the whole
villa, including a rich breakfast served at the dining table. Call 054-817-4744.

LOAD-DATE: August 7, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: There are many exciting activities to be enjoyed after sunset in the
Galilee

GRAPHIC: 7 photos: Yotam Edelman is leading the way in the reenactment of the
Night of the Bridges. Yonei Skiba prepares to roast the coffee beans for the
traditional coffee-drinking ceremony. Great food at Cochinella. Green and serene
- the guest house at Ness Amim. The luxurious 4 Seasons Villa in Betzet. Bicycle
tours in the wadis with Ofan-Teva. The romantic garden at the 4 Seasons Villa
(Credit: Ariella Afflalo)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 327 words

Israeli youth killed by rockslide in India

An Israeli backpacker died of her injuries on Tuesday after a rockslide in the
Dharamsala region in northern India. Israelis in the area said she was traveling
with her friends and was hit by a large rock which fell on her leg. Foreign
Ministry spokeswoman Ilana Ravid confirmed the report.

¥ Jerusalem Post staff

Iron Dome stops Gaza rocket

Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on Tuesday. The
Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted one of the rockets and the second
one fell in the Ashkelon Coast Council area.

No injuries or damage were reported from the attacks.

¥ Jerusalem Post staff

Tourist electrocuted at Galilee hostel

A 22-year-old Ukranian tourist was electrocuted at the hostel he was staying at
in the Western Galilee on Tuesday. The man's body was transported to the Western
Galilee Hospital in Nahariya and was expected to be returned to the Ukraine.
Police believe the man was killed when he touched a high-voltage power line at
the hostel.

¥ Jerusalem Post staff

2 Pharma Plus creams warned against

The Health Ministry has warned the public against using creams with labels from
the Pharma Plus Hasharon pharmacy at 23 Rehov Yerushalayim in Ramat Gan and the
Ben Sina pharmacy in Tira. The ministry said on Tuesday that anyone using these
products should stop "immediately." Some may be used by hundreds of homes,
medical clinics and other establishments countrywide. Ministry inspectors said
the products were prepared under "unsuitable conditions, from raw materials
whose source was unknown, without even minimal documentation or any
supervision." Distant and unrealistic expiration dates - up to three times
longer than usual - were set by the manufacturers, the ministry said. In
addition, the ingredients of some of the creams did not match their labels. The
ministry said it was taking "administrative action" against the pharmacists who
own the establishments. ¥ Judy Siegel

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

News in brief

BYLINE: Melanie Lidman, Sharon Udasin

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 410 words

Nahlaot resident arrested for attack

Police arrested a 58-year-old Jewish man from Jerusalem on Monday night after he
showed up at the screening of a movie at a local coffee shop with a baseball bat
and screamed homophobic obscenities.

Around 35 people had gathered at the Shabazi Room coffee shop in the Nahlaot
neighborhood to watch a documentary about the gay community when the man, who
lived next door, entered. He attempted to attack members of the audience while
yelling offensively about their sexual orientation before fleeing, police said.
He was arrested and admitted to police that he had threatened the customers. He
was brought before the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Tuesday for a remand
hearing. ¥ Melanie Lidman

Agriculture Ministry urges volunteering

In order to encourage the younger generation to develop interests in farming, as
well as maintain the country's open spaces, the Agriculture Ministry has
launched plans to restore its agricultural volunteering program. Unlike the
plentiful Swedish volunteers who filled kibbutzim in the 1960s, the new set of
volunteers will be Israelis, who can participate in the program before or after
their military service, the ministry said.

Volunteers will live in a kibbutz or a moshav, and help till the land, plant
orchards, build greenhouses, lead grazing herds, collect eggs, pluck flowers,
cultivate plants and maintain the environment, according to the ministry. The
program will support organizations that run leadership empowerment courses, and
the ministry will participate in funding the training, travel expenses, food and
accommodation of the volunteers.

"The difficulties and challenges that accompany working in agriculture in recent
years have brought much of the younger generation to abandon agriculture in
favor of other fields," Agriculture Minister Orit Noked said. "One of the goals
of the ministry is to encourage young people from across the country to work in
agriculture, in peripheral areas in particular." ¥ Sharon Udasin

Full-scale drill on J'lem light rail today

Jerusalem's Fire and Rescue services will conduct a large-scale exercise on
Wednesday at 10 a.m., mimicking an accident on the light rail with many
casualties. During the exercise, firefighters will rehearse the use of hydraulic
equipment to move the light rail itself, and fire-fighting on the trains.
Police, ambulance and Border Police will also take part in the exercise at the
Har Herzl stop. ¥ Melanie Lidman

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Arts in brief

BYLINE: David Brinn, Barry Davis, Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 753 words

Jefferson Starship to land in Tel Aviv

News that American oldies band Jefferson Starship is coming to Israel for the
first time raises the question as to which Jefferson Starship it is - the late
'60s-mid '70s psychedelic rocket led by Jefferson Airplane alumni Paul Kantner
and Grace Slick, or the vapid pop 1980s version fronted by Mickey Thomas and
Slick which was responsible for commercial hits like "We Built This City" and
"Sarah."

Thankfully, the band appearing at Reading 3 in Tel Aviv September 4 is the
Kantner vehicle, albeit minus Slick, and the focus of the material is from the
heyday of Haight Ashbury originals by the Airplane, like "Volunteers," "Wooden
Ships" and "White Rabbit" and from the early years of the Starship, like
"Miracles" and "Count on Me." Joining Kantner is original Starship member David
Freiberg on guitar, and Cathy Richardson taking on the female vocals. ¥ David
Brinn

Friedman in 'Sunrise' concert

Amit Friedman will showcase his new debut CD, Sunrise, at the Yellow Submarine
in Jerusalem on July 26. The 31-year-old saxophonist has been a feature of the
local jazz scene for some time, including as a member of Avi Lebovich's highly
popular 13-piece orchestra, and has played with numerous visiting luminaries
such as New York guitarist Peter Bernstein and American reedman Grant Stewart.

For Sunrise, Friedman put together a top-drawer lineup of local jazz artists,
including veteran guitarist-oud player Amos Hoffman, pianist Omri Mor, bass
player Gilad Abro, drummer Amir Bresler and percussionist Rony Ivrin. The album
also features singer-songwriter Tamar Eisenman and, on one number, a string
quartet. All the cuts on the album were written by Friedman.

Sunrise is a mix of straightahead jazz, bluesy passages, some Latin references
and Middle Eastern textures, with more than a nod in the direction of the
Israeli Songbook.

The Jerusalem gig will feature Friedman, Hoffman, Abro and Ivrin, with Hod
Moshonov on piano and Ofri Nehemia on drums. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. For
more information: www.yellowsubmarine.org.il

¥ Barry Davis

Israelis wow Brazilians with 'Donna Flor'

The authorities were so delighted with the Yoram Loewenstein Acting Studio
production of Donna Flor and Her Two Husbands at the recent Blumenau Festival
(5-12/7) in Blumenau, Brazil, that Donna Flor has been invited back to
participate in the Student Theater Festival from October 10-12.

The story concerns sexy, pretty Dona Flor who has the best of both worlds with
the ghost of hubby No.1 as her lover, and in this world, amiable, stolid hubby
No. 2.

Funds for the trip came from the festival, the Israeli foreign office and
donations. ¥ Jerusalem Post Staff

Ron Arad installation at Israel Museum

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and the Jerusalem Season of Culture will present
Ron Arad's monumental installation, 720¡ - an immersive experience that presents
360-degree screenings of films and video art - in the heart of the Museum's
Isamu Noguchi-designed Billy Rose Art Garden.

Each evening, video works and films by Mat Collishaw, Ori Gersht, Christian
Marclay and David Shrigley, among many others, will be projected on 720¡ in an
hour-long loop.

720¡ will be presented from August 16 through September 5, and will feature a
nightly scheduled program of video projections by leading multi-media artists,
together with surprise, one-time-only performances by Israeli performers and
performance artists.

¥ Jerusalem Post Staff

Oscar-winning writer Frank Pierson dies

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Frank Pierson, who won an Oscar for his screenplay for
the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon, died on Monday at age 87, representatives for
the writer said.

Pierson passed away of natural causes at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los
Angeles, said the Writers Guild of America, West, a group for which Pierson once
served as president.

Pierson most recently co-wrote an episode of the critically acclaimed television
show Mad Men that aired earlier this year, and he had roughly 20 writing credits
in television and film.

But he is best known for Dog Day Afternoon, which starred Al Pacino as a man who
tries to rob a bank to pay for his male lover's sex change operation and becomes
a hero to a crowd of bystanders during a standoff with police.

Pierson also directed the 1976 Barbra Streisand film A Star Is Born and several
made-for-television movies. Aside from his Oscar win for Dog Day Afternoon,
Pierson also was nominated for Oscars for his writing on the 1965 Western Cat
Ballou and 1967 prison drama Cool Hand Luke.

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GRAPHIC: 2 photos: (Credit: Courtesy PR)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Jerusalem ups saber rattling amid fears over fate of Syrian chemical arms. FM
says transfer to Hezbollah would be cause for war. Gantz warns of widespread
conflict after Israeli action

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ and HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 585 words

Israel could face a large-scale conflict in the aftermath of an attack against
Syria's chemical weapons, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said Tuesday,
while stressing that the weapons were still under President Bashar Assad's
control.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman backed up Gantz's assessment, saying Tuesday
that the transfer of chemical weapons from Syria to Hezbollah was a clear
justification for war, and in such a case Israel will act "decisively and
without hesitation or restraint."

Speaking to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Gantz said that
the dilemma for Israel was identifying the correct moment to take action to
destroy the chemical weapons and prevent them from falling into the hands of
terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

"The [Syrian military forces] are guarding it and have even increased security
so it will not fall into rogue hands, although this does not mean it will stay
that way," Gantz said. "In the end though there will be a dilemma - to operate
in an isolated way, which means we might miss the critical moment, or operate
broadly in a way that we could find ourselves very quickly in a larger-scale
conflict that anticipated."

Gantz was understood to be referring to two options - either to use force to
prevent a specific transfer or to destroy all of the known chemical weapons
facilities before such a transfer takes place.

Speaking at a press conference at the EU-Israel Association Council meeting in
Brussels, Liberman said it was no secret that chemical weapons leakage to
Hezbollah is Israel's "biggest concern today."

A Syrian transfer of chemical and biological weapons to Hezbollah is a "red line
for Israel," Liberman said, adding that Israel has "enough information" about
"their desire and attempt" to gain chemical and biological arms.

"From our point of view this is a clear casus belli," he said, using the Latin
phrase meaning a justification for war. "We will act decisively and without
hesitation or restraint. It will be a completely different ballgame, and we hope
for the understanding and cooperation of the international community."

Gantz told the Knesset that ongoing Syrian military defections were "feeding"
the rebellion and were having a negative impact on the Syrian military.
Predictions are that over 12,000 soldiers and officers have already defected
including a number of senior officers.

"It is not just that they do not have commanders, but it will also impact the
soldiers' performance over time," he said.

Earlier in the day, head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic Security Bureau
Amos Gilad rejected Syrian opposition reports claiming that Assad was moving his
chemical weapons stocks.

"At the moment, the entire non-conventional weapons system is under the full
control of the regime," Gilad told Israel Radio.

Turning to the bombing of a tourist bus in Bulgaria last week that killed five
Israelis, Gantz said Israel will find the way to retaliate and restore its
deterrence to prevent additional attacks in the future.

"The response will come and will be done responsibly," he said.

Liberman said it was clear that preventing the use of biological and chemical
weapons was a major issue for the international community.

While both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak
have warned in recent days that Israel would not tolerate the transfer of
chemical weapons to Hezbollah, Liberman's remarks were the bluntest indication
to date that Jerusalem would view such a move as a reason to go to war.

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Future US Christian leaders experience Israel at Knesset

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 437 words

When Vero Beach, Florida, native Catherine Gunsalus is asked what she wants to
be when she grows up, she says, "A political leader in the US government and an
advocate for Israel."

To prepare for the future leadership role she desires, Gunsalus is majoring in
political science at the University of Kansas. For her Israel advocacy training,
Gunsalus came to Israel this week on the Israel Experience College Scholarship
Program.

The program seeks to bring the best and brightest Christian US college students
to Israel for a three-week intensive educational experience where these
prospective future leaders of government, business, law and journalism are given
the knowledge they need to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on
their campus, while instilling a love for Israel and its people.

"I find it crucial to have true information regarding Israel and I wanted to
experience the reality here firsthand," Gunsalus said on a visit to the Knesset
on Tuesday. "I wanted to gain an experiential understanding of what Israelis
experience on a daily basis and bring it back to my campus."

Besides the Knesset, the 12 students on the program visited the Foreign
Ministry, Yad Vashem and holy sites in Jerusalem and the Galilee. They met with
Kadima MK Yoel Hasson and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Gila
Gamliel and are spending Shabbat with Jewish and Arab students at Jezreel
College in the North.

Now in its ninth year, the program is organized by Eagles' Wings Ministries near
Buffalo, New York

Nigerian-born Tochukwu "Chuka" Ikpeze, who is studying biology at St. John
Fisher College in Rochester, New York, said he became interested in Israel's
spiritual underpinnings growing up in church. From his studies of the mind and
its behavior, he learned the impact of anti-Israel news reports on perceptions
of the Jewish state.

"People get a false sense of what goes on here from the media," Ikpeze said.
"This trip gives me an opportunity to learn from the people of Israel how to
effectively advocate for them."

Ikpeze said he was surprised by how much Israel helps the Palestinians compared
to what he perceived from American news reports.

When a participant asked Hasson how to defend Israel on her campus, he said she
should tell Israel's story, unconnected to the Palestinian issue, focusing on
the country's science and technology.

Knesset Christian Allies Caucus director Josh Reinstein, who organized the
meetings with Hasson and Gamliel, said that by the time the students leave
Israel, they will be equipped to defend the Jewish state on campuses, which he
said are tough battlegrounds for Israel.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ISRAEL EXPERIENCE scholars meet with Knesset Christian Allies
Caucus director Josh Reinstein and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's
Office Gila Gamliel in Jerusalem. (Credit: Nick Serban)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Clinton says US won't tolerate Holocaust denial, stresses commitment to
prevention of genocide

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 692 words

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton objected to criticism of
Israel that veers into demonization of Jews and the Jewish state, speaking at an
event Tuesday on preventing genocide.

"When criticism of Israeli government policies crosses over into demonization of
Israel and Jews, we must push back," Clinton declared in remarks at the US
Holocaust Memorial Museum.

She also railed against Holocaust denial, and in doing so made an implied
reference to Iran, whose leaders have frequently denied the Nazi genocide.

"We must remain vigilant against those deniers and against anti-Semitism,
because when heads of state and religious leaders deny the Holocaust from their
bully pulpits, we cannot let their lies go unanswered," she said. "We need to
make clear that violence, bigotry will not be tolerated."

Clinton went on to speak more generally about the need to confront and prevent
genocide.

"'Never again' remains an unmet, urgent goal," she said, referring to cases of
genocide since the Holocaust in places like Cambodia and the Balkans.

"The United States and our partners must act before the wood is stacked or the
match is struck, because when the fire is at full blaze, our options for
responding are considerably costlier and more difficult," she said, referring to
new efforts at the State Department and other parts of the administration to
work pro-actively in situations where genocide can take place.

But she said that stronger actions is not the same as endorsing force.

"If a government cannot or will not protect its own citizens, then the United
States and like-minded partners must act. But let me hasten to say this is not
code for military action," she clarified. "Force must remain a last resort."

Instead, she point to the use of financial sanctions, humanitarian assistance
and law enforcement measures.

In the case of Syria, she said, the US is supporting stronger sanctions as well
as organizations collecting evidence of human rights abuses.

"More than a hundred other nations and organizations have made clear that Assad
must step aside in order for a transition to begin," she said. "We're sending a
message to the Syrian regime and making clear that there will be consequences
for their actions."

She also indicated the US is "increasing our efforts to assist the opposition."

Asked at a press conference later Tuesday what the precise nature of that
assistance was, she referred to working with bodies outside the UN Security
Council - where Russia and China have vetoed US-backed plans to impose sanctions
and take other measures against Syrian leader Bashar Assad - to take action.

Pressed on whether this included non-lethal intelligence and military
assistance, Clinton replied, "We are certainly providing communications that we
know is going to people within Syria so that they can be better organized to
protect themselves against the continuing assault of their own government."

According to a poll unveiled at Tuesday's event, 55 percent of the American
public believes the US should take military action against Syria, with 24%
saying the US shouldn't. At the same time, Syria ranked low on a list of foreign
policy priorities.

The majority (55%) also felt Americans should provide ground forces in Syria,
but only as a part of an international force.

In general, 69% of those surveyed said the US should act to stop genocide in
other parts of the world, with only 25% opposed. Another question worded
slightly differently found that 78% support the US taking military action to
stop genocide or mass atrocities with just 18% opposed.

When it comes to potential military action to end a genocide, 53% said the US
would be most effective if such force was multilateral, and another 27% thought
military action facilitated by a international organizations like the UN would
work best.

Only 10% thought the US working unilaterally would be the most effective course.
However, 55% believe the international community is not effective at preventing
civilians from genocide or mass atrocities.

The telephone survey of 1,000 people was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland
between June 30 and July 10 with a +/-3.1% margin of error.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: US SECRETARY OF STATE Hillary Clinton delivers the keynote
address at a symposium on ending genocide, at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
in Washington yesterday. (Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

727 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Research finds Druse genetically 'protected' from Parkinson's disease, essential
tremor disorder

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 464 words

The progressive and eventually fatal neurological disorder of Parkinson's
disease is significantly lower among the Druse than in other populations in
Israel, according to a new study by the University of Haifa and the Rambam and
Carmel Medical Centers, both in Haifa.

Not only was the prevalence of PD lower among the Druse - even though they have
tended to inbreed and marry first cousins over the generations, and thus risked
higher genetic disease rates - but they also suffer less from essential tremor
(ET), another neurological disorder.

The study was initiated by Dr. Rafik Ibrahaim of the university's Safra Brain
Research Center and carried out with Prof. Yehudit Aharon-Peretz and Dr. Jamal
Hasson of Rambam Medical Center and Dr. Samih Badarna of Carmel Medical Center.
The research was funded by the Science and Technology Ministry.

The researchers, in looking at PD and ET rates among the Druse, stated that this
ethnic group is a "genetic nature reserve" because they have lived in the same
geographical region for over 1,000 years and do not marry outsiders.

Statistics on the world population showed that ET affects an average four
percent of the population over 40 and PD an average of 1.5%. Ethnic differences
cause variations. For example, in the US, among Caucasians the rate of ET is 1.7
times that in African-Americans, while the rate is 1.2 times higher in Hispanics
than among the blacks.

Over 9,000 Druse aged 51 and above who live in villages in the Galilee took part
in the study by completing questionnaires about their health. Blood samples were
taken from those who answered that they suffer from tremors of any kind.

Only 27 Druse said they had full tremors. The rate was thus 1.49%. Just nine
Druse said they had PD, making the rate just 1.13%.

Thus the results, the researchers said, were surprising at first, because they
expected consanguinity (inbreeding by first cousins) would make them much more
liable to get PD and ET.

However, the researchers were less surprised when they looked at the previous
genetic survey of Israeli Druse carried out by Prof. Karl Skorecki of Rambam
Medical Center, who discovered that genetically, more than 150 different
genealogical lines made up the community. This is a relatively large amount,
despite the fact that the Druse are a small population and limited to a specific
geographical area.

This suggests that having so many different genealogical lines when the
community was originally formed prevented the increase in genetic diseases.

"The current research together with previous findings strengthen the principles
of faith and tradition of the Druse that they represent offspring of many races
that reached this area when the religion was founded and they joined the
community more than 1,000 years ago," Ibrahim said.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Circumcision

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 713 words

Throughout the ages, anti-Semitism has mutated to accommodate itself to the
zeitgeist. In the Middle-Ages, when Christianity dominated intellectual
discourse, Jews were attacked for blasphemy. In the 19th and early 20th century,
when science and rationality was the rage, Jewish practices were disparaged for
their irrationality; the despicable pseudo science of Eugenics was used to
"prove" that Jewish genes were inferior.

When nationalism was on the rise, the Jews were ridiculed for being "rootless."

With nationalism on the decline and colonialist regimes such as Britain, Belgium
and Holland blamed for their oppression of native populations, the State of
Israel is singled out for its purportedly "fascist" policies.

Today, the championing of "human rights" has become the most prominent value and
anti-Semitism has adapted once again. A ruling handed down in May by a regional
court in Cologne, Germany illustrates this dynamic. Circumcision (Brit mila in
Hebrew or Khitan in Arabic) is, the court ruled, "a violation of physical
integrity" and as such is a criminal act.

"The child's body is permanently and irreparably changed by the circumcision,"
the judges ruled. "This change conflicts with the child's interest of later
being able to make his own decision on his religious affiliation."

To their credit, Chancellor Angela Merkel and German lawmakers were quick to
distance themselves from the Cologne court's ruling, vowing to draft legislation
by autumn that "ensures that the circumcision of boys carried out to medically
professional standards and without undue pain is fundamentally permissible."

But the damage was done. The Cologne ruling gave respectability and legitimacy
to the anti-circumcision lobby. Germany's Pediatricians' Guild joined the
offensive, claiming that passing legislation protecting religious circumcision
played down its potential "lifelong physical and above all emotional damage."

And the move to ban circumcisions seems to be spreading to other parts of
Europe. Two Swiss hospitals have announced they will stop performing
circumcisions, according to recent media reports.

Germans support the ban on circumcision. A poll for Focus, a Germany weekly,
found that 56 percent of those surveyed thought the Cologne court's judgment was
right, compared with 35% against and 10% undecided. A YouGov poll for local news
agency DPA said 45% of those asked were in favor of forbidding the rite of
circumcision, with 42% opposed to a ban.

The groundswell of support for banning circumcisions in Germany and perhaps in
other countries (Norway's veteran Center Party recently proposed a ban on
circumcisions for children under 18), like attempts to ban ritual slaughter, is
probably directed primarily at the large and growing Muslim community. The
Jewish community is, to a large extent, suffering "collateral damage."

Nevertheless, a German-based BBC reporter pointed out that according to readers'
comments on newspaper websites, many Germans are tired of being "constricted" in
their pursuit of human rights - in this case the banning of circumcision -
because of the Holocaust. If not for the Holocaust, these Germans argue, they
would not be accused of anti-Semitism for opposing circumcision.

We beg to differ. Numerous medical experts have refuted claims that circumcision
- unlike female genital mutilation - causes harm when performed properly
(particularly when performed when the baby is just eight days old as is the case
in the Jewish tradition.)

Published medical research indicates that circumcision can reduce the incidence
of AIDS among heterosexual males and other sexually transmitted diseases, as
well as penile cancer and urinary tract infections.

If this is the case, why are Germans and other Europeans so opposed to the
practice? Precisely whose human rights are they championing? It is disingenuous
to cite the protection of "human rights" as justification for banning a practice
which does not cause undue damage and might actually have medical benefits.

Some European countries may have issues with a growing, often radical, Muslim
population that is resisting integration. But restricting the rights of Muslims
and Jews to carry out a religious ceremony symbolizing purity and man's covenant
with God is surely not the way to proceed.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

729 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Drowning in olive oil... prices

BYLINE: SETH J. FRANTZMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1237 words

Earlier this week it was reported that olive oil producers in Israel had
successfully lobbied the Finance Ministry not to lower import duties on olive
oil. In a fascinating report in The Marker, Zvi Zrahiya and Ora Cohen noted that
Israel's olive oil industry was actually demanding that tariffs be increased on
foreign oil. The reason: Olive oil from other countries is cheaper than its
Israeli cousin.

The public should be outraged. This is yet another example of how a local
industry that is bloated, ineffective, and used to government support has become
another burden to the consumer, fleecing us of our ability to buy a normal
household item at reasonable cost. They talk about supporting the Israeli
economy, but the real support for the economy will come when the government
deregulates the system, stops protecting the olive oil producers, and forces
them to compete with their more industrious European and Middle Eastern
competitors.

The olive tree is a symbol of Mediterranean culture and diet. Mentioned in the
Bible, it is a part of the fabric of the land of Israel. Yet massive consumption
of olive oil is a relatively new phenomenon. In Israel, olive oil consumption
increased six times between 1990 and 2003. By contrast it only doubled in the
US. According to a 2007 paper, in the same period production of olive oil in
Israel increased 19 times (from 230 to 4,530 tons). Per capita consumption in
Israel is about 2.5 quarts per year. By contrast the average Greek is chugging
down 26 quarts a year, which is about two bottles of olive oil a month.

Israel is a small country, and it is not one of the main producers of olive oil.
Spain, with 6 million acres of olive trees, produces around 984,000 tons of oil
a year, 40 percent of the world's total. Italy and Greece come in second and
third, producing 24% and 17%, respectively. Israel makes only 4,520 tons of
olive oil a year.

Some countries that produce olive oil, like Italy, also consume a great deal of
it. Israel is in this position. Yet the country does export some oil,
specifically to the US, where 64% of its oil exports are directed. By contrast
only 120 tons (21%) of olive oil are exported to the EU (Tunisia exports 98,000
tons of olive oil to EU).

Israeli olive oil gained some attention in 2010 when it won several gold medals
at a competition in Jerusalem in 2010. Suffice it to say, however, most
connoisseurs still would not search out the Israeli product.

As olive oil production and consumption have increased and the market has become
more globalized, the economics of it have also come in for the regular pattern
of gluts and contractions. For instance, the price of olive oil has fallen
precipitously from $5,800 a ton in 2006 to $2,900 a ton in 2012. That means that
major producers of olive oil, like Spain, face a crises at time when they least
need more economic problems. But most of those reading this column who shop in
Israeli supermarkets may be wondering why the price has not dropped a shekel
since 2006; if anything, according to a Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies
study, the prices have increased 8%.

IN 2011 the Israeli olive oil producer and importer Zeita petitioned Israel's
High Court of Justice against the price gauging guidelines of the Finance,
Agriculture and Industry, Trade and Labor Ministries. According to an article in
Yediot Aharonot, Zeita said the three ministries' "conduct was in violation of
the anti-trust laws and was promoting an artificial price hike, rendering olive
oil prices in Israel among the highest in the world." Pause. Repeat: among the
highest in the world.

The company claimed that while Europeans were paying about $5 for a liter of the
product, and Americans were paying $6.80, Israelis were forced to fork over $12
for a product made in their own backyard. That was last year - surely things are
better today? Depending on the olive oil one buys at an Israeli supermarket, it
will run you between four and six shekels per 100 ml. Supersol brand virgin
olive oil is NIS 4.80, while the Yad Mordechai (a division of Strauss)
equivalent is NIS 5.15 for 100ml. At the UK chain Tesco one pays about NIS 2 for
100ml of Napolina Extra Virgin olive oil. The Eroski supermarket chain in Spain,
according to The Financial Times, sells it for only 60 agorot (or about 1.99
Euros a litre). Thus Israelis are still paying among the highest prices in the
world for olive oil.

How is that possible, when the country primarily consumes olive oil made in
Israel? And why don't Israelis have access to the cheaper Spanish and Italian,
let alone Tunisian, oils?

Imported oil makes up only 20% of the Israeli market because it is subjected to
heavy taxes. The Plants Production and Marketing Board, a government regulatory
monster, in collaboration with the ministries, sets price targets for the
product. It keeps the taxes and prices high to encourage the Israeli industry.
And now, the local olive oil mafia has not gotten enough money from the
imprisoned Israeli consumer, but is lobbying for higher duties on imports and
more financial assistance.

According to Zvika Cohen, the senior deputy director general of the Agriculture
Ministry, "The local sector must be given assistance." Maayan Nesher of the
Finance Ministry told Haaretz that "the duty on olive oil is relatively high.
The Agricultural Ministry already provides support for Israeli brands."

THERE ARE some people who are under the illusion that supporting local products
is good because it provides jobs for people in Israel. This "national champion"
view of the economy misses a central point. Local products deserve support when
they are better quality and are undercut by foreign competition which pays
workers less and makes an inferior product. This is where Americans have a point
when they are angry about cheap Chinese imports.

But Israel isn't competing with third-world countries that pay workers low
wages. Rather, Israel is a second-world country that pays its agricultural
workers low wages and competes with first-world countries, like Spain. And
Israel produces a product that is either equal or inferior to the Spanish
product.

Therefore the Israeli olive oil lobbyists use the government to artificially
crush competition and deny the consumer the ability to choose. If the consumer
could go to the store and choose between paying NIS 15 for Spanish, Italian or
Greek olive oil or NIS 40 for Israeli olive oil, the local industry would be out
of business in a matter of months.

Make no mistake: Israeli olive oil producers deserve to have to compete for
their business. Is there a reason they can't put out a product that is as cheap
as Europeans create with the same resources and higher paid workers? Is there a
reason that they alone, among the world's olive oil producers, make a product
twice as expensive as anyone else's?

Israelis should put the local industry on notice. They should consider buying
Spanish olive oil imported by Israelis, even at the increased prices. They
should buy olive oil from Druse or Arab villages. They should do whatever it
takes for the local producers like Yad Mordechai and the financial
(ir)regulators like the Plants Production and Marketing Board to realize that
arbitrarily setting high prices isn't helping anyone - not the local
manufacturer, the worker or the consumer. Instead they are creating a classic
third-world monopoly industry that is worthless and non-competitive.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Because of government regulators and industry lobbyists, Israelis are
paying among the highest prices in the world for olive oil, even though it is
produced locally

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE MOST expensive olive in the world, but why? (Credit: Marc
Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

730 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Israel Natural Gas Lines begins working on LNG buoy installation

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 690 words

Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL) officially launched its work building a natural
gas marine absorption buoy, which by November this year should be capable of
supplying 2-3 billion cu.m. of natural gas to Israel annually.

"The construction of a marine buoy for natural gas absorption is an important
strategic move in the framework of a natural project being led by the Energy and
Water Ministry - 'Bringing the Gas to Land,'" said Energy and Water Minister Uzi
Landau. "Its goal - providing stability, reliability and security in the energy
market."

Landau visited the worksite of the buoy on Tuesday morning aboard the Seminole
ship, which INGL is using as a work platform to construct the natural gas
absorption buoy, approximately 10 km. off the coast of Hadera. During the event
- organized by the Energy and Water Ministry in partnership with INGL -
officials held a ceremony to mark the opening of construction work and gave a
progress report of the work thus far.

Joining Landau on the boat were officials from INGL, the ministry's Natural Gas
Authority, the Public Utility Authority, Israel Electric Corporation and other
Energy and Water ministry representatives. INGL is a wholly government-owned
corporation, established in 2003, receiving a license for operation of the
country's natural gas system for the next 30 years, according to the company.

Due to Israel's anticipated natural gas shortage, Landau had directed his office
to formulate a solution that would bridge the gap between the depletion of the
current Yam Tethys reservoir and the onset of a regular supply from the Tamar
reservoir - expected to come online in 2013. The final decision was to construct
a buoy, something which became increasingly critical as frequent interruptions
of the Egyptian natural gas supply and its eventual complete termination
occurred, a joint statement from INGL and the ministry said.

Once construction of the buoy is complete this fall, a gassing ship will then be
able to connect to the buoy, providing it with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG),
which will then be transferred to the natural gas transmission system of Israel,
the statement explained.

About a year ago the minister had first instructed INGL to erect a buoy through
which the country could eventually receive 2-3 billion cu.m. of natural gas per
year. Simultaneously, Landau directed the IEC to lease a gassing ship, according
to the ministry. In February, INGL finished its National Master Plan and
recently received building permit for the construction - allowing construction
to begin "at record pace," which the parties involved attributed to the
cooperation among government officials.

The buoy is of the type called Submerged Turret Loading Buoy, and through it
gassing ships will be able to unload natural gas directly into the country's
natural gas transmission system. Design, manufacture and construction of the
buoy is occurring through the Italian company MICOPERI, after the government
signed a NIS 500 million agreement with the firm in 2011.

"This project alone will provide almost half of the amount of natural gas
annually required to generate electricity in the State of Israel," said Landau,
who called the new reception facility "an oxygen tube for the sector."

"This is a facility that increases the country's ability to maintain a
continuous supply of energy to the power and industrial plants, and provides a
network of security and independence for the energy market, especially in light
of developments in Egypt, which affected the regular supply of gas to Israel,"
Landau added.

Ron Chaimovski, INGL chairman, agreed that "this is a strategically important
facility," in a period of natural gas shortage.

"This project gives Israel the ability to import natural gas in a short
timetable," Chaimovski said.

Officials expect that work on the buoy will be complete by November 2012,
according to INGL CEO, Samuel Turgeman.

"Immediately upon completion of the construction of the buoy, the State of
Israel will be able to receive natural gas from an additional source and will
not need to be satisfied with one single gas pipeline currently active,"
Turgeman said.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: INGL CEO Samuel Turgeman, Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau
and IEC CEO Eli Glickman tour the worksite of a natural gas marine absorption
buoy yesterday. (Credit: Amihai Zlotnik)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

731 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Gas mask production continues but fails to meet demand

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 268 words

While concern mounts in Israel over the possibility that Syria's chemical
weapons will fall into terrorist hands, the government has yet to allocate the
necessary budget needed to complete the production and distribution of gas masks
to the entire Israeli public.

Currently, around 4 million citizens have received new gas masks under the IDF's
distribution program, which began in 2006 with the collection of the public's
old masks.

The IDF plans to reach 58 percent of the population by the end of January 2013
with an additional NIS 80 million that it received in May from the Treasury to
keep the production line for gas masks open.

"After that we do not yet know what will happen," a defense official said.

Distribution is carried out by the Israel Postal Company, which comes to
people's homes and delivers the kits.

The IDF has recorded a climb in the number of Israelis contacting the company in
recent months, understood to be sparked by reports of the possible proliferation
of Syria's chemical weapons as well as a possible Israeli attack against Iran's
nuclear facilities.

The financing of the production and distribution of gas masks to the public has
been disputed by the Defense Ministry and the Treasury for almost a year. The
government only approved a budget of NIS 80 million in May, after the IDF Home
Front Command ran out of money to continue the project.

If a new budget is not approved by the end of the year, the two Israeli
companies which manufacture the gas masks will again be at risk of shutting
down, which would set back the project by several months even once a new budget
is obtained.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: PEOPLE LINE UP to receive gas mask kits at a distribution point
in Mevaseret Zion yesterday. (Credit: Baz Ratner/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

732 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

The splendor of majesty

BYLINE: Greer Fay Cashman

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 3476 words

'This is closer than I ever got to Haile Selassie," said an exuberant Yosef
Halawe, Ethiopia's ambassador to Israel. He had just shaken the hand of King
Osei Tutu II of Asante at a reception in the king's honor at the King David
Hotel Jerusalem, hosted by Eytan Stibbe, the founding partner in Vital Capital,
a global investment group that has been investing in Africa for more than a
quarter-century with a view to helping the African people improve the quality of
their lives in different spheres of endeavor.

It was the king's last night in Israel after an intensive week of touring the
country and combining a series of spiritual experiences with courting
investments for Ghana, in which the kingdom of Asante is located, catching up on
culture, history, technology, state-of-the-art medical services and facilities
and a lot more. Although Ghana's ambassador to Israel, Henry Hanson Hall, wore a
business suit, the king and the members of his entourage came in their
traditional robes. The scores of guests almost fell over themselves in their
eagerness to shake the monarch's hand, but only two or three women had the grace
to curtsey.

Surveying the scene, it was difficult not to be reminded of Mark Twain's novel,
The Prince and the Pauper. With all the intolerance and racism to which African
migrants are being subjected in Israel, it was amusing to see how
enthusiastically people crowded around the king. Is it not possible that some of
the African refugees and illegals sleeping in parks and stairwells around the
country might be descendants of African royalty or even royals themselves? Video
screens in the corners of the reception hall showed clips of the places that the
king had been throughout the week, including his visit that morning with
President Shimon Peres, to whom he had given a robe similar to his own.

Several people guests at the reception had anecdotes to tell about the king.
Greek Patriarch Theophilus III, who had conferred on him the Knighthood of the
Holy Sepulcher, said that the king, who is a devout Anglican, had been very
moved by the honor but had also been interested to learn about the differences
between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and Catholicism. Israel Museum Director
James Snyder said that when the king visited the museum's Africa section and saw
gold artifacts almost identical to the ones he wears himself, he was very
excited - but was even more pleased when he saw a video display featuring his
own 60th birthday celebrations two years ago.

Stibbe, who had invited the king and his entourage to Israel, ensured that they
would gain a comprehensive experience and understanding of the region, from the
Golan Heights to the Sinai.

According to Dror Danino, the general manager of the King David, the king had
only one special request, which was with regard to his food: The only meat he
would eat was lamb, which he ate in a corner of his suite and not in any of the
hotel's dining rooms.

Included in the king's entourage was Kobina Annan, a former Ghanaian ambassador
to Morocco who also happens to be the brother of former UN secretary general
Kofi Annan. In the morning, when accompanying the king to his meeting with
Peres, the president had asked Annan to convey his best wishes to his brother,
which he did soon thereafter over the telephone. Kofi Annan was reportedly very
interested in what had transpired at the meeting.

At the farewell reception, beyond an occasional murmur to those who tried to
engage him in conversation, the king did not speak. Prince Lovelace Prempeh, who
is related to the king, spoke on his behalf, almost presenting a travelogue of
their visit to the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the Greek Patriarchate, Yad
Vashem, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River, "which, we are told, has more
history than water." The King took the opportunity to be baptized while at the
Jordan River, said the prince. What was interesting to the entourage, he
continued, was that Ghanians, who had never met the king in their home country,
emerged from nowhere to greet him in Israel.

The delegation was impressed by Israel's water technology, its hospital
facilities and its history, though it regretted the fact that Israel, unlike
Asante, no longer has a king. The kingdom in Asante is centuries older than the
Republic of Ghana, the prince pointed out. The delegation had also been
heartened by assurances of Israel's friendship and willingness to assist Ghana
in all the areas in which Ghana sought cooperation.

Entertainment was provided by Ahinoam Nini, who elicited a roar of approval from
the crowd when she demonstrated that not only is she a great singer, but also a
deft hand on the bongo drums.

Stibbe presented the king with two "second-hand" gifts - an ancient oil lamp and
a 3,000-year-old bronze spear head, which he said represents the power necessary
to maintain peace.

* NOTWITHSTANDING ALL the wars of the Jews, the political mud-slinging, the
debates on universal national service and whether it should be compulsory for
haredim and Arabs to share in the national responsibility of carrying the burden
for security and social welfare, the record for volunteerism in Israel is little
short of outstanding.

It's been that way since before the establishment of the state. People from all
sectors of society, from different age groups of different religions and ethnic
backgrounds are all part of a mammoth mosaic of voluntary activity which,
directly or indirectly, benefits their fellow beings. Not only that, but a
wealth of volunteer programs attracts both Jews and non-Jews to come and spend
time in Israel volunteering in the IDF, in kibbutzim, in hospitals, in pro-bono
dental services, in archeological excavations, in retirement homes, in clubs for
Holocaust survivors and in a myriad of other fields.

Volunteers from abroad also volunteer in Magen David Adom's special first
responders program for overseas volunteers ages 18-30. The program is named in
memory of Sgt. Maj. (Res.) Yochai Porat, who while serving on reserve duty in
March 2002, was killed by a Palestinian sniper while trying to rescue a comrade
who had been shot by the sniper at an IDF road block near Ofra in Samaria.

Porat, who lived in Kfar Saba, was 26 years old at the time of his death. He had
been actively involved with MDA for more than 10 years and was the first program
coordinator for MDA's Overseas Volunteer Program, wherein young people from
abroad spend five weeks in Israel as part of an ambulance team. During this time
they are trained in life saving skills which they take back to their home
countries. Porat created a personal relationship with each participant in the
course, letting them know how much their efforts were appreciated. He was often
among the first on the scene in response to terrorist attacks, and his quick
actions and know-how saved many lives. His commitment and enthusiasm were such
that he served as a natural role model to the young volunteers, and after his
death MDA decided that the best way to honor his memory was to attach his name
to the program that had been so important to him. Some 400 to 550 volunteers
from around 40 countries come each year.

At the end of their course, the volunteers participate in a ceremony in which
they receive certificates attesting to the completion of their training. One
such ceremony took place last week, with the presentation of certificates to one
Israeli and two Canadians. The Israeli was Tomer Fein, 25, who is responsible
for coordinating volunteer activities in the Yarkon region, which includes MDA
stations in Kfar Saba, Herzliya and Ra'anana, and whose devotion to duty has not
gone unnoticed. The volunteers have commented on what he does to make them feel
welcome and part of mainstream society for the period that they are in Israel.

One of the Canadians was Reuven Goldberg, 20, a serial volunteer - first in
MDA's international division, then in the Overseas Volunteers Program, working
in the Ramat Gan station. He derived so much satisfaction from what he was doing
that he returned again this year, and happily volunteers wherever needed. Both
Goldberg and fellow Canadian Ariel Reisenbach, 23, received certificates of
excellence. Reisenbach, who was in the Overseas Volunteers Program last year,
stayed in Israel and took a second course, volunteering in MDA stations in the
Jerusalem district, and became so involved that he decided to live in Israel
permanently, and that if he was going to that, he also had to do a stint in the
army. He enlisted two months ago and has completed a preparatory course for
paratroopers. He said that this was another way of making a contribution.

Among those attending the ceremony were a large number of high school students
who are spending their summer vacation volunteering for MDA. Just another sign
that there's no need to worry about the future; there are enough Israeli kids
who care.

* ONE OF the joys of being in the entertainment industry is that there's no
retirement age. All those who are capable of performing, be they musicians,
singers or actors, continue to do so. Politicians are pretty lucky that way too.
No one forces them to retire at age 67, which is why Ehud Barak, Benny Begin,
Yaakov Neeman, Yossi Peled, Matan Vilnai (soon to be an ambassador) and Uzi
Landau, who are all between the ages of 68 and 72, are still in government, and
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who is even older, is still in the Knesset. Landau will
celebrate his 69th birthday on August 2 and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin will
turn 73 on September 9. None of them, of course, will be affected by any change
in legislation related to pension age.

Veteran entertainer Yehoram Gaon, 72, says there shouldn't be a pension age,
because modern medicine and good nutrition have taken all the stigma out of
aging. People look younger, feel younger and act younger than their biological
age and so long as they are capable of working, they should be allowed to do so,
he says. Speaking about pension age on his regular Friday afternoon programs on
Reshet Bet, Gaon, who is a frequent flyer, said that during a recent flight he
went to say hello to the people in the cockpit and was surprised to see the
captain, whom he knew well, sitting in the co-pilot's seat. The captain had
passed his retirement age birthday, and the difference in status became an
immediate fact. His former co-pilot, whom only a few months earlier was still
being tested for the job, was suddenly numero uno, as if the former captain's
talent and experience no longer counted for anything. In biblical times, said
Gaon, the elders were not shunted aside, but were treated with dignity and
respect in appreciation of the knowledge and experience that they had
accumulated.

* THIS COMING Shabbat, July 27-28, JobKatif, founded by Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon,
is conducting an international fundraising campaign in some 300 synagogues in
Israel and abroad.

Despite all the promises made to properly resettle the evacuees of Gush Katif,
some 1,050 families are still without permanent housing and/or jobs. Their lives
were disrupted by prime minister Ariel Sharon in 2005 and there was little or no
recompense under prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Binyamin Netanyahu. It was yet
another case of promises not being fulfilled. The JobKatif people have been told
that all funds raised will be matched by the government on a 3:1 ratio, and this
has been more or less the case over the past seven years, but the arrangement
will cease in 2013. This is last-ditch effort to help these families before it
is too late, says Rimon, who will continue running JobKatif for as long as is
necessary regardless of lack of government involvement.

Rimon will deliver two lectures in Jerusalem over the Sabbath, the first at the
Leonardo Hotel on Friday before the Ma'ariv service and the second at the Great
Synagogue on Saturday before the Mussaf service.

Rimon founded JobKatif soon after the disengagement when he realized that the
government had failed to create an income-earning fallback plan for people whose
incomes had been derived from farms and cottage industries in Gush Katif, and
who subsequently found themselves on the receiving end of charity.

JobKatif has been consistently working with the evacuees and has succeeded in
finding employment for 2,300 individuals, subsidized 480 re-training courses and
helped launch 230 new small businesses.. This has been accomplished with the
help of highly professional staff and volunteers as well as by friends and
donors from around the world, and has also included psychological counseling.

Although JobKatif can boast extraordinary success, there are still more than
1,000 evacuees who lack financial stability and a secure future, and Rimon is
determined to help them through this weekend's synagogue campaign. In 2008,
Rimon was a recipient of the President's Prize for Volunteerism in recognition
of the admirable work that JobKatif has done.

* ECONOMIC CRISES and changes in the patterns of charitable allocations may have
reduced the amounts of money raised abroad for various Israeli causes, but not
the enthusiasm for giving to Israel. In fact, without all this financial support
from Jews and quite a few non-Jews in countries around the globe, Israel would
not have progressed at anywhere near the rate that it has..

In New York last week, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, (FIDF),
together with the president of the New York Yankees, Randy Levine, and his wife,
Mindy, raised more than $100,000 at a fundraising event to support IDF soldiers.
More than 60 prominent lay leaders and FIDF supporters, who are also Yankees'
fans, including FIDF National Director Major General (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry)
Gershon, gathered in a private suite in Yankee Stadium and then joined visiting
IDF soldiers for a tour of the stadium and an opportunity to watch batting
practice before seeing the Yankees defeat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3.

"I am very honored to be a part of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces," said
Levine. "I believe it is essential to support the courageous men and women of
the Oketz Unit and their military working dogs, who sacrifice a great deal to
keep their borders and their country safe and secure." Funds raised at the event
will provide a much needed SPIRIT R&R week for the unit in the fall of 2012, in
addition to supplying soldiers with clothing, backpacks and fleece jackets.

FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a
not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing and supporting
educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and facilities for the
heroic men and women of the IDF. Today, FIDF has more than 120,000 regular
supporters and 15 regional offices throughout the US and Panama.

* IT'S POSSIBLE that Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design may one day
have a woman president. The new vice president, like her predecessor, happens to
be female. Dr. Tali Ben Zvi, curator and researcher of Israeli and Palestinian
art and head of the School of Arts at Kibbutzim College, has been named vice
president by the academy's search committee, following approval of the
appointment by Bezalel's senate and board of directors. Ben Zvi who will take up
her position in October, succeeds Prof. Yaara Bar-On, who served as vice
president for academic affairs for eight years.

In addition to her work at the Kibbutzim College of Education, Ben Zvi is also
engaged in research on contemporary art in the multi-ethnic port cities of Acre
and Haifa, a continuation of her post-doctoral research at the Truman Institute
of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which deals with contemporary art in
Jaffa.

Ben Zvi received a B.A. in Art History and Fine Arts from Haifa University,
completed the Criticism and Curatorship Program at the Camera Obscura School of
Art in Tel Aviv and received her M.A and Ph.D. from Tel Aviv University's
Faculty of the Arts. She has participated for several years in research groups
of the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.

Alongside her academic research, Ben Zvi is a curator of contemporary art and
has curated numerous solo and group exhibitions in Israel's major museums and
alternative exhibition spaces. She managed two contemporary art galleries (the
Heinrich Boll Foundation in Tel Aviv and the Hagar Art Gallery in Jaffa) and has
presented her work in a many locations in Europe and the United States as part
of exhibitions, art events and academic conferences.

On the basis of this activity, she received the Curator Prize from Israel's
Ministry of Culture. The committee wrote: "Tal Ben Zvi has been known for the
past decade as an outstanding curator and researcher of Israeli and Palestinian
art. The disciplines with which she engages are anchored in those strata of
society or populations that have not taken a central place in the hegemonic
Israeli art." Ben Zvi has also written a great number of exhibition catalogs and
major texts which represent a significant body of knowledge in visual culture in
general and in contemporary art in particular.

In addition, she has a record of longstanding public activity in the central
arts committees in Israel. She is a member of the Department of Plastic Arts of
the Israel Council for Culture and the Arts of the Ministry of Culture, Science
and Sport; a representative of the department committees such as Venice
Biennale, The Artist in the Community, Artist-Teacher and Curator Award; a
consultant to the Contemporary Art Projects Committee of the Municipality of Tel
Aviv and the Yehoshua Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts; and a member of the
Public Arts Committee of the national cultural basket.

Ben Zvi comes to Bezalel at an exciting time when the academy is preparing to
move from its current location on the Hebrew University campus back to the
center of town, in line with municipal policy to bring young people back to the
hub of the city.

* MEANWHILE, ANOTHER academic Ben-Zvi, Prof. Nava Ben-Zvi who served for 13
years as President of Hadassah College, which has always been in the heart of
Jerusalem but which has expanded considerably over the years, was given a
rousing farewell by students earlier this month, and last month attended the
graduation ceremony in Jerusalem's Safra Square of 400 students who were
addressed by Mayor Nir Barkat.

Nava Ben-Zvi will be succeeded by Prof. Berthold Fridlander, whose position
becomes effective on August 1. Fridlender has served as chair of Hadassah
College's Department of Biotechnology since 2004 and was recommended by a search
committee headed by Hadassah College chairman David Brodet, who is also chairman
of Bank Leumi. Fridlender earned his masters degree in biochemistry at the
University of Chile and his doctoral degree in medical microbiology and
immunology from the University of California. He joined the Hebrew University as
a visiting professor in 1972 and, in addition to his appointment at Hadassah
College, has spent the past four years as a visiting professor at Rutgers
University. He has also served as a CEO and consultant for several biotechnology
start-up companies in Israel.

Fridlander recently won a competitive grant from the European Union valued at
close to EUR 2 million to pursue research on the protection of plant diversity
in the Mediterranean.

Hadassah Academic College will undergo considerable expansion during
Fridlander's term of office. The college has received a $7.1 million grant from
the Helmsley Charitable Trust to build a seven-story interdisciplinary science
center adjacent to its downtown location. This will allow for a far greater
student intake and will strengthen the college's academic impact on the city.

* INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN bronze sculptress Razia Gershon was a dancer before she
turned her hand to sculpture, which is probably the reason that so many of her
works are inspired by the body language of the ballet dancer. She is also famous
for her horse sculpture series and for the bronze "portraits" that she has done
of world leaders and other dignitaries.

She is currently exhibiting at the Ramat Gan Museum, where guests invited to the
opening by director and chief curator Meir Aharonson included former Supreme
Court Presidents Meir Shamgar and Aharon Barak, along with Barak's wife,
Elisheva Barak, the former vice president of the National Labor Court;
controlling shareholder of Bank Hapoalim Shari Arison; general manager of the
Dan Hotel chain Ami Hirshtein; part-president of the Jerusalem Foundation Ruth
Cheshin; conductor Dubi Zeltzer; the deputy director-general of the president's
office Yona Bartal, actor Dan Turgeman and many other well-known figures.
President Shimon Peres was unable to attend, but sent a letter in which he wrote
that he carries the images of Razia Gershon's works in his heart and in his
mind. The exhibition will remain on view until August 17.

greerfc@gmail.com

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: GRAPEVINE

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: PRESIDENT SHIMON Peres with King Osei Tutu II. Dr. Tal Ben
Zvi. MEIR AHARONSON, Razia Gershon and Zvi Bar. (Credit: Yosef Avi Ben Yair
Engel. Ayala Netzer. Aviv Hofi)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

EU rebuffs Israel's call to put Hezbollah on terror list. Meseznikov holds
Burgas memorial service. Bulgarian PM reveals new details on 'exceptionally
skilled' terrorists

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 983 words

Despite last week's terrorist attack in Bulgaria that Israel blamed squarely on
Hezbollah, the EU Tuesday rejected Israeli calls to place the Lebanese
organization on its terrorist blacklist.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, whose country currently holds
the EU's rotating presidency, said at a press conference in Brussels with
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman that there is "no consensus among the EU
member states for putting Hezbollah on the terrorist list of the organization."

Such a move, she said, required unanimity from the EU's 27 member states.

Liberman, who met Tuesday with his EU colleagues as part of the annual EU-Israel
Association Council meeting, had called on the body to put Hezbollah on its
terrorist list. Doing so would make illegal any financial transfer from the EU
to Hezbollah or to any member of that organization. Liberman said such a move
would send a powerful message both to the international community and the
Israeli public.

"From our point of view it is unacceptable that Hezbollah terrorists meet and
talk with Western diplomats in Beirut on one hand, and they pursue their
terrorist activity on European soil on the other hand," he said at the press
conference.

Kozakou-Marcoullis, speaking for the EU, plainly refused the request.

"The Lebanese Hezbollah is an organization that comprises a political party [and
a] social services network as well as an armed wing," she said. "Hezbollah is
active in Lebanese politics, including the parliament and the government, and
plays a specific role with regard to the status quo in Lebanon."

Taking this and other aspects into account, she said, there is "no consensus
among the EU member states for putting Hezbollah on the terrorist list of the
organization. Should there be tangible evidence of Hezbollah engaging in acts of
terrorism, the EU would consider listing the organization."

Cyprus is currently holding a suspect who according to Israeli officials, has
admitted under interrogation to being a Hezbollah operative. He was arrested
there late last month while allegedly planning an attack on Israeli tourists.

Israel has been attempting unsuccessfully since the mid-1990s to get Hezbollah
included on the EU terror list. It has both provided the EU with intelligence
information and sent experts to brief EU officials in Brussels on the matter -
all to no avail.

According to one official, the main country blocking these efforts is France,
which has historic ties with Lebanon and feels its influence there would be
diminished by such a move.

Another official said that there was no doubt that under any classification of a
terrorist group, Hezbollah - which is on the US terror blacklist - "fits the
description like a glove."

Other diplomatic officials slammed Liberman for raising the issue in Brussels
now, saying that he "shot from the hip" without properly preparing the
groundwork and building on all of Israel's efforts over the years.

In Burgas, meanwhile, Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov held a memorial ceremony
at the site of the attack near Burgas Airport where a terrorist killed five
Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver last week. He said that not only Hezbollah,
but also Iran, has to be held responsible for the bombing.

"It is important that we bring to justice not only those directly responsible
for the terror attack," he said in reference to Hezbollah, "but also the county
that sent them - Iran."

Meseznikov said that Iran uses terror cells to spread terrorism throughout the
world.

The tourism minister, who thanked the Bulgarian authorities and local rescue
forces for their assistance during the crisis, said that the message he had come
to deliver was that terrorism must not be allowed to disrupt life.

"We cannot allow terrorists who have tried to destroy relationships between
countries succeed in their evil intentions, and the answer to the terrorism
needs to be the strengthening of our ties in all areas," he said. "Bulgaria was
and remains a friendly nation for us."

Immediately following the ceremony, attended by his Bulgarian counterpart, the
mayor of Burgas and leaders of Bulgaria's small Jewish community, Meseznikov
toured vacation sites frequented by Israelis, including Sunny Beach, the
destination resort of the targeted tourist bus. He also visited Varna, another
popular Black Sea city popular with Israeli travelers.

On Monday Meseznikov met Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister
Boyko Borisov and announced that a Bulgarian ministerial delegation would come
to Israel in September to discuss strengthening the two countries' tourism,
security and strategic cooperation.

Borisov on Tuesday revealed new details about the activities of the terrorists
who carried out the Burgas bombing, the Bulgarian Sofia News Agency reported.

"They came about a month before that, they changed leased vehicles, they moved
in different cities so as not to be seen together, and no two of them can be
seen in one place on any security camera," Borisov told the news agency, adding
that the people behind the horrific blast had been "exceptionally skilled."

"The services worked perfectly, but the manner in which the attack was carried
out indicates it could not have been prevented," he said, according to the
report.

Bulgaria's prime minister indicated that even if the terrorists had not attacked
the Israeli tourists at the airport, they still could have followed the
tourists' bus to their hotel and detonated a bomb there.

"We are very vulnerable. You can enter Bulgaria from any place as a tourist, an
expert, or a guest in the mixed-population areas, but our services do not have
multi-billion budgets," he said.

According to the news agency, Borisov still stressed that the investigation was
moving forward and that Bulgarian services were on par with other nations'
services that had investigated the September 11 attacks and the Madrid train
bombings.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: TOURISM MINISTER Stas Misezhnikov walks inside the synagogue in
Sofia on Monday. (Credit: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

House committee votes against forcing 4 Kadima MKs out of faction. Bibi, Duan,
Shamolov Berkovich and Schneller defend talks to jump to Likud, say most of the
faction - including Mofaz - tried to leave at some point

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 1015 words

Most Kadima MKs attempted to leave the faction, lawmakers revealed in a Knesset
House Committee hearing - in which Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz's request to force
out four MKs who attempted to break off from the party and join Likud was
rejected.

House Committee members voted to keep MKs Arieh Bibi, Avi Duan, Yulia Shamolov
Berkovich and Otniel Schneller in Kadima, with 11 in favor and two opposed,
rather than acquiesce to Mofaz's request to leave them without campaign funding
and unable to join another faction or be appointed as ministers or deputy
ministers.

During the meeting, Schneller said 14 MKs - half of the Kadima faction - took
part in recent negotiations to split the party. When coalition chairman Ze'ev
Elkin (Likud) was asked to reveal which Kadima MKs discussed an exit strategy,
he said: "You should ask who didn't."

"Netanyahu must reveal the political bribes he offered," a Kadima spokesman said
following the meeting. "The Likud turned the House Committee into a circus in
order to protect its mercenaries, which it bought with promises of jobs."

The spokesman called for the four Kadima MKs to resign from the Knesset as soon
as possible.

At the meeting's opening, Knesset Legal Adviser Eyal Yinon said that, according
to the 1994 Knesset Law, the four should not be forced to leave Kadima.

"The tension between an MK's individuality and his role as a messenger of his
party are at the basis of parliamentary action in Israel," Yinon explained.

Yinon pointed out that, on the one hand, factions have to present a unified
front to keep order in the Knesset. At the same time, MKs have the basic right
to vote according to their conscience and speak freely even if they disagree
with their party's leadership. According to precedent, he said, if an MK would
consistently vote against his or her party in no-confidence votes it would be
grounds for dismissal.

The Kadima four cannot be seen as having left their faction, but if they
continue to act against their party, there may be more evidence against them,
leading to their dismissal, Yinon concluded.

Elkin defended the four MKs, mainly by pointing to what he called Mofaz's
hypocrisy and the many occasions on which other Kadima MKs had tried to leave
the party.

"I was very interested to see who would show their face here. None of Kadima's
MKs in the House Committee are at this meeting. Why? Yoel Hasson and Shlomo
Molla have been negotiating an exit with Haim Ramon for the past month!" he
said. "Most of Kadima is not here, because they know I will reveal things about
them."

Even the MK representing Mofaz in the meeting has a history of trying to leave
the party, Elkin added, This was confirmed by MK Meir Sheetrit, who spoke at the
committee on behalf of his party leader.

Elkin also referred to a letter Mofaz wrote in 2005, saying he would never leave
the Likud. Days later, he joined Kadima.

"How can this person accuse others?" Elkin asked.

The four Kadima MKs defended their actions, focusing mostly on their right to
voice opposition to their party leader without facing consequences and pointing
out other Kadima MKs' attempts to jump ship.

"I did not commit any act that would mean I quit Kadima. In a civilized state
you cannot punish people for thoughts or intentions," said Bibi, denying he
signed any agreement that would make him a deputy minister.

Duan, formerly the director of Mofaz's primary campaign, said that he had to
convince Mofaz dozens of times to stay in Kadima when Tzipi Livni led the party.
He read a newspaper headline from 2010, in which Mofaz threatened to leave
Kadima, saying "why wasn't he called to the House Committee?"

"I admit there was an attempt to leave Kadima for ideological reasons, but the
law allows for such considerations," the MK stated. "We have political opinions,
and we can change our minds. This is a democracy. What will Mofaz do next week
if another seven or eight want to leave?"

MK Nissim Ze'ev (Shas) said: "It sounds like there is a dictator in Kadima who
wants to cut off objectors' heads."

Duan cited "hurt feelings because of close connections" between him and Mofaz,
saying he will not criticize the Kadima leader, except to say that he is
disappointed in his lack of values and friendship.

Shamolov Berkovich repeatedly called Mofaz a liar and lamented Kadima's
transformation into a "left-wing extremist party that divides the nation."

MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) said Livni made Kadima so left-wing
that she was "punished by God" and ended her political career "in shame."

"Have MKs become marionettes? Are we unable to criticize the leader of our
party?" Shamolov Berkovich said, adding that the party's current political
positions "hurt my heart."

Schneller gave a half-hour speech, saying he was a staunch supporter of the
Kadima-Likud unity coalition, and had high hopes for Mofaz's success in managing
to have a replacement for the "Tal Law" passed.

"The gaps between Kadima and the government are much smaller than the gaps
between United Torah Judaism and Shas and the government, or Yisrael Beytenu and
the government. For that Kadima had to leave the coalition?" he asked. "It is
legitimate to leave for political reasons, but we could at least reach an
agreement on this bill that is so important to Israeli society."

According to Schneller, Mofaz was disrespectful of MKs whose opinions differed
from his own, and Kadima has become "an extreme left-wing party that hates
haredim."

"Mofaz is afraid because he and I worked on breaking off from Kadima for
months," Schneller said. "He told me after the previous party primary that we
should build an alternative after Livni stole the party from him, and I helped
convince him to stay."

House Committee chairman Yariv Levin (Likud) concluded the meeting by calling
for Mofaz to show more respect for the Knesset and its members, saying the
Kadima leader's request was "insubstantial, not properly explained and
pathetic."

"There was no real attempt to prove the claims in the letter, and then
[Sheetrit] did not even stay to hear the defendants' claims," Levin stated.
"This is an embarrassment."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: KADIMA MK Meir Sheetrit speaks with MK Otniel Schneller and MK
Avraham Duan in the Knesset during a House Committe hearing yesterday. (Credit:
Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

VAT set to rise at least 1%. Steinitz: 3% budget deficit target saves us from
raising taxes further. PM is showing middle class his middle finger, says Mofaz

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER and Jerusalem Post staff; Globes, Bloomberg and Gil Hoffman
contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 715 words

Value-added tax is set to rise by 1 percent or more following a decision Tuesday
by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz to
bring the proposal to the cabinet on Monday.

Each 1% hike in VAT (which currently stands at 16%) is expected to enrich the
government coffers by NIS 4 billion per year. The cabinet will also be asked to
make an across-the-board cut for government ministries totaling NIS 700 million.

Government sources in Jerusalem on Tuesday told Globes that the rise in VAT is
only a first step determined by Netanyahu as part of a comprehensive plan to
raise taxes.

The Knesset Finance Committee passed on Tuesday the cabinet's decision to double
the deficit target from 1.5% to 3%. Steinitz told the committee that the 2013
budget will include tax hikes and spending cuts, but said doubling the deficit
target saves the government from having to increase taxes even more than
planned.

The new target would help the government remain on track toward the "most
important" goal of reducing debt-to-GDP to 60% by the year 2020, Steinitz said.

Netanyahu defended the VAT icrease on his Facebook page, saying, "the economic
turmoil around us is not decreasing but becoming stronger in the world. Last
year all the leading states had their credit rating downgraded, the US and the
leading countries in Europe. It didn't happen to us because we stuck to the
rules of responsible economic behavior.

"There are no free meals. We are attempting to implement a decision to grant
free education in kindergartens - that costs money. We are adding to the fence
meant to keep out infiltrators. Last week 16 infiltrators entered, they were all
arrested - that is success which costs money. We are prepared with new
technologies and weapons to face new threats - that costs money," he added.

The prime minister stated that "whoever says it is possible to spend money
recklessly, without raising more for populist purposes, is simply endangering
the State of Israel and can easily bring us to the situation which we have seen
leading European economies fall into - on the brink of bankruptcy. That hasn't
happened here. I won't let that happen here."

Netanyahu's political opponents were quick to slam the decision.

Opposition leader MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) said Netanyahu was killing the middle
class, adding that "after turning his back on those who serve in the army in the
middle class, now Netanyahu is showing them his middle finger."

He added: "This is the real face of the prime minister, who continues to trample
on the public. These edicts will only deepen the desperation."

Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich said "the bad old Netanyahu is back and the
citizens of Israel will pay a steep price for it. The prime minister took a
break from his political zigzagging and returned to where he does not zigzag:
harming the middle class.

"Netanyahu prefers raising a cruel and stupid tax like VAT rather than taxing
the upper echelons of society and the corporations with fat profits," she said.
"He should stop torturing the middle class and resign."

Kadima MK Yoel Hasson said, "When Netanyahu deals with buying votes with public
money, it is good that there are citizens who can pay for it."

On Monday, the Bank of Israel held the benchmark interest rate at 2.25%, citing
"uncertainty in fiscal policy" as one factor. It said the government must raise
taxes to avoid exceeding its already increased debt goals and warned of a
possible erosion of fiscal credibility.

If next year's deficit target were set at 2.5%, as Bank of Israel Governor
Stanley Fischer and other officials have recommended, it would necessitate a
further NIS 5 billion tax hike, Steinitz said Tuesday.

The government's increased budget deficit target for next year is not reasonable
and interest rates are unlikely to stay low unless fiscal policy is put on a
"sustainable" path, Fischer said on June 28.

The bank noted in Monday's decision that under current arrangements the deficit
would reach 4% unless taxes are increased.

"To date, decisions have not been reached regarding how the government intends
to meet this target," the bank said. This raises concern "that the credibility
of fiscal policy, which was a central component of the economy's success in
dealing with the previous crisis, will erode."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: PRIME MINISTER Binyamin Netanyahu meets with economic leaders
and authorities at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem yesterday. (Credit:
Amos Ben-Gershom/GPO)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Beit Jann suspect arrested for killing man he thought was his wife's lover

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 241 words

Police arrested a resident of the Galilee Druse village of Beit Jann, on
suspicion of killing a man he thought was having an affair with his wife,
officers announced Tuesday.

The suspect's wife was also arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting the
alleged killer.

The homicide victim, 35-year-old Zahar Abu Asla, was a married father of two who
owned a grocery. He went missing on Friday. Police launched a large-scale
search, with the help of ground units, mounted police, dogs, a helicopter and
local residents.

The search continued well into the night, and officers scanned a forest outside
of the town, eventually recovering a buried body from the area. Forensic
officers arrived on the scene, and quickly determined that Asla has been
murdered.

Working under the cover of a media ban, homicide detectives from the Northern
Police District's central unit homed in on a resident of the town, 30-year-old
Hial Hamud.

The suspect was taken into custody and confessed in the questioning room, police
said.

"He gave details only the killer could have known, and reenacted the murder," a
police spokesman added.

Police also arrested Hamud's 27-year-old wife, Hial, on suspicion of assisting
her husband.

A Nazareth Magistrate's Court on Tuesday extended both of their custody until
August 2.

Northern District Chief Cmdr. Roni Atiya praised the investigation, saying the
swift arrests met the "police's goal of increasing chance of criminals being
caught."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Journalist Uri Blau convicted of possessing classified documents. 'Haaretz'
reporter expected to receive community-service sentence

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 819 words

Uri Blau, the Haaretz journalist who used stolen classified IDF documents in
reports accusing the army of defying a High Court ruling against targeted
killings, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the charge of possessing classified
information without intent to harm state security.

The Tel Aviv District Court convicted Blau of the charge of aggravated espionage
(possession of classified information). Tuesday's hearing came after Blau's
lawyers and the state reached a plea deal earlier this month.

Under the terms of the deal, Blau has agreed to plead guilty in return for a
four-month prison term, which the court is expected to impose as community
service, subject to a report by the community service commissioner.

The court will reconvene on September 3 to discuss that report and it is likely
that Judge Ido Druyan will pass sentence then.

During arguments for sentencing, prosecuting attorney Hadas Fuhrer-Gafny said
the state had reached the plea deal with Blau's attorneys because the
prosecution "saw the importance of a free media."

However, Fuhrer-Gafny said the indictment against Blau was very severe, noting
that the Haaretz reporter had been in possession of documents that could, if
published, resulted in harm to the state. Blau also did not return all the
documents when he was asked by the state to do so.

The amended indictment, filed in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, charges Blau
under Article 113 of the Penal Code, which deals with aggravated espionage.
Notably, however, Weinstein has said that the charge of espionage, in the
traditional sense of the term, does not apply to Blau.

The indictment says Blau obtained around 1,800 classified IDF documents from
former IDF OC Central Command secretary Anat Kamm, on a USB flash storage
device. Kamm, now 22, stole the documents during her military service in the OC
Central Command Office.

She is serving a four-and-a-half year prison term following her conviction in
February under a plea bargain, in which she pleaded guilty to gathering and
storing classified military documents and transferring them to Blau.

The documents contained information about various military operations, including
the deployment of IDF forces, summaries of IDF investigations, IDF assessments
and the various goals of the IDF, the indictment said.

Blau used classified material from those documents as the basis for two Haaretz
articles. In the first, published in late October 2008, Blau accused the IDF of
defying a High Court of Justice ruling against the targeted killings of
Palestinian terrorists who could have been captured alive. The next article,
published a few weeks later, similarly intimated that the IDF had earmarked
Palestinian terrorists for targeted killings.

Blau held the documents for two years until he finally handed them over to the
Israeli authorities, the indictment said.

However, when the state first asked Blau to hand over all the documents in his
possession, he failed to do so, giving up only around 50 documents, the
indictment said.

Blau continued holding the classified documents in an uncontrolled manner, which
posed a serious risk of damage to state security, again according to the
indictment, which noted that Blau went abroad from December 2009 until October
2010, even though he knew the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) wanted to
question him.

In Tuesday's hearing, Fuhrer-Gafny said the prosecution sought a four-month
community service sentence for several reasons, including that Blau's indictment
is the first time an Israeli journalist has stood trial for possessing
classified documents.

"It was not a deliberate act on behalf of the defendant to receive the
documents. The entire initiative was Kamm's, done for her own reasons,"
Fuhrer-Gafny said, noting that Kamm had at first tried to give the documents to
another reporter.

Blau told the court that the trial had taken over his life.

"I am a reporter," he said. "As such I am obligated to inform the public as much
as possible so that they can understand and judge the situations around them.
That is the essence of a free press in a democratic country."

Blau said that, in retrospect, he could have acted differently but he had tried
to provide the public with the information it required.

The plea bargain and amended indictment come after Attorney-General Yehuda
Weinstein announced in May that Blau would be indicted.

Weinstein said in reaching the "inevitable" decision to indict Blau he had taken
into account "all the relevant considerations," including the need to preserve
the character of a free press and allow the media to carry out its essential
role in ensuring the public's right to know.

However, the attorney-general said that he and the other government bodies
involved in the case, including officials from the State Attorney's Office, the
Shin Bet and the police, agreed that the case is extremely serious in terms of
the "characteristics of Blau's conduct."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Uri Blau (Credit: Channel 2)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Vengeance against jellyfish turns out to be more rubbery than sweet. Israelis
fantasize about taking revenge on venomous sea creatures by eating them, but
culinary efforts prove to be literally tasteless

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 702 words

Every year Israelis take refuge from the sweltering summer heat in the cool
waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and almost every year, swarms of jellyfish
whose tentacles pack a painful - though rarely lethal - sting show up to spoil
the party.

To the dismay of would-be bathers, forced to stay on dry land, this season's
blooms have already periodically blanketed the country's coast. Now, some
Israelis are proposing a curious new way of fighting the jellyfish invasion:
Eating them.

"The time for revenge has come!" declared Gal in a recipe for fried jellyfish
with water chestnuts and mushrooms he posted on his Ptitim food blog. "I made a
meal of one of the most hated creatures of the summer - because there's no way
I'm going to cook a mosquito or a French tourist."

Gal, who preferred not to provide his surname, said his recipe went online this
time last year but that it recently regained popularity on Facebook -about the
same time that the jellyfish reappeared on Israel's coasts- receiving over 1,500
"likes."

"It was hot and humid and the jellyfish arrived," he said via phone last week,
explaining his inspiration for the unusual gelatinous dish. "I cook seasonal and
local foods and this posed a particular culinary challenge. So I did a little
reading and learned how to cook them."

Preparing a jellyfish is a laborious and potentially dangerous process if done
incorrectly. Gal harvested a few specimens in good condition from a beach near
his house using thick rubber gloves and took them to his kitchen. There, he
separated the bells from the venomous tentacles and washed them in hot and cold
water several times, cleaning them of sand and bacteria. He then diced the
rubbery remains into thin strips and tried them raw.

Revenge may be sweet in theory but in practice the slices turned out to be too
rubbery, so he further marinated the morsels in rice vinegar and soy sauce and
fried them for a more satisfactory result, though this was still far from ideal.

"It was a great experience, but they are tasteless," concluded Gal, who said he
will not be trying the dish again soon. "It's like eating flip-flops."

Jellyfish are a relative newcomer to the Mediterranean. They arrived from the
Red Sea via the Suez Canal when it opened in the late 19th century and have
since spread far and wide, from the Nile Delta to the Strait of Gibraltar. The
most common type of jellyfish in this part of the world is Rhopilema nomadica,
an evolutionary primitive white blob of water and little protein.

Because jellyfish are comparitively new to the region they are ignored by
Mediterranean cuisines, which otherwise make a feast of almost any edible
creature including snails and barnacles. Some crafty Israeli salesmen are said
to have looked into exporting the superfluous catch to Japan, where they are
commonly consumed, but the Japanese would not bite. Apparently, they prefer a
local Asian variety over the Mediterranean kind.

In Israel, the market for the oldest form of multi-organ animals as a food is
limited because, lacking fins and scales, they are not kosher. Still, a few bold
attempts to introduce jellyfish into the Israeli diet have been made. Carpaccio
Bar, a restaurant in Tel Aviv, started importing dried jellyfish from Japan in
2009 and served them to patrons for two years.

"A regular customer who worked in Japan told us it was easy to bring it to
Israel," said Yotam Doktor, one of the restaurant's co-owners. "The Carpaccio
Bar specializes in raw foods so we thought it was worth trying."

Some clients came especially to try the exotic dish but eventually it did not
catch on and was removed from the menu this year. "It just isn't tasty," said
Doktor.

He remembers one unfortunate occasion where complications of having the rare
dish on his menu left him feeling a bit stung. "A regular came to the restaurant
especially to try our jellyfish, but we had just run out," he recalled.

So Doktor and two co-owners spread out along the Mediterranean coast hoping to
come back with a bounty of the usually ubiquitous creatures, but, much to their
chagrin, they came back empty handed.

"It was the peak season, the middle of August," an exasperated Doktor said, "and
there wasn't a jellyfish in sight."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A PHOTO of fried jellyfish marinated in rice vinegar and soy
sauce appears on the Ptitim food blog. (Credit: Ptitim)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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739 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

PM tells Turkish journalists way must be found to restore ties

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 624 words

Israel and Turkey need to find a way to restore the important relationship they
once had, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told a delegation of senior Turkish
print journalists he met earlier this week.

The Prime Minister's Office put out a short statement about the meeting on
Tuesday, to coincide with reports of the meeting in the Turkish media, saying
that Netanyahu said both Turkey and Israel were "important, strong and stable"
countries in an unstable region.

"Turks and Israelis have a relationship that goes back a long way," he said.
"Turkey and Israel have relations that go back a long way. We need to find ways
to restore the relationship that we had, because I think it is important for
each of our countries."

Netanyahu stressed this was especially important now - at a time of regional
instability.

According to a report of the meeting posted Tuesday evening on the website of
the Today's Zaman daily, which had a reporter in the delegation, Netanyahu said
that the close ties that Israel has developed over the last few years with
Greece and Cyprus - Turkey's historic rivals - happened coincidentally, and had
nothing to do with the deterioration of Israeli-Turkish ties.

While this was not the first group of Turkish journalists to visit the country
since the May 2010 Mavi Marmara incident that plunged relations between
Jerusalem and Ankara into a downward spiral, it was the first to meet the
country's senior leadership.

Netanyahu met the group in the conference room just outside his inner office,
which was decorated with an Israeli and a Turkish flag.

One diplomatic official said that the reason the delegation was invited was
because Israel is interested in reaching out to the Turkish people, to let them
know that the relationship is important to Jerusalem.

Israel's ties with Turkey, which peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s,
started to gradually deteriorate soon after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
swept into power in 2002.

The deterioration was felt at first primarily by much more critical rhetoric
toward Israel and its policies coming from Ankara, even though Turkey served a
role - which it coveted - as mediator in indirect contacts between Syria and
Israel.

The ties plummeted with Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 and Erdogan's verbal
attack on President Shimon Peres at Davos just after the operation, followed by
his dramatic act of storming off the stage. Relations sank even further in May
2010 after Israeli commandoes trying to stop the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara from
breaking the Gaza blockade boarded the vessel and - after they came under
assault - killed nine Turks.

Ankara expelled Israel's ambassador a year later when Israel refused to meet its
demands: apologize for the incident, pay compensation to the families of the
victims and to those injured, and lift the blockade of Gaza.

While Israel was willing to pay compensation, it refused to apologize or allow
Ankara to dictate its policy regarding the Gaza blockade.

On Sunday the delegation met with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who has
come out adamantly against issuing an apology to Ankara.

According to Israeli officials, Liberman told the group that Israel did not need
to apologize for an action he said was a deliberate Turkish provocation, but
that there was a need for the countries to get over the incident.

Liberman said Israel was willing to talk about everything, and put all the
differences between Ankara and Jerusalem on the table in order to try and
resolve them. He added that he was rebuffed in previous efforts to set up a
meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu - and cited Russian
diplomats as telling him that Davutoglu does not like Israel, and setting up a
meeting with him would be impossible.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

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PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Kiryat Shmona overturns deficit to advance. Home, sweet home for Israeli champs
as 2-0 triumph in Haifa eliminates Zilina

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 610 words

Ironi Kiryat Shmona's Champions League dream is alive and kicking after it
advanced to the third qualifying round on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over MSK Zilina
at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium in Haifa, overturning a 1-0 first-leg defeat from last
week.

Kiryat Shmona dominated the proceedings once more, but it had to wait until late
in the match to secure its progress.

A mix of fortune and fortitude saw Zilina hold on to its 1-0 lead from Slovakia
last week until the 70th minute, when an own-goal by Vladimir Leitner gave the
hosts the elusive breakthrough before Shimon Abu Hazeira clinched the tie with a
powerful effort eight minutes later.

"We deserved this victory," said Kiryat Shmona coach Gili Landau, who will not
have long to prepare for the third qualifying round first leg next week.

"The name of the game was patience. We tried to decide the match in the first 10
minutes, but we squandered our chances and we had to be patient after that. We
continued to move the ball against a very compact defense and ultimately it paid
off."

Kiryat Shmona will host Azerbaijan's Neftci PFK in the first leg of the third
qualifying round next week, with Neftci drawing 2-2 at Georgia's FC Zestafoni on
Tuesday to complete a 5-2 aggregate win.

By qualifying for the next round, the surprise Israeli champion has guaranteed
itself a place in the Europa League playoffs even if it loses in the Champions
League third round of qualifying.

Progress to the Champions League playoffs with a triumph over Neftci will book
the northerners - at the very least - a place in the Europa League group stage.

"This was the most important match in our club's history," said club owner Izzy
Sheratzky. "We played well and deserved to win and now we face a new battle. The
next round is especially important as we can secure ourselves an extended
continental campaign."

Abu Hazeira failed to hit the target with either of his two chances in the first
five minutes and Adrian Rochet was the next Kiryat Shmona player to fire wayward
from close range in the 14th minute.

A defensive lapse by Lietner in the 27th minute almost cost the visitors dearly,
but David Solari left the Slovaks unpunished, sending his shot centimeters wide
of the upright.

Kiryat Shmona continued to pile the pressure at the start of the second half,
but was slowly beginning to get frustrated, as demonstrated by Solari's over-hit
shot from long range in the 58th minute.

It seemed like it might not be Kiryat Shmona's day when Salah Hasarma, who only
drank and ate midway through the match as he was fasting due to the Ramadan,
blasted a close-range effort against the crossbar in the 64th minute.

However, the deadlock was broken six minutes later when man-of-the-match Elad
Gabai tortured his defender once more on the right flank before sending in a
cross Lietner could not handle, bumbling the ball into his own net.

The opener was all the impetus Kiryat Shmona needed to go on and win the tie,
with Abu Hazeira smashing the ball beyond goalkeeper Martin Dubravka after
Lietner turned it over in his own half.

"This was a once in a lifetime match and we gave our all," Gabai said. "We took
a significant step forward with this win. I didn't even want to consider the
option that we might not progress."

With Zilina conquered, Landau will happily turn his attention to Neftci, a club
with a budget around four times that of Kiryat Shmona's.

"I'm very pleased as this gives us confidence and momentum for the rest of the
competition," Landau said. "We looked okay, but we still have plenty of room for
improvement. There are no easy matches in this competition and we have no reason
to be in a euphoric mood ahead of next week."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: SHIMON ABU HAZEIRA (inset) scored Ironi Kiryat Shmona's
second and decisive goal in its 2-0 win over MSK Zilina at Kiryat Eliezer
Stadium last night. Kiryat Shmona progressed to the Champions League third
qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate victory. (Credit: Adi Avishai)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

741 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Mofaz 'credits' Netanyahu with stopping leftist split in Kadima

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 387 words

Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz will apparently emerge from the final day of the
winter Knesset session on Wednesday with his 28-MK faction unbroken, despite
efforts on the Right and Left to divide it, sources in all the camps in Kadima
said Tuesday night.

The Knesset will begin a three-month recess Thursday that will stretch until
October 15, after the fall holidays. Although political maneuvering is possible
during the recess, it is more risky and complicated.

The Knesset House Committee, which must approve any split, can be summoned at a
moment's notice when the Knesset is in session, but must be notified three days
in advance during the recess. During those three days, MKs can be pressured to
change their mind about leaving Kadima.

Mofaz's associates expressed confidence that the danger of a split in Kadima had
passed. They credited Mofaz for working behind the scenes to prevent a split of
the party's Right flank by exposing it prematurely, and ironically praised
Netanyahu for mishandling the Right split so much that MKs on the party's Left
flank are afraid to leave.

"We have to credit Bibi [Netanyahu] for bumbling the split like such a schlemiel
that no one wants to leave right now," a source close to Mofaz said. "There is
no public legitimacy for leaving now. A split on the Left cannot be painted
ideologically."

Former Kadima council chairman Haim Ramon still hopes to persuade the seven MKs
required to split a faction to leave and form the basis for a new party he will
build with former Kadima leader Tzipi Livni. But MKs who had planned to leave
said the move was on hold.

"Nothing is happening, at least in the next few days," said MK Majallie Whbee,
who was one of six Kadima doves rumored to be on the verge of leaving to Ramon's
as-yet-unformed party. "Anything you hear to the contrary is speculation of
people who don't have anything to do."

MK Robert Tibayev, who is close to Livni, added that "whoever says I am leaving
Kadima [Wednesday] can go to hell."

Former minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who was the architect of the failed split on
Kadima's Right flank, expressed disappointment that seven MKs were not leaving
Kadima for Likud together with him.

"I hope there will be people who strengthen the coalition, but I unfortunately
don't see it as doable and I am not dealing with it now," Hanegbi said.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

No illusions about Egypt

BYLINE: ISI LEIBLER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1275 words

The government of Israel is making all the right noises and appropriate
statements expressing hope that the new government of Egypt will maintain the
cold peace. But we should be under no illusions. Even the greatest optimists
cannot gloss over the reality that the Islamic forces of the Muslim Brotherhood
seeking to control Egypt are committed to ultimately revoking the peace treaty.

Their motives stem not merely from nationalist xenophobia but are deeply rooted
in fanatical extremist Islamic ideology, which is infinitely more intense and
inflexible. Although Mubarak treated Israel like a pariah and exploited popular
anti-Semitism, in comparison to these Islamic zealots he would be considered a
liberal.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the organization which spawned Hamas, and it remains
adamantly committed to wiping the "Zionist entity" off the face of the map. This
was reiterated last month by its leader Mohammed Badie, who called for "imposing
Muslim rule throughout Palestine" and "freeing it from the filth of Zionism."

It represents the most intolerant wing of Islam, rejecting coexistence with
other religions, and is renowned for persecuting and harassing Christians. The
Brotherhood is not merely dedicated to imposing sharia law in Egypt but is
fervently committed to achieving global conquest on behalf of Islam.

Its leaders, who during World War II allied themselves with the Nazis, are
notorious for promoting rabid anti-Semitism. The imams continuously remind their
followers that Jews are the descendants of apes and pigs and deserve to be
killed as enemies of the Prophet Mohammed. They have a long tradition of
assassinating opponents, terrorism and suicide bombings.

However, the Muslim Brotherhood is pragmatic and politically savvy and thus
disinclined to overplay its hand, initially avoiding extreme behavior which
could result in a break with the US and Western countries and lead to a total
meltdown of the already disintegrating Egyptian economy. They recognize that
Mubarak's ouster was principally propelled by economic factors and that if they
are to retain power they must feed 80 million Egyptians.

US ADMINISTRATION spokesmen are burying their heads in the sand when they imply
that once the Brotherhood is in control it is likely to act responsibly and
provide a pluralistic environment for Egyptians. Even more absurd are the
reassurances that it is undergoing a liberal transformation and committed to
maintaining a democratic system of government. Similar delusional nonsense was
disseminated about Hamas when it "democratically" gained control of Gaza.

Every "elected" radical Islamic group has ultimately imposed a regime in which
political opponents and other independent societal elements were marginalized.
One need only observe the more "democratic" and "liberal" Erdogan Islamist
regime in Turkey which, in a relatively short time, completely eradicated the
reforms of Kemal Ataturk, imprisoned the former military leaders and replaced
the secular military government with an Islamic authoritarian regime. The Muslim
Brotherhood is far more radical than its Islamic Turkish counterpart.

The reality is that democracy cannot survive in a society dominated by Islamic
extremists who brook no opposition. Indeed, much as we despise authoritarian,
dictatorial and even totalitarian regimes, precedents clearly indicate that a
regime ruled by Islamic fanatics is likely to be far more oppressive than a
military autocracy.

Although weakened, the military did dissolve the Islamic
fundamentalist-dominated parliament and still represents a barrier to total
Muslim Brotherhood control. But it is likely to avoid a direct confrontation
unless it is confident it has public support. In this explosive environment, US
pressure on the military to stand down can only serve to further undermine
Western interests and lead to intensified oppression.

We should not expect newly elected President Mohamed Mursi to be a moderating
influence. His recent undertakings to act on behalf of the entire Egyptian
people are totally out of synch with his long-standing record of support for
hardline Brotherhood policies.

Just prior to the election, Mursi announced that the Koran would be the
constitution of Egypt and "that this nation will enjoy blessing and revival only
through the Islamic sharia. I swear for Allah and before you all that regardless
of the actual text [of the constitution]... it will truly reflect the sharia."

Mursi, who refused to accept a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu, stated that he would honor Egypt's existing international agreements
including the peace treaty with Israel. Yet he repeatedly includes the caveat
that it is necessary to re-examine the 1978 Camp David agreements and that if
Israel's leaders (who he previously referred to as "vampires" and "murderers")
did not keep their commitments to the Palestinian people, Egypt was not obliged
to honor the peace treaty.

Oft repeated chants expressed at his rallies included "Mursi will liberate
Gaza," "Jerusalem will become the capital of the United Arab nation" and "death
for the sake of Allah is our most lofty aspiration."

Setting aside the current "standoff" with Israel, there is every likelihood that
at a future time of his choosing, like Arafat, Mursi is likely to suggest that
the Prophet's violation of the Treaty of Hudaybiya in 629 CE on the grounds that
agreements with infidels and Jews need not be honored, was a historical
precedent that could be applied against Israel.

Any doubt about Mursi's outlook toward the West was clarified with his televised
inaugural presidential speech, which the US government ignored. He proclaimed
that "it is my duty to make all efforts" to seek the release of the "Blind
Sheikh," Egyptian Omar Abdel Rahman, who headed the terrorist group which
allegedly orchestrated the assassination of Sadat, was accused of being allied
with Osama bin-Laden and is now serving a life sentence in a North Carolina
prison for conspiring in 1993 to destroy the World Trade Center and seeking to
bomb New York City landmarks.

IN REPORTING this, the New York Times observed that Mursi had previously
remarked that he suspected that unknown hidden hands might have played a role in
the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings. "When you come and tell me that the plane
hit the tower like a knife in butter, you are insulting us."

Now, notwithstanding undertakings to Jewish leaders that he would not invite
Mursi to the White House unless he made a public commitment to genuinely adhere
to the peace treaty with Israel, Obama has announced that he will be hosting the
man who will urge him to release an unrepentant major global terrorist leader.

We in Israel are on the front lines. We may enjoy relative tranquility from
Egypt in the short term due to the prevailing chaos and restraints from the
military. However, Hamas now feels confident that in the event of a future clash
with Israel, Egypt is likely to provide it with maximum support and may
ultimately even join it in confronting us.

This means that our border with Egypt will need to be strongly secured and
Israel must gird itself for an increase in terrorist attacks emanating from the
Sinai Peninsula. These are likely to include missile attacks, making the
relationship with Egypt extremely fragile.

The only bright side of this dismal picture is our adversaries' awareness of the
incredible power of the IDF. This ultimately represents the greatest deterrent
against further deterioration or escalation of assaults against us.

The writer's website can be viewed at www.wordfromjerusalem.com. He may be
contacted at ileibler@netvision.net.il

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: CANDIDLY SPEAKING. We should not expect newly elected President Mohamed
Mursi to be a moderating influence. His recent undertakings to act on behalf of
the entire Egyptian people are totally out of synch with his long-standing
record of support for hardline Brotherhood policies.

GRAPHIC: Photo: FRIENDS IN deed. Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi meets with
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal at the presidential palace in Cairo. (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

743 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Letters

BYLINE: Thelma Susswein, Hannah Sondhelm, Edith Ognall, Yardena Ostral, Raymond
Cannon, Jack Cohen, Zev Chamudot, Nadia Matar, Yehudit Katsover, Jerusalem Post
staff

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1169 words

Sheer madness

Sir, - It really is a mad, mad world when we, the people of Israel, feel we must
prop up Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ("Israel advances PA NIS
180m. to ease financial crisis," July 23).

This man walked out of peace talks. This man and his cohorts are already lining
up at the Arab League to petition the UN General Assembly to recognize the great
country of Palestine. The government of Israel has nothing better to do than
gift Abbas a check for NIS 180 million so that his PA can continue to harm us?
This is sheer madness.

The people of Israel should work very very quickly to prevent such acts of
idiocy from occurring again when the enemy takes every opportunity to harm us in
every international venue and the court of public opinion.

THELMA SUSSWEIN

Jerusalem

Sir, - Another "goodwill gesture" has been made to the Palestinian Authority. I
wouldn't mind this, as it can prevent a Hamas takeover in the West Bank. But why
are we the ones who always have to make goodwill gestures? It's about time that
the PA makes some to us.

Just this past May we handed over the bodies of more than 90 terrorists as a
goodwill gesture. More recently we increased by 5,000 the number of Palestinian
construction workers allowed to work in Israel. Does our government really think
that all of these gestures will improve our relations with the PA?

It never has before and I don't think it will now. But we can always hope for
the best.

HANNAH SONDHELM

Jerusalem

Sir, - I felt physically sick on reading "Israel advances PA NIS 180m. to ease
financial crisis." What about our own financial crisis and those of the families
unable to feed their children or purchase essential commodities - a situation
mostly brought on because we are in a constant state of war with the enemy Prime
Minister Netanyahu insists on supporting?

There must be a serious sickness in this government, which continues to feed the
enemy's machine of death and destruction, all in the cause of the most perverted
and shameless surrender to the "peace process."

As for "PA to seek UN non-member status" (July 23), Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas said that once Palestine becomes a non-member state of
the UN it will be an entity under Israeli occupation and the territories
occupied in 1967 will no longer be considered disputed lands.

Our peace partner - a terrorist in a suit - has to be given credit for his
persistence and for not giving up on our destruction.

EDITH OGNALL

Netanya

Can't stomach her

Sir, - Surely Greer Fay Cashman's headline, "Is the IBA trying to break the
spirit of broadcaster Keren Neubach?" (July 23), is an exaggeration.

Neubach is a broadcaster who gobbles her words, speaks indistinctly and
inevitably chooses the same people to comment on current events. No matter how
complex the issue she will come up with a pat, populist answer to the problem.

Whenever the Israel Broadcasting Authority even considers making changes it is
immediately flooded by accusations that it is undemocratic, becoming fascist or,
in Cashman's opinion, declaring war on women's organizations. It would be
positively refreshing if once a week we heard a morning radio program with a
little more balance and a little less self-righteousness.

And yes - Neubach is definitely not telegenic no matter what side of the
political spectrum you come from.

YARDENA OSTRAL

Haifa

The real sucker

Sir, - Ari Harow's sycophantic account of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's
approach to a replacement for the Tal Law ("Mofaz's missed opportunity: He's the
real sucker," Comment & Features, July 23) contains one glaring omission:
Netanyahu's initial reaction was to renew the Tal Law unconditionally.

The prime minister became a convert to the principle of shared burden only when
the Supreme Court declared the law to be illegal and the political opposition
forced his hand.

RAYMOND CANNON

Netanya

Sir, - I agree with Ari Harow, namely that Shaul Mofaz has shown himself to be a
shallow opportunist.

While the Kadima party is collapsing around him, Mofaz has some nerve
criticizing others. Politics is the art of the possible, but what he has
attempted is impossible.

Mofaz should have stayed in the coalition and tried compromise. Instead, he
chose the path to obscurity, following his predecessor, Tzipi Livni.

JACK COHEN

Netanya

Why didn't he serve?

Sir, - In her passionate defense of Itay Tiran ("The golden boy of Israeli
theater," Think About It, July 23), Susan Hattis Rolef states that efforts to
delegitimize him are "undemocratic and repulsive." She acknowledges that these
efforts at delegitimization are based on Tiran's not serving in the IDF together
with other political views that found expression in his refusal to perform in
Ariel.

It must be noted that Rolef, when mentioning Tiran's lack of service in the IDF,
surprisingly adds in explanation: "apparently on grounds of conscientious
objection." Do we, the readers, not deserve to be clearly told the reasons
behind such a critical issue and not be left with assumptions?

Rolef further states that Tiran has done "nothing illegal or illegitimate." She
thus, perhaps unwittingly, gives her imprimatur of legitimacy to those who do
not serve in the IDF. Does she believe that Tiran's acting skills permit him to
avoid service?

I personally feel that it is quite consistent with the definition of a democracy
for citizens to take offense and express their objection to those who choose to
act against the will, sentiments and values held by a majority of the populace.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petah Tikva

Our alternative

Sir, - Hirsh Goodman is right ("OK, you've won; now what?," PostScript, July 13)
- the Land of Israel supporters have won.

Thanks to pioneers like Rabbi Moshe Levinger and Rabbi Hanan Porat and their
colleagues, who immediately after 1967 pushed to restore and create Jewish
communities throughout the newly liberated regions of our homeland, we have
reached a point where there are about 700,000 Jews living across the former
Green Line.

Goodman calls on the public to decide between annexation or a unilateral
disengagement. "What's your alternative?," we're always asked.

An answer to that question was given on July 12 at a well-attended conference
held in Hebron, titled "The Application of Israeli Sovereignty throughout All of
Judea and Samaria." The conference was organized by Women in Green in
cooperation with Just Peace for Israel. All the speakers talked about the
necessity of applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

The lectures are available on YouTube in Hebrew and English.

NADIA MATAR

YEHUDIT KATSOVER

Efrat

The writers are co-chairwomen of Women in Green

CORRECTION

The photograph accompanying "Netanyahu: 'Historic change' to come with Ya'alon
plan for enlistment of haredim" (July 23) mistakenly identified the person shown
to the far left. It is Intelligence Agencies Minister Dan Meridor and not as
stated. In addition, everyone in the photo is of ministerial rank except for
Tzvi Hauser, who, as cabinet secretary, is neither a cabinet minister nor an MK.

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Litzman names external expert to probe state comptroller's criticism of MDA

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 561 words

Ran Balinikov, the former budgets director in the Finance Ministry, has been
appointed by Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman as an external adviser
"dealing" with the section of the State Comptroller's Report on the Health
Ministry that criticized the functioning of Magen David Adom.

Litzman asked Balinikov to examine the comptroller's report and present
recommendations for the ministry to deal with the problems in the organization
of first-aid, blood-supply and ambulances. The comptroller's report, said
Litzman, had raised a series of problems in the way the institutions that run
MDA function, especially regarding their supervision and internal control.

A few months ago, after the critical report was published, the Knesset State
Control Committee stated that it "would not rule out the establishment of
additional lifesaving organizations to compete with MDA."

The report said MDA institutions that had been meant to supervise and control it
were "powerless." Litzman told the committee he was considering the transfer of
comptroller reports on MDA from recent years to an "external judicial source
that will determine the necessary steps."

Thus, instead of a judge, he has now appointed a financial expert to make such
recommendations.

"This is not the first report, the second or [even] the third, and the matter
must be dealt with, including by changing the MDA law," Litzman said.

Ministry director-general Prof. Ronni Gamzu then told the Knesset committee that
the latest comptroller's report was "a clear and sharp statement on the running
of the organization and the rules of supervision by the state and MDA itself. We
will handle the subject together with MDA and fix all the shortcomings within
four months," he promised.

A whole list of MDA positions and official bodies had been set down, from the
president of MDA appointed by the president of Israel for three years, to the
national convention, to the council and the actions committee and its various
subcommittees, the comptroller wrote in his report. The last two were charged
with supervising the daily activities of MDA, whose director-general since 2005
is Eli Bin and whose chairman of the actions committee, Dr. Noam Yifrah, was
appointed in 2004. But MDA institutions met infrequently, the comptroller wrote,
and too often, "MDA institutions supervised themselves."

The comptroller also criticized the fact that the tenure of senior officials had
not been limited.

"This is liable to bring about the accumulation of too much power in their hands
and prevention of monitoring and renewal in the organization," he wrote.

Asked to comment, MDA management said that two months ago, it appointed a
committee to correct its shortcomings. It added that it "welcomed the
appointment of a similar body in the Health Ministry that will repair the
shortcomings of the government as raised by the State Comptroller. In another
two months, each of these bodies will present its corrections to the Knesset
Internal Control Committee."

It added that the latest State Comptroller's Report on MDA joined a previous one
"in which MDA received praise on its management and functioning. MDA accepts the
critical comments," it added, and is already acting to correct what needs to be
corrected in rigorous rules of control. It noted that the comptroller commended
MDA in his report for correcting past shortcomings.

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Ran Balinikov (Credit: Globes)

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Photo - The Foundation's fundamental work

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 111 words

The Foundation's fundamental work. Lee Lasher, Seth Mandell and Sherri Mandell
of the Koby Mandell Foundation pose for a photo with Likud MK Danny Danon in the
Knesset on Monday. In a special meeting of the Immigration Absorption and
Diaspora Affairs Committee, Danon called attention to the important work of the
foundation. Founded in 2001 following the murder of 13-year-old Koby and his
friend, Yosef Ishran, the foundation has helped thousands of families cope with
the loss of a loved one to terror or other similar tragedies. The foundation
just completed its 11th summer of Camp Koby, a fully sponsored 10-day sleepover
camp for children who have lost loved ones.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: The Foundation's fundamental work. Lee Lasher, Seth Mandell and
Sherri Mandell of the Koby Mandell Foundation pose for a photo with Likud MK
Danny Danon in the Knesset on Monday. In a special meeting of the Immigration
Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee, Danon called attention to the
important work of the foundation. Founded in 2001 following the murder of
13-year-old Koby and his friend, Yosef Ishran, the foundation has helped
thousands of families cope with the loss of a loved one to terror or other
similar tragedies. The foundation just completed its 11th summer of Camp Koby, a
fully sponsored 10-day sleepover camp for children who have lost loved ones.
(Credit: Courtesy DJW Consulting)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Israel: An inspiration for smaller nations

BYLINE: RICHARD MARCEAU

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1019 words

Today, Canada can be considered Israel's best friend. Not only has Canada's
government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, taken clear
and supportive positions in favor of Israel, Thomas Mulcair, the new leader of
the Official Opposition (the New Democratic Party), is known to be a friend to
Israel. As well, the Liberal Party, led by Bob Rae and counting in its ranks
Prof. Irwin Cotler, can also be considered a supporter of Israel.

However, it is fair to say that in Quebec Israel might not be as popular as in
other parts of Canada. That is due in part, to the sources of information
available in French.

It is well known that in France, opinion tends to be solidly behind the
Palestinians. There, Palestinians are too often viewed simply as victims and
objects of history, never as fully responsible participants in history. This
French view of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the prism through which the situation
is analyzed, is very similar to Quebec's. It is easy to understand why, as
French media, French analysts and French books are an important source of
information on this topic for many Quebeckers.

A CLOSER look at Israel may well cause a change of viewpoint. Recently, a group
of Quebec nationalist intellectuals (both for and against the independence of
Canada's French-speaking province) was in Israel to learn from what is arguably
the biggest success in nation building in the world post-World War II: the
Jewish state.

The most often heard impression from them: inspiring.

Like most people in the world (outside a small post-national, post-modern elite,
found mainly in Europe), they believe that the nation is where a democracy, a
culture, a civilization lives. For these visiting Quebec intellectuals and for
many people around the world, the nation is the best interface between the
individual and the universal.

There is no such thing as a "citizen of the world." One is a citizen of a
country and it is through that country that one interacts with the world.

This is even truer in our globalized world.

DURING THEIR visit, many parallels between Quebec and Israel were drawn. Former
Quebec premier Rene Levesque - considered by many to have been Quebec's greatest
leader of the 20th century - once said that "French Canadians and Jews have
quite a bit in common." Levesque often evoked comparisons between the State of
Israel and the preservation of Jewish culture and traditions, and Quebec and the
preservation of French culture and traditions in North America.

Like Quebec, Israel faces an incredible linguistic challenge. If Quebec is a
French island in an English-speaking sea, Israel is a Hebrew island in an
Arabic-speaking sea. Not only must Israelis work hard to ensure that Hebrew
remains vigorous, Israel succeeded in resurrecting Hebrew, a language that not
so long ago was used only for prayer and was totally inept for the modern world.

Israel's success in making Hebrew its national and everyday language is highly
impressive. Quebec would be well advised to follow this example. Today, Hebrew
is both Israel's national language and its common public language. Yet, as in
Quebec for its English speaking minority, the Arab minority has rights,
including linguistic ones, well-respected and protected by the Israeli Supreme
Court.

As well, Israel's decision to build its future on hi-tech is similar to
Quebec's. As Quebec Finance Minister Raymond Bachand said in October 2010:
"Israel is similar to Quebec in many ways. There is the size. There are Israel's
sectors of the future, which are similar to Quebec's: biotechnology,
pharmaceutics, information technologies. And Israel is a world leader in both
the technological sector and venture capital."

All this made a huge impression on the visiting Quebeckers.

AS SOMEONE who visits Israel many times a year, as someone who proudly calls
himself a Zionist and a pro-Israel advocate, I was thoroughly refreshed by a
week with this group of Quebeckers in Israel.

The cause of their lives is a vibrant, French-speaking Quebec. Whether inside or
outside Canada, they want their nation - situated beside the most powerful
economic, political, military and cultural empire the world has ever seen: the
United States - to continue to thrive as a unique and distinct society.

Quebec is 8 million strong, has a minority (English-speaking mainly)
representing about 20 percent of its population, is surrounded by another
culture, has a quiet capital (Quebec City) and a fun-loving metropolis
(Montreal). It is destined to excel if it wants to survive. Sound familiar?

Of course, the parallels go only so far. No Quebec neighbor seeks its physical
destruction. No president of a nearby state hopes to see it annihilated. No
attempt at genocide was committed against French Canadians in the 20th century.
And North America is not the Middle East, but likely the most peaceful
neighborhood on the planet. Still...

For a Quebec nationalist, Zionism and its creation of the State of Israel are
awe-inspiring.

What the group witnessed amazed them: a country that did not exist 65 years ago
is now a (if not the) start-up nation. A language that was relegated to
synagogues is now a living, modern language. A people that was persecuted and
scattered around the world is now standing tall and proud.

Meeting with these intellectuals was refreshing not only for me but also for the
Israelis they encountered. It is too easy to become jaded, to be cynical about
Israel, even for its strongest backers and supporters. Sometimes, it is good to
see Israel through someone else's eyes to realize how great an example it is -
and can be - not only for Quebeckers, but for the millions of people living in
small nations around the world who are proud of their identity, are proud of
their heritage and who do not want to be swallowed up by globalization's
powerful forces.

The writer is a lawyer working for Canada's Centre for Israel and Jewish
Affairs. A Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2006, he is the author of A Quebec
Jew: from Bloc Quebecois MP to Jewish Activist, which won the 2012 Helen and
Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award (Memoirs).

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: For a Quebec nationalist, Zionism and its creation of the State of Israel
are awe-inspiring

GRAPHIC: Photo: Quebec's Minister of Finance Raymond Bachand presents his budget
at the National Assembly in Quebec. (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Study links childhood obesity to cancer in adulthood

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 375 words

Tel Aviv University researchers have found a connection between obesity in
childhood and colon or bladder cancer in adulthood. The risk for these malignant
tumors is 40 percent higher in adults who were overweight as children.

Dr. Adi Leiba, Prof. Arnon Afek and Dr. Ari Shamiss of Tel Aviv University's
Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, together
with researchers from the IDF's medical corps and the Hadassah Medical
Organization, just published their study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology,
Biomarkers & Prevention.

It has long been known that maintaining normal weight is vital because being
overweight can raise the risk of diabetes, heart disease and joint and muscle
pain. But the research team, who studied the health records of 1.1 million
18-year-old male draftees and followed them up for a period of another 18 years,
has now found that obesity can be clearly linked with the two kinds of cancer.

The researchers began with urological cancer and cancer of the large intestine,
but state that in the future, they think more research will show direct links
between childhood obesity and many others tumors - including pancreatic cancer,
which they are now studying.

They defined obesity in children as weight in the top 15% of the body mass index
(BMI) tables. The American Heart Association has said that one out of every
three children and teenagers in the US is obese. The rate is still lower in
Israel, but the numbers are rising.

Shamiss said the results of the study demonstrated that more research is needed
in the field. "For example, we must examine whether obesity is a direct risk
factor for cancer or perhaps the two phenomena result from a joint genetic
variation. Basic research can help us understand in more depth the connection
between obesity and cancer," he said.

One of the critical questions, he added, was whether weight loss reduces
children's risk of contracting cancer as an adult. The database included fat
children who were compared to those of normal weight, but did not investigate
whether weight loss had a significant difference in risk.

"Today, we see the importance of preventing obesity in children, but this new
finding undoubtedly produces a warning light," Shamiss concluded.

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Munich widows make last-ditch effort in campaign for Olympic moment of silence

BYLINE: JONNY PAUL/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 447 words

LONDON - With only two days until the opening of the 2012 London Olympics, two
Munich Olympic widows will make a final call to the International Olympic
Committee to hold a public minute of silence for the 11 Israelis murdered at the
1972 Games.

Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano - whose husbands, fencing coach Andrei Spitzer
and weightlifter Yossef Romano, were killed by terrorists along with nine of
their teammates - will again ask IOC President Jacque Rogge to grant the minute
during the opening ceremony of the London Games on Friday.

Olympic officials have been criticized for refusing to hold a minute's silence
for victims of Munich massacre at opening ceremony on Friday.

The widows were scheduled to present Rogge and the IOC on Tuesday evening with a
petition that has gathered more than 103,000 signatures requesting the
organization honor the memory of the men with a minute of silence.

The petition was started by Spitzer and Romano in conjunction with the Jewish
Community Center of Rockland County, New York, and has sparked an outpouring of
support from around the world, including legislative and government action in
Israel, the US, Canada, Australia, Italy, the UK, Germany and others.

US President Barack Obama is supportive of the call to honor the slain athletes.

The Jewish Community Center has been working closely with Spitzer, Romano and
the Munich 11 families for the past two years, pushing for a commemoration at
Friday's opening ceremony.

The families of the Munich 11 have been asking the IOC to commemorate the deaths
of their loved ones since the atrocity took place 40 years ago. They have been
rejected every time. The IOC has claimed to do so would bring politics into the
Olympics.

Earlier this week, Rogge said the opening ceremony is "an atmosphere that is not
fit to remember such a tragic incident."

With only two days to go, Spitzer and Romano want to impress upon IOC officials
that they can change their decision and honor the men.

On Monday, the IOC paid a surprise tribute to the Israeli athletes killed at the
1972 Games, marking the event for the first time in an Olympic village. However
it drew criticism from the victim's families who said an unannounced minute of
silence in London was a public relations stunt aimed at deflecting criticism
against IOC.

On Sunday, London Mayor Boris Johnson unveiled a plaque near the Olympic village
to honor the Munich victims.

The Zionist Federation of the UK has organized its own minute of silence. The
'Minute for Munich' memorial service will be streamed live via a webcast on
Friday. There will also be an impromptu memorial service in Trafalgar Square in
central London organized by private individuals.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: AN ADVERTISEMENT announces a moment of silence in honor of the
slain Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics that will be held by the
Zionist Federation UK and the WZO on Friday. (Credit: Courtesy Zionist
Federation UK)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Iran denies claim by its Olympic head that athletes would play against Israel.
Meeting of Olympians unlikely regardless. 'We would be truthful to sport' and
even recognize Munich moment of silence, Afsharzadeh says

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 601 words

A meeting between athletes from Israel and Iran looked to be as unlikely as ever
on Tuesday, just a day after a senior Iranian sporting official declared that
his delegation will compete against every country at the upcoming London
Olympics.

Bahram Afsharzadeh, head of the Iranian Olympic Mission, was quoted as saying on
Monday that his delegation had no plans to boycott events because of the
nationality of opponents. However, it took only a few hours for the Iranian
media to claim his comments were misinterpreted, although the chances of an
Iranian and an Israeli meeting at the 2012 Games are virtually nonexistent.

Following the withdrawal of judoka Javad Mahjoob, who may have faced Israel's
Arik Ze'evi in the under-100 kilogram competition, the only possible meeting
between representatives of the feuding countries is in the 400-meter to be run
by Israel's Donald Sanford and Iran's Sajjad Hashemi.

However, with seven heats expected in the 400-meter, odds are that Sanford and
Hashemi will not be drawn together.

Nevertheless, even the slight chance that the two might share the same track was
quashed on Tuesday when a report by Iran's official news agency, Fars, claimed:
"In a satanic step, Zionist media published the words of the head of Iran's
Olympic Mission who announced that the Iranian athletes will compete against the
Zionist regime's representatives at the Olympics."

The report came a day after Afsharzadeh, who is also the secretary-general of
the Iranian Olympic Committee, seemed to guarantee that there will not be a
repeat of the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games where Iranian athletes
withdrew from events against Israelis.

"We will be truthful to sport," said Afsharzadeh, speaking in the athletes
village after signing the "truce wall," a UN-backed initiative calling to end
all hostilities around the world during the Olympics. "We just follow the
sportsmanship and play every country. In sport and in Olympics, all the
countries must [be] together with the teams in friendship. Solidarity for all
the countries is very important."

Afsharzadeh even went as far as saying that Iran would "respect" a minute of
silence in memory of the 11 Israelis murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics - if
it were held during Friday's opening ceremony.

No such commemoration is scheduled to take place.

Israeli athletes have come to expect boycotts by Iranian colleagues. There have
been numerous incidents in global championships in different sporting events in
recent years, as well as two much-publicized episodes in the last two Olympics.

Mohammad Alirezaei refused to compete alongside Israeli swimmer Tom Be'eri in
the 100-meter breaststroke heats in the Beijing Olympics four years ago, while
judo world champion Arash Miresmaeli disqualified himself to avoid a meeting
with Israel's Ehud Vaks in the under-66 kilogram competition in the 2004 Athens
Games. Miresmaeli was later awarded the same $125,000 bonus Iran handed its gold
medal winners from the Athens Olympics.

Olympic Committee of Israel President Zvi Varshaviak said Tuesday that he
expected the Iranians to try and appease the International Olympic Committee,
but predicted that it was no more than a ploy.

"IOC President Jacques Rogge recently said that if they will withdraw from
competitions against Israelis they might as well not show up," Varshaviak told
Army Radio ahead of his flight to London. "Regardless, I assume that they will
not compete against us.

"If they happen to be drawn against us they will bring a note from the doctor
saying they have a stomachache or their men will all of a sudden get their
period."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE IRANIAN Olympic delegation arrives for the flag raising
ceremony at the Olympic Village in London on Monday. (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Introducing Israel's Olympians: Tommy Arshansky - Judo - Men's under-60kg

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 251 words

Arshansky was already told that he would not be going to London after the Judo
Association's request to include him in the delegation as one of three
up-and-coming athletes was rejected by the Olympic Committee of Israel.

However, Arshansky and the association never gave up and exhausted every option,
a decision which paid off just three weeks ahead of the opening ceremony when
the 20-year-old became the 38th and final athlete to be added to the Israeli
delegation. The OCI's high court accepted his appeal (hence his appearance at
the end of the Post's alphabetized list) and he joined swimmer Imri Ganiel and
fellow-judoka Golan Pollack as the third up-and-coming athlete.

The court explained that the fact the Israel Judo Association was still in
administration until last year denied Arshansky the chance to compete in several
major events abroad and he was unable to amass the ranking points he required to
achieve the OCI's criteria of being ranked among the world's top 20.

Arshansky's tremendous talent was on full display when he won the European Cadet
(under-17) Championships in 2007, but it took him time to get accustomed to the
under-60kg senior weight class, which required him to put on 10kg.

He finally made his breakthrough this year, finishing on the podium in four
World Cup events, including in two in June.

After already having to come to terms with missing out on the Olympics,
Arshansky goes to London with absolutely no pressure.

His true test should come in the 2016 and 2020 Games.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Tommy Arshansky (Credit: Israel Judo Association)

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Untrapping your profits

BYLINE: LEON HARRIS

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 19

LENGTH: 732 words

The Israel Tax Authority recently published further details about the proposals
to release profits trapped in Israel by the tax system.

Briefly, Israeli and foreign multinational corporations want to take out of
Israel many billions of shekels that are trapped by the tax system.

But if they do, they forfeit Israeli tax breaks under the "alternative track" of
the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investment.

What is the 'alternative-benefits track'?

Under this track, industrial and technology companies could opt for a no-grants
and no-tax package. The company must retain those profits.

If the company distributes those profits, two lots of tax become due: (1)
company tax at rates ranging from 10 percent to 25%, depending on the degree of
foreign ownership; plus (2) dividend-withholding tax at a rate of 15%.

So dividends are penalized. Total Israeli taxes range from 23.5% to 36.25% for a
company on the alternative track that distributes a dividend.

Newer tax breaks

The alternative-track exemption was replaced in 2011 by a new clearer regime of
tax breaks for industrial and technological "preferred enterprises."

Preferred enterprises currently pay company tax on all their profits at rates
ranging from 5% to 15% (not 25%), and dividends are taxed at 15%.

The resulting total Israeli tax hit therefore ranges from 19.25% to 27.75% for a
company with a preferred enterprise under the new 2011 legislation that
distributes a dividend.

The latest compromise proposals

The Finance Ministry published a legislative memo explaining the expected bill.
However it is not yet clear if and when the bill will be presented to the
cabinet for approval for onward submission to the Knesset for enactment.

The stated aim is to raise NIS 1 billion to NIS 3b. in tax revenues and help
plug the government's growing deficit. An unstated aim is presumably to allow an
outflow of currency and thereby devalue the shekel, which would be beneficial
for exports .

Companies with trapped profits (misleadingly referred to as "exempt income")
would be allowed to elect pay a reduced rate of company tax on those profits.
The more the company distributes, the lower the tax rate. If enacted, the
election would be available until the end of 2013.

The company must distribute between 40% and 70% of trapped profits. According to
the proposal, if the company distributes 40% of its trapped profits, it may
enjoy a 40% reduction in the company tax rate that would otherwise apply. If the
company distributes 70% of its trapped profits, it may enjoy a 70% reduction in
the company tax rate that would otherwise apply.

The dividend withholding tax rate would remain 15%.

The company would not be obliged to actually pay a dividend; it could merely pay
the tax and "thaw" (untrap) the profits.

The small print

It seems a number of conditions would apply to the proposed election. In
particular, the tax would have to be paid within 30 days after making the
election, but no later than the end of 2013. Furthermore, the company would have
five years to invest in "prescribed investment" in productive assets and/or
research and development and/or salaries for additional employees compared with
2011. The designated investment would apparently need to amount to at least 30%
of the tax on the thawed (untrapped) profits. These proposals appear to differ
from those published on the ITA website on June 19.

Comment

These proposals are far from final. It remains to be seen what will be
legislated and when. On the one hand, the Finance Ministry is looking to
increase its tax revenues. On the other hand, political considerations will also
come into play.

Some may question whether multinational companies should be granted further tax
breaks in hard times.

Foreign investors should check the situation in their home country to find out
whether they can avoid double taxation by claiming an exemption or foreign tax
credit there.

Some Israeli multinational groups face claims from the ITA that investments in
subsidiaries amount to taxable dividends ("downward dividends"). Such groups may
consider settling the uncertainty by paying the proposed reduced company tax
(and no dividend withholding tax) if these proposals are enacted.

As always, consult experienced tax advisers in each country at an early stage in
specific cases.

leon@hcat.co

Leon Harris is a certified public accountant and tax specialist at Harris
Consulting & Tax Ltd.

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NOTES: Your Taxes

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Peres signs credentials for Ethiopian-born Israeli envoy. 'Decision to appoint
Belaynesh Zevadia conveys an important message to society,' says Liberman

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 654 words

President Shimon Peres on Tuesday entered the private reception room in
Jerusalem's King David Hotel where Israel's ambassador-designate to Ethiopia,
Belyanesh Zevadia and her husband, Serkalem Adigeh, were waiting for a meeting
Zevadia described as the closing of a circle.

Peres had been foreign minister when she was accepted as a cadet at the Foreign
Ministry. Later he went to her wedding, and now, before their meeting he signed
the credentials that she will present to Ethiopian President Girma
Wolde-Giorgis.

"I left Ethiopia as a young girl," she said, "and I am returning as an
ambassador."

More than that, she is Israel's first Ethiopian-born ambassador to be appointed
to any country.

When it was announced last February that Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman had
appointed Zevadia as Israel's next ambassador to Ethiopia, the news caused quite
a stir in the local and African media.

Zevadia is the first Israeli of authentic African descent to be sent back to the
country of her birth as the ambassador of her spiritual and now national
homeland.

It is not that unusual for Israel to send its envoys back to the countries from
which they came. Nearly every Israeli ambassador to Poland was actually born
there. Yohanan Meroz, one of the founders of the Foreign Ministry and an Israeli
ambassador to Germany, was born in Germany. Yehuda Avner, a former ambassador to
the UK, was born in Britain and Michael Oren, Israel's current ambassador to the
US, is American-born.

Liberman, when he appointed her early this year, said that he was proud to be
the first foreign minister to appoint an ambassador of Ethiopian birth.

"The decision to appoint Belaynesh Zevadia as ambassador, beyond the fact that
she is a talented diplomat, conveys an important message to Israeli society,
which is currently dealing with the issue of racism towards Ethiopians in
Israel," he said. "This appointment is particularly significant in that it sends
a message about fighting against discrimination."

Peres reminisced with Zevadia and her husband about his own visit to Ethiopia
many years ago with former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Col. Nahman Karni,
at which time they had met with Emperor Haile Selassi. Israel had been
instrumental in helping Ethiopia to establish its Air Force, Peres said.

Zevadia, 43, came to Israel at age 17 within the framework of Youth Aliya and
almost immediately demonstrated her people skills by offering her services to
the Jewish Agency so that she could help other Ethiopian immigrants adapt to the
country.

A graduate of the Hebrew University, with a BA in International Relations and
African Studies and an MA in African Studies, she joined the Foreign Ministry in
1993 and has served in various diplomatic capacities in Chicago and Houston.

Zevadia's husband will also serve in the embassy in Addis Ababa, working as a
commercial attache. The couple has been busy in recent weeks talking to
potential Israeli investors in Ethiopia, and explaining to them how much easier
it will be for them to make headway when Amharic is the mother tongue of both
the ambassador and the commercial attachZ.

Aside from that, Zevadia intends to focus on three specific areas in which
Israel can be of assistance to Ethiopia. These include agriculture, water and
education.

Peres concurred that these are important areas in helping the Ethiopian
population to climb out of the poverty that is retarding its progress.

He told Zevadia that he was very proud of her, and that she was returning to her
roots not only as an ambassador but as a wife, a mother, a university graduate
and a person of goodwill who understands the traditions of both Ethiopia and
Israel and who knows how to bridge them.

Zevadia and her husband will be taking their three children with them: an
11-year-old and two-year-old twins.

What she would like most in her role as ambassador, Zevadia told Peres, "is to
be able to welcome my president to Ethiopia."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: BELYANESH ZEVADIA, the new ambassador to Ethiopia, meets with
President Shimon Peres at the King David Hotel yesterday. (Credit: Moshe
Milner/GPO)

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Government red tape on the rise, businesses say

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 269 words

Bureaucratic red tape increased slightly in the government sector in the second
quarter, with the National Insurance Institute most to blame, according to a
survey of business people commissioned by the Federation of Israeli Chambers of
Commerce.

"Businesses pay a very high price for excessive bureaucracy," FICC president
Uriel Lynn said. The government must take direct responsibility for fixing this
situation, not through spending but through providing detailed instruction to
bureaucrats on how to do their jobs properly, he said.

The quarterly survey, which is conducted by the Geocartography Institute and SQ,
ranks seven offices by how they interact with the business sector in four
categories: availability of customer-service representatives, the amount of time
it takes to attend to each case, the level of personal attention and the quality
of solutions offered to customers.

In the first quarter of 2011 the offices achieved a combined average score of
6.84 out of 10, their best performance since the survey began in 2008. But in
the second quarter the average decreased to 6.80, mainly as a result of a poor
showing from the NII, which fell from 7.49 to 7.16.

The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry topped the list with a score of 7.26,
followed by the Transportation Ministry (7.22) and the NII. The Interior
Ministry recorded a score of 6.80, the Health Ministry 6.66, the Israel Tax
Authority 6.64 and the judicial system 6.08.

Business people waited about 23 weeks to have their cases dealt with by the
courts system, the poll found, an increase from the 18.5 weeks reported in last
year's final survey.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Graduation party

BYLINE: GILAD SHARON

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 520 words

The patch of grass was the same patch of grass, and the Ficus tree was the same
Ficus tree. And there, in that very same place we used to sit under the tree
during recess, the Sha'ar HaNegev School staged the graduation party for its 9th
graders, my eldest son among them.

A Thai boy from my class whose mother had married one of the kibbutz members
would sit on the sill of the now-barred window of our old class on the second
floor. He was a nice enough kid, but had the tendency to lose his temper when
confronted with a disparaging remark concerning the king of Thailand. He sat
there tossing orange peels to the grass below, the pieces spinning rapidly down
like tiny flying saucers and threatening to rain down on the heads of the people
sitting at ease on the lawn.

The school no longer resembles the one of old, which was small and homogeneous,
and the students of which were primarily kibbutz children. All of the children
(except my brother and me) and teachers were supporters of the left-wing Labor
party.

From time to time the students (again, except my brother and me) were loaded
onto local council buses and driven to Tel Aviv to participate in the political
movement's rallies - an extremely popular outing as a visit to the big city
included fries and a soda, and sometimes even a hamburger or steak on special
occasions.

"Big-city bastard" was a popular curse at the school. Not much emphasis was
placed on studying - neither among the students and nor among the teachers, and
it didn't come as a surprise to anyone to see one of my classmates make it
through from 11th to 12th grade with 10 failing grades on his report card.
Shortly thereafter, he received a tempting offer from his kibbutz - to operate
the giant cotton harvester. He didn't hesitate for a moment.

A sense of freedom reigned over the expansive lawns, and the young kibbutz girls
appeared to observe the world through indifferent eyes. It was a girl from my
class who first gave herself to me. "If you really want to," she said. "No
sweat, I don't care," I replied. God, I cared so very much.

I watched my son's classmates as they danced and sang; the talented members of
the "Gaza Strip" band - two lead guitarists, a bass player and a drummer, all
from the graduating year - provided the music. The girls, as is the way of the
world, were brimming with exuberance and grace. The size of the student body had
increased markedly, and diversity now ruled.

Girls in mini-skirts, who made a point of kissing the mezuzahs, as observant
Jews do, were a common sight. I don't remember if we had mezuzahs at school when
I was there. There were certainly no miniskirts. That I'd remember for sure.

The ceremony was to conclude with a song by the teachers but was cut short by a
loud signal warning of an incoming rocket - just to remind everyone where we
were, that on the surface everything only appeared to be normal, seemingly just
like any graduation party throughout the world. We waited - the rocket exploded
elsewhere - and then the joyful children continued to party into the night.

The writer is author of Sharon: The Life of a Leader (2011).

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The school no longer resembles the one of old, which was small and
homogeneous, and the students of which were primarily kibbutz children. All of
the children (except my brother and me) and teachers were supporters of the
left-wing Labor party

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Jerusalem Post

July 25, 2012 Wednesday

IEC provides air conditioning tips

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 209 words

The Israel Electric Corporation has unveiled "10 essential rules" for sensible
air conditioner operation, in order to conserve as much energy and money as
possible during hot summer weather.

First and foremost, the IEC recommends reading the operating instructions that
come with the machine, as well as cleaning the filters every six months and
preventing all potential blockages of air vents. The compressor - the external
part of the air conditioner - should be placed in the shade, as sun tends to
wear out appliances, according to the tips. In addition to using the thermostat
on the machine, consumers should also have thermometers to monitor the air
temperature in their households, and should take pains to lower electricity
consumption - even by decreasing the air conditioner by one degree.

While the air conditioner is on, consumers must remember to close any
unnecessary openings in their households to prevent the entry of hot air, and
make sure to set air conditioning vents upwards, since cold air naturally sinks,
according to the IEC.

Lastly, the tips stressed that it is crucial to remember to turn off the air
conditioner when leaving the room, and as often as possible, make use of the
machine's fan setting rather than the cooling setting.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Photo - WAITING FOR IFTAR

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 38 words

WAITING FOR IFTAR. A man sleeps in a mosque before iftar, the evening meal when
Muslims break their fast during the month of Ramadan, yesterday in Dhaka,
Bangladesh. Ramadan, which began July 20, will be celebrated through August 18.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: WAITING FOR IFTAR. A man sleeps in a mosque before iftar, the
evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the month of Ramadan,
yesterday in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ramadan, which began July 20, will be celebrated
through August 18. (Credit: Andrew Biraj/Reuters)

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Knesset committee hears calls for bill establishing outside body for oversight
of State Attorney's Office. Former justice ministers deliver damning criticisms
of the judicial system

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 889 words

In an unusually stormy Knesset Control Committee meeting on Tuesday, MK Haim
Ramon (Kadima) slammed as "farcical" and "ridiculous" the attorney general's
plans for a body to audit the State Attorney's Office.

Together with former justice minister Daniel Friedmann, Ramon, who was himself
formerly a justice minister, called on Knesset to pass legislation to establish
an external body to audit the prosecution.

Committee chairman MK Uri Ariel (National Union) had convened the meeting to
discuss proposals by the Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein, and current Justice
Minister Yaakov Neeman to establish a body within the Justice Ministry to
oversee the prosecution.

The meeting quickly turned into calls for a law to establish an external audit
body, however, as Ramon and Friedmann delivered damning criticisms of the
justice system.

Neeman, who also took part in the hearing, objected to the calls by his two
predecessors to advance legislation to establish the body.

Meanwhile, Ariel said the committee would reconvene to discuss a bill to anchor
the audit body in legislation.

In a loud, colorful and impassioned speech, Ramon slammed plans by Weinstein and
Neeman to set up the audit body. That body would "stink" in the absence of a
"law with teeth" to regulate it, Ramon said.

Ramon blasted proposals that Weinstein himself would be responsible for
overseeing the internal audit unit.

Ramon said that under Weinstein's proposals, the body would not be anchored in
legislation and - at least not in its initial phase - would not examine public
complaints against the prosecution. The former justice minister said that only a
law passed by Knesset could ensure the prosecution would be audited properly.

In a dramatic moment, Ramon hinted that he had been ousted from office in 2006
after suggesting passing such a law.

"Probably because of that I very quickly ceased to be the justice minister,"
Ramon said.

He resigned as justice minister after then-attorney-general Menachem Mazuz
decided to indict him regarding an IDF officer who complained Ramon had kissed
her against her will.

In 2010, Ramon called for a criminal investigation in the wake of a damning
report by then-state comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss into the so-called "Ramon
affair," which slammed both the police and prosecution for their conduct in
indicting the former justice minister for indecent assault. Lindenstrauss's
report singled out senior officials, including Tel Aviv District Attorney Ruth
David.

At Tuesday's hearing, Ramon blasted the way the prosecution had handled cases
involving senior political figures, including foreign minister Avigdor Liberman.

"The people issue verdicts regarding the officials they elect," Ramon said. "But
the prosecution denies the people's verdicts, and there is nobody to answer to
this."

Ramon said that in his case, "three district court judges ruled separately that
the prosecuting attorney had shown gross negligence bordering on malice, and yet
nobody was disciplined."

Friedmann, Ramon's immediate successor in the Justice Ministry, agreed, noting
it was very easy to press charges against a justice minister, but somewhat
harder to do the same against an attorney-general.

Friedmann said that the body to audit the prosecution must have powers to bring
disciplinary procedures against everyone, including the attorney-general.

"In the Ramon affair, a thorough investigation of the negligence claims was
stopped, when at the same time there is no problem investigating the prime
minister and ministers," he added.

Justice Ministry deputy director Ronen Gurewitz told the meeting that the Civil
Service Commission agreed the structure of the audit body three weeks ago, and
the government would soon launch a tender to appoint a head.

Meanwhile, others at the meeting also voiced criticisms of the state attorney's
office.

MK Marina Solodkin (Kadima) complained that there are innocent people sitting in
prison because of the prosecution, but did not say who those people might be.

"We, as Knesset members, must make their voices heard," Solodkin said.

Yitzhak Shafrir, representing families evacuated from Gush Katif during the
disengagement, also spoke out, saying that the state attorney's office had
dragged its feet for eight years over the Evacuation Compensation Law, but as
members of the public there was nobody to whom they could complain.

After the meeting, the Justice Ministry said the attorney general had previously
presented his plans for the audit body to the Control Committee, and that the
ministry was now dealing with setting it up.

The new unit, named the Audit Unit for the Prosecution and Representation in the
Courts, will be run by a jurist familiar with the prosecution's work but not
directly connected to the state attorney's office, a ministry spokesman said.

Tuesday's Control Committee debate came after Weinstein informed the Knesset in
April that he planned to establish an internal audit unit within the Justice
Ministry, that would oversee the prosecution.

Weinstein said that eventually - but not initially - the new unit would look
into complaints from the public.

Earlier this month, Justice Ministry Director General Dr. Guy Rotkopf said that
establishing the new unit, including recruiting its director, would take around
four months, and that therefore the unit should be up and running in October.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Austria - fear for the future?

BYLINE: CHRISTOPH TOPITSCHNIG

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1009 words

Hardly a week passes in Austria without politicians making headlines. The
chancellor is under suspicion of media manipulation, the ex-finance minister is
being accused of bribery, and the same goes for the former federal minister of
the interior, former member of the European parliament and many more politicians
with close ties to the corporate sector.

An investigative committee has interrogated several of these people, but the
proceedings are a farce, appearing to be more of a tea party for the higher-ups
than a serious investigation. Ironically, two years ago innocent animal rights
activists got arrested for 105 days, hammered by Austrian law and were even
accused of being a criminal organization.

The Austrian justice system has become intolerable. The little people are
getting punished while the rich and powerful get away with millions of tax and
bribery money.

The government is crippled by incompetence and corruption. People either
withdraw into political apathy or turn into a brewing mass of anger and
frustration. Furthermore, the constant fear of a EU economy failure hovers above
our heads like the sword of Damocles. The current situation has an eerie
resemblance to the 1920s and the 1930s. As a native Austrian I had to ask myself
the alarming question: Could another Hitler rise?

Watching the news these days makes you aware that certain circumstances which
favored Hitler's rise to power are reappearing. A corrupt government and
ineffective courts were also pervasively present during the Weimar Republic -
but they were merely the beginning of the end. The Treaty of Versailles and the
Great Depression were two of the deciding factors for Hitler's final takeover.

After World War I Germany was held fully responsible. The Treaty of Versailles
was the punishment imposed by the Allied Powers. Germany was obligated to pay
reparations to certain nations. The Austrian parliament has just recently
approved the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The ESM is a Europe-wide rescue
fund designed to aid the debt-ridden EU nations.

Opposition to the Versailles Treaty was one of Hitler's most effective
strategies, ensuring him a wider popularity among Germans, who despised the
treaty. With the ESM, we could see this situation recur. We can already see a
growing anti-EU movement spreading all over Europe. The election in Greece
demonstrated the dangerous fight between the pro-EU Conservative Party and the
anti-EU Coalition Party. I think in the near future we will see similar
conflicts in several EU countries, including Austria. Euroscepticism will become
a trump card in upcoming elections.

I want to clarify that I don't consider nor do I accuse any current politician
of being the next Hitler. However, the tense economic situation within the EU
has turned the entire eurozone into the perfect breeding ground for such a
devastating figure. History has a way of repeating itself. There may be some
twists and turns, and sometimes you can go left instead of right, but you still
end up in the same place.

It was not just the Versailles Treaty that helped Hitler on his way up. The
Great Depression of 1929 also accelerated Hitler's "Seizure of Power." The Nazi
party started with a 2.6 percent national parliamentary vote in 1928, increased
to astonishing 18.3% in 1930 and ended with 32% by 1932.

So can we expect another Great Depression? According to the Austrian economist
Friedrich Hayek, it is very likely.

Hayek warned that central banks like the Federal Reserve Bank and the European
Central Bank tend to create inflationary credit crunches, which ultimately would
lead to an economic downward spiral. The ESM could be very much the harbinger of
another depression in Europe. If America's economy doesn't crash first, of
course.

Hitler used the Jews as scapegoats for the economic crisis. The disastrous
outcome of this is well known. You might think that after almost 80 years people
would have wised up. Unfortunately, they haven't. Since the 2008 global
recession, the banks make daily headlines and with them the Jewish conspiracy
theories have made a comeback.

The Rothschilds, especially, have been stigmatized by rumors, urban legends and
misinformation, and are no longer known only among conspiracy junkies on the
Web. You can hear people openly talking about them in trains and coffee shops.
Not in the most positive way, I might add.

Don't get me wrong, Austrians are good people, but some specters of the past
still haunting them.

In 2013, Austria will hold a parliamentary election. People are incredibly
frustrated with the current political landscape. The danger of voting for the
wrong political party or person is extremely high.

New political parties are appearing, such as the Pirate Party, the ultra-liberal
nerd movement of the Facebook-Twitter generation. Even self-made billionaire
Frank Stronach, the Austrian version of Republican candidate Mitt Romney,
intends to establish a party.

Speaking from my own experiences, creating your own party in Austria puts you in
a David-vs-Goliath-like situation. But I have the feeling a stone won't be
enough to overcome the competition. After all, politics is for the rich and
corrupt.

Will a new Hitler rise? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I am overreacting and there is
nothing to be worried about. Nevertheless, the best defense is a good offense,
and I am not the wait-and-see type. I prefer to fight unjust radical elements
before they acquire too much power.

Austria stands at a crossroads and things look grim, but like Oswald Spengler,
author of The Decline of the West, said:

"We are born into this time and must bravely follow the path to the destined
end. There is no other way. Our duty is to hold on to the lost position, without
hope, without rescue, like that Roman soldier whose bones were found in front of
a door in Pompeii, who, during the eruption of Vesuvius, died at his post
because they forgot to relieve him. That is greatness. The honorable end is the
one thing that can not be taken from a man."

The writer is a student at the University of Vienna.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Israelis and Americans converge - and diverge - in summertime mourning

BYLINE: GIL TROY

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1049 words

In traveling this week from Israel to the United States, my family and I visited
two wounded countries, recoiling from different faces of the evil that bedevils
our world. Last week, Israel's chofesh hagadol, grand summer vacation, was
ruined by the terrorist who destroyed an Israeli tour bus in Burgas, Bulgaria.
Days later, the "Joker" gunman who shot up a Colorado movie theater during the
Batman premiere assaulted all Americans who usually enjoy such leisure pursuits
without fearing violence, and without the security guards who have become
ubiquitous wherever Israelis gather in large numbers. As these two nations
united in mourning, certain differences also emerged, as Israelis lamented
external dangers, and Americans confronted internal threats.

Both sister democracies, both proud peoples, rallied around their scarred
citizens, and shared communally in the individual anguish and anger, which for
some will remain forever. Israelis kept on repeating the story of the 42 year
old who finally became pregnant after years of trying, of the two sets of best
friends off on a summer lark killed by what was probably an Iranian and
Hezbollah operative. Americans - including President Barack Obama who visited
Aurora, Colorado - talked about "Stephanie," 21, who, with no military training,
put her finger on the bullet wound in her friend Allie Young's neck, to stanch
the bleeding, and refused to flee the theater, despite her friend's pleas to
save herself. Both survived.

Some of us read such stories obsessively, trying to personalize the horror
beyond the statistical death tolls of six here, 12 there. We seek stories of
everyday heroism to inspire ourselves and, in my case, share with my children,
in our own attempt to vanquish the evil. Others simply turn away, finding the
grief too overwhelming.

BEYOND THIS range of human reactions, each story propelled each society onto a
different political, ideological and existential search for meaning. For
Israelis, this was one of those nightmarish moments which brought back all the
pain from the wave of Palestinian terror that destroyed the Oslo peace process a
decade ago.

The unique Israeli infrastructure of logistical and emotional support that kicks
in with its organizational array from Zaka to Mada, the media memes and themes,
all stirred emotions that are constantly roiling just below the surface of the
Israeli body politic, which still suffers from collective post-traumatic stress
syndrome following Palestinian terrorists' amoral assault on basic human hopes
and assumptions 10 years ago.

Even more disturbing, we again saw the international double standard at work, as
UN officials condemned the "bombing" without using the T-word, terrorist, and
even the US helped host a UN-based counter-terrorism conference that excluded
Israel.

These insults left Israelis feeling abused by the terrorism death cult
flourishing among Palestinians, Iranians and Islamists, and abandoned by a world
that often enables such violence yet somehow blames Israelis even when citizens
simply trying to enjoy themselves at a beachside resort are targeted.

Americans struggled with different traumas, as the newspapers told the story of
an honors science student turned mass murderer while authorities tallied up the
6,000 rounds of ammunition, bullet proof vests, and high capacity "hundred round
drum magazine" that this homicidal maniac purchased with just a few clicks of
his computer. Two of the most beautiful byproducts of American nationalism, the
Constitution and the Internet, helped yield horrifically ugly results.

More profoundly, as Americans asked "why?" many resurrected the question from
the 1960s - is ours a "sick society?" With faith lost in Wall Street, Capitol
Hill, the Oval Office; with relationships disposable, values contingent,
optimism lagging and the economy still flagging, many Americans are scared. If
America had the right leaders, such violence could provide a much-needed wake-up
call. Alas, neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney have shown that kind of skill
or vision this year.

AS MY children and I prepare to observe the Ninth of Av, commemorating the two
holy temples' destructions, while visiting Washington, DC, this weekend, I see a
similar parallelism. When I am in Jerusalem, during the endless summertime fast,
I feel our enemies' oppression most intensely, as I contemplate the litany of
horrors that have stricken the Jewish people on the Ninth of Av, culminating in
the Holocaust.

When I am in Washington, I think more about exile than oppression. What little
anti-Semitism there is in America is so mild compared to the European and Arab
variations, the American Jewish experience has been so darned positive overall,
that it is hard to feel targeted in the land of the free. What kind of an exile
is it, when it has become so voluntary, and so delightful?

In fact, I usually have serious problems with Tisha Be'av. I do not know whether
it is more absurd to mourn so intensely in rebuilt and reunified Jerusalem or in
the proud, free capital of the most pro-Israel and pro-Jewish superpower in
history, which is populated by Jews who live there happily and thrive. While I
recall the story of the soldier in Napoleon's army, who impressed the great
emperor by mourning his people's loss from 2,000 years earlier so intensely -
"this is an eternal people," Napoleon supposedly said - I frequently fear all
this breast-beating about our past traumas invites neurosis.

Then Bulgaria happens. And Aurora happens. Following both crimes, my Tisha Be'av
this year will be particularly resonant. I will mourn the losses the Jewish
people have sustained from unreasoning, often broadly enabled, anti-Semitism.
And I will appreciate the opportunity to root my children and myself in a more
enduring story of loss and rebirth, in a deeper set of values which includes
memory, which can anchor the soul, even if the result is occasional anguish and
perpetual mourning programmed into our calendar.

The writer is Professor of History at McGill University and a Shalom Hartman
Research Institute Fellow in Jerusalem. The author of Why I Am a Zionist:
Israel, Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today, his next book, Moynihan's
Moment: America's Fight Against Zionism is Racism, will be published this fall.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: CENTER FIELD

GRAPHIC: Photo: MOURNERS PRAY at a memorial near the movie theater where 12
people were killed last Friday in Aurora, Colorado. (Credit: Reuters)

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

EU, Iranian officials hold day of talks in Turkey. Liberman says time nearing
when negotiations must end, action begin

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 320 words

Negotiations between Iran and the world powers known as the P5+1 cannot go on
forever, and "the time will come when negotiations must end and actions must
begin," Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday.

Liberman's comments on the Iranian issue at a press conference in Brussels
during the EU-Israel Association Council meeting came just as Iranian and
European officials were set to begin meeting in Istanbul.

"After three rounds of negotiation in Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow I think it is
the right time to draw some conclusions," Liberman said. "We have patience, we
are waiting and anxiously monitoring these talks, but also hope to see
substantial results."

At last month's talks in Moscow, which failed to produce any results, it was
decided to hold three lower-level meetings. The first, between technical
experts, was held July 3 in Istanbul. The second, between the EU's Deputy
Foreign Policy Chief Helga Schmid and her Iranian counterpart Ali Bagheir, was
held away from the press and in a secret location in Istanbul on Tuesday.

And another meeting between EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Iran's
chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili is to follow in the coming days. Ashton is
representing the P5+1, which includes the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and
Germany. The aim of these three rounds of lower-level talks is to see whether
there is any room to return to political negotiations.

No details of Tuesday's meeting were immediately available.

The P5+1 are demanding that Iran - as a first confidence-building measure - stop
enriching uranium at 20 percent, transfer its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium
out of the country, and close the Fordow enrichment facility near Qom. These
demands are far less stringent than what Israel believes should be the goal of
the negotiations: an end to all uranium enrichment, shipping all enriched
uranium out of the country and the closure of Fordow.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

Justice Ministry seeks to indict father for manslaughter in 'shaking twins'
affair

BYLINE: YONAH JEREMY BOB and JOANNA PARASZCZUK; Yaakov Lappin and Judy Siegel
contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 526 words

The Justice Ministry released a statement on Tuesday that it would seek to
indict the father for manslaughter - but not the mother - in the "shaking twins"
affair that allegedly led to the death of one four-month-old baby and injuries
to another in January.

There is a ban on publishing names of the victims or the parents under
investigation.

The state said that after examining the case, it has sufficient evidence that
the father shook the twins and that his actions led to the death of one of them.

The state said it will argue that the death was caused unintentionally, but that
the father did intentionally commit acts of violence against the baby who died
and those acts of violence did cause the baby's death - making an allegation of
manslaughter appropriate.

Other charges that the state plans to submit against the father are abuse and
assault of a minor or helpless person, including causing severe physical harm.

It was unclear why the state had decided not to indict the mother, who along
with the father, was arrested and questioned by police after the twins - a boy
and a girl - were brought to a hospital with injuries that suggested having been
physically abused or at least violently shaken. Still, the case against the
mother has not been officially closed, so the state could decide to indict her
at a later date if new evidence arises.

The father technically has the opportunity to head-off the indictment at a
hearing before Deputy Tel Aviv District Attorney Nava Schiller sometime in the
next 45 days.

However, it is rare for the state to back down from filing an indictment based
on the pre-indictment hearing once it has announced an initial intention to
indict.

At an earlier remand hearing, a police representative had claimed that the
police had "smoking gun" level evidence against the parents.

Reacting to the announcement, the parents' attorney Zion Amir on Tuesday told
The Jerusalem Post: "We welcome the prosecution's decision not to press charges
against the mother. Regarding the father, we are hopeful that during the hearing
process that is set to occur within the upcoming month we will be able to prove
that charges should also not be brought against the father."

The parents have previously claimed that the baby who died suffered from a rare
genetic disease.

The investigation started shortly after the twins were brought to Sheba Medical
Center in Tel Hashomer and hospitalized with bone fractures, when the National
Council for the Child called on police to investigate whether they were victims
of "shaken baby" syndrome.

The twins, who were four months old at the time, were rushed to the hospital in
January with internal injuries. At the time Prof. Gidi Porat, director of
Intensive Care at the hospital, said they did not rule out the possibility that
the babies suffered from a genetic disease.

Shaken baby syndrome is an intermediate condition between an accident and
physical abuse of children.

The shaking of the head and neck can cause serious brain damage, head fractures
and broken ribs. Most parents, or other adults, do not intend to harm infants,
but rather seek to quiet them out of frustration over their crying.

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July 25, 2012 Wednesday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 442 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 25, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that according to the Colonial
Office, the three British prison ferry ships carrying the 4,500 Exodus 1947
refugees were making slow progress, and their ultimate landing port was still a
secret. Britain welcomed the French decision to grant the refugees sanctuary,
but was upset by the declaration that they would not be forced to land in
France.

The French police held two ships in Bayonne, the Northland and the Pollycut,
flying the Panama flag, both recently fitted with numerous bunks, apparently by
the Hagana in preparation for "illegal" immigration to Palestine.

The Lebanese Christians dissented from the Muslims and expressed support for the
partition of Palestine. This was told to UNSCOP by the Maronite patriarch,
Antoine Arida. In its farewell message UNSCOP thanked the people of Palestine
for their cooperation.

Mines were detonated in Haifa, where the curfew continued. Three British
soldiers, one constable and a small girl were wounded when a heavy military
truck and a police armored car were blown up in Jerusalem.

A farmer in Kfar Saba and a village watchman were killed by three armed men,
believed to be Arabs, dressed in War Department uniforms.

A railway bridge was blown up near Zichron Ya'acov.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 25, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported on an internal crisis brewing in
the Mapai political party, after the party's secretary-general, Reuven Barkatt,
called for fresh blood and a reshuffle in the cabinet and in the Histadrut.

In Brussels, the Common Market's Ministerial Committee had instructed that the
Commission's report on a comprehensive trade agreement with Israel be referred
to permanent delegates, who would report back only in September 1962. This
decision increased Israel's export hardships.

University students in Montevideo called a strike to protest against the latest
wave of anti-Semitic incidents.

The Social Welfare Ministry made arrangements to offer welfare cases farm
surplus at greatly reduced prices.

10 YEARS AGO

On July 25, 2002, The Jerusalem Post reported that the Knesset had passed, after
years of deliberations, an abridged tax reform law that imposed tax on interest
from savings, stock-market earnings and overseas income, and used the revenue to
reduce the marginal tax rate for the next five years. The tax reform was
designed to lower the tax burden on working people by instead taxing capital
gains on investments and other income sources.

Foreign minister Shimon Peres publicly apologized for the tragic outcome in
terms of civilian casualties in the killing of Hamas military leader Salah
Shehadeh at his home in Gaza City.

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Helping African women in Tel Aviv

BYLINE: MARIEL EVE ACKERMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1275 words

For most Americans, the issues of government oppression, genocide, civil wars,
mosquitos and hunger in Africa are experienced only through television
commercials portraying young children as an emotional tactic to elicit monetary
aid. Not so long ago, this was the extent of my knowledge and perception of
societal problems in Africa.

After finishing graduate school with a M.Sc. in Health Systems Management from
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, and working in project and
medical group management for two years - I decided I wanted to live in Israel
and somehow make my degree valuable in this land that Jews from all over the
world feel such a strong connection to.

Through a MASA program called Career Israel, I was placed with an NGO called
Hagar and Miriam, a branch-off organization of Brit Olam and Topaz. Hagar and
Miriam's mission is to help refugee and asylum-seeker women in Israel access
pre-natal medical care (although their specific statuses were not distinguished
by my organization).

My role was to be a coordinator of abortions, and I spent my days meeting with
dozens of African refugees, asylum-seeking women and migrant workers, almost
solely from Eritrea. I was to navigate the healthcare system for them.

There are five stipulations, one of which must be true, for a woman (Israeli or
not) to be allowed to have an abortion in Israel. They are: 1. The women is
under the age of 18 or over the age of 40. 2. The woman is not married. 3. The
woman was raped. 4. There is health risk to the mother, and 5. There is health
risk to the infant.

ESSENTIALLY, THE only situation in which it is NOT possible to obtain an
abortion in Israel is when a woman between the ages of 18-40 has a perfectly
healthy, willing, pregnancy with her husband.

Most of the woman came in contact with Hagar and Miriam through the refugee
medical clinic in the Tel Aviv central bus station, or through other
organizations that work with this population, because they know of Hagar and
Miriam's niche for working with pregnant women. Following an initial intake
(meeting to gather as many facts about the woman's social and medical past), I
would direct the women to either a private doctor, the free rape clinic at
Ichilov Hospital, or Wolfson Hospital in Holon.

The process for one specific woman I worked with, named Tirhas, went something
like this: One of my colleagues sent me an SMS text with a phone number and
name, and instructed me to call her. I had no additional information.

Through broken Hebrew and English we arranged to meet in the refugee clinic in
the central bus station in Tel Aviv. Of course, when I arrived there were many
people waiting, and I had a hard time figuring out who was who, and who was
there to meet with me, the doctor, or someone else.

I sat with Tirhas for about an hour, and learned that she had been in Israel for
seven months. She had come from Eritrea. She had one son, who was still in
Eritrea, and her and her boyfriend had become pregnant since her arrival in
Israel.

He was also at the meeting, and for the most part answered the questions on her
behalf - his English was better because he had been here for longer and had been
in and out of jobs. They did not want to have this baby due to financial
concerns. I presented Tirhas with the option of an abortion via private doctor
(fast, easy and expensive), or from Wolfson Hospital (confusing, slow and
slightly cheaper).

ALL TOGETHER, the process would cost anywhere between NIS 1,500 to NIS 4,000
(primarily depending on how far along the pregnancy was). In any of these
situations, she would be required to pay for the full price of the procedure.
Hagar and Miriam does not provide any financial assistance to women, although
they do have agreements with Wolfson and several clinics for discounts that are
taken off of the regular price an Israeli citizen would pay; and we provided
them with those forms. Tirhas chose Wolfson.

I called and made her a social worker appointment and instructed her to visit an
ultrasound doctor and a blood lab by next week, and meet me back at the central
bus station in seven days. We met, and thankfully she had the proper
documentation (ultrasound, blood tests, visa and money). This was rare, and her
diligence was appreciated.

I had to explain to Tirhas that she was to tell the social workers committee at
the hospital that she was not married. If she said she was married, they would
not allow her to have the abortion. Her boyfriend was one of the supportive
ones, and I don't know if they were married or not, by what nation or standards,
with what ring or documentation - but each time this was a lengthy explanation
and a waste of several hundred shekels if she made a mistake.

We were not really telling her to lie, we were telling her how to tell the truth
by Israeli standards of marriage. I didn't escort Tirhas back to Wolfson for the
actual procedure, but rather hoped that she got there, and called her boyfriend
a couple weeks later. He told me everything went fine. That is all I know, and I
never saw them again.

We were lucky if we could follow a woman from intake to post-abortion. Many
times they are lost in the traffic of phone calls to personal cell phones,
language barriers, way-finding problems to the many locations, and financial
issues.

IN TERMS of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrant workers in Israel, the issues
of pregnancies and abortions of women are microscopic. It is one small insight
into a personal part of the situation of these people, and of the reaction of
the surrounding society. In this case, not unlike other issues - the government
until now has been mostly hand-off, and non-profits have been established to
help mitigate some of the struggle faced by both the refugees, and the
surrounding community who have had to watch their neighborhood change
drastically in the past years.

On a more global note, walking through Levinsky Park in South Tel Aviv isn't
pretty. Everybody knows that. But everyone has a story, a past, and a heart,
soul and mind. The recent violence in that area is not the solution to poverty.

I wish to mention at this point that I am by no means some left-wing peace and
love activist - like others who work in these roles; and am personally
politically torn on recent events and discussions regarding the issue of African
refugees and asylum-seekers in Israel. It seems that these days, it is somehow
easier to form a political opinion on the issue of African refugees in Israel
having never spoken to or gotten to know one of them, one of their stories -
they are not all the same.

Stereotypes about women being raped in Sinai (none of the women I worked with
fell into this category), men stealing, etc., may be accurate some of the time -
but I have also had experiences quite different. Hearing reports of individuals
referring to them as a "cancer among us" is harsh - but the situation is an
issue for Israel.

And how do we clean up South Tel Aviv for the citizens who live there? Actions
need to be taken thoughtfully, and thousands of people can probably not remain
in the current state. But the idea of hoping to eliminate a certain group of
people, to rid ourselves of them, should remind us all of times in history when
it has been us as Jews who were discriminated against. It is nothing less than
racism.

We, as individuals, and as a society (and the government of Israel) have an
opportunity to be up standers. To be righteous among the nations. To create
intelligent, ethical solutions to humanitarian issues.

The writer was a volunteer with the MASA program called Career Israel and was
placed with an NGO called Hagar and Miriam.

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Violent anti-Semitism applauded on Egyptian candid camera show

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 333 words

Egyptian actors fooled into thinking they were on an Israeli television show
flew into violent rages and assaulted presenters on a candid camera-type program
aired in Egypt in recent days.

The program was broadcast on Egypt's Al-Nahar channel, and was made available by
the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

One of the actors, Ayman Kandeel "Tuhami," became irate after being led to
believe he was speaking to Israelis, and struck a female presenter across the
face, sending her flying to the ground.

Kandeel hurled chairs at staff.

"She is Egyptian?" he asked, gesturing to the female presenter he struck, after
being told the show was a prank. He then hugged the woman, as the rest of the
staff applauded. "You brought it upon yourself," he told her.

"People, let's have a round of applause for Ayman," a male presenter said.

Actress Mayer El Beblawi did not turn violent on the show, but did launch into
an anti-Semitic diatribe before being told she was on an "Israeli show."

"In that country [Israel] they are all liars," she said. "They keep whining all
the time about the Holocaust, or whatever it's called.

"These people sawed off [the head] of John the Baptist. They are the slayers of
the prophets. What else can we say about them?" she continued. "Allah did not
curse the worm and moth as much as he cursed the Jews."

She looked horrified and refused to continue the interview after being told she
was on a program on "the Israeli Channel 2."

Actor Mahmoud Abdel Ghaffar flew into a violent frenzy after being placed in the
same situation, shouting "What country are you from?" while slapping a male
presenter. He grabbed the man's head and shook it violently, before kneeing him
in the head.

"Mahmoud, this is a candid camera show," staff told him, applauding his
reaction. "We are all Egyptians. Long live Egypt!" one of the staff members
said.

Abdel Ghaffar hugged the man he had beaten, saying, "You brought me someone who
looks like a Jew... I hate the Jews to death."

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

On Ramadan, time to combat hatred

BYLINE: HAYAT ALVI

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 855 words

Ramadan 2012 is here, but the Middle East and parts of South Asia are riddled
with violence and conflicts, instead of peace and security.

That is nothing unique to this year, as wars and conflicts have taken place
during Ramadan in the past, too. Bombings and suicide attacks in Iraq, Pakistan,
and Afghanistan throughout the years have not stopped for Ramadan. Suicide
attacks are particularly obscene, and discredit the peaceful and spiritual aura
and intentions of Ramadan.

Ramadan has actually emboldened the spirit of jihadists throughout the years,
whether it was the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, or the Sunni insurgents in Iraq.
Now, analysts are predicting that Ramadan 2012 will continue to inspire and
embolden the rebels in Syria, given the recent killings of top national security
officials in Damascus.

On Wednesday, July 18, Al Jazeera aired a roundtable discussion with a number of
analysts discussing Syria. The moderator asked about the impact of Ramadan. The
response was that Ramadan is likely to provide greater spiritual courage,
strength and inspiration in the fight against the Assad regime.

Ramadan is supposed to be a time of spiritual reflection, introspection and
peace - both outer and inner. However, very rarely do those principles and
practices seem to be observed in hot conflict zones, as well as by terrorists
and militants proliferating worldwide. From Nigeria's Boko Haram, to Somalia's
al Shabaab, the Taliban and al Qaida in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, and al
Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and Islamic Maghreb, there is no recourse, even
by religious mandate prohibiting violence during Ramadan. Instead, these
elements seem to mock the very principles of Ramadan that promote peace and
spirituality.

While Ramadan generates extraordinary communal consciousness and harmony in many
parts of the Islamic world, at the same time it does not seem to hinder those
who are determined to embrace violence. I have seen admirable scenes of tables
of food erected in the streets of Cairo at sunset, inviting the public to
partake in the fast-breaking meal.

It's too bad that such images are not pervasive throughout the region,
especially these days, with the fight raging in Syria, and ongoing violence in
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. While communal friendship and the spirit of
sharing might heighten in Ramadan, the bullets and bombs continue to flow.

The majority of the world's Muslims are peaceful and nonviolent, and undoubtedly
especially during Ramadan they would like to see peace, harmony and security
envelop the world. But just in the first two days of Ramadan 2012, we have seen
fierce combat in parts of Syria including in Aleppo; militants carried out a
suicide attack killing nine and several other shooting and bombing incidents
have occurred in Pakistan as of this writing; Robert Fisk of The Independent
reports that women are being raped by both sides of the conflict in Syria; girls
and women in Afghanistan and Pakistan suffer acid attacks and many are murdered
outright; oil and gas pipelines have been bombed in Egypt's Sinai and
southeastern Turkey; and shootouts are regular occurrences in Karachi, Pakistan.

This is not to say that non-Muslims do not commit violence. We just witnessed
the horrific massacre in Colorado, and Norway observed the one-year anniversary
of Anders Breivik's attacks that killed 77 in Oslo and Utoeya. However, Ramadan
is supposed to be a month of nonviolence, yet we see no letup in many parts of
the world.

We need more brave voices taking on militancy and extremism, voices like Maajid
Nawaz, a former militant who has now made it his life mission to speak against
radical ideologies and violence. He has recently published his memoirs, Radical:
My Journey from Islamist Extremism to Democratic Awakening, plus he is on a busy
lecture circuit, even venturing into the most hardened and ultra-conservative
parts of Pakistan.

He tries to persuade people that the ideology of radicals is inaccurate and
manipulative, playing on emotions and trying to recruit young minds into their
organizations to carry out their interpretation of jihad. Mr. Nawaz has also
founded an organization called the Quilliam Foundation, which seeks to combat
extremism with ideological warfare. We need more people like Mr. Nawaz and more
organizations like Quilliam.

Fear and intimidation are favorite tactics of extremists. On July 19 two
prominent Muslim officials were attacked in the Russian republic of Tatarstan.
The chief mufti survived a car bombing with two broken legs, while the other
senior Muslim official was shot dead. Both men had spoken out against radical
ideologies, and one of them called for a ban on Wahhabism in Russia.

The culture of violence, extremism and intolerance proliferating throughout the
world in the form of jihadist groups and individuals must be combated fiercely
and courageously. Ramadan is the ideal time to speak out against hatred,
intolerance, violence and extremism in all their forms. But where is the
outrage?

The writer is an associate professor at the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode
Island. The views expressed are her own.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: A TIME of peace and violence. Worshipers and policemen exchange
greetings on Ramadan at a Sunni mosque in Baghdad. (Credit: Reuters)

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Anglos get ready to celebrate end of 7-year Talmud studying marathon

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 780 words

With the seven-and-a-half year cycle of the daily Talmud study program known as
Daf Yomi about to finish next week, preparations by those who have taken on the
challenge and won are swinging into high gear for the climactic party celebrated
upon completion of this ancient tome of Jewish law.

Tens of thousands of people in Israel and abroad, who have devotedly pored over
the complex tracts of rabbinic debate with study partners, in groups, in special
lessons and by themselves will finish the entire Babylonian Talmud on Monday.

And the Anglo community in Israel is no exception, with several thousand
expatriates from the UK, US, Canada, Australia and South Africa all getting
ready for the big celebration.

One of the biggest organized frameworks teaching Daf Yomi to the Anglo community
in Israel is the Daf Yomi Advancement Forum (DAF) of the Kollel Iyun Hadaf.
Founded in 1996 by Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld, the institute is now teaching its
second Daf Yomi cycle. One of the central teaching tools of the program is the
comprehensive material available online, including background materials in
English and Hebrew for every page, review questions and answers, audio lectures
and in-depth analyses.

According to Kornfeld, the DAF has about 20,000 readers and subscribers to its
daily Talmudic teaching materials, 15 percent of whom are in Israel.

The Daf Yomi cycle officially finishes on July 30, although the Kollel Iyun
Hadaf will stage its big bash on August 5, with approximately 5,000 people
expected to attend.

"The siyum [completion of any unit of Torah study] is a very important concept,
because if a person appreciates and celebrates what he's done and achieved, then
it acts a spur to advance further and to improve on what he has already
accomplished," said Kornfeld.

Several leading rabbinical figures will be speaking at the event, including dean
of the renowned Mir Yeshiva Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, dean of the Ohr
Samayach Yeshiva Rabbi Mendel Weinbach and several hassidic rebbes.

Kornfeld said that approximately 90-95% of those learning Daf Yomi with DAF are
not in full-time Torah study. "The Daf Yomi framework is an excellent framework
for anyone who is working full-time but who also wants to establish an anchor
for Torah study in their lives.

"Many Anglos who come to live in Israel from around the English-speaking world
have exactly that desire, because they come from a different culture where they
work and support their families, but their learning is very important to them as
well," he explained.

Kornfeld added that there are also several study groups in Jerusalem, Beit
Shemesh, Rehovot and other locales, comprised of Anglo retirees who may have put
off serious Torah study during their working lives, but are now committed to
learning the Talmud on a daily basis.

Some within the world of Torah study have been inclined to look somewhat askance
at the Daf Yomi program because of the necessity to spend only a brief amount of
time on any one page, but this notion is something that Kornfeld dismissed,
arguing that the daily Talmud study regimen provides other benefits and
introduces a person to every facet of Torah study.

"If you walk through a perfume store then you'll come out smelling of perfume,"
he said. "The Daf Yomi course changes a person's ability to interact with Torah
so that it's not a stranger anymore to him, so that whenever you come to learn
any other aspect of Torah, your Talmud studies will jog your memory and make it
more understandable as a complete idea."

Kenny Lerner, a retiree originally from New York, immigrated to Israel with his
wife 16 years ago, and has been studying Daf Yomi since the beginning of the
current cycle in 2005.

"It's an excellent framework for anyone who wants to advance his Torah
knowledge," Lerner said. "Not everyone has the opportunity to study when they're
working, and when you're looking back at your life, and questioning if you could
have imbued it with more meaning, with more Jewish values, then it's good that
this kind of opportunity is available."

There are many Talmud learning tools available for English-speakers that are
extremely helpful, and so even if someone has not studied much in the past he
should not feel discouraged, Lerner said, adding that he had very little Talmud
study under his belt before he started the Daf Yomi program. He noted that one
of the prerequisites for successfully undertaking the grueling seven-year study
course is a patient wife, as well as an enthusiastic, encouraging teacher that
one can relate to - all of which he said he had.

And how will he fill the void the daily classes leave when the last page is
learned? He will start again, of course.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: TWO MEN study Talmud together. The 7.5-year cycle of the daily
Talmud study program known as Daf Yomi will finish next week. (Credit: Marc
Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

National Academy of Sciences condemns establishment of university in Samaria.
Organization says approval of Ariel University Center disregards funding wishes
of Planning and Budgeting Committee

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 308 words

The National Academy of Sciences decried on Sunday the recent decision by the
Council for Higher Education in Judea and Samaria to recognize the Ariel
University Center as a full-fledged university.

The council held a special session to discuss the decision, which it said was
taken without a "fundamental and in-depth international examination" of the
proposal to establish an eighth Israeli university.

The academy was founded in 1960 and functions according to law, acting as an
adviser to the government in the fields of scientific research and planning of
national importance, and is charged with protecting and advancing scientific
excellence in the country.

The academy said it regarded the Council for Higher Education in Judea and
Samaria's decision as "serious," since it contradicted a decision made a few
weeks ago by the Council for Higher Education's Planning and Budgeting Committee
- as well as the heads of the existing seven universities, who oppose such a
move.

The academy said the decision on Ariel was "an irregular move that is liable to
endanger the structure of the whole system of higher education and disregards
the Planning and Budgeting Committee, which decides on funding for the
universities.

"It was blatant government interference in the system of higher education whose
independence we are bound to protect."

It called on the committee to refuse to accept any government allocation whose
implementation is not according to its planning schedule. Finance Minister Yuval
Steinitz and Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar reportedly agreed to make special
allocations to upgrade the Ariel University Center.

The academy called on the state to halt the process and make a "responsible,
professional and objective decision to protect the outstanding and vital system
of research universities and the whole system of higher education."

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Making Ariel University a reality

BYLINE: MARC ZELL

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1351 words

'There are few earthly things more beautiful than a university, a place where
those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may
strive to make others see."

The words penned by the late English poet laureate, John Masefield, give
expression to the best of what has come to be known as the modern university.
One would think, therefore, that last week's near-unanimous decision by the
Council of Higher Education-Judea and Samaria to grant accreditation to the
Ariel University Center of Samaria as Israel's eighth university would have been
welcomed with open arms by the academic community and public alike. Such,
however, is not the case.

AUC's recognition as a university was and is being vigorously opposed by the
Presidents' Committee representing the country's seven other universities. To
add insult to injury, the head of the all-powerful Budget Allocation Committee
of the Israel Council of Higher Education, Dr. Emmanuel Trajtenberg, a leading
figure in framing the government's response to last year's social justice
protests, not only lobbied strenuously to thwart AUC's accreditation, but
attempted to "persuade" the AUC administration to forgo formal university status
by offering a so-called compromise whereby AUC would retain its temporary
university center status (as yet undefined in law) in exchange for generous
financial allocations and other privileges heretofore accorded to institutions
of higher learning having university status in Israel. He is still urging the
powers that be to delay or deny accreditation on non-academic grounds.

Fortunately, the AUC Executive Committee rejected any such compromise on the
grounds that the Council of Higher Education-Judea and Samaria) had laid down
clear and unequivocal academic criteria in 2007 for AUC's accreditation after a
five-year period ending in July 2012.

As part of the accreditation process, in February 2012 a blue-ribbon panel
composed of leading academicians from Israeli's leading universities, including
Nobel Prize laureate Prof. Robert Aumann of the Hebrew University, recommended
unanimously that AUC be given full and permanent university status, lavishing
praise upon the institution not only for having met the council's stringent
criteria, but surpassing them in most every respect.

LIKE THE greening of the Negev, the draining of the malarial swamps of yore, the
absorption of millions of immigrants and the creation of the Start-Up Nation,
AUC represents the triumph of the Zionist dream. Founded in a basement in the
village of Kedumim in 1982 with a handful of students, AUC (then known as the
College of Judea and Samaria) had a student body of only 500 in its bar mitzva
year in 1995.

It was then that Prof. Dan Meyerstein, a world-renowned chemist, and a senior
faculty member at Ben-Gurion University, accepted the presidency of the
fledgling institution. In the 17 years he has served as president, together with
AUC's founder and visionary, former finance minister Yigal Cohen-Orgad, and
former foreign minister Moshe Arens, AUC has grown into a formidable academic
research institution with a student body numbering some 13,000, 85 percent of
whom hail from pre-1967 Israel, including some 500 Arab Israeli students.

AUC has a faculty of nearly 300, instructing in 24 faculty departments spanning
a wide range of disciplines from natural science, applied science, bio-medical
science, engineering, business, management and education to the humanities. It
has set a national record for absorbing new-immigrant academics from the former
Soviet Union. It has the highest number of students of Ethiopian origin, more
than any of Israel's other institutions.

This year alone, in anticipation of its new university status, AUC is about to
welcome 30 young PhDs, 20 of whom are Israelis and Jews coming from leading
universities in the United States and Western Europe, thereby helping to reverse
the brain-drain phenomenon. In its relatively short existence, AUC has achieved
recognition as one of Israel's leading higher education institutions in a number
of fields including physical therapy, robotics and materials science, and boasts
highly acclaimed schools in architecture and communications.

IT WAS no wonder then that both the blue-ribbon accreditation team and the
Council of Higher Education-Judea and Samaria) disregarded the skeptics and the
naysayers and approved AUC's university status.

All would be well, except that, incredibly, the process is not yet over. Because
AUC is located over the Green Line, it is subject to a sui generis legal regime.
AUC's new status must be approved formally by the commander of the IDF Central
Command, who serves as military governor of Judea and Samaria. As an army
officer, the commander is subject to the jurisdiction of the defense minister,
Ehud Barak.

As strange as it may seem, the military governor acting at the behest of the
defense minister could delay or even veto the decision of the Council of Higher
Education, the blue-ribbon panel, and the enthusiastic recommendations of
Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. In the
volatile political climate created by the withdrawal of the Kadima Party from
the coalition government and the looming prospect of general elections, the
ultimate fate of AUC's accreditation cannot be taken for granted.

While it is said that nothing happens in Israel that is not affected in some way
by politics, it is to be hoped that Minister Barak and the military governor,
together with Prime Minister Netanyahu, will endorse the decision of the Council
of Higher Education, their fellow ministers and the blue-ribbon panel, and not
allow AUC to become a pawn in the political maneuverings that inevitably precede
elections.

First, Minister Barak should respect the wishes of AUC's 13,000 students and
faculty, as well as the Israeli national student organization and dozens of
faculty from Israel's other universities who warmly welcome AUC's ascension to
university status.

Second, Minister Barak should respect the rule of law, laid down in the 2005
government decision to approve AUC's university status upon fulfillment of the
council's academic criteria and the more than satisfactory completion of the
accreditation process as prescribed by the only body with legal authority to
promulgate them. Third, Minister Barak should remember that adding another
qualified academic research institution to the community of Israeli universities
increases competition and promotes academic freedom.

Why should the excess concentration of power be disclaimed in the economic arena
only to be preserved anachronistically in the academic realm? Competition is
healthy. It creates opportunities and fosters creativity. It creates jobs and
spurs ossifying institutions to improve their research and pedagogical
offerings, not to mention to streamline their management and administration.

Finally, and no less importantly, it is a vote for Zionism. AUC was founded on
the premise that it was possible to create a modern university in Israel in
which both the faculty and the students proudly embrace the Zionist dream,
symbolized by the rule that every classroom at AUC must display the flag of
Israel. While academic freedom is cherished at AUC, AUC has little tolerance for
the kind of anti-Zionist dogma that has spread cancerously in many other
university faculties in Israel.

That AUC is today a thriving institution of higher learning with an
international reputation for research and excellence is nothing short of
miraculous. Its accreditation as a full-fledged university would be a crowning
recognition of the courage and foresight of its founders, faculty and students.
There could be no more potent rejoinder to those here and abroad who seek daily
to delegitimize the Zionist enterprise and to weaken the magnificent human
experiment called the State of Israel. It is time for this dream to become
reality.

The writer is a practicing international attorney with offices in Jerusalem, Tel
Aviv, Washington, New York and Toronto. He is a member of the AUC Executive
Committee.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Like the greening of the Negev, the draining of the malarial swamps of
yore and the creation of the Start-Up Nation, Ariel University Center represents
the triumph of the Zionist dream

GRAPHIC: Photo: AN AERIAL view of the West Bank city Ariel, the location of
Ariel University. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

769 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

The unending problem of universal jurisdiction

BYLINE: TREVOR ASSERSON

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 826 words

On September 15, 2005, Doron Almog, an IDF general with an illustrious military
career, landed in London on an El Al flight. He was in London fundraising for
Aleh, a charity which provides residential facilities for disabled children.
Gen. Almog did not expect to have any difficulties passing through airport
control in London. In fact, the British police were waiting for him. A lawyer in
London had asked a local court to issue an arrest warrant for Gen. Almog, and
the policemen were waiting at passport control to take the general into custody.

Gen. Almog had a lucky escape. Someone had warned him before he landed that the
police were waiting for him and he stayed on the plane. El Al did not permit the
policemen to board the plane, and Gen. Almog flew back to Israel without
stepping on British soil. How did Gen. Almog come so close to being arrested,
and should other Israeli soldiers be worried about this possibility, too? The
law in England has changed since 2005, though, and this article looks at the
position then and now.

Under international law, some crimes are considered so serious that a person who
has committed them may be arrested and tried in any country, not just the place
where the crime was committed or where the person lives, which is normally the
rule. Such crimes include piracy, torture and war crimes. The principle is
called "universal jurisdiction" because a court in any country will consider
itself to have jurisdiction over the whole world when it comes to these crimes.

Pursuant to that universal jurisdiction, a dictator from South America accused
of torturing people in his own country can be arrested in Britain on a warrant
issued by a Spanish judge, as happened in 1998 to General Pinochet, the former
president of Chile.

Until 2011, England and Wales had permissive rules about who could ask the
courts for an arrest warrant in relation to a crime subject to universal
jurisdiction. Any person could put information before a magistrate that a crime
had been committed, even one committed outside the court's jurisdiction, and the
magistrate could issue an arrest warrant. In the case of Gen. Almog a
pro-Palestinian group was responsible for obtaining the warrant. There were
exceptions for foreign politicians in the country on a "special mission," but
not for ordinary soldiers.

This situation resulted in Israeli politicians including the former opposition
leader, Tzipi Livni, canceling planned trips to the UK for fear of being
arrested.

In 2011 Parliament passed the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act to
deal with this problem. Under the new law the prior permission of the Director
of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is required before a warrant can be issued against
foreigners suspected of war crimes committed outside of the UK. The DPP is a
lawyer employed by the government to decide, according to strict criteria, which
suspected criminals should be prosecuted. In particular, only cases which have a
realistic prospect of conviction and where prosecution is in the public interest
should be pursued.

Even with this new law, Doron Almog cancelled a planned trip to England in June
this year because he was advised by Israeli government lawyers that the DPP
might decide that the he should be arrested. The Israeli government would prefer
the decision of whether to arrest to be made by a politician, who would take
into account diplomatic considerations, not by a civil servant who has no such
constraints.

In October 2011, when Tzipi Livni visited the UK and an arrest warrant was
applied for under the new law, the DPP stated that it had not concluded whether
to prosecute her or not, because she was in England on a "special mission" with
diplomatic immunity from prosecution. For someone like Gen. Almog without such
protection, even the new law seems not to offer sufficient comfort.

Because of the law change there is certainly a smaller risk now that an Israeli
soldier visiting England might be arrested for alleged war crimes in, for
example, Gaza. Even if someone placed evidence before a magistrate that the
soldier had committed a war crime, the DPP would have to agree before the
soldier could be arrested, let alone put on trial. The DPP could only agree if
there was good evidence that the soldier had committed the crime, and that
prosecution was in the public interest.

Although the meaning of "public interest" has not been tested in relation to
Israeli soldiers' alleged war crimes, it is likely that causing a diplomatic
embarrassment to a close ally such as Israel would not be in the English
public's interest in most cases. Accordingly, a soldier who simply served in the
IDF, even in a controversial job like manning a checkpoint in the West Bank, but
did nothing more unusual than that, would have little to fear in visiting
England or Wales.

The writer is senior partner at Asserson Law Offices, an English law firm which
operates from offices in London, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Will Israeli soldiers visiting England be arrested for war crimes?

GRAPHIC: Photo: DORON ALMOG (Credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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770 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Ramadan in Syria

BYLINE: KENNETH BANDLER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 677 words

Ramadan has become a funereal time in Syria. A year ago there was hope that
President Bashar Assad might stop his brutal crackdown before the monthlong
Muslim holiday of fasting, introspection and thanksgiving. But in the early days
of Ramadan 2011, Assad's forces actually stepped up their cruelty, murdering
more than 200 in a ferocious attack on Hama. The Ramadan Massacre was a portent
of even worse to come.

Assad would willfully ignore the criticisms from Washington and European
capitals, the claims by US President Barack Obama and others that he had lost
his legitimacy, must yield power and step down. The Syrian leader would remain
defiant in the face of mounting US and EU economic sanctions, the withdrawal of
Western and Arab ambassadors from Damascus and the suspension of Syria's
membership in the Arab League. He would welcome Kofi Annan to the presidential
palace in Damascus and listen politely to the former UN secretary-general's
proposals for ending the conflict, yet not once during Annan's several visits
would Assad's forces cease fire.

Indeed, the ferocity of the assaults - and the fatality rates - rose
substantially after Annan pronounced that Assad had agreed to pull back his
forces as part of a six-point peace plan, and several hundred UN observers
arrived to monitor its implementation. But Assad had never consented. The
regime's assaults continued, chronicled regularly in what Fouad Ajami has called
"the first YouTube civil war of our time."

On the very rare occasions when it was relatively safe for the UN monitors to
travel, they merely confirmed the massacres carried out by Assad's forces.

Buoyed by unyielding support from Moscow and Beijing, Assad continued to besiege
and pummel Syrian cities, carrying out mass arrests, torture and killings. His
powerful allies, after all, are permanent members of the UN Security Council,
the body that is supposed to preserve the peace and protect innocents from the
kind of brutality Assad has delivered.

Russia and China were unmoved. On Thursday they joined for the third time in
casting a double veto of a UN Security Council resolution on Syria. The world
body had once again failed to come to the assistance of Assad's victims.

"For the sake of the Syrian people we need effective leadership from the
Security Council and genuine unity around a political plan that meets the
aspirations of the Syrian people," said Maj.-Gen. Robert Mood, head of the UN
observer mission.

That mission, originally set to end Friday, got an inexplicable 30-day extension
just as the month of daily fasting for Ramadan began. Syrians already have been
scrambling to collect enough food for the evening meals after each day of
fasting. Empty shelves are common in stores not yet destroyed by the regime's
bombardments. The shortage of food and medical supplies is a reminder of the
failure to establish minimal humanitarian safe zones.

Syria is the longest-running and most gruesome of the Arab uprisings, and it is
not yet over. Even after the assassinations of Assad's top security aides, there
is no assurance that Assad is any closer to falling. He may still be in Damascus
or in his own version of the Alamo, the Alawite redoubt of Latakia.

The situation inside Syria will get much worse before it can begin, slowly, to
get better. Whenever Assad is overthrown the period of rebuilding and recovery
will be extremely challenging. Instability in Syria and uncertainty about who is
in charge will linger, threatening the Syrian people and neighboring countries.
Jordan and Turkey have taken in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. Israel,
already facing heightened security challenges on its borders with Egypt and
Lebanon, eyes what has been its quietest border for nearly 40 years with deep
concern.

Syrians will forever remember the savagery of the Assad family. They also will
remember how the world, especially organizations and individual nations that
claim to stand for human rights, abandoned them in their hour of need.

The writer is the American Jewish Committee's director of media relations.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ON MY MIND. The ferocity of the assaults - and the fatality rates - rose
substantially after Annan pronounced that Assad had agreed to pull back his
forces as part of a six-point peace plan

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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771 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

The Palestinian problem is gone!

BYLINE: GERSHON BASKIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1099 words

I am struggling to make sense of the policies being implemented by our prime
minister. Binyamin Netanyahu is an intelligent man. In keeping his coalition
together and staying in power longer than most past prime ministers, he has
proven that he is also a masterful politician. However, I can't accept that his
political strategy is only a game of survival. I believe Netanyahu cares deeply
about the country and its people; he adheres to a defined worldview and does not
only make difficult decisions under pressure, as many claim.

I assume that he has a coherent political strategy that he can articulate. I
also assume that it goes beyond protecting Israel from a potential Iranian bomb.
I am mainly referring to his strategy vis-a-vis the Palestinians and the future
of the West Bank. The bottom line on his strategy is the following: there is no
occupation and there is no Palestinian problem. Binyamin Netanyahu has
eliminated the Palestinian problem. This is how I think he did it:

Shortly after he was elected he surprised everyone with his famous Bar-Ilan
speech endorsing the two-state solution. That removed international and internal
pressure on his new government. Then he implemented his "economic peace plan,"
removing checkpoints and enabling the Palestinian economy to expand. The
Palestinians cooperated by issuing the "Fayyad Plan" to build the institutions
of the state. That kept them and the international community busy thinking that
they were actually planning for statehood.

The policy of separating Gaza from the West Bank, launched by Sharon, followed
up by Olmert and completed by Netanyahu is now paying off after the elections of
the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Hamas, feeling empowered, is planning to make
permanent the separation from the West Bank. At the same time, Egypt will slowly
but surely integrate Gaza into the Egyptian fabric.

The Egyptians want to retake control of Sinai. They need to end smuggling in the
area and that includes the tunnels into Gaza. The Gazan economy will move above
ground, which will require a cargo transport border in Rafah. The Rafah border
will shortly be open 24/7 for movement of people in and out. Gaza will import
more from and through Egypt, maybe El-Arish will become a semi-official Gaza sea
port. Soon we will begin to hear about the use of the Egyptian lira as the
primary currency in Gaza instead of the Israeli shekel. Bye bye, Gaza. We can
say farewell to its 1.6 million people.

East Jerusalem Palestinians, some 300,000 in number, are lining up asking for
Israeli passports. Israel has succeeded in detaching them from the West Bank as
well. They lived under Jordanian rule for 19 years and under Israeli rule for 45
years. Israeli policies threaten their residency status. They no longer have
hopes of seeing a Palestinian state. They don't wish to live under the
restrictions of life in the West Bank. They enjoy free movement, national
insurance and health services. Why not take an Israeli passport?

Maybe they will vote in the Jerusalem municipal elections, maybe they won't.
Maybe they will vote for the Knesset, maybe they won't. There is a sharp decline
in the political participation of Palestinian citizens of Israel, why should the
Jerusalemites be different? We can say goodbye to the thorny issue of Jerusalem
and the 300,000 additional Israeli citizens are already counted in our official
statistics, so this won't change anything.

Ninety-five percent of Palestinians in the West Bank are living under the
Palestinian Authority. The PA is on the verge of financial collapse, but fear
not, the United States, the Europeans and Israel will not allow them to fall.
The PA is too important for stability.

They provide services to the Palestinians in education, health, welfare. They
provide work for more than 150,000. They have a security force with official
uniforms and a chain of command. They run an economy with a tax system. They
have banks and even a stock market. They have a pseudo-national status with
Palestinian Authority passports. They have a flag and a national anthem. As long
as there continues to be economic growth, which is largely dependent on Israel,
relative calm is not too difficult to ensure.

There is the problem of some of the more extreme settlers who provoke with
violence, mainly in the relatively unpopulated areas, and their actions all too
often wind up on YouTube causing some concern. But all in all, it is manageable.
In those few areas where there is unrest, the IDF knows how to deal with it.
When was the last time we heard about Israeli casualties in Nebi Salah or
Bil'in? We just have to keep those damn internationals and anarchists out and it
will be fine.

If the Palestinians decide to once again rise up, a little disproportionate
response does wonders, e.g. Defensive Shield, the Second Lebanon War and Cast
Lead. Those operations bought years of deterrence.

ON TOP of all of this, Netanyahu's demographers claim that the Palestinian
census figure of 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank is off by about one
million.

So let's recap - Gaza, with its 1.6 million, is out of the picture. East
Jerusalem's 300,000 Palestinians become citizens, but like their
one-million-strong brothers and sisters who are already citizens; their
political participation is increasingly insignificant. The West Bank is really
only 1.5 million strong. Many young people are leaving for better opportunities
elsewhere and for most people, at least those not living right next to a
settlement or those who have to work in Israel, life isn't so bad. In fact, it
is probably better than Spain.

The demography problem played up so high by the left is a chimera. And we all
know the haredim (ultra-Orthodox) produce even more babies than the Arabs (maybe
this explains Netanyahu's passionate relationship with them - even if they don't
serve in the army - they serve in the maternity ward).

The world still believes Netanyahu intends to one day create a Palestinian
state, but there is not much they can do as long as he keeps on declaring his
willingness to negotiate and the Palestinian leaders keep staying away from
negotiations.

So listen up, People of Israel: two weeks ago you were told that there is no
occupation and that settlements are legal. Now you can sleep well at night -
there is no Palestinian problem either.

The writer is the co-chairman of IPCRI, the Israel Palestine Center for Research
and Information, a columnist for The Jerusalem Post, a radio host on All for
Peace Radio and the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel for the
release of Gilad Schalit.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ENCOUNTERING PEACE

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE RUINS of the Jewish community of Gadid in the Gaza Strip in
2005. 'The policy of separating Gaza from the West Bank, launched by Sharon,
followed up by Olmert and completed by Netanyahu is now paying off.' (Credit:
Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

772 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Photo - A SHOWCASE FOR ISRAELI DESIGN

BYLINE: Elle Yahalom

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 72 words

A SHOWCASE FOR ISRAELI DESIGN. The Bezalel Department of Architecture held the
opening this past Thursday of its exhibition "National Perspectives." The
opening, which was held in the department itself on Bezalel Street, was a
full-day event in which young and innovative architects from around the world
were invited to host a panel discussion on globalization and modern practices of
architecture. The exhibit runs through August 3.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A SHOWCASE FOR ISRAELI DESIGN. The Bezalel Department of
Architecture held the opening this past Thursday of its exhibition "National
Perspectives." The opening, which was held in the department itself on Bezalel
Street, was a full-day event in which young and innovative architects from
around the world were invited to host a panel discussion on globalization and
modern practices of architecture. The exhibit runs through August 3. (Credit:
Elle Yahalom)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

773 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Biometric database pilot should be changed, High Court says. Interior Ministry
agrees to review 'smart ID card' trial

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 662 words

During a High Court of Justice hearing on Monday, the Interior Ministry agreed
to review its pilot of "smart" identity cards, to examine whether creating a
single, centralized biometric database is the best option.

Civil rights groups and data security campaigners petitioned the court in
February, warning that government plans for a centralized database comprised "a
sensitive and powerful resource that provides an unprecedented mechanism for
surveillance and control."

Petitioners' attorney Avner Pinchuk of the Association for Civil Rights in
Israel (ACRI); Prof. Karine Nahon of the University of Washington's Information
School; the Movement for Digital Rights; and information security expert Doron
Ofek said the Interior Ministry's pilot program - which had been due to start
soon - had deliberately omitted any study of alternatives to a centralized
database.

The petitioners said the ministry should examine whether a central database was
in fact needed and whether there were other options that could prevent data
leaks or information theft.

Though the court rejected the petition as premature because the pilot has not
yet run, Justices Miriam Naor, Hanan Melcer and Isaac Amit also accepted the
petitioners' arguments that the state must rework its planned pilot of the
program to evaluate whether it is necessary to store the population's biometric
data in a single, centralized database.

The Interior Ministry has been planning for years to replace existing ID cards
with ones containing biometric data, and in 2009, the Knesset approved the
biometric data law that allowed the initiative to move forward.

Monday's High Court hearing came after the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice
Committee gave the green light in May for the Population Registry to soon begin
a two-year pilot of the smart cards.

During the hearing, ACRI's Pinchuk blasted the pilot as "faulty" and slammed the
government for failing to evaluate alternatives to a single database.

The petitioners accused the Interior Ministry of deciding the results of the
pilot project in advance, and said the trial run was intended only to give the
appearance of a genuine study.

Pinchuk also criticized as overkill the ministry's argument that smart ID cards
would prevent identity theft, dubbing it "like shooting a bird with a cannon."

Also during the hearing, Melcer and Amit noted that Israel was the second
democratic country (after Spain) to create a database of its citizens' biometric
data, while Deputy Supreme Court President Naor noted that the state had
invested "a huge fortune" in the database.

The Interior Ministry said it agreed to accept the petitioners' request to
examine afresh its pilot project directive - the ministry's order stipulating
exactly how the pilot will be run and evaluated.

As a result, the ministry must establish new parameters and standards to be
tested during the pilot.

However, and significantly, the Interior Ministry can still conduct voluntary
tests of the smart card initiative ahead of the pilot, which is expected to
start within several weeks.

In court, attorney Dana Briskman for the state said the ministry also plans to
ask Israelis to volunteer to give their fingerprints to be held in a temporary
database. This, Briskman said, would be separate from the pilot and regardless
of any amendments made to the pilot directive. The petitioners slammed the
announcement.

Civil rights groups have said the issue of a central biometric database is of
particular concern after the theft of a sensitive population registry database
exposed the personal data of nine million Israelis.

The Tel Aviv district attorney indicted six people in May over the data theft,
in which a Welfare and Social Services Ministry computer contractor allegedly
copied and stole the database from the ministry's computers and sold it to a
haredi organization. The database passed through several hands, before ending up
freely available for download on various Internet file-sharing sites.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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774 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Israeli-designed coffee sets featured in Abu Dhabi palace. Doron Merdinger
offers designs inspired by Jewish mysticism and Islam

BYLINE: LINDA GRADSTEIN/The Media Line

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 549 words

If you're ever invited to coffee with a member of the royal family in Abu Dhabi,
there's a good chance that the cup you will be sipping from was designed and
made in Israel. And be careful not to break the cup. The coffee set costs
$50,000.

Doron Merdinger combines materials such as 18 karat gold, titanium and black
onyx in original patterns.

"Combining different materials is like the connection between a man and a
woman," Merdinger told The Media Line at his boutique in Tel Aviv. "It's one of
the hardest things you can do."

Besides the royal family in Abu Dhabi, the king of Turkmenistan is a frequent
client, as are various Russian-speaking oligarchs. They visit his small boutique
in a trendy area of Tel Aviv, often dropping thousands of dollars per visit.

"Russians love gold - it's deep in our veins," Maria Telnov, 30, a personal
shopper for many of these oligarchs tells The Media Line. "I bring people here
and you can see that they are just amazed. They love beautiful things and they
are willing to pay for them." Merdinger was invited to Abu Dhabi in 2007.

"I got off the plane and two Beduin wearing long white robes escorted me outside
without stamping my passport," he said. "Then they called the hotel and told
them I was coming. I was definitely nervous."

He met the king's Austrian-born executive chef, Wolfgang Fisher, who placed an
order for coffee sets, and a gold - decorated chocolate box for tens of
thousands of dollars. The sets are used on the eighth floor of the Emirates
Palace Hotel, where members of the royal family stay whenever they are visiting
Abu Dhabi.

Merdinger says he was on the verge of receiving a contract worth twelve million
dollars to provide all of the dinnerware to the royal palace when a senior Hamas
commander, Mahmoud Mabhouh, was killed in Dubai in 2010. Police in the UAE say
Israel was responsible. Merdinger says he was no longer able to enter the UAE.

"No one there ever knew I was Israeli - they thought I was Swiss," he tells The
Media Line.

Merdinger says many products including an automatic milking machine for camels
and drip irrigation systems are manufactured in Israel, and imported via a
European country.

"The rulers all know, but it doesn't trickle down," he says. "It's not
considered politically correct to deal with Israel." Recently, Merdinger has
become interested in Kabbala. His latest designs use the arabesque, a linear
pattern first shown in Islamic art from the 11th century.

"The arabesque is a manifestation of God," Merdinger says. "What exists are
lines which create shapes which repeat endlessly. It mimics nature."

A few years ago, Merdinger visited the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles, where he
met Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher who came to Israel in 2007 along with Madonna,
to celebrate Rosh Hashana.

Merdinger was inspired to make a special necklace for Madonna, with 72 black
diamonds. Inside each diamond is one of the names of God. Merdinger says it cost
$10,000 to make and he gave it to one of Madonna's assistants to give to her. He
said he heard she received it, and appreciated the gift.

"I know it was a masterpiece," he says.

Not surprisingly, his pieces don't come cheap. Prices range from $209 for a
dinner plate to $2,728 for candlesticks. If you want a complete dinner set, it
will run you about $70,000.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DORON MERDINGER combines gold and titanium in his $50,000 coffee
sets. (Credit: merdinger.ch)

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Waddling back home. Rare marbled ducks return to rehabilitated Kishon River

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 463 words

In the formerly uninhabitable polluted waters of the Kishon River, a record
amount of marbled ducks have returned to the body of water's rehabilitated
reservoirs.

A survey ecologist Shai Agmon recently conducted brought the Kishon Drainage and
Streams Authority the "happy surprise" of 112 of the rarest ducks in Israel, 79
of which were living in one reservoir alone.

The team observed the ducks in four valleys of the region, but "because of the
intense heat we didn't reach all of the reservoirs; the numbers may be even
higher," according to Agmon.

While the river was once considered the most polluted in all of Israel - and has
even been blamed for a high presence of cancer among IDF veterans who had
trained there - after advanced rehabilitations, the river has seen a gradual
return of wildlife.

The marbled ducks are a very beautiful and rare type of seafowl, and are in
danger of extinction in Israel, the Kishon Drainage Authority said, citing the
Red Book of Vertebrates in Israel. Up until the middle of the last century,
there were hundreds of pairs of marbled ducks mating in the Upper Galilee
region, but in recent years, the population has all but disappeared.

Information from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel affirmed
that the marbled ducks have in recent years only been a rare resident of the
Hula Valley and a winter visitor to northern Israel. The species, however, had
been relatively common in the Hula Valley at the end of the 19th and beginning
of the 20th centuries.

Nesting pairs decreased significantly in recent decades - globally considered a
"vulnerable" species and regionally considered "critically endangered."

A professional study conducted in the 1990s for the entire Jezreel Valley region
showed only four ducks present during that time period, Agmnon said.

This year, however, was quite a successful nesting season, with many families
observed in various stages of growth, according to the Kishon Drainage
Authority.

The authority is responsible for treating the pooling basin of the Kishon River,
a 1,100-square km. area stretching from Jenin to the Haifa Bay. It conducts
regular drainage checks and performs flooding prevention in the pooling basin,
and also maintains water quality and cultivates the land around the streams.

The most important ongoing project to the authority is the Kishon Diversity
Project (Haniftol Project), with its workers taking part in a NIS 220 million
national project to divert different portions of the rehabilitated river in the
Haifa Bay region, the authority said.

Simultaneously, the Kishon Drainage Authority is also working with the Kishon
River Authority and the Environmental Protection Ministry to oversee a seven-km.
by 2.5-meter excavation of contaminated sediments on the riverbed floor.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DUCKS GLIDE on water. A record number of marbled ducks have
returned to the Kishon River's rehabilitated reservoirs. (Credit: Shai Agmon)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Two-party politics

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 672 words

The latest in a series of political crises afflicting Kadima has made the
problems of being a centrist party in our political system abundantly clear.

The two veteran parties, the Likud and Labor, to a large extent like the
Republicans and the Democrats in the US represent the two mainstream positions
on cardinal issues such as security and socioeconomics. The ideological room
between them is simply too narrow and insubstantial to allow for a third party.

Disingenuous attempts have been made - particularly by Yair Lapid, head of the
next up-and-coming superfluous centrist party, Yesh Atid - to paint Labor
chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich as a radical socialist who is opposed to free
market enterprise, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been portrayed as
a heartless neoconservative.

But in reality the differences between Yechimovich's social-democratic platform
and Netanyahu's more conservative stance are not so marked, and are similar to
the differences that split Democrats and Republicans. Kadima has never fully
articulated a distinct socioeconomic platform, while the nuances distinguishing
Lapid's socioeconomic platform from Yechimovich's do not justify the creation of
a separate party.

On security issues, Kadima has not brought to the political discourse any new
ideas either. Kadima supporters such as Ariel Sharon's confidant and adviser Dov
Weissglas, claim that Sharon created the party because he felt shackled by the
Likud's ideological constraints. After implementation of the pullout from the
Gaza Strip and parts of northern Samaria in 2005, Sharon was fast losing support
within the Likud, though his popularity soared among the general public. This
was only natural since the sort of unilateral dismantling of Jewish settlements
- without receiving any Palestinian commitments - was diametrically opposed to
the Likud's ideology.

Indeed, it was Labor's Amram Mitzna - not Sharon - who led his party into the
2003 national elections on a platform of unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza
Strip. If implementation of the disengagement was so important to Sharon, he
could have returned to Labor, where he began his political career.

To this day Kadima's stance on security is indistinguishable from Labor's.
Chairman Shaul Mofaz's peace proposal - which calls for the immediate
establishment of an independent, unarmed Palestinian state in part of the West
Bank and Gaza and entering negotiations with Hamas, if the terrorist
organization wins another Palestinian election - could easily be adopted by
Labor.

Centrist parties, such as David Ben-Gurion's Rafi, Yigael Yadin's Democratic
Movement for Change, Avigdor Kahalani's Third Way, and Yitzhak Mordechai and
Amnon Lipkin Shahak's Center Party, never represented substantial political or
ideological positions not given expression in either the Likud or Labor. Ego and
hubris seemed to be the forces behind their creation.

History has shown that centrist parties are not only superfluous, they are
detrimental to political stability. Over the past few decades the size of the
two largest political parties has steadily decreased from around 40 MKs on
average to fewer than 30, in large part due to the creation of various
short-lived centrist parties.

Election reforms such as the raising of the 2-percent threshold for entry to the
Knesset and the institution of regional elections for some Knesset seats would
go a long way toward improving political stability. But so would a good dose of
humility. And it might even be in politicians' best interests to cooperate. A
recent survey found that a Center-Left party (Labor) led by Yechimovich, Lapid
and Tzipi Livni would garner 40 Knesset seats.

A Knesset resting on two strong political parties - one Center-Left and one
Center-Right - would foster a more stable political environment while at the
same time give expression to two clear political agendas. With talk of early
elections in the air, serious thought should be given to taking the steps
necessary to make a quasi-two-party system a reality.

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NOTES: Editorial

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

'Der Spiegel': Germany had warning of Munich massacre

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 243 words

The German government had advance warning of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre,
Der Spiegel reported online on Sunday.

A few weeks before the attack, in which members of the Palestinian organization
Black September killed 11 Israeli sportsmen and a West German police officer,
German intelligence and the German Foreign Ministry received information
indicating that a terrorist attack was being planned at the Olympics, according
to the report.

A few days before the Olympics, an Italian newspaper reported the same threat.

Despite these advance warnings, the report says the German government took no
precautions, and when the attackers came to the Israelis' quarters, they walked
in without meeting any extra security.

Der Spiegel implies there was a systematic cover-up by the local and federal
German authorities of their pre-knowledge of the attack and their failure to
prevent the sportmen's deaths.

According to Der Spiegel, shortly after the massacre, a memorandum was
distributed within the German government directing officials to refrain from any
criticism of other officials and self-criticism, and to refrain from providing
information to the public.

After the attack, the German government also learned that Black September had
been poorly organized, despite its saying in public that the terrorists had
acted "with precision," Der Spiegel said.

One example of the group's operational problems was that its members had trouble
finding a vacant hotel room.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ILANA ROMANO holds an album at her Tel Aviv home showing photos
of her husband, Israeli weightlifter Yossef Romano, whom Palestinian terrorists
murdered in Munich on September 5, 1972. (Credit: Nir Elias/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

The target: Kadima or Iran?

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 675 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Likud politicians in closed conversations
Monday that he knows the effort to split Kadima failed miserably.

Not only did he not get the seven MKs required to leave Kadima, in order to
split the party, he also got his hands dirty in political horse trading. The
prime minister was upset that the failed initiative tainted his genuine efforts
to broker a compromise proposal on drafting yeshiva students.

So why did he do it?

The first answer suggested by Netanyahu's associates is one given by anyone who
gets caught doing anything that looks bad: He thought he could get away with it.

Netanyahu respected former minister Tzachi Hanegbi's political abilities. He
thought Hanegbi could deliver at least seven Kadima MKs and probably more
without too much hassle. He knew there would be bad headlines for a day or two
but they would soon be forgotten.

The prime minister also wanted to widen the coalition again, to help him work
out a compromise on equalizing the burden of IDF service and pass the 2013 state
budget.

But most of all, Netanyahu wanted support for whatever he will ultimately decide
regarding how to handle Iran.

How does adding little-known MKs Avi Duan, Arieh Bibi, Yulia Shamolov Berkovich
and Otniel Schneller connect to Iran? First of all, expanding the coalition
could help him distance the next election.

Netanyahu is expected to win the next election despite the bad press he has
gotten over the past two months. But an election would likely mean the end of
the political career of Ehud Barak, Netanyahu's trusted defense minister and
former commander in the IDF.

Widening the coalition from 66 to 73 MKs would prevent the 11-MK Shas faction
from toppling Netanyahu, which is especially important now because Shas chairman
Eli Yishai has decided that holding an election as soon as possible would help
him politically. It was no wonder that Yishai was the source of headlines
suggesting that Netanyahu was mulling initiating an expedited race.

Had Hanegbi delivered 10 Kadima MKs, Netanyahu could also avoid getting toppled
by Avigdor Liberman's 15-MK Yisrael Beytenu faction. That was also important to
Netanyahu, because at any point, Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein could clear
Liberman of corruption charges and Liberman would have an interest in initiating
an election.

Netanyahu wanted to add Hanegbi to the cabinet because while he has dovish
credentials from his years in Kadima, he is a strong proponent of taking
military action if other methods to stop Iran's nuclearization fail. Hanegbi
cited Iran as his main reason for defecting from Kadima back to the Likud in a
long manifesto on his Facebook page.

"The stability of the government is essential to deal with the imminent downfall
of Assad in Syria, the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the
international wave of terror sponsored by Iran and Hezbollah, and above all:
This is the most fateful time on the Iranian issue," Hanegbi wrote. "The
decision on Iran will impact on our lives more than any other decision that
stands before us."

In Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz's Knesset press conference, he attacked the MKs
who tried to leave Kadima, as was expected. He tried to paint Netanyahu as
corrupt, as was expected. But Mofaz was not expected to connect the effort to
split Kadima to Iran.

"Kadima will not risk operational adventures that will endanger our daughters
and sons," Mofaz said in a statement that appeared out of context with the rest
of his speech.

He was later quoted as saying in closed conversations that "when the real
reasons for the corrupt dance of Hanegbi and Netanyahu become clear, it will
have to be investigated."

Mofaz's associates said he saw a direct connection between Netanyahu's obsession
with Iran and Hanegbi's tough talk on the issue when he was Knesset Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee chairman.

So it is possible that when Netanyahu authorized Hanegbi to negotiate with
Kadima MKs, his real targets were not Duan, Bibi, Shamolov Berkovich and
Schneller, but Natanz, Isfahan, Bushehr and Fordo.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Wait until Ariel is part of Israel

BYLINE: TAL HARRIS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 704 words

Let it be that the settlement of Ariel becomes part of Israel's sovereign lands.
Let it be no longer considered illegal and subjected to international boycotts.
Let it be that its 18,000 residents don't have to move out in the future. Let it
be that it prosper and even become a highly desired tourist attraction. The
Ariel of today, however, cannot be any of these things.

It is, at the very least, located on "disputed territories." Some - and by some
I mean the entire international community - call it "occupied territories." In
any case, it should be clear to decision makers in Israel that my wishes for the
future of Ariel may only be realized within the framework and aftermath of
serious negotiations, which would finally delineate the borders between the
State of Israel and the State of Palestine.

Ariel was founded in 1978 in the heart of the West Bank. The Ariel College was
established in 1982. This was a time when no member of the government considered
the two-state solution an option. Since then, thousands of new immigrants were
settled there by successive governments. That, along with immigration from
cities within Israel, made it the settlement it is today, with roughly 18,000
Jewish inhabitants.

Everything changed, however, between 1988 and 1994, a period in which the
Palestine Liberation Organization adopted the two-state solution and recognized
the State of Israel. In turn the Israeli government accepted that a Palestinian
state would be established in the West Bank and Gaza. This marked the beginning
of a race of extremists on both sides, who aim at undermining this change. On
the Israeli side, the campaign against the two-state solution was championed by
the Yesha Council of settlers. The focal point of this body has been to
tirelessly create negative facts on the ground.

THESE EFFORTS, most notably including settlement expansion, are aimed at
bypassing the stated strategy of Israel to make peace with its neighbors, or
making it increasingly harder to follow through. When the government gives in to
these sorts of pressures, it unilaterally changes the status quo in the West
Bank. This erodes the minimal level of trust needed on both sides to return to
the negotiations table.

We all recognize today that these negotiations are stuck: more than 90 percent
of Palestinians don't trust Netanyahu's 2009 speech at Bar-Ilan University, in
which he expressed support for the two-state solution for the first time, while
over 70% of Israelis don't believe the other side wants peace. Restoring
confidence thus becomes a top Israeli and Palestinian interest.

Yet confidence building becomes a mission impossible when the Yesha Council
calls the shots. A good example is its recent campaign to upgrade the status of
Ariel College to that of a university. Unfortunately, and despite open
opposition from Israel's Council for Higher Education and numerous other groups,
the pressure worked. Ariel is now recognized as a university. For the
extremists, this sort of unilateral action means success. However, for the
moderate majority in the region, which favors an end to the conflict, this
decision means failure.

Failure, not because Ariel will be evacuated as a result of any negotiated
agreement, but rather because the opposite can neither be assumed. Speaking from
my personal experience in talks with a lot of Palestinians, I try to explain to
them how hard, even tragic, the dissolution of large settlements such as Ariel
would be for Israel. They, in turn, tell me how hard, even irreconcilable, it
would be to keep those settlements in place while leaving sufficient land for a
viable and contiguous Palestinian state.

In the desired but uncertain case that Ariel remains under Israeli control in
the future, or even becomes a fully legitimate part of the State of Israel,
unilaterally changing the facts on the ground is playing into the hands of the
extremists. By granting the college university status we are causing unnecessary
agitation, and are moving further away from the vision of the two-state
solution.

The writer is executive director of OneVoice Israel. The OneVoice Movement leads
parallel grassroots efforts in Israel and Palestine toward achieving two states
for two peoples.

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Obama would travel to Israel in second term, says adviser. Comment could allay
criticism that president has not visited country during first term

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 421 words

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama is expected to visit Israel during his
second term, should he be reelected, according to a former US defense official
now helping the president's campaign.

Colin Kahl, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East,
made the comment about Obama's anticipated travel plans during a conference call
with reporters Monday about Republican candidate Mitt Romney's upcoming trip to
Israel and Europe.

Kahl's statement could seek to allay the criticism that Obama has faced from
some quarters of the Jewish community for not traveling to Israel during his
first term, as well as undercut some of Romney's momentum in visiting Israel
during the campaign.

Romney will arrive in England Thursday, followed by a stop in Israel Sunday and
then Poland.

Kahl and other former Obama administration staffers on the call criticized
Romney's past assertion that he would do "the opposite" of the president on
Israel.

He questioned whether that would mean cutting back on historic levels of defense
funding, or supporting anti-Israel resolutions at the UN.

But then a reporter noted that one point of contention sure to be raised during
the trip was Obama's omission of Israel on Middle East tours during four years
in office.

"We can expect him to visit Israel in a second term, should he be reelected,"
said Kahl, who noted that Obama, like Romney now, visited Israel when he was a
candidate back in 2008.

"I don't think this is a serious policy difference," he added.

Kahl challenged Romney on Iran, where he said the former Massachusetts governor
has used some "tough talk" but not been clear about what he would do.

"If Romney thinks it's time to use military action against Iran and abandon
diplomacy prematurely, I think he owes it to the American people to actually say
so," Kahl said.

The Romney campaign did not respond specifically to the attacks leveled by the
Obama team as requested by The Jerusalem Post, but sent out a summary of foreign
policy points where it believes Obama has made missteps, including on Israel,
where the campaign attacked the president for blindsiding the Jewish state on
policies on borders, settlements and its willingness to distance itself from
Israel.

Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams also put out a statement charging that
"in no region of the world is our country's influence any stronger than it was
four years ago."

Instead, he argued, "Governor Romney will restore the pillars of American
strength to secure our interests and defend our values."

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Barack Obama (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

IDF sets up international law course for field commanders

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 369 words

The IDF Military Advocate-General's Office is instituting a course on
international law for field commanders.

The course is meant to familiarize commanders with international law pertaining
to combat and the limitations it imposes on operations, particularly in urban
settings such as those in the Gaza Strip or Lebanon.

The course will be mandatory for those undergoing training to become company,
battalion and brigade commanders.

"It is important that commanders know the principles and what makes a civilian
building like a mosque become a legitimate target, once it stops functioning as
a mosque and becomes a place where rockets are fired from into Israel,"
explained a senior officer who serves in the Military Advocate-General's Office.

The officer said that while he hoped the course would reduce the chance that
Israel will be accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity - as it was in
the Goldstone Report following Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip in 2009 -
he did not believe that would be the case.

Earlier this month, a senior officer in the IDF's Northern Command warned that
the Goldstone Report "will pale" in comparison to the results of a future war
with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The officer said such a war would be devastating for
Lebanon due to Hezbollah's decision to deploy its military forces and
capabilities within towns and villages throughout the country.

"I cannot guarantee that there will not be another Goldstone Report, but we can
try to minimize the criticism by doing the best we can," the officer said. "This
will also help us defend against criticism after such a conflict."

Military Advocate-General Brig.-Gen. Danny Efroni took up his post last year and
has focused on completing the integration of legal officers in the operational
levels within the military. Now, for example, legal officers play a key role in
approving targets before operations including target banks for Israel's various
fronts in Lebanon and Gaza.

"We are involved in all stages of operational planning," the officer said,
adding that legal officers would be present in command posts during conflicts to
assist brigade and division commanders in determining the legitimacy of
attacking certain targets.

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

World powers, Iran resume talks in Turkey today

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 311 words

The on-again, off-again talks between Iran and the world powers known as the
P5+1 will resume in Istanbul on Tuesday, at a low level.

Helga Schmid, the deputy secretary-general of the European External Action
Service, is scheduled to meet Ali Bagheri, the deputy secretary of Iran's
Supreme National Security Council.

According to a statement from the office of EU foreign policy chief Catherine
Ashton, this meeting will be followed by another between Ashton and Saeed
Jalili, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, about "the prospects
for a future meeting at the political level."

Tuesday's meeting will be the first since technical talks were held between the
two sides in Istanbul three weeks ago.

The P5+1 are the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.

Israel continues to hold out little hope for success of the talks, which US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during her visit to Jerusalem last week
had not achieved any substantial results.

Clinton said the proposals Iran put forward so far were "non-starters." Despite
three rounds of talks, she said, "It appears that Iran has yet to make a
strategic decision to address the international community's concerns and fulfill
their obligations under the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] and the UN
Security Council."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in an interview on Fox News on Sunday, said
the current round of talks with Tehran "hasn't stopped the regime one bit, not
an inch." In fact, he said, since last year's round of talks, Iran has "enriched
material for five nuclear bombs."

According to the prime minister, the Iranians are "basically thumbing their
nose" at the international community and the P5+1. "They are basically saying,
we can talk, we can delay and we can deceive while we continue to race toward
atomic weapons. So, that's effectively what is happening."

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

University brawls tarnish Jordan's education sector. Inter-tribal fighting
spreads across country

BYLINE: ABDULLAH OMAR/The Media Line

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 800 words

Earlier this month dozens of students used guns, knives and Molotov cocktails
during a brawl at Muta University in Karak, in southern Jordan. The incident
highlighted how fragile the security is in a country that prides itself as a
safe haven in a region bubbling with uncertainty.

At least 20 people were injured during the melee when dozens of students from
two East Bank tribes, the al-Bararsheh and the Hamaydeh, fought after one
student accused another of stealing his cell phone.

A deputy dean was stabbed in the back and a number of buildings were reduced to
ashes before security forces intervened to contain the situation, eyewitnesses
said.

"An argument developed into a fist fight. Within minutes several people from
both tribes were at each other's throats," Ali Abdul Rahman Jabari, an
engineering student, told The Media Line.

Jabari said the situation spiraled out of control when one student began
bleeding profusely after being stabbed in the back. Students from both tribes
called for reinforcements from relatives living in nearby villages.

Kerak University this week suspended 17 students who took part in the fighting.

University officials say they are concerned that the incident could have a
negative impact on the country's reputation as a regional hub for higher
education. Thousands of citizens of nations in the Gulf and other areas are
currently studying in Jordan, an important source of revenue for the
financially-strapped kingdom.

The fight is the latest episode in a series of brawls on both private and public
university campuses in the country. Most fights begin over issues such a girl's
honor or allegations of theft.

At the University of Jordan, the kingdom's largest university, there have been
several tribal-related fights. Abdul Rahman Shasheer, a member of the student
council there, said tensions over internal elections or insults aimed at female
students have sparked the fighting.

"Most fights develop between students coming from small villages who are very
conservative, and others from the city with a more open minded approach," he
told The Media Line. "They start as a confrontation between two people and
develop into mass brawls."

Officials, psychologists and social activists are struggling to come up with an
explanation. They blame blind allegiance to tribes, deteriorating living
standards and political repression. There are also clashes over modern and
conservative approaches to relationships between men and women.

Psychologist Hussein Khuzay believes an absence of the rule of law in Jordan and
widespread nepotism have created a crisis of confidence.

"People no longer believe that official channels can protect people's rights,"
Khuzay said. "Favoritism is now deeply rooted in universities and other public
institutions, which leads to putting incompetent people in sensitive posts."

He added that the rising number of brawls clearly shows that authorities are
unable to control students on campus.

Students at the University of Jordan say there is no discipline at the
university and no consequences for fighting. They say most students who have
been involved in clashes have not been punished or have had their punishments
suspended after interference from influential figures in the security apparatus,
the royal court or parliament.

"We have in our universities students who do not deserve to be here but are
allowed in because they have ties to influential figures," Fakher Daas,
coordinator of a committee for student rights, told The Media Line. "Most fights
are initiated by these groups."

Meanwhile, Mohammad Khatib, spokesman for the kingdom's Public Security
Department, blamed the universities for not being able to stop students from
carrying weapons.

"It is not the responsibility of the police to prevent students from carrying
weapons inside universities," Khatib said. "The police cannot enter these sacred
sites."

He added that the government was concerned that fights could spill over to
nearby towns and cities.

Students from oil-rich Gulf nations often pay full tuition at the kingdom's
colleges and universities, which are called "the oil of Jordan" and generate
hundreds of millions of dollars by providing an education to foreign nationals.

Officials at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Amman said at least 700 Saudi students
at Muta had applied for transfers following the brawl.

The rising violence could push foreign students to look elsewhere for schooling,
says economic expert Hussam Ayesh.

"University violence will dent Jordan's reputation as a safe haven for students
and this will translate into heavy financial losses... to the national economy,"
he said.

He also believed that the brawls among educated young Jordanians might
discourage foreign investors from initiating projects in Jordan, particularly in
areas hit by violence.

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Social protests shift focus to the weak, says deputy minister. Two more men
attempt to set themselves alight on Monday

BYLINE: RUTH EGLASH; Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 549 words

The social justice protests, which were sparked last year by university students
angry over the exorbitant rent prices in Tel Aviv, are moving in a new direction
by taking up the cause of the weak and struggling, Gila Gamliel, deputy minister
for the advancement of young people, students and women, told The Jerusalem Post
Monday.

Gamliel, who spent last summer meeting with student protest leaders and has
followed up on some of their demands, said that several key steps taken by the
government have eased the burden on students - allowing them to focus their
energies on helping those facing deeper social and economic problems.

"We addressed many of their [the students'] problems this year," said Gamliel,
highlighting steps to create affordable student housing and provide discounts on
public transport, paid maternity leave for those in higher education and other
financial aid.

"Now they have more time to fight for the weaker people and get involved in
influencing the decisions of the state," she observed, adding that it is time
for the government to create new public housing and disperse existing
impoverished neighborhoods.

The Likud MK also said that it was time for the government to "think outside the
box" to find a solution to all the social problems highlighted over the past
year and especially over the past few weeks, after two individuals set
themselves on fire in protest and several others attempted to do the same.

"It is time for the government to respond," she stated, adding that there needs
to be a way to create hope for those who are desperate enough to commit suicide
in this way.

On Monday, two men reportedly attempted to set themselves alight to draw
attention to their financial struggles. While neither of the men - a 47-year-old
from Netivot and a 65-year-old from Ofakim - succeeded in striking the match,
the acts follow in the footsteps of social justice activist Moshe Silman, who
set himself aflame during a social justice protest just over a week ago.

Silman died of his wounds on Friday.

Since the story of Silman - a 57-year-old Haifa resident whose debts to the
National Insurance Institute (NII) left him desperate and nearly homeless -
gained attention, a growing number of people in similar situations have
threatened to duplicate his act.

On Sunday, 45-year-old Akiva Mapiai succeeded in setting himself on fire in
Yehud. He is currently being treated at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer for
burns on over 90 percent of his body.

Immediately after Mapiai's case was made public, Labor chairwoman Shelly
Yechimovich warned against the act of setting oneself alight becoming an
accepted way to protest.

"[Silman's] suicide cannot be allowed to become a legitimate act of protest,"
she said. "Taking one's own life is an extreme and awful act and it cannot be
idealized."

Meanwhile, the Welfare and Social Services Ministry and the NII announced Monday
that a new helpline aimed at providing emergency assistance to those who can no
longer cope with their economic situation is now up and running.

The helpline (02-646-3333) will be operated during the daytime and will allow
callers to leave a message at night. The goal is to find a more immediate
solution for those facing housing problems or financial distress, or caught up
in impossible bureaucracy.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Kadima foursome unlikely to be forced out of faction. Knesset House Committee to
hear Mofaz request to expel Schneller, Shamalov Berkovich, Bibi and Duan

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 612 words

The Knesset House Committee is unlikely to authorize Kadima chairman Shaul
Mofaz's attempt to fire four of his party's 28 MKs, Likud and Kadima sources
said on Monday.

In a letter to House Committee chairman Yariv Levin (Likud), Mofaz said that MKs
Otniel Schneller, Yulia Shamalov Berkovich, Arieh Bibi and Avraham Duan had left
Kadima, based on quotes attributed to them in the press.

In his letter, Mofaz cited Article 61 of the 1994 Knesset Law, which says the
committee must investigate whether a lawmaker has actually left his faction
before authorizing such a change.

The House Committee will hold a tribunal in which Kadima will present its claim
that the legislators had already quit the party. Each MK can individually argue
otherwise. Though the MKs may bring a lawyer to Tuesday's meeting, none planned
to do so as of Monday evening. Should Kadima or individual MKs disagree with the
verdict, they can appeal to the Jerusalem District Court.

If the committee authorizes Mofaz's request regarding the four MKs, the
legislators would no longer be members of any faction and as such would be
unable to propose bills or motions for the agenda. They would be unable to join
any other faction or run on that faction's list in the next election unless they
first resigned from the Knesset.

It would also be impossible to appoint them as ministers or deputy ministers, as
the Likud had promised some MKs.

If the House Committee turns Mofaz down, as is expected, the lawmakers may join
another faction, although they are unlikely to be accepted if they cannot find
three more Kadima lawmakers to join them so they can take party funding with
them.

A source in Mofaz's camp was skeptical that the House Committee would force the
foursome out of Kadima, saying the party would "dry them out" instead. This
means they would find themselves remaining in Kadima in a situation similar to
that of renegade Shas MK Haim Amsalem, who is essentially ignored by the other
members of his faction, who do not allow him to propose legislation or motions
to the Knesset agenda.

"Mofaz's letter to the House Committee is not serious and has no chance of being
authorized," Government Services Minister Michael Eitan (Likud) said. "MKs are
not marionettes who can be thrown away and punished just because of internal
disagreements."

Committee chairman Levin also said Mofaz's letter was unlikely to be authorized
as it "barely presents a hint of a [valid] claim."

From a legal standpoint, he said, quotes in the press about signed agreements to
jump from Kadima to the Likud would not hold water unless the contracts were
presented.

"This is a serious, weighty decision because if an MK is forced to leave his
faction he will have no funding and cannot join an existing party in future
elections," Levin explained. "Real proof is necessary to justify such a step."

Levin added that the tribunal would be fair and he would hear both sides'
claims.

"This political marketplace, in which someone jumps from one party to another
without considering ideology, must be condemned," Levin added. "However, that is
not enough under the law. It is not enough that what they did does not look
good."

The Likud MK pointed out that it was legal for groups of seven or more MKs to
leave a party, although if the four failed in their attempt it was not reason
for punishment.

Levin also said that disagreements between a party leader and members of his
faction were not a good enough reason for the committee to allow the party
leader to clean house. He called for all MKs on the House Committee to vote
according to legal considerations and said there could not be party or coalition
discipline in Tuesday's meeting.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Red lines and deterrence

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 606 words

If Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak had a
playbook, the strategy being used to prevent the proliferation of Syria's
chemical weapons would be taken straight out of the chapter on Iran.

Even if Israel ultimately decides not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, there
is no question that Jerusalem's saber-rattling has played a critical role in
getting the international community to crack down on the Islamic Republic with
additional economic sanctions.

Israel seems to be using the same tactic in its efforts to prevent Hezbollah
from getting its hands on Syria's chemical weapons. By threatening to take
military action, Israel hopes it ultimately will not have to. The same has been
the case with Iran.

This does not mean the threats are not real, and it seems Israel is prepared to
use force to prevent Hezbollah from receiving advanced military capabilities. If
this happens, however, it would constitute a dramatic shift in Israeli strategic
thinking and in the metaphorical "red lines" that the country has abided by for
64 years.

Until now, Israel has been willing to go to war either when it anticipated that
its enemies were on the verge of attacking - as in 1967 - or to prevent them
from obtaining a nuclear capability, as it did when it attacked the reactors in
Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007. In both of those cases the defense establishment
was prepared for the possibility that the strikes would lead to a full-fledged
war. Thankfully, they did not.

This basically means that until now, Israel has been willing to tolerate a
military buildup by its enemies, with a nuclear capability serving as the "red
line." However, with the threats coming out of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv over the
past week, it seems the line might be moving up to chemical weapons or even to
advanced and conventional missile systems that Syria could transfer to
Hezbollah.

Why would these systems make a difference for Israel? With chemical weapons, the
answer seems obvious - Israel fears that Hezbollah, a terrorist group, would use
these weapons of mass destruction against it.

On the other hand, why did Israel not try to stop Syria, a country that has
always supported terrorism, from establishing the capability in the 1970s the
way it later stopped Damascus's nuclear program? In this case, the answer might
be that Syria, a state, is a rationale actor, one that can be deterred. The
same, according to this line of thinking, would not apply to Hezbollah - a
rogue, non-state actor.

This argument, however, might be flawed considering the past six years of quiet
along Israel's border with Lebanon and the fact that senior IDF officers
publicly declare that Hezbollah is being deterred from acting against Israel
today.

Therefore, it might be the case that if Hezbollah obtains chemical weapons or
advanced surface-to-air missiles, the opposite will happen - Israel will be the
one deterred from taking action, losing the operational freedom it has today.

Take, for example, the following scenario - a soldier is abducted along the
border with Lebanon and Israel wants to retaliate. Hezbollah warns that if the
IDF invades it will launch chemical weapons into Israel. This has been one of
Israel's traditional arguments against allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear
capability. It is not a threat just because of the possibility that one day a
long-range ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead will be fired into downtown
Tel Aviv, but due to the nuclear arms race it will set off in the region and
because it will impair and undermine Israel's operational freedom.

That argument is now being used regarding Syria and Hezbollah.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Egypt eases restrictions for visa-less male Palestinians

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 363 words

Palestinians who arrive in Egypt by plane without a visa will be allowed to stay
in the country for 72 hours, Cairo's envoy in Ramallah, Yasser Othman, announced
on Monday.

The announcement came as Egyptian authorities denied they had lifted
restrictions imposed on Palestinian travelers.

Until now, Egypt had immediately deported all Palestinians who arrived without a
visa.

In recent weeks, hundreds of Palestinians who arrived in Egypt have been put on
planes and sent to the Gaza Strip or the countries they came from. Dozens of
Palestinians who fled Syria were stuck at Cairo International Airport after the
Egyptian authorities denied them entry.

Some of the Palestinians were sent back to Syria, while others were escorted to
the Rafah terminal on their way into the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian
sources.

Palestinians who arrived from other Arab countries without a visa were detained
at the airport before being deported to the Gaza Strip.

Following protests by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, Cairo changed its
policy, allowing Palestinian travelers to stay in Egypt for at least 72 hours
before they chose their next destination.

Security sources in Cairo denied reports that the Egyptian authorities were no
longer requiring Palestinians to obtain a visa before visiting the country.

The sources said the official regulations regarding the entry of Palestinians
remained unchanged. They said all men aged 18 to 40 still need a visa to enter
Egypt, while females are exempt.

According to the sources, the policy at the Rafah terminal has also not changed
and Palestinians from the Gaza Strip cannot enter the country without a visa or
permission from the Egyptian security authorities.

Palestinians had hoped the election of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi as
president would lead to a change in travel restrictions.

The Hamas government said that despite promises from the Egyptian authorities,
the restrictions have not been eased and Palestinians are still subjected to
"humiliating" treatment when they arrive in Egypt. In addition, the Egyptians
are continuing to ban many Palestinians from the Gaza Strip from traveling
through the Rafah border crossing.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

From the Islamic Revolution to the Islamic Devolution

BYLINE: ALIREZA KHANDEROO

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 658 words

Being one of the fastest-growing countries in terms of leaving Islam, hundreds
upon hundreds of Iranian Muslims are secretly converting to Christianity, or are
becoming atheists, due to the arrogance and brutality of the Islamic regime in
Iran.

A few months before the 1979 revolution, the promise of a democratic government
in Iran with which the clergy would not interfere and in which all people from
various classes of society would be free and equal was kept alive by Ayatollah
Khomeini in exile in France on October 25, 1978, while surrounded by western
journalists.

Like a snowfall that commences with a few uncertain flakes, thickens gradually
into flurries and then becomes a blinding blizzard, Ayatollah Khomeini, who made
a variety of promises including social justice and freedom, gradually replaced
the crown with a turban after the Shah's regime fell, and opened an
unprecedented chapter of religious dictatorship in Iran.

Speaking in God's name, the ruling clergy in Iran has misused religion at the
expense of the fundamental human rights of women, religious minorities and
especially political dissidents. In a speech at Qom on August 30, 1979, Khomeini
threatened pro-democracy activists with harsh punishment.

"Those who are trying to bring corruption and destruction to our country in the
name of democracy, they are worse than Banu-Qurayza Jews, and they must be
hanged. We will oppress them by God's order," Khomeini told the Hawza clerics,
at the Feyzieh Seminary of Qom.

For most of the past 33 years, through mass executions and serial assassinations
at home and abroad, the ayatollahs have purged the political dissidents and
ex-Muslim Iranians from the socio-political arena, especially under the shadow
of Iran-Iraq war during 1980-1988.

According to Amnesty International, over 4,482 political prisoners were
reportedly killed by the Islamic regime in 1988 alone.

Following 1979, 33 years of theocracy over Iran unmasked the smoke-screen of the
rule of clerics behind which the leaders pursue their willful ambitions under
the umbrella of religion. Since that time the ayatollahs, who had managed
nothing bigger than mosques, have taken control of mass media and macroeconomic
affairs of oil-rich Iran. They have been prescribing the salve-Islamic Economy -
to ease the world's economic ills. While domestically, the prescribed medicine
has driven Iran's economy head-long into a coma.

WHILE THERE is no official survey of the number of ex-Muslim Iranians and
despite the Islamic Penalty Code of Iran, by which any male Iranian who leaves
his Islamic faith receives a death penalty and women life imprisonment, many
Iranian Muslims have converted to Christianity or atheism over the past three
decades since the Islamic Revolution.

As a result an Islamic devolution is underway throughout Iran, especially
following the fraudulent 2009 re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the
post-election unrest.

The current devolution in Iranian society is not a crisis, but the way out of a
crisis that has arisen due to a lack of trust in the ruling regime.

Iran is no doubt pregnant with make-or-break change. Having had its fill of the
theocratic experience, more than at any time in its history Iran is now longing
for a secular democracy in which mullahs return to the mosques. As a
consequence, a war against Iran over the nuclear issue would not only have
disastrous effects on the stability of the region but would trigger systematic,
bloody purges of political dissidents, ex-Muslim Christians as well as Bahai
believers by the regime.

Amid the Middle East unrest, many Iranians are worried that similar radical
Islamic regimes could arise in other countries of the region. It looks as though
the "Arab Spring" crazy train is barrelling toward what the Iranian people have
experienced under the Islamic Republic since the 1979 Revolution. It seems that
history repeats itself.

The writer is an Iranian journalist based in Central Asia.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A CHRISTIAN man and a cleric pray during a New Year mass at
Saint Serkis church in central Tehran. (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Through the eyes of babes

BYLINE: HANNAH BROWN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 655 words

If you're tired of taking your kids to see the standard movie fare at the
multiplex, you'll be happy to hear that the 8th Tel Aviv International
Children's Film Festival is starting this week at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. It
runs until July 29.

The festival is a carefully chosen selection of films from around the world (and
Israel, too), events and workshops for children of all ages. All the films
feature Hebrew titles or are dubbed into Hebrew.

There have been many wonderful films about children from the Netherlands in
recent years, and there will be a special section devoted to these films,
including Winky's Horse, one of the most popular films shown at this festival in
past years.

The international competition will show eight films from all over the world.
Gato and Kite tells the story of an 8-year-old boy in India who works in a
recycling dump but longs to go to school. When he makes a new friend, this
becomes more likely for him. (Maybe this film will help teach that there are
kids all over the world who would love to go to school).

From Greece comes Nicostratus the Pelican, about a motherless boy on a Greek
island who cares for a pelican he finds. The Button War is a French comedy about
the rivalry between two neighborhood gangs. Kauwboy is another film about a
lonely child who bonds with a bird; in this case the movie is from the
Netherlands and the bird is a crow.

Ricky Rapper and Cool Wendy is an upbeat musical comedy about friendship from
Finland. Among Wolves is a Spanish film, based on a true story, about a child
that forms a bond with a pack of wolves. Arcadia is an American coming-of-age
film about a girl whose family weathers a crisis when they move to California.
Ice Dragon from Sweden is about a boy with a wild imagination.

The Panorama section includes the docu-drama Benny, Back to the Wild, about a
monkey that is taken out of the wild and put into captivity, then freed. The
Runway is the story of an Irish boy who thinks a Colombian pilot whose plane has
crashed is his long-lost father.

The youngest viewers will appreciate a selection of the finest animated films
from around the world. The film Lost and Found will be presented along with an
interactive show for very young children.

The Israeli section features some of the finest locally-made recent films for
kids. Feature films for older children include Noodle, a drama about a Tel Aviv
woman who gets involved in helping reunite a Chinese boy with his mother, who is
her housecleaner; Little Heroes, about four misfits who join forces and take a
trip to the Negev; and Elie and Ben, a drama about a father (Lior Ashkenazi) who
gets arrested for embezzling money, and his son, who has to come to terms with
his father's imperfection.

The acclaimed film Under the Domim Tree, about children who lost their families
in the Holocaust and who live in a youth village, stars Gila Almagor and is
based on her book. She will be present at the screening and will answer
questions from the audience. Children of all ages can enjoy In the Land of
Genesis, a beautifully photographed film about nature in Israel, that focuses on
animals in different regions.

Since aspiring filmmakers are getting younger every year, there are
age-appropriate workshops for kids in which they learn different aspects of
filmmaking basics. Very young children can participate in the Creativity for
Tiny Tots workshop sponsored by the Beauty of Toffee Theater, as well as
Laughter Yoga (which is intended for the entire family as well) and a recycling
workshop. Older cinZastes will be interested in workshops on dubbing, and
special-effects make-up.

Perhaps the most exciting part for parents is that tickets to a single film or
workshop are NIS 40, and there is an option to buy a ticket for a film and a
workshop together for NIS 60.

Some of the programs will sell out, so check the website at
http://kidsfestival.cinema.co.il for details and to order tickets.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Parents and kids can beat the heat and catch a variety of movies and
workshops offered during the International Film Festival for Children and Youth
at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: HOLD YOUR HORSES: The popular Dutch children's film 'Winky's
Horse.' MILI AVITAL in a scene from the award-winning Israeli film 'Noodle.'
(Credit: Courtesy/PR)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Photo - The trail less traveled

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 84 words

The trail less traveled. A cyclist rides a new bike trail Keren Kayemeth
LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund recently inaugurated on the slopes of the Segev
Forest in the central Galilee. The 15-km. trail offers a moderate level of
difficulty owing chiefly to the presence of rocks and boulders, as well as
changes in altitude of close to 600 meters. According to KKL-JNF, the Misgav
Regional Council is promoting the trail as a major project to benefit locals and
draw cycling enthusiasts from around the country.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: The trail less traveled. A cyclist rides a new bike trail Keren
Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund recently inaugurated on the slopes of the
Segev Forest in the central Galilee. The 15-km. trail offers a moderate level of
difficulty owing chiefly to the presence of rocks and boulders, as well as
changes in altitude of close to 600 meters. According to KKL-JNF, the Misgav
Regional Council is promoting the trail as a major project to benefit locals and
draw cycling enthusiasts from around the country. (Credit: Ronen Golan/KKL-JNF)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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791 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Right and Left to intensify efforts to carve up Kadima. Prime minister insists
elections not on the horizon

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 741 words

The 28-member Kadima Knesset faction remained undivided against all odds on
Monday night despite efforts by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the Right
and former Kadima leader Tzipi Livni on the Left to split the centrist party.

Former justice minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who left Kadima for the Likud on Monday,
will continue working on Netanyahu's behalf to draft the seven MKs required by
law to split Kadima.

Meanwhile, another former justice minister, Haim Ramon, will intensify his
efforts on Livni's behalf to persuade seven Kadima MKs to leave and form a new
centrist party she will lead.

Both sides will push to complete the split by the time the Knesset embarks on
its three-month summer recess on Wednesday night. Reports that Netanyahu was
considering initiating elections in October if the coalition did not expand were
seen as political spin intended to pressure Kadima lawmakers to leave.

When rumors of early elections spread and started gaining traction, Netanyahu's
associates leaked closed conversations between the prime minister and Likud
ministers in which he denied that elections would be initiated.

"This is not the time for elections," Netanyahu was quoted as saying. "They are
not on the horizon. "There is no reason to go to elections when the coalition is
functioning well on diplomatic and economic issues, as it has over the past
three years."

Expanding the coalition could help Netanyahu distance elections. To that end, he
authorized Hanegbi and coalition chairman Ze'ev Elkin to negotiate with Kadima
MKs. A Likud source revealed that Netanyahu's mediators had negotiated with more
than half the Kadima faction.

It appeared overnight between Sunday and Monday that Hanegbi and Elkin had
succeeded in drafting seven legislators, but after they inked four MKs - Otniel
Schneller, Avi Duan, Arieh Bibi and Yulia Shamolov Berkovich - Ya'acov Edri and
Nino Abesadze retreated and Nachman Shai denied the Likud's claims that he had
been No. 7.

Duan, Bibi and Shamolov Berkovich were promised deputy ministries in their
fields of expertise, but other MKs would not bite. The Likud negotiators blamed
the failure to draft seven legislators on their inability to promise reserved
slots on the Likud candidates list in the next election, and to Ramon persuading
MKs to leave for his as-yet unformed party rather than the Likud.

In a Knesset speech in which he returned to his former role of opposition
leader, Mofaz accused the prime minister of "pimping" Kadima MKs. He said
Netanyahu "never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity," using a phrase
former foreign minister Abba Eban coined for Israel's Arab neighbors.

"Anyone who negotiated with Netanyahu and was ready to be part of the shameful
move must do some soul-searching with themselves, their family, children and the
public who sent them to the Knesset," Mofaz said at a press conference. "Whoever
wants to go join the corrupt and the draft-dodgers should go. Whoever wants to
accept a political bribe of a junior post in a bloated government and sell out
your values should go. We don't keep anyone by force, and Kadima will not drop
to its knees for anyone. We don't want such people in our party."

Mofaz sent a letter to the Knesset House Committee asking for the four MKs to be
kicked out of Kadima, but the committee is expected to deny the request on
Tuesday.

Labor chairman Shelly Yechimovich revealed at her faction's weekly meeting on
Monday that she had reached out to Kadima MKs and would welcome them in her
party. She denied reports that she had wittingly or unwittingly assisted
Hanegbi's efforts to split Kadima.

"I will be happy to see in Labor those few good Kadima MKs who share our outlook
and realize Kadima has finished its path," Yechimovich said. "Our door is open
to them, but without promises and political jobs, and certainly not in a deal
that would strengthen Netanyahu."

Meretz chairwoman Zehava Gal-On accused Netanyahu of being capable of
implementing any dirty move that would preserve his power.

"Leftists who voted for Tzipi Livni against Netanyahu woke up and found out that
their vote will roll to Netanyahu, because in the centrist parties, instead of
principles, there are only cabinet seats," she said.

Likud MK Danny Danon said lawmakers who leave Kadima would receive a cold
shoulder in his party.

"The Likud is not a political garbage can," he said. "We won't allow slots to be
reserved for opportunists who left a sinking ship."

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: Haim Ramon (Credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Letters

BYLINE: Steve Kramer, Dagmar Strauss-Yaari, Stanley Cohen, Gerald Levy, Joel
Block, Amitai Richman, Benjamin Lerner, Uri Hirsch, Morton A. Klein, Martin
Woker

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1174 words

Stay out of Sinai!

Sir, - I criticize Linda Epstein ("Love affair with Sinai unabated despite
security threats," Travel Trends, July 22) for advocating that Israelis vacation
in the Sinai.

Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, some Beduin, like Salah, are friendly hosts. But can
Salah protect his guests from murderous jihadis or mercenary Beduin intent on
kidnapping or killing Jews?

It's too bad that some friendly Beduin are tarred with the same brush, but
that's no reason to irresponsibly advocate vacationing in the Sinai, where the
Egyptian government provides little or no protection for Israelis (Arab or
Jewish).

If cheap and beautiful beaches are your desired vacation venue, what's better
than Thailand, a country that's friendly toward Israel?

STEVE KRAMER

Alfei Menashe

Sir, - I was flabbergasted by your decision to publish Linda Epstein's piece
enticing Israelis to holiday in the Sinai, and even providing the contact for a
local travel agent.

Anybody who bothers to seriously inquire about the current security situation in
the peninsula would inevitably come to the conclusion that the terrorist network
is well entrenched there and that the Egyptian authorities have become absentee
landlords. There is a real threat of being kidnapped, as terrorists, some
operated from Gaza, are lurking, waiting to attack Israelis ignorant enough to
cross the border.

DAGMAR STRAUSS-YAARI

Jerusalem

Hardly sporting

Sir, - Not all news is serious or of great portent, but it is high time that a
newspaper of the eminence and age of The Jerusalem Post refers to the world's
oldest golf tournament as The Open ("Scott still the man to beat at British
Open," Sports, July 22).

No one in the English-speaking world objects to the World Series being called by
that name despite the fact that the competition exists only in the US. But even
the most stalwart of American lovers of golf have to admit that The Open, which
is indeed a world-inclusive competition, takes place in the United Kingdom every
year.

STANLEY COHEN

Jerusalem

Sir, - I am greatly surprised that I have seen no mention in your sports pages
of the wonderful fact that the Israeli wheelchair tennis team recently won the
world championship in Seoul, beating Great Britain in the finals.

This small team of three players - Boaz Kramer, Shraga Weinberg and Noam
Gershony - is now going on to England to compete in the Paralympics, obviously
with high hopes. As you are giving so much space to the Israeli contingent to
the Olympics, I sincerely hope you will do the same for players on the Israeli
Paralympics squad who, with hard work, overcome severe difficulties and great
pain to achieve very high standards.

GERALD LEVY

Netanya

Silman's legacy

Sir, - "Silman was no martyr" (My Word, July 22) is a brilliant piece. In my
mind, Liat Collins is becoming the spokesperson for the silent, sane majority of
Israelis.

It is obvious that this poor, sick man's memory is being used as a tool for
political and ideological gain. I can't help but wonder what the outcome would
have been had the note not made accusations against the prime minister and
finance minister.

JOEL BLOCK

Haifa

Sir, - "Silman was no martyr" is a spot-on column. Obviously, Liat Collins did
what she could for Moshe Silman, more than others might.

I travel a lot (out of Israel) and always come back feeling grateful for the
wonderful country we have, despite all our problems and need for improvement.

AMITAI RICHMAN

Ra'anana

Sir, - "Silman was no martyr" highlights the difference between those who are
adept at describing a problem and those who act to bring about change.

When Moshe Silman spoke to Liat Collins on the telephone he gave her several
leads on ways to investigate how he and many others were the victims of
bureaucratic indifference. Had she or others at The Jerusalem Post pursued these
leads we could have learned a lot about how the poor are not being treated in a
humane fashion.

The protesters are using this tragedy to focus attention on our societal ills,
to let us know that they are being ignored yet again by the powerful in Israel.
Collins just doesn't get it if she only looks at the methods being used by the
protesters while ignoring the very basic problems besetting a large segment of
our people.

BENJAMIN LERNER

Jerusalem

Intent counts

Sir, - It always amazes me how a terrorist who has all intention of killing as
many Israelis as possible, but because he's inept or something goes wrong and he
only is able to wound his victims, receives a relatively minor sentence ("18
years for terrorist who wounded eight in Tel Aviv," July 20). This sentence is
simply because his victim didn't die.

Shouldn't the motive of the perpetrator be taken into consideration by the
judges? Why isn't he given at least a life sentence? If he manages to be
released through some prisoner exchange don't we know he will try again?

URI HIRSCH

Netanya

No love of the land

Sir, - Gil Troy ("Yes, there is no occupation - legally and historically, not
morally or practically," Center Field, July 10) is wrong when he writes: "The
core issue remains how two stubborn peoples in love with the same land learn to
live together."

The issue is not Palestinian Arab love of the land but hatred of Jews and the
Jewish state. That's why they turned down 95 percent of the British Mandate for
a Palestinian state offered by the Peel Royal Commission in 1937, a state larger
than Judea, Samaria and Gaza in 1947, and statehood throughout almost all of
Judea, Samaria and Gaza in 2000 and several years later.

Palestinian leaders like Mahmoud Abbas, Saeb Erekat and Ahmed Qurei have all
rejected the notion of accepting Jews in a future Palestinian state. PA media,
mosques, schools and youth camps all promote hatred and violence against Jews
while the hadith, the Islamic holy commentaries on the Koran, call on Muslims to
seek out Jews and "kill them."

MORTON A. KLEIN

New York

The writer is national president of the Zionist Organization of America

Criticism unwarranted

Sir, - With regard to "Swiss media ethics" (Media Comment, July 5) by Yisrael
Medad and Eli Pollak, I would like to state the following:

The authors of the article accuse the Neue Zurcher Zeitung in general and our
correspondent to Israel in particular of unprofessional and biased reporting. As
an example, some parts of an article by our correspondent on the situation in
Susya were cited.

We have been carefully reviewing all of the NZZ's reporting on the West Bank
during the past six months. Our conclusion, which is shared by trusted
professionals, is that solid and unbiased reporting of a high standard has been
assured.

In the last paragraph Medad and Pollak issue a warning regarding further contact
with our correspondent. This comes near to a call for a boycott, particularly as
our correspondent is cited with her full name.

I am astonished to see that your highly prestigious and honorable paper gave
clear approval to such a practice, which we consider to be in contradiction with
the principle of a free media.

MARTIN WOKER

Zurich

The writer is foreign editor of Neue Zurcher Zeitung

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Liberman to EU colleagues: Settlements are not what is blocking peace process.
FM tells French colleague that Paris could have 'historic' role in facilitating
dialogue between Israel and young, liberal forces in Arab world

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 409 words

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told his EU colleagues at the annual EU-Israel
Association Council meeting in Brussels Monday that the settlement issue was not
the reason the diplomatic process with the Palestinians had stalled, and that
the EU - always quick to blame the settlements - should take a look at
Palestinian policy.

Israel's position is that while Jerusalem is willing to negotiate with the
Palestinian Authority without any preconditions, it is the PA that is piling on
conditions to keep the talks from being launched.

The EU-Israel Association Council meeting provides an opportunity for the sides
to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues.

Israeli officials said that contrary to reports, there was no significant
discussion about an EU upgrade for Israel. The wide-ranging boost in bilateral
ties that would come from an upgrade was frozen since Operation Cast Lead and
has since been linked to progress in the diplomatic process with the
Palestinians. That freeze, according to Israeli officials, remains in place.

France's new foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, was one of the numerous EU
foreign ministers Liberman met in Brussels.

A statement put out by Liberman said he told his French counterpart that while
radical elements in many Middle East states have gained strength, the Arab
Spring has also brought a young, educated and liberal force to the fore in those
countries. He added that those forces understand that their problem is not
Israel or the Jews, but poverty, oppression and the huge gap between rich and
poor.

"The greatest danger to these new forces is radicalism and the militant groups
identified with jihad, Iran and al-Qaida, he said.

Liberman said that France could have a historic role in shaping the new Middle
East by acting as a bridge between the young liberal Arab forces and Israel.

"Israel would be happy to accept the services of France in organizing meetings
and establishing a dialogue with those new forces," he said. "This connection
could facilitate the creation of understanding based on humane, universal
values."

The two also discussed the situation in Syria, with Liberman saying that Israel
had refrained from any type of intervention there beyond offering to extend
humanitarian aid. He added, however, that "any attempt to transfer chemical
weapons from Syria to Hezbollah will be considered crossing a red line and
Israel will not restrain itself and will respond decisively if this happens."

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Project uses London Olympics to strengthen Israel-Diaspora ties

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 251 words

A new Jewish educational project, featuring a series of one-on-one interviews
with 12 of Israel's 37 current Olympic athletes, aimes to use the London
Olympics as a vehicle to strengthen the connection between Israel and the
Diaspora.

The initiative is a spin-off of iMMERSE, an ongoing project that aims to boost
knowledge about Israel in the Diaspora. News organization ISRAEL21c and iCenter,
a non-profit US-based educational resource, run the program.

While the central theme of iMMERSE Olympics is a series of short video
interviews with athletes such as tennis player Shahar Pe'er, swimmer Imri Ganiel
and Israel's judo champion Arik Ze'evi, its online platform contains educational
materials and background information on Israel's participation in the Olympics
over the years.

"These videos highlight the experiences and reflections of Israel's elite
athletes and are powerful tools in building stronger relationships between North
Americans and Israelis," commented Anne Lanski, executive director of iCenter,
which the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and the Jim Joseph
Foundation support.

Israel21c president Amy Friedkin added: "Joining together with the iCenter to
produce this special feature on the Israeli Olympic team is a wonderful way to
enable kids and their families to get to know Israel and Israelis."

Although iMMERSE is aimed primarily at students in grades 4 to 12, their
teachers and their parents, anyone looking for information on Israel's Olympic
team can access the site.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: JEWISH SCOUTS welcome Israeli athletes to London ahead of the
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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Daniel Maoz, still incarcerated, re-arrested over anonymous letter

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 413 words

Daniel Maoz, suspected of murdering his parents last August, was re-arrested on
Monday morning for allegedly sending an anonymous letter to the court claiming
that an additional witness saw his twin brother Nir carry out the murders.

Police suspect Maoz sent the letter through an intermediary in a last-ditch
attempt to implicate his twin brother in the murder.

Police have accused Maoz of stabbing his parents, Nurit and Noah Maoz, to death
with a kitchen knife in their home in Jerusalem's Ramot neighborhood on August
11 in an attempt to get an inheritance to pay off massive gambling debts.

He was arrested a month after the murders, but in a surprising move, he accused
his twin brother, Nir, of carrying out the murders. The identical twins share
DNA, which was found at the site of the murder.

The letter was sent July 10 to state prosecutor Yuval Kaplinsky, the Jerusalem
District Court and Maoz's defense lawyer David Barhoom. In the letter, obtained
by the media, the anonymous tipster writes that he heard screaming and then saw
Nir Maoz run out of his parents' home at 11 p.m.

"There is no way this could be wrong! It was definitely Nir Maoz," the tipster
wrote.

Police also arrested 38-year-old Jerusalem resident Roni Ben-Arnon, Maoz's
cellmate, whom they suspect printed and mailed the letter. Ben-Arnon was serving
time for traffic infractions, according to deputy police spokeswoman Shlomit
Bajshi.

Police arrested Ben-Arnon on Friday and the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court
extended his detention until Tuesday.

During the investigation, Ben-Arnon admitted he helped send the letter. He told
police Maoz had promised that, once he was released, he would reward Ben-Arnon
financially.

Despite the fact that Maoz is incarcerated until his September sentencing in the
double murder case, the arrest is significant because it means he will lose many
of the privileges awarded to prisoners including TV, phone calls, visits and
cooking.

Maoz is refusing to cooperate with the investigation. Police also said he
refused to leave his cell on Monday morning after he was arrested and that they
were forced to bring in a number of officers to drag him out.

On Monday, a judge at the Jerusalem Magistrate's court extended his remand by
four days, meaning that, until Friday, Maoz will be treated as someone recently
arrested, rather than a long-term prisoner.

Maoz's lawyer argued that his client is under 24-hour supervision and it would
be difficult for him to write a secret letter.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Number of job seekers rises

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 212 words

The number of job seekers who presented themselves at Israel Employment Service
bureaus around the country rose 0.3 percent to 193,655 in June, continuing a
worrying trend that began late last year. According to data released by the IES
Monday, 17,052 individuals began their job search in June; 12,452 of them as a
result of being fired from their previous position. More than 57% of the total
number of job-seekers in the market were women.

IES Director-General Boaz Hirsch said unemployment rose at an average monthly
rate of 0.3% in the first half of 2012. He pointed out that it decreased
steadily between July 2009 and October 2011, but has gradually increased since
November.

Most of the job-seekers are between their mid-40s and mid-60s: 5,416 are 65+
years old; 49,348 are 55-64 years old; 45,507 are 45-54 years old; 43,124 are
35-44 years old; 37,642 are 25-34 years old; and 12,618 are 18-24 years old.

Almost two out of every five job-seekers does not have a defined profession. Of
those that do, 39,392 are looking for work in construction and labor; 25,305 are
searching for sales and services jobs; 25,305 have a background in office work;
17,462 work in academic-related professions; 12,487 are technicians; 5,843 are
managers; and 2,722 have worked on farms.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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NOTES: Business in brief

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Panel to address question of struggling Israeli olive industry

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 292 words

The government appointed an inter-ministerial committee Monday to examine how to
rescue Israel's olive industry, which is struggling under the weight of rising
manufacturing costs and increased competition from Europe.

Agriculture Ministry Director-General Yossi Yishai and his team were asked to
submit a five-year plan within 30 days, with suggestions on how to protect local
olive manufacturers, update standards, implement effective supervision and raise
public awareness of the health benefits of consuming olive oil.

Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Shalom Simhon and Agriculture Minister Orit
Noked commissioned the report after meeting with olive industry representatives,
including the head of the Plants Production & Marketing Board (PPMB).

The officials presented a gloomy picture, blaming rising global manufacturing
costs, heavy subsidization of European competitors, and the flooding of the
Israeli market with cheap, fake olive oil brands. They presented data showing
that farmers have begun to uproot their olive trees, explaining that it is
costlier to grow the trees than to remove them. Israel is home to around 325,000
dunams (80,000 acres) of olive groves.

The Knesset Finance Committee discussed the issue last week, with MKs suggesting
the government introduce subsidies to assist local olive oil manufacturers while
simultaneously increasing import duties.

Israelis consumed 17,000 tons of olive oil last year, but 6,000 tons of the
product were imported into the country, PPMB officials told the committee. They
said most of these imports come from Spain, which manufactures 40% of the
world's olive oil, but warned that many of these products are of low quality,
and contain carcinogenic ingredients and other unhealthy additives.

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Driving school: The social equalizer

BYLINE: DAVID NEWMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1161 words

The evening class is full. Thirty people including haredim (ultra-Orthodox),
Beduin, owners of stalls in the local market, an accountant, and two lecturers
from the university.

This is a true cross-section of Israeli society. But it is not the army, the
institution which was meant to be the place where different people came together
in a common cause. The army has never served that purpose, since Arabs and
haredim have never served, while even those liable for military service are
increasingly finding ways of not undertaking their army service.

This meeting, which takes place throughout the country on most evenings of the
week, in schools and other public buildings, is the true equalizer. It is the
only place where everybody comes together without any inter-national or
inter-religious strife or argument.

They don't have any choice. This is a compulsory driving refresher course, which
is a requirement for all those drivers who have accumulated a minimum of 12
points on their driving licenses for such mundane offenses as speeding, not
stopping at a stop sign, not wearing a seat belt and other such misdemeanors.

To accumulate twelve points in any two-year period is not very difficult - two
speeding offenses will do the trick. Drivers who accumulate over 22 points are
required to attend both a basic and an advanced course, while those accumulating
over 36 points in a two-year period can have their license revoked and, in some
cases, may even have to undergo a new driving test before being allowed back
behind the wheel.

The course takes place on three consecutive nights. Participation requires the
payment of an NIS 200 registration fee. There is no escape. My speeding points
may have been five years old, but as the time for the renewal of my driving
license is now approaching, the computer had caught up with me. If I wanted to
renew my license and have the points erased from my record, I had no option but
to pay up and attend.

The class basically divides into two. Those who sit at the back sheepishly, a
bit embarrassed to be in this situation, remain silent, spending much of their
time on their smartphones. The other half take an active role in the class,
arguing with the teacher about his interpretation of the driving laws and
regulations, demonstrating their proficiency in their knowledge of driving
conditions, and generally using the opportunity to argue with one another about
the realities of driving on Israel's dangerous roads. Especially prominent in
this category are the drivers of heavy trucks and large vehicles.

The teacher, who has taught this course week in, week out for many years is an
immigrant from the Former Soviet Union. His knowledge of the driving laws and
regulations is second to none, but his heavy accent and his inability to spell
words correctly in Hebrew reduces his authority before this largely male,
self-assured class of street-savvy Israeli citizens.

Attendance is strictly monitored, at both the beginning and the end of each
evening. In the past, there were too many incidents of people coming to register
at the beginning of the evening and then disappearing long before the four-hour
session (two classes with a break in the middle) had ended.

But the Transportation Ministry, which now franchises the driving courses out to
the Amit education system, insists on full attendance. It also sends anonymous
inspectors to randomly check that the courses are being administered properly
and that no shortcuts are being implemented. Anyone who, like this writer, sits
at the back quietly minding his own business is immediately suspected of being
an inspector and is mistrusted accordingly.

At the end of the course, there is a test. Each student is given a test sheet
containing 20 multiple-choice questions and has to answer at least 12 correctly.
The questions have all been discussed in class, and they also appear in the book
which has been distributed at the beginning of the course, but few people have
taken any of this seriously and have not paid much attention to the instructor
or opened the book prior to the final evening.

The questions and the answers are pretty much a lottery, as they are worded in
such a way as to confuse you, rather than clearly determine your knowledge of
different driving regulations or situations which can develop while you are on
the road.

Participants can choose to take the test in Hebrew, Arabic or Russian, but no
English-language option is available. The instructors take it seriously, handing
out different tests to neighbors, for fear of copying, and ensuring that all
books, computers and smartphones are put away.

The results of the test are not announced immediately. The following day each
participant receives an sms to inform him/her whether they have passed. You
would have to be exceptionally stupid or completely unconversant with basic
driving regulations not to achieve 12 out of 20, but just in case, you are
eligible for a second and third attempt before having to undergo the entire
course again.

There are memorable anecdotes. There is the 70-year-old Israeli who admonishes
the Russian teacher by continuously telling him that he drove lorries in the
Dead Sea region back in the 1950s, before the teacher was born. There is the
Orthodox woman who informs the class that no amount of adherence to the driving
regulations will keep you safe if you do not recite the prayer for travelling
each time you get into your car. And there is the Beduin semi-trailer driver who
regales us with tales of crashing into camels on the roads of the Negev in the
dead of the night, and also offers tips concerning the best places to stop for
refreshments along the Arava road to Eilat, and the discounts to be had if only
his name is mentioned to the restaurant owner.

Compulsory driving school for penalized drivers has become a global phenomenon.
But this one, held in a school in a Beersheba neighborhood, is a truly unique
Israeli experience. It is the one great equalizer in Israeli society. It should
be obligatory for all first-year anthropology students - understanding the
complexity and diversity of Israeli society in the field rather than from the
sterile classroom behind the gated confines of the nearby university campus.

At the end of the day, we have all learned something new about our driving
habits. We have refreshed our knowledge about old regulations which we have
forgotten or taken for granted, and learned some of the new regulations which
have been introduced in recent years and about which we are not always aware.
And if, as a result of our enforced participation in the course, we pay a bit
more attention to our speedometers, or are more careful about obeying the road
signs, we will hopefully contribute to making the country's roads a little bit
safer.

The writer is dean of the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at
Ben-Gurion University and editor of the international journal Geopolitics, the
views expressed are his alone.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: BORDERLINE VIEWS

GRAPHIC: Photo: (Credit: Illustrative, Reuters)

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799 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Introducing Israel's Olympians: Shahar Zubari - Sailing - Men's RS-X Windsurfing

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 257 words

Israel's only medalist at the last Olympics, Shahar Zubari required a dramatic
comeback to book his place at the 2012 Games.

With each country only being allowed to send one windsurfer to the Olympics,
Zubari battled local opponent Nimrod Mashiah for almost a year before edging him
for the ticket to London at the very last moment.

Mashiah entered the World Cup event in Medemblik, Netherlands in May - the
fourth and final competition in the internal battle between the bitter rivals -
with a significant lead over Zubari in the Olympic Committee of Israel's race
for the country's single berth.

However, Zubari won the event with a dominating performance and qualified for
the Olympics at the expense of Mashiah after the latter only finished in eighth
place.

"For me, reaching the Olympics is only the beginning," said Zubari, who is
hoping to win a second straight medal at the Olympics after taking a bronze in
Beijing four years ago.

"I'm aware of the expectations from me and I will do my best."

Besides his Olympic triumph in Beijing, Zubari is also a two-time European
champion and a former medalist at the World Championships.

However, he has not medaled at a major event since the Europeans two years ago,
ending March's Worlds in ninth position.

The strong winds expected at the Olympic course in Weymouth also hurt Zubari's
chances of success.

But as he proved yet again in the scrap with Mashiah, Zubari tends to come up
with the goods just when all looks lost, a never-say-die attitude which will be
vital to scaling the podium in London.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Shahar Zubari (Credit: Perth2011)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Surprise memorial for Munich 11 leaves Israel underwhelmed. Widows say small
ceremony at Olympic village is PR stunt aimed at deflecting criticism

BYLINE: HERB KEINON, GIL SHEFLER and Reuters

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 750 words

Israeli officials were underwhelmed Monday by the surprise tribute the
International Olympic Committee paid at London's Olympic Village to the 11
Israeli athletes killed at the 1972 Munich games.

A ceremony that nobody knew about or paid attention to is not what Jerusalem was
looking for, said one diplomatic official.

The official said that 40 years after the Munich massacre it was time for a
tribute to take place at a central Olympic event, such as the opening of the
games this Friday, and not at a side event, as has been the case in years past.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has spearheaded efforts for a moment of
silence at the opening ceremony, something turned down by the IOC.

One diplomatic official explained Israel's efforts, saying the terrorism in
Munich was not only a tragedy for Israel but for the Olympic ideal - and should
be duly commemorated by the entire Olympic "family."

IOC president Jacques Rogge, who on Saturday ruled out marking the anniversary
of the massacre at the London Games' opening ceremony, led the surprise tribute
at the Olympic Village.

Israeli officials had said they wanted the anniversary commemorated in front of
tens of thousands of people and watched by hundreds of millions more around the
globe.

Among those at Monday's ceremony were former middle-distance champion Sebastian
Coe, chairman of the London Olympic organizing committee; London Mayor Boris
Johnson; UK Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy
Hunt; and several IOC officials.

"I would like to start today's ceremony by honoring the memory of 11 Israeli
Olympians who shared the ideals and have brought us together in this beautiful
Olympic Village," Rogge said. "The 11 victims of the Munich tragedy believed in
that vision. They came to Munich in the spirit of peace and solidarity. We owe
it to them to keep that spirit alive and to remember them."

Rogge said that while sport has the capability to unite, it cannot solve all of
the world's problems.

"As the event of 40 years ago reminds us, sport is not immune from, and cannot
cure, all the ills of the world," he said.

A moment of silence was observed following his comments.

After the ceremony Johnson pumped his fist and said: "Great speech."

"It was a spontaneous suggestion," Rogge told a small group of reporters after
his speech. "This is indeed the first time that it has happened in the Olympic
Village."

Rogge said his decision to mark the anniversary in such a way was not aimed at
ending calls for a minute's silence during the opening ceremony. "The intention
was not to calm anyone," he said.

Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, widows of two of the Israeli athletes whom
Palestinians terrorists killed at the 1972 Olympics, told The Jerusalem Post
they were outraged by the ceremony, calling it a ruse intended to deflect
criticism against the IOC.

"He [Rogge] is trying to do the bare minimum," Romano said over the phone. "This
is shameful."

Spitzer and Romano, who will board a flight to London on Tuesday, speculated
that the last-minute memorial was a bid to preempt a press conference they
planned to hold on Wednesday to reiterate their demand that their loved ones be
honored at the opening ceremony.

"He tried to pull the rug from under our feet, but we still have a few things to
say," Romano said.

Spitzer added: "This is not the right solution, to hold some ceremony in front
of 30 or 40 people. We asked for a moment of silence at the opening ceremony,
not for someone to mumble something in front of a few dozen people."

Meanwhile, members of the the Israeli Olympic delegation continued to arrive in
London ahead of the start of the Games on Friday, with members of the city's
Jewish community hard at work on Monday preparing to greet about a dozen or so
Israeli athletes at the airport the following day.

"[The scouts] prepared placards wishing them luck," said Polly Bronstein, a
Jewish Agency and Israeli Scouting Movement emissary. "The Olympics is an
excellent platform to connect kids with Israel."

She said she had bought more than 120 tickets for Scouts and their parents to
watch Israeli judoka Alice Schlesinger compete.

Security surrounding the Israeli delegation has been ratcheted up after a
terrorist killed five Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last week. Over the past
year, several attempts to attack Jewish and Israeli interests around the world
in places such as Kenya, Thailand, Azerbaijan and Georgia have been foiled.

Israel says Iran and Hezbollah were behind the planned attacks.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Shahar Ayalon: 1972 Olympic massacre changed my life forever. Trauma led man
who's now fire commissioner to quit athletic career and enter security services

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 554 words

Today, Fire and Rescue Services commissioner Shahar Ayalon is busy building his
organization into a 21st-century firefighting organization. But 40 years ago,
aged 16 and a promising runner, he was sure his future lay in sports.

Ayalon arrived at the Munich Olympics with several other young Israeli athletes,
not knowing he would fly home with the coffins of 11 Israeli sportsmen slain by
Palestinian terrorists.

The trauma from that event, Ayalon told The Jerusalem Post on Monday, caused him
to abandon his athletic career and join the Border Police's Counter-Terrorism
Unit, paving the path for a life in the security forces and law enforcement.

"The organizers of the 1972 Olympics brought delegations of promising youths
from all countries to the games, to give them an experience of the event,"
Ayalon, formerly head of the Tel Aviv police district, recalled. The invitation
was designed to prepare the youths to compete four years later at the Montreal
Olympics.

"We went to competitions and trained with others from all over the world," he
said.

All the young Israeli athletes looked up to their adult counterparts in the
Olympic delegation, from wrestlers to weightlifters to fencers.

"They were our role models. We truly admired them," Ayalon said, adding that the
youths interacted closely with their heroes. "We gave them water on long runs
and cheered them on. The connection was very strong."

The night the terrorists attacked, Ayalon was at the Youth Olympic Village, next
door to where the adult athletes were staying.

"We had uniforms with Israeli symbols and no security. We were even more
vulnerable than the official delegation. But they went for the adult athletes,"
he said of the terrorists

"We were woken up at night and placed under heavy security. After the hostages
were killed in the helicopter the Olympics were placed on hold for 24 hours.
There was a memorial in the stadium. We sat on the grass watching it," he
recalled.

Next, Ayalon said, the youth delegates boarded a flight back to Israel with 11
coffins.

"We drove with the coffins to Kiryat Shaul [a cemetery in Tel Aviv], where they
were buried."

Ayalon said the trauma stayed with him for life.

"Since that day, we, the members of the Israeli youth delegation, went our
separate ways, and most of us left sports," he told the Post. "We all kept what
we felt to ourselves. In those days, there were no psychologists for trauma. No
one talked about it very much. We didn't return to the Montreal Olympics. Our
trauma was not treated until this day, although I don't blame anyone."

Ayalon said the parents of the youth delegates suffered their own torment while
waiting for their children to return from Germany.

"There were no cellphones or emails either," he said.

Ayalon excelled in the 400-meter dash and the 1,500-meter middle-distance event,
but after Munich he left the sporting world. He joined the Israel Police's elite
counter-terrorism unit in 1977.

"Since then I've been in counter-terrorism and police for 35 years," he said.

Ten months ago Ayalon met with members of that same youth delegation at Kibbutz
Mishmar Hasharon near Netanya for their first reunion. For the first time in 40
years they discussed their feelings about the terrorist attack and discovered
how similarly it had affected them.

"It was a very emotional meeting," Ayalon said.

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Kiryat Shmona faces uphill battle in 2nd leg. Landau's boys face Zilina at home
in effort to keep Champions League hopes alive

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 442 words

Ironi Kiryat Shmona coach Gili Landau admitted that his team faces its moment of
truth on Tuesday when it hosts MSK Zilina in the return leg of the Champions
League second qualifying round at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium in Haifa, looking to
overturn a 1-0 deficit from last week.

Kiryat Shmona had it chances in the first leg in Slovakia, but faces a tricky
second leg after Jozef Piacek gave Zilina the win with an 82nd-minute header.

With its home stadium not suitable to host European matches, Kiryat Shmona is
forced to play Zilina in Haifa, but Landau believes his side can complete the
job and avoid having its continental campaign already end in July.

"Clearly the pressure is on us," Landau said. "But I trust my players and I
think this can be their finest hour.

"It won't be easy, but we will be focused and will need to play patiently and
maturely to achieve our goal."

Landau lamented Kiryat Shmona's missed opportunities in Slovakia.

"We played nicely in the first leg, but we weren't effective," he noted. "We
will have to do far better in that department on Tuesday.

"In Zilina our target was to control the pace of the match and we can't afford
to be too adventurous at home either.

"We will want to attack but we must do so in a clever manner."

Kiryat Shmona will also be looking to prove all its local doubters wrong after
there were many question marks raised regarding its chances of success in Europe
following its stunning championship triumph last season.

"Since I took over the reins I have seen passion and desire from the players,"
said Landau, who replaced Ran Ben-Shimon this summer.

"The squad wants to build on what it achieved last season and show that it
wasn't just a miracle."

The first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round will already be
played next week, with Kiryat Shmona already knowing who its likely opponent
will be should it overcome Zilina.

Kiryat Shmona was drawn on Friday to face the winner of the tie between
Azerbaijan's Neftci PFK and Georgia's FC Zestafoni.

Neftci takes a 3-0 lead into the second leg on Tuesday.

However, Kiryat Shmona will not be thinking that far just yet, with its entire
continental campaign on the line on Tuesday.

A berth in the third qualifying round will at least guarantee Kiryat Shmona a
place in the Europa League playoffs, while reaching the Champions League
playoffs with a victory over Zilina followed by another triumph will book the
northerners - at the very least - a place in the Europa League group stage.

"We couldn't score in the first leg but we played well," said midfielder David
Solari.

"That gives us belief that we can record the result we need to progress at
home."

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: IRONI KIRYAT SHMONA will need David Solari at his best to
overcome the 1-0 deficit against MSK Zilina in the second leg of the Champions
League second qualifying round tonight. (Credit: Adi Avishai)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Israel signs first bilateral agreement with South Sudan - on water issues

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 400 words

In the first official agreement between Israel and South Sudan, Israel Military
Industries Ltd. signed a pact to cooperate on water infrastructure and
technology development during a ceremony at the Knesset on Monday.

"We see this as a privilege to be the first [sector in Israel] to sign an
agreement with the new state," Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau said in a
statement aimed at Akec Paul Mayom, water and irrigation minister of South
Sudan.

"We will continue to do everything possible in order to assist you. You are
among friends."

Zvika Fox, IMI's vice president of strategy and marketing, signed the framework
agreement on behalf of Israel. The agreement outlined plans for cooperation
between the two countries on desalination, irrigation, water transport and
purification, according to the Energy and Water Ministry.

The meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with an opening
address by Landau, who said he admired "the spirit of freedom and adherence to
an idea" of the people of South Sudan.

"I am very pleased and excited to meet the people of this wonderful state," he
said. "It is not hard to feel a sense of togetherness, as well as to notice the
great similarities between the people of both countries."

Both peoples, Landau said, have had to stand up for their existence, and Israel
has much to pass on to South Sudan.

"The lessons from the stories of our people are similar," he added. "We have
experienced... inhumanity. Our duty is to ensure that this does not happen
again."

The minister stressed that Israel had "much knowledge and much to contribute"
from its experience regarding water and said he felt this was "the beginning of
fruitful cooperation."

Mayom told Landau that his country has been facing particularly difficult times
in the economic sphere, as Khartoum has been disrupting South Sudan's oil
exports.

"Sudan asks us for $36 on every barrel of oil going through its territory, while
other countries throughout Africa demand tens of cents only," Mayom said. "This
is absolutely unprecedented. Our economy is sinking. We have no other resource
by which to rebuild our economy."

Citing the lack of oil refineries in South Sudan, Landau suggested that in the
framework of bilateral cooperation the county transfer its oil to Israeli
facilities.

"This way we will help you solve various problems in your area," he said. "We
will be pleased to examine this."

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Israel's strict 'Sports Laws' make it difficult for athletes to compete in
Olympics

BYLINE: DAVID ROUMANI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 445 words

Israeli athletes are frustrated with Israel's strict 'Sports Laws,' and
rightfully so.

Days before the 2012 Olympics are set to begin in London, Jerusalem Institute
for Market Studies (JIMS) Research fellow Yarden Gazit claims that compared to
other European countries Israeli requirements are "the strictest and severest in
the developed world."

According to JIMS, the 'Sports Law' creates obstacles and barriers for athletes
that want to participate in International Competitions. The most prevalent issue
concerns the amount of money and examinations that parents are required to pay
for their children.

Gazit reported that, "Israeli regulations require parents to pay hundreds of
shekels every year for medical examinations whose value and efficiency are
doubtful and have never been tested in Israel.

"Parents can't understand why they are required to pay extra when they already
have insurance through the government.

"Children in a recognized school are already insured by their local government,
in policies covered by parents' payments to schools." Gazit added that the
reason the 'Sports Law' does not recognize the school insurance is because the
students name does not appear on the policy.

Similarly, College students who pay for insurance through their student union
are also required to purchase an additional plan to cover their involvement in
sports.

Today, Israeli athletes are required to pass yearly medical examinations, and
pay for accident insurance.

Additionally, athletes must take exercise ECG examinations, a requirement that
only Israel and one other European country has implemented.

The strict regulations also make it difficult to find coaches, as it's made very
difficult and costly for coaches to receive the proper certification.

In order to obtain a diploma recognized by the Sports Ministry, a prospective
coach needs to complete 750 academic hours in class, at an average cost of NIS
16,000.

According to JIMS, the governments of most European countries, the United
States, and Australia do not intervene in professional certification, allowing
sports federations to deal with coaches' certification.

These rules and regulations are preventing Israel from excelling in the
Olympics, and because of this, JIMS has recommended a few changes to the 'Sports
Laws.' They suggest that the Sports federations recognize collective insurance
policies, enabling parents to save money. Second, students under the age of 18
can be eligible to compete with the approval of their doctor.

Gazit and JIMS hope that their suggestions will be heard, enabling more Israeli
athletes to compete in the Olympics, which will better represent Israel in the
world of sports.

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Photo - MAPAI AND HERUT

BYLINE: Lahav Harkov

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 75 words

MAPAI AND HERUT. President Shimon Peres and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin
participate in a panel moderated by Hebrew University professor Shlomo Avineri
in the capital yesterday. It followed a performance in the Knesset of 'Will Two
Walk Together,' a play written by A.B. Yehoshua and directed by Oded Kotler. The
play depicts a 1934 meeting in London of future-prime minister David Ben-Gurion
and the Likud's ideological forebearer, Ze'ev Jabotinsky.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MAPAI AND HERUT. President Shimon Peres and Knesset Speaker
Reuven Rivlin participate in a panel moderated by Hebrew University professor
Shlomo Avineri in the capital yesterday. It followed a performance in the
Knesset of 'Will Two Walk Together,' a play written by A.B. Yehoshua and
directed by Oded Kotler. The play depicts a 1934 meeting in London of
future-prime minister David Ben-Gurion and the Likud's ideological forebearer,
Ze'ev Jabotinsky. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff, Yaakov Lappin

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 140 words

2 soldiers injured in stone-throwing

Two soldiers were lightly wounded by flying glass when stones were thrown at
their military vehicle in the Hebron area on Monday afternoon. They were treated
at the scene. IDF units were searching for the unidentified perpetrators. ¥
Jerusalem Post staff

Youth arrested during Judea demolition

Judea and Samaria police arrested a youth on suspicion of assaulting a police
officer during the demolition of an illegal structure in the West Bank on
Monday. Security forces who razed the structure built in Neguhot, in the area of
Mount Hebron, said a youth violated a closed military zone, entered the
demolition area and assaulted an officer. Police arrested the youth and brought
him to Hebron for questioning. An officer was lightly injured in his leg while
pursuing the youth, police added. ¥ Yaakov Lappin

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Baker defends Levy report to authorize West Bank outposts. Attorney says
document does not imperil two-state solution

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 560 words

Attorney Alan Baker has defended the government-initiated report he co-authored
that calls to authorize West Bank outposts.

In a letter to the Israel Policy Forum last week, former Foreign Ministry legal
adviser Baker said the so-called Levy report does not close the door to a
Palestinian state, and offers Israelis and Palestinians pragmatic solutions to
land dispute issues.

Earlier this month, the New York-based forum sent a letter to Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu, urging him to reject the report on the outposts penned by a
three-member legal panel led by former Supreme Court justice Edmond Levy.

The other two panel members were Baker and former Tel Aviv District Court deputy
president Tehiya Shapira.

More than 40 US Jewish leaders signed the letter, stating they were "deeply
concerned" by the report, which said that under international law Israel did not
occupy the West Bank and had a legal right to build settlements there.

The US Jewish leaders said they were concerned that government approval of the
report would "place the two-state solution, and the prestige of Israel as a
democratic member of the international community, in peril."

The Palestinians say settlement construction is illegal under international law,
harms the contiguity of their future state and is a stumbling block to peace.
They have insisted they will not hold formal negotiations with Israel until it
halts settlement activity.

In his letter to the Israel Policy Forum, Baker said he did not believe the US
Jewish leaders had read his report. Had they done so, he said, they would not
have warned that authorization of the document imperiled a two-state solution.

The report's affirmation of Israel's legal and historic rights to the West Bank
"is not different from Israel's policy statements over the years, including
speeches by all of Israel's leaders and ambassadors in the UN, as well as in
official policy documents issued over the years by Israel's Foreign Ministry,"
Baker wrote.

There is nothing in the report that imperils the two-state solution, he said,
and added, "The opposite is in fact the case."

The report stated that despite Israel's legal and historic claim to sovereignty
over the area, consecutive Israeli governments have preferred to negotiate with
the Palestinians to find a solution to sovereignty issues in the West Bank.

"This is completely compatible with the address by Prime Minister Netanyahu to
the US Congress last May," Baker wrote.

Lastly, he noted that the document, released earlier this month, offers
pragmatic solutions to issues of outpost authorization and land disputes with
Palestinians. It suggests the creation of a civilian court to adjudicate such
disputes.

"The report stresses the need to ensure that genuine land-ownership rights of
the local Palestinian population are respected by all related authorities and
individuals," Baker said.

"Without in any way doubting the deep commitment of all the signatories to
Israel's well-being as a Jewish and democratic state, it is to be regretted that
they have permitted themselves to be drawn so hastily into criticizing the Levy
report, without justification," Baker said.

The Ministerial Committee on Settlements has yet to discuss or approve the
document. Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein is expected to issue an opinion on
the report, which will be handed to the prime minister.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Edmond Levy (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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July 24, 2012 Tuesday

PM meets with senior Turkish journalists in outreach effort

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 278 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met Monday with a delegation of eight senior
Turkish print journalists the Foreign Ministry brought to Israel in an attempt
to "break the ice" with Turkey's public.

The delegation, representing such leading Turkish newspapers as Hurriyet, Zaman
and Haber Turk, met with Netanyahu a day after meeting with Foreign Minister
Avigdor Liberman.

Neither Netanyahu's nor Liberman's office was willing to discuss the meetings,
apparently having pledged to keep the content quiet until the journalists
themselves could write about them later this week.

While this was not the first group of Turkish journalists to visit the country
since the May 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, which plunged relations between Israel
and Turkey into a downward spiral, it was the first to meet Israel's senior
leadership. A previous group met with Ministers Bennie Begin and Dan Meridor.

Israel's embassy in Ankara, which has been operating without an ambassador since
Turkey evicted him after Israel refused to apologize for the Mavi Marmara raid,
organized the latest delegation.

One diplomatic official said the delegation was invited because Israel was
interested in reaching out to the Turkish public and letting it know that
relations between the two countries were important to Jerusalem.

"Our message is that we need to speak about our problems in good will and
without mutual recriminations, especially at a time when the Middle East is in
upheaval," the official said.

The official doubted that the Turkish Foreign Ministry would reciprocate with an
invitation to Israeli journalists because Ankara was not interested in outreach
to the Israeli public at this time.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Binyamin Netanyahu (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem
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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Archeologists find jars filled with 3,300-year-old burnt wheat at Tel Hatzor

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 376 words

Archeologists have discovered large jars filled with 3,300-year-old burnt wheat
at the excavation sites of the Tel Hatzor National Park in the Upper Galilee.

A team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Nature and Parks
Authority (INPA) uncovered 14 large pithoi-style bulk storage jugs filled with
the wheat inside what was a storage room in a monumental, palace-like building
from the Canaanite period (2,000-3,000 BCE), the INPA said on Monday.

After the jars are fully exposed the researchers will transfer them to
conservation and restoration laboratories. Afterwards, the palace will be
covered up again until the next excavation season.

Archeological excavations at Hatzor have been conducted by Hebrew University in
cooperation with the INPA for the past couple of decades. In 2007, according to
the INPA, the hill was given World Heritage Site status.

"Hatzor flourished during the Middle Canaanite period (1,750 BCE) and during the
Israelite period (900 BCE), and generated the biggest fortified complex in
Israel during this period," said Dr. Zvika Tsuk, chief archeologist of the INPA.

"The city was one of the most important towns for the duration of the Fertile
Crescent, maintaining trade relations with cities in Babylon and Syria, and
substantial quantities of tin for the bronze industry were sent to the city."

Significant excavations in the 1950s and '60s were led by Yigael Yadin, the
archeologist responsible for discoveries at Masada and Megiddo, according to
Tsuk. Tel Hatzor received World Heritage Site status, alongside the biblical
remains at Megiddo and Beersheba, in large part due to Yadin's work, Tsuk said.

"The water system built at Hatzor is one of the largest and most amazing that
have been exposed in the country, and everyone who continues to explore the site
finds more and more secrets and details about our past in Israel," he added.

Prof. Amnon Ben-Tor, of the Hebrew University, likewise praised the work of
Yadin, noting that further excavations at the site were halted after his
research until 1990.

"Since then, every summer we reveal another layer in the history of Tel Hatzor
and the land of Israel in the Canaanite period - one of the most significant in
the life of the Jewish people," Ben-Tor said.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ANCIENT STORAGE METHODS. Jugs with burnt wheat are shown at the
Tel Hatzor excavation site. (Credit: Sharon Zuckerman)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

'They measured my scars for a few extra shekels per month.' Terror survivor Kay
Wilson recounts personal battle with NII

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 840 words

When Kay Wilson crawled out of the woods near Beit Shemesh after a terror attack
on December 18, 2010, in which two Palestinians stabbed her friend to death and
left Wilson to die, she thought the worst of the terror was behind her. Thankful
to be alive, though crushed by the murder of her friend Kristine Luken, Wilson
knew the road to recovery would not be easy.

But she never expected that one of the biggest challenges in her recovery would
be the humiliation and daily struggle with the authorities meant to help her at
the National Insurance Institute (NII).

Seven months after the attack, Wilson found herself shirtless in front of a
medical committee as they callously measured the scars from her 12 stab wounds.
Every centimeter, she noted sarcastically, meant she would get another few
shekels per month.

"It was heartless and so shocking - what kind of trauma does a person have to go
through in order for them to find it really traumatic?" she asked.

The recent spate of people setting themselves aflame, starting with Moshe Silman
on July 14, has brought renewed awareness of the fate of people struggling to
live with dignity on National Insurance benefits, and the hopelessness they feel
as they struggle with the uncaring bureaucracy and mountains of paperwork.
Wilson said while she does not think she would ever take those drastic measures,
she can certainly understand where they're coming from.

"The manner in which these people kill themselves, it's such a desperate manner,
their agony is so huge that even their suicide is proportional to their pain,"
she said.

In Wilson's case, it took a seven-minute hearing, during which the examining
doctor "did not even get out of his chair," for her to be pronounced 20 percent
disabled and given a stipend of NIS 800 per month. After she appealed, they
raised her disability to 29%.

"When you take a tape measure and measure someone's wounds because it's about
square centimeters, it shows how the system has been corrupted," said Wilson on
Monday. "You want to believe the country is for you. People say 'you're such a
hero!' I don't need that, I need help with my day-to-day life."

Wilson is adamant that she's not looking for a handout. The illustrator,
musician and tour guide wants to go back to work and is slowly easing back into
guiding, a job that she loves. But the terror attack has made her wary of taking
tourists into Arab areas, and she has trouble sleeping at night and cannot keep
a regular schedule. This makes it difficult for her to find work with companies
that need more reliable tour guides.

Just recently, Wilson started playing the piano again for charity events. But
her unemployment check of NIS 3,600 plus her disability check of NIS 800 means
that Wilson is constantly struggling and falling deeper and deeper into debt.

Hundreds of people have protested outside of the National Insurance Institutes
in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem following Silman's act and subsequent death, and seven
people have set themselves on fire or threatened to do so in the past week as a
result of economic woes.

"The medical committees are very complicated, with expert doctors in their
fields, but they are autonomous from the National Insurance Institute," said the
spokesman for the National Insurance Institute on Monday. "We have no influence
or connection to their decisions." He added that anyone with a specific
complaint should turn to the NII.

"We distribute 70 billion shekel to millions of citizens every year," he said.
"We acknowledge that there are issues, but we are always improving our policies
and services. The amount of complaints compared to the number of people served,
in spite of everything, is small."

The spokesman said there were no specific reforms planned in the wake of
widespread public disapproval but the organization is "always in the process of
improving."

But for Wilson, the entire system needs an overhaul, from the medical committees
to the insensitive paperwork.

"Even when I get a letter from NII and it says 'Dear terror victim,' I look at
that and I think good grief, I'm a terror victim," she said. "It's almost
unbelievable. They don't understand what it is to get a plastic card that says
'terror victim.' They have no idea that they're dealing with people whose lives
have been shattered, for them it's just another letter in the mail."

Wilson said her struggles to get the support she needs from the institute are
almost worse than facing the terrorists in court.

"The battle with [NII] is another kind of battle, they're like Rottweilers -
they do not let go," she said.

"The court trial was horrible, but I knew it was going to end and could close
the door and never have to see them again."

The two terrorists were sentenced to 120 years and 55 years.

"With the National Insurance Institute it just keeps going," she said. "It's so
difficult, it just never ends. I have to exert my energies in just trying to
live. It's another kind of terrorism to be honest, its emotional terrorism - and
I know what terror is, a lot more than most people."

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: KAY WILSON, pictured in a television screenshot. 'He pushes my
head in this way, and I see the knife,' it says in Hebrew, quoting Wilson on her
terror ordeal. (Credit: Channel 2)

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

Haredi politicians, draft reform campaigners reject Ya'alon proposal. 'Intifada
of High Court petitions' to be submitted against Defense Ministry on August 1

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 707 words

Haredi politicians and campaigners for ultra-Orthodox enlistment draft reform
heavily criticized Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon's outline for
drafting haredi men into the army, which he presented on Monday.

Ya'alon's plan seeks to raise the number of haredim enlisting in the IDF or
doing national service from the current 2,400 to 6,000 by 2016, and lower the
age of exemption from 28 to 26. The goal for Arab civilian service in 2016 is
5,000, more than double the current amount - 2,400.

In response to the proposals made public on Sunday, Idan Miller, a leading
activist for military draft reform, called the proposal "surrender" to the
haredi coalition parties, and threatened that Defense Minister Ehud Barak will
face "an intifada of High Court petitions" if he does not draft haredi men on
August 1 when the "Tal Law" expires.

The Tal Law has, since 2002, provided the legal framework for full-time yeshiva
students to indefinitely postpone military service. When it expires, the 1949
Law for Security Service - which mandates compulsory military service for all
citizens reaching the age of 18 - will go into effect.

"In another nine days, when the Tal Law will depart from this world... the
defense minister will be obligated to draft every Jewish citizen who reaches age
of 18," Miller said. "If he doesn't act in accordance with the law, then he'll
have to deal with an intifada of High Court petitions that will force the
government to do what is morally and ethically required."

Although Shas has not responded to Ya'alon's proposal, a source within the party
told The Jerusalem Post last week that the party was concerned about such a
situation, and considers the potential legal vacuum a serious problem.

Last week, Barak said that in light of the failure to replace the Tal Law, the
draft would be widened in August to include haredi men "on the basis of
preparatory work done by the IDF over the past year to prepare for increased
haredi enlistment," which was requested by the government.

The Council for Military Service Equality, a leading campaign group, said on
Monday that the Camp Sucker movement as a whole would be relocating its
encampment to the offices of the Defense Ministry on Wednesday.

They will demand that all 17-year-old haredi boys be sent their draft orders, as
will be required by law on August 1, and that all yeshiva students who have
until now been exempt from national service under the provisions of the Tal Law
be drafted within a year.

The group called Ya'alon's proposal "worse than the Tal Law," and said that it
was "a disgrace to see a former IDF chief of staff sell out those who serve for
the sake of an inexplicable swindle with the haredi parties."

Meanwhile, senior haredi MK Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism expressed
opposition to all legislation that would change the status of yeshiva students
in any way.

"Those who study Torah are the guardians of the Jewish people and the ones who
maintain the existence of the world," he told haredi daily Yated Ne'eman on
Monday. "Any attempt to entice those who study Torah to stop learning will
encounter a wall of opposition from haredi Jewry."

Former head of the IDF Manpower Directorate Maj.-Gen. (res.) Elazar Stern called
Ya'alon's draft "a joke," specifically referring to the proposal that haredi men
be allowed to postpone service till age 26.

He said that by this age the overwhelming majority of ultra-Orthodox men are
married with children, which would create a huge financial burden for the IDF if
it were to draft them - due to subsidies the army provides by law to recruits
with families.

Stern added that such recruits would not be able to participate fully in the IDF
due to family obligations.

Hiddush, a lobbying group for religious freedom, said that Ya'alon's proposal
reflected Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's decision to choose his
"anti-Zionist haredi partners over the majority of the Israeli public."

"The Ya'alon proposal is simply Tal Law 2.0, that is, a program which will see a
continuation of draft dodging and discrimination. History will not forget the
coalition partners who betrayed those who bear the burden of military service
and, hopefully, neither will the electorate," said Hiddush director Uri Regev.

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 24, 2012 Tuesday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 356 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 24, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that France promised humane
treatment of the refugees from Exodus 1947, now held on three British prison
ferry ships close to the French shore, and said that they would not be forced to
land against their will. The Colombian Embassy announced that no visas or
landing permits had been issued by his country and that if the immigrants were
shipped to Colombia they would not be allowed to land there.

Nineteen British soldiers were wounded, eight of them seriously, in various
parts of Palestine.

The British Empire Lifeguard prison ship was seriously damaged by a bomb in
Haifa harbor.

There was a heavy underground attack from three different directions at
Jerusalem's Mahaneh Yehuda Police Billets. Many buildings in the neighborhood
suffered damage. Passersby were confronted with the dangerous alternatives of
being hit or violating the curfew.

UNSCOP was told in Beirut that the ex-mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin el-Husseini,
was not a Nazi - "the British did not seek his trial as a war criminal." UNSCOP
had finally decided to go to Amman as well.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 24, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported rockets and Soviet-made planes on
parade in Cairo. More than 250 Germans were said to have been employed in Abdul
Nasser's plants.

The Ivory Coast and Israel signed cultural and technical accords.

President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and and his wife were about to depart on an official
visit to a number of African countries.

The commerce and industry minister attacked the government companies that paid
no taxes because they have deficits and not profits.

The Knesset passed legislation restricting pig raising to Christian areas.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 24, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported that the Soviet Union warned
Israel that continued development of the Jericho II missile would thrust it into
the midst of a nuclear stand-off between nuclear superpowers. The Jericho
rocket, the Soviet Union had warned, was a threat to USSR.

UNIFIL troops claimed they had disarmed 11 terrorist gangs that were on their
way to attack Israel.

The US armed convoy in the Persian Gulf docked at Kuwait.

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July 23, 2012 Monday

Social protesters allege racism in arrest of Beduin activist in Tel Aviv

BYLINE: MICHAEL OMER-MAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 660 words

Social justice protesters raised allegations of racism against Tel Aviv Police
in the arrest of a Beduin activist at a protest Saturday night.

According to police estimates, some 700 people took part in the vigil for Moshe
Silman, a protester who died on Friday, a week after setting himself on fire at
a Tel Aviv rally. Only one activist was arrested, Saber Abu Ilun, a Beduin from
Rahat, on suspicion of creating a public disturbance.

Police allowed protesters to march through the city streets undisturbed for
almost two hours Saturday night, standing aside as demonstrators blocked
intersections and staged candle-light vigils and sit-in protests at various
points throughout central Tel Aviv.

When the protesters turned the corner from Begin Road onto Hashalom Road toward
the Ayalon Freeway, however, they were met by a line of police vans and
officers. A police commander declared the protest illegal and warned that anyone
who descended onto the freeway would be arrested.

Approximately 100 protesters ignored the warning and made their way toward the
freeway, as they have every weekend for several weeks. As they descended onto
the ramp, Abu Ilan was standing in the middle of Hashalom Road. Three undercover
police officers rushed toward him, tackled him, and quickly spirited him away
toward a waiting police van.

None of the protesters who ignored police warnings against marching onto the
freeway were arrested.

Late last month, following a protest during which 89 arrests were made, bank
windows were broken and both protesters and police accused each other of
violence.

Channel 10 obtained a police document outlining how to deal with the social
movement. Among the instructions signed by Police chief Insp.-Gen. Yohanan
Danino, according to Channel 10, was an order to collect intelligence
information on anarchists and criminal elements in the protest movement. The
document also ordered the collection of intelligence on all Israeli Arabs
involved in the protests.

Several activists, along with Abu Ilun and his lawyer, Barak Cohen, all raised
the question of why he was singled out for arrest.

Following Abu Ilun's arrest, Cohen said: "It is surprising that out of 3,000
protesters Israel Police decided to arrest one protester, who just happens to be
a dark-skinned Beduin."

That type of behavior, he alleged, "is also what lead a man to burn himself a
week ago."

Abu Ilun told The Jerusalem Post he didn't even approach the Ayalon Freeway
after police declared anyone who did would be arrested. "I did not even move one
meter."

"Even if I was to go down to Ayalon, one person cannot block traffic," he
continued. One hundred people were walking in front of him, Abu Ilun said, "but
[police] told him, "you are the leader.'"

Indeed, as the undercover officers approached him, other protesters were already
pushing past police lines and making their way to the freeway.

Activist Ilan Etzion alleged that if Abu Ilun was not a black Beduin, police
would not have arrested just him.

Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld wouldn't comment on why Abu Ilun was the
only protester arrested as others made their way onto the freeway and blocked
traffic.

"He was causing a public disturbance and attempting to block the road,"
Rosenfeld told the Post, alleging that he was also calling on others to block
roads. Abu Ilun was held in jail overnight and charged with disturbing the peace
in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court Sunday morning.

The court released him on restrictive conditions, including NIS 1,500 bail and a
180-day ban on attending any illegal protest. In addition, the court ordered Abu
Ilun to stay more than 200 meters away from all streets mentioned in the
indictment, including Rothschild Boulevard, where he told the Post he resides.

Rosenfeld said he was not familiar with the document ordering surveillance on
Israeli-Arab social protesters and declined to comment on whether there was any
racial element involved in the decision to arrest Abu Ilun.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: POLICE ARREST Saber Abu Ilun, center, at a protest in Tel Aviv
Saturday night. (Credit: Michael Omer-Man)

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July 23, 2012 Monday

News in brief

BYLINE: Sharon Udasin, Judy Siegel

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 274 words

IEC, Tamar consortium sign gas deal

Israel Electric Corporation and the consortium of companies conducting the Tamar
reservoir drilling have signed an agreement for the supply of natural gas to the
Rutenberg Power Station in Ashkelon, the IEC announced on Sunday. The power
plant currently operates solely on coal, and the transformation to natural gas
will make the electricity generation there "greener, cheaper and more
efficient," according to IEC chairman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yiftach Ron-Tal. By the
year 2020, 80 percent of the country's electricity will be generated by natural
gas, he added.

"Now, the safe arrival of gas from the Tamar field to Israel's shores must be
ensured," Ron-Tal said. "This will be via the additional piping system to ensure
strategic redundancy in the gas supply from the Mediterranean fields." ¥ Sharon
Udasin

Emergency drill at J'lem light rail

An exercise for medical students, simulating the handling of a serious accident
on Jerusalem's light rail will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the first
station of the line, on Mount Herzl. The exercise is the conclusion of the
trauma course for sixth-year medical students at the Hebrew University, Hadassah
Medical School. Students will play the parts of as the injured, as well as those
of doctors, spokesmen and supervisors.

The hour was chosen because it is not a rush hour on the train. The exercise
will be run by Prof. Avi Rivkind, chairman of general surgery and the trauma
unit at Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem, who will be joined by
the Israel Police, Israel Railways, Fire Service, Magen David Adom, United
Hatzalah and others. ¥ Judy Siegel

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July 23, 2012 Monday

An Other dance festival

BYLINE: ORI J. LENKINSKI

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 188 words

The Hot Dance Festival is well under way. At this point in the summer, major
contemporary companies, flamenco phenomena, Irish legends and independent
artists have given performances. This year, the festival's program will come to
a close with Other Dance, a small festival within the larger happening. Other
Dance is a forum that provides young and emerging choreographers a stage on
which they can show their work.

With the financial and administrative difficulties associated with producing
dance, these artists, most of whom are at the beginning of their careers, have
few opportunities throughout the year to present their work. This year, the
festival will host 24 such choreographers. Some of the artists are veterans of
fringe events such as Other Dance, Intimadance and Mahol Shalem, for others,
this will be their first big break. The works include live performance, dance
films, visual art and song. All of the performances will take place in the
intimate environs of the Yaron Yerushalmi Theater at the Suzanne Dellal Center.

Other Dance will occur from August 23-27. For more information, visit
www.suzannedellal.org.il.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: RONI HELLER (Credit: Tal Glick)

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Neo-Nazis offer cash for info on Jews who called for Csatary's arrest

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 403 words

A neo-Nazi website in Hungary is offering money for information about protesters
that called for the arrest of a suspected war criminal, it emerged on Sunday.

Kuruc.info promised 100,000 forints ($450) to anyone who provides data on the
demonstrators who called for the trial of suspected Nazi collaborator Laszlo
Csatary outside his house near Budapest last week.

"We will distribute 100,000 forints among those who send us the most useful
information about the [participants]," text appearing on the website read. "75
thousands forints have been offered by our Comrade Bela Varga who lives in
America. Good hunting!"

The website - which is full of anti-Semitic imagery, including a Nazi hammer
crushing a Star of David - accused gatherers at the rally organized by a Jewish
student group of conspiring to "kill Hungarians."

"They complain about various crimes when they are responsible for corrupting our
country into communism and later into capitalism," the text read. "They are
responsible for the death of many thousands of Hungarians, for the emigration of
hundreds of thousands, for the killing of six million fetuses, for the selling
of the country not to speak about the genocide in Palestine and the other crimes
against humanity."

Last Thursday, Hungarian authorities indicted Csatary for involvement in the
sending of 15,700 Jews to Auschwitz when he was police chief of Kosice. The
97-year-old's whereabouts had been unknown since he fled Canada in the '90s
after his wartime history had been discovered. Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff, of the
Simon Wiesenthal Center, traced him to Hungary late last year and asked
prosecutors to act. Last week, Csatary was formally charged, making headlines
around the world and apparently arousing the ire of sympathizers.

On Sunday, Zuroff said the offer by Kuruc.info was an attempt to intimidate
protesters.

"Apparently, the Hungarian right-wing extremists cannot bear the exposure of the
criminals who committed crimes against humanity against fellow Hungarian
citizens during World War II who were inspired to do so by the same anti-Semitic
fascist ideology that they are currently trying to disseminate in Hungary," he
said.

He said several protesters including Andrea Gergely, one of the organizers of
the demonstration against Csatary, had received threats.

An employee at the Hungarian Embassy in Israel on Sunday said it could not
comment on the website as it was closed.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: LASZLO CSATARY, a 97-year-old Hungarian accused of Nazi war
crimes, leaves the prosecution building in Hungary last week. (Credit: Laszlo
Balogh/Reuters)

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July 23, 2012 Monday

Breakaway group appears en route toward Kadima split. Hanegbi to join cabinet.
Duan and Arieh Bibi to be deputy ministers

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 563 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appeared to have obtained the seven Kadima MKs
needed to bring about a split in the party, in late-night meetings on Sunday.

He has been trying for three years to split Kadima, and his efforts have borne
fruit in meetings with its lawmakers over the past two days.

Such a split could help Netanyahu widen his coalition again, pass the 2013 state
budget, and avoid early elections.

Knesset House Committee chairman Yariv Levin was told to get ready to approve a
split in Kadima as early as Monday.

Past attempts to split Kadima were unsuccessful because they lacked leadership.
But this time, Netanyahu is relying on former minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is
angry at Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz for removing the party from the coalition and
who has been trying to persuade seven Kadima MKs to leave together with him to
the Likud.

While Hanegbi, who is not currently in the Knesset, has reportedly been promised
a cabinet position in Netanyahu's government, his perjury conviction two years
ago could prevent him from receiving the post.

Mofaz accused Netanyahu of "stooping to the lowest kind of political bribery."

As of press time Sunday, the MKs who had confirmed that they wanted to leave
Kadima for the Likud were Otniel Schneller, Ya'acov Edri, Arieh Bibi, Avi Duan
and Yulia Shamolov Berkovich. Under the deal in the making, Bibi, who is a
former chief of the Jerusalem police, will be deputy public security minister,
while Duan, who is a veteran social worker, will be deputy welfare and social
services minister.

Schneller said he was sure he could find at least two more MKs to leave with
them.

"We will surprise you," he said. "We are in a process of talking. I don't want
to say names yet, because it's sensitive and real."

When asked specifically about former Kadima leadership candidate Avi Dichter,
Schneller said that "when the train comes, he will have to decide whether to get
on or get left behind."

Schneller said the latest the move could take place would be next week.

"I think whoever doesn't leave this week or next will be stuck in the used-up
cigarette butt that Kadima has become," Schneller said.

"Kadima in the next term won't be in its current form. It has finished its path
with the help of [former Kadima heads] Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert, who are
working from outside to make sure the party doesn't survive. Mofaz will pay the
price for his mistake of entering the coalition only as a show in order to leave
for no reason and slam the door behind him."

Edri called the Likud his "political home" and his current Kadima party a mess.
He said he knew that he would return to the Likud eventually, but he was not
sure when.

One possibility that is unlikely is that seven MKs from Kadima's Right and Left
flanks will break off from the party together and then split again. The MKs on
the Left, who are loyal to Livni, said she would not want them to take such a
step.

"We wouldn't join with the MKs on the Right in a split, because we don't want to
strengthen Netanyahu," MK Shlomo Molla said. "No one with integrity could do
something like that. The Right will have to find seven MKs on its own."

Another Kadima lawmakers said he was willing to leave Kadima in the past but he
now thinks Netanyahu is vulnerable and could be defeated if the party stays
together.

"If they had seven, I am sure they would have left by now," the MK said.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

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July 23, 2012 Monday

PA to seek UN non-member status

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 373 words

The Palestinian Authority has decided to seek the status of non-member state of
the UN General Assembly, PA officials said Sunday.

The officials said that PA President Mahmoud Abbas will seek the backing of the
Arab League for the move during a meeting of foreign ministers in Doha, Qatar.
The Arab League foreign ministers were scheduled to meet late Sunday at the
request of Abbas.

"President Abbas has decided to seek the status of non-member of the UN General
Assembly in the wake of Israel's refusal to accept the two-state solution and
halt construction in the settlements," said a senior adviser to Abbas. "We hope
that the US administration won't try to block our effort."

The official also voiced hope that the Arab ministers meeting in Doha would
approve of the membership bid at the UN.

The US administration has expressed strong opposition to Abbas's plan to return
to the UN, particularly as the presidential election approaches, another
Palestinian official told The Jerusalem Post.

The official said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who met recently with
Abbas, warned him that a renewed PA bid at the UN would prompt Washington to cut
off financial aid to the Palestinians.

But the Palestinians, according to the official, believe that because of the
upcoming US election, this is the right time to resume efforts to seek
membership.

Abbas, who visited Cairo last week, told Egyptian newspaper editors that he was
determined to seek UN recognition despite US opposition. He said that he would
consult first with the Arab countries before setting a date for applying to the
UN.

Abbas predicted that 133 countries would vote in favor of the PA application. He
said that once Palestine becomes a non-member state of the UN, it will be an
entity under Israeli occupation and the territories that were occupied in 1967
would no longer be considered disputed lands.

The Arab ministers are also expected to discuss the severe financial crisis
facing the PA.

Abbas, according to his advisers, will urge the Arab countries to fulfill their
financial pledges to the Palestinians.

Last week, Saudi Arabia transferred $100 million in emergency aid to the PA,
allowing it to pay half-salaries to more than 150,000 public sector employees.

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July 23, 2012 Monday

Letters

BYLINE: Roy Runds, Ralph Troper, Arnold Rabinowitz, Vivian Wineman, Mick L.
Davis, Isi Leibler responds, Lois Feinerman

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1253 words

True protectors

Sir, - Regarding "PM says Hezbollah, Tehran behind Burgas bus bombing" (April
20), the terrorist bombing of a busload of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria will
probably do more to further the Zionist cause than any other factor.

This outrage is the latest wake-up call about the perilous plight of all Jews in
the Diaspora. Surely now, most if not all of these Jews will realize that they
can no longer afford to entrust themselves to the tender mercies, protection or
goodwill of their friends.

The Burgas attack will shock them into the knowledge that their only true
protectors are the government and armaments of the State of Israel.

ROY RUNDS

Tel Aviv

What should be?

Sir, - Okay, I'm convinced: No two state solution ("Mad hatters, flat-earthers
and two staters," Into the Fray, July 20).

Martin Sherman convincingly writes about what should not be. But how about what
should be? Should Israel co-opt the West Bank and make all or some of the people
there citizens of Israel?

What about the Palestinians living there - will they become Israeli citizens
with the right to vote or should we make the West Bank palestinianrien and force
them to leave for other parts? If so, how can we do that? Then there's the small
problem of an international backlash. How would we deal with it?

Please, Mr. Sherman, give us your insights on what will lay ahead for the
non-two-state Greater Israel?

RALPH TROPER

Rehovot

Only three needed

Sir, - Uri Savir ("Turkey first!," Savir's Corner, July 20) suggests eight
actions to resolve our differences with Turkey. I suggest only three:

1. Turkey should undertake not to facilitate any future anti-Israel activities.

2. Turkey should promise to intervene against and hinder any future anti-Israel
activities.

3. Israel should then apologize for the rather harsh treatment that befell the
Turkish hooligans aboard the Mavi Marmara.

Come to think of it, I have not heard recently of any more flotillas coming our
way!

ARNOLD RABINOWITZ

Netanya

Scandal or not

Sir, - Regarding "New scandal on Anglo-Jewry" (Candidly Speaking, April 19),
Mick Davis has an outstanding record of support for Israel and for the Jewish
people. Isi Leibler also has devoted his considerable talents to defending
Israel and the Jewish people, but he does a disservice when he attacks others
who do so.

The Jewish Leadership Council, as it acknowledges, does not purport to speak on
behalf of the British Jewish community. That role belongs to the Board of
Deputies, with which the JLC continues to work closely, as it does with other
organizations working to turn the UK Jewish community into a powerful voice for
fighting the assault upon Israel's legitimacy.

Other Diaspora communities and the government of Israel itself regularly consult
us for input and expertise. It is unfortunate, therefore, that Leibler finds
scandal where there is none.

At a time when Diaspora communities face growing challenges in the form of
attacks on Israel from so many directions we should not waste energy fighting
among ourselves.

VIVIAN WINEMAN

London

The writer is president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews

Sir, - Isi Leibler's "New scandal on Anglo-Jewry" is both alarming and
scandalous.

If Leibler had taken the time to call me I could have furnished him with
accurate information, but as the old saying goes, why let facts stand in the way
of a good story?

There is a great deal in his column that I take issue with but I would like to
highlight the following in particular.

1. I have never met Joe Millis before. I certainly was not involved in his
appointment, which was carried out following due process by senior UJIA
professionals.

2. Neither I, the chief executive of the JLC, nor its staff was ever approached
by Ken Livingstone to assist in drafting a letter from him to "placate the
Jewish community," and we did no such thing. This claim is totally wrong and
inaccurate.

3. I stand by my record of support for Israel, the Zionist cause and Diaspora
Jewry. I have devoted my life and talents to serving the Jewish people. My views
on the need to conduct ourselves in accordance with Jewish values both in the
Diaspora and in Israel have been well set out in the many articles I have
written for the Jewish media and on the occasions I have spoken both in Israel
and the Diaspora. It is very sad that someone like Leibler, who has also
dedicated his life to the cause of the Jewish people, should tarnish his
reputation with offensive and false attacks on a fellow Jew and Zionist.

4. Finally, the JLC does not "purport to speak on behalf of the Anglo-Jewish
community" and the claim that it is made up of "wealthy Jews" is both wrong and
offensive. The JLC is comprised of the heads of our member organizations,
including the Board of Deputies and other representative bodies, all the major
synagogue movements, welfare charities, cultural and youth representatives, and
Zionist organizations. Our role is a simple one, supported by over 25 of the
leading communal bodies, to provide greater coordination and strategic
leadership to the work of the community.

I agree with Leibler's concern about recent comments from the Archbishop of
Canterbury with regard to Israel. Had Leibler taken the time to read our recent
newsletter he would have seen the article written by the JLC's chief executive
on this very issue, which sets out similar perspectives.

Furthermore, while it is right to praise the Board of Deputies' response to the
EAPPI Resolution passed by the Synod, Leibler fails to acknowledge the decisive
role played by the JLC in facilitating that response in accordance with our
mandate to support the work of member organizations.

It saddens me that articles based not on facts but on gossip and misinformation
paint a picture of communal life in the UK that attempts to stain the work and
reputation of so many individuals and organizations.

MICK L. DAVIS

London

Isi Leibler responds: Alas, "trembling Israelites" still applies. Would Mr.
Wineman employ a person supporting BDS against settlements and comparing Israel
to Syria and Iran as PR director of the principal Israeli fundraising charity?
As for Mr. Davis, he conveniently ignores the central issue raised in my column
- the UJIA's employment of Joe Millis. Now that he can no longer claim he is
unaware of Millis's views, what is he going to do about it?

Don't dwell on guilt

Sir, - I agree wholeheartedly with "The breast-feeding wars" (Comment &
Features, July 17), by Alissa Quart, who says there is often little support in
the workplace for breast-feeding mothers. I do object to her quoting a single
outdated 2008 study in the journal Pediatrics, brought by an "expert" with
dubious credentials and which concludes that there was no "evidence of risks or
benefits of prolonged and exclusive breast-feeding for child and maternal
behavior."

There are hundreds of articles in the pediatric, obstetrical and medical
literature in general showing multiple benefits of breast-feeding for both
mother and child. What is important is not to focus on guilt, with its negative
implications, but to empower and support the new mother during her pregnancy,
continuing through birth, breast-feeding and weaning.

Fortunately, there is now an awareness in the Health Ministry ("Health Ministry
encourages breast-feeding, abolishes baby formula exclusivity in hospitals,"
July 2). In addition, there are many certified lactation consultants available
to guide, educate and support the nursing mother.

LOIS FEINERMAN

Jerusalem

The writer is a physician and lactation consultant

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July 23, 2012 Monday

Electoral reform: If not now, when?

BYLINE: ELAINE LEVITT

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1150 words

With the demise of the ill-fated late coalition, we may have lost more than the
important goal of universal national service. Also doomed seems to be the other
touted goal, electoral reform.

Once more a very large segment of the population faces a government, not of the
people, not even by the people and certainly not for the people. Our feeling of
frustration is even more pronounced as we were beginning to believe that we were
getting closer to at least discussing a system of government that is not based
on party hierarchy. Instead we continue with a group of MKs more concerned with
their seats and their parties than representing a public.

We naively thought, for "one brief moment that was Camelot," that some of our
public leaders and those who aspire to leadership seemed to have awoken to the
public demand for a truly representative government. We know that a portion of
the Knesset with special interests will always oppose any change but we did feel
that there were a number of MKs who seemed to have risen above party politics.
We truly felt that Netanyahu and Mofaz were strong enough to fulfill the promise
of a meaningful electoral reform.

In 2006, CEPAC (Citizens Empowerment Public Action Campaign) conducted an
important survey by Dahaf Institute, which proved that a significant majority of
the public wanted regional representation. From all indications that number has
drastically risen today.

A follow-up petition campaign resulted in thousands of signatures.

We were very positive about the campaign, which received tremendous support.
However, reality proved that no matter what was done publicly, the Knesset holds
the key. Unfortunately, the Knesset, dominated by party interests, was
unresponsive. It is ironic that only the Knesset itself can implement electoral
changes; many of the members have no interest in any change that may impair
their own careers and that of their parties.

CEPAC proposes that the country be divided into 60 electoral districts (1/2 of
the Knesset) each with an equal number of eligible voters and that one
representative be elected in each district by a simple majority. Based on
Israel's current population, 60 electoral districts would comprise around
115,000 citizens and 80,000 eligible voters per district. This number is
feasible. By way of comparison, in England, there are about 91,000 per district;
in France about 104,000.

Concurrently, with a second ballot, 60 additional Knesset members will be
elected at large as they are today, proportionally by a national list party
list. A special commission will delineate district boundaries periodically.

Admittedly, a district could include populations with varying identities, but an
elected representative will need to represent all interests. Certainly, these
interests would be better and more equitably represented than at present. A
candidate or a representative who wishes to be elected or reelected can very
well learn and represent the interests of a group, even if he is not a member of
that group.

It should be noted that Israel is only one of two democratic countries in the
world that is not divided into electoral districts (Holland is the other). The
great democracies of Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States have
single member districts.

Our proposal lends itself to modification, but the point is that the public
wants to and should experience more involvement with the government. Today there
is too much acceptance of the mediocre in government with the frustration that
there isn't much an individual can do to improve the situation. Worse than that,
the public has no government address to which it can direct its particular
concerns, resulting in further alienation.

MKs must be accountable to the public. Today MKs are accountable only to their
party. In the proposed system, if a regional representative is deemed not to be
doing his/her job, he can be voted out in the next election. Fifty percent of
the MKs voted in by a constituency will have a direct obligation to their
voters. This should impose accountability. It will also likely raise the level
of the 50% party candidates, as there will be competition among the parties to
submit the best and most electable candidates.

NEW LEADERSHIP will be encouraged to participate from outside of political
circles. Well-qualified, successful individuals today from all fields, including
business and academia, avoid government like the plague. We have brilliant
persons in all fields who may be encouraged to work in government, and
contribute to the country, even for a limited period. They could then return to
their chosen fields. It is not a given that government needs to be a career.

The closest we, as a nation, come to encouraging new leadership is in local
councils, where mayors are elected by their constituency, who will vote them out
if they do not perform well.

Those who are even mentioning electoral reform seem to be united in raising the
threshold on party participation, and certainly this is an important factor.
However, while this can strengthen parties, where is the individual not
connected to parties in this equation?

A more organized method of government could result in changing today's practice
of handing out ministries as entitlement prizes. Perhaps with a system which
depends on public support and not only on the good will of the parties, we can
reduce and adjust the number of ministries in accord with actual public need.

This would be in place of sustaining and creating ministries to satisfy
coalition partners. Perhaps we would even be able to involve qualified
professionals in ministry positions, rather than those who know how to work the
party apparatus.

The various movements for social change are to be commended, but their efforts
should go toward securing a more permanent change where the voice of the people
will be heard, not only through demonstrations, but also through good
government. Without a permanent change to our basic government infrastructure,
any public effort is destined to go by the wayside.

The citizens of Israel deserve and are capable of achieving a better government,
serving native-born and immigrant, Jew and non-Jew, secular and religious. In
these crucial times, it is obvious that our system of government no longer works
as we see failure and underperformance in one area after another.

Israel faces life-changing challenges in all areas of common concern; economic,
social and security. Dealing with these demands leadership backed by the will of
the people. We can no longer afford government "business as usual" dictated by a
political establishment not responsive to the public.

Changing the electoral system is more urgent now than ever... reflected by a
public increasingly alienated from government.

May the voice of the people finally be heard.

The author is the co-chairman of CEPAC, the Citizens Empowerment Public Action
Campaign.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In the proposed system, if a regional representative is deemed not to be
doing their job, he can be voted out in the next election

GRAPHIC: Photo: HOW ABOUT a regional choice? An Israeli election worker
organizes ballots representing various Israeli parties. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

821 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Liberman meets Turkish journalists

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 89 words

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who has been adamant in his opposition to any
Israeli apology to Ankara over 2010's Mavi Marmara raid, met on Sunday in
Jerusalem with a delegation of senior Turkish journalists.

The delegation, which includes journalists from some of Turkey's leading media
outlets, was organized by the Foreign Ministry. The ministry often brings
journalists to Israel from all over the world.

The group will meet other leading Israeli officials this week, as well as visit
the northern border, Sderot and Yad Vashem.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

822 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

ACRI seeks to stop demolitions in Palestinian village

BYLINE: YONAH JEREMY BOB

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 623 words

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel released a statement on Sunday
regarding its petition to stop demolitions of Palestinian residences in the
village of Khirbat Zanuta in Area C of the West Bank.

The petition, due to be heard July 30 before the High Court of Justice, was
initially filed by ACRI in 2007 on behalf of the village residents. In response,
the court then issued a temporary restraining order against demolitions by the
state.

Last year, another NGO called Regavim filed an amicus curiae brief ("friend of
the court" or legal brief filed by an outside party to inform a court about
possibly overlooked legal issues) in an attempt to move the case forward and
execute the demolitions. Shortly thereafter, the state responded to ACRI's
petition, leading to next week's hearing on the issue.

In April 2012, the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria issued additional
demolition orders for new structures in the village.

Another controversy between ACRI and the civil administration is that ACRI
argues that the new structures are already protected by the court's prior order
temporarily restraining demolitions in the village.

In contrast, the administration argues that only structures existing at the time
of the court order in 2007 were protected by it. In order to stop or slow the
demolition of any new structures, the administration says that ACRI would need
to file a new petition and go through all of the court's procedures from the
start of a new case.

According to ACRI, Khirbat Zanuta is a small Palestinian village in the southern
hills of Hebron, whose 39 families earn their living shepherding and have lived
in their current location for several generations, long before the Six Day War
in 1967.

ACRI contends that the civil administration has put the villagers in a catch-22
by on one hand, rejecting any applications for permits for a master plan to
legalize building residences there, and on the other hand, issuing demolition
orders because any constructed residences are by definition illegal.

The administration claims that there is no justification for a master plan that
would incorporate Zanuta, citing among other things the village's small size,
the existence of archeological ruins on the premises and the relatively long
distance between the village and the town of Dahariya.

In general, Israeli policy toward Area C of the West Bank is strongest in its
opposition to Palestinian building of new structures, since Area C has not been
handed over to Palestinian Authority security or political control like Areas A
and B - and also because the parts of the West Bank that Israel will likely to
seek to hold onto in a final borders agreement are part of Area C.

According to Regavim, since early 2008 the High Court has issued 162 interim
orders against demolition of illegally constructed Palestinian buildings in the
West Bank. It notes that once the court issues an interim order against
demolition, in practice the state often indefinitely defers challenging the
temporary orders and pushing through the demolitions.

Regavim accused the State Attorney's Office of permitting systematic delay, in
contradiction of what the NGO characterizes as enforcing "the rule of law and
public interest."

Regavim has gone as far as to imply, without presenting more than general
evidence, that the state purposely creates delays in order to ultimately prevent
the demolition orders from begin carried out.

Upon noting what it refers to as the state's "phenomenon" of delay, Regavim
filed a series of legal briefs covering 162 cases that it defined as delayed
demolition cases which need to move forward.

In the particular case of Zanuta, Regavim complains that new construction is
damaging antiquities in the area.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: A SERIES of photos depict life in the Palestinian village of
Khirbat Zanuta, in Area C of the West Bank. (Credit: ACRI)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

823 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Disabled IDF veteran in critical condition after setting himself alight near
airport. Akiva Mapiai hurt during army training two decades ago, now in heavy
debt. Dafni Leef urges end to self-harm for social justice

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN; Ruth Eglash and Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this
report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 695 words

A 45-year-old disabled IDF veteran is in critical condition after setting
himself on fire in Yehud, in the central region, on Sunday.

Passersby found Akiva Mapiai, from Moshav Bareket, near Ben-Gurion Airport, at a
bus stop, burning next to his wheelchair, and extinguished the flames before
paramedics arrived.

He was rushed to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer with extensive burn
injuries, particularly to his arms and legs.

Mapiai became disabled in a training accident at age 23, at the IDF Ground
Forces Command's Tze'elim training base in the western Negev.

In recent weeks, he told his siblings he had despaired of fighting for
rehabilitation rights and other benefits as a disabled veteran from the Defense
Ministry and social welfare services.

After falling into heavy debt, Mapiai decided to emulate Moshe Silman, the Haifa
man who set himself on fire at the end of a social justice protest in Tel Aviv
on July 14, and died on Friday.

Shlomo Mapiai, Akiva's brother, said he had been talking in recent days about
"doing what Silman did."

Mapiai threatened suicide in the past because of the "impossible bureaucracy"
involved in dealing with the Defense Ministry and social welfare authorities,
the brother said.

He took part in IDF veteran rallies and hired a lawyer to help him get his
benefits, a move that ended up getting him into heavy debt.

Shlomo Mapiai told Ma'ariv, "The army likes you only when you're in the ground,
not when you're injured. The bureaucracy [one needs to get through] to get your
rights means that they will not arrive on time, if at all."

"That's why people demonstrate and reach extreme situations and take extreme
acts. And this isn't the first time," he added. "We gave our lives for the state
and in the end they throw you away. All IDF veterans feel like a weight on
society."

Channel 2 quoted social services sources as saying Mapiai received assistance
from social welfare and had received all of the benefits he was entitled to from
the the National Insurance Institute. The sources said Mapiai had attempted
suicide in the past and that the reasons for his act were personal.

Responding to the incident, social justice movement activist Daphni Leef said
the current wave of people setting themselves on fire was disturbing and
saddening.

"The despair and suffering of others is translated into violent and dangerous
acts of self-harm. These are acts of desperation, of surrender to the cruel,
criminal bureaucracy that is not backed by realistic budgets for solving
problems," she said.

Leef accused the government of ignoring the plight of such desperate
individuals.

She also asked for an end to acts of self-harm.

"Don't surrender, don't give up. We are fighting here for a healthy society...
We must focus on life," she said. "Please, don't hurt yourselves."

Dudi Gilboa, a member of a veterans group who knew Mapiai, said, "His story is a
difficult one, his emotional and economic situations weren't easy."

Gilboa told Israel Radio he and the wheelchair-bound veteran had been embroiled
in a dispute with authorities in charge of rehabilitating and helping wounded
veterans.

"We have mourned our friends [lost] in battle, we don't want to lose them like
this," Gilboa said, also expressing concern that yet more people would imitate
Silman.

On Sunday evening, a woman walked into a South Tel Aviv kiosk, poured flammable
material on herself and threatened to set herself alight. Passersby called the
police and officers prevented her from using the lighter. Officers took her into
custody in the South Tel Aviv police station.

Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich on Sunday warned against setting
oneself on fire as protest.

"[Silman's] suicide cannot be allowed to become a legitimate act of protest,"
she said. "Taking one's own life is an extreme and awful act, and it cannot be
idealized."

Welfare and Social Services Minister Moshe Kahlon said taking such extreme
measures was not the way to solve problems.

"A week ago, we set up a joint emergency task force with the National Insurance
Institute to deal with extreme cases, and anyone can call in if they need help,"
the minister said.

The emergency task force's number is 118.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: BURNED BELONGINGS of Akiva Mapiai are seen on the ground near
where he set himself alight on Sunday. (Credit: Channel 10)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

824 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Netanyahu's falling stock

BYLINE: JEFF BARAK

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 838 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must be kicking himself as the Knesset enters
the final days of its summer session this week. Had he not buckled at the very
last minute and cancelled his plans for calling early elections, he would now be
only a couple of months away from an easy victory and his third term in the
Prime Minister's Office.

Instead, as polls in a weekend paper showed, his decision to bind his fate to
the haredim and scuttle negotiations with Kadima over the issue of IDF
conscription for all Jewish males has severely weakened his standing among the
Israeli public, bringing the Likud down to only 25 projected mandates and Labor
up to 21.

Actually, the question as to whether Netanyahu can kick himself is debatable,
given the torn ligament in his left leg he suffered last month while playing
football with Jewish and Arab children as part of a tourism promotion campaign.
Due to his injury (with which I do sympathize, having recently torn my calf
muscle playing cricket, showing that Netanyahu and I have at least one thing in
common - the idiocy of middle-aged men thinking they can recapture their youth),
Netanyahu needs to wear a cast.

Disappointingly, Netanyahu and his media advisers are doing their utmost to
ensure there is no official footage showing the prime minister turning up for
work on crutches. Instead, as if this temporary disability is something to be
ashamed of, Netanyahu is only photographed once he's seated at the cabinet table
and not while he is making his way to his office.

While one can understand the prime minister's reluctance to give newspapers the
chance to run headlines such as "Bibi limps along," a true leader would rise
above this and use this temporary discomfort as a means to highlight the
challenges faced daily by people with a permanent disability.

NETANYAHU IS not known for his sensitivity towards society's less fortunate;
this sporting accident gave him the opportunity to rectify this. He could have
parlayed his injury to prove that no one is invulnerable to the whims of fate
and shown that the disabled need to be treated with the respect and
consideration the able-bodied receive. Instead, he chose to hide.

Of course, the truth is that the prime minister is limping along. His failure to
utilize a 94-member governing coalition and introduce the far-reaching changes
this country needs is a complete failure of leadership and a sign of utter
political ineptitude. If Netanyahu had no intention of introducing some form of
universal conscription for all Jewish males, then why did he invite Kadima
leader Shaul Mofaz to join his government and postpone the early elections that
were on the verge of being declared?

For the sake of a few more months of power, in which he will do no more than
tread water, Netanyahu has hampered his own reelection campaign. It is now
clearer than ever that a vote for the Likud is also a vote for the veto power of
the haredi parties, who are determined to foist their immoral and economically
unsustainable way of life on the backs of Israel's diminishing middle class.

In an attempt to deflect criticism away from the haredim, Shas leader Eli Yishai
recently made the malicious argument that "first we have to check the number of
conscripts from north Tel Aviv before we make problems for the haredim." And so
Haaretz economic commentator Nehemia Shtrasler did just that.

Examining the secular high schools of north Tel Aviv, Shtrasler found that "the
conscription rate among graduates of Ironi Yud Daled is 99 percent, at Lady
Davis, Alliance and Tichon Hadash it's 96%, at Ironi Daled it's 94%, at Gymnasia
Herzliya it's 90%, at Ironi Heh it's 88%, and at Ironi Alef [where those lefties
and arty types study] it's 95%... On the other hand, evasion by the haredim
stands at 90%."

BUT IT'S not just Netanyahu's his failure to seize the moment and change the
unjust haredi exemption from the IDF that will harm him at the polls. The social
protest movement will continue to chip away at the prime minister's standing
while a slowing economy hardly provides an encouraging backdrop for an incumbent
prime minister.

If, as likely, the next elections are scheduled for February, this government
will avoid introducing a state budget for 2013, given that next year's budget
will have to include both spending cuts and tax hikes in order to control
Israel's budget deficit and protect the country's international credit rating.
This means government spending for 2013 will remain at its 2012 levels until a
new government passes a budget, so all the goodies recommended by the
Trajtenberg Committee, such as free preschool education, won't go into effect.

And all this, combined with a weakening shekel, due to both a general
strengthening of the dollar on international markets and foreign investors'
fears concerning the possibilities of an Israeli strike against Iran, leads to
an inevitable conclusion: Netanyahu's stock on the electoral market is
deservedly falling.

The writer is a former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: REALITY CHECK. For the sake of a few more months of power, in which he
will do no more than tread water, Netanyahu has hampered his own reelection
campaign

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE END of the affair. Netanyahu and Mofaz embrace following the
decision to form a coalition government in May. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The
Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

825 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Olympic trials

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 709 words

The 30th Olympic Games of the modern era kick off in London on Friday and the
Israeli delegation of 37 athletes competing in eight sports has already arrived.

Unfortunately, the excitement in Israel surrounding the Games has been tempered
by increased concerns over security. Besides the fact that this summer's
Olympics marks the 40th anniversary of the Munich massacre - conjuring up
memories of Israelis' vulnerability - there is real concern that Iran, Israel's
latest archenemy, will target an Israeli athlete.

The Sunday Times might have exaggerated when it reported over the weekend that
Israel has dispatched special Mossad agents to European capitals where members
of Iran's Quds Force - the Islamic Republic's international terrorism cadre -
are known to be working out of embassies. (Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad (res.), Defense
Ministry director of policy and political-military affairs, characterized the
Times' report as "literary descriptions taken out of spy novels.")

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that while there was no specific intelligence
information on a planned attack, he acknowledged that major events such as the
Olympics "attract" terrorist plots and pointed to the 11 members of the Israeli
delegation murdered by Palestinians at the Munich Olympics as evidence.

Further stoking fears of a terrorist attack is the possibility that Wednesday's
bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria, which left six innocent people dead - five of whom
were Israeli - was a harbinger of more Islamist-inspired violence against
Israelis and Jews living or traveling abroad.

The Burgas attack came after about 20 recent fumbled or foiled attempts by the
Islamic Republic to kill Israelis, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

British security officials are not taking any chances. Security will be tight
for the duration of the Olympic Games, but members of the Israeli delegation
will be under especially rigorous protection. For their own protection, a
closed-off section of the Olympic village, separated from the other athletes and
described as "sterile" by Efraim Zinger, head of the delegation to London, has
been reserved for the Israelis.

"Munich was like a summer camp compared to this," Zinger told Army Radio. "It
feels like an army base here."

Meanwhile, pressure is building for the so-far intransigent International
Olympic Committee to hold an official moment of silence at the Games for the
Munich victims. President Barack Obama joined the US Senate, the German
Bundestag, the Canadian and Australian parliaments and about 50 members of the
British Parliament in supporting the observance of a minute of silence.

In another Olympic-related development, the Prime Minister's Office is trying to
get the BBC to recognize that Israel, like all other countries participating in
the Games, has a full-fledged capital. Until recently, the BBC's listing of
countries participating in the Olympics included Israel, but did not include
Jerusalem as the capital. After a complaint from the Prime Minister's Office,
the BBC grudgingly agreed to mention Jerusalem as "seat of government" while
adding that "most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv."

The founders of the State of Israel hoped that the creation of a country for the
Jewish people would in some normalize their status. No longer would Jews be
forced to be hosted by a country that ostensibly belonged to another people. One
of the trappings of this normalization process is participation in the Olympic
Games. Indeed, when Israel debuted at the Helsinki Games in 1952, there was
undoubtedly a feeling that Israel in some small way become like all the nations.

But anti-Semitism and rabidly anti-Israel sentiments that pervade the
international community cause Israel to be singled out. Israelis are subject to
uniquely stringent security arrangements; their country's capital is only
half-heartedly recognized by some; and they must be subjected to the humiliating
refusal on the part of the International Olympic Committee to hold a simple
one-minute commemoration that, like the recognition of a capital, would probably
have been granted to any "normal" country.

We can only hope that before anti-Semitism and irrational hatred of Israel pass
from the world, the BBC and the IOC will regain their senses.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

826 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

American, Israeli governments agree on additional energy cooperation

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 333 words

The Energy and Water Ministry and the US Department of Energy committed to
further cooperation on energy issues, with a particular focus on natural gas,
during a series of intergovernmental meetings last week.

The two countries agreed to expand their partnerships in the energy sector as
part of a dialogue that took place over the course of last week, under the
direction of US Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, Under-Secretary of
Energy David Sandalow and Israel Energy and Water Ministry director-general
Shaul Zemach. Meetings among the leaders occurred in Washington and focused
primarily on natural gas and its issues, according to the Energy and Water
Ministry.

US Department of Energy officials expressed great interest in Israel's ongoing
and significant developments in the natural gas market as well as its natural
gas policies in particular, which are being "formulated out of nothing," the
ministry said.

Other central discussions took place about potential cooperation in the energy
field in general, including energy security policy, reducing dependence on oil
and conducting joint experiments - on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In addition to meeting with these specific Department of Energy leaders, Zemach
also met during his visit with officials from the American water, natural gas
and oil sectors, as well as international energy experts and various colleagues
at US research institutes who have expressed interest in Israel's natural gas
policies, business opportunities and investment possibilities, the ministry
reported.

Only a month ago, Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau held a meeting with
Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver in Jerusalem for similar
purposes, during which they agreed to form such energy partnerships between
Israel and Canada. The two leaders discussed increased cooperation on energy
security, environmental sustainability and economic development, as well as more
frequent bilateral meetings to strengthen their relationship.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SHAUL ZEMACH, the director-general of the Energy and Water
Ministry, meets with US Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman in
Washington last week. (Credit: Energy and Water Ministry)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

827 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Bill on nutritious food in schools passes first reading

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 217 words

The cabinet approved a government bill to supervise the quality of food served
and sold in educational institutions on Sunday. The bill is due to receive its
first reading this week.

Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar initiated the bill, which if approved will
require the health minister to be consulted about the nutritional composition of
food in schools.

According to the bill, companies that supply the food will have to publicize the
nutritional value and ingredients of what is served and sold. At the beginning
of every school year, principals will have to provide students and parents with
instructions and conditions for selling and serving the food.

Any food manufacturer or supplier who does not meet the legal conditions for
approved food will be fined a one-time payment of NIS 6,000, according to the
bill. Such companies will be fined NIS 3,000 for every day afterward that they
violate the law. If the nutritional value of the food products is not announced,
the fine will be NIS 1,500.

According to the bill, the education minister will appoint supervisors who will
have the authority to check food in schools and take samples for lab
examinations. The aim of the legislation is to ensure that the food is not full
of empty calories which cause obesity, and that it is healthy and nutritious.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Gideon Sa'ar (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

828 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

A wardrobe fit for a king and a president

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN and JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 901 words

In the week he has been touring Israel from the Golan Heights to the Sinai,
visiting high technology plants, water desalination projects and hospitals, His
Majesty King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of the Asante people of Ghana has usually
opted to wear either a suit and tie or sports clothes. But when he called on
President Shimon Peres at his Jerusalem residence on Sunday morning, he and most
of his entourage came in the full regal splendor of his kingdom, wearing
colorful toga-like robes and many gold chains.

The King himself was bedecked with armbands, bracelets and heavy rings of gold,
and wore gold sandals. He also sported a circle of colored beads with a gold
talisman on his head. His spokesman carried a gold scepter, and stood as the
monarch spoke, shouting the word "Yong" each time the king finished a sentence.

According to a member of his nine-person delegation, this is the traditional
manner of notifying the people that the king is speaking.

King Osei Tutu presented Peres with a robe no less splendid than his own and
Peres cheerfully put it on and posed for photographs. Aside from the regular
press photographers, the president's staff was entranced with the change in his
appearance and photographed him with their cell phone cameras.

In addition to the gift, King Osei Tutu brought greetings from President John
Atta Mills, who is looking forward to coming to Israel and issued a reminder
that the invitation for Peres to visit the Republic of Ghana is still open. This
prompted Peres to reminisce about having visited the country at David
Ben-Gurion's behest soon after Ghana gained independence 55 years ago.

Peres had been very impressed by Ghana's first president Kwame Nkruma, who had
lived in America for ten years. Prior to leaving Ghana, Nkruma had a problem
with his teeth, which he attended to in America. Thus when he came home to his
village, Peres recounted, his mother did not recognize him and said he was not
her son, who was still in America. But Nkruma had proof: he had been born with
an additional finger - and this was all his mother needed to know that her son
had returned.

Ghana was the first African country to enter into diplomatic relations with
Israel, and Israel was helpful to Ghana in developing the country's agriculture.
Together with India, Israel also assisted in the establishment and training of
Ghana's air force. Ghana severed diplomatic ties with Israel in 1973 in the wake
of the Yom Kippur War, and renewed them less than a decade ago, although it took
Israel somewhat longer to reopen its embassy there.

Israel's Ambassador to Ghana, Sharon Bar-Li, presented her credentials to Mills
in September of last year and told Peres that the first visa to Israel that she
issued was for King Osei Tutu.

Among the members of the king's entourage was Kobina Annan, a former Ghanaian
ambassador to Morocco who is also the brother of former UN secretary-general
Kofi Annan, with whom Peres is very well acquainted and to whom he sent his
warmest regards.

What is happening in Syria, said Peres, is not a failure on Kofi Annan's part.
"No one can stop the guns."

Congratulating the king on on his country's accomplishments, Peres said, "What
you have done in Africa is unique. Ghana is considered to be the most advanced
country in Africa, not only because of the work of the people but also the
wisdom of the leaders."

Peres lauded Ghana as having the best economy in Africa and being an emerging
hope.

"For us the success of Ghana is a correction of history," he said, noting that
Africa had suffered for a long time under foreign rule - only now beginning to
emerge from its difficult past and enjoy equal rights, independence and respect.

King Osei Tutu, whose higher education was obtained in London, is an accountant
by training and an economist by experience. He has worked as a senior consultant
for the Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company of Toronto, as finance officer at the
British firm Oxo in London and as personnel administrator at the Manpower
Services Commission attached to the Brent Council in London. His kingdom of
eight million subjects used to be independent but is now a region in Ghana. In
power for the past 13 years, the king is regarded as the strongest traditional
ruler in Africa. He was a guest of the Foreign Ministry and his country's
embassy, and came at the invitation of businessman Eytan Stibbe, one of several
Israeli businessmen with interests in Ghana.

The king thanked Wolfson Medical Center's Save a Children's Heart (SACH) project
for repairing the hearts of dozens of youngsters from his country. Visiting the
Holon hospital at the end of last week, he had learned how the voluntary
organization functions and visited children from Ghana, Angola, Zanzibar,
Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Uganda who are being treated surgically for
life-threatening congenital heart defects. He said he was very impressed and
thanked the approximately 70 people in the medical team for their work.

Israel is currently building a hospital in Ghana, and the king was hopeful that
Ghanaian doctors would be able to come to Israel for additional specialized
training. Ghana is also seeking cooperation in technological training and hopes
to attract more Israeli investors.

The king, who is primarily interested in economic, health and peace issues, told
Peres that he supports the Ghanaian government of the day in these areas, but
stays away from politics.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: First photo appeared on page 1.

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: ROYAL VISIT President Shimon Peres chats with King Otumfuo
Osei Tutu II of the Asante people at the President's Residence in the capital
yesterday. The king, an accountant by training and economist by experience, has
eight million subjects in Ghana and is regarded as the strongest traditional
ruler in Africa. Peres lauded Ghana as having the best economy in Africa and
being an emerging hope. "For us the success of Ghana is a correction of
history," he said, noting that Africa had suffered for a long time under foreign
rule - only now beginning to emerge from its difficult past and enjoy equal
rights, independence and respect. KING OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II of Ghana's Ashanti
kingdom (fourth from left) and members of his delegation pose with President
Shimon Peres, wearing the robe he received as a gift from the king, at his
residence in Jerusalem yesterday. (Credit: Amos Ben-Gershom/GPO. Yosef Avi Yair
Engel/GPO)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

829 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Hapoalim named best Israeli bank

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 228 words

Bank Hapoalim is Israel's best bank, according to Euromoney magazine. This is
the latest in a string of awards for Bank Hapoalim this year, after it won
similar recognition from international magazines The Banker and Global Finance.

Euromoney editor Clive Horwood said the bank was rewarded for posting strong
results in 2011, including a 25 percent increase in net profits, a 10% increase
in deposits and a 12% return on equity. The bank also continued to improve its
capital-adequacy ratio, he said, and demonstrated its renewed leadership in
Israel's banking sector despite operating in a challenging environment.

Hapoalim president and CEO Zion Kenan said his bank was delighted to receive
this "outstanding recognition from a prestigious global publication." The
organization was very proud of both its recent financial performance and its
accomplishments in terms of meeting customer needs and supporting the Israeli
economy, he said.

"This includes our award-winning website and online banking services, our
special fund dedicated to investments in financial technology companies, our
industry-leading sustainability efforts and our extensive efforts to enhance our
customers' financial freedom," Kenan said. "The credit for our success is due to
the people of Bank Hapoalim who work hard every day to serve our customers and
help them reach their financial goals."

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July 23, 2012 Monday

Mofaz's missed opportunity: He's the real sucker

BYLINE: ARI HAROW

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 737 words

It took little more than two months for Shaul Mofaz to remind us just why he and
his Kadima Party are unfit to govern.

Having vowed in March that he would never join Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu's government, Mofaz reneged and did exactly that in May, "for the
welfare and future of the State of Israel." Having formed a grand coalition
under the banner of the national interest, Mofaz now leaves the government under
the dark shadow of political opportunism. Playing to the crowds over universal
conscription, Mofaz has rejected historic societal change in favour of
vote-grabbing populism. In doing so, Mofaz has betrayed the political center
that he purports to represent.

The issue at the heart of these latest political machinations is of unquestioned
importance. Equalizing the national burden is a long overdue necessity. Not only
are the current exemptions granted to the haredi and Arab populations unfair,
immoral and ultimately unsustainable for society at large, but meaningful
national service would also be of huge long-term benefit to both of these
communities. Both Mofaz and Netanyahu correctly highlighted the need to end this
untenable status quo when they joined forces in May. However, their approaches
to solving the issue differ greatly, revealing wholly conflicting priorities and
motivations.

It is worth remembering that in May, Netanyahu could have chosen to go to the
polls, which would most likely have delivered a huge victory for Likud. Instead,
he chose an alliance with Kadima, with the sole motivation of instituting
meaningful change. Netanyahu understood then, as he appears to now, that a
broad, consensual mandate is the surest and safest path to change if we are to
maintain a semblance of social cohesion.

And so, when it came to replacing the "Tal Law," Netanyahu sought to integrate
haredim into the IDF and national service programs with their consent. He
proposed a gradual integration, whereby some yeshiva students would be enlisted
at age 18, others at 23. Netanyahu recognized that a 64 year old system must be
changed gradually, not overnight, if the transition is to be successful. By
exhibiting sensitivity toward haredi values and the community's unique
lifestyle, he has conveyed a message of partnership to the ultra-Orthodox world.

By contrast, Mofaz has doggedly stuck to his insistence on a far-reaching
decree, mandating the draft of every yeshiva student at age 18. He has done so
in the name of equality, but such a plan will only be viewed as a broad attack
on the haredi world, accentuating the divisions in Israeli society, rather than
bringing about a sense of shared purpose.

Mofaz has claimed that Kadima's departure from government was necessitated
because "there were red lines that I was not ready to cross." It is hard to see
how Mofaz's stance can truly be a matter of principle, when his stubbornness
over the details of draft age has resulted in the wholly unsatisfactory draft
system that he himself opposes, remaining intact.

Rather than grasp an historic opportunity to reform conscription and with it
improve our societal structure, Mofaz has opted to make a statement. He will no
doubt claim to be the "true" standard bearer of the universal draft, having
supposedly sacrificed power for principle. In reality, though, Mofaz has
underscored yet again why he and Kadima are not credible leaders of our country.

Mofaz's decision to lead his party out of government is couched in the language
of beliefs and morality, but has far more to do with electability. Tellingly,
Mofaz accused Netanyahu of choosing "the interests of the minority over the
majority." It is exactly that majority which Mofaz hopes will be within his
grasp at the next election, so long as he appears to champion their interests
and portray Netanyahu as a haredi apologist.

As for Netanyahu, it is not the interests of a minority or majority which has
fueled his actions over replacing the Tal Law. As a responsible head of
government, he has sought a solution which is in the best interests of the
country as a whole, and which all parties just might be able to live with.
Meanwhile, Mofaz's failure to place the greater good above political expediency
illustrates exactly why he should be the last leader of a Kadima Party born out
of political opportunism.

The writer served as bureau chief to Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
and is currently president of 4H Global.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Government to clamp down on migrant money transfers to family abroad

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 273 words

The government is taking its battle against African migrants to the banks and
those who move funds abroad, and will bring a bill to the Knesset Monday making
it illegal for the migrants to transfer money back home.

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a bill Sunday that will make
it illegal for migrants to transfer money abroad. Under the new law, the penalty
for migrants trying to do this will be some NIS 29,000 and six months
imprisonment, and the punishment for those assisting them by transferring the
funds will be the same fine, but a year in jail.

The bill is part of the government's plan to fight migration by creating steps
aimed at convincing migrants that it is not worth their while to come to Israel
in the first place.

According to figures presented to the committee, there are 60,000 migrants in
the country, being employed by 50,000 people. Some NIS 50,000 is transferred to
Africa each month. According to the figures, there are approximately 10,000
accounts for migrants in the country's banks.

According to the law, those migrants caught trying to transfer their funds will
have the money impounded, and it will be returned to them only upon leaving the
country.

The new law will not apply to certain humanitarian cases and those who have the
status of political refugees.

According to a statement put out by the Prime Minister's Office, the law
balances between Israel's right to defend itself against infiltration, and its
duty to respect the human rights of everyone in the country.

This is the reason, the statement said, why the money earned by the migrants
will be returned to them upon leaving the country.

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July 23, 2012 Monday

State asks for 29-day delay in Migron evacuation

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 667 words

The state on Sunday asked the High Court of Justice to delay by 29 days - from
August 1 to August 30 - the evacuation of the Migron outpost.

It said that, based on security concerns, it did not want to evacuate the
outpost during Ramadan, which began on Friday.

It added that replacement homes had not been fully set up in the site by the
Psagot winery, where the state plans to relocate the 50 families who live in
Migron, on a small hilltop in the Binyamin region of the West Bank.

The state presented both these positions at a special hearing on the outpost
held on Sunday before three High Court justices in the capital.

The court has ordered the state to evacuate Migron by August 1 because the
modular homes there were built without permits on private Palestinian property.

On Sunday, the justices also listened to arguments with respect to a petition on
behalf of Migron residents, which claims that a company has bought much of the
land from the Palestinian owners on behalf of the settlers. During the hearing,
the Attorney-General's Office representative asked to wait until August 20 to
present its position to the court, given that there was a disagreement between
its office and the government with respect to this claim.

The newly created Ministerial Committee on Settlements, which now sets policy
for state responses to the court, said that if the land purchase was
authenticated there was no reason to evacuate the Migron homes.

In court, state attorney Osnat Mandel said that according to Attorney-General
Yehuda Weinstein, the committee's response was legally problematic.

Given that the state was already asking for a delay, her office wants to make
use of that time to hold further discussions on this issue with the political
echelon, Mandel said.

Mandel's statement drew immediate criticism from right-wing politicians.
National Union chairman Ya'acov Katz said he planned to submit a bill to the
Knesset mandating the firing of attorneys-general who refused to represent the
state's position.

Attorney Michael Sfard, who represents Peace Now, which initially petitioned the
court against Migron on behalf of the Palestinian landowners in 2006, urged the
justices to hold fast to the August 1 deadline, which was set in March.

He said the IDF should be able to handle an evacuation during Ramadan and that
it had ample time to prepare.

OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nitzan Alon, said that until 10 days ago the IDF
had assumed that Migron residents had agreed to evacuate.

Now, the army was looking at the possibility that it would have to forcibly
remove them, he said.

Such an event could spark a "price-tag" incident, in which right-wing extremists
could set a fire in a mosque in retribution, Alon said.

He added that such arson against a mosque during Ramadan could inflame the area
and lead to a terrorist attack.

"We, therefore, prefer to wait until after Ramadan," the general said.

Attorney Gershon Gontovenik, who represents Migron residents, said his clients
were not violent and he objected to statements that described them that way.

After the hearing, Migron spokesman Itai Chemo rejected as "pathetic" attempts
to paint him and other residents of his community as violent.

"The people of Migron bought property and are now waiting for a court ruling on
that purchase," he said.

In court, Sfard said that he could not believe that the possibility of violence
had only come up now.

He noted that after Ramadan, came the High Holy Days. The state, he said, would
then argue that the outpost could not be relocated during the Jewish holiday
season.

Sfard added that the state should also have anticipated the problems that have
arisen in preparing the new site for Migron, 2 km. away from the present site
and near the Psagot winery.

When the state chose the site, it knew that it had logistical difficulties, and
it needed to take responsibility for not meeting the court-mandated timetable,
he said.

He suggested that the state place the residents in hotel rooms or find some
other alternative.

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July 23, 2012 Monday

CONCERT REVIEW: Morrissey mopes to fans' content

BYLINE: YONI COHEN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 662 words

Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds

July 21

As a Mancunian, seeing Morrissey perform live in Tel Aviv was a surreal
experience. While the crowd at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds on Saturday night
knew all the words to the legendary singer's songs and seemed genuinely excited
to be there, the show didn't have the same grit and authenticity that a show in
Manchester, or anywhere in the UK for that matter, would have.

The audience at the relatively small Bitan 1 Hall, made up mainly of Tel
Avivians in their 30s, probably grew up listening to the now 53-year-old Steven
Patrick Morrissey from Manchester as the lyricist and vocalist of the The Smiths
and later as a solo artist.

However, they were somewhat restrained in showing their excitement in the same
way that is customary at similar shows in England. But the absence of excessive
jumping and screaming words out loud doesn't mean the Israeli crowd didn't
appreciate the vocal genius gracing them with his presence; they just had a
different way of showing it.

Morrissey came on stage to rapturous applause and when the crowd noticed that
two of the drums were covered with Israeli flags, the cheers became louder. He
stood on stage with his band, four of them wearing red T-shirts saying "THUG"
along with one guitarist dressed in drag, and before he began singing he gave
the crowd a short, direct message: "War is old, art is young."

He then went straight into The Smiths' "How Soon is Now?," and despite a slight
technical hitch affecting the sound, he delivered like the professional that he
is. He kept the atmosphere going with "Everyday is Like Sunday" and by this
point nearly everyone was singing along. The more recent "You Have Killed Me"
was not as well received, but this gave the crowd a chance to relax after an
explosive beginning.

Unable to refrain from talking politics, the outspoken star spoke briefly about
revolutions, and insisted that: "The people have the power." As well as
politics, Morrissey also found time for some cheeky northern humor between songs
and when introducing his band, he claimed that the name of his guitarist was
"Gayner Tension," which when said fast enough sounded like "gain attention."

After the brief political diversion and comic interlude, it was back to
business, and the legendary "I Know it's Over" got everyone singing along.
Morrissey's rendition of the harrowing Smiths classic even had some of the
audience in tears.

Morrissey's next announcement was probably the most unexpected of the night. He
said he had something he wanted to boast about and then proceeded to show off a
key to the city of Tel Aviv that he claimed he had received earlier in the day
from Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai.

Other highlights of the night included his rendition of the The Smiths' "Last
Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" and "Still Ill," which finally got everyone
jumping up down and singing along.

Before launching into "Meat is Murder," Morrissey took the opportunity to
highlight his well-known vegetarian ideology as well as discontent for
fame-hungry pop stars and told the crowd: "Now I have my key to the city: No
more Doner kebabs, KFC or McDonald's, and most important of all, no more
Madonna!"

After a mini costume change, Morrissey came back on stage wearing a less
flamboyant shirt than the revealing one he was wearing for most of the show. He
proceeded to rip off the new shirt, only to replace it with slightly ruffled
white shirt. After coming back for an encore, he thanked the crowd in his own
unique way: "You think you're a man, you think you're a woman! How do you know?
All I will say, from the heart of my bottom, is thank you!"

Finishing the show wrapped in an Israeli flag that he had previously been waving
around on stage, Morrissey had succeeded in capturing the hearts of every person
in the audience. Even if the Tel Aviv crowd didn't show their appreciation in
the way that is customary in Manchester, it was clear by the end of the night
that the show was a success.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Olympic committee rules out Munich public commemoration

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER and Reuters

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 387 words

LONDON - The IOC has ruled out marking the 40th anniversary of the Munich
massacre at the London Olympics opening ceremony but will visit the airfield
where some Israeli team members were killed, it said on Saturday.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge rejected calls for an
official commemoration of the 1972 Munich Games attack during Friday's curtain
raiser, a standing request of the families of the 11 Israeli Olympic team
members who died.

Rogge said there would be the traditional private commemoration with the Israeli
Olympic Committee and the IOC but no minute's silence at the opening of the
games.

"We are going to pay a homage as we have done in the past and will do in the
future. That is what we are going to do," Rogge told reporters.

"We feel that we are able to give a very strong homage and remembrance within
the sphere of the national Olympic committee," he added. "We feel that the
opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic
incident."

Meanwhile, Jewish groups criticized the decision, calling the IOC's stance
"completely out of touch."

"Hundreds of millions around the world are going to watch the opening ceremony
in London next Friday. Forty years after the saddest moment in Olympic history -
when 11 Israeli athletes and sports officials and a German police officer were
killed by Palestinian terrorists - it would have been a excellent opportunity to
show to everyone that the sports world stands united against terrorism," said
World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder.

"Instead, an IOC delegation will commemorate the dead at an airfield near Munich
in September, but that ceremony hardly anybody will notice. Frankly, that's not
good enough," Lauder declared.

Family members of the athletes, coaches and officials who were killed by
Palestinian gunmen during the Munich Olympics have tried for four decades to
persuade the IOC to organize an official commemoration.

Their calls were backed in recent days by US President Barack Obama as well as
other politicians around the world.

Rogge said the IOC would visit on September 5 the airfield of Fuerstenfeldbruck
near Munich, 40 years after the botched operation by German forces to end the
standoff led to the death of more hostages as well as police and gunmen from the
Black September group.

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July 23, 2012 Monday

PM: Critics should compliment us for economic achievements

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 360 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu attacked critics of his economic policy
Sunday, saying they should be complimenting the government for its strong
performance rather than suggesting "populist" steps that would damage the
economy.

"The data show that the Israeli economy has improved in relation to other
economies, and that the standard of living has increased," Netanyahu said at the
weekly cabinet meeting. "So why are there detractors who say we need to change
how we divide the pie? They fail to understand that if we deal solely with how
to divide the pie and not with how to increase it, we will be left with only
crumbs."

Netanyahu acknowledged that there were still some stumbling blocks in the way of
increased growth, naming economic over-concentration and centralized labor
unions as two such problems. He said the government would continue to deal with
powerful corporations, in apparent reference to a bill currently before the
Knesset aimed at prohibiting cross-ownership of large financial and
non-financial corporations.

Opposition leader Shelly Yechimovich said Netanyahu's comments demonstrate that
he apparently lives somewhere other than Israel. She said that he was more
responsible than anyone for the lagging state revenues, as the tax reforms he
initiated while finance minister in 2003 "created a massive NIS 30 million hole"
which is now being earned back from the middle class.

"Gaps between rich and poor have expanded to shameful proportions during his
tenure," Yechimovich said. "Whereas things like education, health and personal
security used to be afforded to citizens as basic rights - they can now only be
obtained through paying huge sums of money. No play on words can cover up the
loss of homes and job security being experienced by the Israeli public."

Meanwhile, the cabinet approved a draft bill to create an agency to assist small
and medium-sized businesses. If approved by the Knesset, the authority will be
tasked with proposing regulatory steps to remove barriers to the success of
Israel's 450,000 small and medium businesses - which constitute 99 percent of
total businesses and employ 55 percent of the total work force.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

News in brief

BYLINE: Judy Siegel, Lahav Harkov

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 282 words

Health travel warnings for Greece

Travelers to Greece have been urged by the Health Ministry to avoid mosquito
bites following reports of malaria and West Nile virus this summer. Anyone
traveling to Greece should wear long, light clothing and use anti-mosquito spray
on uncovered parts of the body. No prophylactic malaria medication has been
recommended at this time, the ministry said on Sunday.

In addition, anyone going to Cuba, especially the southwestern party of the
country, should be aware of the risk cholera. Three people have died out of 170
infected, the ministry said. Drink only mineral water or boiled water that has
undergone disinfection. Also, fruits and vegetables should be peeled and
uncooked food should be avoided. ¥ Judy Siegel

Bill on abuse victims progresses

Victims of abuse who spend over 30 days in a battered women's shelter are to
receive NIS 8,000 from the government when they leave, according to a bill
prepared for its first reading on Sunday. In addition to this "acclimation
grant," the bill, prepared by MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz)'s Knesset Labor, Welfare
and Health Committee, also grants these women an additional NIS 1,000 per child.
These sums are to be paid as long as she does not return to her former residence
when she leaves the shelter. Women receiving the grant must have been in the
shelter for at least 60 days and follow a recovery plan recommended by the
shelter's staff. There are 13 battered women's homes in the country, with 800
women and over 1,000 children seeking shelter in them each year. The Meretz MK's
proposal would cost less than NIS 4 million each year, and as such, is not
considered an addition to the state budget. ¥ Lahav Harkov

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Introducing Israel's Olympians: Misha Zilberman - Badminton - Men's singles

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 215 words

Misha Zilberman will become the first Israeli ever to participate in the
badminton competitions at the Olympic Games after reaching a world ranking of
No. 64 in May following his progress to the final of the Tahiti International
Challenge.

The 23-year-old will be one of 40 singles players to compete in London and will
be adding another illustrious chapter to his family's history. Misha's father
Michael met his wife Svetlana when he coached her during her own badminton
career. Svetlana is still a top level senior badminton player, with her biggest
accomplishment coming in the 1986 European Championships when she won a bronze
medal for the USSR. Misha used to join his mother at practice as a baby and from
the age of 13 he would wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to get in a one-hour
practice session before school.

The hard work paid off and Zilberman's main target in London will be to gain
valuable experience ahead of Rio 2016.

The event begins with a preliminary stage in which the competitors are divided
into groups and each player plays everyone else in their group.

Zilberman is not expected to be among the 16 group winners who will qualify for
the knockout stage of the competition, but he will be hoping to at least win one
match ahead of bigger and better things in the future.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Israel gives PA NIS 180m. advance to ease financial crisis

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 458 words

Israel, in a "goodwill gesture" to the Palestinian Authority, gave Ramallah over
the last few days a NIS 180 million advance on tax money it transfers on a
monthly basis, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The money was transferred before Ramadan, which began Friday, to help the PA -
currently in the midst of a severe financial crisis - pay the monthly salaries
of public sector employees.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz made the
decision, one of a number of gestures made since the beginning of the year in an
attempt to improve relations with the PA and encourage its President Mahmoud
Abbas to renew some kind of dialogue with Israel.

Senior government officials said that the decision to transfer the funds - an
advance on money that is to be transferred in the coming months - was made
before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit last week, and was not the
result of a US request.

In addition, the government's economic cabinet recently decided to increase by
approximately 5,000 the number of Palestinian construction workers allowed to
work in the country. The officials stressed that this quota would be subtracted
from the number of foreign workers allowed into Israel and would not come at the
expense of Israeli workers.

The officials said that Israel generally transfers some NIS 100m. to the PA each
month in tax revenues that Jerusalem collects on the PA's behalf. This money is
often contested, and Israel withheld the transfer of these funds in November in
response to the Palestinians' applying for and winning acceptance as a state to
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

One senior official said this move was taken in the hope that it will "improve
the atmosphere." Noting that the PA was currently facing a severe budgetary
crisis, the official said that this money helped the PA pay its salaries before
Ramadan, and was part of Israel's policy of trying to "preserve the Palestinian
economy."

The last goodwill gesture Israel made to the PA was in May when it handed over
the bodies of more than 90 terrorists. That move resulted from a meeting between
Abbas and Netanyahu's envoy, Yitzhak Molcho.

Last week, Saudi Arabia said it would transfer $100m. to the PA to help ease its
financial crisis. At the time, the PA envoy to Saudi Arabia said its government
had some $1.5 billion in debt, and urgently needed an infusion of $500m.

The crisis has led to some concern over the possibility of the PA going
bankrupt, and the fear that this could lead to a Hamas takeover of the West
Bank. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat was quoted last week as saying
this was the worst financial crisis the PA has faced since its establishment 20
years ago.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Palestinian financial crisis boosts support for Hamas. Ramadan marks an increase
in spending. EU contributions are down, Gulf pledges still haven't come through

BYLINE: MOHAMMED NAJIB/The Media Line

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 670 words

The Palestinian Authority's intensifying financial crisis is threatening its
stability and strengthening its rival Hamas. Palestinian security officials warn
that if the international community fails to redeem its pledges, it will not be
able to pay salaries.

In June, the PA paid 149,000 teachers, policemen and civil servants 60 percent
of their salaries on their regular payday, and made up the rest just one day
before the month-long Ramadan fast began on July 21. During Ramadan, expenses
for many families increase, as they host iftar, meals at which they break the
fast with friends and relatives.

The PA needs $160 million every month to pay salaries. Most of that is expected
to come from the Gulf countries, the largest donor being Saudi Arabia. When
donor pledges are not met, the PA borrows from local Palestinian banks. At
present the PA's estimated deficit is $1.3 billion dollars.

Many in the West Bank see President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah as responsible for the
crisis.

"The PA's financial crisis has weakened Fatah's security forces and certainly
strengthens Hamas status in the West Bank," Yazid Khader, a Hamas leader in the
West Bank told The Media Line. The tens of thousands of security officers belong
to Fatah, and they are growing increasingly frustrated.

"I pay for health insurance out of my salary, but when I take my children to the
doctor there is no medicine and I have to go buy the medicine in a private
pharmacy," a senior security officer told The Media Line.

Without international intervention, the crisis may grow more acute in August,
when Palestinians celebrate the end of Ramadan with gifts of money, and new
clothes and toys for children. Expenses triple over those of a regular month.

The PA is turning to the Gulf countries to pay their pledges. Saudi Arabia has
transferred $100 million to the PA this week, but there are as yet no
indications from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE.

The public sector is the largest employer of Palestinians, and the financial
crisis is taking a toll. The latest poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for
Policy and Survey Research in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, June 21-23,
shows clear improvement in the standing and popularity of Hamas and its leader
Ismail Haniyeh, especially in the Gaza Strip, and a decline in the popularity of
Fatah and Abbas.

Asked who they would choose if new presidential elections were held today, Abbas
would receive the 49% of the vote and Haniyeh 44%. Just three months ago, Abbas
received the support of 54% and Haniyeh 42%.

Analysts say Abbas's support will continue to decline unless salaries are paid
in full, on time, each month.

The US prefers to donate large infrastructure projects through the Agency of
International Development. These projects boast large signs saying "donated by
US AID." Until now, the EU countries have paid large chunks of the monthly
salaries, but as the financial crisis in parts of Europe grows, there are
increasing calls to limit donations to the PA.

The PA is trying to cut its expenses and raise tax and customs collections; but
finance experts warned that there is a limit.

"The economy, poverty and the high percentage of unemployment make it difficult
for the PA to impose more taxes on its citizens," said Nasr Abdul Karim, a
professor of Finance and Management Science at Bir Zeit University.

Abbas's office has reduced its expenses and the PA no longer pays bonuses or
university and school fees for all civil servants.

Hamas, on the other hand, has been able to pay its employees on time, as most of
its cash is smuggled through tunnels that run underground from Egypt to Gaza.
Even Iran has not stopped its payments to Hamas.

Israel says the 28,000 Palestinian security officers are doing a good job of
stopping potential attacks on Israel. But, "if a security official is worried
whether he will get his salary, and whether his transportation costs will be
paid this month, how can he carry out his job professionally?" asked one senior
Palestinian security officer.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MEN PRAY on the first Friday of Ramadan in Nablus last week. For
many, expenses increase during the holy month as a result of the festivities.
(Credit: Abed Omar Qusini/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

840 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Barak stresses importance of intelligence and vigilance ahead of London Olympics

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 434 words

Israel is working together with British and other foreign intelligence agencies
to prevent terrorist attacks on the sidelines of the Olympic Games that will
begin later this week in London, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday.

Barak's comments came after a report in the Sunday Times claimed that the Mossad
had dispatched dozens of agents to Europe to hunt down Caucasian converts to
Islam who are allegedly planning terror attacks against Israel's Olympic
delegation.

Barak downplayed the report, however, saying Israel was always vigilant ahead of
the Olympics and clearly remembered the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes during
the Munich games 40 years ago. The Olympic Games, he said, were a "natural
target."

"There is definitely intelligence and operational vigilance ahead of the
Olympics," Barak said during a visit to the IDF's Tel Hashomer recruitment
center. "This is mostly being led by British services, which are working
together with intelligence agencies from around the world to minimize the chance
that something will happen during the Olympics."

Barak's senior aide, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, said in a radio interview that
the report that dozens of Mossad agents had been sent to Europe was not true.
"Intelligence doesn't work that way," Gilad told Army Radio, saying "you don't
send dozens of agents to hunt down ghosts."

Gilad did confirm that there have been threats and attempts to harm Israelis
throughout the world by Iran and Hezbollah.

Speaking of the terror attack against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last week,
the defense minister said Israel was working together with additional countries
to identify and capture the perpetrators.

"It is clear that this was a Hezbollah operation," he said.

The Times report claimed that the Mossad was hunting for operatives from
Hezbollah and Iran's Quds Force and said one of them was carrying a US passport
under the name of David Jefferson. US identification papers were also found on
the suicide bomber who blew up an Israeli tourist bus in Bulgaria on Wednesday,
killing five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver.

On Sunday, the Bulgarian media said police were looking for at least two more
suspects who may have helped carry out the bombing last week. The men were at
the airport during the attack but have not yet been apprehended.

One of the accomplices is believed to have served as a back-up for the suicide
bomber and would have replaced him had the plot gone awry. The second
accomplice, the Bulgarian press said, was supposed to shoot the other two if
they were arrested by police or became frightened and decided to surrender.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Defense Minister Ehud Barak discusses security related to the
forthcoming Olympics at an IDF induction center. (Credit: Ariel Hermoni/Defense
Ministry)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

841 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Is the IBA trying to break the spirit of broadcaster Keren Neubach? Firing radio
host would be tantamount to a declaration of war with social welfare and women's
organizations

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 992 words

Fans and colleagues of Israel Radio's Keren Neubach say the powers that be at
the Israel Broadcasting Authority are trying to break her spirit by reducing her
influence and saddling her with professional burdens that she would rather not
have.

A tendency to aggression and left-wing positions annoy some of the listeners of
Neubach's daily Seder Hayom ("Agenda") program on Israel Radio's Reshet Bet.

But whether she irritates or delights, both her admirers and detractors agree
that there is no doubt that she is on the side of the underdog.

Neubach, like her colleague Peerli Shahar, goes to bat for those defenseless
individuals who are unable to stand by themselves against Israeli bureaucracy
and cannot afford to pay a lawyer to do it for them.

The difference is that Shahar somehow manages not to offend the establishment,
whereas Neubach is a perpetual thorn in its side, never hesitating to throw a
barb when she feels it's justified.

Another Shahar, Oded Shahar, who for a long time was the economics reporter on
the Israel Broadcasting Authority's Channel 1, but who now mainly focuses on
hosting the controversial Politica program, and who occasionally appears as a
guest on Neubach's morning radio show, has also managed to keep himself out of
trouble.

The word is out in the corridors of the IBA that veteran broadcasters had better
watch their backs because management is out to get them.

How much of this is true and how much is rumor is hard to say, because there are
veterans such as Yaakov Ahimeir and Shmuel Shay who are both well past
retirement age, who continue to broadcast regularly, and there are younger
people such as Ynon Magal, who, four-and-a-half years ago, was wooed away from
Channel 10 to become the co-anchor of Mabat News with Merav Miller, following
the retirement of Haim Yavin.

Why two people were needed on a regular basis at the expense of the public purse
is a question that remains open, although neither of the two is presenting Mabat
any more. Miller's place has been taken by the classically beautiful and
professionally competent Michal Rabinovich, who has been partnered with
different male colleagues who don't seem terribly comfortable in the job. Nor
does she seem nearly as self-confident and authoritative as she is when
broadcasting alone. Miller is on maternity leave and Magal has resigned. The two
discovered through the print media that they were targets for dismissal. Under
the law, Miller could not be fired, but Magal could. He decided to jump before
he was pushed. Neubach has had much longer tenure at the IBA, and so far, has
managed to resist efforts to break her spirit.

For several months she was the anchor of Mabat Sheni ("Second Look"), but she
was dropped toward the end of the year on grounds that she was not telegenic.
She was replaced by Noa Barak. Long before she was a program host or anchor,
Neubach was a political reporter appearing on screen almost daily. Nobody
suggested then that she was not sufficiently telegenic.

Incidentally, Itai Landsberg, the editor of Mabat Sheni, is having his own
problems with the IBA over his replacement as director of Channel 1's
documentary department.

Neubach has continued with her morning radio show, but not on a daily basis. Her
spot is taken by someone else at least once a week.

This week, her emotional stamina was tested yet again when a co-anchor was
forced on her. Menachem Ben, a columnist whose writings frequently appear in
Ma'ariv, will for the time being broadcast with her only on Sundays. There is no
chemistry between the two, but the reason given by the IBA for forcing Ben on
Neubach was to give the program more balance. According to a representative of
the IBA Spokesman's Department, listeners had complained that Neubach was too
one-sided in her views. How the new arrangement will pan out is anyone's guess.

Neubach has considerable public opinion and quite a few Knesset members on her
side, and if the IBA does eventually fire her, it will be tantamount to a
declaration of war with women's and social welfare organizations. Neubach, aside
from fighting the battles of the weaker sectors of society, volunteers at the
Center for Victims of Sexual Abuse, and is a divorcee, with two young children.

The IBA has been saying for some time that within the framework of its reforms,
it wants to find new faces and voices. Some of these have been appearing
recently on Israel Radio and Channel 1, and in the perceptions of some listeners
and viewers the newcomers are still learning on the job, and in so doing are
lowering the standards of public broadcasting.

In other IBA developments, even veteran broadcasters have been asked to cut
short interviewees who speak out against the government. This was confirmed by
both a radio journalist and a television journalist who each spoke to The
Jerusalem Post on condition of anonymity.

"The IBA is falling apart," said the television journalist.

But an announcement released on Sunday by the IBA indicates that the opposite
may be true and that the long-awaited reforms are well on the way to
implementation.

Aside from the millions of shekels invested in advanced technological equipment
for coverage of the Olympics Games, which open this Friday in London, the IBA on
Sunday reached an agreement whereby the first phase of the transfer of its Tel
Aviv operations to Lod would be completed by Rosh Hashana. The IBA will build
something in the nature of a communications city in Lod, but its initial
operations will be out of the old Lod Municipal Building that has been made
available by Mayor Meir Nitzan who met on Sunday with IBA director-general Yoni
Ben-Menachem, head of the implementation of the reforms Zelig Rabinovitch, the
IBA's deputy head of technology Rafi Yehoshua and the team responsible for the
sale and/or transfer of IBA properties.

Ben-Menachem said that he was pleased that all the obstacles related to the move
had been cleared and that headway could now be made.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: COMMENT

GRAPHIC: Photo: KEREN NEUBACH has been described as a champion of the underdog.
(Credit: IBA)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

842 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Moshe Silman laid to rest in Holon. Protester who died of self-inflicted burns
on Friday buried yesterday in private ceremony. Activists reject responsibility
for string of 'copycats,' say government is to blame

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 401 words

Moshe Silman, who set himself on fire last week in an act of protest against the
government's economic policies, died on Saturday and was buried in Holon on
Sunday afternoon.

Zvi Devir, a leading activist in the social justice movement in Haifa who said
he knew Silman personally, rejected responsibility on behalf of his fellow
activists for the series of people across the country who have set themselves
alight over the past few days, placing the blame for the situation on the
government.

"Somebody that I knew put an end to his life, but I don't feel guilty - the
government should," he said. "We gave Silman more than the government gave him.
The government shut all the doors on him."

Devir said the safety net for the country's needy was insufficient, forcing
people like Silman into acts of desperation. He said he believed Silman would
not have set himself on fire at the rally in Tel Aviv last week - marking the
first anniversary of the start of the social justice movement - if he had been
granted three months of temporary housing.

Asked about the man who set himself aflame in Yehud earlier on Sunday and was
apparently inspired by Silman, Devir reiterated claims that the government's
alleged failures to help the poor were at fault.

"Of course I'm against [setting oneself on fire], but the responsibility is on
the government - not the protesters," he said.

The organizers of Silman's funeral on Sunday asked the media to respect the
privacy of the ceremony, saying they would answer questions afterwards.

Silman set himself ablaze in what he said was an act of protest against the ills
of Israeli society. The Haifa man, who was mired in debt and was about to become
homeless, left a suicide note directly blaming Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and their economic policies for his
desperation.

The next day a few thousand people took to the streets of Tel Aviv in solidarity
with Silman, with smaller gatherings in Haifa and Jerusalem. Still, the movement
thus far has not been able to bring back the hundreds of thousands of people it
appealed to last year.

Meanwhile, there have been at least three attempts by people to end their lives
in the same way. On Sunday a man in Yehud set himself on fire in protest of an
increase in army pensions to disabled veterans. He was rushed to the hospital in
critical condition, where he is being treated for his wounds.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MOSHE SILMAN, set himself alight last week in protest of the
government's economic policies. (Credit: Channel 2/Mako)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

843 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Armed robbery turns into deadly pursuit in Eilat. Masked gunmen car-jack taxi
with Ukrainian tourist inside before trading fire with police. 1 suspect killed
in chase

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 401 words

An armed robbery of a restaurant turned into a deadly police chase in Eilat
early on Sunday, resulting in the shooting death of one suspect.

The incident began when two masked gunmen, brothers aged 26 and 21, entered the
Caza De Brazil restaurant in the Red Sea city, waving firearms and demanding
cash from employees.

One of the suspects pistol-whipped the restaurant manager.

The manager fled to the restaurant's rooftop, where he called police.

Two policemen arrived within minutes of the robbery, but the gunmen forced them
to hand over their weapons at gunpoint.

The suspects then fled the scene, firing in the air and beating two employees on
their way out.

They forced a taxi containing its driver and a female passenger - a Ukrainian
tourist - to pull over, and drove off in the stolen vehicle with the two
terrified civilians still inside.

Eilat police launched a high-speed pursuit of the suspects. Seeing the patrol
cars behind them, one suspect fired rounds out of his window at police. Officers
returned fire, aiming at the taxi's wheels. That forced the stolen car to come
to a stop at Shahamon Square.

At that point, police said, the 26-year-old suspect opened fire on police again,
who responded this time with deadly force, shooting back at the suspect. He was
hit and critically injured. Paramedics rushed the suspect to the Joseftal
Hospital in Eilat, but he died of his injuries soon afterward.

The second suspect is under arrest.

"Both civilians who were in the taxi are safe," a police spokesman said.

Following the incident, police flooded the scene and began collecting evidence.
Southern police district chief Cmdr. Yossi Prienti traveled to Eilat in the
middle of the night to be on the scene.

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, who received updates on the
pursuit during the early morning, praised the police's actions.

While calling for a full investigation of what occurred, he said it was apparent
that "the police's determination to engage the suspects resulted in the end of
the incident, and prevented harm coming to innocent civilians."

The brothers came from the Haifa area, and both have criminal records involving
property offenses, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

"We are investigating not just the incident itself, where police were in the
line of fire, but also how the suspects were able to take firearms from the two
policemen who responded first," Rosenfeld added.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

844 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

The golden boy of Israeli theater

BYLINE: SUSAN HATTIS ROLEF

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 848 words

In 2005, when he was only 25, actor Itay Tiran first appeared in Hamlet,
produced by the Cameri Theater, in the title role. Many eyebrows were raised at
the time; Hamlet is considered a part only experienced, mature actors should
contend with. However, the unusual production, directed by Omri Nizan, in which
the audience actually sits on the stage, was a grand success, both in Israel and
abroad, and is still part of the Cameri's repertoire.

The indefatigable Tiran is still playing the tormented prince of Denmark, with
the same brilliance and energy as he did seven years ago. Five years ago, Tiran
wrote that before opening night he had a nightmare in which he is preparing to
take a curtain call, and Omri Nizan scolds him: "You forgot!"

"Forgot what?"

"To be or not to be..."

In fact, he has recited the lines with precision over 800 times to date.

As veteran Haaretz theater critic Michael Handelzalts recently wrote, in Tiran
are combined rare talent, range and good looks. Tiran is also a trained
musician, who, inter alia, played the piano as Mozart in Amadeus, and the
saxophone as the Nazi officer Kittel in Ghetto. A year ago he recited/sang the
German text at the end of Schoenberg's Gurrelieder with the Philharmonic
Orchestra.

Tiran has also started to direct, with no small measure of success. One of the
plays he directed was Georg Buchner's Woyzeck, in which he also played the title
role. It was after seeing this play that I concluded that Tiran is as great an
actor as was Sir Laurence Olivier. In this play Tiran, who usually plays
dazzling extroverts, tackled a physically unattractive, mediocre character with
such perfection that one could hardly recognize him. This is exactly what
happened with Olivier's performance in John Osborne's The Entertainer, which I
saw in London 50 years ago.

NOW TIRAN has added to his Shakespearean resume the two Richards - Richard II
and Richard III - which he is performing these days at the Cameri simultaneously
with Hamlet and Cabaret - another tour de force in which he plays the master of
ceremonies.

The two Richards as depicted by Shakespeare are very different both in character
and appearance, and Tiran manages to get into the skins of both - the beautiful,
blond and narcissistic Richard II, who turns rather philosophical after
abdicating, and the black-haired, physically deformed and murderous Richard III,
who ends up wounded in a battlefield pleading, "My kingdom for a horse."

However, while no one denies Tiran's greatness as a performer, there are many
who have reservations about him, to the point of actively trying to sabotage his
career. The reason for this is the fact that he did not serve in the IDF -
apparently on grounds of conscientious objection, together with his political
views, which led him to sign, with other actors, a petition in which they
declared their refusal to perform in Ariel.

While Tiran is not as obnoxious as Maestro Daniel Barenboim in his expressions
of disapproval regarding Israel's policies in the West Bank and its treatment of
the Palestinians, he does not conceal his opinions, and the fact that he agreed
to appear last year (where on earth does he find the time?) in a four-chapter
British television serial, The Promise, in which he portrays an Israeli who is
sympathetic to the Palestinians, enraged many.

The campaign against Tiran has so far enjoyed only very partial success in that
his biographical details and photograph no longer appear on any official Israeli
website, and the invitation he received last year from the musical director of
the New Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Maestro No'am Sheriff, to stage a production
of the George Bizet's opera Carmen, was cancelled after a group of citizens
wrote in protest that "the provision of a stage and public funding to someone
who has dodged the army and hurts our soldiers, is outrageous and shameful."

The protestors were less successful back in 2010 when they tried to convince
Minister of Culture and Sport Limor Livnat to prevent Tiran's participation in
Yehoshua Sobol's play Ghetto, and to support his exclusion from any publicly
financed theater in Israel.

While I believe every able-bodied Israeli should serve in the IDF, and that even
when one is critical of Israel's policy in the territories and toward the
Palestinians, one should avoid even the semblance of support for forces that are
active in delegitimizing Israel, I find the efforts to delegitimize Tiran to be
undemocratic and repulsive.

Just as Tiran cannot be forced to perform in Ariel, so no one forces anyone to
go and see him perform. Tiran is an Israeli, and contributes to Israel in his
own way. He has done nothing illegal or illegitimate, even if many disapprove of
his positions. It will be a major loss to Israel as a democratic state with a
rich and versatile culture if Itay Tiran is finally forced to conclude that
despite the massive support he enjoys both from the theatrical establishment and
theatergoers, he has no future in this country.

The writer teaches at the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College and was a Knesset
employee for many years.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: THINK ABOUT IT

GRAPHIC: Photo: ITAY TIRAN (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

845 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Obama's Egypt policy

BYLINE: BARRY RUBIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1129 words

"Which Side Are You On? / They say in Harlan County / There are no neutrals
there / You'll either be a union man / Or a thug for J.H. Blair." - Florence
Reece, Which Side are You On?, 1931.

The interesting news was not that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was
pelted with stuff while visiting Cairo, but rather who was doing the pelting.
Once upon a time, anti-American radicals threw things at US leaders. But now...

Reportedly, the hurlers were members of the Free Egyptians Party together with
other Egyptian liberals. At the same time, leading Christians, including Naguib
Sawiris, the man behind that party and perhaps the most outspoken anti-Islamist
figure in Egypt today, refused to meet with Hillary.

Why? Because these people see the Obama administration as an ally of the Muslim
Brotherhood. That might sound far-fetched to the mainstream media (though not to
you, dear readers) but it is taken for granted in much of the Middle East. In
the articles of liberal Arabs; the statements of Persian Gulf Arab establishment
figures; the conversations of Syrian, Turkish, Iranian and Lebanese
oppositionists, the idea that the US government is now helping the Islamists is
taken for granted.

Let me repeat that: It is taken for granted.

So it is the liberals, the democrats and the moderates who now view America as
their enemy. Yet supposedly US policy is promoting moderation and democracy,
right?

THESE CRITICS have a strong case. Obama's Cairo speech was precisely about
encouraging Middle Easterners to redefine their identity from a national one -
principally Arab - to an Islamic one. Obama invited the Brotherhood to sit in
the front row. And when the upsurge in Egypt began and the State Department
wanted to support continuity along with reform, the Obama administration
demanded the end of the regime.

Next, without anyone asking him, Obama said the United States wouldn't mind if
the Brotherhood became the government of Egypt. And more recently, of course, he
has supported the Brotherhood against the army, demanding that the military turn
over power right away, or else.

And in Syria, the Obama administration backed a Brotherhood-dominated leadership
in the Syrian National Council. Islamist Turkey was the ideal country from the
White House standpoint, with Obama lavishing praise and almost never criticizing
it for becoming pro-Hezbollah, pro-Hamas, pro-Iran, pro-Islamist in Syria, and
fanatically anti-Israel. And in Bahrain, the Obama administration was ready to
back a revolution putting (Shia) Islamists in power until the State Department
stopped it.

"I want to be clear that the United States is not in the business, in Egypt,"
says Clinton, "of choosing winners and losers, even if we could, which, of
course, we cannot."

Wrong! While of course Islamists won elections in Egypt and Tunisia (but maybe
lost in Libya), the Obama administration has been working to pick the winners
and losers. The winners: revolutionary, anti-Semitic Islamists; the losers: old
regimes and liberal oppositionists.

Is it really the West's duty to help push a radical Islamist government into
power in Egypt as fast as possible? True, the Brotherhood won the parliamentary
election, but the election was invalidated. By who? One might expect a leading
American newspaper to know.

Here's the Los Angeles Times editorial on the subject:

"To some extent, the military's power - along with economic realities - may have
inclined [Egyptian President Mohamed ] Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood to a
more pluralist and moderate course. But if the generals overplay their hand,
they will lose popular support and antagonize Egypt's allies, including the
United States, which provides the military with $1.3 billion a year in
assistance. Both Congress and the Obama administration have put the generals on
notice that those funds are in jeopardy if the transition to democracy is
thwarted. An attempt to shut down a reconvened parliament would be interpreted
inside and outside Egypt as just such an obstruction."

Let's list the points made here:

* The Muslim Brotherhood has become more pluralist and moderate. Why? Because of
the military's power and economic realities. How is this logical? You mean the
military's pressure on the Brotherhood has made it more moderate? So by that
argument if the military ceased its pressure and turned over government to the
Brotherhood then the Brotherhood would be more radical. Yet that is precisely
what the Los Angeles Times and much of the media and the Obama administration is
advocating!

How has the economic situation made the Brotherhood more moderate? Presumably
because it needs to be so in order to keep Western aid and investment flowing.
But both of these factors will be insufficient to help Egypt avoid a crack-up.
Then comes the time for demagoguery. Moreover, the bottom line here is to claim
that the Brotherhood can be bought off. Like Iran's regime, Syria's regime,
Saddam Hussein and others were bought off?

* If the generals try to limit or keep the Muslim Brotherhood out of power they
will become less popular. Well, maybe that is so. But popularity isn't the most
important thing in the region. That's an American obsession, not an Arab one.

* The United States doesn't like the military's policy and will punish the army
(cutting off aid?) if it doesn't surrender. That's a terrible policy. Talk about
empowering your enemies and bashing your friends! Why should the United States
be the new patron of the most dangerously anti-American group in the world?

Because the Obama administration believes that will make the Brotherhood more
moderate? Yet even the Obama administration has seen that this tactic didn't
work with Iran, Syria, Hamas or Hezbollah. Why should it work this time?

THEN THERE are the two extremely important points the editorial doesn't tell you
about, and which you won't see in many places:

First, let's remember that the parliamentary election was not invalidated by the
army but by the Egyptian courts. Judges have been among the most courageous
dissidents in Egypt. Many of them spoke out against the Mubarak regime and they
are not the clients of the army but an independent force in their own right. So
if you want to exalt the rule of law, you should support the military in trying
to enforce a legally binding decision by two Egyptian courts.

Second, the left and liberal forces are largely boycotting the attempt to revive
the parliament illegally because they fear the Muslim Brotherhood's monopoly on
power. Have you noticed that moderate support for anti-army demonstrations has
dwindled away now? It is the Brotherhood that is going up against the armed
forces, though leaving the door open for a deal.

The writer is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA)
Center.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: THE REGION

GRAPHIC: Photo: PROTESTERS HOLD signs against the visit of US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton to Cairo. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

846 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Jerusalem's Bloomfield Science Museum marks 20th birthday

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 286 words

To many present, it seemed like yesterday when Jerusalem's Bloomfield Science
Museum was launched on a warm summer day in 1992, in the courtyard of the
facility in the Givat Ram quarter opposite the Hebrew University. Jerusalem
mayor Teddy Kollek had been present along with donor Neri Bloomfield.

More than three million visits have been made since then, and hundreds of
children and adults gathered in the same place on Sunday to mark the popular
institution's 20th birthday.

Museum head Maya Halevy was there to greet the guests, who included Science and
Technology Minister Daniel Herschkowitz and former science ministers Ophir
Pines-Paz and Mordechai Sandberg, along with several officials from the
university and the Jerusalem Municipality. Not present was museum founder Prof.
Peter Hillman, who was abroad.

Herschkowitz said that science brings people together, even people from enemy
states. He noted that the International Center for Synchrotron-light for
Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME Project) was
launched in 1999 under the auspices of UNESCO in Jordan, as an independent
laboratory whose founding members were Israel, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran,
Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority and Turkey. The completion of
construction of a permanent facility is due in 2015, he said, adding that the
synchrotron radiation center already operated by SESAME is the former facility
BESSY I, which was previously decommissioned in Germany.

As the adults waxed nostalgic, the children of museum subscribers climbed all
over and tried out indoor and outdoor hands-on exhibits. Many were enchanted by
huge bubbles produced by chains and sticks and ran after them, trying to pop
them.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A MAN makes a bubble at an event in Jerusalem yesterday
celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Bloomfield Science Museum's launch.
(Credit: Judy Siegel)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

847 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Jerusalem launches campaign to 'name and shame' Iran, Hezbollah as global
terrorists. Netanyahu takes case to US airwaves. Liberman to meet slew of EU
foreign ministers in Brussels

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 679 words

Israel launched a campaign Sunday to draw attention to Iran and Hezbollah's
involvement in international terrorism.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took his case to the US public and Foreign
Minister Avigdor Liberman announced a trip to Brussels to convince the EU to put
Hezbollah on its terror blacklist.

Netanyahu, appearing on two Sunday morning interview programs - CBS's Face the
Nation and Fox News Sunday - said it was clear beyond a doubt that Hezbollah was
behind Wednesday's attack in Burgas that left five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus
driver dead.

"I know, based on absolutely rock solid intelligence, this is Hezbollah, and
this is something Iran knows about very, very well," he said. Netanyahu added
that Israel knows, without "a shred of doubt," that the operation was carried
out "with the encouragement, at the behest and coordination of Iran."

The prime minister said the intelligence information was given to "friendly"
intelligence agencies in the world.

It was also easy to "surmise" that Hezbollah was responsible, because a week
before the bombing, a man who admitted to being a Hezbollah operative was
arrested in Cyprus preparing exactly the same kind of attack as the one carried
out in Bulgaria, Netanyahu said.

"Exactly the same thing: going to an airport to collect information for an
impending attack on Israel tourists who get off the plane and are about to board
a bus," he said. "So, exactly the same modus operandi was exposed in Cyprus.
Fortunately there, the terrorist was caught, he admitted that he worked on
behalf of Hezbollah, Iran's long terror-arm."

Iran and Hezbollah have tried to carry out attacks in 24 countries over the past
two years, Netanyahu said.

The prime minister termed this a "worldwide terror campaign directed at us, but
often including others. For example, there was an Iranian planned attack on the
Saudi ambassador to the United States. They might have well taken away several
senators with them, they don't particularly care. Very brazen. How could Iran be
doing this and getting away with murder, literally. It is because nobody names
and shames them."

There were five Iranians and two Hezbollah operatives in custody around the
globe for alleged involvement in terrorist plots, and the time had come to
"expose those who stand behind terror," Netanyahu said. In addition to exposing
Iran's involvement, he said the world had to make sure that Iran paid for its
involvement.

The prime minister also drew a parallel, as he had done last Thursday in
Jerusalem, between the Bulgaria attack and Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

He said the attack on a busload of tourists, including killing a pregnant woman,
"tells you what kind of people we're dealing with. Now, imagine these people who
are capable of doing anything, imagine them possessing nuclear weapons. People
who gun down innocent people, who send suicide bombers, who could block the
Straits of Iran, who threaten to annihilate Israel, who murder diplomats, who've
taken over your embassy - you want these people to have atomic bombs?

"I think this is a reminder, this wave of terror attacks, that the world's most
dangerous regime must not be allowed to have the world's most dangerous
weapons."

Meanwhile, Liberman announced that he would travel to Brussels on Monday for the
annual EU-Israel Association meeting.

In the wake of the attack in Bulgaria and the attempted attack in Cyprus, both
EU countries, Liberman is expected to ask his European colleagues to include
Hezbollah in the EU's terrorist blacklist. The group is already on the US
terrorist list.

Liberman is expected to say that Hezbollah's responsibility for violence and
lack of stability in the Middle East and the world obligates the EU to take
action.

The foreign minister is scheduled to meet with EU foreign policy chief Catherine
Ashton, as well as the foreign ministers from France, Britain, Bulgaria,
Estonia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, Slovakia
and Cyprus.

The annual Israel-EU Association meeting deals with a wide range of bilateral
EU-Israel issues.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Shas removes veto of bill on status of hesder yeshivot

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 178 words

Shas has dropped its veto of bills that would separately legislate the status of
hesder yeshivot, national-religious institutions that combine Torah studies with
IDF service.

Hesder yeshivot were previously authorized under the "Tal Law," and as such
their legality will end on August 1. Two bills, by MKs Zevulun Orlev (Habayit
Hayehudi) and David Rotem (Yisrael Beytenu), sought to prevent that situation,
and passed a preliminary plenum reading on Wednesday, despite Shas's opposition.

In Sunday's cabinet meeting, Science and Technology Minister Daniel Herschkowitz
asked Religious Services Minister Ya'acov Margi and Minister in the Prime
Minister's Office Meshulam Nahari, both of Shas, to remove their opposition to
the bills.

Nahari said the bills differentiate between people who study Torah.

"There is a difference between those who serve in the IDF and those who don't,"
Herschkowitz argued.

After several minutes of discussion, the Shas ministers agreed to remove their
appeal, allowing the legislative process to continue for the bills protecting
hesder yeshivot.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Daniel Herschkowitz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem
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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Terrorists shoot at IDF bus from Sinai, no injuries

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ; Reuters contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 282 words

Shots were fired on Sunday at a bus carrying soldiers along the border with
Egypt.

No one was injured but several rounds hit the vehicle.

The bus was traveling on Road 10, which runs along the border. The IDF said that
the shots originated in the Sinai Peninsula. Soldiers were quickly brought to
the scene near Mount Sagi and carried out searches to rule out the possibility
that terrorists had infiltrated Israel.

Several hours earlier, terrorists in Sinai bombed a pipeline built to carry
natural gas to Israel and Jordan for the 15th time since the start of the
uprising in early 2011 that toppled president Hosni Mubarak.

The blast took place early on Sunday morning at al-Tuwail, east of the Sinai
town of El-Arish, at a point before the pipeline splits into separate branches
to Israel and Jordan, security officials said.

Gunmen in a small truck drove up to the pipeline, dug a hole and placed
explosive charges under the pipeline that they detonated from a distance, a
security official and witnesses said.

Egyptian natural gas stopped flowing to Israel in April, after a previous
bombing of the pipeline. The 20-year gas deal, signed in the Mubarak era, was
unpopular with many Egyptians, with critics accusing Israel of not paying enough
for the fuel.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks on the installation that
crosses the increasingly volatile peninsula. Israel is, however, concerned with
Egypt's lack control over Sinai and the growing terrorist presence there.

On June 18, terrorists crossed into Israel from Sinai and killed an Israeli
contractor working on the border fence. The IDF said that it plans to complete
construction of the border fence by the end of the year.

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Syrian civil war boosts Israeli-US defense ties

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ and HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 612 words

Israeli-US intelligence and defense ties have reached new heights due to the
uprising in Syria and fears the country's chemical weapons will fall into
terrorist hands, defense officials said on Sunday.

The officials denied reports that Israel was under pressure from Washington to
refrain from taking unilateral steps - such as military action - to destroy
Damascus's chemical weapons.

"We are working very closely together and there is very close coordination," one
official said, adding that the situation in Syria was at the heart of talks with
administration officials, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and
National Security Adviser Tom Donilon.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in an interview with the Fox News Sunday
program, said his concern in regard to Syria was less about who would replace
President Bashar Assad, and more about what could happen to the country's
stockpile of chemical weapons in the chaotic "seamline" when there was no
government in control.

"This is a real problem," the prime minister said. "Can you imagine Hezbollah -
the people who are conducting, with Iran, all these terror attacks around the
world - [if] they would have chemical weapons? It's like al-Qaida having
chemical weapons."

Netanyahu said this scenario was unacceptable to Israel, as it was to the US.

"I think that this is something we'll have to act to stop if the need arises,"
he said. "And the need might arise if there is a regime collapse but not a
regime change, that is you go into some chaos and these sundry sites are left
basically unguarded. Hezbollah can come and pick at it, or some other terror
organizations or groups can come and pick at it.

"It's a great threat," the prime minister said of the possibility of chemical
weapon "leakage."

Asked whether Jerusalem would act alone or would prefer that the US take the
lead, Netanyahu said, "We'll have to consider our action. But do I seek action?
No. Do I preclude it? No."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak had a similar message earlier in the day, saying
that Israel "cannot allow" Syria's chemical weapons to fall into rogue hands.

"We are watching for the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move advanced
weapon systems," Barak said during a visit to the IDF's Tel Hashomer induction
center to meet with new recruits to the Golani Brigade. "More than this, we
cannot know, including when we will act, how we will act and if we will act."

Barak predicted Assad would fall soon but insisted that it would happen without
Israeli involvement.

"The Syrian people will topple him and the only ones who are helping him are
Iran and Hezbollah - and despite that assistance he will still fall," Barak
said.

Barak's senior subordinate, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, said on Sunday that
Assad's forces were still in control of the chemical weapons facilities. But on
Friday, Barak told Israeli TV stations that he had ordered the IDF to prepare
operational contingency plans to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons
in Syria.

Syria is said to have one of the largest chemical weapons arsenals in the world,
with thousands of bombs that can be dropped from the air alongside dozens of
warheads that can be installed on Scud missiles. In addition, in the late '90s,
the US warned that Damascus was developing warheads that could detonate in
midair and disperse smaller bomblets packed with various nerve agents.

Israel has several options. One possibility could be to attack from the air
convoys of chemical weapons or bases where the weapons are stored. The fear
though is that such a strike, even if conducted in the twilight of Assad's
regime, would spark an all-out war with Syria, Hezbollah and possibly Iran.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A FREE Syrian Army soldier steps on portraits of Syrian
President Bashar Assad at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing to Turkey yesterday.
(Credit: Umit Bektas/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Eye disease increasing among Kinneret tilapia

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 232 words

A contagious virus targeting the eyes of tilapia fish in Lake Kinneret has
lately become more prominent in the country's Galilee oasis.

The mysterious disease has been affecting the Kinneret fish population in a low
concentration for over a decade, but recently the phenomenon has significantly
increased - mainly among the tilapia (Amnon/St. Peter's fish) in the lake -
according to the Agriculture Ministry. While the illness has also been observed
among other fish, the presence of the virus is by far most prominent among
tilapia.

Veterinary Services and the Department of Fisheries at the Agriculture Ministry
have been conducting comprehensive examinations and laboratory tests on the
disease for the past few months both in Israel and abroad, looking at the
particular details of the virus as well as genetically mapping it, a ministry
statement said. By means of these evaluations, Veterinary Services is currently
determining the proper course of action to cope with the disease, the statement
added.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry is continuing to perform tests and take all
necessary measures required to protect both the fish population as well as the
ecological fabric of Lake Kinneret, according to the statement.

Officials have determined, however, that the virus poses absolutely no peril to
public health, to those either eating the fish or swimming with them, the
ministry said.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: TILAPIA FISH, like those seen here, in the Kinneret are
contracting an eye virus at an alarming rate. (Credit: Illustrative photo:
Sukree Sukplang/Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Tourism minister to visit Bulgaria in symbolic gesture showing resilience
against terror

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 539 words

Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov will lead a delegation of top tourism officials
to Bulgaria on Monday in a symbolic visit designed to show that terrorism will
not stop travel to the country.

Meseznikov said that when terrorism hit Israel in the past, and various
countries warned against traveling to Israel, local reaction was that "terrorism
knows no boundaries" and makes no distinction between nationalities.

"Despite the sadness and concern, we cannot be deterred or give in," he said.
"Terrorism will not disrupt our lives and stop our aspirations. Tourism is a
bridge to peace, understanding and dialogue between nations and it has the power
to strengthen our mutual relationship with the Bulgarian people and the
Bulgarian government."

The visit comes amid reports of numerous cancellations to the Bulgarian Black
Sea resorts of Burgas and Varna which were primed to receive tens of thousands
of Israeli tourists this summer.

Meseznikov, the highest level Israeli official to travel to Bulgaria since
Wednesday's attack on Israeli tourists, is scheduled to meet with Bulgarian
President Georgi Parvanov, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Economic and Energy
Minister Delyan Dobrev, as well as with the mayors of Burgas and Varna, the two
major tourist destinations for Israelis.

He will, according to the Tourism Ministry, be carrying a "business as usual"
message, and emphasize the need "not to give in to terrorism and to strengthen
the tourism relationship with Bulgaria."

The first six months of 2012 saw an 11 percent increase in Israelis visiting
Bulgaria over the same period in 2011. According to the Bulgarian Tourism
Ministry, some 139,000 Israelis visited Bulgaria in 2011.

Meseznikov will be accompanied by senior representatives of the Israeli tourism
industry. The delegation, according to the ministry, will discuss efforts to
promote mutual tourism with their Bulgarian counterparts, to maintain Israeli
tourism to Bulgaria and increase traffic from that country. Last year, only some
8,000 Bulgarian tourists visited Israel.

Meseznikov is set to visit the main hotels and tourism sites frequented by
Israelis - as well as meet with members of the Bulgarian Jewish community. He
will also hold an official memorial ceremony at the site of the attack that
killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver at the Burgas airport,
and lay a wreath on behalf of Israel.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting
remembering the victims of the attack, and discussing the "heart-rending scenes
at the funerals."

Netanyahu praised the way in which the country's various organizations - the
IDF, the rescue and medical services, the Foreign Ministry and the Interior
Ministry - stepped up in the time of crisis to go to Bulgaria and help those
injured and traumatized by the blast, and bring the victims home for burial.

"That really reflects the mutual responsibility for one another that is the
foundation of our lives, and I want to say that the State of Israel is
responsible for its citizens wherever they are, or wherever they may be," he
said.

Netanyahu added that Israel would "continue to fight forcefully against terror,
both against those who carry out attacks and those who send them."

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MOURNERS FOR Itzik Colangi, a 28-year-old victim of the Bulgaria
attack last week, comfort each other. (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

Netanyahu: 'Historic change' to come with Ya'alon plan for enlistment of
haredim. 'Tal Law' replacement will only implement sanctions if draft goals are
not met

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 746 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced a "historic change" is about to take
place, before Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon's presentation of his proposal to
replace the "Tal Law" on Sunday to the cabinet.

"The purpose of the plan is to significantly increase the number of haredim
serving in the IDF and the number of haredi and Arab citizens doing civilian
service," Netanyahu said.

"We will pass a new law that will incrementally raise the number of people
serving - among haredim and Arabs - without inciting one group against another."

Ya'alon's plan seeks to raise the number of haredim enlisting in the IDF or
doing national service from the current 2,400 to 6,000 by 2016, and lower the
age of exemption from 28 to 26. The goal for Arab civilian service in 2016 is
5,000, more than double the current amount - 2,400. Today, 400 Israeli Arabs
volunteer in the IDF, and the government is not seeking to significantly
increase that number.

The prime minister pointed out that the change in policy comes after 64 years of
the state's existence, and that reality has changed over time.

According to Netanyahu, Ya'alon's plan is "realistic and possible to implement"
and will "give more to those who serve and less to those who shirk their
duties." In a dig at Kadima, Netanyahu said the proposal is not a "futile move
meant to generate headlines." Last Tuesday, Kadima left the coalition after
refusing to accept Ya'alon's plan. Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz said the proposal
"crossed red lines" and that the prime minister "chose the interests of the
minority over that of the majority."

"In light of the fact that it is not possible to reach an agreement with Kadima,
we are currently working on our own proposal," said Ya'alon, explaining that the
next step is a government decision.

Kadima called the proposal "an embarrassment," allowing most haredim to avoid
enlistment.

"The Israeli public will not accept this proposal, and neither will the Supreme
Court," a party spokesman said. "This is trickery that will not find a majority
in the Knesset, and Kadima will appeal the law's inequality in court."

In the coming weeks, relevant government offices, such as the Defense Ministry
and the Finance Ministry, will work on their part of Ya'alon's bill, which will
be brought to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

After that, said Ya'alon - once there is a likely majority in favor of the bill
- it will be brought to the Knesset, even in the middle of the summer recess,
which begins this week and continues through October 15.

Ya'alon's outline sets a goal of equality in the burden of service while
preserving the uniqueness of the haredi and Arab populations in Israel, as well
as continuing Torah study. As such, every male citizen will be required to
report to a relevant government office at age 16 in relation to his future
service, and the government will set a goal of how many haredim and Israeli
Arabs will serve. This figure will increase annually.

In addition, the Defense Ministry will develop service options that are suitable
to haredim, and civilian service options will be expanded so that everyone can
carry out "significant civilian service."

Haredim will be able to postpone service as long as they study Torah 45 hours
per week. The government will inspect and supervise yeshivas using biometric
identifiers.

Any haredi man who postponed service and is discovered not studying 45 hours a
week will be required to enlist or face the penalty currently listed in the 1986
Security Service Law - two to five years in prison.

If enlistment goals for haredim are not met, the government will implement
"personal, negative financial incentives" against those who postpone service.

Funding of yeshivas will be changed in a way that encourages enlistment, in that
the Torah-study institutions will receive more funding for students who enlist
in the IDF or do national service, and less for those who do not. The further
away haredi enlistment is from the goal figure, the larger the gap in funding
will get.

Israeli-Arabs, like haredim, will be given the option to postpone service from
age 18, and "personal, negative financial incentives" will only be implemented
if goal numbers for those doing civilian service are not met.

Arab local authorities with more residents doing civilian service will receive
greater funds than those with less. If goal numbers are not met, the government
will consider decreasing funds in proportion to the number of residents who
serve.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MK DANNY AYALON, MK Silvan Shalom, PM Binyamin Netanyahu, MK Zvi
Hauser and MK Moshe Ya'alon participate in a cabinet meeting yesterday in
Jerusalem (Credit: Ma'ariv)

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Jerusalem Post

July 23, 2012 Monday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 292 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 23, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that British colonial secretary
Arthur Creech-Jones argued that the fate of the 4,500 Jewish "illegal"
immigrants from Exodus 1947 was now in the hands of the French authorities.
"Britain was only a mediator." The French cabinet met to study the matter, and
it was thought that France might permit the refugees to remain.

Messages of condolence appeared in the American press in which the Hagana and
the Jews of Palestine bowed their heads in profound grief on the tragic death of
the first mate of Exodus 1947, an American hero, William Bernstein, who was
killed on the high seas bringing his brothers home.

In Lebanon, UNSCOP heard Foreign Minister Hamid Frangie, representing Lebanon,
Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Yemen, stating the Arab opposition to Zionism and
threatening disturbances if Jews persisted in their ambitions. Two UNSCOP
members visited Jordan to confer with King Hussein.

A British soldier was hurt by a mine in Haifa. The previous week's toll was

65 casualties in 41 incidents. Searches continued in Netanya and Haifa and a
number of civilians were wounded by British soldiers. The two kidnapped British
sergeants had not yet been found.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 23, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that the cabinet approved the
setting up of a War College to be opened in October 1963. Prime minister David
Ben-Gurion reported to the cabinet on Egyptian rocket firings.

The staff of the Electric Corporation in the South seceded from the National
Union Works Committee, which opposed its 48-hour wildcat strike.

The Health Ministry had asked Mekorot to take action to prevent the "fishy"
water and pollution and had ordered the Negev settlements to boil water for the
next six weeks.

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Israel sparring with BBC for right to have capital listed on Olympic site

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 349 words

The Prime Minister's Office launched a campaign last week to get the BBC to
recognize that Israel too, like all other countries participating in the
Olympics, actually has a capital.

The effort began last Thursday when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's
spokesman Mark Regev wrote a letter to the director of the BBC's bureau in
Israel, Paul Danahar, complaining that in its website listing of countries
participating in the upcoming Olympics, Israel is included but - unlike all
other countries in the world - there is no listing of a capital.

To add insult to injury, Palestine appeared on the site with its capital listed
as "East Jerusalem."

"I am dismayed by the BBC's decision to discriminate against Israel on the BBC's
Olympic website," Regev wrote. "Every country (and non-country) participating in
the London 2012 games has been given a page on your website with background
information about the country, including mention of the capital city. Every
country (and non-country), except Israel."

"Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, and accordingly we
respectfully request the immediate rectification of this matter," he added.

Following the letter, the BBC did make some changes. In the newest edition of
the Israel entry, Jerusalem is entered as the "seat of government," with the
proviso that "most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv."

The "Palestine" entry was also altered and now reads that "East Jerusalem" is
the "intended seat of government." Ramallah, the entry read, "serves as
administrative capital." Palestine, according to the site, "is recognized as a
competing [Olympic] country by the IOC [International Olympic Committee] but is
not recognized as a modern state."

This change was not satisfactory for Jerusalem. Regev, in a follow-up letter,
made clear that for Israel "seat of government" was not acceptable, and he would
appreciate if "Israel's capital be identified accurately on your website."

Regev was notified that this was the BBC's policy, and that there would be no
further changes. He said that the government would continue to pursue the matter
further.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: WORKERS PREPARE an official merchandise store at the Olympic
Park in Stratford, London, yesterday. (Credit: Neil Hall/Reuters)

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856 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

NGOs slam German politician for anti-Israel boycott activity. Groups call for
Left Party's Bodo Ramelow to be expelled from German-Israel Friendship Society

BYLINE: BENJAMIN WEINTHAL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 1017 words

A Left Party lawmaker's support for boycotts targeting the Jewish state thrust
the German-Israel Friendship Society (DIG) into crisis last week.

There were calls for the politician's expulsion from DIG and accusations that
DIG's new national leader was failing to tackle rising anti-Israel sentiments
within Germany's political establishment.

Bodo Ramelow, 56, a Left Party deputy in the state government of Thuringia and a
member of the local DIG in the state's capital Erfurt, wrote on his Facebook
page that a Swiss company's targeting of Israeli products was a "legitimate
measure."

Switzerland's largest supermarket chain, Migros, decided to single out Israeli
products originating in the West Bank and east Jerusalem for labeling in its
stores. The company spokeswoman said Migros did not support boycotts but rather
wanted to let customers make informed decisions.

Dr. Shimon Shimon Samuels, director for international relations at the Simon
Wiesenthal Center, told The Jerusalem Post by in a telephone interview on Friday
that the Migros action was "harming the Jewish state and was a continuation of
Nazism."

"They [DIG] have to expel" Ramelow, Samuels said.

"This is a test case" for DIG's leader Reinhold Robbe, and "one should look
carefully at what is happening at DIG," Samuels said.

Sacha Stawski, who is currently in Israel and heads the Frankfurt-based
pro-Israel media watchdog NGO Honestly Concerned, said Robbe had showed no
appetite for combating inflammatory anti-Israel rhetoric within the Social
Democratic Party. Robbe is a former Social Democratic deputy in the Bundestag
and took over the reins of DIG in 2010.

Stawski said the Social Democratic Party was "looking to get into the next
government, and the last thing he [Robbe] wanted to do was criticize the head of
the Social Democrats."

In March, party chairman Sigmar Gabriel commented during a visit to Israel,
"This is an apartheid regime, for which there is no justification."

According to Stawski, Robbe, in email exchanges with him, danced around the
topic of criticizing Gabriel, and declined to issue a DIG press statement
criticizing Gabriel's remarks. Robbe told the mass-circulation Bild at the time
that Gabriel was merely "misunderstood."

DIG has roughly 5,500 members and 52 chapters.

Stawski, who also heads the group "I like Israel," is a long-term observer of
pro-Israel activity in the Federal Republic. He said that in sharp contrast to
Robbe's leadership style, his predecessor at DIG, Johaness Gerster (2006-2010),
"had no trouble clearly positioning himself in support of Israel and criticizing
fellow party members."

Gerster was a Christian Democratic Union deputy in the Bundestag, and led the
CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Jerusalem from 1997 to 2006.

Stawksi called on Robbe and the DIG-Erfurt chapter to expel Ramelow from DIG. In
an email to the Post, five members from the DIG executive board in Freiburg,
Baden-Wurttemberg state, wrote, "Every DIG member who calls for a boycott of
Israeli products should be excluded from DIG."

Asked about the growing number of calls to expel Ramelow, Robbe declined to
comment. He also declined to provide the Post with the by-laws regarding DIG
members who advocate boycotts against the Jewish state.

He did, however, write the Post that "I have made clear on many different
occasions that the DIG executive committee rejects Pax Christi's call to boycott
Israeli products."

The Social Democratic mayor of Jena, Albrecht Schroter, and the German branch of
Catholic peace group Pax Christi in late May called for a boycott of Israeli
merchandise.

Kevin Zdiara, the former deputy chairman of DIG in Erfurt, resigned his position
in protest on June 17 because Ramelow mounted a campaign to shield Schroter from
criticism for his anti-Israel actions. The Post obtained email exchanges between
Ramelow and members of the local DIG chapter showing Ramelow's attempts to
coordinate a campaign to slam Zdiara and to undermine efforts to stop criticism
of Schroter.

The Wiesenthal Center has praised Zdiara efforts to stop Schroter and Pax
Christi's campaign to delegitimize the Jewish state. Zdiara, widely viewed by
pro-Israel activists across Germany as one of Israel's most robust supporters,
wrote the Post by email that "the German-Israel Friendship Society had in the
past spoke against every form of anti-Israeli boycotts. The society must,
however, consider how it deals with members who show understanding for the BDS
[boycott, divestment and sanctions] movement or publicly spread untruths about
Israel. In my view, members should be expelled because they violate the by-laws
of DIG."

Dr. Martin Borowsky, the head of DIG-Erfurt, did not immediately respond to a
Post query.

Zdiara posted an essay on the website "The Axis of Good" titled, Ramelow:
Christian, Socialist and Friend of Jew-hater.

On Ramelow's micro-blog he maintained a friendly Twitter correspondence with a
well-known poster named Glamypunk, who previously wrote, "Jews stink," "We also
hate on Facebook these Jewish pig spies," and, "Jews cut the penis off from
small children. That is OK?"

Ramelow did not answer Post queries about the criticism leveled against him,
including for his cordial Twitter exchanges with a raging anti-Semite.

Samuels told the Post that the "infiltration" into DIG of anti-Israel
politicians was undermining its work. Ramelow's party, the Left, contains the
most anti-Zionist politicians in Western Europe. Left Party deputies recently
argued in the parliament for the Pax Christi boycott of Israeli products, and
participated in the Mavi Marmara's attempt to break Israel's blockade of the
Gaza Strip in 2010. The Left recently passed a pro-Iranian resolution at its
party congress and blasted Israel.

Samuels said Ramelow and his fellow Left politicians should join the German-Iran
Friendship Society.

Stawski noted that Christian Democratic Bundestag deputy Ruprecht Polenz invoked
his membership in a DIG chapter to shield himself from criticism because he
promoted Irena Wachendorff, a German poet and peace activist who bashed Israel
while pretending she was Jewish.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Bodo Ramelow (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

News in brief

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff, Melanie Lidman

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 330 words

Man found dead on Tel Aviv shore

A man was found dead on Bograshov beach in Tel Aviv early Saturday morning,
Magen David Adom reported. Paramedics pronounced the man, who was in his 20s,
dead at the scene. The apparent cause of death was drowning. ¥ Jerusalem Post
staff

18-year-old Rehovot man stabbed

An 18-year-old Rehovot man was in serious condition Saturday morning after being
stabbed in the city. He arrived at the city's Kaplan Medical Center on his own.
Police were investigating the incident.

¥ Jerusalem Post staff

Hang glider hits Golan power lines

A 37-year-old hang glider was moderately injured Saturday afternoon when his
glider became entangled in power lines in the Golan Heights. The man fell four
meters after his glider collided with the power lines. Magen David Adom
paramedics evacuated him via helicopter to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa after
providing initial treatment on the scene. The man's friends reportedly told the
paramedics that strong winds had caused him to lose control of the glider,
leading to the collision. ¥ Jerusalem Post staff

First Friday of Ramadan passes quietly

The first Friday prayers of Ramadan took place without any disturbances in
Jerusalem. Police estimate that more than 100,000 Muslims prayed on the Temple
Mount.

Following Wednesday's terrorist attack in Bulgaria that left five Israelis dead,
national police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said authorities had increased the
intensity of security assessments but the overall threat level remained
unchanged. Police did not allow male worshipers between the ages of 13 to 40 to
enter the Temple Mount, in an effort to prevent disturbances. Females of all
ages were allowed to enter. Outside the situation room at the Western Wall Plaza
on Friday afternoon, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch credited
intensive screenings at the crossings from the West Bank and the visible
presence of police in alleys across the Old City with preventing trouble on
Friday. ¥ Melanie Lidman

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Unknown group 'Base of Jihad' claims responsibility for Bulgaria terror attack.
Israel, US convinced Hezbollah behind bombing that killed 5 Israelis in Burgas.
Local police turn to public in search for possible accomplice

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ; Jerusalem Post staff contributed to the report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 499 words

A previously unknown terrorist group claimed responsibility Saturday for the
attack on an Israeli tour bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, last week.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian security authorities were reportedly searching for
additional suspects involved in the bombing.

Five Israelis, a Bulgarian driver and the suspected terrorist were killed in
Wednesday's attack and dozens were wounded. Israel and the United States have
accused Hezbollah of perpetrating the attack but on Saturday a group called
"Base of Jihad" claimed responsibility for it.

Bulgarian police have published pictures of the suspected bomber, who was
carrying forged US identification and has yet to be identified.

"With Allah's help and after close surveillance, one of us succeeded in blowing
up a Jewish bus in Bulgaria," the group said in a statement that appeared on a
Lebanese news site. The previously unknown group could be connected to global
jihad or is possibly being used as a cover by Hezbollah and its leader, Hassan
Nasrallah.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said last week that Israel had solid evidence
that Hezbollah, in "close cooperation with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards,"
was responsible for the attack.

Also on Saturday, the investigation into the bombing continued with Bulgarian,
Israeli and American cooperation. Interpol is also said to be playing an active
role in the probe.

CNN reported on Saturday that eyewitnesses identified a second suspect who might
have helped the bomber. They described him as having short hair and speaking
English with a "distinct" accent.

This would be a different man from the one shown in the photos and video that
Bulgarian authorities have released, who has long hair. According to the report,
the second suspect might be American. On Friday, Bulgarian Police began
distributing a sketch of the alleged accomplice in the hopes that the public
could help them in the investigation.

Bulgarian investigators said on Friday that they had managed to obtain DNA
samples from the fingers of the bomber and were checking databases in an attempt
to identify him. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov told parliament he
hoped that the investigation would be done in three to four days.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Friday that Israel was certain the attack
was carried out by Hezbollah. Defense officials said that it was possible that
the cell behind the attack crossed into Bulgaria from Turkey or consisted of
local Muslims who were recruited into the Lebanese-based organization.

"It is clear that Hezbollah is behind the attack as part of the series of events
that we have seen over the past few weeks and months," Barak said. "At the same
time, we do not know who the bomber is, but we can tell that he looks European."

Barak rejected claims that the attack represented an intelligence failure for
Israel.

"There is no country whose intelligence-gathering capabilities have a wider
range than Israel's... I don't think we have anything to apologize for," the
defense minister said.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

'Five coffins, five dreams.' Midnight ceremony for Israelis slain in Burgas held
at Ben-Gurion Airport

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 543 words

Just past midnight on Thursday night, the bodies of five Israelis who left for
vacation in Bulgaria less than 48 hours earlier, returned to Israel in
flag-draped coffins.

"We face these silent coffins and our hearts are broken," said Tourism Minister
Stas Meseznikov, who spoke at a small ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport.

He faced the relatives of the five victims, who sat in front of him on four rows
of folding chairs set up on a large paved lot inside the airport complex.

The relatives had been bused to the site, and were already seated when the
airplane carrying the bodies taxied in front of them.

Six soldiers then marched to the plane. One by one, they hoisted a coffin on
their shoulders and marched it to a small black podium, set up by the chairs.

One black podium for each coffin.

As the soldiers marched, a man chanted kaddish, the Jewish mourning prayer, and
psalms in a wailing voice that was carried over a loudspeaker.

"I cast my eyes to the heavens from whence comes my salvation," the man cried
out.

Once all the coffins had been moved out of the plane, they were laid out in a
straight line.

Meseznikov stood by the coffins as he spoke to the victims' relatives. He called
out the name of each victim: Elior Price, Maor Harush, Itzik Colangi, Amir
Menashe and Kochava Shriki.

"Five coffins, five dreams and one large giant hole in our hearts," Meseznikov
said of the five victims, who were part of a group of 154 Israelis that had
traveled to Bulgaria for vacation.

They had just boarded buses outside the airport Wednesday when a suicide bomber
attacked one of the buses.

"These were five Israeli citizens, women and men in the prime of their lives,
for whom the paradise they traveled to turned into hell," said Meseznikov.

"We are shocked and grieving. We lack the words to comfort you for your lose.
But in spite of the great pain and sorrow, we won't be deterred and we will not
break," the tourism minister said.

"Only yesterday you sent your loved ones off on a summer vacation. Who could
have imagined that the moment they landed in Bulgaria they would have been
targeted by the cruel arm of terrorism," he said.

"Who could have imagined that these people, who had their whole lives in front
of them, were not parting from their families yesterday for a quick trip, but
forever," Meseznikov continued.

"The only sin those dear to you were guilty of, and the only sin for which they
were murdered, was that they were Israeli and Jewish," he said.

He blamed Iran and Hezbollah for the attack, who he said had invested
extraordinary efforts in the past months to target Israelis and Jews.

When he finished speaking, relatives crowded around the coffins. They called out
the names of the victims and cried. Some threw themselves on the coffins. Others
simply placed their faces on it, crying.

One man fainted. One woman tried to walk away, but her legs buckled out from
under her. A chair was immediately placed under her to keep her from falling.
Minutes later, a second woman who walked away, similarly started to fall, and
was also immediately guided into a chair. One man called out, "God, why did you
take him from us?"

The coffins were then carried by soldiers onto ambulances, which had stood
waiting with flashing lights throughout the ceremony.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: FAMILY MEMBERS of the victims of last week's terror attack in
Bulgaria sit in front of the victims' coffins on Friday at Ben-Gurion Airport.
(Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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860 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Smartphones become personal health coaches for nicotine addicts

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

SECTION: HEALTH; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 1966 words

Most Israelis love their smartphones and feel lost without them, while their
Internet use is among the heaviest in the world. So it would seem very logical
that these technologies, which can also have a downside, would be used for good
- to motivate the million residents over 21 (and tens of thousands of younger
ones) to kick the tobacco habit.

What's the connection?

The deadly nicotine in tobacco is so addictive and habit forming that smokers
quickly become both physically and psychologically hooked, making it very
difficult to quit. As the Health Ministry has declined to provide a phone
"quitline" - making Israel the only developed nation to lack such a state
service - automated services have been developed through smartphone "apps" and
websites for those who want to give up smoking or have recently done so. They
are hugely popular in the US and some other parts of the world.

Now a US expert on using digital technology to promote smoking cessation is here
on a three-month sabbatical at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Braun School for
Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem, working on creating such a
model for Israeli smokers.

Prof. Lorien Abroms has developed during her stay an Israeli version of the
text-messaging program called Text2Quit for local smokers. An associate
professor of prevention and community health at George Washington University's
School of Public Health and Health Service in Washington, DC, Abroms was the
guest speaker at a recent symposium at Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein
Kerem.

The title was "Smoking Cessation Through the Use of Modern Media" and the
symposium was attended by about 100 people in the public health field.

"As a tourist, I have noticed that Israelis eat well, are very good in English
and love their technology - especially their cellphones. So there are good
opportunities here for reducing smoking rates and second-hand smoke exposure.
Health-related services delivered by mobile communications devices - known as
mHealth - can advance research, prevent disease, enhance diagnostics, improve
treatment, reduce disparities, increase access to health services and lower
healthcare costs in ways previous unimaginable," she continued.

"The UN has even created the m-Health Alliance especially to promote the
technology in developing countries. One can go to a remote African village where
there is no running water. But it is likely that even some people have
cellphones there."

Of the 91 percent of Israelis who have at least one cellphone, 68% of the
devices are the more expensive smartphones.

"They've infiltrated our lives. A survey has shown that 82% of Americans never
leave home without their cellphones, 68% sleep with the phone at their bedside.
We're almost married to them," declared the US expert. "The reach of mHealth
programs are scalable; one can start small on a local basis and then expand to
be a national service. The price is low, cheaper than other public health
alternatives and even cheaper than smoking quitlines that are manned by humans
around the clock."

Smokers can easily enroll in such services. The Amazon bookselling site has
patented one-click shopping, storing all the purchase details and requiring
customers to click a computer mouse only once to order a book. One can now do
the same thing on a smartphone to enroll in a smoking-cessation program.

Even before there were smartphones, New Zealand health authorities began to
offer in 2008 the ability to send and receive text messages; Australia followed,
and the US now has two such free services, Text2Quit and SmokefreeTXT.

Smokers can contact them anytime to receive interactive messages if they feel
the urge to light up but want to fight the nicotine cravings.

"I work with pregnant smokers. They suffer a lot of stigma, as they don't like
to admit they smoke and can harm their fetuses. With smartphone messages, the
service can be unobtrusive and confidential. Nobody will single them out. And as
smokers often light up when they're on their cellphone, learning to change
health behaviors from the phone is perfect."

It's like having a health coach in your pocket. Instead of going to a doctor for
an appointment to discuss quitting smoking, one can learn how to do it, set
goals and get feedback on one's performance around the clock.

Among the text messages are encouragement such as "By not smoking since
Thursday, you have saved NIS 80," or you will live at least two days longer by
not lighting up."

Smokers who quit but were overwhelmed and had the urge to buy cigarettes can
even get a human "buddy" who would talk them out of it any time of the day or
night. The technology can work well for other health behaviors including weight
loss and diabetes management.

A study using ordinary text messaging to quit smoking that was published in The
Lancet included 5,800 people and a control group. They received five messages a
day for five weeks, then three daily for 26 weeks. Saliva samples were tested
for cotinine, a substance that shows a person smoked recently.

Thanks to the text messaging, 10.7% stopped smoking, compared to only 4.9% in
the control group that lacked this service. While this is not extremely high,
conceded Abroms, it was higher than other interventions. It reaches a lot of
people, so it can have an important impact. There were published studies since
then, giving enough evidence to recommend mobile phone-based interventions.

Studies showing the effect of smartphone apps for smoking cessation have not yet
been published, but she is certain that they will be shown just as effective or
even more so.

"In 2009, there were 47 such apps available through the iPhone," Abroms
reported. "Today, there are over 200 for iPhone and a similar number for Android
phones." Some of them offer "hypnosis by smartphone," but the George Washington
University professor said she doubted that this would be effective.

"Apps could take better advantage of social networking. But we have shown that
text messaging on any cellular phone works well to promote smoking cessation.
Most participants say they give them confidence. They liked the regularity of
texts and information sent to them and to pass the quit date they had committed
themselves to observe. It's as if somebody is with you. It gives good ideas on
fighting cravings."

The Israeli version of Text2Quit that Abroms has developed here, called the
iStopSmoke program, was produced in English rather than Hebrew to save money
while checking feasibility and user preference. Thus English-speaking Israeli
smokers over 18 were recruited for a pilot study to see how the US version had
to be adapted for locals.

"There is no human support now, as it is all computer generated, with text
messages and alerts to guide behavior change. But if a smoker tells the
smartphone that they lapsed, they could be connected to a human they could speak
to," she concluded.

"As Israel is way ahead of the US in universal digital medical records in the
health funds, these services could be very effective. The future for the use of
such smoking cessation technology is very bright. The country can be a real
world leader in smoking cessation. Doctors will be able to see on your
electronic medical file if you are a smoker and want to quit. Then you would
need only one click to join. We hope to have quitline information on cigarette
packs. The same thing can be done on Text2Quit."

It was at the symposium that Hadassah Medical Organization director-general
Prof. Ehud Kokia and Hebrew University Medical Faculty dean Prof. Eran
Leitersdorf announced that the Ein Kerem campus will voluntarily be totally
smoke free in three years, the first public no-tobacco zone in the country.

"It's not simple," said Kokia, "but we are working on it. The electronic media
are different, and we have to learn how to use them for this purpose."

Leitersdorf added that a few months ago, the university and Hadassah announced
that the outdoor Ben-Gurion Square was officially smoke free, even though the
law then did not bar it.

"We installed signs, and I often look out the window to check if it was being
observed. I saw a pharmacy student smoking near the signs. I pointed to to them,
and she said: 'Very interesting!' When I ask smokers if they saw the warnings,
they say: 'I got used to it' or 'It's good that it says so!' So there is a way
to go. Staffers who smoke will in three years no longer be able to leave the
buildings on campus and take a smoke. They will have to wait until they leave
the area."

But making Hadassah's Mount Scopus hospital campus smoke free will certainly
take longer, as half of all patients are Arabs due to the east Jerusalem
location, and 44% of Arab men are addicted to tobacco.

Health Ministry public health chief Prof. Itamar Grotto confessed, to the shock
of the audience, that he was a smoker himself - until he was asked during an
interviewed by Army Radio journalist Razi Barkai whether he smoked. He was head
of the IDF medical branch at the time.

"I said I didn't, too embarrassed to admit that I did. The soldiers I worked
with were shocked when I threw my pack of cigarettes into the garbage can, and I
never smoked since," he recalled. "It was real shock therapy."

Dr. Shani Afek, chairman of the Medical Society for Smoking Prevention and
Cessation, noted that from her experience, changing health behavior is very
complicated. Smoking cessation through technology is still young, she said.

"Our society will continue to promote quitting smoking in every way. Our skills
have to grow with experience and technology."

School of Public Health dean Prof. Orly Manor said that the future smoking ban
on campus is a stage in her school's program to promote public health among
students and staff. She too admitted that she started smoking as a postdoctoral
student in England in her 30s but quit.

Dr. Haggai Levine, a researcher at Manor's school with a special emphasis on
smoking cessation, conducted a live poll of the audience using special broadcast
devices and found that 85% of those present thought medical professionals must
give the public a personal example and not be smokers.

With the Health Ministry abandoning its responsibility for a quitline, only
Maccabi Health Services has offered such a telephone service for its own members
since 2009.

"It's not in the basket of health services," said Haim Filosof, director of
Maccabi's quitline. "It is free for members but at our expense. We would be
happy if it became a national service provided by the government. When we
thought of launching ours, we worried at first, as a lot of eyebrows were raised
about using it, but it works very successfully. The best part is that it's
anonymous; the person who answers the call doesn't see the smoker or know his
name. It is not threatening.

"Our aim is to raise the number of Maccabi members who are smokers and want to
quit by 30% to 1,000 members a year. We took on Pfizer, which makes Champix, the
drug to help people quit, as a strategic partner. Sixty percent of smokers we
contacted said they would join a quitline if we had one."

The health fund doctor is updated on the results of the counselling by phone.
The Maccabi cessation adviser calls the patient every week. Members who enroll
receive a coupon for a two-week supply of nicotine patches, but few have used
them. The conversations average 20 minutes each. Maccabi, who which has so far
handled only 2,800 people under the program, with 200 new requests every month,
realizes that it's only a drop in the bucket. But every member who quits smoking
means a healthier person and fewer medical expenses.

Of those who finish the quitline course, about two-thirds actually quit, and of
these, about 45% are still tobacco free a year later. Maccabi hopes to add a
website for smoking cessation as well.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In the absence of a national smoking 'quitline,' omnipresent cellphones
and websites are becoming cheap and easy ways to help smokers kick the habit
without human intervention. Judy Siegel-Itzkovich reports

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: PROF. LORIEN ABROMS wants to help Israeli smokers quit.
ABROMS DISPLAYS smartphone text messages that encouraged kicking the habit by
pointing out how much money they saved and how much their lives were lengthened.
(Credit: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich. MCT)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

861 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Gunman kills 12 in rampage at 'Batman' premiere in Colorado

BYLINE: HERB KEINON and Reuters

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1484 words

AURORA (Reuters) - A gunman wearing a full suit of tactical body armor, a helmet
and a gas mask opened fire at a packed midnight showing of the new "Batman" film
in a Denver suburb on Friday, killing 12 people after setting off two smoke
bombs in the dark theater.

Armed with an assault rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, the black-clad man wounded
58 others in the shooting rampage at a showing of The Dark Knight Rises at a
mall in Aurora, turning the movie screening into a chaotic scene of dead or
bleeding victims, and screams and pleas for help.

Police said 30 people remained hospitalized on Friday evening, 11 of them in
critical condition.

Officers who arrived within 90 seconds of the first emergency calls quickly took
suspect James Eagan Holmes, 24, into custody in a parking lot behind the cinema,
where he surrendered without a fight, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said.

Holmes, a graduate student who authorities said had his hair dyed red and called
himself "The Joker" in a reference to Batman's comic-book nemesis, was due to
make an initial court appearance on Monday.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a letter of condolence to US President
Barack Obama over the weekend following the deadly shooting.

"I send my condolences and those of the people of Israel to the families of the
slain Americans in Aurora, Colorado, and our wishes for a full and speedy
recovery to the wounded," he wrote. "All Israelis stand with the American people
as they grieve this horrific tragedy that claimed the lives of so many. We well
understand the pain and the loss that you are experiencing."

The letter came just a little over a day after Obama called Netanyahu to express
his sorrow over the terrorist attack in Burgas that killed five Israelis.

Police declined to say what, if anything, Holmes told them following his arrest.
During an emotional press conference, Oates would not comment on possible
motives for the massacre.

A controlled explosion by a bomb squad on Saturday appears to have made it safe
for police to enter Holmes's booby-trapped apartment, police said.

Police were undertaking the delicate task of disabling what they described as
sophisticated explosives at the Aurora apartment. Officials believe Holmes
booby-trapped his home.

The bomb squad used a robot to place a tube - known as a "water shot" - near an
explosive device in the apartment. The water shot was then detonated to disable
the explosive.

Photos of the apartment, taken by a camera raised up to the third-floor window,
showed jars of ammunition on the floor and "things that look like mortar
rounds," Oates said. There were also bottles filled with an unknown liquid as
well as what appeared to be trip wires laid out across the apartment, he said.

Aurora Police spokeswoman Sgt. Cassidee Carlson said the device had clearly been
"set up to kill."

"We have been successful in disabling a second triggering device," she said.
"Although not certain, we are hopeful we have eliminated the remaining major
threats. We will not know this until we enter the apartment.

"There still remain all kinds of hazards inside the apartment," Carlson said.
"We will remain here for hours to collect evidence and mitigate those hazards."

Police evacuated five nearby buildings and created a perimeter of several blocks
around Holmes's apartment, the top-floor unit of a three-story red brick
building in a run-down section of this city of some 325,000 people.

Meanwhile, police used dogs to search three buildings in a research complex at
Anschutz Medical Campus at the University of Colorado at Denver where Holmes had
worked. A university spokeswoman said nothing suspicious was found.

Witnesses at the movie theater told of a horrific scene, with dazed victims
bleeding from bullet wounds, spitting up blood and crying for help. Among those
taken to hospitals as a precaution was a boy just a few months old.

"I slipped on some blood and landed on a lady. I shook her and said, 'We need to
go; get up,' and there was no response, so I presumed she was dead," said Tanner
Coon, 17.

Confusion reigned as shooting broke out. The suspect may have blended in with
other moviegoers who wore costumes as heroes and villains, and some witnesses
said they believed at first that his appearance was a theatrical enhancement to
the film.

"It was just straight chaos," said Jennifer Seeger, 25. "Everybody was starting
to scream and run at that point. He went straight from here to here with a gun
in my face at that point. That rifle was in my face and I honestly didn't know
what to think."

The shooting evoked memories of the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in
Littleton, 27 km. from Aurora, where two students opened fire and killed 12
students and a teacher.

It also resonated in the US presidential race. Both Obama and his Republican
rival, Mitt Romney, toned down their campaigns, pulled their ads from Colorado
and dedicated their scheduled events to the victims.

"My daughters go to the movies," Obama told supporters at a campaign event in
Fort Myers, Florida. "What if Malia and Sasha had been at the theater as so many
kids do each day?"

The attacker was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a
Glock .40-caliber handgun, Oates said. Police found an additional Glock
.40-caliber handgun in his car, parked just outside the theater's rear emergency
exit.

He was dressed entirely in black with a gas mask, ballistic helmet, tactical
ballistic vest, throat guard, leggings and crotch guard, Oates said, adding that
Holmes purchased the weapons legally at three local gun stores in the past 60
days and bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet.

A law enforcement official who asked to remain anonymous said the suspect bought
a ticket, entered the theater and propped open the emergency exit while he
slipped out to "gear up" and return armed.

The portrait of Holmes that emerged in the hours following the shooting remained
fuzzy, with only a speeding ticket on his record and nothing to suggest he was
capable of an outburst of gun violence.

He grew up in a middle-class San Diego neighborhood and earned a degree in
neuroscience from the University of California at Riverside before seeking his
graduate degree from the University of Colorado.

People who knew him described him as kind toward children but said he had
trouble finding work.

Holmes was described as bright but was in the process of dropping out of his
graduate program at the time of the shooting, according to the university.

Billy Kromka, a pre-med student at the University of Colorado at Boulder who
served as a research assistant alongside Holmes for several months last year,
said he was astonished at the news.

"He basically was socially awkward but not to the degree that would warrant
suspicion of mass murder or any atrocity of this magnitude," Kromka, 19, said.
"I did not see any behavior he exhibited that indicated he would be capable of
an atrocity of a magnitude like this."

Kromka said Holmes never talked politics or became animated about any particular
subject, but appeared to be influenced by movies and the media and played online
role-playing video games.

But New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said he "clearly looks like a
deranged individual."

"He had his hair painted red. He said he was The Joker, obviously the enemy of
Batman," Kelly told reporters, referring to a character in the Batman comic and
cinematic universe known for committing acts of random, chaotic violence.

Holmes's family issued a statement of sympathy for the victims, saying, "Our
heart goes out" to their loved ones. They asked for privacy from the media while
they "process this information.

As darkness fell across Denver, a row of prayer candles and a dozen or so
bouquets of flowers were clustered under a single hand-written sign that read:
"7/20 gone not forgotten."

The theater remained cordoned off with police vehicles lining the perimeter, and
Oates said officers would be on hand for future showings of The Dark Knight
Rises in the city.

In New York, police pledged to deploy officers at all 40 theaters where the film
was playing, partly as a precaution against "copycats." Los Angeles police said
they would increase patrols at screenings of the film.

The Paris movie premiere was canceled on Friday.

Director Christopher Nolan called the shooting an "unbearably savage" event for
which he expressed "profound sorrow" to the victims and their families.

Time Warner-owned Warner Bros, the studio behind the film, faced the prospect of
seeing the blockbuster sink at the box offices even as the film got off to a
strong start across the United States and Canada.

The film, with a budget of $250 million, opened on 4,404 screens, the
second-widest release ever behind 2010's Twilight: Eclipse, and industry
analysts had said it stood a good chance of matching or beating the opening
weekend box office record of $207m. set by Disney's Avengers in May.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: POLICE LINE the window with wires yesterday at the booby-trapped
apartment where Aurora massacre suspect James Eagan Holmes lived. (Credit:
Joshua Lott/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

862 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

The next best thing to instant teleport

BYLINE: JONATHAN BECK

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 962 words

Some people enjoy flying. There are those for whom boarding a plane and going
through all the airport ceremonies carries promise: landing in a new place,
meeting a new culture, breathing another air and hearing a different, often
foreign language.

I must admit I enjoy my vacations, but usually abhor the means of getting there.
I'm not afraid of flying; I just dislike it.

Ahead of a trip to New York as a guest in the Delta Airlines newly upgraded
business class, I was looking forward to getting a bite of the Big Apple, but I
was still waiting for science to find a way to instantly teleport us to where we
want to go. As short as a 10-hour trip is, when compared to the time people used
to spend in getting from place to place only a hundred years ago, it still
somehow seems longer when flying. Perhaps it's that primordial fear of crashing
we all have - human beings, after all, weren't meant to fly.

It was a very pleasant surprise, then, to discover I can kill some of the flight
time by sleeping. Normally, I don't sleep on flights. The noise level is very
high, especially when sitting in the middle of the plane, nearer to the engines,
and I am not one of those who easily fall asleep in an upright position.

This of course is not the case in business class, which offers seats that
recline farther down than economy seats. Delta Airlines recently upgraded its
fleet of 747-400 aircraft, and passengers willing to pay the premium can now
recline much farther down: the seats collapse all the way to becoming flat,
horizontal beds.

At 193 cm. long, the beds are spacious enough for most people, and they are wide
enough to accommodate sleeping on your back or on your side.

Each seat has a keypad for controlling a wide range of positions. From upright
chair to bed passengers can control the height of their legs, the degree to
which the back rest reclines and even a small built-in cushion for the lower
back can be moved up and down.

In the upper deck, seats face the window diagonally so privacy is maximal, while
in the lower business class deck there are seats in a 1x2x1 configuration, with
the center seats in opposite diagonals, so that couples can talk in private.

Delta's senior vice president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Perry
Cantarutti, says the company's investment in its fleet of jumbo jets paid off.

"In every market where we've introduced flat bed seats, customer satisfaction
ratings have increased significantly and Israel has been no exception," he
explained. "Delta is the only airline offering flat-bed seats in business class
between Tel Aviv and New York's JFK airport and feedback from our Israeli
business passengers has been extremely positive."

Should you choose to be awake during the flight, Delta's entertainment options
are overkill in a good sense. There is a selection of hundreds of movies, TV
shows, music, and even computer games. Obviously, the selection includes new
features of all genres, but also an impressive variety of Hollywood classics and
movies in foreign languages.

At about 17 inches, the screen is more than wide enough and, being a full
touch-screen, is very easy to operate.

Business class meals are restaurant quality, including a wine list specially
chosen by an expert for its appropriateness for high altitudes (no joke). There
is naturally also access to a wide range of spirits and even a few cocktails.

Delta also offers kosher meals. The business version of the Glatt kosher dinner
is similar to the economy version, only slightly bigger. I sampled it on the
flight to Israel and it was adequate, but nowhere near as tasty as the
non-kosher meal. My flight attendant assured me that the kosher option served on
the trip from Tel Aviv to New York City is much better. Delta also offers kosher
wines on its flights to and from Israel.

A unique feature to Delta's business class flights is SkyPriority, a series of
airport services designed to help business class passengers move more quickly
through the airport from checking in, to security, boarding and picking up their
bags.

Delta is investing a mind-boggling $1.2 billion in expanding Terminal 4 at JFK
Airport in New York City. When completed, Delta passengers will enjoy the almost
company-exclusive terminal, where, for example, transferring to a domestic Delta
flight inside the US will be a nearly seamless experience.

Among the improvements to the new terminal is a consolidation of security and
passport checkpoints - the most annoying part of any flight in a post-9/11
world.

Naturally, most of us can't afford business class. As part of its jumbo-jet
fleet overhaul, Delta is now also offering Economy Comfort on Tel Aviv flights,
an improved seating experience in the economy section.

Apart from basking in the business class glow of more alcohol, the most
significant change from economy seats is added legroom. Customers flying in
Economy Comfort enjoy up to four additional inches from the back of the seat in
front of you, 35 full inches of seat pitch and 50 percent more recline than
Delta's standard economy class seat.

The planes now also include screens on the back of each seat in the economy
section, a feature that was missing before the company upgraded its jets.

Delta's flight attendants are top notch. They all undergo custom training for
their routes, to better understand the mentality and cultural peculiarities of
the clientele likely to be flying a specific route. Every flight to or from Tel
Aviv includes native Hebrew-speaking flight attendants. On my flight from JFK
back home there were no less than four Hebrew-speaking attendants.

The company boasts an impressive 90% average capacity on flights in the Tel
Aviv-NYC route. With its standard of service this is hardly surprising.

The writer was a guest of Delta Airlines

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Delta's upgraded business class on their Tel Aviv-New York route will
leave you relaxed and ready to take on the Big Apple

GRAPHIC: Photo: DELTA'S BUSINESS class makes the long, trans-Atlantic flight
considerably more pleasant to endure. (Credit: Courtesy Delta)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

863 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Retirement concerns

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 697 words

We have just been informed that the Treasury is mulling yet another money-saving
stratagem - raising the retirement age. To be fair, this ploy is a runaway
favorite in most OECD economies (with France constituting the conspicuous
exception).

This would mean that no man could begin drawing a pension before reaching age 70
(versus the current 67) and no woman would before she's 64 (as against 62 now).
In reality, full National Insurance Institute old-age pensions aren't available
till age 67 for both genders.

On paper, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz's position sounds entirely plausible.
With the huge Baby Boomer generation reaching old age, it'd be harder and harder
for their offspring to fill pension coffers. The burden, we're repeatedly told,
is too heavy to bear (never mind that the older generation had contributed to
pension funds for decades and that it earned its pension benefits).

Hence the facile solution both here and abroad is to keep the oldsters from
retiring. That translates to paying out less while the economy keeps profiting
from their labor and their prodigious experience.

The danger, though, is that instead of enjoying the best of all worlds we'd
impose a worst-case scenario on all of society's components. If older citizens
are required to work for more years, they'll per force deny younger applicants
jobs. More likely, though, is that as employees age, they'll be sacked because
long tenure inevitably makes them expensive to their employers.

Age-discrimination is rampant, often well-disguised and denied, with Israeli
courts offering no succor. This is true even before retirement age. Often
employees, including qualified professionals, begin to become highly vulnerable
above age 50. They're then more likely to be fired and less likely to be hired.

The probable upshot is a situation in which older members of the work force
cannot find employment, while being denied pensions. That may be fine as far as
the Treasury's short-term bookkeeping is concerned but exceedingly devastating
to a growing sector of society.

Additionally, older categories of jobless individuals are less likely to qualify
for various assistance programs to tide them over, because they had amassed
assets during decades of gainful employment and are therefore formally too
well-off to fit official definitions of privation.

Comparisons to the situation overseas aren't entirely valid. Israeli society is
appreciably younger than its counterparts in Western Europe. Consequently our
problem should not be quite as acute as in those countries where sharply
shrinking birthrates mean that fewer and fewer young workers must support more
and more aging retirees. In our circumstances the harping on retirement age
appears increasingly like a cop-out.

It needs to be recalled that retirement age here was already raised in 2004 by
two years for both men and women and that last December the Knesset
overwhelmingly voted down a proposal to push it off for women by a further two
years. The Knesset opted to put this option on the shelf for the next five years
- until 2017 - pro forma to allow the government time to hatch up programs that
would assure women employment opportunities between ages 62 and 64.

In the meantime, many older professionals are being pushed out by employers who
have made retirement mandatory, even if these professionals - often in
prestigious positions - prefer to keep working. Such absurdity, for instance,
had made necessary a Knesset bill allowing physicians in public hospitals to
stay employed until age 70 (both genders), due to the severe shortage of
doctors.

This isn't to say that at some point there will be no choice but to tinker with
retirement age, if for nothing else due to increasing life expectancy. But as
long as our proportion of young to old isn't as dire as in Europe, we need to
use the time to safeguard older employees from discrimination and to remove
rigid strictures that would leave open the option of continuing to work into
ripe old age without being coerced to do so.

This is trickier than meets the eye and calls for doing away with ingrained
prejudice regarding both compulsory retirement and compulsory continued toil.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

864 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

UN Lebanon tribunal schedules March trial for Hariri assassination

BYLINE: YONAH JEREMY BOB

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 498 words

The Special UN Tribunal for Lebanon said Thursday night that it had set a
provisional date in March 2013 to begin a trial over the February 14, 2005, bomb
attack that killed former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

The trial was tentatively scheduled to start on March 25, 2013, the tribunal
said.

The four defendants, members of Hezbollah, remain at large, shielded by the
movement's denial of their involvement and the practical reality that
Hezbollah's armed forces, dominant in Lebanon, can likely prevent their arrest.

The Netherlands-based court issued arrest warrants for the four defendants in
June 2011.

Interpol has also issued an international "red notice" on the suspects that
obligates most countries to arrest the defendants if the men enter their
jurisdiction.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has used an all-out public relations campaign
to attack the tribunal both before and after it publicized its indictment
against the defendants.

He has accused the tribunal of being part of an Israeli, US and Western
conspiracy to topple Hezbollah by besmirching it with false and incendiary
allegations.

Hezbollah's toppling of the Sunni-led governing coalition in Lebanon in 2011 has
been attributed by many parties to the refusal of then-prime minister Saad
Hariri, Rafik Hariri's son, to turn against the tribunal and cut its funding, as
Hezbollah demanded.

Rafik Hariri, a Sunni, was assassinated along with 22 bystanders by a suicide
bomber, in a huge car bomb blast in Beirut as Hariri was driving home.

Moustafa Badreddine, 50, allegedly was the mastermind behind the assassination.

Salim Ayyash, 48, allegedly led its operational aspects.

Hussein Anaissi, 37, and Assad Sabra, 35, allegedly doctored a video tape to try
to frame another terrorist group with responsibility for the attack and sent the
recording to Al Jazeera.

The tribunal, located in The Hague suburb of Leidschendam, is unusual for a
number of reasons. Unlike typical international courts, its mandate allows it to
try suspects in absentia.

Notably, the law governing the tribunal defines and permits it to try defendants
for terrorism. It is unusual on the international stage to define terrorism or
to be able to try a defendant for terrorism, due to the political implications
and the controversy surrounding distinguishing terrorist from freedom fighter.

In most international forums, many developing countries that identify with
"resistance movements" strenuously resist defining terrorism, arguing that such
definitions are part of Western attempts to restrain their liberation struggles.

Establishment of the Special UN Tribunal for Lebanon was an atypical victory for
Western nations, attributed by many to the audacity of a terrorist group
assassinating a Sunni leader as popular as Hariri and the fantastical fashion in
which he was murdered.

The court is also unusual in that it incorporates a larger amount of Lebanese
criminal law and procedure into its proceedings than a typical international
tribunal.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: SUPPORTERS OF former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri applaud
as he appears on a giant screen to speak during a ceremony in Beirut in February
marking seven years since his father and predecessor, Rafik Hariri, was killed
in the city. (Credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

865 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

US officials reassure local Jews following Bulgaria terror attack

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 357 words

WASHINGTON - US security officials spoke to American Jewish leaders following
Wednesday's bombing of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria to reassure them that US
Jewry faces no heightened threat at this time.

Representatives from the FBI, White House and Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) spoke with nearly 300 Jewish leaders from across the country in a
conference call the day after the bombing whose details were publicized Friday.

"We have no specific credible intelligence pointing to any threat in the United
States," DHS principal deputy counterterrorism coordinator John Cohen said on
the call, according to a release sent out by the Jewish Federations of North
America. JFNA hosted the call along with the Conference of Presidents of Major
Jewish Organizations.

However, Cohen cautioned, "We are urging members of the Jewish community in the
United States to remain aware of their surroundings."

Additionally, the release noted, the FBI continues to warn of Iranian and
Hezbollah terror cells targeting travelers outside the United States and calls
for vigilance while abroad.

US President Barack Obama continued his outreach concerning the bus bombing on
Friday with a call to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov.

Obama expressed his condolences for the victims, which included five Israeli
tourists and their driver, a Bulgarian national.

He also condemned the "barbaric attack," according to a White House statement,
and expressed support for the ongoing investigation, sentiments he conveyed to
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during their phone conversation on Wednesday.

In addition, the leaders discussed "the strong partnership and excellent
counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and Bulgaria," according
to the statement. Obama also praised Bulgaria's "important contributions" to
NATO.

Bulgaria has been somewhat on the defensive following the bombing, saying it did
not have advance warning from the Mossad of the likelihood of a terror attack,
despite having held a meeting with the Israeli spy agency recently. The country
is pushing back against the notion that a homegrown terror cell carried out the
operation.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

866 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Educator Janusz Korczak's remembered in Poland and abroad, 70 years after
Treblinka

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 443 words

Sunday, July 22, marks the birthday of famous educator and writer Henryk
Goldszmit, better known to the world by his literary pseudonym Janusz Korczak.

In Poland, where he was born, 132 years ago, parliament unanimously passed a
resolution establishing 2012 as the Year of Janusz Korczak, because it is the
70th anniversary of his deportation to Treblinka where he was murdered together
with the children in his care. It is also the 100th anniversary of the founding
of his orphanage on Warsaw's Krochmalna Street.

Korczak believed that children were just younger and smaller people than adults
and should be given the same opportunities as adults to express themselves in
debate, on stage, in the press and on radio - and that was how he conducted his
orphanage. He gave his children as broad a universal education as possible so as
to prepare them to go out and conquer the world, and he zealously defended the
rights of all children.

Occasionally he took time out to travel, and in the 1930s paid several visits to
Mandate Palestine.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, there were close to 200 children in the
orphanage, who had to twice relocate before being rounded up by the Germans in
the first week of August 1942. Korczak instructed the children to put on their
best clothes and created the impression that they were going on an important
outing. He did everything possible to keep fear out of their minds.

He was given two opportunities to save himself but refused. Zagota, the Polish
Council to Aid Jews, offered to smuggle him to the Aryan side of the city, but
he opted to remain with the youngsters. The Nazis also had a grudging respect
for him and offered him an option that would have prolonged if not necessarily
saved his life, but again he put the children ahead of himself.

There are Janusz Korczak Associations in many parts of the world and not just in
countries with a preponderance of Polish expats or large Jewish communities.
Such associations also exist in Japan, the Ivory Coast, Burundi and India.

Many of the so-called revolutionary ideas about children's rights that have
received widespread media attention in recent years were practiced by Korczak,
more than 80 years ago.

He was such an extraordinary pedagogue, influenced to some extent by Maria
Montessori, that even during the most anti-Semitic post-war era in Poland, he
was singled out as a source of Polish pride, a shining example of what one
educator can do.

Korczak spent several years of his life as a journalist, but is much better
known as a prolific writer of essays, plays and short stories. A 16-volume
edition of his collected works is due for release this year.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Janusz Korczak (Credit: Wikimedia commons)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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867 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Ya'alon garners support for own universal enlistment proposal. Vice premier
presents proposal to Kadima. Schneller plans to rebel against party line.
Hasson: Proposal is a fraud, won't bring equality

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 476 words

Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon is expected to present his outline for universal
enlistment to his fellow ministers on Sunday, though Likud sources said it will
not be submitted to the Knesset this summer.

On Friday, Ya'alon presented his proposal to replace the "Tal Law" to six Kadima
lawmakers, leading at least one - MK Otniel Schneller - to announce plans to
rebel against his party in support of the outline.

The meeting was initiated by MK Avi Dichter, who vocally opposed Kadima's
departure from the coalition last Tuesday. He was joined by like-minded MKs
Schneller and Yulia Shamalov Berkovich, who voted against the move, as well as
fellow Kadima lawmakers Yisrael Hasson, Ya'acov Edri and Doron Avital.

The six met with Ya'alon to hear his proposal, which he plans to present to
other ministers on Sunday, in person. The vice premier's outline is not expected
to be brought to a vote during the Knesset's summer session, which ends on
Wednesday.

"The outline presented was balanced and good, and when the time comes, I plan to
support the bill, even though it goes against Kadima's decision," Schneller said
following the meeting.

According to Schneller, Kadima's entry to the coalition was "a fraudulent move"
and party chairman Shaul Mofaz did not intend to find a replacement for the Tal
Law, which allowed yeshiva students to postpone IDF service indefinitely, unless
the new bill was exactly as Mofaz thought it should be.

If Mofaz honestly wanted equality in the burden of national service, Schneller
added, he would have been more flexible and behaved responsibly, rather than
"playing political waiting games" and preventing new legislation from becoming
law.

Hasson and Avital had the opposite reaction, supporting Mofaz's move to reject
Ya'alon's outline.

"I went to this meeting to hear Ya'alon's proposal in an unmediated fashion, and
found that from beginning to end, this outline is a fraud, a trick and a word
game and does not aim for service for all, personal responsibility and equality
in society," Hasson said.

The Kadima MK said Ya'alon was trying to trick the public, and Kadima made the
right decision in leaving the coalition.

A Likud source told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that, according to Ya'alon's
outline, haredi men will receive incentives to enlist in the IDF between the
ages of 18 and 22.

Those who do not will be required to do civilian service by age 26 for the
police, Prisons Service, Magen David Adom or Fire and Rescue Services.

There will be sanctions against those who do not perform military or civilian
service, as well as against their yeshivot. The state will take yeshiva
students' biometric IDs to keep track of whether anyone is shirking their
duties.

The goal of Ya'alon's outline is for 6,000 yeshiva students to enlist each year
by 2016. Currently, 2,400 enlist in the IDF or perform civilian service
annually.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: VICE PREMIER Moshe Ya'alon. His goal is for 6,000 yeshiva
students to start service - military or civilian - each year by 2016, up from
2,400 now. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

868 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Funerals for Bulgaria terror victims conducted around the country Friday

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN; Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 604 words

Victims of the Bulgaria bus bombing were buried on Friday, after their bodies
were flown back to Israel by the Israel Air Force.

Childhood friends Elior Price, who was a 26-year-old student, and Maor Harush,
who was a 25-year-old electrician, were buried in a cemetery outside Acre.

Hundreds of people, including Acre Mayor Shimon Lankari, attended each funeral.

During the burial ceremony, Harush's father broke down and called out toward the
coffin, "Put me in your place."

Harush's family members sobbed as the coffin was lowered into the grave. "You
didn't do anything. They murdered you," said the victim's sister.

"You wrote to us from Burgas [the Bulgarian resort in which the terror attack
occurred] saying that you were having a good time and that you would be back
soon," the sister said before the coffin was lowered.

"You loved the sea and your friends. You loved everything you touched," she
added, before breaking down in tears.

During Price's funeral, the victim's sister said, "Don't worry about Yaeli, your
love. We will protect her and strengthen her."

Daniel Fahima, a DJ who was also a childhood friend of the two terror victims,
is in critical condition at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.

Fahima does not yet know that his two best friends were murdered in the attack.
His parents said they will notify him only when he regains some strength.

Kochava Shriki, a 42-year-old woman who was in the first month of her pregnancy
after years of treatment, was buried in Rishon Lezion.

Shriki's husband Yitzhak, who was wounded in the terrorist attack and searched
for his wife for hours afterward, only found out she did not survive the blast
after landing back in Israel. He required medical care during the funeral.
Shriki's sisters surrounded him and vowed to support him for the rest of their
lives.

"I found her in the end," a broken Yitzhak said of his wife during the funeral.
"Now I am taking her to her new home."

Shriki had telephoned one of her sisters before taking off for Bulgaria to
notify her that she had finally become pregnant.

"You called to tell me about the baby you were carrying in your womb. You were
so happy then," the sister said during the funeral.

Earlier, Itzik Colangi and Amir Menashe, both 28-year-olds from Petah Tikva,
were buried.

Colangi's brother-in-law said that Itzik was like his name in that he made
everyone laugh.

He said he was more used to giving Itzik birthday wishes and never imagined that
he would eulogize him.

"You innocently left for vacation and returned in a coffin. Yesterday in the
airport at the state ceremony, I said to myself that only Itzik could be buried
with so much emotion. You were killed the week that we mark the death of your
uncle, for whom you were named," said the brother-in-law.

His brother said, "I will never forget you. You will be eternally with me." He
promised that he and the family would look after Colangi's wife Galit and his
daughter Noya.

Colangi's friends and family than marched his body in the hot sun from the
small, round funeral parlor to a spot on the edge of the cemetery.

After he was buried, his relatives sat on chairs or kneeled by his grave and
spoke to him, as if he was still there.

His funeral was followed by that of Menashe.

As his body, wrapped in a prayer shawl, was brought in, his wife called out,
"This is a mistake, a mistake."

"It is not logical," she added. Someone else called out, "God, enough."

His sister eulogized him by explaining that he was always happy.

"I remember the day you were born, your first steps," she said.

A friend added, "I won't erase your number from my phone or your name from my
heart."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: FRIENDS AND family of Itzik Colangi, who died in last week's
bombing in Bulgaria, gather around his grave in Petah Tikva on Friday. (Credit:
Tovah Lazaroff)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

869 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Letters

BYLINE: Stuart Palmer, Daniel Abelman, Leonard Zurakov, Michael Gottlieb,
Ephraim S. Jonah, John Tresman, Sarah Williams

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1222 words

Scandals and Davis

Sir, - It should be no surprise that scandals erupt among the UK's Jews ("New
scandal impacts on Anglo-Jewry," Candidly Speaking, July 19).

I attended the Knesset subcommittee meeting at which Mick Davis, head of the
UK's Jewish Leadership Council, not so subtly implied that if he was involved in
the Israeli government's decision-making process life would be "easier" for UK
Jews. His presentation claimed that his organization (non-elected) was in
control of the situation in the UK and that life for UK Jewry was not as bad as
"the rabble-rousers" in Israel were making it out to be.

With a decidedly not-so-hidden agenda in the JLC, it should come as no surprise
that Joe Millis has been appointed PR and communications manager. His negative
views on Israel are well documented.

What is of further concern is the follow-up meeting held at the Knesset some
weeks later, which I also attended. At that session UK Ambassador Matthew Gould
repeated the same views as those of Davis.

I think I speak for many of the "rabble-rousers" at the Knesset meetings when I
say that both Davis and the UK government are far-removed from the reality of
the true level of anti-Semitism that exists in the UK.

STUART PALMER

Haifa

The writer is chairman of CoHaV - Coalition of Hasbara Volunteers

Sir, - Mick Davis calls Post columnist Isi Leibler "mad" because Leibler is an
Australian. In "New scandal impacts on Anglo-Jewry," Leibler claims this doesn't
bother him.

It doesn't bother me, either. But when Leibler tags Davis as being weird,
notorious and despicable in his actions because Davis is a Jew responsible for
Jewish institutions and undertaking what he thinks is best for Anglo Jewry, this
bothers me.

My dictionary offers a definition of mad: extremely foolish or imprudent.
Leibler should be a bit more careful as to how and where he slings mud when he
steps outside his Aussie patch into other peoples' backyards.

DANIEL ABELMAN

Jerusalem

Inside the tent

Sir, - Kol hakavod to Douglas Bloomfield for his insightful "Cracks in the
foundation" (Washington Watch, July 19). He correctly blasts the religious
community for attempting to sway the public from its path concerning
conscription for religious young men and women, and praises the government for
its (very late) recognition of other streams of Judaism that exist in Israel
today.

It is unfortunate that certain influential Orthodox rabbis continue to fight
this recognition. Their stance will get them nowhere. The general public accepts
the correctness of encouraging other streams of Judaism and will continue to do
so.

The stubbornness of Orthodox leaders can do nothing but harm, so they had best
come into the tent and join the rest of us.

LEONARD ZURAKOV

Netanya

Dizzying diatribe

Sir, - David Newman ("To occupy or not to occupy," Borderline Views, July 17)
would be much more convincing if he simply critiqued the Levy outpost report
point by point, calmly and systematically, citing whatever he considered to be
erroneous or inaccurate. Instead, we get a dizzying diatribe of hackneyed
left-wing stock-in-trade accusations, half-truths, assumptions, hyperbole and
venom.

Just one example: Newman writes that the report's opinion "flies in the face of
every other legal opinion, both Israeli and international...." Can it really be
that he is unaware of the opinions of such legal heavyweights as Eugene Rostow,
Jacques Gauthier, Talia Einhorn, Howard Grief and Stephen Schwebel, all of which
unequivocally support the findings of retired Supreme Court justice Edmond Levy?

Newman's headlong rush to gloss over facts and deny obvious realities proves
that he has no interest in being confused by the facts, as laid out in the Levy
report. One must wonder if he even read it.

The more fired-up and panicked people like Newman get about the report, the more
convinced I am that it is spot-on and necessary for fair and enlightened
political discourse.

MICHAEL GOTTLIEB

Ginot Shomron

Sir, - David Newman should be reminded that the Levy committee gave very cogent
reasons why the settlements in Judea and Samaria are not illegal and that Israel
is not an occupier. Perhaps he could give us reasons why he believes the
committee is wrong.

Perhaps the US, the European Union and others could also do the same and inform
us why and how the settlements are illegal. Whether we should or should not
build settlements in Judea and Samaria, even if it is legal to do so, is another
issue.

EPHRAIM S. JONAH

Jerusalem

Fruitful afterlife?

Sir, - In "The God particle: The benefit of a newborn infant" (Comment &
Features, July 17), Michael Faraday is noted as having conducted experiments in
the 1930s and 1940s. As his active scientific period lasted from about 1820 to
1860 and he died in 1867, this is rather unlikely.

JOHN TRESMAN

Haifa

Good for Lador

Sir, - With regard to "Saving the state prosecution" (Comment & Features, July
16), I do not fault the State Attorney's Office for failing to secure
convictions on the most serious charges against Ehud Olmert. In crime and
punishment it is axiomatic that both the weakest and the strongest cases will be
disposed of prior to trial through pleas. What is left to go to trial are those
cases that are the most difficult to prove.

The State Attorney's Office should be applauded for going forward on a difficult
case where public safety demanded prosecution rather than just "cherry-picking"
easy wins.

The ills Yitzhak Klein ascribes to the State Attorney's Office can be addressed
through something far less draconian than a whole new level of bureaucratic
in-house inquisition and its unmentioned but inevitable costs to the taxpayer.

An example: "One can be remanded to jail for months before one's case is heard."
The Knesset can fix that by legislatively imposing time limits. For instance,
once arrested the accused must be brought to trial in 60 days unless he agrees
to a later date. Obviously, people in custody will not agree to later dates and
this both obviates the problem and compels the prosecution not to bring charges
until it is certain of its case.

Complaints about the State Attorney's Office should not be addressed to that
office but to the Bar Association, which, if not already doing so, should be
charged with investigating the transgressions of individuals lawyers regardless
of their positions.

Klein asserts that public confidence has been eroded by the Olmert case. I beg
to differ. The lack of public confidence is largely attributable to the state
prosecution's perceived failure to meaningfully prosecute: too many weak plea
bargains; repeated failures to give crime victims or their survivors a voice in
charges, pleas or sentences; repeat traffic offenders driving again and killing
or maiming others; criminally light sentences that prosecutors fail to dispute
strongly enough.

These are the issues that have caused public confidence to disappear. The public
does not need a "club" of judges and lawyers who coexist to serve each other; it
needs a criminal justice system that strives to protect the public.

Public confidence evaporates when the justice system appears to serve the
criminal more than the victim, which has all too often been the case. In this
instance, State Attorney Moshe Lador swam against the tide of judicial system
inertia and did his job - and should be applauded for it.

SARAH WILLIAMS

Jerusalem

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Silman was no martyr

BYLINE: LIAT COLLINS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1164 words

Like most Israelis, I didn't know Moshe Silman's name until after he set himself
on fire at a social justice protest in Tel Aviv on July 14. Unlike most,
however, I knew his story. It took me a few hours to realize that the
58-year-old man who hovered between life and death in the Sheba Medical Center
burns unit, dying there on July 20, was my mystery caller.

On two recent Fridays I have received phone calls from a man desperate not so
much for fame as for revenge. He wanted his story to be told.

He refused to give me his real name during our first conversation, but he
couldn't stop describing how he had been wronged by the National Insurance
Institute and to a lesser extent the Income Tax Authority and the medical
establishment. Although he was polite and soft-spoken, there was an undercurrent
of aggression. Early on in the conversation, silently blessing whoever had given
him my personal mobile number, I moved out of my living room so that my young
son wouldn't overhear what I was talking about.

I still do not know who suggested Silman call me: He didn't say. It's possible
it was someone who had heard his story too often and wanted to pass the burden
along.

My capacity for sympathy is not matched by quantities of patience but I listened
to Silman - for I am now positive that's who it was - for close to an hour that
first Friday, acutely aware that I had abandoned my son to the TV and my Shabbat
preparations to the grace of God. Acutely aware, also, that the man at the other
end of the line was feeling lonely. Beyond lonely. Alone. Alone in a battle that
was constantly being waged in his mind.

As the details of his story unfolded, I wondered how the clerks, social workers
and medical staff with whom he had evidently been in touch coped. He had
obviously spoken to other media people, too. I explained that his story - the
one that the sight of his burning body has now scorched on our minds - could
only be published under certain conditions. The most problematic, from his point
of view, was the need for the media to ask the relevant office for a response.
He told me others had said the same thing. I felt like my own responses were
being tested: Was I lying? Had those who had advised him before me lied to him?

At some point I suggested that he publish his story on Facebook or a blog, where
a private individual is not bound by the same regulations as the press. He said
it was a good idea, and others had also suggested it.

After a while, when he returned to the same details yet again, as if he hoped to
suddenly discover some new insight, I tried to bring the conversation to an end.
He reacted in a way that today feels even more chilling. In a perfectly normal
tone of voice, he threatened suicide.

I asked about his family (and he said something like he wasn't in touch); I
asked if he had a friend he could speak to (no), or a rabbi (eliciting a
response along the lines of "I don't belong to that sector").

He seemed to calm down just by talking some more and told me he wasn't really
thinking of killing himself; he only wanted his story to be told.

I explained that if he sent me the documentation and details in writing, I would
have a clearer picture of what could be done.

I also told him that if he did feel suicidal he could speak to his family doctor
or even go to the emergency room if it was on Shabbat. He dismissed that by
telling me they would only lock him up (I think he said "again"). When I heard
that he had been in a hospital emergency unit a few hours before he had
self-immolated I felt a small stabbing pain - not a pang of guilt but the sting
of sadness. Someone else had also misread the warning signals.

We ended the conversation with him promising he would send me an email with the
relevant information, although he still did not give me his real name or phone
number.

The conversation played on my mind. On the Sunday, I kept an eye open for the
email, but it wasn't in my inbox. I wondered, once more, whether he wasn't
looking mainly for sympathy and checking my reactions and advice against what
he'd already received.

Two or maybe three weeks later, again on a Friday, he called and apologized for
not having emailed me. This time he gave me his first name and asked me to help
him translate material from Hebrew into English (for payment). I politely but
firmly turned him down and said he could probably find someone to help him
closer to where he lived (in Haifa).

He wanted to go over the details again but I stopped him, asking for the written
material. We wished each other "Shabbat shalom" but I felt my name was now on an
ever-growing list of people he could not trust and had refused to help him. It
was hard to escape the depth of his obsession at having been wronged, although
he also seemed incapable of accepting any aid that was offered.

SILMAN'S STORY - the debt that had continued to grow and grow; the lack of any
place to call home; the health problems; the failed business; even the solitude
- is far from unique. I have heard similar sagas in Israel and read of similar
cases abroad.

I mentally went over his words - and my response - even before I learned that a
protester had set himself on fire; long before I realized who it was and that I
would not be getting that email or another Friday afternoon call. Perhaps I was
testing myself against the reactions and advice of others.

My response, however, has been different to that of several of my friends.
Silman was a person - a unique and special person. He was also clearly a
troubled man. He should not become the symbol of a social revolution. Those who
now harness his burned body to their cause are exploiting him and his pain.

All over the world, people have bureaucratic encounters that incense them;
mercifully few actually set themselves on fire. To "fume" to friends and anyone
who will listen is a normal response; to self-immolate in the middle of a public
rally is the last act of a tortured mind.

Things do need to change, but there is a difference between the flames of
passion and setting the country on fire in a revolutionary zeal. That
demonstrators on July 15 marched to the Prime Minister's Residence and elsewhere
chanting "We are all Moshe Silman" and "Let's burn ourselves" is somewhere
between disturbing and disgusting. If nothing else, it smacks of verbal violence
and emotional blackmail.

Healthy change is a process of growth, it needs to be nurtured. Reform needs
courageous, and selfless leaders, not martyrs - and certainly not a martyr like
Silman. This was no visionary. He was sadly a man who dwelt on old grievances
and did not see a future even for himself.

Those who try to exploit Silman's tragedy are doing neither him nor their cause
justice. It would be more fitting and helpful to harness the compassion
naturally felt when Silman brutally made his story known, rather than fan the
flames of dissent and hatred.

May his memory be for a blessing.

The writer is editor of The International Jerusalem Post. liat@jpost.com

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: MY WORD. Those who now harness his burned body to their cause are
exploiting him and his pain. First published in the International Edition of
July 20, 2012.

GRAPHIC: Photo: A demonstrator in Tel Aviv on July 15, the day after Moshe
Silman set himself on fire, holds a sign which reads: 'Bibi, you burned me too.'
(Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Manchester couple jailed for planning attack on Jewish community

BYLINE: JONNY PAUL/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 671 words

LONDON - A husband and wife inspired by al-Qaida were convicted on Friday of
plotting terrorist attacks against the Jewish community in Manchester.

Both were sentenced to prison.

Mohammed Sajid Khan, 33, and Shasta Khan, 38, were in the early stages of
plotting an attack using improvised bombs. They intended to target synagogues,
Jewish charities and community buildings in Prestwich, a predominantly Jewish
area of North Manchester.

Police only discovered the bombmaking materials after a domestic dispute alerted
officers to the couple's house in July 2011. Khan had attacked his wife's
father, and her family decided to "spill the beans," telling police that he was
a "home-grown terrorist."

The couple, who married six weeks after they met on an Muslim dating website,
had become radicalized by material on the Internet, including al-Qaida's online
magazine, Inspire, where they also found details on how to build bombs.

Police found literature espousing anti-Semitic and violent jihadist beliefs in
the couple's house in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

An article from the al-Qaida magazine was found, titled "Make a bomb in the
kitchen of your Mom." It offered a step-by-step guide, from how to get
ingredients without raising suspicion, to building a bomb using Christmas
lights.

According to the article, in one or two days a bomb could be made to kill "at
least 10 people," and with more time, "tens of people."

There was a cache of terrorist material at the couple's house. Videos of
beheadings, propaganda glorifying Osama bin Laden and bombmaking guides were
seized along with the peroxide and bleach, which together with electrical
equipment - including electrical wires, Christmas tree lights, bulbs and a
battery - were being readied to make an improvised bomb, the Manchester Crown

Court heard.

Fire starters, safety goggles, a funnel, needles and syringes were also part of
the items police found that could be used to make a bomb.

During the trial, the jury saw evidence of anti-Semitic incitement and
anti-Semitic rhetoric, and that the couple researched Jewish neighborhoods and
had driven to these areas to engage in reconnaissance.

Mohammed Khan pleaded guilty to the charges. Shasta Khan pleaded innocent but
was found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and
two of three counts of possessing a record of information likely to be useful to
a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Khan was given an indeterminate sentence, to serve a minimum of seven years and
six months, while Shasta was given eight years, and will serve four minus the
350 days she has already spend on remand.

The Community Security Trust, a charity that provides security for the British
Jewish community, worked closely with police before and during the trial.

CST said the trial had shown the reality of anti-Jewish terrorism in Britain
today.

"It explains why Jewish communities take security and anti-Semitism seriously,"
Mark Gardner, CST's director of communications, said on Friday. "CST thanks
Greater Manchester Police and the North West Counter Terrorism Unit for their
cooperation with CST and our Jewish community at this difficult time.

"We urge the Jewish community to lead its life to the full, and ask that it
keeps supporting communal security efforts. In particular, suspicious activities
in Jewish areas should be reported to CST and police," Gardner added.

CST said that Iran and Hezbollah were central to anti-Semitic attacks on Jews in
Europe.

In February, nine British men were convicted of plotting to send letter bombs to
various targets, including two synagogues. In March, an Islamist murdered three
children and a teacher at a Jewish school in Toulouse. In June 2011, an al-Qaida
leader in East Africa was found with plans to attack targets in London,
including the Jewish neighborhoods of Golders Green and Stamford Hill.

"Anti-Semitism is central to extreme Islamist ideology. Furthermore, Iran and
its Hezbollah surrogate continue to target Jews and also Israelis," Gardner
said.

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GRAPHIC: 2 photos: Mohammed Sajid Khan. Shasta Khan (Credit: Courtesy Manchester
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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Fighting anti-Semitism at the U of California

BYLINE: KENNETH L. MARCUS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 829 words

For several years, the University of California has faced some of the most
serious charges of anti-Semitism in North American higher education. New
developments provide hope that the University will turn this situation around.
Last week, Jewish students settled an anti-Semitism lawsuit against the
university's Berkeley campus.

The settlement is modest, but it is a step in the right direction.

Almost simultaneously, the university's system-wide campus climate committee
issued a remarkable report which acknowledges that "Jewish students are
confronting significant and difficult climate issues as a result of activities
on campus which focus specifically on Israel, its right to exist and its
treatment of Palestinians." The climate committee's recommendations, together
with the Berkeley settlement, provide a blueprint for combating campus
anti-Semitism if university leadership has the will to do so.

The Berkeley lawsuit was based on numerous anti-Jewish incidents, including one
in which a Jewish student was rammed from behind by a pro-Palestinian activist
pushing a loaded shopping cart. The students had little leverage in their
negotiations, since the federal district court had already dismissed most of
their claims. Under the settlement, Berkeley promises to consider - not to
actually adopt - two new policies. One would ban certain imitation firearms on
the Berkeley campus, like those that have been used to simulate supposed IDF
abuses. The other would restrict protests that block pedestrian thoroughfares.
These proposed policies will definitely help, and the university should promptly
adopt them. The settlement will not solve Berkeley's anti-Semitism problem, but
it will not solve Berkeley's liability problem either; The students' lawyers
have subsequently filed a similar complaint with the federal Departments of
Justice and Education. The new administrative complaint covers much the same
ground as the old district court complaint, so the Berkeley litigation is far
from over.

THE BERKELEY settlement came at around the same time as the long-awaited report
of the university's campus climate committee. The committee's work was
instigated by a series of anti-Semitic incidents at the university's campuses at
Irvine, Santa Cruz and elsewhere. Some observers had feared that it would be a
whitewash, since committee members were hand-picked by university officials.

In fact, it is a well-balanced report, primarily authored by Anti-Defamation
League national education chairman Richard Barton and NAACP California president
Alice Huffman. The committee concludes that anti-Israel campus activities
"portray Israel and, many times, Jews in ways which project hostility, engender
a feeling of isolation, and undermine Jewish students' sense of belonging and
engagement with outside communities." The committee also notes that many Jewish
students are less concerned about anti-Semitism than they are about the
university's failure to provide accommodations for religious holidays or kosher
dining options.

The committee's most important finding has to do with double standards. "What
came through in our discussions," Barton and Huffman write, "was a sense from
Jewish students and others of a double standard when it comes to the themes and
language used by those protesting Israel and its policies." It is heartening to
read such candor in an internal report, although it is unfortunate that the
university has taken so long to acknowledge this.

"Specifically," the report continues, "Jewish students described the use of
language and imagery which they believe would not be tolerated by faculty and
administration, or would at least be denounced with more force, if similar
themes and language were directed at other groups on campus."

The UC report recommends many important changes, such as reviewing policies
under which university sponsorship is afforded to unbalanced and biased events
such as "Israeli Apartheid Week." The committee also sensibly urges university
administrators to better address Jewish students' dietary needs and accommodate
religious holiday observance.

The most important recommendation, however, urges university officials to adopt
a formal definition of anti-Semitism, such as the European Union Monitoring
Center on Racism and Xenophobia's Working Definition of Anti-Semitism, which
clearly explains when anti-Israel incidents should also be considered
anti-Semitic.

For a university to solve its anti-Semitism problem, it needs to acknowledge
that it has a problem, and doing so means adopting a clear definition which
describes the situations that may properly be called anti-Semitic. These are
important, long overdue reforms. Together with the policies being considered by
the Berkeley campus, the campus climate committee's recommendations should be
quickly adopted.

The writer is president and general counsel at The Louis D. Brandeis Center and
senior research scholar at the Institute for Jewish & Community Research.

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Why doesn't the Muslim world recognize Israel?

BYLINE: MOHAMMED MOSTAFA KAMAL

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1425 words

No Muslim country boycotted East Timor or banned its citizens from traveling
there after it became independent from mainly Muslim Indonesia.
Christian-majority South Sudan became independent from mainly Muslim United
Sudan in 2011. As with East Timor, we did not see any Muslim boycotts. However,
when Israel became independent in 1948, Muslim countries acted with unrelenting
hostility. Why?

One of the basic tenets of Islam is that Muslim-majority countries' first
allegiance should be to Islam, in the form of a single Islamic Caliphate, and
not to secular conceptions of the state, whether Arab, Persian or Turkish.
However, prior to the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Sharif Hussein Bin Ali of
Mecca, together with many other Arab leaders, enticed by the prospect of power,
abandoned the concept of an Islamic Caliphate and sought to form new countries,
which they would rule. They called their ambition Arab Nationalism. To
accomplish their objective, they sought British aid in overthrowing the Ottoman
Empire.

With British assistance, the Arab leaders succeeded in toppling the Ottoman
Empire - but it was Britain that assumed control, not the Arabs. It was a repeat
of the tragic defeat of the last independent Arab ruler, Mirza Muhammad
Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, by
Britian in the Battle of Plassey.

Britain had in fact never intended to liberate the Arabs, but rather to gain
control of the Middle East oil fields. As far as Britain was concerned, the plan
was simply to divide and conquer. Blinded by ambition, the Arab leaders of 1916
not only didn't achieve power for themselves, they unwittingly set the stage for
the fragmentation of the Middle East and the creation of the State of Israel.

Several new countries were created in the Middle East, with borders chosen not
to further Arab unity, but to defeat it. As part of the disposition of the
region, the idea was advanced at the United Nations of dividing Palestine into
two countries, one for Jews and one for Arabs. The Nazi Holocaust, Jewish
appeals for the creation of such a state and greater European ambitions for the
region were all contributing factors behind this idea.

The British Mandate in Palestine was duly divided on May 14, 1948, and the
modern State of Israel was formally recognized, and began its journey. At the
time, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin clarified that his support for partition was
motivated by a desire to reduce British influence in the area.

It is unfortunately true that many Palestinian Arabs were evicted from their
homes. However, not in 1948 due to Israel's independence, but from 1930 onward.
Arab Muslims leaders have been hiding this crucial fact from the entire Muslim
world ever since.

FROM 1948 onward, the Arab states have tried repeatedly to annihilate Israel.
Every time, their efforts met with resounding failure, but this only served to
fuel Muslim anger against Israel and Jewish people. Except for Turkey, no Muslim
country had diplomatic relations with Israel, allowed its citizens to visit
Israel or the import of Israeli goods. Israel and its people were beyond the
pale.

In 1967, to maintain its existence Israel had to occupy all of the Palestine and
the Syrian Golan Heights. In 1979, Egypt recognized Israel following the Camp
David Accords of 1978 between Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin.

Interestingly, the Soviet Union and its allied were now backing the Arabs
against Israel, a state of affairs which persisted until 1991 when the Soviet
Union collapsed. Realizing the implications, the PLO and its leader Yasser
Arafat gradually headed toward the Oslo Peace Accords. Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin
signed the Oslo agreement on September 13, 1993, at the White House.

That which had once seemed impossible and unthinkable had now become quite real.
As a result, Israeli military forces were withdrawn from most of Palestine. A
new Palestinian government was formed. But Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and other
splinter groups were against the treaty and vowed to carry on the war. Fatah's
proposed two-state solutions was meaningless to Hamas, which together with the
Islamic Jihad continued to perpetrate terrorist attacks against Israel. These
groups were backed and sheltered by Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

Due to their acts of aggression, Israel had no choice but to counter-attack.
Yitzhak Rabin, who had signed the Oslo agreement with Arafat, was assassinated
by an extremist Jew in 1995 for not reacting strongly enough, with many on the
extreme Israeli Right feeling desparate that the terrorist attacks were
increasing even as Israel withdrew from territory.

There then followed a series of confrontations between Hamas and Israel. In
between these incidents Israel showed respect for a UN resolution which required
it to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon in the year 2000. It was deadly
mistake. After the 2000 withdrawal, the Lebanese Hezbollah become more powerful
and organized. They were getting arms, training and other military materiel from
Syria and Iran.

BEFORE THE spread of Internet accessibility in the Muslim world, and even after,
in 2000, news coverage on the nature of the terrorist attacks against Israel did
not properly reach many Muslims. That Hamas and other extremists were using
innocenct Palestinians as human shields when they launched rockets was not
widely enough known in the Muslim world. So when Israel responded, it was always
the guilty party, committing inhuman, incomprehensible acts.

Even in 2005, when then-prime minister Ariel Sharon withdrew all Jewish settlers
from the Gaza Strip, controversially-elected Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad threatened to wipe Israel off the map, and terrorist attacks from
Gaza intensified. As a result, further withdrawals were halted and there was a
breakdown in Israel's ruling Likud party.

Sharon and liberal-minded leaders broke away to form the Kadima party, which
with the support of the Labor party came to power and kept the peace process
going, in the face of unrelenting Hamas opposition.

Hamas won the Palestinian elections in 2006, and refused to recognize Israel's
existence. Not satisfied with this, Hamas and Hizbullah attacked Israel, killing
and abducting Israeli soldiers, leading to a month-long war. For all these
developments, majority-Muslim countries blamed Israel. There was no criticism of
Hamas, Hezbollah and Ahmadinejad. On the contrary, they were idolized.

Hamas and Hezbollah's aggression and terrorism have pushed Gaza and its
inhabitants into enormous misery, but these facts are presented in the Muslim
world in a fragmented and distorted way.

When we compare Israel's actions since 1948 with those of East Timor or South
Sudan, the only conclusion to be drawn is that the Muslim world's attitude
toward Israel is totally illogical, unfair and injust. Israel was established in
the exact same manner as were Australia and America. History will not rewind.
Anti-Israel activities have not brought the Muslim world anything but tension,
conflict and economic ruin, keeping them relegated to third-world status.

That Israel is itself colonial or expansionist, that it seeks additional Arab
lands, is simply a lie. The best proof of this lies in the fact that Israel has
ceded territory since its formation, and that following the peace agreements
with Egypt and Jordan, Israel has committed no acts of agression against them.

ISRAEL AND the Jewish people are unneccessarily stigmatized in the Muslim world.
With a world population of 7 billion and growing, resources are getting scarcer,
not more abundant. To keep up this unneccessary conflict with Israel based on
lies and ignorance can bring no good, and could potentially cause a regional
war, with terrible consequences.

We have seen the gruesomeness of large-scale modern warfare. Muslim countries
must acknowledge history and recognize Israel prior to the 1967 armistice lines.
Only the combined efforts of Muslim countries can deflect the aggressive,
anti-peace path of Hamas, Hizbullah and Iran toward true peace.

If they do not accept peace, the rest of the Muslim world must boycott them.
This will be justice. To do otherwise based on the fragmented, distorted and
false history of a country and a religion would be a desecration of Islam and
bring guilt on all Muslims. The whole Muslim world must come forward and prove
that Islam believes in justice and peace, and it must persevere. As soon as this
matter begins, it will bring good to the world.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He is from Bangladesh.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: IF THEY can get along. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono shaking hands with East Timorese counterpart Jose Ramos-Horta.
(Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Introducing Israel's Olympians - ZOHAR ZEMIRO - Marathon

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 239 words

Zohar Zemiro was the first Israeli athlete to book his place at the 2012 Games,
but he seemed destined to miss out on the London Olympics after failing a drug
test.

However, he was given a huge break in June when the Anti-Doping Committee of
Israel court settled for a one-month suspension and a reprimand when it seemed
all but inevitable that he would have to watch the Games on TV.

The 35-year-old, who qualified for his first Olympics after running the
Amsterdam Marathon in 2:14.28 hours in April of last year, tested positive for
Terbutaline at the start of June, an illegal substance usually found in asthma
inhalers.

Zemiro pleaded guilty but explained that he has suffered from asthma symptoms
for some years and a small amount of Terbutaline must have entered his body
without his knowledge.

Due to the circumstances of the failed test, the court decided to allow Zemiro
to run in London, with the one-month suspension being served in the time that
passed since it was revealed he tested positive.

"This has been the most difficult time of my life," Zemiro said after hearing
the news.

"I'm happy that this hell is behind me."

Zemiro's preparations for London were derailed for almost a month while he was
awaiting his verdict and it would be miraculous if he manages to finish in the
top 20 as the Olympic Committee of Israel hopes.

Considering the ordeal he has endured, simply participating in the Olympic
marathon is triumph enough.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: ZOHAR ZEMIRO (Credit: Israel Athletics Association)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

PM still strong after 'Tal Law' talks, polls find. Kadima's Knesset seats would
drop to single digits if elections were held today

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 275 words

The Likud has lost public support following the collapse of negotiations to
replace the "Tal Law," but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu need not worry,
since, according to two polls published Friday, he will remain in his office
after the next election.

A poll in Ma'ariv showed the Likud keeping its current 27 seats in the Knesset,
while Yediot Aharonot had the prime minister's party dropping to 25, after its
poll in May gave the Likud 30 seats.

Kadima would drop to seven seats, one-fourth of its current size, if elections
were held today, according to both polls.

Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich was Netanyahu's most formidable challenger in
both polls, though Yediot proves her to be a bigger threat to the prime
minister, with 21 Knesset seats, than Ma'ariv, which gave Labor 17. The party
currently has seven MKs, but was voted in with 13 in 2009.

The polls showed varying results for other parties. Both had Yisrael Beytenu
remaining the third-largest party, followed by Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid and Shas.
However, Yediot gave them 13, 13 and 10 seats, respectively, while Ma'ariv had
Yisrael Beytenu grow to 16 seats from its current 15, Lapid with 11 seats, and
Shas gaining two seats to reach 11.

National-religious parties Habayit Hayehudi and National Union, which currently
have a combined seven seats and plan to run together in the next election, would
grow to 10 seats, according to Yediot, but Ma'ariv showed drastically different
results, with the parties shrinking to six spots in the Knesset.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak's Independence party would not reach the election
threshold of 2 percent, or three seats, according to both polls.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

'Now we'll be fighting even harder because someone died for this.' Social
protesters hold vigils in memory of Moshe Silman

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN and MICHAEL OMER-MAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 493 words

Hundreds of people across the country held protest vigils on Saturday night in
memory of Moshe Silman, the activist who set himself on fire the previous
weekend at a social justice demonstration in Tel Aviv.

Silman succumbed to his injuries on Friday at Sheba Medical Center in Tel
Hashomer, where doctors were treating him for burns over 90 percent of his body.
He will be buried on Sunday.

In Tel Aviv, some one thousand demonstrators gathered on Shaul Hamelech Street
to march to the spot on Kaplan Street where Silman set himself alight. They
chanted, "We're all Moshe Silman" and "Desperation turns to anger."

The night before, hundreds of protestors had lit candles and held a vigil at the
same spot.

Saturday night's protesters lit candles in a quiet ceremony when they arrived.
One activist read out the letter the 57-year-old Haifa resident distributed at
the previous week's rally just moments before he set himself on fire, explaining
why he had no choice but to self-immolate.

As the activist read out the letter line by line, the crowd repeated after him:
"The State of Israel has stolen from me and robbed me, left me with nothing, and
the Tel Aviv District Court blocked me from getting justice."

Silman went on to blame the state for his downfall and specifically pointed to
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. Silman
also highlighted how he was consistently turned down for public housing, as he
did not fit the criteria.

There was a heavy police presence at the vigil, where protesters were expected
to continue to the National Insurance Institute. Similar demonstrations were
held in Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba.

In Jerusalem, approximately 100 people marched from Netanyahu's private
residence on Aza Street to his official residence near Paris Square. Organizers
said Silman's death would only serve to strengthen the struggle for social
justice.

"He got to a situation where he felt like he had nothing to live for," said
Jerusalem activist Viki Vanunu, who was homeless last summer and is one of the
central activists in current tent protests for homeless families.

"We don't want other people to be forced to do this; he gave us the drive to
continue fighting," she said. "We fought before him and we will continue
fighting, but now we'll be fighting even harder because someone died for this."

Vanunu stressed that she was against what Silman did although "he clearly did
change the struggle because we understand we have to work quickly for homeless
people. The National Insurance [Institute] needs to know this isn't a game," she
said.

Demonstrators were encouraged to come dressed in black and bring candles.

Jerusalem protesters chanted "We are all Moshe Silman, the State of Israel
ruined me." Activists also read Silman's letter out loud in front of the Prime
Minister's private residence.

"We're going to remind Bibi [Netanyahu] that he needs to find solutions," said
Jerusalem demonstrator Mijal Grinberg.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: PROTESTERS IN JERUSALEM carry memorial candles last night for
Moshe Silman. The banner says, "We will not agree to empty buildings when there
are people without a roof over their head." (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The
Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

'Iran will attack Tel Aviv if Israel strikes'

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff; Reuters contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 246 words

Iran will "attack the heart of Tel Aviv" if Israel attacks the Islamic
Republic's nuclear facilities, the Fars News Agency quoted a senior Iranian
cleric as saying on Saturday.

"They do not dare to damage our nuclear centers and know very well that any move
against the Islamic Republic will make them regret," Hojjatoleslam Seyed Reza
Taqavi said.

The comments came as Israel accused Iran and its proxy Hezbollah of
responsibility for Wednesday's terrorist attack in Bulgaria in which five
Israelis were killed.

Both Tehran and Hezbollah have denied any involvement in the attack.

"The unfounded statements by different statesmen of the Zionist regime in
connection with the accusations against Iran about its possible participation in
the incident with the blown-up bus with Israeli tourists in Burgas is a familiar
method of the Zionist regime, with a political aim, and is a sign of the
weakness... of the accusers," the Islamic Republic's mission in Sofia said in a
statement on Thursday.

Some analysts believe Iran is trying to avenge the assassinations of several
scientists involved in its nuclear program that it blames on Israel and the
United States. Israeli diplomats have been targeted in several countries in
recent months by bombers who the Jewish state maintained had struck on behalf of
Tehran.

The Bulgarian blast occurred on the 18th anniversary of a bomb attack on
Argentina's main Jewish center that killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
Argentina blamed Iran.

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Hypertension drugs now thought to benefit bypass patients

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

SECTION: HEALTH; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 906 words

Until now, cardiologists have routinely instructed patients facing coronary
artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery to stop taking blood pressure-reducing drugs,
and not to resume taking them immediately afterwards, as it was thought that
these drugs increased the risk to the patient.

But Prof. Benjamin Drenger, a senior physician at Hadassah University Medical
Center's department of anesthesiology and critical care medicine, has just
published an article in the prestigious journal Circulation showing the
opposite; on the basis of 4,200 patients who underwent CABG, taking ACE
inhibitors actually reduced the risk associated with this type of surgery.

ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibitors - originally synthesized from
compounds found in viper venom - have long been used to treat hypertension in
patients who were either unresponsive to more basic medication or had a medical
history of cardiac insufficiency and heart attacks.

But the new research shows that patients that resumed taking ACE inhibitors
immediately after CABG surgery suffered many fewer cardiac complications. Those
patients who had not received ACE inhibitors just before and after the surgery
suffered from many more complications in the kidneys, and were at greater risk
for heart attacks and coronary insufficiency, Drenger and colleagues wrote.

"Publication of our research, meant for cardiologists, heart surgeons and
internal medicine specialists, is meant to change the approach" on ACE
inhibitors for bypass surgery patients, he continued. It may be that renewal of
ACE inhibitors immediately after surgery will become the policy of choice and
that in the long term, "the recommendations in the article will be included in
new clinical directives," the Hadassah anesthesiologist said.

VITAMIN D FOR IN-HOSPITAL

INFECTIONS

Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections are a significant threat around the
world. These infections aren't brought in by patients but are already present in
hospitals, and spread easily among those already sick. In the US alone, there
are an estimated 100,000 deaths a year from hospital-acquired infections, with
some 1.7 million annual cases causing between $30 billion and $40 billion in
excess healthcare costs.

A paper recently published in the journal Dermato-Endocrinology suggests that
raising vitamin D concentrations among patients has the potential to greatly
reduce the risk of nosocomial infections. Patients are often vitamin D-deficient
since many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory
infections are linked to low vitamin D concentrations. Pneumonia is the most
likely result, followed by bacteremias, urinary tract infections, surgical site
infections and sepsis.

Vitamin D plays an important antimicrobial role. It is known to strengthen
people's innate immune response, thus overcoming the antibiotic resistance of
many bacteria encountered in hospitals. Even in sunny Israel, where exposure to
the sun produces the vitamin in the skin, a large percentage of people have been
found to be vitamin D deficient because many cover themselves out of modesty or
concern about skin cancer due to overexposure to ultraviolet rays.

The researchers, headed by infectious disease expert Dr. Dima Youssef of East
Tennessee State University, advocated raising vitamin D concentrations in
patients. Not only does the vitamin reduce the rate of diseases such as many
types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hip fractures and respiratory
infections, but it would also cut the rate of nosocomial infections.

PRENATAL COUNSELLING

Israeli women typically undergo several ultrasound scans and other tests during
pregnancy. But what does one do if a problem is suspected in the fetus?

A new clinic has now opened at Jerusalem's Alyn Hospital, the national pediatric
and adolescent rehabilitation center for children with serious physical
disability due to genetic disease, accidents or other causes. The clinic will
advise parents whose fetus is suspected of suffering from heart defects, spina
bifida, skeletal defects, muscular disorders, cleft palate (which can easily be
treated with plastic surgery) and other problems.

Such parents will be able to consult with hospital director-general Dr. Maurit
Be'eri or Dr. Eliezer Be'eri, the deputy director-general, a social worker and
Rabbi Zvi Porat, who specializes in matters of medicine and halacha.

Parents who want to have the baby despite suspected disorders will be told what
capabilities the baby will have despite disabilities and what treatments can be
offered. The Alyn director said she hoped the new clinic would relieve parents'
fears and worries and help them cope.

ELIMINATING QUEUE FOR CHILDREN

Parents of children in the Bnei Brak area who need help for urological problems
have had to wait for three months or more to get a consultation with a
specialist. Now, the city's hospital, Ma'ayanei Hayeshua, has announced the
opening of a pediatric urology clinic that will eliminate the queue.

It is being run by Dr. Bezalel Sivan, an Orthodox specialist in the field who
did his residency at Schneider Children's Medical Center and then his
subspecialty at Cinncinnati Children's Hospital, one of the leading institutions
of its kind in the world. Referrals from the health funds are accepted. The
medical center in the largely ultra-Orthodox city began primarily as an
obstetrical hospital but has expanded to including many other services and
departments.

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NOTES: HEALTH SCAN

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Self-immolation protester's death sparks rallies

BYLINE: RUTH EGLASH and Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 450 words

Moshe Silman, the man who was critically burned when he set himself on fire last
week at a social justice protest in Tel Aviv, succumbed to his injuries on
Friday.

He was being treated at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer for burns over the
majority of his body.

Solidarity protests in his memory were held throughout the country Saturday
night and, at the spot where he set himself alight, hundreds of protesters on
Friday night lit candles and held a vigil in his name. He will be buried Sunday
afternoon in Holon.

According to friends and relatives, Silman's unfortunate situation was sparked
by one small debt to the National Insurance Institute. As that debt grew, he
lost his business, his property and his home, and eventually suffered a
debilitating stroke that left him 100-percent disabled.

Despite receiving a meager disability check from the NII, he was barely able to
purchase essential medicines, let alone pay rent on an apartment.

At last Saturday's rally, just minutes before he set himself on fire, the
57-year-old Haifa resident distributed a letter explaining why he had no choice
but to immolate himself.

"The State of Israel has stolen from me and robbed me, left me with nothing, and
the Tel Aviv District Court blocked me from getting justice," he wrote.

Silman went on to blame the state, specifically Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, for his downfall. He also
highlighted how he was consistently turned down for public housing as he did not
fit the criteria.

"He had no choices left but he was just not ready to live on the streets," Rabbi
Idit Lev, the manager of Rabbis for Human Rights' Social Justice Project, who
has been in close contact with Silman for more than a year attempting to help
him navigate bureaucracy and get the state to help him, told The Jerusalem Post
in an interview last week.

She said the irony was that if Silman had gone to live on the streets, even for
just two or three weeks he might have qualified for public housing, but he was
too proud.

Friends of Silman, who joined the social justice protest movement last summer
when he moved to Haifa, described him as a gentle man who was very bitter that
the state had let him down. Several told the Post in interviews that they had
feared he might "do something drastic."

"We knew he was fragile and could do something extreme. We tried to talk to him
and we told him it was just an issue of bureaucracy, that it would take time to
straighten things out, but obviously nothing was helping and he just got fed up
with it all," said Silman's brother-in-law, Amram Elul.

Friends and relatives issued statements Friday expressing their sorrow and
regret over Silman's death.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: MOSHE SILMAN kneels on the ground in Tel Aviv last week minutes
before setting himself on fire. (Credit: Asaf Kliger)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Love affair with Sinai unabated despite security threats

BYLINE: LINDA EPSTEIN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 640 words

Tens of thousands of young adventurous Israelis backpack to weird and wonderful
destinations every year. You will find them in the jungles of Peru and Colombia,
climbing Mt. Everest, on the beaches of Thailand, trekking in Costa Rica. But
the one place you don't seem to find them is Sinai.

Sinai still holds a mystical and magical aura for Israelis and rightly so. But
fear-mongers abound in our world, and Sinai is a favorite punching bag. That is
not to say that there is no validity in being cautious in life. Yet the question
remains - do we control our fears, or do they control us?

Israelis not going to Sinai is like Americans not coming to Israel "because it's
dangerous," as the saying goes. We who live in Israel know that Israel is not
any more dangerous than most other places in the world - including those places
where young adventuresome Israelis go backpacking. The same goes for Sinai.

Following the outbreak of the Second Intifada at the end of September 2000,
Israelis stopped going to Sinai (although my friend and I did not); they started
to go again within a couple of years; but after the bombing of the Taba Hilton
in October 2004, they stopped going altogether. The notable exception is the
Arab community of Israel.

By and large, they go to the fancy hotels in Sharm e-Sheikh (or to the Taba
Hilton); and they go with their families. It's the young Jewish Israelis who are
giving into their fears.

MY OWN love affair with Sinai began the first time I went there in 1973. It
never stopped. Nor have my visits there.

I returned last week from a four-day sojourn to my traditional visiting spot in
Sinai. It's a mere 45-minute drive once you cross the Taba border. For nearly 20
years, my friend and I have been making the short jaunt south to the bay called
Ma'agana and staying with our Beduin friends, including Salah Hossen Hoda, who
runs a local camp site called Freedom Camp.

The Beduin in Sinai who run such camps have suffered terrible distress over the
years due to the ups and downs of Israelis letting their fear get the better of
them. The Beduin in Sinai are not one collective group and should not all be
tarred with the same brush.

There are Beduin who live near Al-Arish near the Mediterranean who have been
active as smugglers for the last number of years. And there are Beduin who live
and work along the Red Sea running camping locations, such as Salah.

There are bamboo huts, spectacular scenery, brilliant snorkeling, serenity, and
great fresh food at Salah's restaurant.

For the first time, we also saw ten young Egyptian university students staying
at the same camp where we were. Older, more established Egyptians often go to
the five-star hotels; but younger Egyptians rarely had the chance in the past.

Prior to leaving Israel, everyone we knew insisted that Sinai is too dangerous;
that we shouldn't go. We are fully conversant with all the incidents which are
publicized. We also know that driving around the roads of Israel is much more
dangerous than visiting Sinai. Hundreds die here every year.

For those of us who are a bit older, we have grand memories of the Sinai of a
few decades ago. What surprised me was the reaction of young soldiers manning
the checkpoint just north of Ein Gedi along the Dead Sea. When they asked where
we were going and we said Sinai, they wanted to know if it's really possible.
They didn't even know that going there is permitted or physically possible.

Think how much wiser we would all be if more of us went to Sinai to find out for
ourselves and talked to the locals. So if you seek a short holiday, a few days
away from the maddening crowds, don't let your fears overwhelm you. Call Salah
and tell him you are on your way. Enjoy the splendor and serenity which Sinai
offers. It beckons to us all.

Call or write to Salah at 0020-100-551-1538 / Salehfreedom17@yahoo.com

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DOES THE IDYLLIC setting of Sinai compensate for its 'danger'
factor? (Credit: Linda Epstein)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

K8 sets sights on overturning first-leg deficit at home

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 296 words

Ironi Kiryat Shmona still has plenty of work to do to stay alive in the
Champions League, but its route to an historic participation in the group stage
got a whole lot clearer with Friday's draw for the third qualifying round in
Nyon, Switzerland.

Should the Israeli champion manage to overturn a 1-0 defeat to MSK Zilina when
it hosts the return leg at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium in Haifa on Tuesday it will
likely next face Azerbaijan's Neftci PFK.

Neftci holds a 3-0 lead over Georgia's FC Zestafoni.

Kiryat Shmona more than held its own in the first leg of the second qualifying
round in Slovakia last week, but faces a tricky second leg after Jozef Piacek
gave Zilina a 1-0 win with an 82nd-minute header.

The first leg of the third qualifying round will be played on July 31/August 1,
with the return leg to take place a week later.

Progress to the third qualifying round this week will also guarantee Kiryat
Shmona a place in the Europa League playoffs, while reaching the Champions
League playoffs with a victory over Zilina followed by another triumph will book
the northerners - at the very least - a place in the Europa League group stage.

Bnei Yehuda and Maccabi Netanya will encounter tough obstacles in the third
qualifying round of the Europa League, should they make it that far.

Bnei Yehuda, which took a significant step to reaching the third qualifying
round with a 2-0 home victory over FC Shirak of Armenia on Thursday, is set to
face PAOK Thessaloniki.

Netanya was drawn to play Bursaspor of Turkey, but it will first need to erase
the humbling 2-1 home loss it suffered at the hands of KuPS Kuopio of Finland in
the first leg of the second qualifying round.

The ties will be played on August 2 and 9.

Hapoel Tel Aviv will enter the Europa League at the playoff round.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Photo - EXPERIENCE FOR LEARNING

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 104 words

EXPERIENCE FOR LEARNING. Seventy educators working with Teach For America, an
NGO that assigns recent college graduates to classrooms in low-income US
communities, are here with the REALITY Israel program to deepen their commitment
to education reform and service. "Israel is a classroom for people who want to
learn about leadership in the face of extreme challenges," said Andrew Mandel,
Teach For America's vice president for special projects. The participants are
also meeting with leading Israeli educators and social entrepreneurs, including
MK Einat Wilf, who chairs the Knesset's Education, Sports and Culture Committee.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: EXPERIENCE FOR LEARNING. Seventy educators working with Teach
For America, an NGO that assigns recent college graduates to classrooms in
low-income US communities, are here with the REALITY Israel program to deepen
their commitment to education reform and service. "Israel is a classroom for
people who want to learn about leadership in the face of extreme challenges,"
said Andrew Mandel, Teach For America's vice president for special projects. The
participants are also meeting with leading Israeli educators and social
entrepreneurs, including MK Einat Wilf, who chairs the Knesset's Education,
Sports and Culture Committee. (Credit: REALITY Israel Program)

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Barak warns of military action if Syria transfers chemical weapons, other
missiles to Hezbollah

BYLINE: HERB KEINON and Reuters

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 410 words

Defense Minister Ehud Barak made clear over the weekend that Israel would take
military action if needed to ensure that Syria's advanced weapon systems and
chemical weapons do not fall into Hezbollah's hands.

"Syria has advanced anti-aircraft missiles, surface-to-surface missiles and
elements of chemical weapons," Barak said on Friday in a Channel 2 interview. "I
directed the IDF to prepare for a situation where we will need to consider the
possibility of an attack."

In an interview on Channel 10 he added that the "moment [President Bashar Assad]
starts to fall we will conduct intelligence monitoring and will liaise with
other agencies."

One government official added that Israel was concerned that in the current
disorder and confusion in Syria, the stockpile of nonconventional weapons - as
well as advanced conventional weapons - could reach "terrorist groups and other
extremist elements."

According to the official, Israel was following the situation very closely and
"looking at different contingency plans. To do otherwise would be
irresponsible." The official refused to elaborate on the contingency plans.

Soon after Barak's comments, the White House said on Saturday that the US was
closely monitoring Syria's chemical weapons stockpile and "actively consulting"
with Damascus's neighbors to stress concerns over the security of those weapons
and Syria's responsibility to safeguard them.

"We believe Syria's chemical weapons stockpile remains under Syrian government
control," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. "Given the escalation of
violence in Syria and the regime's increasing attacks on their people, we remain
very concerned about these weapons."

Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army is forming a team to secure the country's
chemical weapons, an FSA general told the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

According to the report, the rebel general was once in charge of drafting plans
to secure the same sites in his previous role in Assad's army. He came out of
retirement to join the opposition earlier this year.

"We have a group just to deal with chemical weapons," Gen. Adnan Silou told the
Telegraph.

He went on to describe two chemical weapons sites, one in east Damascus and
another near Homs, according to the report.

A Syrian military defector claimed last week that Assad's forces were moving
chemical weapons across the country for possible use against the opposition, in
retaliation for the killing of four top security officials on Wednesday.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Ehud Barak (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

PM to make case to US public linking Iran to terrorism all over the world.
Interviews part of intensified diplomatic campaign against Iran following
Bulgaria bombing. 'Washington Post' calls for international community to hold
mullahs accountable for terror

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 436 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to appear on Fox and CBS news
programs on Sunday to link Iran to last week's terrorist attack against Israeli
tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria, and to drive home the point that if this is how
Tehran acts without nuclear weapons, imagine what its behavior would be with
them.

The interviews are part of a stepped-up diplomatic campaign following Burgas to
get the world to not only condemn Iran for the incident, but also to take
measures against it for its support and involvement in international terrorism.

According to Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev, the Iranian government's denials of
involvement in terrorism - including in Burgas, where five Israelis and a
Bulgarian bus driver were killed on Wednesday - "simply have no credence
whatsoever."

Regev said that a terrorist involved in the attack on the wife of an Israeli
diplomat in New Delhi in February was first recruited by the Iranian Embassy. He
also said that three Iranian terrorists were arrested in Thailand for an attack
there that went awry in February, and two other Iranians were arrested last
month in Kenya with explosives.

In addition, men from Hezbollah, which Regev dubbed Iran's terrorist
"subcontractor," have been arrested in both Cyprus and Thailand.

Over the past year Iran has been behind some 20 terrorist initiatives, Regev
said.

One diplomatic official said Israel was in "conversations at both the working
level and the highest levels" with governments around the world to share the
facts it has about Iran and Hezbollah's involvement in both the Bulgaria attack
and the others over the past year.

Efforts to get the international community to take action against Iran for its
sponsorship of terrorism picked up support from the The Washington Post on
Saturday when the paper wrote an editorial headlined, "Holding Iran accountable
for terrorist attacks."

"The bombing of a bus in Bulgaria filled with Israeli tourists on Wednesday
underlines the grim fact that Iran is waging a war of terrorism. Using the
territory of countries across the world, working sometimes through proxies like
Lebanon's Hezbollah and sometimes with its own forces, Tehran has been
intentionally targeting not just diplomats of enemies such as Israel and Saudi
Arabia but also civilians," the paper wrote.

"If Iran suffers no consequences from its acts of terrorism, they will
continue," the paper continued. "The Security Council should review the abundant
evidence of involvement by the Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah in this year's
attacks and punish both those groups as well as the Iranian government with
sanctions."

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 437 words

65 YEARS AGO

On July 22, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that the British and French
Foreign Offices announced that the 4,500 Jewish refugees who were on board the
President Warfield, renamed Exodus 1947, would be returned to France instead of
being detained in Cyprus. They would be brought to Villefranche in three British
prison ships, until arrangements were completed for them to emigrate to
Colombia. The Jewish Agency condemned the British action and said that
liberty-loving Frenchmen and Englishmen would react with humiliation and shame
to such a proposal. The Palestine government answered that the unseaworthy
vessels endangered the "illegal" immigrants, who were incited to fight the
authorities.

A 12-year-old boy was killed and two soldiers and an interpreter and a woman
with two children were wounded when a British army jeep was blown up in Haifa.

Eliezer Orkin, a 16-year-old boy who participated in the two night attacks which
destroyed the British radar station on Mount Carmel and was caught in action,
had died in hospital. Four Arab supernumerary constables were wounded in the
second attack, which ended in a tremendous explosion.

Another indefinite night curfew was imposed on the Jewish quarters of Jerusalem.
The previous one lasted 82 days.

UNSCOP visited Syria.

50 YEARS AGO

On July 22, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that the firing of Egyptian
600-km. rockets from a base in the Western Desert did not come as a surprise to
Israeli military circles, nor was it considered here a major technical
achievement on Egypt's part. One rocket was shot "towards Falastin." US
officials expressed keen interest in Egyptian rocket achievements.

Employees of the Southern Branch of the Electric Company went on strike.

Bene Israel called for passive and active resistance against the rabbinate,
accusing it of discrimination against their community.

Fish had been found in the water pipes of a number of Negev settlements.

25 YEARS AGO

On July 22, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported that Health Minister Shoshana
Arbeli Almoslino told the Knesset that volunteers from abroad coming to work on
kibbutzim might have to be tested for AIDS.

The International Defense Review reported that Israel had successfully
test-fired a new nuclear-capable medium-range missile into the Mediterranean.

The Knesset panel approved a financial package for moshavim that required banks
and other creditors to waive NIS 118 million more in moshav debt than was
originally proposed. This called for a large government rescheduling of NIS
852m. in moshav debts, compared to NIS 953m. in rescheduling recommended by the
Ravid Committee.

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Jerusalem Post

July 22, 2012 Sunday

Photo - LIGHTS, CAMERA...

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Staff

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 83 words

LIGHTS, CAMERA... Entertainment junkies can go to the movies in style as the new
Yes Planet Rishon Lezion complex opens this week. The complex houses 26 cinemas
with a 4,000 seat capacity, four VIP halls, eateries, and the first IMAX in
central Israel. In addition YES Planet offers the first 4D theater in the
country, which is like 3D, only it includes seats bouncing around and getting
sprayed with mists of water. The cost of the entire complex is said to be in the
region of 200 million shekels.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: LIGHTS, CAMERA... Entertainment junkies can go to the movies in
style as the new Yes Planet Rishon Lezion complex opens this week. The complex
houses 26 cinemas with a 4,000 seat capacity, four VIP halls, eateries, and the
first IMAX in central Israel. In addition YES Planet offers the first 4D theater
in the country, which is like 3D, only it includes seats bouncing around and
getting sprayed with mists of water. The cost of the entire complex is said to
be in the region of 200 million shekels. (Credit: Courtesy/PR)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Photo - DEBATING THE US ELECTION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 47 words

DEBATING THE US ELECTION. 'Jerusalem Post' Managing Editor David Brinn moderates
an iVoteIsrael US election debate at AACI Jerusalem on Thursday night between
Sheldon Schorer, counsel and past chairman of Democrats Abroad Israel, and Marc
Zell, co-chairman of Republicans Abroad Israel.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: DEBATING THE US ELECTION. 'Jerusalem Post' Managing Editor David
Brinn moderates an iVoteIsrael US election debate at AACI Jerusalem on Thursday
night between Sheldon Schorer, counsel and past chairman of Democrats Abroad
Israel, and Marc Zell, co-chairman of Republicans Abroad Israel. (Credit:
Courtesy Cori Wilden)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Adrian Banks gets opportunity to shine in Summer League trial with Memphis
Grizzlies

BYLINE: DAVID ROUMANI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 11

LENGTH: 542 words

It's a whole different game when Adrian Banks steps on the court in this year's
NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Last year's BSL's leading scorer is in the process of adjusting to a new style
of play, in competing with NBA players. While Adrian is known in Europe for his
ability to score points, he understands that in Vegas he is more of a role
player, and needs to contribute in different ways in order to impress coaches.

Banks told The Jerusalem Post that, "I think for me the challenge is to showcase
other skills I have, not scoring, but defense, hustle, supporting teammates, and
just showing people that I can be a professional, both on and off the court."

Banks played college basketball at Arkansas State, and then took his game to
Belgium and most recently Israel, where he starred for Barak Netanya.

Banks acknowledged that growing up in Memphis, and being a well-known scorer in
Europe helped him gain recognition from the Grizzlies organization.

"Being the leading scorer this past year had a lot to do with it as well, plus
I'm from Memphis so I have always been familiar with the Grizzlies and their
summer workouts."

In the Summer League, teams generally expand their rosters to get a chance to
look at more young athletes; however, they usually limit the number of minutes
that each player receives.

Banks has been lucky to play in both games so far, but has only managed to tally
four points, one rebound and one assist in about seventeen minutes of play.

Though his numbers are not where he would like, Banks is still optimistic about
his opportunity to play.

"Playing time is very slim, leaving a small window to be able to perfor. For me,
getting the chance to play against the big names guys is pretty cool, it's a
test every time you step on the court."

When asked about his thoughts of taking his career to America, Banks noted, "I'm
not the kind of guy whose only determination is to join the NBA, I know my
career will most likely be established in Europe and I'm just using the summer
league to show my talents on a higher level.

"However, who knows what can happen when you have this chance."

Banks also reflected on his time spent in Israel, and has a lot of respect of
the Netanya organization.

"Netanya gave me my chance to show Europe that I can play at a high level and be
consistent over the two years that I spent with them. I've seen the teams'
popularity and fan base grow in big numbers, and they have a special way of
making you feel at home."

Jeremy Pargo, another former BSL player, is also on the Grizzlies roster. He and
Banks have faced off in the past, most notably in the 2010 Israeli All-Star
Game.

They also faced off in a Israeli slam-dunk competition, where Adrian emerged
victorious.

While Banks's top priority is basketball, he also lends a helping hand to local
charities.

In Israel, Banks was a strong supporter and volunteer at Netanya's 'Hoops for
Kids' organization.

Back home in Memphis, Banks organizes sports clinics for local children at his
church.

While he knows that he has big dreams, Banks remains grounded and realistic
about his chances.

"I don't know where my career is going next season, but the important thing is
to focus on showing NBA teams all my skills that they cannot read about on the
internet."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Interview

GRAPHIC: Photo: ADRIAN BANKS was the BSL's top scorer last season with Barak
Netanya, averaging 21.5 points per game. He is hoping to take his talents West
to the NBA, earning a Summer League roster spot with the Memphis Grizzlies.
(Credit: Asaf Kliger)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Security at El Al counters boosted amid terror concerns

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 341 words

Israel boosted security at El Al airport counters and around embassies across
the globe on Thursday amid concern that Iran and Hezbollah are plotting
additional attacks in the near future.

On Thursday, officials from the Mossad and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency)
convened a meeting to discuss future coordination and to assess the threat level
in various countries throughout the world.

Defense officials said that specific attention was being given to airports where
security was lax and to Israeli tour buses, like the one that was attacked on
Wednesday by a suicide bomber in the Bulgarian resort town of Burgas.

On Thursday, Bulgaria released video footage of the suspected bomber. He is seen
wearing shorts, a baseball hat, with long hair and a backpack. ABC News obtained
a photograph of the fake Michigan driver's license authorities found, which
named him as Jacque Filepe Martin from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Bulgaria is checking to see if the passport found on his body was also forged.

Bulgarian authorities said that the bomber had arrived in the country about four
to seven days before the bombing and that he was about 35 years old.

Security authorities said that he had carried the explosives in his backpack and
that it was possible that he had not initially intended on carrying out a
suicide attack.

"It's possible he did not plan on being a suicide bomber and instead intended to
place the bag on the bus but something went wrong. Either way, we will never
know," one official said.

Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that the bomb went off when
the bomber was standing at the entrance to the bus. In the meantime, security
has been beefed up outside of Jewish synagogues, schools and institutions in
Bulgaria.

The country is also searching for additional suspects who might have helped the
bomber arrive in Burgas and supply him with the explosives. One possibility is
that he arrived in Bulgaria via Turkey or came from a local Muslim family in
Bulgaria.

"Hezbollah has a presence in the country," one official noted.

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July 20, 2012 Friday

Ramadan begins today

BYLINE: Jeremy Sharon

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 212 words

The Islamic month of Ramadan, the period of fasting observed by Muslims around
the world, including Israel, begins on Friday. The fast is observed for 29 or 30
days between the hours of dawn and sunset, followed every day by the Iftar meal
to break the fast.

On Wednesday night, President Shimon Peres offered greetings of peace and
prosperity to the Islamic world Wednesday night in a video address posted on
YouTube.

"Salaam Aleikum. On behalf of all Israeli people, I want to extend to all
Muslims around the world my very best wishes for Ramadan. Like Muslims, so Jews
and Christians share the same values... of justice, compassion and peace.... Let
us hope that it will be a year of salaam, peace, for all of us," Peres said.

Several events are being staged during the course of the month for the Muslim
community in Israel.

Peres will host the annual Iftar dinner at the President's Residence in
Jerusalem, which will be attended by Muslim religious and community leaders from
around the country, as well as other dignitaries.

The Abraham Fund, a coexistence organization, will also host an Iftar meal,
which will be attended by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, while the
Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel will hold a special seminar during
the course of the month

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Region in brief

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Combating Iran's cycle of denial, deception, and delay

BYLINE: IRWIN COTLER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 2728 words

Next Tuesday, Iran and six major powers - the permanent members of the UN
Security Council and Germany (the P5+1) - will hold yet another "technical"
meeting in Turkey - in the words of the leading EU negotiator - also yet again -
to "look further at how existing gaps in positions could be narrowed and how the
process could be moved forward."

These technical discussions follow three sets of "substantive negotiations" in
Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow, between Iran and the P5+1, all of which ended
inconclusively.

While one may hope that the narrowed focus of these talks will somehow produce a
dramatically different result than the previous sets of both substantive and
technical negotiations, experience demonstrates that such negotiations benefit
Iran alone and are part of a comprehensive Iranian strategy. Simply put, while
negotiations continue, uranium enrichment is accelerated, the centrifuges spin,
and Tehran approaches "breakthrough" capacity for nuclear weaponization - the
whole in line with an Iranian strategy of using negotiations as a means for
advancing uranium enrichment and the nuclear weaponization program itself.

That this, in fact, may be Iranian strategy was revealed by the Iranians
themselves on the eve of the Baghdad negotiations on May 14, where Hamidreza
Taraghi, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and close to the
Iranian negotiating team, summed up the Tehran's "successes" during negotiations
as follows: First, Western countries did not want Iran to have a nuclear power
plant, but its Bushehr reactor was now connected to the national grid.

Second, the West had opposed Iran having heavy water facilities, but the country
now has one in Arak.

Third, the West had said no to any enrichment, "But here we are, enriching as
much as we need for our nuclear energy program," Taraghi said, referring to the
thousands of cascades of centrifuges spinning for years in the half-underground
facility in Natanz.

Fourth, since January, and on the eve of the resumed substantive negotiations in
Istanbul in April, dozens more advanced centrifuges were installed in the Fordo
mountain bunker complex, near Qum, built to withstand a heavy attack.

Fifth, Taraghi also said that in the Istanbul talks, Iran had managed to
convince the West of the importance of a religious edict, or fatwa, against the
possession of nuclear weapons.

In a word, Taraghi and other Iranian officials concluded that their policy
"forced the United States to accept Iranian enrichment," and in effect, the
related nuclear program.

Earlier this year, Iranian negotiator Hassan Rowhani elaborated on this
strategy: "While we were talking with the Europeans in Tehran, we were
installing equipment in parts of the facility in Isfahan." Rowhani added, "In
fact, by creating a calm environment, we were able to complete the work on
Isfahan."

Indeed, just as with Isfahan, Iranians completed their work on the secret Fordo
plant - uncovered by the West in 2009 - but where the groundwork for this
facility was laid as early as 2006 according to the International Atomic Energy
Agency - and at a time when Iran was offering to return to negotiations.

Moreover, statements this week from Iranian officials - such as Alaeddin
Boroujerdi, the chairman of an Iranian foreign policy committee - that
substantive talks will resume if sanctions against Tehran are lifted - itself an
ongoing Iranian negotiating mantra - support the notion that not only are
negotiations themselves a delaying tactic, but delaying the negotiations is
itself a tactic - part and parcel of the comprehensive Iranian 3D strategy of
denial, deception and delay: Denial of any nuclear weaponization program to
begin with; deception as to the depth and breadth of that program; and delay,
delay, delay!

In addition, the focus on the P5+1 negotiations with Iran is itself receding
from the international radar screen in the shadow of the dramatic developments
in Egypt, Syria, Libya and the like, thereby advancing the Iranian 3D strategy.

Accordingly, one may well overlook the underlying intersecting dynamics that
underpin the Iranian weaponization program and the overall toxic convergence of
the Iranian four-fold threat: nuclear; state-sanctioned incitement to genocide;
state-sponsorship of international terrorism - and indeed, Iranian footprints
appear yet again in this week's attack on Israelis in Bulgaria - possibly
through its proxy, Hezbollah; and massive domestic repression of human rights.
Simply put, this four-fold threat constitutes a clear and present danger to
international peace and security, to Middle East and regional stability, and
increasingly, and alarmingly so, to the Iranian people themselves.

An understanding of the current negotiating context requires an appreciation of
the underlying intersection dynamics, which include: First, there is the
standing violation by Iran of international legal prohibitions respecting the
development of a nuclear weaponization program. In particular, Tehran continues
to violate a series of UN Security Council resolutions involving repeated
demands for complete and comprehensive suspension of its enrichment related,
reprocessing and heavy water activities - as well as repeatedly violating its
obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by denying the IAEA
permission to openly inspect their facilities.

Second, there is compelling evidence - particularly that which has emerged from
the international nuclear monitor - the IAEA - that Tehran's nuclear program is,
in fact, a nuclear weaponization program. As international expert Anthony
Cordesman recently concluded after an examination of IAEA reports, "Anyone who
concludes that Iran is not yet pursuing a nuclear weapons program is deluding
themselves."

Third, while the comprehensive economic sanctions - themselves authorized by UN
Security Council resolutions - are having an important effect - i.e. Iranian
currency has lost half its value, inflation is above 25 percent, unemployment is
approaching 35 percents, Iranian oil sits idle in Iranian tankers - the Iranian
government is already finding ways to circumvent some of their more detrimental
effects by procuring new super-tankers from China, disabling tracking devices in
their ships, securing alternative methods of banking, and forging strong trading
relationships with countries not in the pro-Western camp.

Fourth, even countries in the pro-Western camp are continuing their trade with
Iran.

Indeed, The Jerusalem Post reported last week that "hundreds" of German and
Iranian enterprises have a "flourishing trade relationship."

In particular, German engineering giant Herrenknecht AG reportedly delivered
heavy tunnelling equipment to Iran - some of which is promoted as having the
capability of "drilling down to depths of 6,000 meters," which could facilitate
the building of an underground nuclear facility. Providing such "dual-use" items
to Iran - items that have civilian utility but could easily be used for
prohibited military purposes - is in breach of the sanctions themselves, and
runs directly contrary to the stated purposes, goals and objectives of the P5+1.

Equally troubling is the recent Swiss refusal to adopt and endorse EU sanctions
barring energy and financial transactions with Tehran. Indeed, some fear this
"loophole" may be exploited by oil companies, and it should be noted that
Switzerland is one of the top centers for oil trading, and also hosts a branch
of the National Iranian Oil Company NICO, although the country does not import
oil from Iran.

Fifth, while the P5+1 has affirmed that an Iranian nuclear weapon is
"unacceptable" - that the objective is preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear
weapon as distinct from containing a nuclear Iran - and that no option "is off
the table," the protracted negotiations and the Iranian 3D strategy exploiting
these negotiations - have undercut these declared positions of the P5+1.

Sixth, while there is increasing reference - and indeed indulgence - of the
purported fatwa issued by Khamenei prohibiting a nuclear weaponization program
as "sinful" and "contrary to Islam" - which some commentators have taken as
conclusive in and of itself that Iran's intentions are peaceful and its nuclear
program civil in intent and consequence - this ignores not only the findings of
the "military dimensions" of Iran's nuclear program, as determined, inter alia,
by the IAEA, but the permissibility within Islam itself to deceive the enemy
where it serves a higher interest - including the specific authority in Islam
for the supreme leader to do exactly that.

One should recall the report by the IAEA itself in 2009 to the effect that
Khamenei as early as 1984 had endorsed a decision by the then-leader Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini to launch a secret nuclear weapons program. In the words of
the IAEA report - and a chilling reminder of Iranian intent and consequence -
"according to Khamenei, this was the only way to secure the very essence of the
Islamic Revolution from the schemes of its enemies... and to prepare it for the
emergence of Imam Mahdi."

Accordingly, the crucial question, then, is how to prevent what the P5+1 has
deemed "unacceptable" - a nuclear Iran - given that the Iranian 3Ds have thus
far prevailed?

How do we ensure that these P5+1 negotiations succeed in halting the nuclear
weaponization program rather than continuing their path of inconclusive results,
leading to more weaponization?

There are a series of specific undertakings that Iran must be called upon to do,
and be verified as doing, if it is to comply with its international legal
obligations. Among these undertakings, which should serve as a benchmark for an
effective negotiation, are the following:

1. Iran must undertake to abide by, and fully implement, its obligations under
Security Council resolutions and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iranian compliance should not be seen as a "concession" for which the West must
necessarily reward Iran, but rather a set of obligations that Iran must
independently adhere to and comply with. Simply put, there is no Iranian "right
to enrich," the most recent of the Iranian negotiating mantras.

2. Iran must - as a threshold requirement - verifiably suspend its uranium
enrichment program, so as to counter the Iranian strategy of delay, or buying
time for a nuclear breakthrough. Indeed, as US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
put it - and international experts have similarly made this point - if the
Iranian enrichment program is not suspended, Iran will have a nuclear bomb by
the end of 2012, with all the consequences relevant thereto.

3. Iran must ship its supply of enriched uranium out of the country where it can
be reprocessed and made available to Iran, under appropriate inspection and
monitoring, for use in its civil nuclear program.

4. Iran must verifiably close - and dismantle - its nuclear enrichment plant at
Fordow, embedded in a mountain near Qom, which the Iranians had initially denied
had even existed. Otherwise, Iranian enrichment at Fordow will enter the zone of
impenetrability rendering it closed to inspection and immune from any military
strike.

5. Iran must suspend its heavy water production facilities at Arak. It is
sometimes forgotten that heavy water is an essential component for producing
plutonium, which is the nuclear component North Korea used to build its own
nuclear weapon. Simply put, the path to nuclear weaponization need not be
traveled by uranium enrichment alone - and the suspending of uranium enrichment,
however necessary, will not alone result in Iran verifiably abandoning its
nuclear weaponization program.

6. Iran must allow IAEA inspectors immediate and unfettered access to any
suspected nuclear sites. Indeed, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, Iran is bound by its obligations not to pursue nuclear weapons and to
open its nuclear sites and installation.

7. It should not be forgotten that Iranian authorities had announced - even
boasted - in 2009 and 2010 of their intention to build 10 additional uranium
enrichment facilities. The IAEA still has not received any substantive response
to its request for information about this nuclear archipelago of additional
uranium facilities.

8. Again, one should not ignore that Iran's nuclear weaponization program
continued to advance against the backdrop of the 3Ds of denial, deception, and
delay. For example, in 2007 and 2010 Iran continued to conceal its nuclear
activities by not informing the IAEA of its decision to build a new nuclear
plant at Denkhovia, or the additional enrichment facility - the aforementioned
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. Therefore, the need for inspection - and
verification - is crucial, and must include the Iranian authorities providing
the IAEA the requisite access, as the IAEA has called for, to the necessary
documentation, personnel, sites etc. that Iran is concealing.

9. Iranian authorities need to grant the IAEA access to the Parchin military
complex near Tehran. As the IAEA has reported, Iran has conducted high explosive
testing - possibly in conjunction with nuclear materials - at the complex. As
Anthony Cordesman has reported, these are "strong indicators of possible weapons
development." Yet Iranian authorities have repeatedly denied such access to the
IAEA - including refusing such visits in January and February 2012, while at the
same time dismissing the IAEA information as a set of "forgeries." Moreover,
Yukiya Amano, the IAEA chief, has called access to Parchin a "priority," citing
also the sanitization of the site - and possible removal of incriminating
evidence of weaponization - this past March.

This might explain information that emerged to the effect that the Iranians were
prepared to grant access to Parchin. Interestingly enough, Iran is already being
credited for this "concession," which its alleged sanitization - and cover-up of
the evidence - would have made such access less meaningful in any case, and
where access to Parchin alone is but a minuscule part of the undertakings to
which Iran must adhere.

10. Iran needs to allow the IAEA to install devices on centrifuges for the
monitoring of uranium enrichment levels. Simply put, Iran could move to weapons
grade uranium even if it is using only low enriched uranium, by increasing both
the number and the speed of the centrifuges.

11. As Senators Joe Lieberman, John McCain and Lindsey Graham put it in their
recent Wall Street Journal article, there needs to be an additional agreement
respecting "intrusive inspections based on the Additional Protocol under the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to ensure the Iranians aren't lying or cheating
about the full scope of their program, as they have in the past."

12. Negotiations should not ignore, marginalize or be allowed to sanitize Iran's
massive domestic repression, or provide cover for their continuance. When the US
negotiated an arms control agreement with the Soviet Union, it did not turn a
blind eye to the USSR's human rights abuses. Indeed, the Helsinki Final Act
linked the security, economic and human rights baskets. Negotiations with Iran
should do no less.

13. Nor should the negotiators ignore Iran's ongoing state-sanctioned incitement
to hate and genocide, a standing violation of the Genocide Convention. Simply
put, Iran has already committed the crime of incitement to genocide prohibited
under international law and should be called to account to cease and desist from
such incitement, and its perpetrators called to account.

In summary, given the Iranian 3D pattern of denial, deception and delay, the
whole while uranium continues to be enriched and centrifuges continue to spin -
and while the nuclear weaponization program is on the verge of a "breakthrough"
- only a verifiable abandonment by Iran of its nuclear weapons pursuits will
suffice.

For that objective to be secured, negotiations must not be a cover for the 3Ds,
but a password to full Iranian compliance with their international obligations,
and a benchmark for international peace and security.

The writer is a member of the Canadian Parliament and a former minister of
justice and attorney-general of Canada. He is co-chairman of the
Inter-Parliamentary Group for Human Rights in Iran, and a member of the advisory
board of United Against Nuclear Iran. He is a professor of Law (Emeritus) at
McGill University.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Dead Sea campaign wins PR award

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 177 words

The Israeli Spokesmanship and Public Relations Association has awarded the Dead
Sea New7Wonders of Nature Campaign the "Roaring Lion" award of the year, for its
impressive national and international outreach.

While at the end of the elections, which concluded on November 11, the Dead Sea
was not chosen as one of the seven wonders, the association deemed all the
elements of exposure conducted by the campaign's leaders as excellent and
effective, according to the Prime Minister's Office. The campaign was led by the
Prime Minister's Office and the Tourism Ministry, and included everything from a
huge digital countdown ticker on the side of Tel Aviv's Azrieli Tower to
interactive virtual lectures for students about the Dead Sea.

"I am proud to accept the award on behalf of the office I head," said Tourism
Minister Stas Meseznikov.

"This award represents the highlight in our work in promoting tourism to Israel
and the Dead Sea in particular. The fact that Israel's rare natural resource
received such international support is a source of optimism and pride."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Cooperating against terror

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 682 words

It was no coincidence that the attack in Burgas, Bulgaria took place on the 18th
anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in
Buenos Aires. The same mullahs responsible for murdering 85 on July 18, 1994,
are most likely the ones behind the bombing that killed seven innocent people -
five of them Israelis. As Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted, "all signs
lead to Iran."

Iran's spymaster, Maj.-Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the country's elite
overseas units - the Quds force of the Revolutionary Guards - was likely the man
behind the Burgas bombing. Over the past year, Iran has tried repeatedly to
carry out a deadly terrorist attack against Israelis traveling or working
abroad, as the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center has
noted.

In May of last year, there was a failed attempt to assassinate David Kimchi, the
Israeli consul in the heart of Istanbul. According to Corriere della Sera, three
Hezbollah operatives from Beirut were responsible.

In January, Thai police nabbed Hussein Atris, a Shi'ite Hezbollah operative from
south Lebanon, for planning an attack on a venue in Bangkok popular with
Israelis.

In the same month, Azerbaijan's authorities exposed a three-man terrorist cell
run by Iran that had planned to attack the Israeli ambassador to Azerbaijan and
two Chabad emissaries. An Iranian "handler" operating in Azerbaijan had
reportedly promised $150,000 to the cell and had equipped them with a sniper
rifle with a silencer, three hand guns with suppressors, and plastic explosives.

Also in January, there was also an attempt by Iranian and Hezbollah operatives
to blow up a busload of Israeli tourists traveling from Turkey to Bulgaria. But
Bulgarian authorities, apparently with help from Israeli intelligence, managed
to foil it.

On February 13, a motorcyclist attached an explosive device to the car of our
Defense Ministry representative in New Delhi. Unlike the previous attacks, in
this one someone was wounded: the Defense Ministry representative's wife. On the
same day, an explosive device was attached to an Israeli Embassy car in Tbilisi,
Georgia. Luckily a Georgian driver who felt the car was dragging something
alerted the police, whose demolition experts neutralized the bomb.

One day later, a bomb exploded in a rented apartment in Bangkok near the Israeli
Embassy. The explosion revealed the existence of an Iranian terrorist cell with
at least four operatives. Several were arrested.

AFTER MANY failed attempts to take advantage of Israelis' vulnerability abroad,
Iran has managed to carry out a terrorist attack. Cities like Bangkok, Burgas,
New Delhi and Tblisi lack Israel's security capabilities. Only through closer
international cooperation can future attacks conceived by the Islamic Republic
be prevented. One of the ways to enhance such cooperation is via international
forums, such as the recently established, US-sponsored Global Counter-terrorism
Forum.

Unfortunately, in June, when the forum had its first formal meeting in Istanbul,
Israel was conspicuously excluded from the list of participants, which included
Saudi Arabia. Apparently Turkey was opposed to Israel's participation, and the
US acquiesced or refrained from intervening on Israel's behalf. Adding insult to
injury, on July 9, while addressing another meeting of the forum in Madrid, US
Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero failed to
mention Israel as one of the states that suffers from terrorism.

The list of attempted terrorist attacks Iran has staged targeting Israelis
traveling abroad, including Wednesday's murderous bombing, is ample proof that
citizens of the Jewish state are in need of the sort of international
cooperation that US's newly created forum provides. And Israel also has much to
offer the forum. During its long battle against terrorism, Israel has become a
leading expert in counter-terrorism.

Now the US must decide whether or not it will take a stand against Turkey and
other Muslim countries and make Israel a full-fledged member of its Global
Counter-terrorism Forum.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Haredi world in mourning for departed leader

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 688 words

An outpouring of grief flowed from the haredi world Wednesday night and Thursday
following the death of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, the foremost spiritual
leader of the community.

More than 250,000 people attended the rabbi's funeral procession on Wednesday
night, coming from across the country to pay their final respects. Men, women
and children flocked to Jerusalem, expressing deep emotion for the departed
leader.

"Rabbi Elyashiv was a spiritual leader and a patriarchal figure for the
community, not only the 'Lithuanian' [non-hassidic] stream but the whole of the
haredi world including the hassidim as well," said Yisrael Cohen, a haredi
journalist for the Kikar Shabbat website.

"This is why there was such deep emotion on display last night, because the
community is truly grieved."

The sheer mass of mourners meant that the procession, which started on foot from
Elyashiv's home in Mea She'arim at 10:30 p.m., took till 2 a.m. to reach the Har
Hamenuhot cemetery.

Although Elyashiv had asked that eulogies not be said at his funeral, his
son-in-law and prominent haredi leader Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein spoke briefly
at the beginning of the procession.

"Our beloved father," he said, "we request forgiveness from you, recommend the
good for us in heaven and that the Jewish people be judged favorably."

Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteineman, who has inherited Elyashiv's status as the leader
of the non-hassidic haredi world, spoke before the funeral, saying "the
generation's leader is no longer." Shteinman tore his clothes in a sign of
mourning usually performed only by close relatives.

"He had all the most beloved things of the world and he has taken them with
him," Shteineman said, quoting a passage from the Talmud about the death of one
of the sages.

Yated Ne'eman, the influential haredi daily newspaper, printed the biblical
verse, "Father, father! Israel's chariots and horsemen" on its front page, a
citation from Kings II uttered by the prophet Elisha upon witnessing the passing
of his predecessor, the prophet Elijah.

"The crown of our heads has fallen," the paper wrote. "Torah was his entire
life; he toiled in it for more than 100 years without limit or measure. He bore
on his shoulders this generation."

Speaking with The Jerusalem Post, Yisrael Cohen said that despite the tremendous
grief felt by the ultra-Orthodox community, it remains unclear whether or not
there will be a weakening of the leadership following Elyashiv's departure.

"Rabbi Elyashiv was accepted immediately following the passing of Rabbi Shach
[the previous rabbinic leader of the haredi community] and so he was
automatically a consensus figure. He had the last word in all matters and people
accepted his authority," Cohen said.

Although this has not been the case with Rabbi Shteinman, Cohen explained, time
will tell and it may be that the community coalesces around him and accepts him
as it has accepted others before him.

Shteinman has fought something of a leadership battle during Elyashiv's
six-month hospitalization before his death with Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, another
leading haredi rabbi.

Shteinman, 98, nevertheless enjoys the support of some of the other leading
rabbinical figures including Rabbi Haim Kanievsky and Rabbi Nissim Karelitz.

"Rabbi Shteinman is a different type of person with different qualities, and so
his leadership may be different but he could well prove to be a great leader as
well," Cohen said.

"He is more active than Rabbi Elyashiv was, who preferred to study and address
questions of Jewish law, and did not like to involve himself in public matters
unless forced to do so."

Cohen added that despite the public perception that there is always only one
undisputed rabbinic leader of the generation, there has often been more than one
outstanding scholar and authority in the haredi community.

"During the time of the Hazon Ish (Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz) there was
also the Brisker Rov (Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik), during Rabbi Shach's
time there was also the Steipler (Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky), so the
community can be united and strong even when there are several leading
scholars," he added.

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

From our Archives

BYLINE: Alexander Zvielli

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 276 words

65 years ago: On July 20, 1947, The Palestine Post reported that the Jews of
Palestine put down their tools at 4 p.m. in protest against the deportation of
4,500 refugees who arrived on board of the ship Exodus 1947 and against the
killing of three refugees. The funeral of the three, who fell in a fierce battle
between the British Navy and the Hagana, was held in Haifa. The arrival of
Exodus 1947 and the battle topped all BBC and British press reports. The Jewish
Agency charged the British with wanton policy and cruelty. Those who witnessed
the transport of refugees to the deportation steamers saw the tragedy of the
past 36 hours as a compressed 20 centuries of Jewish homelessness and disaster.

50 years ago: On July 20, 1962, The Jerusalem Post reported that the acting
housing minister, Yosef Almogi, had opened the debate on his ministry's budget
at the Knesset. Almogi said that the government planned to build 28,000 housing
units for new immigrants within a year.

Egyptian authorities refused Elizabeth Taylor a visa to join other members of
the cast of her new film, Cleopatra, which was shooting scenes on location in
Alexandria.

A special study mission arrived to mark the United Jewish Appeal's 25th
anniversary. UJA had raised more than $1,300 million since 1938, which was used
for the rescue through resettlement of some 1.5 million Jews.

Zvi Gindel, 52, of Beersheba, an owner of a Negev quarry and rock-crushing plant
in Dimona, destroyed it with the assistance of his wife and a 14-year-old
daughter, and surrendered himself to police. Gindel protested against government
bureaucracy, which had promised him a IL 10,000 development loan.

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Coalition collapse won't stop haredi enlistment

BYLINE: DANIEL GOLDMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 859 words

How predictable! The largest political coalition in the state's history
collapses in little more than two months. Ninety-four MKs could not agree on the
only meaningful issue for which they joined together. But don't be fooled by
what looks on the face of things like a huge lost opportunity.

The reality is that with or without the coalition's success, the legal process
around the replacement of the "Tal Law" is simply another stage in the process
of change that we are already experiencing. Simple justice demands that the
situation created more than 60 years ago, under circumstances that are very
different to today, whereby blanket deferrals are given to an entire community,
be remedied. This remedy should not be created through back room deals and
opaque political acrobatics, but by having an honest and open discussion among
the groups that find themselves on opposite sides of the barricades.

Underpinning this lays a much more complex societal reality, which requires
greater understanding than the current political mess affords:

1) Balancing the blame: All sides are equally to blame for letting this
situation become the huge shadow hanging over Israeli society. It may have been
convenient for haredi society to pretend that the same social contract created
when they were 2 percent of the population could work when they are now 15
percent of the population and rapidly growing. At the same time, governments of
all political persuasions have found it convenient to ignore the long-term
challenge in favor of short-term political gain. Everyone must act today to
ensure we remedy this problem in a genuine and sustainable fashion.

2) Haredim are more than black and white: There is a great dissonance within the
haredi community itself. Rather than suffering from multiple-personality
disorder, it is going through a series of very complex changes alongside
continued growth. On the one hand there are leaders desperately trying to
sustain a century-old war with Zionism. On the other hand there are thousands of
young haredim serving in the army and getting a university level education. And
while some spiritual leaders (or their representatives) issue ever-harsher
decrees and stringencies in an effort to keep their flock in line and under
control, a growing portion of the haredi street is no longer really paying
attention to their rulings. This dichotomy demands a more nuanced approach to
what we broadly refer to as the haredi sector.

3) Think long-term to succeed: A problem left to fester for 60 years cannot be
solved overnight with any legal magic wand. Instead, changes to legislation must
be accompanied by investment in social change.

Discussion between community leaders must take place. Dialogue and
consensus-building takes time, and without it we risk an even more dangerously
divided future.

Let me be clear, I am not suggesting we let things remain as they have been.

However, we can learn something from the classic debate between two schools of
thought within the philosophy of science. One is represented by Karl Popper who
suggested that progress is made in an evolutionary manner, whereas Thomas Kuhn
claimed that progress comes in a non-linear fashion with more radical shifts
than through smooth progress.

When we look at the question of how the haredi community (or more accurately
communities) will look in the future, both in relation to themselves and perhaps
more important their bilateral relations with the rest of Israeli society, we
are caught between these two competing views.

It is clear that change is afoot, both behaviorally and culturally, within the
haredi world. At the same time it is frustrating to watch this develop from the
outside at what feels like too slow a pace. We naturally feel obliged to attempt
to accelerate this process or processes, either with carrot or stick, and yet at
the same time we are rightly concerned that this social intervention may end up
leading to the opposite of the desired result. Most of all we are outraged by
the manipulation of politicians, from all sides, as they play out a script that
we all would have been capable of writing for them.

I am deeply optimistic about the developments that we are witnessing, while
having to control, like you, my anger at the thought that injustice will
continue. It will take time for the situation to change, but in life we can
really only worry about the things that we have some control over.

So to encourage the changes already under way, without undermining their
momentum or tearing our young nation apart, we must each take responsibility.
Israel and the Jewish people must build a better understanding of one another
and the role we each play in our future as a people. Every of us must find his
or her way to be involved in the great debate on how Israeli society should look
in 15 or 20 years. We are a privileged generation, but we are called upon to
understand more fully the meaning of our own Jewish and Israeli identity and to
take control of where it is heading. We simply cannot afford to sustain the
status quo.

The writer is chairman of Gesher and managing partner at Goldrock Capital, a
private equity firm.

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The ex-vice premier justifies his leap

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 976 words

The first question for Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz was going to be how he would
feel when Israel made a big decision on Iran and he was not there.

Then came the assassinations in Syria. And then the terrorist attack took place
in Bulgaria. And he wasn't there.

Mofaz's resignation only took effect on Thursday night. But he already stopped
functioning as vice premier on Monday when he decided to remove his Kadima Party
from the coalition.

The Kadima leader turned down an invitation from Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu to join him and his deputies at a meeting with US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Monday night, and he started planning his departure.

Mofaz's first step was to postpone Kadima's faction meeting from Monday to
Tuesday because he did not want to have to play politics while Clinton was in
town.

"I met with Hillary in Washington last month," he said. "I didn't want to put on
a show by coming at night and quitting the following day. I already knew I was
leaving, and I didn't want to show Hillary disrespect."

What Mofaz neglected to say was that by not coming, he avoided a meeting with
Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon when
Clinton left. He would have come under enormous pressure to cancel his departure
plans, and his mind was already made up.

As opposition leader, Mofaz will be entitled to meetings with visiting
dignitaries even though Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin defied
protocol and avoided convening with Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich when she
held the post.

In an interview in the waning hours of his vice premiership, Mofaz did not sound
too troubled about losing his influence or about not being there when key
decisions will be made.

Don't you feel odd not being called in for consultations with Netanyahu now on
Bulgaria?

Yes, but things happen.

At such times, do you regret leaving?

There are red lines you cannot cross. We gave the prime minister a coalition he
could have used to make historic decisions. When the time came for those
decisions, he retreated. A prime minister with such a wide coalition would be
expected to draft a new covenant with the Israeli public and bring the haredim
and Arabs to the heart of Israeli society. Israel lost out because he didn't.

Kadima did not ask for ministries when we joined. We asked to advance our
banners of equalizing the burden of IDF service, passing a budget that could
help bridge socioeconomic gaps, stabilizing the electoral system and advancing
the peace process. When Netanyahu stopped step one, there was no point in
continuing the partnership.

There were two weeks left to reach a compromise. Why did you give up so fast?

We could have left when Netanyahu dispersed the Plesner Committee. Then he and
the Likud adopted the recommendations and then he retreated again. Netanyahu's
last proposal would not have satisfied the public that serves in the IDF, and it
would not have satisfied the Supreme Court either. He still thought haredi army
service could start at 23 and civil service at 26. That's nothing but a bad
joke.

Weren't you close to reaching a compromise?

We tried, but when we got closer, Ya'alon met with haredim and people in his
party and retreated from commitments he made. We shifted the negotiations from
politicians to lawyers but we still disagreed on the obligation to serve, at
what age, and issues of personal responsibility and criminal sanctions. When the
time came for Netanyahu to decide between Zionist taxpayers who serve and draft
evaders, he picked the evaders. For three and a half years under Tzipi Livni's
leadership, no one understood what we stood for. Now it is clear.

What happens when it is time for a key decision on Iran?

I will be there as head of opposition. I will have something to say. The law
requires the prime minister to update the opposition leader. On Iran, my view is
that the United States should lead the way. I heard Obama a month ago tell me
three times "I am committed to preventing Iran from becoming nuclear." He made
clear his strategy is prevention, not containment. That says it all. There is
time for sanctions to end Iran's nuclear program. I want to warn that an early
strike by Israel can create a harsh reality. I will be there to give this
warning. I assure you that I will have something to say.

Can the diplomatic process with the Palestinians be advanced without Kadima in
the coalition?

I didn't get the impression that Netanyahu is poised for that. He had an
opportunity to advance the talks, but he didn't. I don't know if he was the one
who blocked me from meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
I can still meet him as opposition leader.

A few weeks before you joined the government, you were quoted saying you would
lead this summer's socioeconomic protests. Will you do that now?

The protests are not led by politicians. But I will help the protests in any way
possible and I would have in the government as well. The same is true of the
protests for equalizing the burden of service. Kadima will have something to
say.

Will Kadima remain united? There are MKs who still want to leave.

The stories of a split in Kadima have been reported for four years, but the only
party that split was Labor. Every party has voices that disagree. We had 25 MKs
out of 28 vote in favor of leaving the coalition. That can't be underestimated.
Such votes are the true test of unity.

How do you avoid efforts to initiate another Kadima leadership race?

Kadima has bylaws about such things. The results of the primary I won were
clear. There is no doubt I am the leader. People see where Livni led Kadima for
three and a half years in which we lacked an identity. Now the public knows why
we joined the government and why we left. I brought Kadima back to center stage
on the issues that matter and we will keep fighting for them in the opposition.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: POLITICS. Shaul Mofaz tells the 'Post' that the public will understand
Kadima defending its principles

GRAPHIC: Photo: SHAUL MOFAZ with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in
Washington last month. The Kadima leader turned down an invitation to meet with
Clinton this week as he already knew he was on his way out of the coalition.
(Credit: US State Department)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

From ZIRP to NIRP

BYLINE: PINCHAS LANDAU

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 829 words

It will hardly be news to readers of this column that interest rates on most of
the leading currencies are extremely low, verging on zero, and have been that
way for some time. For years, in fact: the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of
England cut their interest rates down to very near zero during the crisis of
2008-09; since then they have not raised short-term rates but have instead
sought to push down the rates of interest available in the market for government
debt of steadily longer duration - first up to one year, then out to two years,
and so on.

The ECB, when it was still under the influence of the Bundesbank, tried to raise
rates as the European crisis intensified. But under the presidency of Mario
Draghi it has reversed its policy stance and is now pushing rates down. As for
the Bank of Japan, it has spent some 15 years in an ongoing, but futile, efforts
to counter the entrenched deflationary pressures at work in the Japanese economy
by holding short-term interest rates near zero and buying longer-term bonds.

This policy position is known by the acronym ZIRP - zero interest rate policy.
In practice, none of these central banks, not even the Japanese one, has
actually dropped the rate of interest it charges banks to borrow from it to
absolute zero. But near-zero rates have had significant side effects, and these
have not necessarily been the ones the central bankers aimed for: namely,
spurring new business lending by commercial banks. The ultra-low interest rates
available to savers has meant that anyone seeking to live off their savings has
been heavily punished, and the cumulative impact on pension savings is a very
serious matter in its own right.

Nevertheless, the ZIRP policy remains in place, and there has been much talk
recently of a move to NIRP - negative interest rate policy, in which central
banks will lend accept deposits from commercial banks only if the latter pay the
borrower to accept their money. This sounds off the wall, but it is a reflection
of a situation in which countries are being divided into two groups: those seen
as capable of repaying their debts and those seen as likely to default. As the
situation of the weaker countries - notably the PIIGS group of periphery
countries in the euro zone - deteriorates, there has been a huge shift of funds
from them to strong countries, both within the euro zone and outside it.

The result of this capital flight from crumbling banking systems, economies and
countries to those perceived to be more stable has been to create extraordinary
imbalances and unprecedented strains on the international financial system.
These imbalances are expressed by the amazing interest-rate differentials
between the two groups of countries. Germany, along with Holland, Finland and
Denmark, and of course Switzerland, were able to issue new bonds offering zero
interest rates. People were happy to park their money with these governments for
no return whatsoever.

The Swiss were the first to go beyond zero rates. The Swiss have spent the last
year defending the exchange rate of 1.20 franc to the euro that they declared
unilaterally, after the franc soared in value to parity with the euro. This
policy forces them to buy huge quantities of euros and sell francs, and to issue
government bonds to "mop up" the excess francs. But so great is the demand to
hold francs that interest rates on short-term Swiss government paper has turned
negative. People are paying the Swiss government for the honor of lending to it.

Now, however, this supposedly incredible and irrational phenomenon is not
limited to Swiss government paper. On the contrary, the list of countries in
which the market has pushed interest rates for bonds of as long as two years'
duration - not just Treasury bills - into negative territory is steadily
expanding and on Tuesday included Germany, Holland and Denmark, as well as
Switzerland. The yield on two-year bonds of eight other countries - US, UK,
Japan, Canada, Sweden, France, Austria and Finland - was at less than 1 percent.
Meanwhile, the yields on bonds of the troubled countries, such as Spain,
continue to climb - because no one wants to buy those countries' debt.

In other words, the rate of return being offered on government loans is no
longer a primary factor in determining investment decisions. As we have noted
here so often over recent years, what matters more and more is "return OF
capital" - whether the borrower will repay the money lent to him - and not
"return ON capital," or the rate of interest the borrower offers the lender for
the duration of the loan.

This state of affairs seems not just weird but unsustainable. That may be so,
but it's worth remembering that Treasury bill yields in the US, which are also
around zero today, traded at that level for several years in the late 1930s.
Remember, too, that if indeed the developed economies are slipping into
deflation, then zero is actually a positive real return.

landaup@netvision.net.il

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Kicking racism

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 2331 words

Although we would like to think otherwise, racism has crept into the Israeli
psyche. It manifests itself most among soccer fans, especially when an all-Arab
team or a team that includes Arab players is playing a team whose supporters are
on the far right of the political map. Racist slurs emanating from the crowd are
shouted by juveniles.

Some years ago, the Peres Center for Peace introduced soccer seminars in which
mixed teams of Israelis and Palestinians learned to play together in Israel then
went abroad to play other teams. The players learned to live together and
respect one other, and in many instances formed friendships because they related
to each other as human beings without political, ethnic or religious trappings.

Minister for Public Diplomacy Yuli Edelstein has decided to tackle the racism
issue closer to home. Together with former international soccer star Haim
Revivo, Edelstein this week launched a project designed to nip racism in the bud
- or more accurately, to kick it in the butt. The idea is to set up mixed
Arab-Jewish youth teams around the country. The teams will be mentored by
well-known sporting personalities, including past and present coaches and
players, both Jewish and Arab.

The project, which was launched at the Jewish-Arab Center in Jaffa, will
initially take off in Jaffa, Acre and Lod, where there are large mixed
populations, and will then be extended to other cities and towns. The kickoff
for the launch was a showcase game between Jaffa and Lod, with each fielding
mixed teams.

* REGARDLESS OF the fame and honors accumulated in the course of a lifetime,
there's always one in the twilight of someone's career which is more meaningful
than all the rest. Case in point is the Medal of Distinction which President
Shimon Peres conferred last month on former US secretary of state Henry
Kissinger. At the time, Kissinger, in an emotional address, noted how much this
particular honor would have meant to his parents and what it meant to him in
relation to all previous honors that he had received. He followed up with a
letter of thanks to Peres which adds emphasis to what he said in Jerusalem. "No
honor that has come my way has moved me more," he wrote.

Similarly, Peres, who over the years has been the recipient of many honors from
many countries, cannot free himself of the pride he feels in having received
America's Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama a few days
prior to conferring the Medal of Distinction on Kissinger.

The Medal of Freedom means so much to Peres that he manages to inject a
reference to it into his remarks at almost every public event. When hosting a
reception for Israel's Olympic team a couple of weeks ago, he urged the members
to come home with medals, stating: "It's very pleasant to receive a medal. I say
this from experience - though not in the field of sport."

This week, Peres was saved from having to allude to his medal. US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton did it for him when she said in the presence of the media,
"We were so honored to have you in the White House last month and, as President
Obama said when he awarded Shimon the Presidential Medal of Freedom, no
individual has done so much over so many years to build the alliance between our
two countries to bring not just our governments but our people closer together."

* AS FOR the Olympic Games, everyone is trying to get in on the act.

Samsonite Israel marketing manager Yarden Wachs, at a reception held at Herods
Hotel in Tel Aviv, presented everyone in the Israeli Olympic team, including
officials, with a Samsonite trolley case in the same shade of blue as the team's
blazers.

IPass has provided wireless Internet services for smart phones, tablets and
laptops for the members of the team, in addition to which Samsung has
distributed Samsung Galaxy S III phones to the team with special apps that will
enable fans to communicate with athletes directly and give them that extra dose
of encouragement on their Facebook pages.

Shufersal has encouraged customers to record good wishes to the team and to take
home a CD featuring the theme song of the Israeli Olympic team. And that's just
the short list.

Because of the time difference between Beijing and Tel Aviv, the Chinese
ambassador was able to host a mammoth reception in the Port of Tel Aviv four
years ago for the opening of the Beijing Olympics, without infringing on the
Sabbath. Unfortunately, British Ambassador Matthew Gould does not have the same
luxury, because the games open on Friday night.

* HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT Janos Ader was in Israel for the Knesset commemoration of
the 100th anniversary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, who, while serving as
first secretary of the Swedish Legion in Hungary, was, with the help of
colleagues from other diplomatic missions, able to save thousands of Hungarian
Jews from deportation to the gas chambers.

It was not an easy visit for Ader because, in discussions with Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and President Peres, with whom
he had an intimate working dinner at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, there
was an addition to the usual topics of Iran, regional turmoil and the upheavals
of the European economy: Ader also had to contend with Israeli criticism of the
resurgence of anti-Semitism in his country and the identification with
anti-Semitic organizations by several prominent Hungarians. Ader invited both
Peres and Netanyahu to visit Hungary. His conversation with Peres included
advancing scientific cooperation between Israel and Hungary.

* MEMBERS OF the North African and Sephardi communities who are first, second
and third-generation Holocaust survivors are often embittered by the fact that
their suffering was not recognized, or if they did eventually receive
reparations from Germany, it was more than 30 years after the Germans started
paying reparations to Jews from Eastern and Central Europe. Although his
family's history is not linked to the Holocaust, Haifa lawyer and history buff
Yehuda Even-Haim, who is of Moroccan background, wants the world to know what
happened to the Jews of Tunis and Libya and other countries in the region under
the Nazi boot.

This week, Even-Haim, who also writes children's stories about the Holocaust,
came to Jerusalem to talk about the concentration and death camps in Libya and
Tunis and showed clips from documentary films that proved that the Jews of Libya
and Tunis had fared just as badly as their brethren in Europe. Even-Haim started
his lecture at the Uri Zvi Greenberg Center by reciting the names of some of the
concentration camps in the Sahara Desert. Hardly anyone in the room had heard of
any of them. No one had heard of all of them.

"You're all intelligent people," said Even-Haim. "If you haven't heard of them,
what do you think high school students know about the Holocaust in North Africa
and how Libya almost became part of the final solution?"

The situation with North African survivors is even worse in terms of preserving
memory than it is with Europeans, he said. In most cases, North Africans who
survived simply didn't talk about it. Their children don't know and if their
children don't know, their grandchildren cannot be expected to know.

The question remains as to why they didn't talk. One man offered an explanation:
maybe after hearing what happened in Auschwitz, they thought that their own
suffering could not compare, and they had no numbers on their arms as proof of
where they had been. Even when persuaded to give testimony, they found it
difficult to express themselves. In one of the films shown by Even-Haim, a
husband and wife who were both survivors wept, not really wanting to remember
and finding it painful to say anything. These attitudes have made Even-Haim even
more determined in his research with the aim of righting an historical wrong.

* FORMER PRESIDENT of the Hebrew University Prof. Hanoch Guttfreund caused some
frustration at the awards ceremony in which well-known journalist Bambi Sheleg,
who already has several prizes to her credit, was awarded the Sam and Ethel
Flegg Memorial Prize for exceptional contributions between different streams in
contemporary Judaism. This is Sheleg's specialty, as evidenced in Eretz Aheret,
the magazine that she founded specifically to provide a platform for the
expression of Jewish thought through adherents to the various streams of
Judaism.

Guttfreund announced that Sheleg would give her address, after which there would
be reactions from respondents followed by questions and comments from the floor.
Well, the introduction took a while, Sheleg's speech took somewhat longer and
the three respondents each ran over the time allotted, with the result that
there was no time for questions asked or comments, which was extremely
frustrating to members of the audience, given the wide range of food for thought
with which they had been presented.

* WHEN SPEAKING of surrogate mothers, the popular definition is a woman who
carries the fertilized ova of another woman who cannot for whatever reason carry
a pregnancy. But there are other kinds of surrogate mothers who perform no less
noble an act.

Facilitating a birth is a wonderful gift to a childless couple yearning for
parenthood, but what about abandoned infants who need the security of a mother's
love, who need to be carried close to a mother's heart and to feel the embrace
of her arms?

There are surrogate mothers who do this too. Among them is Dana Yaniv, from
Caesarea, who has four children of her own. As busy as she is taking care of
their needs, she is not too busy to pay a daily visit to the Hillel Yaffe
Medical Center to cuddle a baby boy, sing songs to him and give him the feeling
of a warm and loving mother who cares. She has been doing this for more than a
month.

The infant was born with a number of complications and requires long-term
treatment. The hospital staff provides him with all the medical care that he
needs but simply do not have the resources to give him emotional support as
well. The infant is an adorable child and everyone who sees him falls in love
with him at first sight. His biological mother is a drug addict whose habit
impacted the baby while he was still in the womb.

Yaniv is part of the First Hug project, with which Hillel Yaffe has been
associated for the past two years. The organization was formed in 2004 by
mothers whose hearts and arms reached out to abandoned babies. Up until two
years ago, says Anat Naveh, the social work in the hospital's neo-natal and
premature births department, there was no need for anyone from First Hug because
there were no abandoned babies in the ward.

The first case, two years ago, was born to a young mother who said she could not
raise her baby and simply left her. The infant was born prematurely and spent a
lot of time in the ward. Realizing that the tiny girl needed affection, the
hospital got in touch with First Hug and has maintained contact ever since.

Yaniv and others like her spend four hours a day with their "surrogate" babies
until they go into foster care or are adopted.

According to Hillel Yaffe, there are some 300 newborns abandoned by their
parents each year for any number of reasons. First Hug tries to make their lives
as normal as possible.

* PORTUGAL'S AMBASSADOR to Israel, Miguel Almeida e Soussa, this week appointed
Yoni Isakov the proprietor and director-general of Coral Maritime Services, as
honorary Portuguese consul. Isakov, who was born in South Africa, has lived in
Israel since he was 12 years old. On completion of his army service he enrolled
at the University of Haifa and has a BA in economics and political science. Some
25 years ago, he started working in the operations division of CMS on the Haifa
Port and worked his way through the ranks. Isakov is also the owner of Marine
Pollution Services, which is dedicated to making the sea as pollution-free as
possible.

Very soon after arriving in Israel, the ambassador hosted a national day
reception at his residence in Kfar Shmaryahu and almost immediately afterwards
was busy preparing the visit of his country's minister of agriculture. Now he's
organizing the visit of the minister of science as well as that of a large
business delegation, and is getting ready for several other high-level visits in
the months ahead. These visits will now be organized with Isakov's assistance
and are designed to enhance relations between Portugal and Israel.

* IT'S BEEN a very busy time for Japanese Ambassador Hideo Sato, with the volume
and variety of events in different parts of the country as part of the 60th
anniversary celebrations of Japan's relations with Israel.

This week he attended the opening in Jerusalem of the "Crossplay: Male Actors,
Female Roles in Kabuki Theater" exhibition at the Israel Museum, and on Sunday
he will be in Haifa for the opening at the Tikotin Museum of "Double Vision," an
exhibition of Japanese contemporary art. He may be back at the Israel Museum in
August for a Kabuki lecture and demonstration, and there several other Japanese
events planned elsewhere in the country. Israel Museum director James Snyder
described the Kabuki exhibition as "a jewel of an exhibition."

Sato said that Kabuki theater has been entertaining Japanese audiences for more
than 400 years and continues to do so. Sato's public speaking is usually in
Hebrew, in which he is entirely fluent, but out of deference to Snyder he spoke
in English, though Snyder's Hebrew is quite good.

The opening of the Japanese exhibition was also an opportunity for people who
had not yet seen it to look at the wonderful exhibition of hassidic life which
is being displayed in multi media under the title "A World Apart Next Door."

According to Snyder, this exhibition has drawn unprecedented crowds, including
large numbers of haredim who might not otherwise visit a museum. The exhibition
has been put together in the most dignified manner and deals with a variety of
hassidic movements.

greerfc@gmail.com

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: GRAPEVINE

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: TENNIS PLAYERS Yoni Erlich and Andy Ram flank Yarden Wachs,
the marketing manager of Samsonite Israel. YONI ISAKOV receives official
accreditation as honorary consul of Portugal from Portugal's ambassador to
Israel. (Credit: Rafi Deloya. Osim Inyan Communications)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

900 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Peres pays condolence visit to Elyashiv's family

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 357 words

President Shimon Peres visited Jerusalem's Mea She'arim neighborhood on Thursday
morning to pay a condolence call on the family and closest aides of Torah giant
Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 102
following a prolonged illness.

When Peres stepped through the doorway of what had been Elyashiv's humble home,
it was not the first time. He had visited with him before, most recently in
October 2009, sitting at the narrow table at which Elyashiv used to study. The
room was small, and the few aides who attended the rabbi, together with Peres's
aides, all but filled up any vacant space.

When the president arrived at the house on Thursday morning, though, there were
considerably more people in the room - members of the family who had begun the
week of mourning, and many others who had come to commiserate with them. The
president offered words of sympathy to Elyashiv's three sons and two daughters,
and expressed his own personal sadness at the rabbi's departure from the world.

He spoke of his many years of acquaintance with Elyashiv, who he said had been
unique in his modesty and in his integrity. Peres recalled Elyashiv's vision and
wisdom and said the rabbi had taken upon himself all the burdens of the Jewish
people. He had boundless understanding for the needs of the nation and the
Jewish people, said Peres, and in this way made an enormous contribution to the
state.

"Even though his body became weak, his mind remained clear, and studying Torah
with yeshiva boys was the most important item on his agenda," the president
said. He also credited Elyashiv with a keen comprehension of politics, a factor
that enabled him to recognize extremism in others and to use his influence to
prevent a split in the nation.

The day before, tens of thousands from all over the country accompanied Elyashiv
on his final journey.

"He fled from honors all his life," said Peres. "Only after his death could
people come in their multitudes to demonstrate how much they appreciated him.
There are no words of comfort when a man of his caliber passes. The only comfort
is that his spirit will remain with us forever."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: PRESIDENT SHIMON Peres offers his condolences to the family of
Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv in Jerusalem yesterday. (Credit: Yosef Avi Yair
Engel)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

901 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Temperatures - and blackout risk - to ease this weekend

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 514 words

After a week of blistering heat, meteorologists expect thermometers to begin
returning on Friday to more seasonable numbers.

Through Thursday night, severe heat stress persisted in most of the country,
with temperatures reaching the 40s-Celsius in Eilat and the high 30s in
Jerusalem - and high humidity drenching cities along the Mediterranean coast.

On Friday, there will be considerable relief in the heat stress, but
temperatures will remain unseasonably warm, according to Israel Meteorological
Services. On Saturday, however, the meteorologists expect temperatures to return
to seasonal norms.

Such high temperatures in Israel are not considered "exceptional events" when
they occur for a string of two to three days, and such events occur annually,
according to the Israel Meteorological Services. But a heat wave that lasts
seven or eight days, as it did this time, is somewhat abnormal in certain parts
of the country, the IMS said in a report.

Some regions - such as Jerusalem, Kfar Blum in the Galilee Panhandle, and
Beersheba and other southern locations - have not seen such a prolonged heat
wave for more than 50 years, the report added.

Meanwhile, for the second day in a row, peak demand electricity set an all-time
high on Thursday, reaching 11,920 megawatts at 2:10 p.m., the Israel Electric
Corporation said. Maximum generation capacity for Thursday stood at 12,500
megawatts with a 580-megawatt reserve. For most of the day, the power level on
the IEC's website remained at a "yellow" level, during which the IEC is working
to stabilize electricity supply around the country. By late afternoon, however,
the levels had approached the more critical "orange" stage, during which demand
is becoming dangerously close to supply.

On Wednesday, demand had also broken a record, reaching 11,680 megawatts, while
production capacity stood at only 11,880 megawatts, with just a 200-megawatt
reserve.

The increased production capacity on Thursday came as the Orot Rabin power plant
in Hadera, which had been out of service for about a week, once again became
operational on Wednesday night, adding 575 megawatts to the IECs generation
capacity.

"It must be noted that the public's response in refraining from using appliances
during peak hours was essential and significant," said IEC's CEO, Eli Glickman.
"We believe that the lowered demand reduced the electricity demand yesterday by
300 to 350 megawatts."

With cooler temperatures expected this weekend, the IEC said that the burden on
the electricity supplies will be eased, especially with the return to operation
of the Hadera power plant.

"After several difficult days, the public deserves a medal for saving the
electricity sector [on Wednesday] and [Thursday] about 300 to 350 megawatts each
day," Glickman said.

He stressed the importance of transparency and open communication with the
public, encouraging people to make use of the IEC's new Facebook page, as well
as media messages now translated into English, Arabic and Russian.

"Summer is not over and I call upon the public to continue to cooperate with
us," Glickman said.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: A WOMAN washes her face in a fountain to escape the Jerusalem
heat. (Credit: Illustrative photo/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

902 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Talking about terror in Burgas, thinking about Iran with nukes

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 589 words

It's not every day that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu calls the press
together to deliver a particular message, in his own voice and not via a written
communique.

In fact, it is something he seldom does - it has happened maybe only half a
dozen times over the more than three years since he came to power in 2009.

So when his office let it be known Thursday afternoon that Netanyahu would
deliver a short statement on the terrorist bombing in Bulgaria, there were some
who expected a dramatic statement.

They were disappointed.

Netanyahu's brief statement was no operative announcement about when, where and
how Israel would respond to the attack that the prime minister said - without
equivocation - had come from Hezbollah and Iran.

But though the statement was not overly dramatic, it was highly significant.
What Netanyahu did was take the horrific attack and hold it up to the world as
an example of Iranian behavior. This, he said in so many words, is how Tehran
acts now. Imagine how it will act if it gets nuclear weapons.

"There is nothing that reveals the true face of our enemies more than despicable
terror attacks against us," Netanyahu said. "They attacked and killed innocent
civilians - families, youth, children, people who went for an innocent vacation,
and their only crime was being Israeli and Jewish."

Netanyahu said unequivocally - based on intelligence information - that the
attack in Bulgaria was the work of Hezbollah, which he called "the long arm of
Iran." For more than a year, he said, Iran and its client Hezbollah have carried
out a terror campaign that has reached five continents. Many of those
responsible for some of the more than 20 attacks he was referencing, but did not
spell out, have been arrested and interrogated.

Indeed, according to government officials, the man arrested in Cyprus late last
month for preparing an attack there has admitted under interrogation to being a
Hezbollah operative, and his modus operandi for carrying out the thwarted attack
in Cyprus was identical to the modus operandi of the attack in Bulgaria.

"I believe the time has come for all the countries of the world who know the
truth - not just Israel - to clearly state the truth," Netanyahu said. "Iran is
responsible for this wave of terrorism. Iran is the No. 1 exporter of terrorism
in the world. It is forbidden for a terrorist state to have nuclear weapons. It
is forbidden for the world's most dangerous country to get the world's most
dangerous weapons."

The prime minister's statement was not about terrorism, a scourge Israel has
battled for years and will continue to battle in various forms for years to
come. No, this statement was about a nuclear Iran, using an act of terror to
show the world clearly the dangers of such a nuclear state.

Netanyahu took an incident the world roundly condemned and said, "Look, this is
what Iran does, this is what the regime is. This is a country that does not play
by the rules or respect international norms of behavior. This is how that
country acts now. How will it behave with weapons of mass destruction?"

While there was nothing brilliantly new in this message - the reasonable
countries of the world know full well the nature of the Iranian regime - it is
one thing to know something, and quite another to have it hit you smack in the
face. Netanyahu took the horrific attack in Burgas and smacked the world with
it, hoping to shake up those who are still showing signs of complacency toward
Iran, or those who have forgotten the true pattern of Iranian behavior.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

GRAPHIC: Photo: PRIME MINISTER Binyamin Netanyahu speaks at a press conference
yesterday on Wednesday's terror attack in Bulgaria. (Credit: Moshe Milner/GPO)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

903 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Obama condemns 'barbaric terrorist attack' against Israeli tourists

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 533 words

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration lost no time condemning the slaughter of
Israeli tourists in Bulgaria Wednesday and labeling the bus bombing a terror
attack.

US President Barack Obama called Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Wednesday
afternoon to convey his condolences over the loss of life and affirm American
support for Israel, similar to messages he conveyed in a sharply worded
statement issued in his name an hour earlier.

"I strongly condemn today's barbaric terrorist attack on Israelis in Bulgaria,"
Obama declared in the statement. "These attacks against innocent civilians,
including children, are completely outrageous."

He said the United States would not only "stand with our allies," but would
provide "whatever assistance is necessary to identify and bring to justice the
perpetrators of this attack."

He also took the opportunity to reaffirm the United States' "unshakeable
commitment to Israel's security, and our deep friendship and solidarity with the
Israeli people."

The statement was similar to another message put out by US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton soon after the bombing.

"I was deeply saddened and angered to learn of today's terrorist attack against
Israeli tourists in Bulgaria," she said, calling it "a heinous terrorist attack
against innocent civilians."

She also offered American help to "work with our partners in Bulgaria, Israel
and elsewhere so that the perpetrators can be apprehended swiftly and brought to
justice for this appalling crime."

Rapid statements from the highest level of the American government after a
terror attack are not unheard of, but it is unusual that so many separate and
lengthy responses would be provided in the immediate aftermath of a violent
incident.

The response comes as the US and Israel maintain a wary watch on Iran - the
country Israel is holding responsible for perpetrating the attack through its
proxy Hezbollah - as it presses forward with its nuclear program despite
international objections. Iran has fingered Israel in assassinations of its
nuclear scientists and debilitating computer bugs that have affected its
centrifuges and other components of its nuclear program.

The Obama administration has also been at pains to demonstrate its solidarity
with Israel as Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney has repeatedly
criticized the White House's treatment of Jerusalem.

Clinton herself was in Israel earlier this week expressing support for the
Jewish state, and Romney will make his own trip at the end of the month.

Romney also issued a statement Wednesday condemning the bus attack.

"The terrorist attack today in Bulgaria is a sobering reminder that the scourge
of terrorism continues to threaten all free people," he said. "My heart goes out
to the victims and their families, and to all Israelis who have been the targets
of such brutal and cowardly violence for so long."

He concluded, "We must stand together in the fight against terrorism, and we
must prevail."

Additionally, a plethora of members of Congress issued statements of solidarity
with Israel and outrage at the attacks.

They were joined by a host of American Jewish organizations who expressed
sympathy for the victims and their families.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

904 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Stay calm. The procedure is well-known

BYLINE: HIRSH GOODMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 971 words

In the early 1970s, four decades ago, a spate of attacks hit Israeli targets
around the world, the 1972 attack on the Israeli delegation to the Munich
Olympics being only one of many, many examples.

The situation was such that prior to boarding flights, passengers going abroad
were told not to congregate in groups, and to remove all Hebrew from their
luggage tags, not to speak Hebrew in public and to treat anyone seated next to
them on the plane as a potential hijacker; every package as a could-be bomb.
Saracen armored vehicles appeared outside Israeli embassies and other potential
terrorist targets, including synagogues and Jewish schools, and multi-millions
were spent on security measures against the threat.

Munich, however, was the straw that broke the camel's back. It made the
government realize that international terror had become a strategic problem of
major proportions, not just an irritant, one that required a strategic response
and not the low priority that had been given to the subject until then.

The then-prime minister, Golda Meir, consulted with her few trusted confidants.
They agreed that the man to deal with the issue was Aaron Yariv, a former head
of Military Intelligence who had achieved legendary status during his nine years
as head of the organization.

Slight, intense, short, bespectacled, Yariv was also a close confidant of the
prime minister who trusted him implicitly. Her orders to Yariv, as he later
recounted, were simple: Cut off the head of the snake, she said, and the body
will die soon after, and with that gave him a mandate to go after the terrorist
leadership wherever they may be, leaving no fingerprints and showing no mercy.

Funds and resources were dispatched in Yariv's direction as he secretly pieced
together a special unit out of an innocuous office above a cinema off Tel Aviv's
Dizengoff Square, designed to concentrate on removing the leadership and
operational capabilities of those behind the attacks. Yariv's strategy was to
"pull the plug out of the socket" - concentrate on removing those things that
allowed the terrorists to operate internationally, rather than a frontal attack
against them.

"I see myself as surgeon trying to eradicate the source problem," he said, "not
deal with its symptoms." And so it was.

Shortly, with systematic efficiency and in silence, Yariv's team surgically
removed dozens of key international terror operatives, often on the soil of
countries friendly to Israel. Boats sank, cars exploded, rifles fired backwards,
grenades went off unexpectedly early, supposed businessmen died getting into
their limousines on the streets of Paris and others fell onto the rails of
oncoming subways.

The scope of this was made evident in July 1973, when Ahmed Bouchiki, a Moroccan
waiter, was mistakenly assassinated in the Norwegian resort town of Lillehammer
after being wrongly identified as Ali Hassan Salameh, the Black September
operative behind the Munich Olympic massacre the year before.

His death, though mistaken, was only the tip of the iceberg, however, one known
face out of many others, correctly identified as terrorists, and whose deaths on
the surgeon's table saved many innocent lives.

Now we have yet another cycle of international terror being directed against
Israelis, this time as manifested on Wednesday, when an Israeli tourist bus was
attacked in the Bulgarian resort town of Burgas, an extremely popular
destination with Israeli youngsters in particular. Seven people were killed and
dozens injured, and both the prime minister and the Israeli intelligence
services were quick to finger the Iranians and Hezbollah as behind the attack.

So it's time for more surgery, not panic or demonstrative responses. As Israelis
we have lived with these problems for years, and if it's not the Palestinians,
or the Red Brigades, so it's the Iranians and Hezbollah. The tools available to
those who fight international terror today are infinitely better than those
available to Yariv way back when, and as opposed to having to work behind the
backs of friendly countries, Israel now enjoys unprecedented international
cooperation in the war on terror.

Many attempts to attack Israelis on foreign territory have been foiled in recent
months. This one "succeeded." There will always be holes in the net. Burgas was
bound to happen.

The terrorists want us to cancel our vacations, live in fear and not travel
abroad. They want us not to speak Hebrew, and to hide our identities and cower
in fear. They want us to panic and overreact, waste massive resources and behave
as if we live in constant fear of our lives, with death lurking behind every
corner.

To some degree attacks like these succeed in achieving all these goals, but
mainly because we allow them to. There have been casualties and no one is making
light of the deaths or the psychological consequences for the Israeli public of
feeling insecure, hounded and vulnerable.

That said, the perpetrators would do well to remember the surgeons are on their
way, better equipped, more knowledgeable and better supported than those who
preceded them. As opposed to the early 1970s, terror is no longer a one-way
street, but what has not changed is the need for silence, calm nerves and
precision in the way in which one deals with it. The more we hear about Israel's
response, the less effective it probably is.

It is to be hoped today's politicians will understand this and not fall victim
to populist demands for revenge. Go for the head, not the headlines, and all of
Israel will benefit from greater security. Terror, unfortunately, is something
we know a lot about. Let the professionals deal with the problem and the
surgeons do their work, and this patient too will expire.

The writer is a senior research associate at the Institute for National Security
Studies at Tel Aviv University.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: PostScript

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

905 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Israeli democracy needs upgrading

BYLINE: JAY BUSHINSKY

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1124 words

When the editors of Time crowned Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu "King Bibi"
two months ago after he expanded his parliamentary coalition to include 94 of
the Knesset's 120 members, it evidently did not occur to them that his reign
would last only two months.

The end came when Netanyahu's new coalition partner, Shaul Mofaz, chairman of
the centrist Kadima Party, pulled out because the "king" refused to close a
satisfactory deal with him that would require Israel's haredim as well as the
country's Arab citizenry to be drafted for military or public service at age 18.

Mofaz immediately won overwhelming support from his party's Knesset members - 24
out of 28 voted in favor - and the coalition government thereby reverted to its
previous (and more conventional) size: 66 MKs.

This development also scuttled the brief opportunity Kadima had to challenge and
possibly change Netanyahu's policies and tactics not as his opponent, but as his
partner.

Thus ended a short-lived effort to include the country's 60,000 haredi yeshiva
students and the estimated 80,000 draft-age Arab citizens in the national norm.

In other words, Kadima refused to transform itself into a political ally of the
Likud, from which the majority of its members originally defected five years
ago.

This is far from being a political situation fit for a "king" Actually, by
creating an arithmetically invincible government, Netanyahu undermined Israel's
parliamentary democracy.

Debates that normally would be conducted by Knesset members seated on opposite
sides of the aisle had to be internalized and conducted within the respective
factions of the Likud and Kadima instead of in public.

According to political insiders, the friction between the Likud leadership and
its short-lived partner, Kadima, had become so volatile that it could have
compelled Netanyahu to advance the next national election from September 2013 to
January 2013. That certainly would not benefit him, if only because it not only
would have shortened the current estimate of his government's longevity, but
also risked stiff competition from his diverse opponents, be they inside Likud's
ranks or outside them.

It is hard to understand why Netanyahu was willing to admit Kadima into his
political fold just to facilitate formulation of a viable replacement for the
"Tal Law" and thereby achieve a more equitable system of conscription for
military or public service.

This riddle is compounded by the apparent fact that he did not intend to use
Kadima as an ally with which he could free himself from the pressures brought to
bear by the ultra-Orthodox parties upon which he was dependent. Completely
ignored, it seems, was the possibility that a Likud-Kadima partnership could
attain historic dimensions by ending the insufferable and excessive involvement
of various haredi rabbis and their respective courts or retinues in the conduct
of Israel's government and the shaping of foreign and domestic policy.

A new coalition without their participation could have benefitted Israel by
bringing about a truly democratic government free of exclusive and restrictive
pressure from domestic religious entities. In short, this would constitute true
separation of church and state modeled on the United States. If the Israeli
majority really prefers democracy and abhors religious coercion, it should
protest the fact that clerics like Shas's revered mentor and spiritual leader
can play an disproportionate role in the governmental process simply by
activating his most obedient Shas party politician, Interior Minister Eli
Yishai, or by telling the 11-member Shas faction in the Knesset how it should
vote.

The very idea that an elderly rabbi steeped in religious observances and
committed to the requirements of ultra-Orthodox religious tradition can control
a political party committed to him personally on the basis of religious zeal and
loyalty is preposterous. There is no discussion and certainly no debate within
the inner circle of Shas.

What Rabbi Ovadia Yosef says goes. Yishai consults with him regularly and always
emerges with unalterable instructions as to how he and his Knesset colleagues
should vote.

One might wonder if Yishai conferred with Rabbi Yosef about the idea of
expelling up to 60,000 African "infiltrators" or "asylum-seekers," and might
speculate as to whether the rabbi spelled out his party's position unequivocally
and without any exceptions or conditions (such as assurances that the
prospective expellees would be able to reenter their native lands or find
alternative countries willing to accept them. What's the difference - as long as
they go and take their children with them? It doesn't matter that some of the
children were born in this country, have been attending Israeli schools and are
fluent in Hebrew (which is virtually their native tongue). This hard-line and
virtually inhuman approach does not seem to befit a Jewish spiritual leader of
whatever faction or persuasion (including Shas), but that's the way it is.

After 64 years of independence, during which the influence of the various
ultra-Orthodox parties has increased despite the many oddities of their
involvement (such as the fact that Agudat Yisrael's (Rabbi) Ya'acov Litzman
serves as deputy minister of health because he and his non-Zionist political
party prefer to forgo full-scale ministerial rank in the Zionist government),
the time has come to reevaluate this peculiar state of affairs. (Officially,
Israel does not have a full-fledged health minister!)

There is no justification for government subsidization of the various religious
faiths be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim. It is incomprehensible that two
chief rabbis (one Ashkenazi and the other Sephardi) as well as senior Christian
and Muslim clergy are eligible for regular salaries, the funding for which is
provided by the country's secular majority.

If only to assure itself of a secure and viable future, the government should
stop subsidizing yeshivot whose students do not serve in the IDF. They oppose
such service on ideological grounds. Despite of this, the government not only
funds the respective faculties' and rabbinical supervisors' salaries, but also
pays for the maintenance of the requisite buildings and other facilities.

As Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman pointed out earlier this month, Israel has
a unique opportunity to resolve these issues. Failure to do so will allow them
to fester for decades to come, he said. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that
Liberman's warning will be taken seriously by a prime minister whose primary
concern seems to be to avoid controversy among the parties represented in his
cabinet and thereby assure the longevity of his coalition government.

The writer is a veteran foreign correspondent.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: BETTER DAYS. Binyamin Netanyahu and Shaul Mofaz announce the
formation of a unity coalition on May 8. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

906 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The politics of preemption

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1447 words

Brig.-Gen. Danny Efroni, the IDF's Military Advocate General, likes books.
Behind his desk in the Kirya Military Headquarters in Tel Aviv is a
floor-to-ceiling bookcase lined with heavy law books, Supreme Court decisions
and analyses of the international laws of war.

On one of the shelves, a black book with yellow writing stands out. It is called
Preemption, co-authored by Harvard Prof. Alan Dershowitz. The book analyzes the
modern terror threats that the Western world faces and argues that it will need
to shift from a policy of deterrence to one of preemption.

This book is sitting on the shelf for a reason. On Wednesday, several hours
after a bomb went off in Damascus, killing members of Syrian President Bashar
Assad's inner circle, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz convened a meeting
with senior military officers. There were representatives from Military
Intelligence, the Northern Command, the Israel Air Force as well as Efroni, the
military advocate general.

It is quite understandable why the other three branches would need to be there.
MI gives a review of the situation in Syria, the Northern Command reviews its
preparations along the border and the IAF speaks about its level of alert.
Efroni was there to speak about some of the legal questions that could emerge
from the upheaval in Syria.

One possible scenario could occur if Israel were to learn of Hezbollah plans to
move Syria's chemical weapons out of the country and into Lebanon. Would Israel
have the legal right to preempt the move and attack the facility? The same can
be asked about Iran's nuclear program. At the moment, Israeli intelligence
admits that the Iranians are not yet building the bomb. Does that mean that
Israel has or does not have justification to launch a preemptive strike against
its nuclear facilities?

In absence of that justification at the moment, Israel could potentially use the
attack in Bulgaria to justify retaliatory action against Iran or Hezbollah. Such
action could then lead to a larger conflict - one that could ultimately include
an Israeli bombing of Syria's chemical weapons bases and of Iran's nuclear
facilities.

The question, though, is whether Israel would want something like that to
happen. At the moment, that decision is up to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
and his cabinet, which will have to calculate their response to the attack in
Burgas.

This is unlikely to happen due to the context within which this attack occurred.
The bombing on Wednesday in Syria and Assad's continued loss of control over the
country presents Israel with unbelievable challenges, particularly with regard
to the possible proliferation of chemical weapons. Shooting from the gut in
response to the attack in Bulgaria could have greater repercussions and
ultimately distract Israel from the greater threat it is facing in the North.

Netanyahu and Barak's phone calls on Wednesday night with US President Barack
Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta were partly about expressing
condolences over the attack but were probably more aimed at gauging what Israel
is planning to do. The Obama administration does not want to be surprised.

There is, however, another side to this argument. If the government does not
respond, it will knowingly be contributing to the deterioration and erosion of
Israel's deterrence and will basically be signaling to Iran and Hezbollah that
such attacks are tolerated and can continue.

That is why, in the meantime, the Israeli response will focus on the diplomatic
track. The Mossad, Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet (Israel Security
Agency) are already hard at work compiling an intelligence dossier with concrete
evidence about Iran and Hezbollah's involvement in the Bulgarian attack as well
as in the others thwarted this year in Thailand, Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, India and Kenya.

Israeli ambassadors overseas are going to be calling on foreign ministers and
state leaders in their respective countries to urge those - particularly in
Europe - to impose additional sanctions on Iran and to declare Hezbollah an
illegal terror organization like it is, for example, in the United States.

Israel's investigation into the attack will be conducted in conjunction with
Bulgarian authorities. Ties between the countries are long-standing.

Just a month before the bombing, Mossad officials were reportedly in Sofia for
talks with their counterparts, and in January the two countries apparently
worked together to prevent a similar attack against an Israeli tour bus. In
2010, then-Mossad chief Meir Dagan visited Sofia and met with Bulgarian Prime
Minister Boyko Borisov. The Bulgarians released a rare photo of the two meeting
at the time.

For now, the main focus of the investigation will be on identifying the bomber,
how he obtained his explosives, who assembled the bomb for him, how he entered
Bulgaria, where he came from and why he selected that specific tour bus. Once
the investigation is completed, changes can be expected in security measures
throughout the country.

What was telling for Israel, though, was the fact that the attack took place on
the 18th anniversary of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in
Buenos Aires - an attack which was carried out by Iran and Hezbollah which
killed 85 people.

Then, a van with hundreds of kilograms of explosives rammed into the AMIA
center, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. Wednesday's attack was carried out
by a suicide bomber. While severe, it is not of the scale of what happened in
1994.

The use of a suicide bomber is a break from Hezbollah's classic tactics for
carrying out attacks, usually with means that leave less of a footprint. In
previous plots that were thwarted recently, there were attempts to shoot down
Israeli airliners with shoulder-to-air missiles, to plant bombs on diplomatic
cars or to assassinate Israeli diplomats. Nothing that could leave behind
evidence.

Defense officials said they understood the use of a human bomber to mean that
Hezbollah had learned lessons from its previous failures and realized that in
order to succeed, it needed to make sure that a person was there to press the
trigger and get close to the target.

The choice of the target is also interesting. If Hezbollah was looking to avenge
the assassination of Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed
in a blast - attributed to the Mossad - in Damascus in 2008, it would have
likely tried to attack a more valuable target like an Israeli diplomat, embassy,
consulate or a Jewish institution.

A tourist bus is a "second-tier" target, one that is on the one hand easier to
attack, since it has fewer security measures around it, but is on the other hand
not as valuable and would not immediately have the same strategic consequences
for Israel as an explosion in an embassy would.

Iran's interest in the attacks is twofold: Firstly, it wants to avenge the
assassinations of its nuclear scientists and the terror chiefs it believes the
Mossad has killed over the years. Secondly and possibly more importantly, it
wants to show the world that it has an operational capability with global
tentacles and that if it is attacked it will be activated to wreak havoc
everywhere.

Either way, the attack comes at a time when, no matter how one looks at it,
Israel and Iran appear to be on something of a collision course. With talks
between the P5+1 and Tehran not progressing, the possibility that Israel will
take unilateral military action might be increasing. Jerusalem's quiet on the
issue - after a year of open saber-rattling - adds to the world's concern.

The other reason is that we are now in July, just months away from when Barak
originally said that Iran would be entering the so-called immunity zone, the
point from which an Israeli strike will no longer be effective.

While he has since changed his tone, saying that Iran will not enter the
immunity zone within weeks but that it will also not take years, there is still
an operational window until the end of the year that Israel might not want to
pass up.

Historically, this is the window that Israel has used to attack two previous
reactors - Iraq's nuclear reactor in June 1981 and Syria's reactor in September
2007. This is because the summer provides pilots and reconnaissance teams with
good visibility for locating targets and post-strike damage assessments.

Another consideration could be the upcoming joint Israeli-US missile defense
drill scheduled for October, which will see the deployment of American missile
defense systems in Israel and provide the country with an additional layer of
defense.

Summer in the Middle East is always, hot but it might be on the verge of getting
even hotter.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SECURITY AND DEFENSE. After the suicide bombing in Bulgaria that left
five Israelis dead, Israel is studying its options. The crisis in Syria, Bashar
Assad's chemical weapons and the Iranian nuclear issue all loom in the
background

GRAPHIC: Photo: A TRUCK carries a bus that was damaged in a suicide bombing
Wednesday, outside Burgas Airport. (Credit: Stoyan Nenov/ Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

907 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

PA fears for Palestinians caught amid violence. Some 300 killed since beginning
of uprising. Half a million live in country, mostly in refugee camps

BYLINE: KHALED ABU TOAMEH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 762 words

Palestinian Authority officials Thursday expressed concern over the safety of
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in refugee camps in Syria.

They said that some 300 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the
uprising in Syria in March 2011.

More than 500,000 Palestinians are believed to be living in Syria, mostly in a
number of refugee camps.

The PA announced Thursday that it was in contact with the Syrian authorities and
opposition to avoid involving Palestinians in the escalating violence.

The officials said that in recent weeks a number of Palestinians were kidnapped
and killed by unidentified gunmen in various parts of Syria. Three Palestinians
were killed in the Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus earlier this week, they
added.

In the worst incident, 16 members of the Palestine Liberation Army, which is
backed by the Syrian authorities, were killed after gunmen stopped their bus and
kidnapped them.

The bodies of the Palestinians, whose throats had been slashed, were later
discovered in an open field in the suburbs of Damascus.

Palestinian sources believe the perpetrators belonged to the Free Syrian Army
and other opposition groups.

Some Palestinian groups based in Syria have been accused of fighting alongside
Bashar Assad's forces against the rebellions.

Hamas, which refused to support Assad, has moved its headquarters out of Syria.
Other Palestinian groups that remained in Syria continue to side with Assad's
regime and have even prevented Palestinians from demonstrating against the
regime.

In the last few days, the officials noted, thousands of Syrian civilians fleeing
the violence in Damascus have found shelter in Yarmouk.

Members of the Free Syrian Army have also entered Yarmouk and other Palestinian
refugees camps, the officials said.

"The flames are quickly approaching Yarmouk," cautioned commentator Rashad Abu
Shawar. "Someone is trying to drag the Palestinians into the fire."

He said that dozens of armed Muslim fundamentalists entered the camp in the past
few days, chanting slogans against Assad and in favor of an Islamic caliphate.
The extremists apparently succeeded in recruiting Palestinian militiamen to
their ranks.

Reports that dozens of Palestinians have joined the ranks of the Free Syrian
Army and are now involved in the battles against Assad's forces in Damascus have
triggered fears in Ramallah over a possible reprisal by the Syrian authorities.

"Our main concern is that the Syrian army will now start attacking Palestinians
under the pretext that they are fighting with the terrorists," said a PA
official who is closely monitoring the situation in Syria. "We are deeply
concerned that Palestinians would pay a heavy price in this civil war."

According to the official, only one Palestinian armed group, the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, which is headed by Ahmed
Jibril, has been supportive of the Assad regime. Some members of the groups, the
official told The Jerusalem Post, have been helping the Syrian security forces
in their clampdown on the opposition.

"Ahmed Jibril is an enemy not only of the Syrian people, but also of
Palestinians," said a Fatah legislator in the West Bank. "The man has a lot of
Palestinian blood on his hands."

Political analyst Fayez Rashid said that although Palestinians have tried to
stay neutral during the Arab Spring, they continue to pay a heavy price in the
Arab countries.

Palestinians living in Iraq were punished after the US occupation because they
were accused of helping Saddam Hussein, Rashid pointed out. "Palestinians were
expelled from their homes and forced to run away toward the borders with Syria
and Jordan, where they live in harsh conditions and no one is helping them."

Rashid also pointed out that Libya's Muammar Gaddafi had also expelled
Palestinians from their homes and jobs when he was in power. But when the Libyan
dictator fell, Palestinians were accused of having helped Gaddafi suppress the
opposition and were once again targeted, he said.

Khaled Abdel Majeed, a senior representative of the pro-Assad Palestinian
Struggle Front organization, said that there were increased signs that some
parties are trying to drag the Palestinians into the Syrian quagmire. "We don't
interfere in the internal affairs of Syria," he said. "But were are opposed to
the international conspiracy targeting Syria."

Thousands of Palestinians, meanwhile, have over the past few months fled toward
Jordan, where the authorities have denied most of them entry and are holding
them in makeshift camps along the border with Syria.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

908 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

5 victims to be buried today

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 268 words

The Interior Ministry on Thursday released the names of the five Israelis
murdered in a suicide bombing in Bulgaria a day earlier: Kochava Shriki, 44,
Itzik Colangi, 28; Amir Menashe, 28; Elior Price, 26; and Maor Harush, 25.

The two other people killed were the Bulgarian bus driver and the terrorist, and
not Israeli tourists as was thought immediately after the attack.

An IAF plane carrying the Israelis' bodies left Bulgaria on Thursday night.
Their funerals are scheduled to take place on Friday.

Colangi and Menashe were good friends from Petah Tikva. Colangi's wife, Gilat,
gave birth to their first child, Noya, four months ago, and his birthday was two
weeks ago. The couple decided to celebrate in Burgas with Menashe and his wife,
Natalie, who have a 10-month-old son, Rom. Gilat was severely wounded and
Natalie lightly wounded in the terrorist attack; the two men were killed while
packing their luggage onto the bus.

Colangi's funeral will be on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the Segula Cemetery in
Petah Tikva. Menashe's will be one hour later, in the same place.

Price, a student, and Harush, an electrician, grew up together in Acre and went
on vacation to Bulgaria with another close friend, Daniel Fahima, who was
severely wounded by the blast.

Shriki, from Rishon Lezion, was pregnant for the first time after years of
fertility treatments. She gave her family the good news shortly before leaving
for a vacation in Bulgaria with her husband, Yitzhak. After the attack, Yitzhak,
who was wounded, searched for his wife in the rubble and in the hospital in
Burgas. He learned she was dead the next day.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: The five Israelis killed in the bombing: Amir Menashe, Itzik
Colangi, Maor Harush, Elior Price and Kochava Shriki. (Credit: Courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

909 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Letters

BYLINE: Steve Gure, Aaron Braunstein, Jenny Weil, Elena Bravo, Helen and Arnold
Sullum

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 584 words

Missed opportunity

Sir, - It is with great sadness that we witness the dissolution of Israel's
unity government ("Kadima quits coalition over haredi IDF service," July 18).

I believe that the greatest danger facing Israel is posed by the haredim and
their political parties. They force their will on the rest of the citizens. It
is no different from Muslims and Shari'a law.

It seems that when the political establishment had the chance free itself from
an oppressive environment it failed.

STEVE GURE

Coconut Creek, Florida

Turns of phrase

Sir, - Congratulations to Herb Keinon for pointing to the US administration's
new emphasis on Iran ("Clinton changes slightly, perhaps significantly, the
language on Iran," Analysis, July 18).

He focuses on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statement: "We will use all
elements of US power to prevent Iran...." He fails, however, to focus on the
second element of that statement: "...from obtaining a nuclear weapon."

I have 30 years of experience with the useful turns of phrase of the US State
Department. Consciously using the clause "a nuclear weapon" rather than "a
nuclear weapons capability" shows we are still in La La Land. Iran's fanatical
revolutionary guards read this quite clearly.

Iran does not need to have a "weapon" - just ask any knowledgeable defense
expert how long it takes to convert "weapons capability" into one. What will the
West do then? It will be too late.

Unless the White House changes its rhetoric from "weapon" to "weapons
capability" the world will have moved only one step forward for two steps back.

Is President Obama really serious about Iran?

AARON BRAUNSTEIN

Jerusalem

The writer is a retired US Foreign Service officer

Halacha board

Sir, - What a poetic, creative and thought-provoking article by Nathan Lopes
Cardozo ("Halacha: The greatest chess game on earth," Comment & Features, July
17).

"The chessboard becomes the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe,
the rules of the game are the laws of nature, and man roams freely on this board
once he applies the rules in a way that will deepen their impact to such an
extent that a whole new world is revealed." This is poetry.

The creativity is in the fusion of chess and Halacha. Why do literally millions
of Jews sit for days, weeks, months and years studying Gemara? Because even
though the rules are "ruthless" they "allow for thousands of combinations,
maneuvers and sub-rules."

Why is the article thought-provoking? Because secularists and the religious are
to this day discussing the merits or demerits of Halacha.

Cardozo's article should be read by all because it encompasses the
quintessential elements of Judaism.

JENNY WEIL

Jerusalem

Sir, - Nathan Lopes Cardozo has indeed given us a fascinating analogy with which
to relate to Halacha and the role it plays in our lives.

The point that is relevant to those of us living here is that the percentage of
chess players who devote their lives to chess and make their living from it is
miniscule. It should be the same with the study of Halacha.

ELENA BRAVO

Gderot

Long overdue

Sir, - It was most enjoyable to read Yaakov Katz's "It was all destiny" (July
16), which recounted the story of Lou Lenart from our hometown of Wilkes-Barre,
Pennsylvania. Lou's family escaped from Hungary and had a candy and stationery
store in the Heights section of our community, which had five synagogues.

Mahal volunteers have not received the recognition they deserve. They saved our
country at a critical time.

HELEN and ARNOLD SULLUM

Jerusalem

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

PM says Hezbollah, Tehran, behind Burgas attack. Senior official: Israel facing
wave of terror after more than 20 attempted attacks in 18 months

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1010 words

Iranian terrorism will not defeat Israel, and the country will act forcefully
against it, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, hours before an
IDF plane landed at Ben-Gurion Airport carrying the bodies of the five Israelis
killed in a Bulgaria terror attack the previous day.

The coffins, covered in Israeli flags, were met with a brief military ceremony.
The funerals are scheduled for Friday.

The five victims have been identified as Kochava Shriki, 42, from Rishon Lezion;
Itzhak Colangi, 28, and Amir Menashe, 28, both from Petah Tikva; and Elior
Price, 26, and Maor Harush, 25 both from Acre.

In a brief statement he delivered to the nation a few hours before the plane
landed, the prime minister said unequivocally that Hezbollah carried out the
attack. He pledged that Israel would pursue the attackers and "extract a heavy
price from those who sent them."

He did not elaborate.

"Israel is a strong country," Netanyahu said. "Israelis are a strong people. We
will continue to fight Iranian terrorism, it will not defeat us and we will act
with great force against it."

While on Wednesday, shortly after the attack, Netanyahu issued a statement
saying that "all signs" of the attack led to Iran, on Thursday he said
unambiguously that Hezbollah - and by extension Iran - was behind it.

"Yesterday's attack in Bulgaria was carried out by Hezbollah, the long arm of
Iran," he said. According to government officials, Netanyahu has concrete
evidence linking the Lebanese terrorist organization to the atrocity.

One official said that a 24-year-old Swedish passport holder of Lebanese decent,
arrested on July 7 in Cyprus after tracking the movement of Israeli tourists on
the island, has admitted to being a Hezbollah operative. His modus operandi was
identical to that used by the terrorist in Burgas, Bulgaria, the official said.

One senior security official said the Burgas attack was a part of a long wave of
terrorism that began in 2011 and had included at least 20 attacks and attempted
attacks by Iran and Hezbollah, either acting independently or together, on five
continents.

Among the thwarted attacks were attempts over the past month in Cyprus and
Kenya, as well as earlier efforts in Georgia, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Thailand and
other countries. Among the attacks that were carried out were the one on the
wife of an Israeli diplomat in India in February, and the assassination of the
Saudi ambassador in Pakistan in May 2011.

Iranian citizens have been arrested in a number of countries, including in
Thailand and Kenya, while Syrian and Lebanese nationals affiliated with
Hezbollah have been arrested and interrogated elsewhere. Some of those were
arrested before being able to carry out attacks, and others - like those in
Thailand in February - after their plans went awry.

The official said that what distinguished the current rash of terrorism was that
it was "a wave," and not just individual attacks. He said they were meant by
Iran as a means of deterrence against any military action against it, and an
effort to show the world what it was capable of doing.

Netanyahu, in his statement, termed this effort a "global terror campaign." He
said the "time has come" for the world to say clearly that Iran was behind this
wave of terrorism.

"Iran is the No. 1 exporter of terror in the world," he said, linking this
attack to Tehran's nuclear ambitions. "It is forbidden for a terror state to
have nuclear weapons. It is forbidden for the most dangerous country in the
world to have the most dangerous weapons in the world."

Tehran denied any involvement, with its Foreign Ministry issuing a statement
saying that "Iran's position is to condemn all terrorist acts in the world."

Not everyone was pleased with Netanyahu's willingness to point an accusing
finger at Iran. Former Mossad head Danny Yatom, during a briefing with
journalists organized by The Israel Project, said that it usually took time
during an investigation to draw unequivocal conclusions. While it was logical to
assume that Iran and Hezbollah were behind the attacks, he said it would be
better to wait and say so only after concrete evidence could be gathered and
shared with the world.

The arrival of the coffins on Thursday evening culminated a day of frenetic
activity, during which 33 Israeli tourists hurt in the blast were brought back
to Israel earlier in the day on an IDF Hercules plane, and dispersed to
hospitals around the country.

Three other Israelis who were injured in the attack, listed in critical
condition and immediately dispatched for treatment to a hospital in Sofia, were
also brought back to Israel on a separate plane on Thursday. More than 60 other
Israelis who were on the Air Bulgaria flight whose passengers boarded the
ill-fated bus that was attacked, but who were not injured, also came home on a
plane put at their disposal by the Bulgarian government.

While survivors of the attack complained about the Bulgarians handling of the
situation, saying they were slow in initially responding and ill-equipped
medically to deal with an attack of this proportion, Netanyahu praised Sofia for
its help and cooperation.

"True friendship between countries is tested at moments like these, and Bulgaria
is a true friend of Israel," he said.

Bulgaria is expected, along with Israel, to turn to the United Nations Security
Council in the coming days and seek a condemnation of the bombing. The two
countries are also expected to separately write letters of protest to the
Security Council. Jerusalem hopes this will lead to an international diplomatic
campaign against Iranian-backed terrorism.

Israel is also expected in the coming days to lobby in Europe for adding both
Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards on the European Union's list of
terrorist organizations. According to diplomatic officials, the fact that
Wednesday's attack took place in an EU country, and that there was also an
attempted attack in Cyprus - which holds the rotating EU presidency - may
provide an impetus for finally getting these organizations onto the EU's
blacklist.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: Photo: A WOMAN who was wounded in Bulgaria on Wednesday is wheeled into
Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba yesterday. (Credit: Amir
Cohen/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

911 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Mad hatters, flat-earthers and two-staters

BYLINE: MARTIN SHERMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 2163 words

Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim.
- George Santayana, Life of Reason (1905)

The major issue is not [attaining] an agreement, but ensuring its actual
implementation in practice. The number of agreements the Arabs have violated is
no less than number which they have kept. - Shimon Peres, Tomorrow is Now (1978)

These excerpts aptly convey the fanatical fraudulence of two-state advocates -
at least of those who claim to be pro-Israel Zionists. For in redoubling their
efforts to reach their preferred mode of resolution of the Palestinian issue,
they seem to have forgotten that the real aim is not an agreement on the
establishment of a Palestinian state, but long-term stability and security for
Israel.

Desperation, denial and disregard

Seemingly oblivious of - or determined to disregard - the fact that the greater
the efforts made to reach such a two-state arrangement, the more Israel's
stability and security have been undermined, two-staters persist in their quest.

Regrettably - indeed, tragically - many in the "intellectual establishment" have
embraced the failed formula of two-statism as a corollary of the historically
disproven dogma of "land-for-peace," staking their personal prestige and
professional reputation on its desirability and feasibility.

In so doing, they have mortgaged their intellectual integrity to a policy that
is demonstrably neither.

Not only is it impossible to justify two-statism on the basis of logical
consistency or empirical validity, but its continued pursuit will almost
inevitably bring about a situation that directly negate the values invoked for
its adoption, and precipitate consequences which are the antitheses of those its
advocates intended.

Impervious to fact and reason, its high-profile proponents cling doggedly - some
might say obsessively - to it, disregarding the massive accumulation of
contradictory evidence and denying the unequivocal significance thereof.

Confronted by the resolute refusal of reality to bend to their will, two-staters
are beginning to promote proposals that appear increasingly desperate and
detached from the real world.

These defects were clearly evident in the recent proposal by Alan Dershowitz,
the analysis of which I began in last week's column and will continue with this
week - not as an ad hominem attack on the good professor, but because, as I
pointed out, "given his significant public influence and considerable media
access, his well-meaning but ill-advised proposals cannot go unchallenged."

The insistence of self-professed pro-Israel pundits such as Dershowitz regarding
the desirability and feasibility of the two-state paradigm has arguably done
more than anything else to nourish the ongoing delegitimzation of the Jewish
state and the Zionist enterprise.

Recapping briefly

Readers will recall that Dershowitz suggested that the West Bank can be
realistically divided into three effective areas:

* Those that are relatively certain to remain part of Israel.

* Those that are relatively certain to become part of a Palestinian state.

* Those reasonably in dispute (which may well remain part of Israel, but subject
to negotiated land swaps).

He proposes that "there would be no Israeli building in those areas likely to
become part of a Palestinian state" and "no limit on Israeli building within
areas likely to remain part of Israel," but says nothing about constraining Arab
building in these areas - assuming of course any relevant Palestinian negotiator
would agree a priori that there are any such areas - itself a giant leap of
optimistic faith.

His attitude to the "disputed" areas is especially revealing. He states the
"freeze [on Israeli construction] would continue in disputed areas until it was
decided which will remain part of Israel and which part of the new Palestinian
state."

Yet he seems to prejudge the outcome of the "dispute," by refraining from
placing a similar freeze on the Palestinians.

And to eliminate any lingering doubt about how Dershowitz really intends the
fate of the these "disputed" areas - in which he includes "some of the large
settlement blocs such as Ariel" - to be determined, he declares: "An absolute
building freeze would be a painful but necessary compromise. It might also
encourage residents of the West Bank to move to areas that will remain part of
Israel, especially if the freeze were accompanied by financial inducements to
relocate."

Clearly, if the Palestinians are permitted to build in these areas where Jews
are not only barred from doing so, but "induced" to evacuate, deeming them
"disputed" is little more than a ruse.

For if Palestinian development is allowed, while Jewish development is stifled,
the obvious intention is for the area to eventually be transferred to the
Palestinians.

It is unlikely that Dershowitz acquired his formidable reputation as a lawyer by
counseling such defeatism, or, alternatively, such benevolent largesse, to his
clients.

Prejudicial, partisan and perverse

The issue of financial inducements for residents of Judea and Samaria to
relocate is of particular importance, for it is a proposal that has been raised
with increasing frequency by a number of prominent two-staters, both Israeli and
non-Israeli.

Apart from Dershowitz, it has been suggested by former president of the Union
for Reform Judaism Eric Yoffie, United Jewish Israel Appeal head Mick Davis,
former US diplomat Dennis Ross, US pundit Peter Beinart, former adviser to Ehud
Barak Gilead Sher and former Shin Bet head and Labor politician Ami Ayalon, to
name a few.

Yet although two-staters appear to have no ethical inhibitions regarding the
principle of providing economic incentives to induce people to move, when it
comes to its practical application, their preferences seem wildly prejudicial,
partisan and perverse.

While they see nothing wrong with funding relocation of Jews to facilitate the
establishment of what in all probability will be a failed micro-mini-state
providing a haven for radical Islamist terror groups, they recoil in horror at
the idea of funding relocation of Palestinians to prevent its establishment. How
perverse it that?

After all, the only way the putative Palestinian state will not become a haven
for Arab terror organizations is for the Palestinians to behave in a manner
diametrically opposed to the manner in which they have behaved for seven decades
- arguably even longer.

Two-staters have yet to produce persuasive augments - rather than fervent hopes
- as to why this is at all likely.

Until they do, they should not be surprised that many relate to their proposal -
at best - as a wildly irresponsible gamble; and - at worst - as what Barry Rubin
has termed "betrayal glorified."

Incomprehensible and indefensible

As time goes by, continuing support of two-statism, by alleged pro-Zionists, as
a feasible policy option for Israel, is becoming increasingly incomprehensible
logically, and indefensible morally.

For unless we are prepared to embrace the bizarre formula, recently proposed by
Shimon Peres, that peace should be pursued with "our eyes closed," deleting any
record of the past from our memories; unless we are prepared to totally dismiss
the lessons of experience, clearly continued support for two-statism is fraught
with risk and bereft of rationality.

Two-statism is fatally flawed in its logic, because its proponents offer no
persuasive mechanism for its successful implementation. Their only formula is a
repetition of what has already failed, without providing any compelling
explanation why it is likely to work in the future when it hasn't in the past.

Two-statism is fatally flawed in its morality because its proponents insist on
the implementation of measures that will expose millions of Israelis (and
eventually Palestinians) to dire dangers that have regularly resulted from
previous attempts to implement similar measures. The only formula they furnish
for contending with these dangers is to hope they won't occur, without providing
any compelling explanation for that.

Despite the slim likelihood of success and the disastrous cost of failure,
two-staters cling to their haughty, but hare-brained, notions, proclaiming that
their adherence to failed folly somehow confers upon them intellectual and
ethical superiority. Isn't that bizarre! And Plan B is?

Given all their disproven prognoses, unfulfilled predictions and broken
promises, one can only wonder what, if anything, might induce two-staters to
recant - or at least reconsider - their position. After all, over the past two
decades, during which the goal of two-states has been vigorously pursued, with
huge international endorsement and massive financial backing, all the warnings
of the dangers by its opponents have proved true, while all the promises of
benefits by its proponents proved false. Yet unmoved by evidence, two-staters
persist in their fanatical - see Santayana above - insistence that theirs is the
only way forward.

In so doing, two-staters fail in their moral duty - twice.

First, in failing to put forward any convincing argument why their hitherto
disastrous doctrine will now succeed and how this miraculous metamorphosis will
take place.

Second, in failing to prescribe what measures they propose if such a miraculous
metamorphosis does not occur and the Palestinians - for whatever reason - do not
dramatically change their behavior patterns, but continue to conduct themselves
as they have over the past half-century and more?

What if - as in the past - any territory ceded to them is used to mount attacks
on Israel? What is the two-staters' Plan B? What Israeli response, and pursuant
policy, would Dershowitz and other two-staters then endorse?

These issues are becoming ever-more pressing and pertinent, especially since all
the post-Arab Spring developments across the region make the prospects for
two-stater success even more remote, and failure more perilous than ever.

A mega Cast Lead?

But even if we suppose, despite the odds and the evidence, that two-staters are
right, and it is possible to locate some mythical moderate Palestinian who is
prepared to sign an agreement with Israel in good faith and who genuinely
intends to honor it, how is implementation to be ensured? After all as Peres, in
a more lucid era, pointed out: "The major issue is not [attaining] an agreement,
but ensuring its actual implementation in practice."

What if for reasons of political - or physical - survival, that moderate
Palestinian was forced to renege on the agreement? What if he was
unable/unwilling to rein in renegade radicals backed by rejectionist regimes or
organizations? What if he was removed from power - either by the ballot or the
bullet - and replaced by successors whose raison d'etre was repudiation of the
recognition of Israel?

After all, as Peres once observed: "The number of agreements the Arabs have
violated is no less than the number which they have kept."

What if, after it is established, it turns out that the Palestinians really
meant what they said - that the founding of a Palestinian state is (merely) a
new tool in the continuing battle against Israel? What if they really believe
their National Charter, that "the partition of Palestine in 1947, and the
establishment of the state of Israel, are entirely illegal, regardless of the
passage of time?"

What if they act to promote this belief? What if the residents of the Coastal
Plain are subjected to anything even remotely approaching what the residents of
Sderot have been subjected to for years? This is not an implausible prospect and
two-staters have moral duty to provide a plausible contingency plan to respond
to it.

Would they demand that Palestinian sovereignty be revoked and the Palestinian
state be annulled, because it was established under false pretenses? Would they
endorse a massive military campaign in the "West Bank" to quell the violence
that made the maintenance of socioeconomic routine in the Tel Aviv area
impossible? On a scale and intensity far greater than the IDF's 2008/9 Operation
Cast Lead in Gaza? Along a front much longer (about 400-km. long as opposed to
50 km.)?

In topographical terrain far more disadvantageous?

Insane fanaticism or fanatical insanity?

It is astonishing that anyone claiming to don the mantle of enlightened
rationality would urge a policy so unlikely to succeed and so likely to wreak
appalling consequences on both Israelis and Palestinians.

Indeed, when confronted with the repeated and misguided endeavors to promote
measures with such manifest potential for tragedy, one is reminded of a
definition of "insanity," variously attributed to Albert Einstein, Benjamin
Franklin and Mark Twain, according to which "insanity is doing the same thing
over and over and expecting different results."

This, together with Santayana's above-cited characterization of "fanaticism,"
leaves us with an unpleasant dilemma: Should the behavior of two-staters be
diagnosed as "insane fanaticism" or "fanatical insanity?"

www.martinsherman.net

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: INTO THE FRAY. Dershowitz et al happily endorse funding relocation of
Jews - but recoil in horror at any suggestion of funding the relocation of
Palestinians

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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912 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Who will rule Egypt?

BYLINE: ZVI MAZEL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 1148 words

Mohamed Mursi, the newly elected Egyptian president who rose through the ranks
of the Muslim Brotherhood, is waging an all-out war against the Supreme Council
of the Armed Forces, which has severely curtailed his executive prerogatives.
Though the generals did transfer the power to the president in an impressive
ceremony, they don't intend to let him rule alone and are mustering their
considerable political and economic forces to fight what they see as an Islamic
takeover of the country. In a somewhat bizarre twist, both parties are turning
to the courts to defend their positions.

Even before the results of the election had been announced, the Muslim Brothers
lost their strongholds one by one. First came the dissolution of the parliament,
where they and the Salafis held three-quarters of the seats; then the SCAF
published a constitutional declaration granting the generals not only
legislative powers but effective control on the drafting of the constitution,
the preparation of the budget and all military matters from preparing and
managing the budget to promoting officers to top positions - depriving the
president of his traditional role as head of the armed forces and preventing him
from declaring war without the express consent of the army.

Mursi retains the right to name the prime minister and the ministers; he can
issue presidential decrees; and that's about it. This is an intolerable
situation for the Brotherhood. After 84 years of bitter fighting, during which
many of their leaders have been executed and thousands of their militants thrown
in jail, they have clawed their way legally to the top, dominating the
parliament and the Constituent Assembly and seeing one of their own elected
president. They will not easily accept the stripping away of their hard-won
gains; while they are currently trying to get the courts on their side, they are
ready to use force if necessary.

One of the first acts the president took was to issue a presidential decree
convening the parliament - in defiance of the decision of the Supreme
Constitutional Court, which had ordered its dissolution because elections had
not been carried out in compliance with the law. The parliament, duly convened
and in a short - 12-minute - session, decided to ask the Cairo administrative
court to review the decision - in spite of the fact the Supreme Constitutional
Court is at the top of the legal pyramid in Egypt and its decisions cannot be
appealed.

Predictably, the lower court declared itself incompetent and Mursi reluctantly
accepted its ruling - for now. The Brothers know that should new parliamentary
elections be held, they have no hope of repeating their stunning victory.
Egyptians are increasingly disenchanted with a movement that has reneged on one
promise after another (they had pledged not to present a candidate for the
presidency, for instance) and squandered parliamentary discussions on ways to
implement the Shari'a (Islamic law) instead of tackling the country's more
urgent problems.

Yesterday the Cairo administrative court sat to discuss three burning issues:

1. A decision was postponed on a request to dissolve the Constituent Assembly,
which is in charge of drafting the constitution, because its members are mainly
Islamists and all segments of the population are not represented.

2. The court said it did not not have the jurisdiction to rule on a request to
dismiss the constitutional declaration issued by the SCAF curtailing the
prerogatives of the president and decided to defer it to the Supreme
Constitutional Court.

3. There is still a standing request to dissolve the upper house of the
parliament, since it was elected in the same manner as the lower house.

Without waiting for the results, Mursi had tried another ploy to prevent the
dissolution of the Constituent Assembly: he affixed his signature to the law
that created the assembly - a law voted on by the parliament - and then claimed
that only the Supreme Constitutional Court could decide whether or not it was
valid. The issue is whether a law passed by a parliament that was declared
illegal since its inception and has been dissolved as such can be valid.

Various courts are expected to rule in September on the legality of the Muslim
Brotherhood movement. After all, it was officially dissolved by Gamal Abdel
Nasser in 1954. Neither Anwar Sadat, who freed the thousands of militants in
jail at that time, nor Hosni Mubarak, rescinded the dissolution order. Though
its existence was not legal, the movement managed to survive and expand. A
number of its members were elected to the parliament as "independents" or
through the Wafd party. After the fall of Mubarak, the SCAF freed the Brothers
who were still in jail and let the movement act openly - but the Brotherhood
never registered as a political organization. It is generally supposed that it
did not want to declare its aims publicly (which is a requirement for any
organization asking to be registered) - which are imposing the Shari'a in Egypt
and reviving the Caliphate.

For all intents and purposes, the movement remained illegal. This did not stop
it from forming a political party , the Freedom and Justice Party, which was
approved by the SCAF even though the election laws the SCAF itself had issued
prohibited the creation of a party on a religious basis. Now there are a number
of legal proceedings challenging the creation of the party, some demanding that
the presidential election be annulled because Mursi's candidacy was presented by
an illegal party. Needless to say, all this is the equivalent political
dynamite, and intense pressure is being brought to bear by the Brothers to
defuse the situation.

And while these arcane and Byzantine discussions are ongoing, Egypt is
rudderless. No one has the authority to deal with the deepening economic crisis.
Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri tendered his resignation when Mursi took office
and now heads a caretaker government; the new president is still looking for a
suitable prime minister. He has pledged that he will not give the post to a
Muslim Brother - a pledge he may or may not keep - but finds few takers; Many,
like Mohamed ElBaradei, refuse to be a front for an Islamic government.

With no one at the helm, currency reserves are fast running out. Tourism is
down, exports are down, foreign investments are down and the hungry are getting
hungrier. Thousands of needy people press daily at the gates of the presidential
palace, hoping for a word with the president, and the police are forced to block
the access roads. While Brothers and SCAF generals are engaged in a bitter
fight, the fate of the country - and some say of the revolution - appears to be
in the hands of the courts. Unfortunately, neither party is likely to take a
defeat lying down.

The writer, a Fellow of The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, is a former
ambassador to Romania, Egypt and Sweden.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ARAB WORLD. The Muslim Brotherhood has turned to the courts in its battle
for power with the SCAF, but is ready to use force if necessary

GRAPHIC: Photo: Egypt's president Mohamed Mursi attends a meeting with Hamas
leader Khaled Mashaal at the presidential palace in Cairo yesterday. (Credit:
Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

913 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

'Every Israeli needs to know, we will always bring him home.' 33 wounded land in
Israel, three still in critical condition in Sofia hospitals

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 612 words

Thirty-three people wounded in Wednesday's bus bombing at the Burgas airport in
Bulgaria landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Thursday, and were immediately
transferred by ambulance to area hospitals. The majority of the victims who
returned on Thursday were lightly hurt, though two were in serious or critical
condition.

Three victims who were critically wounded in the bombing were transferred to
hospitals in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, and IDF Col. David Dagan is
overseeing their treatment.

"Now our biggest concern is how and when to bring them back to Israel, which is
not an easy question," said Brig.-Gen. Dr. Itzik Kreiss in a press conference
Thursday afternoon at Ben-Gurion, after he accompanied the first flight of
victims back to Israel. He said he expected the critically wounded victims would
return to Israel within 24 hours and commended the Bulgarian medical services
for fully cooperating with Israeli doctors.

One of the victims is in an army hospital, and the two others are in the Sofia
hospitals.

"It's not always nice to be Israeli, but this is a country that knows, within 24
hours, how to bring back all of her wounded and injured from every place in the
world. It makes it a little easier," said Kreiss, who accompanied the Thursday
flight.

He said the wounds were consistent with other bus bombings, including broken
limbs, cuts, burns, shrapnel wounds and multiple injuries. He added that he had
not seen any children under the age of 18, but could not confirm there were no
children hurt.

Kreiss noted that some of the people's mental states were fine, but some were
less so.

"Unfortunately, it's the same mental state as we have seen in many instances
that this has happened here," he said.

According to Magen David Adom director Eli Bin, the scene at the Burgas Airport
when MDA paramedics arrived around midnight Wednesday was "chaos," and Israelis
were milling around stunned and missing clothes and shoes.

Bin said the Israelis had refused to leave the airport terminal until Israeli
authorities arrived, and there had been "thunderous applause" when the rescue
teams from MDA and the army entered the building.

Many of the Israelis were offered flights back home on Bulgaria Air, but refused
to come with any plane that was not Israeli, he said.

The victims who went back on the Thursday afternoon flight traveled as the MDA
had found them in the terminal, with shoes and clothes missing. The MDA
distributed clothes from the local Red Cross to some of the victims after they
arrived. The wounded victims also returned without their luggage and without
passports. Israel's ambassador to Bulgaria signed that he recognized every
victim so they could return home without documents.

Bin commended the cooperation with the local Red Cross and local authorities and
said that Israeli rescue services had received all of the necessary permits
immediately. He said there were only eight ambulances in the entire city of
Burgas, so it was woefully unprepared to deal with such a large emergency.

Following the bombing, Israeli authorities have forbidden Israelis to walk
around freely in the city, he added, saying they must have an armed escort when
on the street. The hospital in Burgas was also under guard while Israeli victims
were there.

The bodies of the five Israelis killed in the bombing were scheduled to leave
Burgas after an official ceremony around 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The bodies were
immediately transferred to the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at
Abu Kabir upon arrival in Israel.

"Every Israeli needs to know that anywhere he is, in the most remote place, MDA,
the army, and the Israeli government will bring them home," Bin said.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

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914 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Mofaz resignation from government takes effect

BYLINE: GIL HOFFMAN and LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 239 words

Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz officially changed hats from vice premier to
opposition leader at 7 p.m. on Thursday when his resignation from the cabinet
took effect.

Labor chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich sent an official letter of resignation as
opposition leader to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin earlier in the day.

"Due to the changes in the coalition and Kadima's return to the opposition as
its largest party, I am announcing the end of my tenure as opposition leader,"
Yechimovich wrote.

A Labor spokeswoman explained that the letter was a formal step, meant to
facilitate a smooth transition for Mofaz.

Mofaz's decision to leave the government ended efforts by lawmakers in the
party's left flank to draft the seven (out of 28) MKs necessary by law to split
the Kadima faction. Likud officials tried unsuccessfully to persuade five
rebellious Kadima MKs on the Left to collaborate with rightist MKs Otniel
Schneller and Yulia Shamolov Berkovich, who want to join the Likud.

Dovish Kadima MK Nino Abesadze denied a Channel 2 report claiming that she had
decided to run with Labor in the next election. She confirmed that she did speak
at a Labor event on Thursday, which was a "Hyde Park" forum attended by
socioeconomic activists affiliated with Labor and Kadima.

"I said at the event that I am an MK in Kadima," Abesadze said. "As for the next
election, I have learned that in Israel you can't plan anything more than 24
hours in advance."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Shaul Mofaz (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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915 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

'Nakba' truck driver convicted of murder

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 381 words

A truck driver who killed a man and wounded 17 others during a terror attack in
Tel Aviv on "Nakba Day" last year was pronounced guilty of murder on Thursday.

In a unanimous ruling, the Tel Aviv District Court said Ibrahim Islam Issa, a
23-year-old resident of Kafr Kasim, near Rosh Ha'ayin, was guilty of
premeditated murder when he swerved his 15-ton Volvo truck into a line of
vehicles and pedestrians on a busy Tel Aviv road on May 15, 2011, the date
Palestinians mark as "Nakba Day," a day of mourning marking the anniversary of
the founding of the State of Israel.

According to the indictment, Issa was motivated by nationalist ideology and
planned the attack in advance, aiming to kill as many Jews as possible.

Issa began the attack at 9.30 a.m. on Bar-Lev Street, smashing into a car
decorated with an Israeli flag and killing the driver, Avi Morag, a 29-year-old
man from Givatayim.

He then crashed into seven more vehicles, including a scooter and a bus, before
getting out of his truck and beating passersby with a blunt object while
shouting "Allahu Akbar" and racial epithets against Jews, the indictment said.

Issa's defense argued that he had not intended to kill anyone and that he had
lost control of his truck.

In court, Issa testified that he had fallen asleep at the wheel before hitting
the cars. He said that he was not racist and had never contemplated harming
Jews, and denied shouting "Allahu Akbar."

Judges Gilya Ravid, Gilad Neuthal and Meir Yifrach convicted Issa of murder.

Under the Penal Code, a murder conviction requires that the prosecution prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that a killing was premeditated.

Ravid said the fact that Issa had crossed a red light at high speed, and slammed
his truck into vehicles at a junction, demonstrated that he had intended to
cause the death of the people in those cars.

"This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that [Issa] did not stop after the
smash and was not interested in what had happened to the passengers affected by
it, and did not try to get help," Ravid said.

Issa was also convicted of six counts of attempted murder, causing injury and
aggravated injury, and endangering life on a public highway.

The court will sentence Issa at a later date. A murder conviction entails a
mandatory penalty of life imprisonment.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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916 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Emergency NII panel to deal directly with the victims of Burgas attack

BYLINE: RUTH EGLASH

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 360 words

National Insurance Institute director-general Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef established
an emergency committee on Thursday to help provide speedy help to the victims of
the Burgas terror attack and their families.

NII deputy director Ilana Schreibman will head the committee, which will work
around the clock in the coming weeks to ensure that all victims and their
families receive the health, welfare and financial benefits available to victims
of terrorism.

On Thursday, NII representatives arrived in Burgas, Bulgaria, together with
Foreign Ministry staff to assess the needs of more than 30 Israeli tourists who
were wounded on Wednesday afternoon when their bus exploded just outside the
airport in Burgas on the Black Sea coast. The NII said it would also provide
support to the many more people not physically injured but who flew back to
Israel on Thursday.

In addition, the NII will pay the cost of airline tickets for relatives of the
two Israelis still hospitalized in critical condition in Sofia. Two family
members left for Sofia on Thursday morning and additional relatives are being
helped by the NII.

For those returning to Israel on Thursday, NII rehabilitation specialists will
be on hand at Ben-Gurion Airport to assess their needs.

"We are operating our emergency procedures at the moment," a spokesman from the
NII said. "We are ready to offer therapy and support to all those who were
involved in the attack, including those who were not injured physically."

The spokesman also said that the NII was also preparing to help with the burial
arrangements of the five Israelis who had been confirmed dead and identified by
authorities. Within this framework, the NII has approved airline tickets for
family members of one victim who is from Madrid.

The Organization of Israel's Terror Victims released a statement condemning the
attack:

"The fact is that Israelis, who wanted a vacation, who wanted to enjoy, laugh,
relax and forget the daily grind were instead injured or killed just because
they are Jews and Israelis," said the organization, sending condolences to the
families of those killed and wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were
wounded.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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917 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Introducing Israel's Olympians: ARIK ZE'EVI - Judo - Men's under-100kg

BYLINE: ALLON SINAI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 268 words

Arik Ze'evi will become just the third Israeli to participate in four Olympics
in London and he has made no secret of his plan to retire after the Games.

The 35-year-old's career looked to be as good as over after his early exit from
the Beijing Games four years ago, but the bronze medalist from the 2004 Athens
Olympics eventually elected to prolong his career and will once more enter the
Olympics as one of Israel's better medal hopes.

Ze'evi was crowned European champion for the fourth time in his career in April,
beating Georgia's Levan Zhorzholiani in the final of the under-100kg competition
in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Ze'evi overcame innumerable injuries and regained the continental title eight
years after last winning it.

Not only is Ze'evi an Israeli legend, but he will also be remembered as one of
Europe's most eminent judokas after taking his ninth total medal in the
continental championships, also claiming gold in 2001, 2003 and 2004, a silver
in 2005 and bronze in 1999, 2007, 2008 and 2010.

However, Ze'evi knows that his latest gold medal guarantees him nothing in
London, especially as many of his rivals are not European.

"I'm proud of my achievement, but I know that it has little meaning as far as
the Olympics are concerned," Ze'evi said.

The last time Ze'evi won the continental gold he went on to scale the podium at
the Olympics a few months later, but eight years is a long time in any sport,
not to mention judo.

However, if any Israeli athlete deserves to end his career on such a high, it is
Ze'evi, and you can be certain he will leave no stone unturned in his final
chance at glory.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: ARIK ZE'EVI (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
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918 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Techno-warriors - our new heroes?

BYLINE: REUVEN BEN-SHALOM

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 826 words

When speaking to children, I'm occasionally asked by a kid with
coke-bottle-glasses: "Can I be a pilot with these glasses?"

"Maybe not," I answer, "but there are other amazing things you can do."

I then explain how each one must find the field in which he, or she, can excel.
While my set of skills fit the requirements for being a pilot, there are other
challenges beyond my reach.

Only a century since mankind took to the sky, we are still amazed we can
actually do it. Approaching the CH-53 helicopter ("Yasur" in Hebrew), I would
always wonder, "How in the world does this thing fly?" and sometimes added out
loud: "You're a genius, Igor!" (referring to Igor Sikorsky, the founder of
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation).

Exaltation of the ability to fly, and the excitement and danger involved, has
led to the over-glorification of pilots as an extraordinary breed. They are "the
best of the best." In Israel, it has been impressed in public consciousness with
the slogan: "The best to aviation."

The image of the Israeli pilot is carefully burnished at the top of an
organizational pyramid which serves and supports him, sustained by actions and
messages, ranging from dress code to ethical codes of conduct.

However, we are now moving into a different era.

With the introduction of autonomous machines and growing dominance of
non-kinetic capabilities such as cyberwarfare, our old fashioned images of
excellence will surely be recalibrated.

Robots are increasingly involved in all aspects of life. Not only do we have
automated workers to improve safety and boost capacity, but machines with
artificial intelligence that can perform complicated tasks. As in many fields,
military applications are in the lead, with a multitude of unmanned platforms
replacing human operators.

Besides being safe and efficient, robots allow mass deployment, continuous
operation and persistence in/over a location. Targets are becoming more and more
"time sensitive" and fleeting. This leads to an ever increasing need for
continuous presence to insure being "in the right place at the right time."

The challenge is twofold - the more platforms and sensors, the greater the
abundance of data and the need to control, process and "find the needle in the
haystack."

This is not an article about far-fetched futuristic technology. Autonomous
robots are a natural evolvement of contemporary technology. Actually, the
biggest evolution ahead is conceptual. When will we agree to fly on a
transatlantic flight without a pilot in the cockpit? How confident are we about
allowing autonomous killing machines to roam the skies, and are we sure the
enemy won't cyber-jack them and use them against us? The more advanced our
technology, the fewer people will be involved in its operation. We must rethink
the way we structure our images of excellence, and invest in properly educating
the next generation of professionals. These techno-warriors will need to possess
an array of valuable skills, as well as strong core values, for in their hands
will lie greater destructive power.

When screening recruits, we will allocate the best and the brightest to
professions that require the most complex set of skills.

We will still depend on our brave brothers and sisters who engage in direct
combat, putting their lives on the line for the rest of us, and they will always
deserve our utmost admiration and gratitude. But, as technology advances we will
also depend on a new version of professional who will control and manage the
vast number of unmanned vehicles on which our country's defense will depend.

A "hero" is someone extraordinary and remarkable, who is admired and emulated
for his noble qualities and achievements. We certainly may commend
techno-warriors as heroes.

There are other effects and dimensions to be analyzed. Techno-warriors, fighting
from the safety of remote command posts, will still be susceptible to the
psychological effects of combat. They will see, hear and understand the effects
of using the deadly tools at their disposal. On the other hand, physical
detachment from the battlefield may diminish sensitivity to cultural nuances and
lead to one-dimensional target counting instead of understanding and cracking
the rival system. Additionally, painless "tele-warfare" may allow political
leaders to freely apply military force, saved thus far as a last resort. The
paradoxical global result may be more wars and bloodshed.

In the IDF, much thought is being invested in examining these issues, but
decision-makers may tend, even subconsciously, to impede revolutionary progress
as an act of self-preservation. All aspects of the transition to unmanned
platforms should be discussed openly and lead to changes in the physical and
cultural structure of our force.

The writer is a former Israel Air Force pilot and founder of Cross-Cultural
Strategies Ltd, an Israel-based company that focuses on bridging cultural gaps
in promotion of international cooperation.

reuven@CCSt.co.il

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE ORBITER 3 UAV (Credit: Aeronautics Ltd.)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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919 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Is Middle Eastern terrorism drifting southward to Africa?

BYLINE: RINA BASSIST/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 5

LENGTH: 687 words

JOHANNESBURG - Two weeks ago, Kenyan police arrested two people suspected of
planning a terror attack against Israeli and American targets. Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu's cabinet declared immediately that the arrest proved Iran's
involvement once again in international terrorism. At the same time, Kenyan
media reported that Israeli detectives had arrived in Nairobi to conduct
meetings with different security bodies. Israeli officials have refused to
comment so far.

For over a year now, Israel has been increasingly preoccupied with the terror
network building up throughout Africa. Outgoing Ambassador to Nigeria Moshe Ram
has offered Israel's help on several occasions in the domain of security and the
fight against terror, stating that the two countries have the same goals in
fighting Islamist international terrorism. Private Israeli companies offer
security training courses to different Nigerian bodies. They are also active in
many other African countries.

Nigeria and Kenya are fighting different enemies. Kenya, apart from the ongoing
fight against Somali pirates, is under the threat of international terrorism
backed by Iran. The targets, claim specialists, are mostly American, British and
Israeli, not Kenyan. In Nigeria, meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan is
facing violent internal opposition: Muslim rebels who control large parts of the
country's north and who wish to spread Shari'a law all over the country. They
are Nigerian, fighting the Christian Nigerian minority in the north and the
government in the south.

But although the scenarios differ, the growing uneasiness is similar. Gen.
Carter Ham, head of the US military's Africa command, said recently that three
Islamist armed groups in Africa were collaborating in an increasingly
coordinated and maybe even synchronized manner: Al-Shabab in Somalia, Boko Haram
in Nigeria, and Aqim in Algeria and in neighboring countries in the Sahel
region. Ham said evidence indicated that the three groups were helping each
other with finances, ammunition, technology and training.

Of these three, Washington is probably most worried about Aqim, the North
African branch of al-Qaida, which has declared on numerous occasions that it
will keep trying to hit American, British, Spanish and French targets. Boko
Haram is also known to have ties with al-Qaida, though probably in a less
structured fashion. Al-Shabab is more of a nationalist organization by nature,
born out of a political split some six years ago within the main anti-government
rebel organization. Still, Western intelligence agencies suspect that jihad
warriors from different parts of the world have joined Al-Shabab over the years,
especially with the weakening of al-Qaida in the Far East.

Other countries in Africa are also subject to Muslim terror groups. Most of the
north of Mali is under the control of Asnar-Dine. Muslim rebels are also active
in Niger and Mauritania. The end of the Gaddafi regime in Libya left many of
them "unemployed" and in urgent need of a change of country and scenery. The
Israeli press published a travel advisory map Thursday morning from Israel's
Counter-terrorism Bureau. The map indicates Nigeria, Djibouti, Somalia, the
shoreline of Kenya, Ivory Coast, East Senegal and Mali as non-recommended
destinations for the Israeli tourist.

The Arab Spring has brought in, along with democracy, a period of uncertainty as
far as security control is concerned. Israel is already feeling the heat on its
border with Egypt, where the Sinai desert has become a no-man's-land since the
fall of president Hosni Mubarak, though it is controlled to some extent by the
Beduin tribes and by Hamas.

Where Africa is concerned, Jerusalem focuses mostly on the Iranian angle, where
Israeli tourists might be targeted. For Washington, it's a double war game:
Iran-backed terrorism against American and European targets on the one hand,
al-Qaida and its branches in the Maghreb and central Africa on the other. The
terror attack in Bulgaria, apparently perpetrated by Iranian agents, proves that
Tehran will strike wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

920 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A collective tragedy, or a personal one?

BYLINE: RUTH EGLASH

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1284 words

For the thousands of people who made it to last Saturday night's renewed social
justice protest in Tel Aviv, the reunion event - called to mark a year since
last year's mass demonstrations - is likely to be one they will never forget.

As the rally was about to wind down, Haifa resident Moshe Silman, who has since
become a symbol to many of those committed to the social justice protest
movement, doused himself with flammable liquid and set himself on fire. Just
before he went up in flames, the 57-year-old distributed a letter explaining his
actions: "The State of Israel has stolen from me and robbed me, left me with
nothing," he said.

Silman went on to blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister
Yuval Steinitz for "the humiliation that disenfranchised citizens go through day
in and day out, that take from the poor and give to the rich and to public
servants, those that serve the State of Israel."

A day later, as Silman lay in intensive care at Sheba Medical Center in Tel
Hashomer, friends and relatives of the man who has succeeded in taking this
summer's social justice protests to a new level described how he had gone from
successful small-business owner to a man about to be made homeless after the
social welfare system let him down.

According to reports, Silman's down-on-his-luck spiral was sparked by one small
debt to the National Insurance Institute. As that debt grew, he lost his
business, his property and his home, and eventually suffered a debilitating
stroke that left him 100% disabled. Despite receiving a meager disability check
from the NII, he was barely able to afford essential medicines. let alone pay
rent on an apartment.

While his drastic actions Saturday night might not be the path that most people
would choose to follow - even though throughout the week there were several
attempts at self-immolation by others - it was Silman's desperate tone that
resonated far and wide throughout society. Sadly, his seems to be a story many
people in Israel can identify with.

"I really hope that no one else will follow this path, but at the end of the day
he was sick of the situation and he had no choice," said Rabbi Idit Lev, manager
of social justice projects at Rabbis for Human Rights.

For the past year, Lev worked closely with Silman to help him navigate through
the bureaucracy of the social welfare system and fight for the right to public
housing.

"He felt that no one in the State of Israel was listening to him," said Lev,
explaining that she meets many individuals and families in similar distress. "I
don't know how these welfare policies are decided, who gets help and who does
not, but at the end of the day, no one would help Moshe."

Of course, after Silman set himself alight, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
and other government officials were quick to respond. But did the prime
minister's well-wishes fall short of fully understanding the scope of social
welfare problems in this country when he referred to Silman's "great personal
tragedy."

In fact, the depth of the country's social problems was exposed clearly on
Tuesday when hundreds of people waiting to be assigned public housing showed up
for a pre-planned meeting of the Knesset Lobby for Public Housing and the Forum
for Public Housing.

As the meeting turned stormy, with people sharing their personal stories of
depravation and degradation in trying to beat the poverty trap or even just
survive within it, Silman's desperation seemed to echo throughout the room.

"Silman's story is something that could happen to any of us," commented
Jerusalem resident Batela Shahar. "I am a widower of 25 years, I have five
children and I have lived in public housing for 30 years.

"While I am a mother and can't let myself go like Silman did, I can totally
understand how it came to that," she said, adding that there are many people in
Israel who are stuck in similar situations.

Perhaps Meretz MK Ilan Gilon summed it up most eloquently when he told those
gathered: "What happened to Silman should not be seen as a personal tragedy but
as a collective tragedy, as it highlights the shame of the State of Israel."

"It is both a personal tragedy and a national tragedy," Yisrael Livman, director
of Mekimi, a non-profit organization that provides solutions, counsel and
guidance to families in financial distress told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

Silman obviously had deeper problems but, at the same time, "he is letting out
what many families in Israel are feeling," Livman said, pointing out that a mix
of bureaucracy, lack of "protexia" (personal contacts) and lack of knowledge
about legal rights contributes to the growing problem.

"People do not understand the system and government agencies fail to help them
understand," he continued, adding that it is time for the government to "wake
up." People make mistakes in life, for whatever reason, but it is still the
responsibility of the authorities to help them navigate through those hardships
and back to the surface, he said.

While Livman believes that the state does have the tools to help those in need
but is just not effective in dispensing them, Dr. Emily Silverman, an expert in
public housing and progressive social planning, paints a much bleaker picture of
the situation.

"To say that [Moshe Silman] has fallen through the cracks is to assume that some
type of social welfare net actually exists," commented Silverman.

There is a net, she continued, but "it is only touching about 2,000 out of
thousands more people who need help." Silverman used the example of public
housing to show how the social welfare net does not stretch far enough to help
all those in need.

"Most Western countries expect that there will always be a percentage of people
who will never be able to purchase or rent homes," she said, pointing out that
successive governments have made clear over the past 20 years that this
philosophy is not truly accepted in Israel.

"No new properties have been built for the past 20 years," stated Silverman,
estimating that there are roughly 2,000 households who should be eligible for
public housing but are not getting it. And, she said, out of the 66,000
households currently living in public housing, most received that housing in the
1950s and 1970s.

"I think Moshe Silman's actions woke up a lot of people to just how bad the
situation has gotten," said Silverman. "I do think there will be change -
already the social justice protests last summer caused some changes and now I
think people are realizing that it has just gone too far."

Indeed, as tragic stories like Silman's cropped up throughout the week, the
Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs together with the NII committed to
creating an emergency task force to take on extreme welfare cases.

"The goal, at this point, is to make sure that they know there is someone out
there who will listen to them and help them with any bureaucracy," said Nachum
Itzkovitz, director-general of the Welfare Ministry.

One day, after the creation of the task force, it had already received some 600
calls for assistance from families and individuals. While most of the calls were
over public housing - for which the welfare ministry is not responsible - many,
said Itzkovitz, were dealing with NII bureaucracy.

"Our system treats hundreds of thousands of people, distributing over NIS 70
billion, so there needs to be some level bureaucracy. We can't just hand out
this kind of money without it," explained NII spokesman Haim Fitussi. "However,
if there are breakdowns, then we are usually aware of the problems and we strive
to deal with them."

Starting next week, the two agencies will open an emergency help line aimed to
assist people in extreme economic or social straits.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SOCIAL AFFAIRS. When Binyamin Netanyahu called Moshe Silman's
self-immolation a 'personal tragedy,' was he overlooking the fact that a growing
number of Israelis feel there is no social safety net to support them?

GRAPHIC: Photo: MOSHE SILMAN set himself on fire at a social justice protest in
Tel Aviv last Saturday night. (Credit: Asaf Kliger/Israel Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

921 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Israeli exec of software giant SAP shares vision

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: ECONOMICS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 437 words

European companies must reinvent themselves if they are to compete with their
Asian rivals, Franck Cohen, president of German multinational software firm
SAP's Europe, Middle East and Africa division, told reporters in Tel Aviv
Thursday.

"They will not be able to outspend companies in the Asia-Pacific, so they have
to outsmart them," he said.

SAP aims to achieve this by focusing on three major technologies that are all
approaching maturity at the same time: mobile, in-memory computing and cloud
computing, Cohen said.

Mobile is becoming more business-oriented, and SAP is starting to think about
developing mobile business applications that could be deployed on a mass scale
through all kinds of tablets and devices, he said.

In-memory computing technology, which the company is developing through its HANA
solution, would revolutionize the way people manage big data, Cohen said.

"If you combine these three dimensions and look at what these three new
technologies can bring when they are put together, you can change the IT
landscape forever," he said. "And that presents unprecedented opportunities to
companies like SAP - and also to our customers - to reinvent themselves."

Unusual for a European business executive, Cohen spoke to reporters in both
Hebrew and English. Born in Algeria, he moved with his parents to Sderot in 1960
and finished his schooling in France but returned alone to Israel at age 17. He
served in the IDF Paratroopers Brigade and studied electronics and electrical
engineering at Tel Aviv University. He joined SAP in 2009, armed with 22 years
of experience in the enterprise resource planning industry.

SAP's Israel division is functioning very well, and was even voted best
performer out of all the company's European branches this year, Cohen said. SAP
Labs Israel has been behind a number of inventions, he said, and more than 100
local developers are participating in the development of the HANA in-memory
solution.

Israeli developers were responsible for the creation of the Real Time Offer
Management solution, which combines with mobile and in-memory computing
technology to personalize promotional offerings. The system is being tested by
French supermarket chain Casino.

The system recognizes, via loyal customers' mobile devices, when they have
entered the store, Cohen said. It immediately recognizes purchasing behavior by
examining the customer's past purchases and social-media profile. Based on this
information, it makes a personalized promotion to that customer. For example, if
the customer is a chocaholic, the system might offer them an exclusive 10
percent discount on chocolates.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

922 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Up to you

BYLINE: SARAH HONIG

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1762 words

One of US President Barack Obama's few admitted regrets is his inability to
conjure up an instant resolution to our vexing dispute. This seems a tad odd
considering that during her recent whirlwind visit to our troublesome midst, his
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had waxed ecstatic about this being a time of
"great change and transformation in the region." If things are so upbeat, why
are they so intractable?

Both Obama and Clinton would be a lot less frustrated and much wiser had they
turned to the late Yitzhak Shamir for clues.

He was endlessly mocked by members of our chattering classes when he stated
outright that "the sea is the same sea and the Arabs are the same Arabs." He
plainly harbored no illusions in a wishy-washy world of wishful-thinking, where
reality often becomes a most unwelcome intruder.

Political vogue decrees that disagreeable facts shouldn't inconsiderately
interfere with uplifting fantasy, but Shamir didn't mind being denigrated as
insular, intransigent and above all terminally uncool.

With both his feet solidly on the ground, he had no patience for pipe-dreams
about a phenomenal sea change in the Arab mind-set. Continuity appeared more
plausible, especially given the depth and duration of virulent Arab enmity
toward the Jewish state. Hardhearted hate is unlikely to wondrously dissipate
overnight.

Shamir sounded this observation on more than one occasion and in a variety of
contexts, most notably on the eve of the 1991 Madrid Conference to which he went
unwillingly and in which he had no trace of trust.

Yet his reluctant participation in what he termed as the Madrid charade suffices
for many today to misrepresent him as the trailblazer to what eventually
culminated in the Oslo folly.

When Shamir took over from Menachem Begin as Israel's seventh prime minister in
1983, our ever-presumptuous trendsetters and omniscient opinion-molders
disdained him and scorned what they determined were his unimaginative
orientations and do-nothing proclivities. They couldn't stand him. He was
anathema to them no matter how much they now, after his death, expediently
reinvent him, much as they have been dishonestly skewing Begin's legacy for
decades.

But the truth is that Shamir was never cool and never aspired to be popular. He
aspired to do the right thing, a fact which in and of itself made him different,
an odd bird in a setting obsessed with the facade but leery of the substance.
And if the right thing meant keeping mum, Shamir didn't answer his voluble
detractors and didn't get dragged into verbal bouts.

In an interview years ago, I asked him whether he didn't think he was thereby
losing the battle for public opinion by default. He insisted that "most of the
time the least said is best." It was his "responsibility not to babble
needlessly," even if that cost him support.

And it doubtlessly did. By no means a spellbinding orator, he was consciously
devoid of charisma and never sought to correct what was perhaps a fatal flaw for
someone who found himself in the political vortex. Unperturbed by PR, Shamir
said things as he saw them, in those few times when he did tersely comment on
anything (always, as befits a former underground fighter and top Mossad
operative, without divulging much of anything).

Referring to political deals, he quipped, "Did I ever recommend not implementing
them? What's good should be implemented and what's bad shouldn't." Plain and
simple, without embellishments. He was candid enough to opine that "for the sake
of Eretz Yisrael it's permissible to lie."

With equal forthrightness, he told me on his return from Madrid that "a vast sea
divides Jews from Arabs. For starters, Jews genuinely long for peace. The Arabs
do not want peace. They crave our defeat, which they call peace."

Have all the tumultuous events of the more than two decades that had elapsed
since our conversation proven Shamir wrong? Hardly. They reveal his insight as
acute and unerring.

The sea remains the same sea and the Arabs hadn't transformed from what they
were long before Oslo, disengagement, a couple of peace contracts, numerous
negotiation rounds, recurring wars or even Israel's independence. Unheedful of
Shamir's cautionary admonitions, we Israelis may have honed our self-delusionary
predilections, but - like it or not - we're still surrounded by implacable
enemies.

Egypt is a compelling case in point. Shamir opposed Israel's pullout from Sinai.
Despite his then-role as Knesset speaker, he significantly abstained in the vote
on the Camp David accords and even more thunderingly on the subsequent vote to
ratify the finalized peace treaty in March 1979.

In the short haul, it may then have appeared that he was too stiff-necked.
Perhaps Israel couldn't be seen, even for its own internal reasons, as shunning
what looked like a miraculous peace. Perhaps there was no choice.

Nevertheless, as Shamir suspected, that epic concession opened the floodgates to
follow-up concessions. He did his darndest to stem the tide. When he headed the
second national unity coalition, Shamir unhesitatingly fired his coalition
partner and foreign minister Shimon Peres. It was three years pre-Oslo, in 1990.

Peres behaved like a law unto himself and pursued (not for the first time)
covert assignations with Jordan behind Shamir's back, in violation of every
conceivable democratic principle. Shamir wouldn't countenance Peres's
insubordinate freelance negotiations. He courageously risked an attempt to
topple him, which indeed came, but refused to give into Peres's ultimatum
(hatched with the notorious James Baker).

However, in the long haul Peres had his way. Shamir's weak successor, Yitzhak
Rabin, later fell for Peres's unauthorized fait accompli, the Osloite chimera.
What began in Camp David bore bitter fruit.

What have we to show today for all our sacrifices for an elusive, apparently
unattainable peace?

If the shaky peace with Egypt isn't abrogated soon by its Muslim Brotherhood
overlords, it will only be because the new regime might be too busy confronting
the old-guard military establishment, reconvening the dissolved parliament,
solidifying its hold on power, settling outstanding scores, feeding the teeming
masses and paving the path to Shari'a law.

If and when it suits the religious radicals who now hold sway in Cairo, they
will redirect domestic tensions toward the universally abhorred Israel. The
paper on which the treaty with Egypt was signed is as durable as the
tactics/whims of the new bosses.

Much as Obama, Clinton et al may kid themselves (and us), post-Arab Spring Egypt
is anti-Western and rabidly Judeophobic. As Shamir always counseled us to note,
nothing changes overwhelmingly overnight. Deeply ingrained extremist dogmas
don't evaporate into scintillating stardust.

Contrary to Obama's and Clinton's rhetoric, the Muslim Brotherhood hadn't
serendipitously morphed into a secular democratic force for pragmatism, progress
and pluralism.

We have already had an unappetizing foretaste. The assault on the Israeli
Embassy in Cairo last September hardly grated against the grain of Egypt's
mainstream discourse. The taunting yells of Khaybar left no doubt about what
motivated the mobs. As Muslims remember (and Jews forget) Khaybar was one of the
Jewish enclaves which Islam's progenitor Muhammad attacked in violation of
treaty pledges. Jewish men were beheaded, women abducted and children enslaved.
That's the ideal of the Muslim Brotherhood's rank and file.

Add to this such instances of ill-will as the sexual molestation of an American
newswoman accused - falsely as it happens - of the unforgivable crime of being
Jewish. Neither does it bode well that newly elected president Mohamed Mursi
agitated in his victory speech for the release of "Blind Sheikh" Omar
Abdel-Rahman - now imprisoned in the US for masterminding the first World Trade
Center bombing in February 1993. Clearly in Mursi's eyes that was no crime but a
laudable act.

All the above contribute to making our neighborhood more unpredictable and
downright scarier than ever before - not that it ever was a paradigm of
prudence. In the best of circumstances Egypt was never as good as its word, its
sincerity or lack thereof notwithstanding.

For now, international opinion, stage-managed by Obama and Co., manages to
somehow sashay past all aforementioned unpleasantness. The syrupy story about
the Arab multitudes yearning to be free is too sweet to pass up even if it
wasn't quite true. But at least we here should be clued in enough to pass up on
the saccharine, admit the truth and own up to the fact that Shamir was prescient
and terrifyingly right.

We now face undeniably escalated danger from the largest Arab state, Egypt.
Muslim diehards may soon overrun Syria, with wobbly Lebanon sure to be the next
domino to fall. There's no telling what the future holds for the artificial
concoction that is Jordan (established on nearly 80 percent of the original
Palestine). But that's nothing new. Jordan always teetered unsteadily, a fact
which further supports Shamir's thesis that fundamentals stay the same.

If anything, whatever was in Shamir's day is all the more so now - looming
ever-more menacingly. Malice wasn't banished. Indeed it was reinforced - just as
our last pre-Oslo premier prophetically warned ahead of the Madrid pageant.

Paradoxically, his pro forma participation in that event triggered his political
defeat. Incredibly, Shamir's patriotic credentials couldn't mitigate the fury of
the Tehiya and fellow right-of-the-Likud factions. They brought Shamir down.
Then came a tragic chain of bad luck.

Rabbi Moshe Levinger of Hebron fielded his own ticket, ironically to protest
against National Camp divisiveness. The 3,000 votes he attracted were too few to
get him elected. Aguda's disgruntled Eliezer Mizrahi also ran on his own and
garnered several hundred votes.

Tehiya lacked fewer than 400 additional votes to surmount the then-1.5% Knesset
entry hurdle. All the votes Levinger and almost-as-hawkish Mizrahi flushed down
the drain could have comfortably put Tehiya over the Knesset threshold with two
seats and a surplus to spare.

That would have denied Rabin his initial blocking majority. His Labor-Meretz
coalition would have never been formed. Oslo wouldn't have been born. Nearly all
the woes that torment us today can be traced to the proverbial loose horseshoe
nail that cost Shamir the 1992 election.

He was followed by a crew that made it its objective to persuade us that however
unchanging the sea may be, the Arabs are not the same Arabs. We know how that
turned out.

www.sarahhonig.com

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANOTHER TACK. Both Obama and Clinton would be a lot less frustrated and
much wiser had they turned to the late Yitzhak Shamir for clues

GRAPHIC: Photo: EGYPTIANS BURN an Israeli flag outside the Israeli Embassy in
Cairo last year. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

923 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Turkey first!

BYLINE: URI SAVIR

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 1313 words

In the past, Israel has had three important allies in the Muslim world: Iran
under the shah, Egypt under Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, and Turkey under
various leaders including Recep Tayyip Erdogan - relationships that strengthened
our strategic position in the region, our deterrence and our posture in relation
to our main ally, the United States.

Today we are left with not even one of the three most important Muslim countries
in the region. Iran after the revolution of the ayatollahs has turned to Islamic
fundamentalism, aspiring to combine a backward theocratic state with modern
means of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, while denying the
Holocaust and Israel's right to exist.

As for Egypt, though it is still committed to the peace treaty with Israel even
under the new Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi, it cannot be
considered as a neighbor of Israel that shares and defines common strategic
interests. Egyptian public opinion is hostile toward us, because of solidarity
with their Palestinian brothers under occupation. The Egyptian civilian
leadership from the Brotherhood may be keeping a faade of a relationship with
Israel, due to an American dependency, but is not exactly enamored with the
Jewish state.

As for Turkey, Israel enjoyed full diplomatic relations with it since 1992, a
close economic and trade relationship and a strategic relationship between the
two strong armies. These relations have gravely deteriorated, as exemplified by
the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, in which Turkey tried to break the Gaza
blockade, and in the confrontation with the flotilla, nine Turks were killed by
IDF fire on board the vessel.

In the background of this crisis are two conflicting views of the desired
solution to the Palestinian issue, and Turkey's intent to gain clout in the Arab
world.

In secret negotiations that aimed to mend the relationship, which took place
also due to American encouragement, the Turks demanded a clear apology from
Israel for the killing of the nine Turkish citizens. Israel agreed only to
express regret; Binyamin Netanyahu preferred national pride to national
interest. The same can be said of Erdogan.

The Turkish prime minister used his confrontation with Israel and his support
for the Palestinians to enhance his position and popularity among Arab regimes
and mainly in Arab public opinion. The Arab constituency that has become more
relevant and influential in the aftermath of the Arab Spring greeted the Turkish
leader, during his visits in the region, with great jubilation.

Although trade remains at a high level, our relations with Ankara continue to
deteriorate, our defense relations are at a standstill and the Turkish
leadership does not miss an opportunity to criticize the Netanyahu government's
handling of the Palestinian issue.

Israel has a fundamental strategic interest to improve relations with at least
one of the three important Muslim powers in the region, and today this is most
feasible when it comes to Turkey.

Such an improvement of relations is also in Ankara's interest; while it has
strengthened its position in the Arab world with the "help" of our policies, if
Turkey really wants to contribute to peace and stability in the region, it must
cooperate with Israel, and with the United States for that matter.

This comes against the backdrop of our growing isolation in the region. The Arab
world, which is becoming more a world of the people than of the dictators, is
antagonistic to our policies toward the Palestinians, the ongoing occupation and
the strengthening of the settlers and the settlements. The Arabs are also
debating what kind of governance to choose and what the role of Islam will be in
their societies. So far, the post-Arab Spring countries are opting for a
relatively moderate Islam coexisting with strong security forces and, sometimes,
with young liberal forces (such as in Tunisia and Libya, and to a large degree
in the West Bank). The Arabs have two models to choose from when it comes to the
position of Islam in their society and their politics: the Turkish model of
relatively moderate Islam with a relatively pro-Western democratic system, or
the Iranian model of fundamentalist Islam in an anti-Western theocracy. In the
end, its either "Ankara" or "Tehran."

And Israel must also choose - go the Tehran way, attack Iran and create a
pan-Muslim hostility for decades while only postponing the Iranian nuclear
ambitions, or opt for an accommodation with Ankara as a way to strengthen our
regional posture.

Based on informal contacts I had recently with Turkish politicians, including
members of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, I believe such an
accommodation is possible and should be comprised by the following elements:

a) The Israeli government should officially express deep regret for the killing
of nine Turks on board the Marmara by IDF sailors. The Turkish government should
state that it sees in this expression of regret an official apology.

b) Israel should recognize in a public statement the important regional role of
Turkey in the Middle East, including in the peace process.

c) Turkey should recognize in a public statement the legitimate security
concerns of Israel in the Middle East, also vis-a-vis the Iranian nuclear
ambitions, on the basis of statements made by Prime Minister Erdogan in his
official visit to Israel in 2005.

d) Turkey and Israel should continue to develop their economic relationship,
including tourism and trade (despite the crisis in the relationship, bilateral
trade stands today at approximately $1.5 billion).

e) Turkey and Israel should gradually renew their bilateral defense relations.

f) Turkey and Israel should express their common view and concern regarding the
crisis and the massacres in Syria.

g) Israel should invite Turkey to play a facilitating role in the renewal of
direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, possibly in
Istanbul, on the basis of the Obama vision of a two-state solution.

h) Turkey and Israel should hold joint talks with the Obama administration with
the view of developing a common strategic vision of the region.

The United States has seen Turkey as an important member of the Western alliance
since the Truman Doctrine of 1947, the Turkish adhesion to NATO in 1952 and
recently in talks held between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister
Erdogan, primarily on the Iran situation.

The US understands what we must internalize - that the inclusion of Turkey into
a Western-orchestrated Middle East strategy vis-a-vis Syria, Iran, Egypt and the
Palestinians is of great significance in the effort to stabilize and pacify the
region. The regional choice is, to a large degree, between Ankara and Tehran.
Such an understanding is possible and important to both sides - Israel and
Turkey - as well as to the Obama administration.

The Middle East is in transition toward more socio-political openness coupled
with a greater political role for Islamist movements. In this changing region,
Turkey can, in many ways, be a model state if it adheres to its democratic
principles and pro-Western positions, and restrains its anti-Israel polemic.

For Israel there lies an important opportunity in a new accommodation of Turkey,
provided we allow for a Turkish role in revival of the peace process on the
basis of new and realistic positions of Israel on the Palestinian issue.

The Netanyahu government must understand that our national security must take
into account strategic shifts in the region, which can be contended with, not
through endless and useless analysis, flamboyant hasbara rhetoric, or
surrendering for tactical political reasons to the settlers, but rather by
thinking and acting strategically and by structuring new strategic alliances.

The writer is president of the Peres Center for Peace and served as Israel's
chief negotiator for the Oslo Accords.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: SAVIR'S CORNER

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

924 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Jewish agency to aid victims' families

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 114 words

The Jewish Agency will give financial aid to the families of those killed and
wounded by the bombing in Bulgaria on Wednesday.

The money, which was raised by the Jewish Federations of North America, will
help address "supplemental needs not covered by Israeli government bodies," the
agency announced on Wednesday

"The assistance provided by the Jewish Federations of North America demonstrates
The solidarity of Jews around the world with the terrible pain of those Israelis
wounded in the attack and with the deep mourning of the families of those
killed," agency chairman Natan Sharansky said.

The Jewish Agency has spent more than NIS 100 million helping victims of
terrorism since 2002.

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July 20, 2012 Friday

Victim had just learned she was pregnant

BYLINE: TOVAH LAZAROFF

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 447 words

Before boarding a flight to Bulgaria on Wednesday, Kochava Shriki, 42, got a
call from her doctor with the good news that after many unsuccessful attempts,
she was finally pregnant.

As she stood in Ben-Gurion Airport, she called her sister, Yael Morad, to tell
her how happy she was. She ended the conversation by stating, "I'm getting on
the plane in five minutes."

"Take care of yourself," Morad responded.

Just one day later, Morad stood in the parking lot outside of Ben-Gurion's
Terminal 1, fairly certain that her sister was among the five Israelis killed
when a suicide bomber boarded her bus outside the airport in Burgas, Bulgaria,
on Wednesday afternoon.

Shriki and her husband Yitzhak of Rishon Lezion were among 154 Israelis who had
flown there on vacation with the help of Israeli tourism company Kavei Hofsha
(Vacation Lines), which also provided buses to transport them to their hotel.

On Thursday, Yitzhak flew back to Israel without his wife. He was among the 33
wounded from the blast who landed around 2 p.m. on an IDF plane.

More than a dozen ambulances with flashing red lights lined the service road by
the terminal, waiting for the wounded.

Morad and another sister, Nurit Cohen, stood in tears by the ambulances so they
could accompany Yitzhak to the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

As the vehicles drove away, they walked to their car, pausing to speak with
reporters. They told the story together, often speaking at the same time or
finishing each other's sentences.

Morad noted that she had two other siblings who were also out of the country, in
Romania and Spain, and who were heading back to Israel Thursday after hearing
the news.

"She went for a three-day vacation and is coming back in a coffin," said Cohen
through her tears.

Morad said that when her husband had first called to tell her about the
explosion, she didn't believe that her sister had been in the attack.

"I didn't think it could be her. I just spoke with her," she said.

Then she spoke with Yitzhak from Bulgaria, who told her about the explosion. He
said that the force of the blast had sent him flying and he had lost
consciousness.

When he came to, he began looking for Kochava. Everyone assured him that she was
alive, but that they simply did not know where she was. A number of times, he
believed he had found her, only to have his hopes dashed.

He sent his wife's family SMS updates of his search.

In one message, he wrote, "She is alive, but in critical care."

Then he wrote, "She is alive, but in surgery."

Morad said, "Until 4 a.m., we had a shred of hope that she was among the
wounded. But then Israeli staff came, updated the lists, and we understood that
the worst had happened."

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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GRAPHIC: Photo: Kochava Shriki (Credit: Courtesy)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

18 years for terrorist who wounded eight in Tel Aviv

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 261 words

A Kalkilya man who left eight people wounded in an attack near a south Tel Aviv
nightclub will go to prison for 18 years, the Tel Aviv District Court ruled on
Thursday.

Muhammad Bin Said Zofan, 21, was convicted of attempted murder, injury with
serious intent, robbery, illegal residency and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Last August, Zofan carjacked a taxi at knifepoint and rammed it into Border
Police officers Or Hakim and Albert Sabah and a civilian bystander, Itay
Weinberg, before going on a stabbing spree.

Zofan shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" (God is great) as he swerved into border
policemen outside the Ha'oman 17 night club on Salameh Street. He went on to
brutally stab a club security guard before the manager, Yitzhak Assaraf, and two
other security guards, Oleg Chritov and Grigory Sokolov, managed to subdue him.
The struggle left the three men wounded.

Zofan's defense counsel argued that the court should take into account when
passing sentence that the 23-year-old had not belonged to any Palestinian terror
group and that he had admitted to the charges.

Judges Sarah Dotan, Shaul Shohet and Daphna Avnieli said Zofan had tried to
explain his motives to the court but had refused to express any remorse.

Immediately before the attack, the Kalkilya native had been living in the
country illegally, making a living by doing odd jobs, and sleeping in an
abandoned apartment next to the Siksik mosque in Jaffa.

The indictment said he and another man, Muhammad Biari, had plotted to commit
several other attacks against Jewish civilians and Israeli security forces.

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Former Egyptian intelligence chief dies in the US. Omar Suleiman ran 'state
within a state,' saw Israel as ally in war against Islamists, expert tells
'Post'

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN; Reuters contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 9

LENGTH: 759 words

Omar Suleiman, Egypt's former intelligence chief who was a pillar of the Mubarak
regime, died aged 76 while undergoing a medical examination in the US on
Thursday.

Born in Upper Egypt in 1936, Suleiman enrolled in the country's Military Academy
at age 18. He rose through the ranks, and took part in the Six Day War and the
Yom Kippur War against Israel.

In 1993, after being appointed by president Hosni Mubarak to head the
all-powerful General Intelligence Directorate, Suleiman focused his attention on
dismantling Islamist organizations in Egypt.

He stepped briefly into the limelight last year when Mubarak's made him his vice
president to try to end the Arab Spring uprising against his three-decade rule.
The gamble failed when the Egyptians who had massed in the streets to demand
Mubarak step down rejected the political concessions Suleiman offered to appease
them.

Many protesters were incensed when Suleiman suggested they were not ready for
democracy.

"My heart hurts for him. He believed in the peace treaty for Egypt - not for
Israel - but Egypt," Labor MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a former Israeli defense
minister and close associate of Suleiman, said after the death was announced.

Suleiman enjoyed close relations with senior Israeli defense chiefs over the
years, coordinating closely with Jerusalem on issues pertaining to regional
stability and acting as a bridge between Israel and the Palestinians.

"He was a patriot. He had incredible knowledge of the world. If we turned to him
for something, there was never a time that he didn't get back to us on the same
day," Ben-Eliezer said.

But Suleiman's alliance with the Israeli defense community was just one part of
the spy chief's uncompromising war on Islamists in Egypt and in the region, Dr.
Mordechai Kedar, a senior Middle East expert from Bar-Ilan University's
Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, told The Jerusalem Post.

"He saw us as allies against extreme Islamists. We fought them and so did he,"
Kedar said.

"Egyptian intelligence was like the Mossad and the Shin Bet put together. It
handled foreign and domestic intelligence. This was a very strong organization,
a state within a state. It was the main body that safeguarded the stability of
the presidency, and then the state - in that order," he added.

Suleiman met with Mubarak every day, a privilege enjoyed by no other minister.

"As head of intelligence, the president's ear was by his mouth. His organization
never had any budget problems," Kedar said.

Suleiman's war against opponents of the Mubarak regime was wholly above the law,
and often involved torture of suspects "to get them to sign things they did and
didn't do. No court could have dealt with the intelligence body, because it was
beyond the law. This was the organization and this was Suleiman," Kedar
stressed.

The intelligence chief operated in the shadows for many years before stepping
into the light, though his presence could be felt everywhere in Egypt. The
intelligence agency relied on a highly effective system of informers. It also
enjoyed its own internal communications system that was practically immune to
eavesdropping.

"The organization was basically autonomous," Kedar said. "He symbolized a small,
secular layer in Egyptian society that was wealthy and corrupt. That's why it
was anti-Islamic."

Shortly before his death, Suleiman expressed concerns that the whole of Egypt
would come under the dangerous sway of the Muslim Brotherhood.

"Many people felt that the state is going to the Muslim Brotherhood - in
parliament, in government and now the presidency," Suleiman told Reuters during
the recent election campaign.

In the past, Suleiman had been described as a powerful presence in any room.
Prof. Hillel Frisch, also from the Begin-Sadat Center, said, "He speaks little
and asks questions with much authority."

In the 1990s, Suleiman was tasked with stemming a major terrorism campaign
launched by the al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya group, which killed hundreds of members
of the Egyptian security forces and foreign tourists in a string of attacks. In
2003, al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya renounced terrorism, and other Islamist elements
were weakened or forced to disband due to Suleiman's efforts.

The intelligence chief was extremely well versed in the affairs of both Israel
and the Palestinians, Dr. Ely Karmon, a senior researcher at the International
Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, told
The Jerusalem Post last year.

Suleiman knew "the Israeli and Palestinian arenas better than anyone in Egypt,"
Karmon said.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Syrians fear executions as fighting intensifies. West slams Russia, China veto
of UN resolution to impose sanctions

BYLINE: JOANNA PARASZCZUK and Reuters

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 1436 words

Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar Assad continued to attack opposition
fighters on Thursday, in response to the bombing a day earlier that killed
Assad's brother-in-law, defense minister and a top general.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday that residents feared
mass executions after regime forces stormed the main road of Damascus's Qaboun
neighborhood using tanks and armed personnel carriers.

Assad's forces used helicopters and heavy artillery against rebel fighters and
snipers took up positions on rooftops on the outskirts of Damascus, the
observatory said.

"Explosions are heard throughout the capital," it said in an emailed statement.

The observatory also said there were clashes in the Midan neighborhood including
near the Majid mosque and shelling in the Qa'a area, and that residents also
feared a possible military operation in Tadamun and the Yarmouk camp, which is
home to Syria's largest Palestinian refugee population. The camp saw many
residents leave, the observatory said.

On Thursday afternoon, the observatory reported that members of the Kurdish
Popular Defense Committees had carried out a nonviolent takeover of the city of
Kobani (Ein al-Arab) in Aleppo province.

"Members of the regime's security forces retreated out of all their stations and
posts in the city after they were warned by the committees. This makes Kobani
the first city to be freed from the regime's grip without any violence," the
observatory said.

"The regime has gone mad," Rima Flaihan, the spokeswoman for the Local
Coordination Committees in Syria, said in a telephone interview from Jordan.

"The regime is in a horrid state of savagery, seeking revenge for the killings
of the military leaders."

At least 77 people were killed across Syria on Thursday, including 38 in
Damascus and its suburbs, the Local Coordination Committees said in an e-mail.

It said at least 130 people were killed in the shelling of a funeral on
Wednesday in the Sayyeda Zainab area on the outskirts of Damascus.

The Local Coordination Committees also posted a video to its Facebook page that
it said showed regime forces shelling Damascus suburbs with mortars.

Also on Thursday, Syrian state television warned citizens that gunmen were
planning to attack people in the capital using military uniforms as disguises.

"Armed men in Tadamun, Midan, Qa'a and Nahr Aisha are wearing military uniforms
with the insignia of the Republican Guard. This confirms they are planning to
commit crimes and attack people, exploiting the trust of citizens in our
courageous armed forces," Syria's official channel said in a message flashed
across the screen.

Syria's state news agency, SANA, warned that a Qatari security company was
making models of Syrian cities and using them to create fake videos "in a move
that is aimed at misleading public opinion about Syria."

Citing "special sources," SANA said the unnamed company had manufactured models
"analogous to official buildings and squares in Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia in
the Zoubareh region near Doha."

SANA also reported that fake videos of Assad were circulating on social media
sites.

About 20,000 Syrians had traveled across the main border point into Lebanon over
the past 24 hours, a Lebanese security source working at the border said.

The number of Syrians, many of them day-workers, who travel through the official
Masnaa border crossing usually hovers around 5,000 per day, the source said.

Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu-Faour did not comment on the total
number of Syrians who had crossed but said that 8,500 Syrian refugees from
Damascus made the trip in the past 24 hours.

Abu-Faour told journalists that the Lebanese government would open school
buildings for refugees to live in and had received offers of help from Arab
countries.

On Thursday evening, Syrian state television aired footage of Assad swearing in
new Defense Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij, the first images of the president
since Wednesday's bombing.

State television did not say where or when the footage was filmed, but it will
allay suspicions that Assad was killed in the attack.

Assad's TV appearance came after opposition sources and a Western diplomat said
earlier on Thursday that the president was in the coastal city of Latakia,
directing a response to Wednesday's assassination of three of his top
lieutenants.

"Our information is that he is at his palace in Latakia and that he may have
been there for days," said a senior opposition figure, who declined to be named.

The palace, which Assad has used before to conduct official business, is located
in hills near the city, Syria's main port.

The diplomat, who is following events in Syria, said, "Everyone is looking now
at how well Assad can maintain the command structure. The killings yesterday
were a huge blow, but not fatal."

However, a Syrian official source told Lebanon's As-Safir daily on Thursday that
statements suggesting that Assad had left Damascus were only rumors. That source
claimed Assad remained in his office in the capital.

Also on Thursday, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow
had not discussed the possibility of taking in Assad.

Putin had not discussed where Assad might go if he left Syria in talks with
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, nor in a telephone conversation with US
President Barack Obama on Wednesday, foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said.

Asked whether Assad could come to Russia, Ushakov said, "I don't know; at least
I have not heard about this."

Russia and China drew Western ire after both countries vetoed a Western-backed
UN Security Council resolution later on Thursday that threatened Syrian
authorities with sanctions if they did not stop using heavy weapons against the
uprising and withdraw troops from towns and cities.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague attacked the vetoes as "inexcusable and
indefensible."

"When it came for the time to turn agreement that they have supported into
action to end the violence, they stood aside from that... They have turned their
back on the people of Syria in their darkest hour," he told reporters in London.

"I believe Russia and China will pay a serious price in the Middle East
diplomatically and politically for taking this position. Many observers will
conclude that they have put national interest ahead of the lives and the rights
of millions of Syrians," Hague added.

The White House called the vetos "regrettable and highly unfortunate," while
international mediator Kofi Annan expressed his disappointment at the move.

"The joint special envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, is disappointed that at this
critical stage the UN Security Council could not unite and take the strong and
concerted action he had urged and hoped for. He believes that the voice of the
council is much more powerful when its members act as one," his spokesman Ahmad
Fawzi said.

China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that it condemned the
bombing in Syria.

"China is deeply worried about the rising tensions in Syria. China once again
called on all related parties in Syria to cease fire immediately," the
statement, which did not mention the UN veto, said.

As fighting intensified in Syria, Lt.-Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar of
Bar-Ilan University's Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies told The
Jerusalem Post that post-Assad Syria would likely split into several states,
based on ethnic divisions.

The Druse, who mostly live in the south of the country near the Golan; the
Alawites, who represent around 10 percent of the population and mostly live in
the Ansariya mountains; and the Kurds, who live in the north, could all seek to
organize along "tribal lines," he said.

"It was very hard to unify [Syria's ethnic groups] as a single state under a
dictatorship, so under a fragile regime the country won't be able to hold itself
together," Kedar said.

Shlomo Brom of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv
University said that although Wednesday's bombing in Damascus was "undoubtedly a
success" for the Syrian opposition, it would likely not result in a swift fall
of the Assad regime.

Brom said that unlike Egypt - where there had been an isolated group around
president Hosni Mubarak, who stepped down after 18 days of protests - in Syria
the Assad regime represented a larger sector of the population, including the
Alawites and other non-Sunni minorities.

"If Syria loses control of areas near the Golan, there could be a danger that
groups affiliated to al-Qaida could take advantage of the situation and act
against Israel," Brom said, noting that al-Qaida had operatives among the Syrian
rebels.

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: FREE SYRIAN ARMY fighters celebrate a victory over regime forces
in Azzaz, Aleppo province, yesterday. (Credit: Reuters)

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

IDF cancels weekend furloughs as Syria instability threatens Assad

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 414 words

The IDF raised its level of alert on Thursday and called off weekend furloughs
for a number of units due to concern over the fighting in Syria.

On Wednesday, a bomb in a Damascus security building killed defense minister
Daoud Rajha; deputy defense minister Assef Shawkat, who was also President
Bashar Assad's brother-in-law; and former defense minister and senior military
official Gen. Hassan Turkmani.

Syria's interior minister and several other officials were seriously wounded.

Israel is primarily concerned that Syria's chemical weapons or other advanced
military systems will fall into the hands of rogue actors such as Hezbollah or
global jihad elements operating in the country.

Israel is also concerned that Assad - feeling his back against the wall - may
decide to take Israel with him, and as a result fire everything he has at the
Jewish state.

On Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured the border with Syria and warned
that Hezbollah might move Syrian chemical weapons to Lebanon.

Many Islamists came to Syria from outside the country - from global jihad,
al-Qaida and other groups - there may be even greater chaos there the day after
Assad, Barak said.

On Wednesday night, Barak spoke with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and
updated him on Israel's concerns regarding the situation in Syria. Barak told
Panetta, who is scheduled to visit Israel later this month, that Assad's days
were numbered and that Israel's main concern was with the chemical weapons.

As Barak toured the border on Thursday, mortar fire was heard from within Syria.
Defense officials said the shelling was not connected to Barak's visit but was
part of the unrest in Syria.

Later in the day, a group of about 15 Syrian civilians approached the border,
raising IDF fears that they would try to cross into Israel to seek refuge. IDF
troops were deployed to the scene and the military contacted United Nations
peacekeepers. The group eventually returned to their homes in a village about 2
kilometers from the border.

IDF sources said the military had prepared contingency plans for the possibility
that large numbers of refuge-seekers would try to force their way over the
border. Under the plan, the army plans to hold the civilians in an area on the
border that is not Israeli territory but is a fenced-in enclave.

The sources said that the IDF was prepared to provide the refuge-seekers with
food and water and even protect them from Syrian military forces if they tried
to attack the civilians.

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Sharing the burden

BYLINE: SHLOMO RISKIN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 42

LENGTH: 923 words

'Shall your brethren go to war, while you settle here?' (Numbers 32:6)

The tribes of Gad and Reuben are so taken with the grazing potential of the land
east of the Jordan River that they request permission to remain there and
establish their settlement. Moses rebukes them, insisting that they must first
join the other tribes in battle, and only once the entire land is conquered,
"may you return, so that you come out pure in the eyes of God and of Israel."
(Numbers 32: 22)

Last year, Rabbi Shaul Robinson (who is now my successor as rabbi of Lincoln
Square Synagogue, and a very beloved student) was surprised on entering a Satmar
bakery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to see a large Hebrew sign which read, "Shall
your brethren go to war while you settle here?" He immediately asked the owners,
"Can this be true? Are you encouraging young haredi men to join the IDF? Have
you really joined the ranks of the religious Zionists?"

The owner of the bakery pointed out that the verse was actually being cited by
the Satmar Hassidim to encourage participation in demonstrations in favor of
Sabbath observance. Unfortunately, the hassidim did not understand the irony in
the verse whose meaning they were distorting for their purposes.

Israeli haredi (ultra-Orthodox) society is currently going through a cataclysmic
shakeup. Until now, virtually all of their young men lived a life of exclusive
Torah study. This is a result of David Ben-Gurion's agreement with the Hazon
Ish, Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, to fill the ranks of Torah scholarship
which had been so decimated by the Shoah.

There is now a strong likelihood that a great many, if not all, haredi young men
will be called up for several years of national service. At Ohr Torah Stone
educational institutions, we are even involved in accepting a group of 30 haredi
young men who wish to study Torah for one year before entering combat units of
the IDF. Interestingly enough, even before the present political constellation
enabled the possibility of a haredi draft, many haredi young men were showing
interest in joining the IDF, sharing the burden of military service and
integrating themselves into the workforce.

There was never a halachic justification for military exemptions for those
studying Torah. Our sages declared that if Israel is under threat of attack,
"Even

a groom must leave his bridal chamber and even a bride must leave her nuptial
canopy in order to protect our land and its citizenry" (Maimonides, Laws of
Kings 7:4).

The great hassidic authority, Rabbi Isaac of Karlin, writes in his talmudic
commentary Keren Orah that, "In an obligatory war everyone goes to battle, and
so even Torah scholars must be freed from their studies" (Commentary to Sota).

The ultra-Orthodox decisors base their insistence upon exemption on two major
sources. They cite the Sifrei (Numbers, Parshat Matot, 157), which comments on
the biblical text enjoining universal military conscription: "With the exclusion
of the Tribe of Levi" - implying that the tribe of Levi was exempted from
serving in the army.

However, there is an alternative manuscript of this midrash which reads, "with
the inclusion of the tribe of Levi." This reading is preferred by Rashi, who
insists that the tribe of Levi went out to battle against Midian - even though
that battle was not an obligatory war in the classical sense (Numbers 31:4).

The second text they cite is the talmudic ruling that the righteous deeds of
Torah scholars guard them against attack, and thereby exempt them from sharing
in the cost of defensive city walls (Bava Batra 7b). But the Tosafot (ad loc)
and the Hazon Ish (on Bava Batra 5:18) limit this exemption to defenses against
robberies - protection of property. If the wall is to be erected for the
protection of human lives, even Torah scholars would be expected to contribute!
After all, we dare not rely upon miracles when lives are at stake.

Even within our talmudic passage (Bava Batra 7b), there is a fascinating
difference of opinion between Rabbi Yohanan and Resh Lakish as to whether it is
the Torah study or the righteous deeds which bring protection.

This question was seemingly resolved in an earlier generation in favor of
righteous deeds. The discussion took place between two rabbis imprisoned during
the Hadrianic persecutions. Rabbi Hananya ben Teradion noted that while he stood
accused of only one crime he would receive the death penalty, his colleague
Rabbi Elazar ben Parta would survive despite having five accusations against
him. Rabbi Hananya ben Teradion explained his colleague's special fortune thus:
"Because you occupied yourself with the study of Torah as well as the
performance of good deeds, whereas I occupied myself exclusively with the study
of Torah. And it has been taught: He who only studies Torah is compared to
someone who has no God" (Avoda Zara 17b).

In the present Israeli climate, when businessmen - if they work alone - must
simply close their shops and somehow absorb the loss of clientele for 30 to 90
days of reserve duty a year, and young husbands must leave wives and fledgling
families for the same period, what greater "good deed" could there be than
lessening this pressure and sharing in this national obligation? What better way
can there be to remove the resentment against the ultra-Orthodox and pave the
way toward a united Jewish nation than by a united sharing of the burden and
merit of protecting our future?

The writer is the founder and chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Colleges and
Graduate Programs, and chief rabbi of Efrat.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

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NOTES: PARSHAT MATOT-MASEI

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Off to the beach

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post Staff

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 46

LENGTH: 486 words

'We don't have the time or money to spare to go swimming with our children
outside of Tel Aviv,' is the comment so often heard these days. People cannot
afford "the luxury of clean sea bathing," so there are thousands who swim in the
polluted waters off the Tel Aviv beach.

It takes hours and costs pounds for a family to bathe in one of the more
hygienic beaches outside the town. (On the other hand, however, a bacteriologist
told us that he still prefers to bathe in the Tel Aviv sea, as it is, rather
than in a sweet water pool.)

The most frequented beaches outside Tel Aviv are Tel Baruch, Herzliya, Bat Yam,
and the Accadia beach.

The northern part of the Tel Baruch beach is open three days weekly for men
bathers only, and the other three days for women. On Saturdays, the beach is
open for both sexes. Transport is fairly good, and taxi services are regular,
though expensive. Bat Yam remains one of the more popular beaches and this year
it is cared for better.

On Friday last, the sea being relatively calm (for a change), we decided to have
a good swim at Herzliya. If you are bold enough, you can smuggle yourself into
the beach area, over the sand dunes. However, for 250 pruta you belong to the
honest type, and you may use the dressing cabins and have a shower, too. An easy
chair is another 250 pruta, but the sea, sand and sun are free. Veteran bathers
bring their canvas and sticks, and soon tents are up. Once settled, sandwiches
and vacuum flasks are unpacked, to the envious eyes of "greenhorns" who think it
not smart to picnic on the beach.

In the early hours of the afternoon, the beach becomes gaily populated with
bathing suits, all sizes, all colours and cuts, with some bikinis thrown in,
leaving little to the imagination. It would be a good idea to introduce separate
bathing days for men and women on beaches other than Tel Baruch, especially for
the overbulging editions.

However, let no one get a wrong impression. There are many with perfect figures,
too, but I understand they bathe at night for fear of an evil eye.

Apropos of night bathing, there is quite a traffic going on along the shores.
Fires are lit for grilling meat, beer bottles are opened, patriotic songs fill
the air, and black coffee is passed around to keep awake. Such festive
gatherings usually wind up in the early hours of the morning.

Newest addition - the Accadia Beach - still looks quite unspoilt. Entrance is
through the hotel and costs 250 pruta, which includes either a drink or an
ice-cream. Easy chairs, sun awnings and cabanas are all available here. However,
if you ask for no more than the sand beneath you, the sky above and the
Mediterranean in front, you can spend some restful hours.

If, however, you are the lucky owner of a car - then the picture is different.
With a car one could go north to bathe in the lovely bay at Tantura (between
Caesarea and Atlit) or one could shoot south to inviting Ashkelon.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: TimeWarp. The Jerusalem Post from July 20, 1956

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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932 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A Converso conversation piece

BYLINE: GLORIA DEUTSCH

SECTION: BOOKS; Pg. 41

LENGTH: 429 words

Jewish Symbols and Secrets By Anton Felton. Vallentine Mitchell 286 pages;
$74.95

One carpet, so much significance. Anton Felton, in his latest book Jewish
Symbols and Secrets: A Fifteenth Century Spanish Carpet, has taken as his
starting point the Vizcaya carpet - so called because it is today part of the
collection of the Vizcaya Museum in Miami - and written a fascinating book that
covers the history of the Jews of Spain, the Inquisition, the situation of the
Conversos - the Jews who were forcibly converted to Christianity but continued
to secretly practice Judaism - and so much more.

He traces the role of carpets in Jewish culture and the history of the Jewish
weavers of Spain and North Africa and analyses the symbols on the Vizcaya carpet
itself - the Star of David, the menorahs and hamsas, the birds, the sheep and
even what purport to be Torah arks - and comes to the inevitable conclusion that
the Vizcaya carpet was designed for crypto-Jews and made by them.

"Judaism has a particular passion for hidden meanings," he writes. So, when the
Inquisition and its masters would see only a decorative carpet with symbols that
could be interpreted as Christian or Muslim, the crypto-Jews, especially the
Enriquez family, which commissioned the carpet, saw it as an expression of their
deep inner and hidden faith.

One cannot but marvel at their courage for having created this magnificent
artifact when discovery of the truth would have meant a horrible death. Yet they
proclaimed their faith to those who would understand.

The Vizcaya carpet is one of a group of a dozen or so brilliant carpets woven in
15th-century Spain and known as the Admiral or Armorial carpets because they
display the coat-of-arms of the noble Enriquez family.

Felton set himself the task of discovering whether the Enriquezes, who were
known to be conversos, were still crypto-Jews at the time the carpet was woven.
The research took years and required him to traverse three continents. But he
established to his satisfaction that the Vizcaya carpet was a convincing
expression of a retained Jewish faith.

Felton devotes an entire chapter to the symbolism of the Star of David, in
modern times indisputably a Jewish symbol, but in the 15th century less so.

As he puts it in his delightfully whimsical style, "When you look upon a star,
it makes a difference who you are."

Part historical, part detective novel, this book offers much to fans of both
genres. For the historians, the copious notes provide a scholarly bonus to the
narrative. For the detective buffs, it's just a thumping good mystery.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Anton Felton discovers the symbolism behind an ornate 15th-century carpet

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: The Vizcaya carpet. Demon birds on the Vizcaya carpet
(Credit: Courtesy Anton Felton)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

933 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A new chapter for Jewish scholarship

BYLINE: STUART GELLER

SECTION: BOOKS; Pg. 40

LENGTH: 822 words

Koren Talmud Bavli Tractate Berakhot Commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel
(Steinsaltz) Koren Publishers 568 pages; $49.95

Last year, the film Footnote (Hebrew: He'arat Shulayim) was nominated for an
Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Film. Many of the viewers didn't
know much about the Talmud except, perhaps, for knowing it is a law book,
different from the Jewish Bible. It wasn't necessary to have studied so much as
a page to rave about the film and to identify with the strained relationship
between two talmudic scholars, a father and son teaching at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.

The Talmud is made up of two parts: the Mishna and the Gemara. The Gemara is the
much longer part, commenting on the laws outlined in the Mishna. The text of the
Mishna is printed in the center of the page without any punctuation. It is not
clear where sentences begin or end, and it is written in a stenographic style in
order that a full understanding of the text means the reader has to fill in the
concepts between words or phrases.

There are actually two Talmuds: the longer Babylonian Talmud and the briefer
Jerusalem Talmud. The Talmud was not even finished when various rabbis began to
comment on it, and there is rarely a rabbi to this day who doesn't, in one way
or another, rely on the Talmud for teaching and for sermonic material. The most
famous commentators are Maimonides, Rashi, and his grandsons, who are called the
Tosafot.

The Koren Talmud Bavli, commonly referred to as the Steinsaltz because of its
commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, is the latest English translation of the
Talmud. Koren has already published new translations of the prayer book and the
mahzor (prayer book for the High Holy Days). Koren uses its own Hebrew fonts.

Time magazine has called Steinsaltz a "once-in-a-millennium scholar," and his
new endeavor underlines that accolade. Certainly, part of the enormous hope for
these volumes (the plan is to publish a tractate a month) is to engage
English-reading students in the Daf Yomi course of study. Daf Yomi is a
systematic study of the Talmud a page at a time every day of the year, thus
taking seven years to read the entire Babylonian Talmud.

Steinsaltz long ago opened the door to thousands of students with his
translation of the ancient text into modern Hebrew and his accompanying
explanations. Many years ago, the rabbi published some volumes with English
translation and commentary through Random House. The Koren Talmud is quite
different from those volumes as well as from other texts with English
translation. The venerable Soncino English translation is still a monument to
the Wissenschaft des Judentums - that is, the scientific study of Judaism.
However, Steinsaltz is a pioneer in that he edited the actual text with
punctuation and also added pointing to indicate vowels. For good measure, these
new volumes punctuate and point the commentary of Rashi as well.

The studious might ask what the difference is between this new Koren edition and
the already available ArtScroll by rabbis Nosson Scherman and Meir Zlotowitz.
Both fill in the blanks, so to speak, illuminating the translation to make it
more understandable. Some of the differences are quite subtle. ArtScroll uses
the Ashkenazi pronunciation for words in its commentary, whereas Steinsaltz uses
Sephardi. ArtScroll prints the traditional page of the Vilna edition facing a
page of translation, going phrase by phrase. The new Steinsaltz presentation
features all of the pages of the Talmud with the pointing, and the Rashi is
pointed as an entire uninterrupted set. Readers seeking the English translation
begin on the opposite page to read the Hebrew and Aramaic texts side-by-side
with the English translation. The Steinsaltz has the entire tractate in one
volume; ArtScroll covers the same material in two. The Koren volume also has
color plates of archeological discoveries that illuminate the talmudic text.

However, a significant difference appears to be in the use of the color of the
paper. The Steinsaltz uses a cream-colored paper which is probably easier on the
eyes; ArtScroll's is white. The Koren font makes this version easier to read.

An impartial reader might have difficulty seeing the differences in the
presentations in these volumes. Both present the Talmud as a holy book and a
serious guide to daily Jewish life. It might seem that ArtScroll has dominated
the market: its prayer books are well known and widely used. Nevertheless, Rabbi
Steinsaltz has a very wide following and is much admired for his scholarship.

The last lines of tractate Berachot concludes with the words of Rabbi Elazar
quoting Rabbi Hanina: "Torah scholars increase peace in the world."

In his commentary, Rabbi Steinsaltz observes, "There is a principle among the
Sages that one should conclude on a positive note."

And so, my positive note: This is an important contribution to Talmud study and
to living a Jewish life.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Koren Talmud Bavli, scheduled to be published one volume a month,
includes subtle differences that set it apart from other translated editions

GRAPHIC: Photo: Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz was called a 'once-in-a-millennium
scholar' by 'Time' magazine. (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

934 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

He flies through the air...

BYLINE: MELANIE LIDMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1499 words

Luis Munoz hopes his son will go into the family business, a proud tradition he
inherited from his great-grandfather.

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, Munoz, wearing a red fighter pilot suit and red
leather boots, stretches back in his chair, scratches his belly and casts his
gaze around the government quarter in Jerusalem.

Most sane people, however, would be wary of passing on the job. Every day, twice
a day, Munoz blasts out of a 10-meter cannon at 72 kilometers an hour, soaring
above the audience for split seconds until he lands in a mesh net high above the
stage of the traveling circus. Munoz is a 56-year-old, third-generation human
cannonball, and nothing would make him prouder than watching his son take over
the family business.

Munoz, who has just finished a stint in Jerusalem with the Americano Circus in a
red, white, and blue tent nestled between government ministries, is part of a
dying breed of family circus performers. As local circuses have become scarcer,
families who perform and travel together are finding it harder and harder to
continue in the business. Munoz blames the decline of local circuses on the
video games, iPads, and various electronics that bombard today's youth with
computer-generated special effects.

It used to be that the entire town would come out to see the circus, he
remembers. The Americano Circus's fading tent and lackluster musical numbers
echo the sentiment that the golden age of the local circus has passed.

But Munoz couldn't imagine a better life. "The best way to live your life is to
make money doing something you enjoy," he says. "I enjoy free time."

He estimates that, not including the 10 minutes of preparation before each
performance, his work day lasts about three seconds. "Why should I work for
eight hours a day? This way I get to travel the world - this is my fifth time
around the world," he adds.

Munoz still gets nervous every time he performs. The act is dangerous:
widely-quoted British circus historian A.H. Coxe counted more than 30 deaths out
of 50 people in the human cannonball profession, which was first unveiled in
London in 1877. Munoz has suffered a torn rotator cuff and a broken leg from bad
falls.

Although he won't divulge the inner workings of his cannon, a closely-guarded
trade secret, he waxes eloquent on what crosses his mind before each
performance.

A minute before he climbs into the cannon, he meditates, says the Lord's Prayer
in Spanish and takes deep breaths. Once inside, he communicates with his
assistant, who activates the cannon as the audience counts down.

Though the performance lasts a few seconds for the audience, time stretches out
for Munoz as he sails overhead. With more and more experience, the time in the
air actually seems to be getting longer, Munoz explains, as he times the fly,
tuck and tumble with even more precision and confidence. "If you see Superman,
you want to be Superman, right?" he chuckles, still dressed in his fraying
costume as he chain smokes and gulps coffee between performances.

One of the challenges of traveling the world: his audiences do the countdown in
different languages. Every time he arrives in a new country, he repeats the
foreign numbers to himself at least 10 times to make sure he knows them well
enough.

Interviewing Munoz next to his circus trailer is a little bit like being inside
a psychedelic dream. As we sit in between the costume trailers and the trailers
belonging to other performers, snatches of John Souza marches mix with a bad
rendition of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" sung by a clown in gold-sequined drag. Once,
as Munoz is describing his father's circus act, I see out of the corner of my
eye three men wearing grizzly bear costumes riding silver bicycles toward the
prop trailer. Before the videographer can turn the camera around, they're gone,
so I'm not even sure they were real. At another point a scantily clad Russian
woman in fishnet stockings saunters by and starts taunting Munoz's dog, Buddy,
with her feather tiara. Performers hurry past on mini-motorcycles or unicycles
while clutching bowling pins, and the eight-member Chinese acrobatic troupe
thunders by at regular intervals for costume changes.

"Show business is just great; there's always something happening," Munoz says,
gesturing at the backstage pandemonium surrounding his trailer. He loves the
circus drama - who's dating whom, who's angry with whom - and the ever-changing
backdrop of different cities. He won't pick a favorite destination, since it
changes depending on his mood. For excitement he loves New York and Tokyo, for
the fishing he loves Canada, for the food he loves Spain. In Israel, his
temporary home until December as the Americano Circus travels the country, he
loves Eilat and the Red Sea.

Though the Americano Circus, like many other local circuses, is made up of
individual acts hired by the production company, they will perform together
until December and have formed an ad hoc community.

But the close ties he's formed with the other circus performers, with whom he
celebrates birthdays and holidays, do not displace the loneliness of being away
from his family.

"I love this life for the family life," he explains. "You always live together,
and I think that's beautiful."

Munoz says that when he was a child, his parents were always around for meals
and adventures during the daytime when they weren't performing. "Growing up, I
was always doing things with my father," he remembers, gazing off into the
distance. Fishing, hiking, barbecuing - everything was done together.

But after he divorced his trapeze-artist wife seven years ago, she took his two
children, now 18 and 19, to live in Florida.

"I'm very old-fashioned, I don't like my kids in school, I don't like them to be
influenced by friends," he says. "I didn't miss not doing drugs, because my
father was always watching."

The circus family mentality has clear roles: a father is responsible for
training his children, helping them acquire equipment for their acts, teaching
them the ways of circus life. After he's no longer physically able to perform,
his children take over, and more importantly, take care of him, he explains. But
with his children in Florida, he feels like the chain of generations has been
cruelly broken.

Munoz, who is staunchly Catholic, says he often prays during the loneliest
times. "Why, God, did you punish me? Why have you let me be on my own?" he asks.

He says his childhood was typical for circus families: he and his siblings were
home-schooled, traveling with the circus and performing from a young age. At
seven, he started out with a trampoline act along with his father and two
brothers, before becoming a clown at age nine. As a teenager, he moved on to a
low-wire act. In his late 20s, as his father got ready to retire and the human
cannonball siblings drifted to different circuses, Munoz began his stint as the
human cannonball. It wasn't just about tradition, he admits; the human
cannonball is one of the highest-paying circus acts.

The circus runs in Munoz's blood. His great-grandfather pre-dated the big circus
tents, but owned a number of bears and would travel from village to village in
rural Spain, staging shows in town squares. His grandfather had a street act
with performing dogs and performed as a human cannonball in the early days of
the cannonball craze. His grandfather had 21 children, Munoz swears all borne by
his grandmother, who gave birth to her first child at 14. All 21 children
traveled together in the circus throughout Spain.

After his grandfather retired, Munoz's father, the eldest, took over the
cannonball act. He traveled the through Spain and the rest of the world and
finally decided to make Florida his home base. Mu-oz and his three siblings were
born in America. For the three or four months a year when he's not traveling,
Munoz has a home in Spain and an apartment in Florida, near his kids.

His son is visiting Israel to take advantage of the six-day break while the
circus moves from Jerusalem to Modi'in. His son is set to start at the
University of Florida in the fall, though Munoz is holding out hope that he
might want to join the circus after college and follow in his father's
footsteps. Munoz's daughter has also expressed some interest in working in the
circus, though she's still in Florida for the time being.

"There's nothing more beautiful than a father and son working together," he
says.

A 30-year veteran of cannonballing, the stocky circus performer knows his body
won't hold up forever. Retirement is an option, though he'd rather switch to a
less physical circus act before he leaves the circus world for good.

As Munoz gets older, the act takes more of a toll on his body. Some days he has
a headache, sometimes he feels sick. And sometimes, he says, he just doesn't
feel like being blasted out of a cannon. But he always performs.

"It's mind over matter," he explains, shrugging. "The show must go on."

For a video interview with Luis Munoz and to see his circus act, go to Jpost.com

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The high mortality rate of people in his profession hasn't stopped Luis
Munoz from doing what he loves most - entertaining audiences as a human
cannonball

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: 'THE BEST way to live your life is to make money doing
something you enjoy,' says Luis Munoz. (Credit: Photos courtesy: Hadas Porath)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

935 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Handcuffed to incitement

BYLINE: ISRAEL KASNETT

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 993 words

The scene is upsetting, if not downright disturbing.

Groups of young Jewish children parade through the streets in handcuffs and
wearing signs that say, "Father! Mother! Save me."

A banner strung across the intersection reads: "Our children are more beloved to
us than anything, and they will not be the Cantonists of the government."

Is this Czarist Russia?

Actually, no. It is the State of Israel and it happened on Monday in Jerusalem's
Shabbat Square in Mea She'arim.

These children were "encouraged" (read "forced") to take part in a demonstration
against conscription into the army.

At a time when the Jewish people need to pursue unity, when all of Israel's
citizens must fight together to defend the country, extremist elements are
inciting their youth to hate.

At the time (things change quickly in this country), it seemed almost inevitable
that the government would adopt a new law that would require haredi military
service.

The hard-line Eda Haredit organization arranged a demonstration against haredi
enlistment and issued a "holy call to all children studying in the halls of the
rabbis to express loudly the pain of haredi Jews in Israel and abroad." The
banner of the protest was "Her young children have been taken into captivity
before the adversary," an extract from the Book of Lamentations, read on Tisha
Be'av.

As reported in this newspaper, according to Rabbi Avraham Eizenstein, one of the
protest organizers, more than 5,000 children were present at the demonstration.

"We want this cry to go up to God so he will hear our wailing and save us,"
Eizenstein said. "We are bound only by the instructions of our rabbis and we
received instructions from our rabbis that children should be handcuffed
together and this is what we've done."

The banner referencing the Cantonists is telling. In 1827, Czar Nicholas I
introduced what became known as the Cantonist Decrees. These decrees called for
the forced conscription of Jewish boys into the Russian Army. Henceforth, Jews
were subject to compulsory military duty. Males between the ages of 12 and 25
were often forced to serve for up to 25 years. During their army service, many
converted to Christianity, many died and most never returned home.

Comparing the Cantonist Decrees back then to the Israeli government's attempt
now to replace the "Tal Law" is a bit of a stretch. Czar Nicholas was an
anti-Semite and used the Jews as scapegoats for his country's numerous problems.
The haredim can hardly be blamed as the source of all of Israel's current
problems, and the effort to force them to serve the country in some capacity -
not necessarily military - should not be misunderstood.

Ours is a Jewish state surrounded by enemies who care little for our well-being
and wish to see us leave the neighborhood. The need to defend our land should be
as important now as it was 3,500 years ago when Moses instructed the Jewish
nation to take up arms and fight the enemy.

It was George Orwell who once said, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at
night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Hardly
all "rough men," ours is a conscription army, and therefore many soldiers are
our kind-hearted fathers, brothers and sons, working hard to preserve the Jewish
nation's historic presence in the Land of Israel.

The Eda Haredit has it wrong. Its members may believe that the state embodies
evil, but it is wrong to indoctrinate, to brainwash the next generation into
thinking that "Zionists are not Jews," as placards at haredi demonstrations
often declare.

The Eda's animosity towards the State, and hence the Jews, secular and
religious, who are currently involved in running the state, is reprehensible.

It is pure sinat hinam (baseless hatred).

And today, with just over a week left before Tisha Be'av, the day of mourning
for the two Temples, one of which was destroyed on the basis that Jews were
guilty of sinat hinam, one would assume that the Eda Haredit, a self-proclaimed
pious, religious group, would be leading the cause for unity.

Instead, it is creating discord. It is encouraging animosity. It is teaching
hatred. It is brainwashing the next generation to hate fellow Jews, thus
ensuring an even further delay of the Messiah's arrival. (Many Jews believe the
Messiah will come only when sinat hinam disappears.)

The Eda's self-marginalization is destructive and its policies and actions cause
great hillul Hashem - desecration of God's name.

In a meeting with President Shimon Peres on Sunday, Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo
Amar called for unity.

"We have many common goals," he said, emphasizing that the three-week period
between Shiva-Asar Betamuz and Tisha Be'av was an opportune time for
reconciliation.

Yet, it is not only the Eda that makes outrageous public statements.

Despite Amar's and Peres's calls for moderation in the tone of the debate, it
was Amar who, after a minor earthquake occurred here last week, said that it was
"caused by persecution of haredi men who avoid military service."

The issue of incitement is real. Last Saturday night, spiritual leader of the
Shas political movement Rabbi Ovadia Yosef prayed that God protect all yeshiva
students and said that those trying to draft them "have no faith and are
heretics."

But this week's Torah portion specifically quotes Moses as saying to the tribes
of Gad and Reuben in response to their request to remain on the east side of the
Jordan and be excused from fighting for the Land of Israel: "Shall your brothers
go out to battle while you settle here?" (Numbers 32:6).

If it was okay for the Jews to be forced to serve their people then, is it not
okay now?

Like then, elements of the Jewish nation are today attempting to be excused from
national service. But unfortunately, the nation of Israel no longer has a Moses
to lead it.

One of the main tenets of Judaism is to "teach your children." It is difficult
to believe that the commandment refers to indoctrinating young children to hate
their fellow Jews.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A View from Israel

GRAPHIC: Photo: KIDDUSH HASHEM? Now that's laughable. (Credit: Marc Israel
Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

936 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Where's the meat?

BYLINE: LEVI COOPER

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 43

LENGTH: 719 words

Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman of Sadigora (1819-1883), who stood at the helm of
the Sadigora Hassidim from the regal house of Ruzhin for 32 years, was once
offered an explanation for the custom of beginning the Shabbat evening service
earlier than normal on the week before the fast of Tisha Be'av. The person who
offered the explanation suggested that people are hungry to eat meat after not
having not having done so for a number of days since the beginning of the Hebrew
month of Av, as per the Ashkenazi custom. Hungry for meat, we begin the service
earlier than normal in order to get home and eat.

The Old Sadigora Rebbe did not accept this explanation. How can someone suggest
that customs of the Jewish people are driven by an ignoble lust for meat?! He
therefore offered an alternative explanation. When one travels through the thick
darkness of the night, steps are taken gingerly, taking care not to go astray.
When a light appears in the distance the traveler's steps hasten in order to get
to the source of the light as quickly as possible.

Unpacking the parable, the Old Sadigora Rebbe explained: Throughout the year we
journey cautiously so as not to go astray. The Shabbat before Tisha Be'av is
known as Shabbat Hazon, the Shabbat of the vision - because we read Isaiah's
vision (hazon) that opens with a description of the low spiritual level of the
Jewish people during the First Temple period. According to Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of
Berditchev (1740-1809), on this Shabbat there are those that merit to see a
vision of all the bountiful good that awaits those who serve the Almighty with
love. As Shabbat Hazon approaches and the light of the End of Days can almost be
perceived, it is no wonder that we quicken our steps and hasten to usher in the
Shabbat!

YEARS LATER, the grandson of the Old Sadigora Rebbe, Rabbi Aharon Friedman of
Sadigora (Kedushat Aharon, 1876-1912), expanded on this idea. In the summer of
1908 the Kedushat Aharon was walking in the forest when someone recounted the
explanation of his grandfather. The Kedushat Aharon added: The weeks leading up
to Tisha Be'av are called the Bein Hametzarim, the days "between the straits."
In contrast, Shabbat is called Nahala Bli Metzarim, a heritage that has no
limits. The Jewish people long to leave the straits of distress and enter a
spiritual realm that is not bound by temporal limits. Thus we hurry from the
Bein Hametzarim, the straits of distress, to the Nahala Bli Metzarim, the
reality that is limitless.

The Kedushat Aharon recounted another memory from his grandfather to explain why
Shabbat Hazon was ushered in earlier than any other Shabbat. When Tisha Be'av
falls on a Sunday or on a Shabbat - as is the case this year - the fast begins
immediately after the conclusion of Shabbat. On a normal Shabbat, we are
permitted to extend the holy day even after nightfall, beyond the official
conclusion of the day. Not so if the fast of Tisha Be'av begins immediately
after Shabbat. The Kedushat Aharon recounted in the name of the Old Sadigora
Rebbe that since under these circumstances we are unable to extend Shabbat
beyond its conclusion, we try to extend Shabbat at the other end by commencing
the holy day earlier. The method is different, but the goal is identical: to add
Shabbat holiness.

A further explanation was offered by the Kedushat Aharon on Shabbat Hazon
itself. The three Shabbatot preceding Tisha Be'av each have a special designated
portion that we read from the prophets. These portions begin with three
different expressions: divrei (the words of), shimu (listen) and hazon (vision)
- hinting at the need for us to repair our faults in speech, in hearing and in
sight. The portion from the prophets that is read after Tisha Be'av talks of
comforting the Jewish people after the destruction, and includes the words "and
all basar will see" (Isaiah 40:5). "Basar" in this context means "humans," but
term literally means "flesh" or "meat."

The Kedushat Aharon explained: Indeed, there is a lust for meat on Shabbat Hazon
- not for physical meat, but for the fulfillment of the verse: "And the glory of
God shall be revealed, and all flesh [basar] will see together, for the mouth of
God has spoken it" (Isaiah 40:5).

The writer is on the faculty of Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and is a
rabbi in Tzur Hadassah.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Tisch

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

937 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The nine meatless days

BYLINE: FAYE LEVY

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 30

LENGTH: 1504 words

During the Nine Days leading up to Tisha Be'av, this year marked on July 29, it
is the custom in many households to avoid eating meat, except on Shabbat.

As a child, I was taught that the reason for this tradition is to mourn the
destruction of the first and second Holy Temples in Jerusalem. But I enjoyed the
Nine Days because I ended up eating more of my favorite foods - creamy macaroni
and cheese, noodle kugel with cottage cheese and poached eggs on toast.

Now I consider this midsummer period as an occasion to jump-start a diet or a
healthier eating style, whether it's to make meals low-calorie, low-fat,
vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.

Michael Natkin, author of Herbivoracious, a book of internationally inspired
vegetarian recipes, has good tips on making meatless cooking flavorful. Lemons
are a key ingredient. "Almost every dish needs acidity for balance and citrus is
often the ideal option," writes Natkin. He adds fresh herbs to his dishes with a
liberal hand. When he uses tomato paste, he likes to add it to onions and to
brown it.

Beans and lentils are central to vegetarian cooking because they are plant-based
protein sources. "Without exception," writes Natkin, "legumes that are cooked at
home will have a better flavor and, especially, texture than canned beans."

Instead of using meat, Natkin uses chickpeas and green olives to make a
vegetarian tagine. He seasons it with the Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout, as
well as with sumac, pomegranate molasses and preserved lemon, and serves it over
couscous. When he prepares Sephardi kouftikes de prasa, or leek patties, he
flavors them with cumin and makes them into a sandwich - he tucks them into pita
with labaneh, mint leaves and harissa-spiced red cabbage.

A light summertime dish is Natkin's Thai tofu salad made of strips of sauteed
tofu and diced cucumber flavored with green onions, fresh coriander and mint,
with an oil-free dressing of soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, sliced fresh hot
chilies and sliced shallots. The salad is eaten wrapped in lettuce or cabbage
leaves.

Cookbook author Allyson Kramer took on a particularly challenging regimen. She
makes meals that are not only vegan (free of all animal products, including
eggs, dairy foods and honey), but also gluten-free, which means they include no
wheat or other gluten-containing grains such as barley or rye.

Kramer is vegan by choice and gluten-free by necessity. At first she found that
going gluten-free was hard. But after experimenting, she discovered that "with a
little know-how... gluten-free vegan eating is simple." She explains how to cook
this way in Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats.

"The most important thing to understand when cooking and baking without gluten,"
comments Kramer, "is that there isn't one 'all-purpose flour.'" Instead,
combinations of different kinds of gluten-free flour are needed to achieve the
desired results. Some flours she uses are almond meal, chickpea flour, brown
rice flour, cornmeal, potato flour and even cocoa, which she treats as a kind of
flour.

For vegan cooking, there are nondairy "milks" available, such as soy milk and
rice milk, but finding substitutes for eggs is not as easy. For baking, Kramer
replaces 1 egg with a quarter cup of applesauce or half a banana, or with a
mixture of 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and 2 tablespoons water.

Many of Kramer's dishes are easy and light, like her refreshing minted green pea
bisque made of pureed frozen peas, onions caramelized without oil, a little
garlic, nondairy milk and fresh mint. Her falafel-inspired Mediterranean
croquettes are made of chickpea flour, mashed potatoes, garlic, roasted red
peppers, chopped black olives, parsley, black pepper, lemon zest and a touch of
tehina. The patties are brushed with olive oil and baked.

For a quick summertime drink, Kramer blends frozen orange juice, almond milk,
frozen banana slices and vanilla to make a creamy smoothie. (The recipe is
below.)

ZUCCHINI AND CORN WITH TOMATOES

This recipe is adapted from 30 Low-Fat Vegetarian Meals in 30 Minutes by Faye
Levy. You can serve this easy dish warm with hard-boiled eggs or with a green
salad topped with feta cheese or cottage cheese. To make it into a vegan entree,
instead of serving it with eggs or cheese, add cooked lentils or canned
chickpeas.

Makes 4 servings

570 gr. (1 1/4 pounds) small pale-green-skinned

summer squash (Hebrew kishuim) or zucchini,

cut in 2.5-cm (1-inch) dice

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 to 3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

350 gr. (3/4 pound) ripe tomatoes, diced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

pinch of hot red pepper flakes

(optional)

1 green onion, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

Add squash and corn to a saucepan of enough boiling water to cover them. Return
to a boil over high heat. Cook 3 minutes or until squash is crisp-tender. Drain
in a colander or strainer.

Heat oil in same saucepan, add tomatoes, oregano and pepper flakes and heat
through over medium-high heat about 1 minute. Add green onion, squash and corn,
sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Serve hot, warm or at room
temperature.

LOADED OTSU NOODLES

For this Japanese recipe for cold sesame noodles in Herbivoracious, author
Michael Natkin makes his sauce from tehina, soy sauce, fresh ginger, lemon and
hot pepper sauce. The cold vegan dish "is a huge hit with kids as well as adults
and is easy to make ahead for summer barbecues." Natkin uses extra-firm tofu; if
it's not available, use firm or medium.

Makes 4 servings

For the sauce:

1/4 cup tehina

2 Tbsp. tamari or other soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

or 2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. rice vinegar

juice and grated zest of 1/2 lemon

a 2.5-cm. (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp. or more thick Asian hot sauce, or 1/2 tsp.

cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

For the noodles:

250 gr. (9 ounces) plain buckwheat soba

(Japanese noodles) or other noodles

1 heavy eggplant (about 700 gr. or 1 1/2 pounds)

sliced into 1.25-cm. (1/2-inch) rounds

1/4 cup vegetable oil

225 grams (8 ounces) extra-firm tofu

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

2 slim cucumbers, cut into 1.25-cm. (1/2-inch) cubes

1/2 head of iceberg lettuce (for serving), leaves

pulled apart

2 green onions, white and light green parts only,

thinly sliced

Flaky sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce: Combine the tehina, tamari, sweet soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, hot
sauce and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth (or you can use a mini
food processor). Let the sauce rest so the flavors can develop while you make
the noodles and vegetables.

For the noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the package directions,
typically by boiling about 4 minutes. Don't let them overcook. Rinse in cool
water and drain.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat the broiler. Brush the
eggplant with 2 Tbsp of the vegetable oil and grill or broil until deep brown on
both sides and thoroughly tender. Let cool, then slice the rounds into
approximately 5 x 2.5-cm. (1 x 2-inch) pieces.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. Slice the tofu into
approximately 5 x 2.5 x 2-cm. (2 x 1 x 3/4-inch) rectangles, dry thoroughly with
a paper towel, and saute in a single layer until nicely browned on both sides,
about 5 minutes total.

Taste and adjust the sauce. Does it need more salt? More citrus? More heat? Is
it too thick? You want a fairly liquid texture, not pasty, and it should be
highly flavored. If it's too thick but has plenty of flavor, use a little cool
water to thin it out.

In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, sauce (reserving 2 Tbsp), sesame
seeds (reserving 1 Tbsp), cucumber, eggplant and tofu.

To serve, line a bowl or platter with the lettuce and mound the noodles on top.
It can be hard to get the vegetables to mix in, so you may need to distribute
them a bit with your tongs. Top with (in order): the reserved sauce, green
onions, remaining sesame seeds, a couple pinches of salt, and a grind of black
pepper.

ORANGE JULIA

This creamy smoothie from Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats is Allyson Kramer's
healthier version of a classic shopping-mall treat, Orange Julius. You can
garnish the rim of each glass with a half slice of orange.

Makes 4 servings

1 1/4 cups frozen orange juice (see Note A below)

1 cup almond milk (see Note B below), rice

milk, or nondairy milk of your choice

1 banana, peeled, sliced and frozen

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

extra orange juice or nondairy milk to thin, if desired

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately, with
straws.

Note A: Kramer freezes orange juice in ice-cube trays.

Note B: Kramer's recipe for homemade almond milk: Soak 2 cups raw whole almonds
overnight in water to cover, drain them and blend them with 4 1/2 cups water,
and if you like, 1/3 cup agave nectar and 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, until very
smooth. Strain mixture through cheesecloth and stir in 2 cups water. Store in an
airtight container in the refrigerator. The strained almond pulp can be added to
smoothies, cookies or rice pudding.

Faye Levy is the author of Healthy Cooking for the Jewish Home.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A perfect occasion to jump-start a diet or a healthier eating style

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: OTSU NOODLES and tofu are a huge hit with kids as well as
adults. (Credit: Thinkstock)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

938 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Orthodox or Conservative?

BYLINE: ADAM FRANK

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 39

LENGTH: 1035 words

This article was submitted together with the article 'I Believe,' which was
published in the June 22 edition of the 'Jerusalem Post Magazine'

When an Israeli learns that I am a Masorti/Conservative rabbi, the inevitable
query soon follows: "What is the difference between Reform and Conservative?"

The very question conveys a glaring lack of knowledge about the philosophical
underpinnings of those two streams of Judaism. It also speaks to the failure of
the Conservative Movement to clearly communicate the principles of its ideology.
The more accurate question is, "What is the difference between Conservative and
Orthodox?"

Except for my preference for egalitarian tefilla (prayer), were someone to
observe my daily life, hear my belief about God's active presence in the world
and even my belief in the origin of the written Torah, that person would think
that I was an Orthodox Jew.

It is a critical commentary on the state of Conservative Judaism that an
observant Jew is assumed to be Orthodox. Conservative ideology mandates halachic
observance no less than Orthodoxy does. Despite legal decisions of the
Conservative Movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, which reflect
more aggressive reconciliations of our tradition with contemporary times, the
overwhelming percentage of non-observant Jews labeled "Conservative" has given
an inaccurate face to the ideological definition of the term.

A modified version of Conservative ideology best reflects Judaism's historical
tradition - that is, the way that Judaism developed and varied for nearly 3,000
years until the "codification" (sadly, read "ossification") of the legal
compendium known as the Shulhan Aruch (17th century). And it offers the best
model for helping Judaism follow that 3,000-year path of being organic in order
to help Jews and the world reach our potentials.

CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY differs from current Orthodox ideology as follows:

* Emphasis of actions over belief system

Conservative does not require that its adherents espouse one common, singular
belief in the origin of Torah. Whether it was given to the Israelites at Mount
Sinai by God's hand, or written by Moses, or authored by various prophets, or
divinely inspired by founding elders, or whether it serves as the historical
record of the early Israelites, or is the literary chronicle of how a small band
of people attempted to be in relationship with an ineffable God - it does not
matter how one finds meaning in the Torah, but that one finds the Torah
meaningful.

In other words, it matters most that a person is engaged and observant of Jewish
practice regardless of the motivation to do so, be that motivation any of the
following: being commanded by God; being commanded by Jewish Peoplehood; wanting
to feel part of a community; believing that it helps to refine character;
wanting to be part of the chain that links past to future generations; because
it stimulates intellectual passions; because one finds it psychologically,
emotionally and physically sensible and worthy; because it provides a vehicle
for societal improvement; because one's grandparents were observant; and so on.

Accordingly it does not matter why one is observant, but that one is observant.

* Embracing the human desire to question

It is not taboo to question traditional assumptions, theological claims or
halachic positions - inquisitiveness is desired and welcomed, and challenges to
assumptions and the status quo are neither punished nor impugned nor ostracized.
Scholars make halachic decisions, but the right - and even the responsibility -
to raise the questions belongs to the community of practitioners.

* Social responsibility without borders

Traditional communities are wonderful about caring for their members' needs,
whether for food/material goods, health, education, comfort, solace or
celebration. As the Western world has changed in a way that allows a greater
platform for Jews, Conservative ideology advocates channeling some of our focus
into leading humanity in the direction of the pursuit of justice and a sense of
responsibility toward different populations.

* The halachic nexus between tradition and modernity

Conservative allows for a robust interface of Jewish tradition with modernity to
utilize the elasticity of Halacha and ensure its evolving appropriateness - a
flexibility that was the hallmark of Judaism until the 17th century and that has
nearly disappeared in the mainstream Orthodox world. This interface finds form
in areas as relevant as kashrut, the role of women, human health, the
environment, modern technologies, engagement with all the world's populations,
political and social policies.

This element of Conservative ideology is grounded in the understanding that the
Oral Law - the how and what of understanding the Five Books of Moses - is the
partnership of the Sages with God's written law, who employ the tools God gave
to humans - the instruments of intellect, emotion, psychology, wisdom,
understanding, experience, precedence, skills of argumentation and of
observation, the powers of analysis and of empirical evidence - and apply them
to the Torah to decipher what God is telling us of how to be a Jew in the world.
For this reason, unlike mainstream Orthodox colleagues, I will stand in public
and proclaim that God gave the Written Law at Mount Sinai with the instruction
of necessitating and requiring that there be an accompanying Oral Law whose
ongoing process remains intact for every generation (precisely in keeping with
Rashi's elucidation of Deuteronomy 17:9-11; with the "Oven of Achnai" episode in
Baba Metzia 59b; with Moses's visit to Rabbi Akiva's class in Menahot 29b; and
volumes more).

IT IS my belief that the most effective transformational power of Judaism on the
self, family, congregation and global community contains the synthesis of
unwavering fidelity to halachic observance and the courage to incorporate the
four elements delineated above.

Curiously neither the majority of Conservative nor modern Orthodox Jews claim
this position as theirs. Perhaps the truly most appropriate question is: Why
not?

The writer is the rabbi at Congregation Moreshet Yisrael, the
Masorti/Conservative synagogue in downtown Jerusalem.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY advocates channeling some of our focus
into leading humanity in the direction of the pursuit of justice and a sense of
responsibility toward different populations. (Credit: Thinkstock)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

939 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The heart of a home

BYLINE: GLORIA DEUTSCH

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 26

LENGTH: 832 words

There probably isn't a household in Israel that doesn't have a Ruth Sirkis
cookbook on its shelves. She is the person who pioneered the idea of introducing
different and exotic foods to Israel back in the '60s, when every community
stuck to its own ethnic recipes and crme Bavaria was considered the height of
sophistication.

She and her husband, Rafi, an engineer, spent several years abroad - first in
Boston, where he completed his studies, and later in Los Angeles, where he
served in the diplomatic corps. Sirkis, who qualified as a social worker, used
the time abroad to learn about new foods and their preparation, bowled over by
the colorful magazines and books that were available in the States but had not
yet reached Israel.

"I saw it was something interesting and intellectual," she recalls. "I have an
analytical, academic approach to food."

The four years spent in Los Angeles, besides nurturing a lifelong interest in
food preparation, also influenced her in the building of that Ramat Aviv house
to which the family moved 30 years ago.

"In California, we rented a home from a professor for a few months, and I saw
how the kitchen was the heart of the home. They even had a sofa and television
in there and the whole family would spend more time in that room than anywhere
else."

The Sirkis kitchen is certainly the dominant place in her home, as one would
expect. It's huge and was created by "borrowing" some space from the dining room
and incorporating a large service balcony. One side is for cooking while the
other serves as her study, with a computer set up on a wooden desk, a fax
machine and printer perched on wooden shelves. In the middle is an island with
an extra hob and water supply.

"The builders were very confused when I told them what I wanted," she says. "I
also insisted on different textures, so instead of marble I put ceramic tiles on
the work tops, while the island is made from a huge piece of butcher's block
wood which we had to have specially cut by a wholesale wood supplier in south
Tel Aviv."

At the end of the island is a pull-out Carrera marble slab, which is just for
rolling out dough.

The cabinets are all slightly higher than usual, to accommodate the fact that
she is quite tall. A skylight enables plenty of natural light, which is
important, as it is here that she prepares and photographs the food that will go
into her cookbooks.

The wooden cabinets have been supplemented by plastic containers to store all
the items she needs, so while this is hardly a show kitchen in the true sense of
the word, it is certainly practical and user-friendly.

All the furniture in the living and dining room came from California, which is
why, she suggests, there is a slight Spanish influence to some of it -
especially the sofa with its carved wooden sides. The coffee table was built by
Rafi from a carved Indian door. There is a tiny patio off the lounge. Paved in
terra cotta and secluded from the neighbors by towering and lush vegetation,
this is where they like to eat out on cooler evenings.

ALTHOUGH SHE always tries to have at least one arrangement of fresh flowers in
the house, she sees no problem in having good quality artificial flowers as
decoration. The lounge is also full of small souvenirs from their many travels.

"I don't feel as though I have to make an impression with my house," she says.
"I just want to feel good and comfortable in it."

The story of how Ruth Sirkis got into cookbook publishing is a fascinating peep
into the lifestyle of Israelis back in the '60s.

"We came back from the US and I was working full-time as a social worker at the
Helen Keller Institute," she recalls. "I used to prepare the special foods I'd
learnt to do in America for my friends, and Rafi would actually photograph them.
There was no television in those days so sometimes we would do a slide show and
I would talk about the food and then we would all eat it. One of our friends, a
publisher, said 'you've got a book here.'

"We went to Ma'ariv with our idea of a book on food and entertaining and we were
told that there was a recession and people would not have money for food, let
alone a book on food. But they sent us downstairs to where the At magazine was
just being launched - with Tommy Lapid as the editor. He had just come back from
three years in London, where he'd also been exposed to food publishing - and he
gave us the go-ahead."

For years Ruth wrote a food column in At, and she also a syndicated column when
they went back to the States. Her first two cookbooks were published in English,
and I still consult my well-thumbed and bespattered A Taste of Tradition when I
want an uncomplicated recipe for some basic Jewish dish.

She has come a long way since those early days - writing books on many different
exotic cuisines - and she is also updating her best-selling From the Kitchen
with Love, which came out in 1975. In the future, she feels the emphasis is
going to be more on health foods; She is determined to keep up with the times.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Four years spent in Los Angeles and a lifelong interest in food
preparation influenced Ruth Sirkis in the building of the Ramat Aviv house to
which the family moved 30 years ago

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: THE KITCHEN is certainly the dominant place in the home, as
one would expect. 'I DON'T feel as though I have to make an impression with my
house. I just want to feel good and comfortable in it,' says Sirkis. HOMES
(Credit: Uriel Messa)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

940 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Remembering Raoul Wallenberg

BYLINE: JANOS ADER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 34

LENGTH: 1187 words

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

We are here with a common objective: To remember a man with a peculiar fate.

To remember a man who lived for months in Budapest in the shadow of death, and
still managed to become an angel of life.

Today, when we praise the achievements of Raoul Wallenberg, who was born 100
years ago and who died at a painfully young age, we are remembering a man who
served the lives of others.

Since he served the lives of others, we are only worthy of remembering him if,
when doing so, we also remember others.

If we pay respect to those who acted like he did and followed what their
conscience dictated, saving tens and tens of thousands of people from certain
death.

Hungarians and other nationals who stood on the side of life and togetherness
and the side of active solidarity, even in those ominous times.

Wallenberg is also the symbol of their sacrifice.

Here and now, we also have to pay our respects to those who were not granted a
chance of salvation.

We cherish the memory of six million such people.

Six million men and women.

Six million children and adults.

Six million human beings conceived in love and born to love.

Six million lost dreams and hope.

Six million tortured victims, deprived of their human dignity and life.

Among them, several hundreds of thousands were our fellow Hungarians, Jewish
compatriots, and it pains us to this day that the Hungarian state failed to
protect them.

With them in our minds, we have to say again and again: it is an insurmountable
tragedy of our world that this could have happened.

When we bow our heads in memory of the victims of the Shoah, we have to recall
that the "final solution" of Hitler's reign was directed against the whole of
the Jewish community living in Diaspora around Europe.

The National Socialist empire was the root and the cause of countless grave
tragedies of historic scale.

However, the Holocaust is not simply one of the greatest dramas to have happened
to mankind.

It is an incomparable story of suffering turned into an incomprehensible and
insurmountable tragedy by the death factories operated on an industrial scale
and with systematic savagery.

Dear remembering crowd, rejection and faithlessness begins where human life
becomes worthless.

What was human life worth, what could it have been worth in the shadow of the
gas chambers? Less than nothing.

No cause was needed in the death camps to take another's life, but any reason
was enough.

Death here was not an unfortunate end, but the sole purpose and desired outcome
of the concentration camps.

Although Nazis kept the operation of death camps a secret all along, the
infernal world of the camps became known to many during the years of the war.

This was thanks to a document known as the Auschwitz Protocol, which found its
way to Hungary in 1944.

The accounts of two prisoners, Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, who escaped from
Auschwitz-Birkenau, form the basis for the protocol supplemented several times
and describe the events taking place in the concentration camps with stark
naturalism.

Here are two short but all the more shocking stories:

"A tragic end befell Rabbi Eckstein from Sered, who was suffering from dysentery
and once came a few minutes too late for the roll-call. The group leader had him
seized and dipped head-first into one of the latrines, then poured cold water
over him, drew his revolver and shot him."

The other story is about the world of the gas chambers:

"Prominent guests from Berlin were present at the inauguration of the first
crematorium in March 1943. The program consisted of the gassing and burning of
8,000 Krakow Jews. The guests, both officers and civilians, were extremely
satisfied with the results and the special peephole fitted into the door of the
gas chamber was in constant use. They were lavish in their praise of this newly
erected installation."

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I will not quote anything else from this
shocking document.

It is evident enough what kind of fate would have awaited those that Wallenberg
and his Hungarian helpers managed to save.

I have not been able to verify with absolute certainty whether Wallenberg
himself read the Auschwitz Protocol. He might have known about it, but this is
not an issue of essence here.

Whether he knew or he didn't know, he risked his life in order to help others
survive.

What is more important is why he did it. Why did he feel the obligation to help?
Much has been written about him by many, yet we know so little.

We know little about what kind of a man 32-year-old Raoul Wallenberg was when he
arrived in Budapest a few months after the German occupation of the city.

We know much more about what he looked like and how he dressed than what he felt
and what he had in mind when he got down to action.

We know that he was a smart man, sensitive about his elegance, yet his habits
were more fragile than military.

We also know little about the secret behind his personality.

What gave Wallenberg the inner drive that helped him stick to his path in a
violent and insane world?

We do know, however, all the things he did in order to achieve his objective.

During the Nazis' reign he negotiated with those that he had to negotiate with,
bribed those who were corrupt, threatened those who only understood threats and
ordered those who only obeyed commands.

Hundreds of memos describe his thousand faces; he seems to have been an
excellent actor.

But he had to perform on the stage of reality.

He knew the minds of the Nazis and the Arrow Cross supporters.

He was familiar with their habits, human limits and their respect for authority.

He turned what he knew about them into a weapon against them.

No matter what situation he found himself in, he deliberated wisely and acted
courageously.

But simply calling him courageous doesn't do him justice.

He was human.

A human in the face of inhumanity.

A man of morals in a world devoid of any morals.

A man who knew that action speaks louder than words.

Nothing could be deeper than the silence created by repression, desperation and
death.

The silence that prevails beyond the unspeakable.

I am convinced that Wallenberg heard this silence and knew that there were no
words that could break it.

So he chose the only moral solution.

He chose action.

He acted, and by doing so he saved thousands of people from certain death.

There were many other men who, like him, chose action.

But the silence, the silence of the unspeakable, will remain with us forever.

And if we pay attention, we will even hear it now.

Let us close our eyes for a few moments and listen to this silence.

LADIES AND gentlemen, according to the Talmud, "Whoever saves one life saves the
entire world."

Wallenberg's example keeps our hope alive that one man can indeed change the
world.

The response to the question of why a man like this had to die in a KGB prison
can hardly be different than how total regimes can know no moral considerations.

Therefore, we must always follow the moral path, under every circumstance.

Because humanity ends where morality ends.

Because the most important words of morality are those of respect.

Those of mutual respect and recognition.

The respect for life.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A speech to the Knesset by Hungary's president on Tuesday, the centenary
of the Swedish diplomat's birth

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

941 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A proverbial fig leaf

BYLINE: SAM SOKOL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 3072 words

In a small building in an upscale neighborhood of the Palestinian Authority
administrative center of Ramallah, Ghassan Khatib lounges in an overstuffed
leather recliner and recites a litany of allegations regarding Israel's efforts
to incite its citizens to racism and violence. Khatib, the director of the
Palestinian Government Media Center, is in charge of the PA's public relations
and in this capacity has initiated a monthly report, distributed to foreign
diplomats and journalists, detailing Israel's alleged infractions.

Khatib seems to take these infractions very seriously. "Incitement is leading to
Israeli violence," he says, stating that there has been an increase in
anti-Palestinian attacks due to "the inciting rhetoric that you hear sometimes
from politicians and religious leaders."

However, even as Khatib speaks, flags bearing the image of arch-terrorist Marwan
Barghouti are flying in Al-Manar Square, the center of Ramallah's main shopping
district, only a short drive from his office in the PA Ministry of Information,
highlighting what seems to be an alarming dichotomy between the PA's official
positions in English and its actions and statements in Arabic.

Barghouti, considered one of the masterminds of both the first and second
intifadas and an immensely popular figure among Palestinians, is in jail for
planning multiple terror attacks against civilians and recently called for
"large-scale popular resistance" against Israel as a replacement for security
cooperation and negotiations.

Palestinian cities and villages throughout the disputed territories are filled
with such banners. In Nablus, also known as the biblical city of Shechem,
posters promoting the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Al-Aksa
Martyrs Brigades vie for space on crowded walls in the open-air market with
those of Hamas, Fatah and other groups.

The visages of such figures as Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, Yasser
Arafat and Saddam Hussein gaze blankly out of broadsheets, and images of young
men bearing guns are ubiquitous.

And indeed, Khatib's statements are somewhat ironic as the PA's official media,
as well as its educational system, are similar to these street posters in that
they systematically promote a worldview in which terrorists and killers are to
be feted and Jews demonized. Conspiracy theories abound on Palestinian
television and the history of the Jewish people in the land is replaced in
textbooks by a narrative claiming a Palestinian presence since the time of the
Canaanites, according to reports by Israeli watchdog groups such as Palestinian
Media Watch.

Itamar Marcus is the director of Palestinian Media Watch and has represented
Israel in negotiations with the PA over the issue of incitement. Speaking to The
Jerusalem Post from his downtown Jerusalem office, Marcus says he believes
Khatib's claims are merely the "response that we hear from Palestinians and
their sympathizers around the world when they have no answers to the terrible
demonization and hatred that PMW shows."

Khatib doesn't believe it, though.

"Palestinians," he says, "have always objected to certain problematic Israeli
behaviors or statements that had an inciting effect" but the Palestinian
objections were "unsystematic" and unorganized.

Now, in light of "the larger picture in which in Israel today there is an
increase in hatred, hostility and rhetoric of the kind that encourages violence
and hatred and racism against Palestinians" it has become imperative, he says,
to begin addressing the issue of Israeli racism head on.

Among the monthly incitement reports' primary recurring objections is Israel's
"provocative denial" of Palestinian history.

"Distorting history for political purposes is profoundly disturbing," Khatib
tells the Post, "and in the context of the Middle East is an obvious incitement
against those who wish to live in peace side by side."

It is especially disturbing when practiced in schools, he says. He is bothered
in particular, he states in one of his reports, by comments by Education
Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who is accused of "rejecting Palestinian history" by
downplaying the "Palestinian history" of Jerusalem.

Sa'ar is cited in the report as saying that "Jerusalem has never been the
capital of other than the Jewish people." Khatib finds this unacceptable.

It goes without saying, the report notes, that if the education minister holds
these views, Israeli students would be indoctrinated in them via his education
policies.

Among the alleged denials of Palestinian attachment to the land raised by Khatib
is that "Israeli textbooks foster hate." Citing an Israeli textbook that refers
to the disputed territories as Judea and Samaria, Khatib wrote that "insisting
on using the term 'Judea and Samaria' rather than West Bank or Palestinian
territory is nothing but delegitimizing Palestinian rights and ignoring the
existence of Palestine. It not only denies Palestinian rights to their land but
contributes to unmaking Palestine in the minds of Israeli children by teaching
in schools that the West Bank is theirs, and part of Israel."

Commenting to the Post, Khatib elaborates that the PA "uses terms in a legal way
that was agreed on, that were included in the agreements signed by the two
sides. The essence of our problem with the Israeli textbooks vis-^-vis maps is
that we simply don't exist. We as Palestinians, or Palestinian territories, we
don't exist in the Israeli maps and curricula."

However, statements denying Israeli history abound on Palestinian television and
radio, in official newspapers and in school books, says Itamar Marcus.

The PA Ambassador to Geneva, Ibrahim Kharisha, he points out, recently said on
the official PATV television channel that "The Palestinians [were] in Palestine
before the Jews came to us from Egypt, via Sinai. Before Christianity sprouted
in Palestine, and before Islam arrived from the Hijaz, Palestinians have been in
Palestine. And everyone remembers that in 2010, we celebrated the 10,000th
anniversary of the establishment of the Palestinian city Jericho."

Knowing that such an Israeli objection to his statements would be inevitable,
Khatib points out that "Israelis started to complain that Israel doesn't exist
in the Palestinian textbooks so we just wanted to remind them that we also don't
exist in their textbooks, so it doesn't make sense to criticize the absence of
Israel in our textbooks at a time when we don't exist in any way in the Israeli
textbooks."

This, Marcus replies, is the Palestinians "trying to create a symmetry by
pretending that Israel is doing the same thing."

The use of the term Judea and Samaria is completely legitimate, Marcus believes,
stating that they were the historic designation for these regions for thousands
of years and are the best non-political terms to use in describing the disputed
territories, whatever one's political orientation or views on Palestinian
statehood.

"The same sources that call Jerusalem 'Jerusalem' and Jaffa 'Jaffa' call these
regions Judea and Samaria. So why doesn't he stop calling it Jaffa if that's
what his problem is, using biblical terms?" Marcus asks.

"Nowhere in any accords does it say it can't be called Judea and Samaria and,
most important, this land of Judea and Samaria is, according to the Oslo
Accords, to be negotiated. It's not, even by the Oslo Accords, called Palestine,
it's called the Palestinian Authority. By him calling it Palestine, he is trying
to impose a status that the Oslo Accords and no accord until now has given it."

Citing examples from the PA media such as the Al-Hayat Al-Jadida newspaper
calling pre-1967 Israel "Palestine occupied in 1948" and claims that Jesus was a
Palestinian, despite the name Palestine only being imposed on Judea by the
Romans 136 years after his birth, Marcus asserts that "one of the most important
Palestinian endeavors today is what I would call replacement: to replace Jewish
history with a fictitious and fabricated Palestinian history."

When the PA claims the Western Wall was really where Muhammad tied his horse,
that there was no Temple on the Temple Mount or that Rachel's and Joseph's tombs
are really mosques and Israel declares that they are historically Jewish, Marcus
alleges, the PA finds it easy to accuse Israel of incitement for calling the
Arabs on their revisionist narrative.

"The Palestinians would like Israel to stop talking about its history because
Israel's history means that we have a historical connection to the land, and
their basic ideology says that Israel has no connection and has no right to
exist and they don't want this claim to be challenged."

Marcus brandishes a recently uncovered PA publication entitled Terminology in
Media, Culture and Politics which seeks to instruct Palestinians to replace "the
Israeli and American dissemination of poisoned terms."

According to this book, using Israeli terminology "turns the essence of the
Zionist endeavor from a racist, colonialist endeavor into an endeavor of
self-definition and independence for the Jewish People."

The book instructs Palestinians to refer to suicide bombings as
"martyrdom-seeking operations" and reinforces Marcus's contention that the PA is
actively endorsing terrorism.

SOME OF the most high-profile cases that have cropped up recently have involved
the PA's celebrations of the life of the late Dalal Mughrabi, the leader of the
Palestinian commando team that perpetrated the Coastal Road Massacre of 1978.

Landing on an Israeli beach, the Fatah squad made its way to the highway where
it hijacked a bus, killing 38 people, including 13 children.

The PA's official television station, PATV, earlier this year ran a special in
which the killers were dubbed "heroes" and the Abbas mouthpiece Al-Hayat
Al-Jadida likewise described the "heroism of Dalal Mughrabi." Everything from
town squares to summer camps have been named after Mughrabi, becoming a sore
point between Israelis and Palestinians.

When asked about the PA's continuing endorsement of Mughrabi's crimes, Khatib,
whose reports are filled with specific sourced examples of Israeli
transgressions, states that he "doesn't like to get into examples."

"I think that there are things that can be considered incitement by one side and
not considered incitement by the other side," he says. "That is one of the
reasons why this problem of incitement should be dealt with in a joint way. We
have to have a debate that will end up by agreeing on what is incitement and
what isn't incitement. I think that both of us can try to reduce incitement on
this agreed basis.

"But getting into examples of things that might be seen as incitement by one
side and in a different way by the other side and solving this issue by
exchanging accusations, somebody will say that Dalal Mughrabi is a terrorist,
then you will see a Palestinian bringing an example from the Israeli side that
would counter this example."

Bringing up this issue is "not a constructive way of dealing with the problem,"
he explains. Anything else is point scoring.

The question is, if glorifying Mughrabi's actions is not incitement, then what
is? The only way to stop incitement by both sides is for "Israel to accept the
idea of developing definitions of incitement that both Israelis and Palestinians
can agree on with the help of a third party like the Americans," he says.

"In my view," he muses, "there is no difference in the theoretical definition of
incitement you would probably hear from me and what you would probably be
hearing from the Israelis, but when you go into the details, the specifics, the
applications, then you will probably have different interpretations. So the two
sides must work together on developing a common understanding of what is
incitement and what is not incitement in order to apply it in a fair way."

In fact, Israel, the US and the PA did form a trilateral committee to deal with
this issue following the Wye Accord in 1998. While the three parties did attempt
to come up with a set of guidelines, their wrangling was ultimately
inconclusive, with the Israelis withdrawing from the negotiations.

Khatib says that the "the Israelis became less enthusiastic" about working with
the Palestinians on this issue. The negotiations failed, Khatib claims, because
"Israel hasn't been cooperative."

Marcus, who was a member of the Israeli delegation to the incitement committee,
remembers things differently, countering that not only did Israel not "lose
interest," but that among the factors that ended the joint efforts on this issue
was PLO chairman Yasser Arafat's decision in 2000 to launch the second
Palestinian intifada.

Beyond that, however, he says that the meetings were "a farce." Whenever he
would present evidence of Palestinian incitement, he claims, Marwan Kanafani,
the Palestinian negotiator, would engage in a protracted filibuster and "and
ramble until, by the time he was finished, nobody could remember what I had even
presented."

Kanafani would say, recalls Marcus, that he had evidence of Israeli incitement
but that he did not want to present it "because it's not going to promote peace"
and because "what we need for peace is to get rid of the settlements and what we
need for peace is to have Israel leave Jerusalem. That's the real incitement
that is undoing peace."

When Marcus presented his report on Palestinian textbooks to the Americans, he
says, one of the Americans noted that "when I read the report I wanted to
vomit."

"The Palestinians and Americans argued over whether the Palestinians would be
willing to have their schoolbooks reviewed by the committee and the Palestinians
refused. They said no one is going to tell us how to educate our children, this
is our historical narrative, these are our messages, and they refused."

The Americans then proposed the Palestinians study their own textbooks and issue
a report. This, too, the Palestinians declined.

"Israel didn't lose interest in solving the problem, we just realized that the
Palestinians were not serious about dealing with the problem. I sometimes used
to think the trilateral anti-incitement committee was not actually working to
stop incitement but was working to bury incitement," Marcus states.

While Khatib says that without a dialogue there are no agreed-upon standards,
Marcus again disagrees.

"The PA has made three commitments to the international community that are
repeated over and over again by the Quartet and by the Americans, and the
Palestinians claim to have fulfilled these commitments. They are to recognize
Israel, to stop the incitement to hatred, second, and finally to stop violence."

While Khatib neglected to mention it, the Palestinians did in fact accept a
definition of incitement following the Wye Accords in the form of 1998's
Palestinian Presidential Decree No. 3, "Strengthening National Solidarity and
Prohibition of Incitement."

In this document, Arafat ruled that "The following acts will be deemed
inappropriate and illegal throughout the Palestinian governorates: Incitement of
race discrimination, encouragement of violent acts that are in violation of law,
degrading various religions, committing violence or incitement to commit
violence that harms the relationship with sisterly and foreign states, and the
formation of illegal associations which exercise or encourage the commitment of
crimes, disrupt normal life, incite masses to effect change by unlawful force,
encourage social unrest, and instigate actions to violate treaties that the
Palestine Liberation Organization has concluded with sisterly or foreign
states."

While Khatib says that when the PA "takes note of any accusation that comes from
either foreign sources or Israeli sources on anything that might be considered
incitement and deals with it immediately and tries to make sure that it's not
repeated," since much of the incitement that bothers Marcus is broadcast on
channels run by the Palestinian leadership, Israelis remain skeptical.

"Theoretically, half the PA leadership should be in jail or should be prosecuted
under that decree - if the Palestinians had ever followed it," Marcus says in a
jab at Khatib. "A year ago Yasser Abed Rabbo, the chairman of Palestinian
television, said it's the mouthpiece to impact on people so that they will think
in a certain way."

Regarding Khatib's claim that the Palestinians combat incitement, Marcus says
that the reality is "just the opposite."

When we pointed out that the mufti (the highest ranking clerical figure employed
by the PA) was calling for the genocide of the Jews "by quoting the Hadith that
says the hour of resurrection won't happen until the Muslims fight the Jews and
kill them... the Palestinian Minister of Religion defended him."

Whether or not there is an agreed-upon standard, Marcus says, incitement can be
evaluated by the standard by which the US Supreme Court said that one can judge
obscenity: "you know it when you see it."

"When you teach young children and youth that suicide bombers are heroes and
role models, and that word has been used many times, role models for their
generation, it is the worst message that can be given to youth," Marcus says.
"You want to add nuance, now, and say that this is not incitement?

"It's irrelevant whether or not it's incitement. It is absolutely against any
accord that we have with the Palestinians, it's been condemned by all the
international governments and condemned by the US. You cannot glorify terrorists
if you want to be part of a peace process. You cannot tell children that suicide
bombers are role models for them if you want to have a peace process."

Ultimately, the biggest difference between PA incitement and the Israeli
incitement and racism included in the Palestinian reports is that most of the
statements in the report were made by MKs and private citizens who were not
speaking in any official capacity. Moreover, no matter how objectionable one
might find these comments, not one Israeli official cited actively called for
violence.

This, Marcus says, is crucial.

"At Palestinian Media Watch we only follow official statements, and to go to
Facebook pages is really scraping the bottom," he concludes.

In the end, when Khatib tells the Post that incitement "is harmful to the
relation between the two sides" he is correct. However, it seems that his focus
on Israeli incitement may just be a fig leaf to cover his own government's
failures in this area, and Marcus believes that peace demands that he owe up to
that fact.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Is a new Palestinian Authority program to monitor Israeli incitement a
bid to distract the world from its own glorification of terrorism?

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: FLAGS BEARING the image of arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti
fly in Al-Manar Square, Ramallah; the Palestinian Government Media Center.
PALESTINIAN SCHOOL textbooks lie on a table as Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
speaks during a news conference with members of Palestinian Media Watch to
discuss alleged inflammatory content of Palestinian school books on Capitol Hill
in Washington. With Clinton is PMW director Itamar Marcus. GHASSAN KHATIB,
director of the Palestinian Government Media Center: 'I think that there are
things that can be considered incitement by one side and not considered
incitement by the other side.' (Credit: Sam Sokol; Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

942 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Wheel of misfortune

BYLINE: LAWRENCE RIFKIN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 36

LENGTH: 1209 words

Everyone seems to be telling Yitzhak Shamir stories of late, so here's one of
mine.

In the spring of 1990, with family having come from the US for my wedding, the
prime minister's vehicle pulled up next to us at a Jerusalem intersection. I
pointed this out to my nephews and they gaped as the diminutive Shamir, sitting
low in the back seat, looked in our direction, smiled and waved.

"Wow!" exclaimed Robert, age seven, after being told what a prime minister was.
"Wait till I tell my class!" gushed Josh, age 11. Precocious Jason, 13, just
wanted to know why the leader of a powerful Western nation was riding around in
an old Chevy. "This a loaner or something?"

To a young American teen a Chevrolet Caprice was something mom drove to the
supermarket. Here it was a stretch limo.

I was reminded of this vignette when I read last week that following a
government tender our cabinet ministers might soon be tooling around in the BMW
528i, a mid-size German luxury car. Farther down in the news item it said the
tender would allow the ministers to choose, should they wish, the more sedate
Citroen C5, a French make of the same size.

Also buried in the newsprint was the fact that both importers had agreed to give
the State of Israel a discount - 13 percent for the Citroen, meaning a final
unit cost of NIS 178,000, and a whopping 48% for the BMW, putting each of the
Bimmers, as aficionados call them, on the road at a mere NIS 206,000.

BACK WHEN I worked at the Jerusalem Municipality, mayor Teddy Kollek rode around
in a stodgy Peugeot 405. It wasn't the cheapest car on the road but it certainly
was not expensive. Yet apparently even this was too much for Teddy, who on a day
the 405 was in the garage for maintenance turned to his driver and said the much
smaller and simpler Peugeot 205 loaner he had been given would be good enough
when it was time for a new car. (Of course, the mayor wasn't sitting in back.)

But after Ehud Olmert defeated Kollek, the 405 was traded in for a Honda Accord,
a new import on Israel's roads that cost far more and was considered quite
snazzy and upscale. Say of Olmert what you will, but the municipal upgrade came
at roughly the same time the people in charge of wheels over at the Prime
Minister's Office decided to jump from Caprice to Cadillac for Yitzhak Rabin.
Theoretically, therefore, were there to be an Accord Affair in addition to all
of Olmert's other legal headaches, his lawyers would be able to use the Rabin
Defense (which in essence is what most of the rest of us use when we see the guy
in the next lane driving a car that's nicer than ours).

So we've come a long way since those simpler times, when prime ministers rode
around in Chevys (and their drivers actually stopped at traffic lights), and
cabinet ministers made do with Volvos. But BMWs?

UNLIKE IN business, where it's the bottom line that's important, what counts in
news reporting is what appears in the headline and the first few paragraphs. And
very high up in just about all the stories about the tender was the 528i's
sticker price: almost NIS 400,000.

Your average Israeli family would have to work for well over three years to earn
this kind of money. In addition, we're all too aware that the current government
is the largest we've ever seen, with more than a few ministers wandering the
halls with portfolios of no real consequence and others without portfolios at
all - meaning it's probably the most wasteful government we've ever seen, too.

Also, there's the little matter of the BMW's image. Just mention that name in
this country and a lot of eyes will roll. People will tell you that those who
want true German precision and reliability buy a Mercedes; BMWs are for those
looking for flash. At one time there even was a joke about why a BMW's steering
wheel was so small. For the punch line the person telling the joke held out his
arms, joined at the wrists, and explained that it was a car you could drive
while wearing handcuffs.

Some Israeli politicians might find the steering-wheel part quite attractive.
But the story broke just when social justice protesters were coming out of
hibernation and early elections started looking like a real possibility in light
of all the difficulties over the Tal Law, so no cabinet minister (at least
within earshot of a journalist) had any plans to choose the BMW.

"There is no justification for government ministers not to make do with a
vehicle that is less expensive and eye-catching," Minister of Whatever Yossi
Peled told Yediot Aharonot. Shaul Mofaz, whose now ex-job as a cabinet minister
was not exactly clear either, loudly agreed. Even Interior Minister Eli Yishai,
whose mentor, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, is chauffeured the few steps between his home
and synagogue in a BMW that makes the 528 look decidedly tiny and low-rent,
called for the tender to be canceled.

NUMBER CRUNCHERS at the Treasury's Motor Vehicle Administration, which issued
the tender and signed the contracts, are not paid to take into account
appearances or the way journalists write stories. That's for their boss, a
politician. Therefore, the question must be asked: What was Finance Minister
Yuval Steinitz thinking?

Seeing his fellow cabinet ministers now diving for cover, though, Steinitz
quickly woke up and said the agreement would be reviewed. The winners of the
tender, however, were of a different mind; Yediot reported them as saying they
would take the state to court if the finance minister tried to wuss out.

Clearly, Steinitz is in a jam. If he cancels the deal for the BMWs the importer
apparently will sue and the finance minister will probably be out quite a few
shekels, leaving a lot less to spend on his colleagues' cars. If he goes ahead
with the deal he won't have anyone to take the 528s - which I'm sure come with a
little provision in the contract saying they cannot be resold within a set
amount of time lest the government see the light and go into the automobile
business.

As a patriotic taxpayer I'd like to help out.

I drive a 12-year-old Subaru B-4. Reaching for the Rabin Defense I'll admit I'd
rather have a newer model, but on a journalist's salary I've learned to make do.
So I keep it in great shape because I maintain it properly. It has a high
collision-protection rating and its all-wheel drive means not only a smooth
ride, but one that is stable and safe on wet, slippery roads. It's roomy and
comfortable. What's more, it hasn't even passed 100,000 kilometers, meaning
there's a lot more life in the engine and transmission.

The blue book probably says my B-4 is worth somewhere around NIS 25,000, but the
used car market is sluggish and no one is getting anywhere near the asking
price. So listen up, Mr. Steinitz: Go ahead and renege on the deal. You'll lose
your shirt, perhaps not leaving enough even for the C5s. But I would be willing
to part with a great car for a relatively low price, and I think there are a lot
of others out there who feel the same way about their own cars.

Taking them off our hands would do wonders for the used car market, which, when
you think about it, is another area under your purview. So we'd all come out
ahead. It's either that or ending up with a flashy parking lot full of Bimmers.

Your choice, sir. You can reach me care of this newspaper.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Grumpy Old Man. As a patriotic taxpayer I'd like to do my part in helping
our finance minister out of a jam

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'THERE IS no justification for government ministers not to make
do with a vehicle that is less expensive and eye-catching.' (Credit: Courtesy)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

943 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Letters

BYLINE: Amnon Goldberg, Edith Ognall, Mark L. Levinson, Ira Nosenchuk, Michael
Ordman, Yonatan Silver, Jonathan Turetsky, David Brinn responds

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 1298 words

Farewell to Shamir

Sir, - With regard to "Little big man" (Middle Israel, July 6), Yitzhak Shamir's
main plus was that only he was up to the task of expelling the British from the
Land of Israel. Leftists like David Ben-Gurion and the Hagana were always ready
to make deals with the British; with Shamir there was no compromise.

Without his involvement and that of his followers in the killing of Lord Moyne,
Count Folke Bernadotte and the British sergeants; the bombing of the King David
Hotel and the Cairo-Haifa train; the attempted bombing of Whitehall; and the UK
letter-bomb campaign, the British would never have left.

The case can even be made that Shamir was responsible for hastening the
disappearance of the British Empire itself, when in India, Malaya, Burma,
Ceylon, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Jamaica they saw how a handful of
Jewish fighters in Palestine had forced the withdrawal of the mighty British,
and were emboldened to follow suit.

Conversely, Shamir's main negative point was when, with one million Jews
arriving in Israel in 1991 from the former USSR, he canceled his plan to have
them all settle in east Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, He buckled meekly before
George H.W. Bush's threat to cancel $10 billion in loan guarantees, which were
not even essential to Israel's economy. Instead, Russian Jews were settled
everywhere - except in the biblical heartland. The city of Ariel would today
have a population of 200,000 instead of 20,000. And instead of the current
330,000, the West Bank would have over 1.5 million Jews. A Palestinian state
would be permanently off the agenda and Oslo and all its terrible sequelae would
never have happened.

If Shamir had unequivocally retorted to Bush and the UN the biblical verses
relating how all the Land of Israel had been given to the people of Israel by
God, he would have gone down as one of the greats of Jewish history.

AMNON GOLDBERG

Safed

Sir, - "Despite extensive damage done by the [39 Scud] missiles and a pervasive
sense of national anxiety over the possibility of chemical or biological
warheads being used, Shamir was resolute in his conviction that Israel should
stay on the sidelines and allow the fragile American-led coalition to fight the
war" ("Inaction can speak louder than words: The Shamir legacy," In Plain
Language, July 6).

Although Yitzhak Shamir was strong in many ways, his inaction did in fact speak
louder than words and set a dangerous precedent for future inaction and our
inability to stand up to America. It was only a miracle that our Gulf War
casualties were very few, although they were a few too many.

When Stewart Weiss talks about Shamir understanding that we are surrounded by
enemies who are continually trying to goad us into a fight and devising every
means possible to place us in a no-win situation, there can only be a no-win
situation when you refuse to take strong proactive measures or, if called for,
strong defensive measures.

In both scenarios the endgame must always be the destruction of the enemy. It
boils down to the eminently sensible command that if your enemy comes to kill
you, you must get up and kill him first.

EDITH OGNALL

Netanya

Sir, - Among the retrospective coverage of Yitzhak Shamir in your July 6 issue,
two articles mention his decision not to react against Iraq during the Gulf War.
Neither mentions that the American administration wouldn't let him. According to
foreign sources, the US simply withheld the electronic "friend-or-foe" codes
that would have allowed the Israel Air Force safe passage, the Post and other
media reported at the time. In other words, if Israeli planes had gone up
American planes would have shot them down.

Israel was assured that the US forces in Iraq would hunt down and destroy Saddam
Hussein's mobile missile launchers and that after the war it would reap a great
dividend in international goodwill. Neither assurance had any merit and Shamir
likely knew it at the time.

MARK L. LEVINSON

Herzliya

False prophet

Sir, - In "Demise of the State of Israel" (Keep Dreaming, July 6), David
Breakstone foresees that "the leaders of the Third Jewish Commonwealth proved
themselves incapable of internalizing the lessons of history" and that this will
lead to the State of Israel's demise. Breakstone then lists the main causes for
this demise: baseless hatred, theocratic tendencies, social justice issues, the
status of women and the peace process.

Regarding baseless hatred, perhaps Breakstone should look in the mirror for the
guilty culprit. With regard to theocratic tendencies, is Breakstone blind to the
fact that so many of the most valiant soldiers in the most elite units have
them?

As for social justice, there were many high-minded and noble-sounding ideologies
professed in the past about a "workers' paradise," but they turned out to be
quite the opposite. On the the status of women, the treatment of Jewish women is
recognized and admired worldwide - feminist notions to the contrary.

Finally, Breakstone blames Israel's leaders for the failure of the peace process
because they failed to put forward "the bold and imaginative initiative that
might have led to a breakthrough." Who is he kidding?

For the writer's edification, what led to the demise of the Second Commonwealth
was the introduction of foreign ideologies such as Hellenism, the rise to power
of the Sadducees in the religious sphere, and the invitation to Rome to come in
and resolve their political problems.

We learn from tradition - as perhaps Breakstone hasn't - that when false
prophets predict our demise because we are unique and different, the curse is
transformed into a blessing. May his vision of the Third Commonwealth's demise
turn into the building of the Third Temple, with God's help, speedily and in our
time.

IRA NOSENCHUK

Jerusalem

Sir, - I don't know why David Breakstone wants to inflict his nightmares on us.
Jews have been having internal disputes since the modern Jewish state was
created. However, most of its population simply gets on with the job of making
the world a better place.

Perhaps Breakstone should seek help from a sleep therapist so he can have better
dreams. Alternatively, he could subscribe to my free newsletter or to others on
news of the achievements of the Jewish state. Then he can wake up to reality.

MICHAEL ORDMAN

Netanya

Serve first,

teach later

Sir, - Reader Larry Bigio's suggestion that haredim serve in the army by
teaching Torah to other soldiers is commendable ("Inevitable confrontation,
Letters, July 6).

However, to allay suspicions that these teachers are simply using the Torah to
avoid serving in the army like everyone else, I suggest that haredim who are
genuinely committed to strengthening Jewish culture among their brethren
volunteer to teach in the army after completing their regular service.

YONATAN SILVER

Jerusalem

Taking credit?

Sir, - With all due respect to Russell Simmons and Rabbi Marc Schneier for their
efforts at promoting ethnic understanding ("Rhyme and reason in the Middle
East," Cover, June 29), reporter David Brinn was remiss in not challenging
Simmons's comment about "concrete results" from letters sent by New York imams
to Hamas about releasing Gilad Schalit.

Schalit was freed, after five years of captivity under inhumane conditions, in
return for the release by Israel of more than 1,000 Arab terrorists responsible
for over 500 Israeli deaths. Simmons and his imams had nothing to do with it and
to claim credit for Schalit's freedom is obscene.

JONATHAN TURETSKY

Westhampton, New York

David Brinn responds: Mr. Simmons, in referring to "concrete results," was
talking about the fact that the Muslim leaders wrote those letters to Hamas, not
about the release of Gilad Schalit. He was in no way taking credit, full or
partial, for having anything to do with Schalit's release.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

944 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Scratching the surface

BYLINE: ATARA BECK

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 1023 words

An international team of scholars has provided a glimpse of the colors used to
decorate the sacred vessels of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, in the first
phase of a digital restoration project.

Using 3D scanning technology and non-invasive UV-VIS absorption spectrometry,
the team - led by the Yeshiva University Center for Israel Studies (CIS) in
partnership with the Special Superintendency for the Archaeological Heritage of
Rome - has successfully determined the original coloration of the menorah panel
on the Arch of Titus.

The results were announced recently: Traces of yellow ochre were found on the
arms and base of the menorah, which is consistent with biblical, early Christian
and talmudic writings, as well as with first-century historian Flavius
Josephus's descriptions.

The Arch of Titus commemorates the Roman victory in the first Jewish-Roman War
(66-73 CE), also known as the Great Revolt. It was the first of three major
rebellions in Judea against the Roman Empire. The monument contains bas-reliefs
of Titus's triumphal procession in Rome, with the seven-branched menorah as the
central focus.

"The menorah on the Arch of Titus has been a symbol of Jewish resolve for 2,000
years and is now the symbol of modern Israel," affirms Prof. Steven Fine, the
project's supervisor. "To see its original golden color again is thrilling. I
can't wait to see what we find next."

Fellow team member Cinzia Conti, an Italian archeologist, explains that "the
Archaeological Superintendency supported this project because studying a
monument like the Arch of Titus makes it possible to appreciate how it was made
and offers a better basis for protecting and conserving it. The study of the way
the reliefs were painted promises to bring the arch back to life by showing us
how it looked when it was first erected."

Dr. Heinrich Piening, senior conservator at the State of Bavaria Department for
the Conservation of Castles, Gardens and Lakes, was responsible for detecting
the color traces on the menorah relief. The arch had been well preserved, and
the non-invasive technique prevented risk of damage.

The scholars plan to expand the search for ancient paint over the entire surface
of the arch, which will also be scanned in 3D.

According to CIS, the data collected will enable the creation of a
three-dimensional, digital model of the arch as it originally appeared,
including the colors decorating its surface. The model will become part of the
Virginia-based Rome Reborn initiative, which aims to create 3D digital models
illustrating the urban development of ancient Rome.

Rome Reborn's director, University of Virginia professor Bernard Frischer, heads
the technology team of the YU project.

This project was the first to combine advances in technology and historiography
in order to reimagine the arch as it appeared 2,000 years ago. The conclusions
should have major significance not only for the interpretation of Roman
architecture - as no monument of that period had yet been subjected to
pigmentation analysis - but also for the study of sacred vessels of the Second
Temple in the first century CE and the Herodian building projects in ancient
Judea.

"We want to make a very accurate 3D model of the relief," says Frischer, a
world-renowned digital archeologist. "We try to conserve and protect the actual
physical remains."

Known as a "digital humanist," Frischer, who led a team that focused on the
technical retrieval of evidence of polychromy, regularly lectures on the topic
of consilience - the unity of different fields of knowledge - and he
acknowledges that this project is a wonderful example of the great potential in
the integration of arts and sciences.

"Only the humanities could decipher the significance [of the findings]," he
asserts. "We all could make our own contributions as long as we work together.
Also, what I love about this project is all the different nations working
together.... It's an international project, so reflective of the age we live
in."

He adds that "when you become a scholar of Rome, you see that scholars share
what they know. They're not possessive, which is common in many other fields.
It's important that we all collaborate. No project is isolated. There's history,
art, culture, science. It's too much for one person. We all understand that."

Piening, too, expresses satisfaction with the group's teamwork. "Examining an
artwork of such historical importance in an international and interreligious
group of experts is a highly rewarding experience," he says.

The participants also included senior scientist Peter Schertz of the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts; Paolo Liverani of the University of Florence; and Yeshiva
University professors Louis H. Feldman (project co-director), Lawrence H.
Schiffman and William Stenhouse. Schertz led a team that focused on the Roman
context of the arch, including the topographical, artistic and political issues.

Fine's initial interest in the menorah was piqued during high school, when he
visited Neot Kedumim, a biblical landscape reserve between Jerusalem and Tel
Aviv.

A sixth-century liturgical poet named Yannai "describes the menorah [as] being
in gold of multiple colors, so I began thinking about this color question and
how you could color different types of metal."

For Fine, the emotional impact of working on the arch was profound.

"After 2,000 years, there I was, with my YU flag, facing the menorah, and I
couldn't stop staring," he says. "Finally one of the others yells up at me to
hurry. I couldn't allow myself to touch it; it was just too close."

He wasn't the only one; the entire team, Jews and non-Jews, found the experience
intensely moving, he says.

Discussing the "kindness and decency" of the Antiquities Authority in Rome, Fine
stresses that it was always eager to help, and he dismisses as "urban legend"
oft-repeated tales about the menorah still being hidden in the Vatican. It could
not possibly have survived the destruction of Rome in the fifth century, he
maintains.

According to Frischer, "the success of the pilot project bodes well for
achieving our overall goal of digitally restoring the arch to its original
glory."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In an effort to show how the Arch of Titus in Rome looked with its
original coating of paint, researchers have successfully determined, through
pigmentation analysis, the original gold coloration of the menorah panel

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'THE MENORAH on the Arch of Titus has been a symbol of Jewish
resolve for 2,000 years and is now the symbol of modern Israel.' (Credit:
Courtesy: Yeshiva University)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

945 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A 19th-century Russian grandmother

BYLINE: RENEE LEVINE MELAMMED

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 43

LENGTH: 760 words

The title of this piece is how Pauline Wengeroff (1833-1916) identified herself
in her two-volume Memoirs of a Grandmother: Scenes from the Cultural History of
the Jews of Russia in the 19th Century (1910). My paternal grandmother, like
Wengeroff, hailed from the Minsk district in the Pale of Settlement. The sole
surviving document regarding Dora Landress (Levine) granted her freedom of
movement for 12 months within the Pale; this 16-year-old was deemed illiterate
because she knew only Yiddish.

Wengeroff, on the other hand, was extremely literate by any standards. Born into
a wealthy and pious family, she received an education appropriate for a
daughter. As a child, she studied in a girls' heder with a melamed (teacher) and
affectionately describes this early stage of her education. In addition, her
mother hired tutors of Russian and German, and Wengeroff was exposed to European
as well as Yiddish and Russian literature. This is not surprising; while the
Haskala movement and the modern culture it espoused was perceived as undermining
the religious mind-set of Jewish young men, no similar antagonism developed
regarding Jewish girls' exposure to this literature. Besides, her father, Yehuda
Halevi Epstein, was not as adamantly opposed to certain innovations of the
Haskala as was his wife. Their daughter's memoirs reflect family tensions of
this nature: Epstein arranged for his sons-in-law to meet Max Lilienthal, the
representative sent to enlighten the Russian Jews, yet his wife was infuriated
upon discovering these young men, as well as her own sons, surreptitiously
reading novels or displaying maskilic affinities.

Wengeroff was caught between these two worlds: She was strongly tied to
tradition, but did not follow in her mother's footsteps as the strict guardian
of Jewish tradition and practice. Her mother is presented as an authoritarian,
but Wengeroff's husband Chonon turns out to be quite the despot. This son of
Chabad Hassidim lost his faith and proceeded to undermine his family's Jewish
observance and ties to tradition, slowly but surely wearing away his wife's
objections.

Wengeroff elected to compose her memoirs in German (although she also published
in Russian, which had been spoken at home along with Yiddish): the first volume
(1830s-1840s) describes the world she felt was being lost. Inserting
"grandmother" into the book's title seems to be a literary gimmick rather than a
reflection of strong ties to her grandchildren. (See the translation,
introduction, notes and commentary by Shulamit S. Magnus, Volume 1, Stanford
University Press, 2010.)

The second volume (1840s-1890) deals with her sense of the catastrophe that had
befallen modern Jewry as a result of assimilation and acculturation. Her
personal journey is one glaring example of the fate of an upwardly mobile
Russian Jewish family. As the couple and their children relocated, their ties to
their families, as well as to Judaism, weakened considerably from the Pale of
Settlement to Helsinki and St. Petersburg. Wengeroff bemoans her fate at having
to yield to her husband's pressure and desist in wearing her wig as well as
keeping a kosher kitchen (except for Passover, the last vestige of her Judaism).
She defines the conversion of two of her sons as tragic; at least one daughter
also left the faith. Her children, many of whom were quite talented, apparently
had minimal Jewish education and could not fathom the depth of their mother's
connection to Judaism; their father declared that no religion was necessary.
When confronted with options, they succumbed to the lure of the modern world,
which in the long run often rejected them.

Wengeroff was sensitive to the role of women in traditional as well as in
modernizing society. In her opinion, the men did not consider the consequences
of adopting modern ideas and seemed incapable of moderation in their actions.
Did modernity truly require abandonment of all that had been transmitted and
valued for centuries, and women's relinquishment of their traditional role?
These memoirs combine a lament for that which she and her family lost, together
with detailed descriptions of these traditions. Her personal experience reflects
a painful social process, as well as her desire to be remembered for her own
gifts, both as a writer and as someone who treasured her Jewish identity.

The writer is a professor of Jewish history and dean at the Schechter Institute,
as well as academic editor of the journal Nashim. She has published books and
articles on Sephardi and Oriental Jewry and on Jewish women.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: His Story/Her Story

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

946 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Power of the online petition

BYLINE: RUTH EGLASH

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 804 words

If you've been on Facebook lately, chances are you've received a request to sign
a petition calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to observe one
minute of silence at the opening of next week's games in London.

The move is meant to commemorate the 11 Israeli athletes killed by terrorists at
the Munich games 40 years ago, and already close to 100,000 people worldwide
have signed the petition on social action website Change.org.

Created by Ankie Spitzer - the widow of Andrei Spitzer, who was killed at the
Munich games - with support from the Jewish Community Center in Rockland, New
York, the online petition has also drawn attention from media outlets far and
wide and backing from numerous political leaders.

Nonetheless, the IOC has still - at least this year - not agreed to pay tribute
to those who died in Munich. While those driving the petition vow to continue
fighting, what has become clear is that even though such online petitions are
effective in getting enormous attention and mass support, they are not always
enough to make the desired change.

In other words, while it might be easier and quicker than ever before to get
thousands of people signing a petition, like many social protests launched in
the virtual world, the question remains: Are they effective in reality?

According to Steve Gold, chairman of the "Munich 11 Minute of Silence Petition"
at the Rockland JCC, the fact that there will be no minute of silence at the
London games' opening does not detract from the petition's overall success.

"One hundred thousand signatures is pretty astounding; however, what is even
more astounding is the comments that have accompanied those signatures," he
observes. "This petition has finally provided an outlet for people to express
their feelings about something that happened 40 years ago."

He adds, "We feel it has definitely been effective, and we got the IOC to pay
attention to the issue in a way they have not done before. Unfortunately they
said 'no' this time, but we will not stop. We will continue on with this
petition until there is a change."

WHILE THE "Minute of Silence" petition has yet to clinch that change, Benjamin
Joffe-Walt, director of communications for the New York-based Change.org - one
of the most popular platforms for online petitions - believes that digital
drives can have an impact, even if some are not ultimately successful.

"Just like there are both videos that have a profound impact and those that
don't, there are petitions that have a profound impact and those that don't," he
says.

"Online petitions are incredibly effective, and multiple campaigns on Change.org
win every day," he continues, adding that last year alone, more than 800
petitions featured on the site found success.

Joffe-Walt says that thanks to the massive reach of digital media, online
campaigns have "the potential to be exponentially more impactful than any
strategy of mass organizing to date."

"One person can use Change.org to connect with tens of thousands of supporters
from all over the world around an issue they care about in a matter of hours,"
he points out. "That kind of power never existed before, and it's behind a lot
of the social movements we've seen over the past five to 10 years."

And, he adds, it makes little difference if the campaigns are aimed at
individuals, commercial businesses or governments. For a petition to be
successful, the message has to be very clear and to the point.

ONE JEWISH-THEMED online campaign with a very clear message is aimed at removing
all Holocaust-denial pages and groups from Facebook. The campaign centers on two
online petitions - Care2 and Change.org - and also a Facebook group, "Ban all
Holocaust denial pages and groups from Facebook," which helps to empower those
devoted to this specific cause.

Holocaust denial pages and groups on Facebook are not part of genuine free
speech, explains Randi Susan Klein, a California-based attorney and an activist
for this cause. She claims the goal of Holocaust deniers online is to "distort
the truth, to push an agenda of anti-Semitism, and to find like-minded people."
Such hate speech, she says, should not be allowed on Facebook.

While the two petitions have drawn roughly 1,000 signatures each so far, Klein
is attempting to use the Facebook group to spotlight and weed out the Holocaust
denial, neo-Nazi and and "holohoax" sites all over the Web.

She still has no way of knowing if the campaign will be enough to convince the
social networking site to ban such groups, but she is clear that there is
"strength in numbers."

"My Facebook group was able to get some of the most vile pages and individual
profiles removed, simply by reporting them in mass numbers," she says.
"Therefore, if we get enough signatures, I am hopeful that these two petitions
will bring about the changes we seek."

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In the digital age, generating mass support for social change via online
petitioning platforms has helped raise huge awareness of important issues - but
is it really effective?

GRAPHIC: Screenshot: CREATED BY Ankie Spitzer - the widow of Andrei Spitzer, who
was killed at the Munich games - the online petition has also drawn attention
from media outlets far and wide. (Credit: Screenshot)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

947 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Six feet under

BYLINE: ITSIK MAROM

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 20

LENGTH: 370 words

Each year the Dead Sea loses a lot of water. This fact has been well known since
the 1960s. This loss adds up to more than one meter every 12 months and there
are two main reasons why this is happening.

The Deganya dam in the south of Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) is the first
reason. The dam blocks the fresh water supply from the Jordan River section that
connects the lake with the Dead Sea. The second reason is the Israeli and
Jordanian phosphate production plants situated along the south side of the Dead
Sea. These factories need to evaporate large quantities of salt water to extract
their mineral products. This results in slowly killing the already Dead Sea.

The receding waterfront has triggered the formation of more than 1,500 sinkholes
over the past 15 years. These sinkholes vary in size and depth and can be up to
20 meters deep. Some are shallow and wide, some are empty and others hold
mineral-colored water.

The vulnerable sinkhole area is a strip on the western side of the Dead Sea, 60
kilometers long and up to a kilometer wide, between the highway and the
retreating waterline. Most sinkholes accumulate at specific sites determined by
the geological character of the area.

Lately, every year hundreds of new sinkholes appear, all formed as a result of
the dissolution of an ancient salt layer 20 to 70 meters under the surface.

Now, without the support of the Dead Sea salt water, underground water dissolves
those salt layers, forming gaps that the upper layer fall into. The receding
seawater by itself leaves numerous air pockets in the soil which increase the
instability of the layers.

The sinkhole strip is widening each year and affecting the human activity along
it. Today it is very dangerous to enter the sinkhole-prone areas due to sudden
collapses, which occur every day. Solutions for limiting the creation of
sinkholes are based on renewing the water supply to the Dead Sea by opening the
Deganya dam or bringing in regular seawater from the Mediterranean or Red Sea.
One suggestion was the national project of the Mediterranean-Dead Sea canal. In
the meantime, the production plants may need to curb their damaging activities
until a viable solution to save the Dead Sea is found.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Dead Sea is receding and dangerous sinkholes are now appearing as a
result

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: (Credit: ITSIK MAROM)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

948 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Protect and defend

BYLINE: BARBARA SOFER

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 38

LENGTH: 1097 words

I'm waist-deep in the local swimming pool teaching a handful of little
granddaughters to float. The oldest and skinniest is shivering. She's seven. Can
she take a hot shower while the others continue the lesson? I hesitate, thinking
"what could happen in a women's locker room in Jerusalem?" What indeed might
happen in a women's locker room in Jerusalem? When her mother, also a lover of
hot showers, was a girl, I wouldn't have worried. Primary school children rode
buses by themselves and Israeli adults seemed to provide a protective cushion
against the bumps a child might encounter. Today we've discovered that some of
the strategically placed adults who are hired to guard and guide children are
drawn to these jobs for the nefarious opportunities they present. I don't know
if I am reacting out of grandmotherly hyper-vigilance or hard-acquired wisdom.
In the decades since my own children were growing up in Israel, have the perils
grown larger or are we simply more alert because of greater openness and media
reports?

Have a few isolated incidents turned into an epidemic?

This is the operative question on an evening in Ra'anana I have been invited to
emcee for the Crisis Center for Religious Women, an organization that raises
awareness, suggests means of protection and offers healing help for those who
have been sexually abused. Following a number of cases of sexual abuse, the
Crisis Center for Religious Women was established two decades ago in the
Jerusalem kitchen of psychologist Debbie Gross, then living in the religious
neighborhood of Har Nof. The first rape crisis centers opened in Israel in the
late 1970s, but the Jerusalem women believed that they, their husbands and their
children needed guidance that would suit their religious lifestyle.

In addition to the terrifying and humiliating experience every sexually abused
child and adult experiences, a layer of religious issues required understanding.
These include attitudes to modesty, relationships with God and community ethos.
Talking about sexuality is different among religious families. Moreover, a
common myth that such perversions couldn't happen within an idealized society
needed debunking.

Ra'anana has a strong activist religious community, and leaders have invited the
Jerusalem-based center to their city to initiate prevention and awareness
programs. Over 200 women and men have shown up. The evening begins with a
trigger film: Cohen's Wife, a Yiddish-language movie with English subtitles,
made 12 years ago by Nava Nussan Hafetz. Its plot is the fictionalized version
of the story of a pious young woman who opens her front door to give coins to a
religiously-garbed beggar. He thrusts the door open and rapes her. The
abomination is exacerbated by a religious issue: the victim's husband is a
kohen, a descendent of the Jewish priestly tribe that presided in the ancient
Temple. A literalist reading of Jewish law demands that a kohen divorce his wife
if she is raped.

It's easy to be distracted by the religious conundrum. Indeed, the audience asks
panelist Rabbi Moshe Taragin of Yeshivat Har Etzion many "what if" questions
that revolve around the loophole in the law that, in the film, allows the
sympathetic head of the religious court to rule against divorce. One might also
be tempted to distance the situation by assigning this particular problem to the
Yiddish-speaking haredi community. It's easier to talk about "them" than "us."
But sexual abuse stalks all of us in our home communities.

Since the Crisis Center for Religious Women hotline opened, it has received
45,000 calls. In Israel, the 10 rape crisis centers get more than 35,000 calls a
year. The hardest issue to deal with is that the typical perpetrator isn't a
scary-looking stranger. Nearly 90 percent of the complainants know the monsters
who abuse them. Almost half those who phone report rape or attempted rape. One
quarter are suffering from incest. The last quarter is divided between indecent
acts and sexual harassment in the workplace. Most of the victims are under 18.
But according to Dr. Sagit Arbel-Alon, who heads the Bat Ami Center for Victims
of Sexual Abuse at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, abused
patients range from age two to 75 - girls, boys, men and women. That's almost
all of us at risk for this lifelong trauma. Half of the patients in the
psychiatric ward were sexually abused at some time in the past.

I have a chance to speak to one of the Crisis Center for Religious Women's young
therapists. I'll spare you the worst of the details. But imagine one case in
which a teenage girl was being gang-raped by boys who threatened to tell her
stern parents if she fought them. In another case, distraught parents wept that
their elementary school-aged son had been cast out of school for molesting a
classmate. Only later did they learn that their son had been molested, too.

The crisis center offers courses to children, teachers, rabbis and the
increasingly important women in the religious community: mikve (ritual bath)
attendants and counselors for brides. According to founder Debbie Gross, there
is no doubt that the incidence of sexual abuse has vastly increased. Messages to
our children must include the sad but true instruction that not everyone is
their friend, differentiating between good secrets and bad secrets, and that
immodesty is not the cause of sexual abuse. In an increasingly violent society,
the threat grows, as does the sophistication of the abusers - like bacteria that
learn how to beat erythromycin.

Protective and defensive responses are best implemented when there exist
heightened awareness, openness to discussion and rapid response by communities
and law. Films like Cohen's Wife raise our consciousness and provide excellent
material for discussion.

At the swimming pool, I shake my head. No. My granddaughter cannot take a solo
shower. She'll have to wait. Instead, she warms up in a terry robe on the hot
pavement, where I can keep a watchful eye on her. That's how the lizard warms
up, I tell her. Then I tell the little girls about a legendary lizard that
reputedly comes out at midnight at the Western Wall when the congregation below
says the words, "nishmat kol hai," "the soul of all life."

Does it really happen like that, they ask? We'll go together to see, I promise,
when you're a little older.

The author is a Jerusalem writer who focuses on the wondrous stories of modern
Israel. She serves as the Israel director of public relations for Hadassah, the
Women's Zionist Organization of America. The views in her columns are her own.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Human Spirit

GRAPHIC: Photo: PROTECTIVE AND defensive responses are best implemented when
there exist heightened awareness, openness to discussion and rapid response by
communities and law. (Credit: Thinkstock)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

949 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The music man

BYLINE: GLORIA DEUTSCH

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 47

LENGTH: 797 words

Bernie Marinbach, 66 - From Brooklyn to Jerusalem, 1975

To open your front door and have a klezmer musician, dressed in full regalia,
serenade you with "Heveinu Shalom Aleichem" on his clarinet is vaguely surreal.
But that's what happened when Bernie Marinbach, visiting his sister in Kfar
Saba, appeared on my doorstep one morning recently.

Passersby and neighbors enjoyed the impromptu concert. Marinbach is an
accomplished musician who has carved out a niche for himself as one of Israel's
best-known klezmer musicians. For 21 years he was member and concert master of
the Israel Police Band. This often entailed being out on the street in his
police uniform, where people assumed he was a real policeman.

"I was often asked the things people ask policemen, and I never volunteered that
I was only a band member," he says. "I tried to look fierce."

This would not have been an easy task for the genial Marinbach, who strongly
feels that his mission in life is to bring happiness through his music.

He made aliya in 1975 and had no idea he was going to be able to make his living
through music, no matter how good he was. He had another string to his bow, so
to speak, with a doctorate in history, and he taught history for a while. But
music is his life and to this day he can barely believe he is making his living
doing something he loves so much.

Marinbach was born in 1946 on New York's Lower East Side. His whole family is
musical and his father was a cantor, as Marinbach is today in the synagogue
where he prays in Jerusalem's Gilo neighborhood. Later the family moved to Boro
Park in Brooklyn, and he describes a turning point that occurred in his life
when he was 12 years old. A certain Sam Meltzer walked into his Hebrew day
school and offered to start clarinet classes. The principal agreed and the
children began learning to play on rented clarinets.

When the year was up, Meltzer told all the children to carry on renting next
year but said "Bernie, you buy a clarinet."

By the age of 16 he was playing professionally and eventually had his own band.

"To this day I thank the principal for taking up the suggestion of Mr. Meltzer,"
he says now.

When he decided to make aliya in 1975 he planned to carry on teaching history
and make music in his spare time. He taught in Givat Washington High School and
later at Tel Aviv University in the Overseas Students' Unit, but he also used
connections he'd made in New York to contact hassidic bands here and offered to
play for free so they would hear him.

"With my 15 years of experience I figured I would get in easily, and I did. I
got recommendations and after some time joined up with another immigrant, Shalom
Brody, and we played together for seven years in the Shalom Band," he says.

Then in 1980 a traumatic incident brought about a change in his life. He fell
from a ladder, badly injuring his right hand. During months of treatment he
worried he would not be able to play any more and became increasingly depressed.

"I kept telling myself I still had the history teaching but I realized that all
I wanted to do was to play. I made a little vow to myself - if I ever get out of
this I'm going to play full-time," he recalls.

After extensive physiotherapy he was able to play as well as ever and soon after
joined the police band, staying with it for 21 years until he retired in 2001.

"After I left the police, I really wanted to play my own music - klezmer music.
It means something to me because of the neighborhood I grew up in and the family
background."

Klezmer music has enjoyed a revival in Israel for many years now. Marinbach
defines it as music that has developed over the past few hundred years primarily
in Eastern Europe and in places where Jewish immigrants settled around the world
who originated from Yiddish-speaking cultures.

A good klezmer musician can make his instrument laugh or cry. Marinbach is
proficient in saxophone and clarinet, and listening to him is always a delight.
He's recorded many discs and has often appeared on television. He also has a
one-man show in which he plays and tells stories, and he is almost as good a
raconteur as he is a musician.

"Some musicians play for the art of music, but I come from a different angle,"
he says. "Music is to make people happy and that's one of the reasons I picked
klezmer, because it is mostly happy music."

Today he lives in Jerusalem with his second wife, Yehudit, and their four
children. He is pleased that one of his sons, Assaf, seems to have inherited his
musical talents. An older son from his first marriage is a physiotherapist.

He often goes abroad for gigs but he's happiest playing his joyful music in
Israel where he feels he can alleviate some of the hard times, if only briefly.
For Marinbach, it's his contribution to the country he loves.

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Veterans. Not everyone loves what they do for a living, but Bernie
Marinbach has found his calling

GRAPHIC: Photo: BERNIE MARINBACH strongly feels that his mission in life is to
bring happiness through his music. (Credit: Gloria Deutsch)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

950 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Illuminating the black fast

BYLINE: STEWART WEISS

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 37

LENGTH: 1304 words

How do we know that the Torah is authentic? For that matter, how can we be sure
that all of Jewish tradition - as well as Jewish history, particularly the
pre-Exile chapters, extending back through the glory days of kings David and
Solomon and even further back to Moses and the heroes of the Bible - is the real
thing? After all, our Palestinian "partners" mock our connection to ancient
Israel, denying that we ever had a Temple while at the same time meticulously
destroying the hard evidence of its existence.

You might cite archeological finds to back up our narrative, or widespread,
communal transmission of the seminal events of our national experience. And of
course, if you are an observant Jew, you might simply profess a complete and
unshakeable faith in the veracity of our holy literature, adhering to the
Maimonidean maxim, "I believe that the Torah today is the same Torah that has
existed throughout the generations, dating back to Moses, and that every word of
it is true."

But I suggest there is yet another proof that dispels any doubt regarding who we
are and who we were. The fact that our literature portrays us as real people,
with faults and foibles, speaks volumes about the authenticity of the text. For
what other religion's source book is just as quick to point out the failings of
its protagonists as it is to sing their praises and accomplishments? What other
tradition lambastes its star personalities as often as it glorifies them? God,
as recorded in the Torah, harshly criticizes Sarah for doubting the Almighty's
ability to grant her a child; calls out the Tribes for selling Joseph; and
punishes Moses for striking the rock (resulting in his non-entrance to the Land
of Israel). And the books of the prophets, on practically every page, castigate
the nation for its infidelity and moral failings.

Can you imagine the Koran highlighting the flaws and faults of Muhammad? Just
the suggestion that he is human, let alone imperfect, is enough to generate a
global Islamic eruption, and even lead to war.

And so, precisely because we are told that our actions and behavior caused the
Temple to be destroyed, we know that it certainly existed.

We are entering today the period known as the Nine Days, culminating in 9 Av,
when both Temples were destroyed, by the Babylonians and Romans, respectively.
These are dark days, when festivities are curtailed even as beards grow longer.
Like the stages of mourning in reverse, we become increasingly somber and
reflective for several weeks, until, on Tisha Be'av, we engage in a 25-hour
fast, sitting on the ground and lamenting the loss of the Temple and all that
this implied. This is the Black Fast, a day that lives on in infamy, with none
of the spiritual exuberance and liberation from sin that characterizes Yom
Kippur, the White Fast.

If we are to one day right the wrongs of Tisha Be'av, it is instructive and
essential to examine the root causes of the Destruction. I suggest that there
are three primary elements, reflected in Rabbinic sources, that tell the tragic
tale.

The first goes back to the initial tragic event of 9 Av. It was on this date
when the scouts sent out by Moses to reconnoiter the Land, in preparation for
its invasion and conquest, came back with a negative report. They concluded that
we could not subdue the seven nations residing in Canaan, nor could we survive
for very long in the land even if we did succeed in crossing the Jordan. Whether
because the scouts doubted God or themselves, they caused a schism in the Jewish
nation that reverberates until this very day.

"You cried for no reason on the night the scouts gave their report," said an
angry and disappointed God to the people, "but in the future, you shall indeed
have ample reason to wail." The cry of Tisha Be'av is made ever more bitter by
the knowledge that so many of our co-religionists still subscribe to the scouts'
stance on Israel, stubbornly preferring to remain in the countries of our
dispersion even when God has reopened the door to the Holy Land.

The second, and arguably the most famous comment on the Destruction comes from
the Talmud's tractate Yoma, which not by chance deals with the essence of
repentance and return. There we are told that the First Temple was destroyed due
to the prevalence of the three cardinal sins: idolatry, immorality and
bloodshed. "And what about the Second Temple," asks the Talmud, "when Jews were
immersed in the study of Torah, the fulfillment of mitzvot and the performance
of acts of kindness?" The sages answer: "It was destroyed because of the sinat
hinam - baseless hatred - that was in it."

Now, on first glance this statement seems quite odd. If the people performed
kind and charitable acts, if they supported the poor and loved the proselyte,
where was the "baseless hatred"? But this is precisely the point; they went
through the motions of the mitzvot, they conducted the rituals by the numbers,
but their hearts were not in it. Acts of kindness are meant to be the means to
an end, designed to engender love between the different segments of society. But
for this community they only masked an attitude of arrogance, elitism and
disdain. Baseless hatred "was in it"; it amounted to empty, meaningless acts of
rote behavior, more befitting robots than rabbis.

Has all that much changed? Do we not still live in a society where excessive
emphasis is placed on the exterior, superficial trappings of religion, and so
little on the core values of kindness, courtesy, compassion and love? What is
this fixation we have with being "clothes-minded"? Should we not give God a
little more credit for his ability to see through the costumes and into the
core? Do we not understand that it is the attitude, rather than the act, which
impresses the Almighty?

Finally, after the Talmud offers a whole litany of reasons why Temple society
crumbled - ranging from a neglect of proper education for the children to a lack
of appreciation for the Shabbat to a failure to speak out against sinful
behavior - along comes Rabbi Yohanan in tractate Bava Metzia, making the
perplexing statement: "Jerusalem was destroyed because we upheld the letter of
the Law." The sages rightfully ask, "What is wrong with the letter of the law?
Should we rather live in a lawless society?" And they are answered, "They should
have gone beyond the letter of the law!" A reasonable sentiment, but confusing.
What about all the other reasons given for the destruction? Were they not
legitimate? What does going "beyond the letter of the law" add?

The answer, it seems to me, is that, yes, the other reasons are all valid; we
did commit serious sins, both individual and societal. But had we been the kind
of people who "went beyond" the strict measure of the law and what was "coming
to us"; had we given others the benefit of the doubt, cut them some slack,
forgiven their errors and offered them another chance, then God would have done
the same for us. He would have excused our errant behavior and let it slide. But
since we were determined to exact the full measure of justice and retribution
from our fellow man, God, in like measure, treated us the same way.

The rabbis make a dramatic statement: "He who does not rebuild the Temple in his
generation is considered as if he has destroyed it." The clear implication is
that history - in particular its most tragic elements - continues to repeat
itself until and unless we step in and do something to change it. The road back
to a kinder, holier, more pristine Jewish world begins with the knowledge that,
as we judge others, so shall we be judged. Internalizing just that one crucial
message can mean the difference between Black and White.

The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra'anana and a Ra'anana
city councilman; www.rabbistewartweiss.com; jocmtv@netvision.net.il

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In Plain Language

GRAPHIC: Photo: 'DESTRUCTION OF the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem' by Francesco
Hayez. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

951 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The truth about Lithuania

BYLINE: EFRAIM ZUROFF

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 33

LENGTH: 1287 words

After reading Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius's answers to Michael
Freund's pointed and probing questions regarding Lithuanian-Jewish relations and
the policies of the current Lithuanian government on a wide range of Holocaust
related issues last week, it is not hard to understand why political leaders are
often compared to used car salesmen. Both portray their mediocre merchandise in
glowing terms with the aim of closing as many sales as possible.

Thus Kubilius would have the readers of The Jerusalem Post believe that his
country is honestly and successfully confronting its bloody past and that there
are no serious problems between Jews and Lithuanians that a healthy dose of
education and understanding cannot solve. If only that were the case.

On the contrary, the descriptions offered by Kubilius in the interview are full
of distortions and misrepresentations of the current situation, and if we add a
pronounced tendency to evade giving any clear and unequivocal answers to
difficult questions, we emerge with a "laundered" version of the reality that
makes Lithuania appear to be a haven of flourishing contemporary Jewish life
nurtured by a legendary past, with only a few unpleasant episodes continuing to
cast shadows on the glorious present.

For example, on the subject of local anti- Semitism, Kubilius claims that the
government has always "very strongly and without any hesitation condemned all
those acts of vandalism" - a patently false statement which does not reflect the
reality in Lithuania of the past several years, during which the number of
Jewish cemeteries, Holocaust memorials and even synagogues vandalized has risen
at an alarming rate, with virtually no response from the government and nary a
perpetrator caught and convicted.

If we add the relatively recent (since 2008) phenomenon of neo-Nazi marches in
Vilnius and Kaunas on Lithuanian independence days (two different dates are
celebrated), which more and more people are attending each year, and which have
never been condemned by the Kubilius government, it is obvious that there is no
correlation between the ostensible current Lithuanian reality described by the
prime minister and the discouraging situation faced on a daily basis by
Lithuanian Jews.

Kubilius's tendency to whitewash serious problems in Lithuanian-Jewish relations
is nowhere more blatant than in his comments relating to the two most serious
issues affecting relations between Jews and Lithuanians, both in Lithuania and
throughout the Diaspora.

I am referring to the uniquely extensive role played by Lithuanians in the mass
murder of Jews, both in Lithuania as well as outside its borders (in Poland end
especially in Belarus), as well as to Lithuania's recent efforts to promote the
canard of equivalency between the Shoah and Communist crimes.

As far as the former is concerned, one issue is the country's failure to
sufficiently acknowledge the highly critical role played by local Nazi
collaborators in the annihilation of Lithuanian Jewry and to sufficiently
incorporate that painful dimension of local Holocaust history in the school
curriculum.

Another is Lithuania's total failure to punish any of the many local Nazi war
criminals who should and could have been brought to justice in the country
following the renewal of independence, and whose successful prosecution would
not only have provided an excellent history lesson for Lithuanian society, but
also would have contributed significantly to healing the wounds and promoting
reconciliation.

The second issue continues to be a source of constant friction between the two
communities.

Ever since the promulgation of the Prague Declaration of June 3, 2008, the
manifesto of the double genocide movement, to the consternation of Jews the
world over the Lithuanian government has actively promoted the equivalency
canard and has worked very hard to encourage the adoption of resolutions in
European forums which reflect a similar approach to the crimes committed by both
the Nazi and Communist regimes.

Thus, for example, the call to designate August 23 (the day of the signing in
1939 of the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement) as a joint memorial day for all
victims of totalitarian regimes, a date purposely chosen to imply that the
Soviets bear equal guilt for the atrocities of World War II, and a step which
would eventually make Holocaust memorial day redundant, clearly points to the
determination to undermine the current status of the Shoah as an unprecedented
and unique case of genocide.

In Kubilius's responses to Freund's specific questions on these subjects, he
repeatedly uses ambiguous phrases and euphemisms to circumvent the issues and
remain true to his distorted Holocaust narrative. Regarding Lithuanian
complicity in Holocaust crimes, which he admits is "painful," Kubilius speaks of
the participation of "some" Lithuanians, a neutral and in this context
meaningless term which fails to reflect the historical reality and spares his
countrymen an honest confrontation with their massive crimes against their
Jewish fellow Lithuanian citizens during the Holocaust.

In responding to the recent reinterment in Kaunas of the remains of Juozas
Ambrazevicius, the prime minister of the provisional government established by
Lithuanians in the wake of the German invasion, which fully supported the Nazis
and actively participated in the persecution and murder of Jews, Kubilius claims
that the government was not officially involved.

This despite the fact that it financed the entire project, and then pontificated
about the need for both sides to be open to the other side's narrative,
essentially a call for Jews to forgive the mass murder of their brethren, who
were killed, according to the prime minister, by "naive, romantic people who
were captured by historical circumstances and very complicated times when they
were trying to achieve the independence of Lithuania."

He then added in the defense of these romantics that they later became the
leaders of the anti-Nazi movement, which is basically a figment of Lithuanian
fantasy and never, if it even existed, achieved any meaningful results.

In response to the questions regarding the attempts to equate Communism and
Nazism and the ultimate challenge of whether to categorize Lithuanians as
victims or perpetrators, Kubilius resorts to the same kind of double-speak which
seeks to satisfy both sides, but ultimately clearly reflects his allegiance to
the double genocide theory and his obstinate refusal to admit the uniqueness of
the Holocaust.

Thus he begins by preaching against any attempt to compare the two tragedies,
but then promptly reminds us that 14 million people were killed in "this area"
during the mid-1930s to mid-1940s, and that "we, and Jewish people, of course,
suffered the most terrible fate."

Adding insult to injury, Kubilius then concludes the "Jewish" part of the
interview by juxtaposing the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust with the
largescale deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia.

Kubilius notes with pride the success of the many Litvaks who have achieved
prominence outside Lithuania, as if he can claim their achievements as part of
Lithuania's history, but as this interview clearly demonstrates, the prime
minister's understanding of history, particularly that of Lithuanian Jewry,
leaves much to be desired.

Dr. Efraim Zuroff is the chief Nazi-hunter of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and
director of its Israel Office. His most recent book, Operation Last Chance; One
Man's Quest to Bring Nazi War Criminals to Justice (Palgrave/ Macmillan), deals
extensively with Lithuania's failure since independence to prosecute local Nazi
war criminals. For more information: www.operationlastchance.org

LOAD-DATE: July 30, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

952 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Unveiling the beauty and the pain

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 20

LENGTH: 1011 words

Artists, for the most part, have the courage of their convictions, but this can
sometimes lead to conflict and confrontation. Fatma Abu Rumi has certainly had
plenty of that during her artistic career.

This week, an exhibition of her works opened at the Museum of Islamic Art. The
show is called "Between Sorrow and Beauty," and both come out strongly in all
the items on display.

Abu Rumi, who was born in the Lower Galilee town of Tamra, takes a realistic
approach to artistic expression, but there is also a strong presence of
symbolism in the exhibition. One of the principal symbolic items is a painting
of a hawk with its head covered, perched on the arm of a woman with colorful
varnish on her fingernails. The bird symbolizes the dominance of the male in
Arab society, while the head covering prevents the hawk from fulfilling its
male-defined function, thereby allowing the woman to come to the fore.

"I think, to begin with, the observer sees the beauty in my paintings - the
painting approach, the colors, and the beads and the ornamentation I add to
them," says the artist. "However, when someone looks more deeply at the
paintings, he will see the content, which is not at all beautiful. The two
things live together."

Even so, realism and symbolism are not natural bedfellows. While the former
conveys an image in a direct manner, the latter requires the observer to do some
of the work, to ponder and construe the meaning behind the symbol.

"Realism belongs to everyone, but symbolism is about who I am," she says simply.

Interestingly Abu Rumi, who is a Muslim, dipped into the world of Christian
iconography for some of the works. The artist says the cross-religious foray
allowed her more freedom to maneuver, and enabled her to sidestep some potential
land mines.

"You know Islam does not allow people to paint human figures, because they say
it is like competing with God," she explains. "That doesn't exist in
Christianity. Churches are full of figures, and they even painted their prophet
[Jesus]. So I used a lot of Christian symbols in my work."

But she does her best to fuse the two religions in her oeuvre. "I use a lot of
arabesque [artistic ornamentation], too, which adds beauty from the Islamic
side."

The latter is not just about embellishing the final product. Abu Rumi takes
issue with quite a few areas of Islamic society, including the imbalance in the
social standing of the genders. One painting features a silhouette of her father
with a bridal veil over his head; another has him with a hijab over his face.

"I wanted to put the man in the same place that Arab society places the woman,"
she explains. "This is my way of showing that I am not willing to succumb to the
control mechanisms of men."

Though such a strident attitude may not sit too well with the powers that be in
Arab society, Abu Rumi intends to have her say, come what may.

"I am 35 years old and divorced," she says - a none-too-common phenomenon in the
Arab world. "I wanted to study art, and my husband refused to allow me to do
that for four years."

He eventually relented, but it was too late to save the marriage.

"I studied art for four years [at Oranim Academic College in Kiryat Tivon], and
when I finished my studies, I divorced him - I divorced him, not the other way
round," she declares with undisguised pride. "It is not at all acceptable in our
society, and it is even tougher when the husband is a relative."

But her father and the rest of her family have been "very supportive," she says,
adding that her father didn't even mind her using him as an artistic vehicle for
her contrary stand on accepted mores, even though he wasn't exactly aware of his
contribution to his daughter's work.

"He came to my final exhibition, at college, and he was surprised that the other
students recognized him instantly. He didn't know his portrait was in there,"
says the painter. "I took photos of him, which I used for the painting. He did
not know why I took the photos, and he cried - with joy - when he saw his
portrait. He is a religious man, but also very open. He worked in Haifa and Tel
Aviv and other places, and has got quite a Western outlook."

It seems that although she has a lot on her plate, she channels her trials into
her art.

"Yes, they do say you have to suffer for your art, and that suffering can
produce beauty," she agrees. "I use that in my work."

In addition to the more recognizable symbolism from Christianity and Islamic
culture, there is one surprising image in "Between Sorrow and Beauty" - a teddy
bear.

"That's from my childhood," explains the artist. "I had a very difficult and
unhappy childhood. I had a different way of thinking, and I can't recall being
happy as a kid."

As a symbol of the more common, acceptable face of childhood, a teddy bear
usually conjures up images of healthy innocence and happy, sunny days.

"Not for me," says Abu Rumi. "In my work, the teddy looks like it has been slung
to the side. The teddy is me. It looks sad in my paintings."

Besides irking some quarters of Muslim society, her teddy bear images have
ruffled a few Christian feathers.

"I did a painting with 12 teddies - a sort of 'Last Supper' - and a few
Christians didn't like that," she says. "They thought I was being disrespectful
of Jesus."

In fact, she was only trying to convey her dismay at the hardships of life here.
"For me, the painting is a symbol of the end of childhood, of how we have to
cope with all sorts of political difficulties, all the social hardships we have,
and financial challenges. We don't really experience our childhood and the
innocence it should have. I felt those social and financial difficulties when I
was a child."

But today, she is a grown-up. She can convey her feelings through her art, and
clearly doesn't give a hoot about the flak she has to parry in the process.

"I need my art to put my thoughts and feelings across," she states. "I think
that if I didn't have that, I would be very frustrated and angry, and maybe even
violent."

For more information about "Between Sorrow and Beauty": 566-1291 and
www.islamicart.co.il.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A Muslim woman, Fatma Abu Rumi is not afraid of flouting convention - or
expressing her feelings through art

GRAPHIC: 6 photos: 'Self-portrait With Veil.' Fatma Abu Rumi. 'They do say you
have to suffer for your art, and that suffering can produce beauty. I use that
in my work.' 'Self-portrait With Veil.' 'Man's Silhouette with Bridal Veil.'
'Teddy Bear on Shelf.' 'Tame Falcon.' (Credit: Avshalom Avital)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

953 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

No matter what they think of him...

BYLINE: PEGGY CIDOR

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 602 words

Less than an hour after the verdict on former prime minister Ehud Olmert's case,
it was the talk of the day in the corridors of Safra Square. Although almost 10
years have passed since Olmert ended his task as mayor of this city, there are
quite a few here who still feel he is the boss, whether they liked him or not
(people either loved him or hated him, but few were indifferent).

Not many of the city councillors from Olmert's two terms on the Jerusalem City
Council are still serving, but it is relatively easy to find at least one shared
position among both his supporters and his opponents: They have all expressed,
albeit for different reasons, their satisfaction with his acquittal last week.

Olmert has a sharp tongue, and he did not hesitate to use it at the noisy city
council meetings, on either his coalition members or his opponents. When he left
the municipality in February 2003 to become industry, trade and labor minister
and vice premier to Ariel Sharon, his successor - and until then, deputy - Uri
Lupolianski brought in a totally different style that peaked unforgettably when
he brought a cup of tea to one of the city councillors who had coughed, causing
the rest of the public to stare at him in stupefaction.

However, veteran city councillors and some high-ranking officials at the
municipality - who were careful not to be identified - all agreed that Olmert's
verdict is a relief.

"Thank God he was not convicted," City Councilman Meir Turgeman summed it up.
"No matter what I personally think of him, I thought that as an Israeli, I just
couldn't bear a prime minister's indictment - after seeing a president and a
finance minister sent to prison, it would have been just too much."

That said, Turgeman, in his characteristically direct manner, said he was
nevertheless far from being convinced that the former mayor was not at all
involved in the cases in question. Turgeman further expressed the opinion that
any other citizen, with less financial means and fewer connections than Olmert
had, would probably have been indicted.

These sentiments were far from rare at Safra Square this week, though he was the
only one who dared to express them.

HOWEVER, OLMERT'S old coalition partners, the members of the Shas list, sounded
much more supportive. Shlomi Attias, his former deputy, said this week that he
felt "overwhelmed with joy" on hearing about the acquittal, and added
immediately that all the haredi members of the city council, past and present,
felt the same.

Attias's attitude is not surprising. Olmert acted toward them like a true
gentleman, signed agreements he fulfilled to the last paragraph, and, as Attias
explained, showed the haredi community that there was really no need for a
haredi mayor as long as he was around.

However, until the court issues its decisions in the other cases involving
Olmert - among them the infamous Holyland scandal - all of those interviewed
prefer to keep a low profile, admitting (off the record, of course) that these
cases look a bit less encouraging.

One of the high-ranking officials tried to explain the difference between the
Rishon Tours, Talansky and Investment Center cases, and the Holyland affair,
saying that "the magnitude of the construction [on the Holyland complex]
literally shouts out that this affair stinks, it's unavoidable."

But asked whether Olmert would be convicted this time, the man hesitated a
second before replying, "I am not so sure. I'm afraid that here again, others
will pay for this."

This conclusion recalls Turgeman's own conclusion that Olmert's resources will
determine the outcome of the Holyland affair.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Safra Square breathed a collective sigh of relief when Ehud Olmert was
acquitted of the major charges against him last week. Corridors of Power

GRAPHIC: Photo: The first haredi mayor? Ehud Olmert in 1993. (Credit: Ariel
Jerozolimski)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

954 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Cellular spring

BYLINE: LIOR LEHRS/www.jiis.org

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 325 words

The first cellular phone company began operating in Israel in 1986, and since
that time the mobile phone appears to have significantly changed our lifestyle.
The cellular communications market in Israel has recently been placed on the
public agenda, following a series of reforms and changes in this area that are
intended to increase market competition and lower prices for the consumer.

According to data of the 2010 social survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics,
91 percent of Israel's residents had a mobile phone. This figure compares to 85%
in 2006 and 77% in 2002. The percentage of mobile phone owners in Jerusalem was
identical to the national average (91%) and slightly lower than the figure for
Tel Aviv (92%), Haifa (93%), and Rishon Lezion (96%).

The survey results indicate that the percentage of Jerusalem residents who made
use of other functions of the mobile phone was lower than the percentage for
other major cities in Israel. For example, the data indicate that the percentage
of Jerusalemites who sent a text message during the month preceding the survey
(among mobile phone owners) was 54%, compared to 79% among Tel Aviv residents
and 66% in Haifa.

The results were consistent for Internet use through the mobile phone: 12% in
Jerusalem, compared to 23% in Tel Aviv and 21% in Haifa. Regarding camera use
through the mobile phone, the results were 44% in Jerusalem, compared to 58% in
Tel Aviv and 52% in Haifa.

The data indicate that there is a correlation between level of religious
observance and possession of a mobile phone in Israel. Within the Jewish
population, the percentage of cell phone owners among the secular (95%) was
higher than the percentage among the traditional religious (91%), the religious
(90%) or the haredi (86%). Within the non-Jewish population as well, the
percentage of mobile phone owners among the non-religious (92%) was higher than
among the religious (90%) or very religious (67%).

www.jiis.org

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: JUST THE FACTS

GRAPHIC: Chart: (Credit: www.jiis.org)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

955 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Grace under fire

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 1151 words

* Whether one likes her or not, one has to admit that US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton has both class and courage. At her press conference in Jerusalem
on Monday night, she was asked whether she had been insulted when Egyptian
protesters began chanting "Monica" and throwing tomatoes when she left
Alexandria on Sunday following the reopening there of the US Consulate. The
reference to Monica was to Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern with whom her
husband had a highly publicized affair during his presidency. Clinton said she
wasn't insulted. She was just glad that no one was hurt but thought it was a
waste of tomatoes.

She also had the courage to answer a question about Jonathan Pollard. Most
American dignitaries avoid the question - or at least the answer - and if they
do answer, they say that they're not the address for the question. Clinton was
not afraid to say that Pollard was serving a life sentence and that she had no
expectations that this would change. It was bad news, but at least she didn't
try to pass the buck.

* IN ADDITION to the usual Thursday night musical fare at YUNG YiDiSH this week,
lovers of klezmer and Shlomo Carlebach also got to participate in the launch of
Volume 29 of the Yiddish literary magazine Jerusalem Almanac. The editor Prof.
Dov Ber Kerler was on hand, along with several of the contributing poets,
essayists and short story writers.

Despite the fact that it has been frequently eulogized over the years, Yiddish
is still alive and well, and creative writers are using the language as a
vehicle of expression.

* DAF YOMI students from all over Israel will converge on the Jerusalem Great
Synagogue on August 9 for the Siyum Hashas, the completion of seven and a half
years of daily Talmud study. Men and women, separately and together, participate
in Daf Yomi groups not only in Israel but throughout the Jewish world. Not all
participants are religiously observant. Some study there because they want to
enhance their knowledge of things Jewish.

A Siyum Hashas is always a festive occasion, and this one will be even more so,
with male and female participants from Israel and abroad, including
world-renowned Torah luminaries rabbis Adin Steinsaltz, Dovid Miller, Shlomo
Riskin, Dovid Gottlieb, Moshe Lichtenstein and Shmuel Hershler and other great
scholars. The master of ceremonies at the event will be Jeremy Gimpel, who
recently announced his intention to run for Knesset, while Chaim Adler, the
chief cantor at the Great Synagogue, will provide the musical interlude.

Taking into account the influence and membership of sponsors, which include the
International Young Israel Movement (IYIM) - Israel Region, Yeshiva University
Israel Alumni, the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, Kollel, Torah Mitzion, RCA -
Israel and the Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel, the siyum has all the
makings of a mega event. Admission is free of charge and, according to Daniel M.
Meyer, executive director, IYIM-Israel and coordinator of the evening's
activities, everyone is welcome.

* IT HAS taken the powers-that-be in the Prime Minister's Office and the
Ministry for Public Diplomacy more than half a year to find a replacement for
Oren Helman as director of the Government Press Office. In the interim, the GPO
has moved from its longtime headquarters in Beit Agron to new premises in Malha,
and many foreign news bureaus whose offices were previously located in and
around Beit Agron have followed suit.

In November last year, the Israel Electric Corporation announced that it had
appointed Helman as senior vice president of regulation. The job may not be as
interesting as that of director of the GPO, but the salary was certainly more
enticing. When tenders for Helman's successor at the GPO were initially
published, the intention was to find someone from within the organization, but
none of the applicants was considered suitable, so a further search was
conducted beyond the GPO.

The result is that the new director is veteran television personality Nitzan
Chen, 48, who most recently chaired the Cable Television Council after spending
20 years working for Channel 1 in a variety of positions.

Although his career has been largely marked by success, he has never been able
to live down his most embarrassing moment when, as a political reporter who is
religious and Sephardi, he was ordered out of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's home
following the conviction of Aryeh Deri. Yosef believed that the media was
largely responsible for turning public opinion against Deri. It would have been
bad enough if Yosef had issued the order without any of Chen's media colleagues
as witnesses. But the scene was captured for posterity by television crews and
aired on Channel 1.

Together with fellow journalist Anshel Pfeffer, Chen has since written a
comprehensive biography of Yosef, which reviewers have concurred is well
balanced.

* PARKING HAS always been a problem in Jerusalem, and frustrated drivers
frequently leave their vehicles in no-parking areas, including sidewalks.
Sometimes vehicles parked on the sidewalk are so close to the fence, that
pedestrians are forced to walk out into the street.

This is particularly annoying to people who live in old buildings on small
streets in which there are no parking facilities in the buildings themselves and
very limited space on the street. This becomes a source of constant irritation
to find a parking spot, especially when the few spots have been taken by
non-residents, who think nothing of backing into a one-way street and parking on
the sidewalk when they can't find a legal spot.

One Jerusalem resident who was sick of drivers breaking every rule in the book
when parking on her street has taken matters into her own hands. Romema resident
Rachel Gewirtz has found a nonviolent way of dealing with the situation. She has
not resorted to slashing tires, scratching surfaces or breaking windows and
mirrors. Instead, according to Yediot Aharonot, she photographs the offenders in
action or their illegally parked vehicles, making sure that the license plate is
in sharp focus. She then fills out a complaint form, which she downloads from
the Internet, and sends it to the police.

Some of her neighbors have joined her in this project and have mounted a
neighborhood watch. The police take these complaints very seriously and go after
the offenders, who are subsequently fined. In some cases, the drivers have their
license suspended or confiscated.

Ariel Street, where Gewirtz lives, is a one-way street that leads to the exit to
Tel Aviv. Many drivers ignore the legal direction of the traffic and use the
street as a shortcut to the highway. Residents have asked the municipality to
turn the street into a pedestrian mall but have met with refusal, even though
there have been traffic accidents, some of them fatal. Meanwhile, Gewirtz and
her neighbors are making sure that some offenders are paying through the nose.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Grapevine

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

956 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

They're back!

BYLINE: PEGGY CIDOR

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 11

LENGTH: 1577 words

What connection could there be between the release of Gilad Schalit and the
exclusion of women from public advertisements? Well, there is no real
connection, just an ironic coincidence - one of those that sometimes defy
imagination.

Schalit was set free on October 18 of last year after more than five years of
captivity by Hamas, but that information was already released five days before.
For security reasons, the Israeli media were required to remain silent about
that sensitive issue for the three days preceding the soldier's liberation, and
the gap in the news in the Israeli papers had to be filled in some way.

At one Hebrew-language newspaper, that lacuna couldn't have come at a better
time, as its Jerusalem correspondent had a "good story" ready that he was eager
to publish. "Why have the women of Jerusalem disappeared from public
advertising?" asked the writer in the article he published in the Friday issue
of the paper, revealing what most of the city's residents had become so
accustomed to that they didn't even notice - that women no longer appeared on
billboards or advertising posters anywhere in the capital.

Despite the generally euphoric atmosphere in the country following Schalit's
release, the article got a lot of attention, and since then, the public debate
about excluding women from advertisements had not abated. Until last week, that
is. In answer to a request by the High Court of Justice, Transportation Minister
Israel Katz announced that Cna'an, the advertising agency that places ads on
city buses, had no right to prevent women from appearing in its ads.

Rabbi Uri Ayalon, director of the Yerushalmim party (also represented by Rachel
Azaria on the city council), is the driving force behind the return of women to
commercial publicity. In an interview with In Jerusalem, Ayalon recalls the long
road it took to attain that result.

"We'd already had a bad experience with Cna'an," says Ayalon. "In 2008, during
the city council election campaign, it refused to display pictures of the female
candidates, but that was connected to the elections campaign."

At the time, Azaria took the company to the High Court, which ruled that the
pictures of the female candidates should appear on the bus ads - a ruling that
was delivered only one day before the elections.

But this time the situation was much more complicated and required an
investigation into what was being excluded and where (for example, ad campaigns
specially adapted to what was assumed to be the character of the city) and who
was actually orchestrating the exclusion.

"In fact," says Ayalon, "we became aware of the situation even before that, when
we learned from the press, along with the rest of the country, that religious
IDF cadets walked out of an official ceremony in protest because female soldiers
were singing on stage. And that happened on September 12 of last year."

Following that event, Ayalon and members of Yerushalmim opened a site on
Facebook that they called "Uncensored - fighting women's exclusion from public
spaces," which virtually became an overnight success.

"Those were the days of the end of the summer protest, and this issue emerged as
something that could still be connected with a general sense of resentment and
protest but with a clearly local flavor," says Ayalon.

Within a few days, the website had more than 3,700 subscribers. From then on,
the issue of the absence of women from public ads became almost an obsession,
and Ayalon and a large number of volunteers from his party started looking for
overt examples. And there were many.

What they first discovered was that commercial ad campaigns had two different
sets of pictures - one for Jerusalem and one for the rest of the country - while
on public (in fact, municipal) billboards, no women appeared at all. Public ads
in the city go through three major paths: the municipality's advertising through
Ariel (the subsidiary in charge of production and logistics for cultural events)
and two private advertisers - Zohar for billboards and posters and Cna'an for
advertising on Egged city buses.

The first task would be to work on the municipality. But before that, Ayalon
decided to launch a local initiative. He invited female residents of Jerusalem
to pose for a poster that would be displayed throughout the city as a response
to their disappearance. A total of 70 posters were produced and hung on
residential windows and balconies. But then someone discovered a Honigman
fashion poster in which Israeli model Sandy Bar appeared with her head cut off.

A quick check of the Honigman advertisements in Tel Aviv revealed what was
already suspected at Yerushalmim - that Bar's lovely head appeared in full on
the posters there.

"We called Honigman and inquired about that strange decision. Its answer was
that it had to do so according to the Municipality of Jerusalem's request,"
recounts Ayalon.

Naturally, he then asked the municipality about that strange request. The
reaction from Safra Square was quite assertive. They said there had never been
any such request from the municipality, and they threatened to sue Honigman if
the company didn't retract that claim.

It soon came to light that the decision and the request to censor the posters
came from Zohar, the advertising company that displays all the posters in
Jerusalem.

"We called Zohar to ask for an explanation and, well, they didn't even try to
hide their practice and immediately confirmed it, arguing that they had to do it
for fear that haredim would vandalize the billboards and cause them financial
damage," says Ayalon.

But, nevertheless, the idea of challenging the municipality on this issue
remained. Ayalon decided to ask Ariel to display the posters of the women
residents who posed for the "uncensored" campaign on the municipality's
billboards.

"The first reaction of the employee at Ariel - which we recorded by the way -
was a big laugh, followed by her declaration that it wouldn't take more than a
few hours for all the posters to be vandalized," says Ayalon.

Nevertheless, all the 140 posters were displayed, featuring local women of
various ages, clothing styles and poses. To everyone's surprise, only four were
defaced. The other 136 remained untouched.

"So by then, we realized that nobody ever asked the advertisers not to use
pictures of women. It was more an assumption of the advertisers, who believed
that haredi vandals would immediately destroy any billboard or bus ad that
showed such images," says Ayalon.

NOW WHAT they had to do was confront the private businesses that yielded to the
unofficial request not to show women in any advertising campaign in Jerusalem.
One of Ayalon's team's biggest discoveries was the dramatic differences that
were made to the visuals of the ads once they were to be displayed in the city.
It soon became evident that this was a kind of standard, and there were many
examples.

Isracard, the credit card company, took actress Gila Almagor off the posters it
displayed in Jerusalem. Honigman cut off model Sandy Bar's head and left only
her body holding a handbag. There were posters of gyms where the model that
appeared in the Tel Aviv ad disappeared en route to Jerusalem. But the case that
really made Ayalon angry, he says, was, by the end of November 2011, the
advertisements of Adi, the National Transplant Center.

"All over the country their poster showed men and women, but in Jerusalem only
men appeared," says Ayalon, who felt it was going too far.

"In that case we succeeded in persuading the Adi people to change their policy.
Quite honestly, we made them feel a little ashamed of themselves," he says.

And indeed, the next poster of the organization included women, just like in Tel
Aviv. Ayalon says that it was a turning point, since by then even Zohar had
agreed to bring women back to public spaces by displaying posters like the rest
of the country.

What remained to deal with was Cna'an. It is a private company, but Ayalon
discovered that the responsibility still remained in the hands of Egged. He says
it didn't take him long to understand that it was not going to change its policy
unless it was forced to do so.

At that point, he petitioned the High Court of Justice requesting that the
Transportation Ministry rule that Egged and Cna'an allow images of women on bus
ads. The court approved the petition and requested a response from the ministry
within a month. One month turned into more than two months (in accordance with
the ministry's request).

Then last week, the transportation minister submitted a demand to nullify the
court's ruling, since the ministry accepted the court's request and thus will
obligate Egged and Cna'an to observe the law and include images of women in
their advertisements.

The basis on which the minister made the decision was simply that nowhere in
Egged's or Can'an's contract was it written that they had permission to
disregard the local law that forbids discrimination against women. That left
them no choice but to respect the law by displaying women's images again.

"I think it is a clear case of a situation in which a vacuum is automatically
filled," concludes Ayalon, adding that residents simply got used to seeing
posters without women, and that was the first thing that required a change.

"Our values have to be respected and taken seriously. From this we learn that we
shouldn't conduct our lives according to how we think others will react. We
should just stick to our values. It's that simple," he says.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: How the Yerushalmim movement brought about the return of women's faces to
bus ads

GRAPHIC: 4 photos: Uri Ayalon. 'Our values have to be respected and taken
seriously.' Jerusalemites have become used to seeing ads without women's faces.
(Credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

957 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Flourishing despite the scandal

BYLINE: JOHN BENZAQUEN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 26

LENGTH: 904 words

Many consider the Holyland building project a blot on the Jerusalem skyline, an
architectural monstrosity. But it is nevertheless a complex of approximately 500
high-end dwellings that has found favor among national-religious residents, as
well as French Jews who either have made aliya, or are buying property for
investment purposes or as a second home.

The Holyland complex comprises a residential tower of over 30 stories and five
other buildings of eight to 12 stories, connected at the top two floors by a
bridge apartment. The complex also has a series of terraced dwellings at its
base.

But what makes the Holyland particularly interesting is that it is at the center
of one of the country's biggest corruption scandals.

The project is built on the site of the old Holyland Hotel, famous for its
highly detailed model of Jerusalem's Old City during the Second Temple period.

Most of the land in the area was designated for tourist purposes, mostly for
building hotels. But the zoning changed to residential, and the state
prosecution claims that this occurred because those in charge received bribes.
The prosecution charges that between 1999 and 2008, the Holyland Development
Company and associated land developers paid tens of millions of dollars in
bribes to senior decision-makers in the Jerusalem Municipality - including
former mayors Ehud Olmert and Uri Lupolianski - as well as members of its
planning and construction committee and officials in the Israel Lands
Administration.

The Holyland project is located in the capital's Ramat Sharett neighborhood. And
this week's "Neighborhood Watch" covers both Ramat Sharett and Ramat Denia.
These southwest Jerusalem neighborhoods are considered high-end, and
consequently real-estate prices are higher than the city's average.

Both neighborhoods were planned after the Six Day War, when the government was
keen on enlarging the city. Ramat Denia takes its name from the Denia Sibus
construction company, which was instrumental in building the neighborhood, and
Ramat Sharett was named in memory of Moshe Sharett, who served as the country's
second prime minister from 1953 to 1955.

The neighborhoods attracted many middle-class families because when planned they
were well on the outskirts of the city and therefore had a suburban atmosphere.
The area also attracted religious families because of its proximity to the
established religious neighborhood of Bayit Vagan.

Today Ramat Denia is almost totally secular, while Ramat Sharett is becoming
increasingly religious - a process occurring in other parts of Jerusalem as
well. Aiding this trend is an influx of religious Jews from the Diaspora, for
whom Ramat Sharett has a strong appeal.

Demand for real estate in the area is relatively strong, and it has been less
affected than other parts of Jerusalem by the weak real-estate markets of the
past two years.

This also holds true for the Holyland complex: The corruption scandal has not
affected demand.

Michal Harel, a real-estate broker who operates in the area on behalf of the
Anglo-Saxon network, tells In Jerusalem that "when the corruption story broke,
the bad publicity associated with the project, especially those who criticized
it as an architectural monstrosity, affected demand. But very soon this was
forgotten, and demand is based on the merits of the property in question."

Generally speaking - and despite its outward appearance, which clashes with
topography - the apartments are large, airy and well-built. They are also
modern, and in contrast to other "modern" developments, the mix includes
two-room apartments, something of a rarity in buildings constructed after the
'60s. In the area covered here one can find two-, three-, four- and five-room
apartments, as well as terrace-type dwellings built on the sloping terrain,
garden apartments, penthouses and mini-penthouses.

Prices in the area have remained steady with a tendency to rise.

"The area has a lot of appeal for middle-class families, and in some ways it is
very, very middle class," says Harel. "Until recently Ramat Denia was not served
by public transportation, since most families owned more than one car.
Furthermore, Ramat Sharett, because of its proximity to Bayit Vagan, has great
appeal to modern Orthodox Jews because it gives them the best of both worlds - a
modern neighborhood with all the advantages of modern secular society, with the
added attractions of the religious institutions in nearby Bayit Vagan."

Despite the appeal, though, price is a barrier, and only those with deep pockets
can afford the homes in the area.

Generally speaking, the price for an average two-room apartment is NIS 1.3
million. A three-room apartment can cost NIS 1.4m., an average spacious
four-room apartment can cost NIS 2m., and a five-room apartment can reach NIS
2.5m.

Penthouses and single-family homes or semi-detached houses can cost anywhere
from NIS 4m. to NIS 6m.

Recent real-estate transactions

A two-room, 68-square-meter apartment on the seventh floor, without parking or a
storeroom and in dire need of redecorating, sold for NIS 1.3 million.

A four-room, 100-sq.m. apartment on the first floor, without parking or
storeroom, sold for 1.6m.

A single-family home on a 250-sq.m. plot with a built-up area of 480 sq.m. sold
for NIS 4.83m.

A five-room, 170-sq.m. apartment with no parking sold for NIS 2.4m.

A three-room, 68-sq.m. apartment on the second floor, no parking, sold for NIS
1.25m.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The corruption case has not deterred buyers in the Holyland complex.
Neighborhood Watch

GRAPHIC: Photo: Ramat Sharett is becoming increasingly religious. (Credit:
Courtesy Anglo-Saxon)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

958 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

This Week in Jerusalem

BYLINE: Peggy Cidor

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 493 words

Intent on persevering

The No Choice tent camp recently set up in Independence Park was dismantled and
evacuated by the municipality and the police on Monday morning. According to the
new rules issued by the municipality, tent camps are no longer authorized unless
they are set up in specific locations for no longer than three days.

An emergency call to come and help prevent the evacuation was sent out on Monday
morning through Facebook but did not succeed in stopping the operation.

The No Choice protest camp was installed last week as a first step toward
renewing the pressure exerted on the Construction and Housing Ministry to find
affordable and viable solutions for a few families, mostly single-parent
families, who spent a few weeks in the tents last summer and were offered
temporary housing solutions for the winter. The organizers announced that they
had no intention of giving up and were planning to reinstall the tents there or
in any other location that would help keep their struggle in the public eye.

Happy 85th anniversary

The Gush Etzion settlement bloc celebrated its 85th anniversary this week.

In almost all plans of withdrawal from the territories, Gush Etzion remains
under Israeli sovereignty. In Kfar Etzion, the largest kibbutz in the Gush,
there is a museum that tells the story of the residents who were killed and
those who were deported by the Jordanians in 1948. The unusually high number of
orphans in these settlements, which moved as communities inside the Green Line
after 1948 and were taken care of by the members of the community, has been at
the center of many academic studies on these issues and their social outcome.

The anniversary celebrations took place on Tuesday under the patronage of
Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein, who made aliya
25 years ago from the former Soviet Union and has been living in the Gush ever
since.

Thanks a (parking) lot

The Jerusalem Municipality is offering full-day parking for the price of three
hours in a regular parking lot. The generous offer is the result of the local
transportation committee, which brought up at its last meeting the issue of the
shortage of parking space and the high cost of what little parking space there
is.

As of this week, the municipal parking lots will offer drivers a real bargain -
NIS 16.50 for a full day, which could amount to a saving of up to NIS 50 a day.
If the drivers have an official Jerusalem residency card, they will get a 20%
discount on the reduced price.

Art and discrimination

Retired Black Panther Ayala Sabbag-Marciano is presenting an exhibition about
the connection between establishment discrimination, dictatorship and
corruption. The exhibition, which opened yesterday, also shows how democracy and
Jewish values can add to the exclusion of the "other." It will be on display at
the Cinematheque for a month. The exhibition was made possible through the
support of Shatil, a branch of the New Israel Fund.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

959 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

Friday. July 20, 2012

Putting women's rights front and center

BYLINE: SAM SOKOL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 1965 words

Last September, 15-year-old high school student Ariella Marsden boarded a local
bus in Beit Shemesh with a couple of friends on the way home from school. There
were plenty of seats, and the girls found three together in the front. Soon, a
pair of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men entered the bus and, ignoring seats to the
back, hovered over Marsden and her friends. After several stops, as the bus
slowly filled, the driver turned around and instructed the girls to go to the
back and give up their seats to the two men.

Scared of being kicked off the bus, she and her friends complied. While they had
sat in the front, the bus had filled, and they were forced to stand in the back
for the remainder of their journey home.

Nobody yelled at Marsden or threatened violence, but she was intimidated
nonetheless. The driver, she says, "was just quite big... and he was an adult
and we were just little girls." And nobody, on the entire bus, stood up for her
or reacted in any way.

When she returned home, she told her mother, Dawn, an Anglo immigrant, what had
occurred. Dawn decided to sue Superbus, the company that runs the local bus
service in Beit Shemesh, and was awarded NIS 13,000 in damages earlier this
month for the discrimination.

The Marsdens live on Gad Street in the quiet residential neighborhood of
Sheinfeld. Her neighborhood rose to national prominence last year when haredi
extremists held daily protests against the opening of the local
national-religious girls' school Orot Banot. In fact, Ariella's 12-year-old
sister Leora has just graduated from Orot and was an eyewitness of the yelling
and spitting of her city's extremists.

For Dawn, Ariella's anguish over the discrimination, on top of the stress of
dealing with a daughter who had to run a daily gauntlet just to attend
elementary school, proved too much to bear in silence.

"The incident [on the bus] happened at the beginning of the school year last
year, and Leora was in Orot Banot and she was having to go to school every day
with the haredim making all the trouble down there, and all of a sudden, one day
Ariella comes home, and she was very clearly upset about what had happened, and
I just got really annoyed," says Dawn, who, like most of her neighborhood's
residents, is national religious. "I thought to myself, I didn't come on aliya
to bring my children up, my girls especially, in this environment, and I just
decided that I had to do something about it."

What she did was contact attorney Orly Erez-Lahovski of the Israel Religious
Action Center, the advocacy branch of the Israel Movement for Progressive
Judaism. IRAC represents the interests of the Reform Movement in Israel and is
involved in litigation to promote pluralism and religious tolerance for the
non-Orthodox branches of Judaism.

Erez-Lahovski advised the Marsdens on how to go about suing Superbus and the
driver - who, ironically, was not haredi himself, but Arab.

The Marsdens have been the victims of intimidation before. Their neighborhood
lies on the fault line between the overwhelmingly English-speaking,
national-religious neighborhood of Sheinfeld and the insular hassidic enclave of
Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet. Her house is only meters away from Herzog Street, which
forms the boundary between the two neighborhoods.

When her apartment complex was first built, she says, "the new house owners
received letters from some of the haredi neighbors... saying that if they didn't
get rid of their televisions, the writers of the letters could not guarantee the
safety of the new owners' property."

While she herself has not been subject to harassment, she says that her female
neighbors have been subject to abuse while jogging on the national-religious
side of the street. Such incidents are familiar to many in the community, and
one enterprising teenager has even created a business selling pepper spray to
residents for self-defense.

Beit Shemesh has been back in the news in recent weeks due to the reappearance
of signs in the Kirya Haredit neighborhood calling for women not to walk on the
same side of the street as a synagogue housing a study hall. Though authorities
have taken down the signs multiple times, local haredi activists have come back
and erected them on the same site, claiming that it is their right to do so
within their neighborhood.

However, critics charge that public streets belong to everybody in the community
and that the haredim do not have the right to determine who uses streets paid
for by all taxpayers.

Meanwhile, giant signs calling for Jewish girls to dress modestly loom on every
building in the haredi areas, including the more liberal and American haredi
neighborhood of Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef.

Residents angry at the city's haredi mayor, Rabbi Moshe Abutbol of Shas,
recently covered up one of those signs in Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef's shopping
center with a banner calling for his ouster, but it was quickly taken down.

Dawn did not want her daughter to have to tolerate further abuse, and filed suit
almost immediately after the incident on the bus occurred.

"The incident was on September 22, 2011, and the court case itself was on July
1, [and] we had to wait nine days for a verdict," she says.

The wait was worth it, and on the ninth day the Marsdens received their
compensation. But they stress that they did not sue either for the money or to
attack the haredim.

"I want to emphasize that the lawsuit that we brought was not an anti-haredi
act," Dawn says. "It was based on the idea that my daughter, as well as
everybody else's daughters in Beit Shemesh, [should be able to] catch a bus
outside school and take a ride home without being harassed by the driver or
anybody else."

However, a Superbus spokesman objected to the Marsdens' allegations, saying that
there would not be a change in company policy, as the company's policy has
always been to comply with the law and prevent discrimination.

According to Superbus, it was not Ariella whom the driver asked to move, but the
haredim who took the girls' seats. The driver, his employers assert, did not
even see what had happened and was not aware of it until he was brought to
court.

Both Ariella and her mother, meanwhile, make a point of differentiating between
extremists and other haredim, emphasizing that many haredi women work as
teachers at Orot Banot and that there are "some wonderful people" in the haredi
community. In fact, notes Dawn, most of the faculty at Orot "found themselves in
a very difficult position last year where they were living between teaching in
the school and living in the haredi community. That's very hard."

WHILE THE Marsdens only sued for the one incident, it was not the only one that
occurred. A week after the events enumerated in the lawsuit, Ariella again found
herself on a local Superbus line, this time with her 17-year-old brother.

"He sat next to me, and then a ticket inspector came and told him to move to the
front," she recounts. "He said to my brother that this is a mehadrin
[gender-separate] bus, and then my brother said no, it's not, there is no such
thing. Then the ticket inspector turns around and goes."

The High Court of Justice has declared mehadrin bus lines illegal. While men and
women are allowed to segregate themselves voluntarily, any compulsion to do so
is strictly against the law.

On many Beit Shemesh buses that pass through ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, the
sight of women sitting in the back is common and, to longtime residents, no
longer remarkable, even though it shocks out-of-towners.

Asked if she feels nervous about riding the bus after both of these incidents,
Ariella replies that she is not afraid in the slightest.

"Me and my friends, we just sit in the front, and we have decided that we have a
right," she says, "and if they ask us to move, we will tell them that they can't
[ask this of us]."

Dawn interjects that the lawsuit "definitely empowered Ariella and let her know
what her rights are, and I think that's a really good thing."

The court case, Dawn believes, will make a difference because it will help keep
the issue of gender segregation in the public eye and because it has let drivers
know that they are accountable for their actions.

"Our lawsuit was not just against Superbus themselves, it was also specifically
against the driver, and the judge also found against him," she explains. "Now
that they know that they can also be sued, [the bus drivers] are less likely to
get involved in something and less likely to do this again, because it means
that they [are liable] as well."

However, she declines to be photographed for this article, stating that "we are
not looking for publicity, and we are not looking for the attention. I never
want to give somebody the option to turn around and say, 'Oh, they are just
looking to be famous.'"

The community has been supportive of the Marsdens, although Dawn admits that
many were skeptical that the lawsuit would yield any tangible results.

"When I announced on Facebook that we were going to sue, people were very
supportive and encouraged us to do so, but on the same note, I don't think that
people quite had the expectations that the suit would end up with the verdict
and the compensation that it did," she says.

The importance of this issue, she adds, is not connected to her or her daughter
and must be discussed without being tied to any specific individual.

She believes activism, both political and judicial, is important in combating
extremism.

"I personally feel that for a long time, the extremist elements in the haredi
community have worked under the tactics of intimidation, and I think that if we
stand up to them and we say we are not going to be intimidated, we are going to
take action, then they are going to see that things aren't going to go their way
all the time," she says.

Rabbi Dov Lipman, a local activist who organized protests against the harassment
of the Orot Banot pupils, agrees.

"We have learned that the best thing we can do, as a community, is to combat
extremism in every size, shape or form," he notes. "Even if we cannot see the
immediate result, we know that doing so helps with the overall cause."

According to Lipman, "in this specific scenario, there is no question that bus
companies will instruct their drivers to enforce the law and defend the rights
of female passengers rather than face the prospect of a lawsuit, so the
immediate gain can be seen."

Nonetheless, many residents of Beit Shemesh believe that real change will not
come until there is a change in the attitudes of many of the city's rabbinic
leaders.

During the controversy over the violence against Orot Banot girls, local
residents protested the rabbinic leadership's silence. Locals have stated that
their rabbis have issued thunderous denunciations of radicalism within their
synagogues, but many of them have declined to sign petitions calling on
religious leaders to condemn the protesters publicly.

Last year, Rabbi Natan Slifkin, a local author and blogger, told In Jerusalem
that "at the various rallies held in support of Orot over the last few months,
barely any haredim were present. And a letter of support signed by 14 local
rabbis included only rabbis on the edge of haredi society; more mainstream
haredi rabbis refused to cosign it. I don't believe for a moment that they
support the violence, but they are not willing to openly protest it."

There has been a more vigorous police response to violent incidents following
the national outrage and mass protests that the Orot Banot affair engendered,
and many residents are still waiting to see a similar change in the actions of
the city's rabbis. In the meantime, however, they continue doing what they can
to prevent extremists from harassing the many citizens - haredi,
national-religious and secular - who just want to live their lives in peace.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In winning a lawsuit against the Superbus company for being asked to move
to the back of the bus, a 15-year-old Beit Shemesh resident has earned the right
for everyone to ride the bus without fear

GRAPHIC: 7 photos: Superbus No. 14 in Ramat Beit Shemesh. On the left is the
haredi side with buildings housing the Sicarii and on the left are the buildings
of the Marsdens' complex. The foreground is a burnt wasteland from multiple
riots and protests. A sticker reads 'We're not giving up on Beit Shemesh.'
Haredim get on the bus near the border between Sheinfeld and the haredi Ramat
Beit Shemesh Bet. Graffiti on this bus stop reads 'Jews are not Zionists.'
Superbus passes through in the hassidic enclave of Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet.
(Credit: SAM SOKOL)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

960 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Back to the grindstone

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 1848 words

There may have been a lot of tilting at windmills over the past century and a
half or so, but later this month, the blades of the Montefiore version of the
mill grinder will once again rotate proudly through the shimmering air of
Jerusalem.

On July 31, to be precise, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will join
executives of the Jerusalem Foundation in officially reopening the famous
Jerusalem landmark. The foundation has overseen NIS 5 million worth of
renovation, repair and restoration work, which has restored the windmill to its
former glory, and then some.

Generations of Israelis, and Jews around the world, have grown up with the image
of the statuesque structure sitting majestically on the upper slopes of the
Yemin Moshe neighborhood facing the Old City.

But the iconic figure has been static throughout almost all of the windmill's
history.

Built in 1857 by British philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore, in fact the mill
only worked for around two decades, when steam-powered mills emerged on the
scene and made the Yemin Moshe mill obsolete. It seems Montefiore conceived the
idea for the project during his fourth trip to Palestine, in 1855. At the time
the Crimean War was raging between the Russian Empire and an alliance between
Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia. It is thought
that the economic fallout of the military campaign exacerbated the already
challenging living conditions in Jerusalem, which, in those days, was entirely
located within the Old City walls.

Montefiore and British chief rabbi Nathan Adler set about collecting funds on
behalf of the Jews of Palestine, which primarily comprised communities in Safed,
Tiberias, Hebron and Jerusalem. Montefiore and Adler gave the fund-raising
vehicle the no-nonsense title of Appeal Fund on Behalf of the Suffering Jews in
the Holy Land.

As Jerusalem Foundation president Mark Sofer observes, it wasn't just a matter
of giving the impoverished Jews here charity. Montefiore was also interested in
providing his coreligionists with a means of earning a living, with dignity.

"You have here the first neighborhood built outside the walls of the Old City,
with no sustenance - nothing," says Sofer, "and it was the poorest people who
came out of the Old City first. Montefiore built the windmill as a source of
sustenance for these Jews."

Research into the windmill's history indicates a threefold motive behind the
construction project: to enable the Jews of Jerusalem to grind wheat at a
substantially lower price than that offered by Arab-owned mills, to provide the
mill operators with a source of income and to offer the Jerusalem Jewish
community a convenient local facility for grinding their wheat.

In early 1857 a contract was signed with the Holman Brothers, English
millwrights located in Canterbury, Kent. The stone for the tower was quarried
locally and, considering the tower walls were almost a meter thick at the base
and over 15 meters high, quite a lot of stone was required.

The parts were shipped to Jaffa and the heavy machinery was brought to Jerusalem
by camel. In its original form, the mill had a Kentish-style cap and four
Patent-type sails, the most advanced form of windmill vanes available at the
time. The structure's advanced technology was enhanced by a fantail.

"There wasn't always enough wind to turn the sails," explains Jerusalem
Foundation director-general Daniel Mimran. "The fantail rotated to enable the
sails to catch whatever wind there was, from any direction. This was the most
technologically advanced windmill in the world at that time."

The mill drove two pairs of millstones, flour dressers, wheat cleaners and other
machinery. The Holman Brothers' bill for designing and providing the parts of
the mill was a princely £1,450.

Sofer feels the project is about more than the small amount of flour the
windmill will produce.

"The renovation of the windmill is, to a large extent, not only a symbol of
sustainability, it's a symbol of everything that the Jewish people, the Israeli
people, stand for," he says. "There are, for me, three things on the macro level
which are very important indeed. If you look at the history of the Jewish
people, there is a mixture of old and new."

"Jerusalem will never be, and never should be, an ultra-modern monolithic or
homogeneous city, because it's not. It's got its history, its religion and
mentality, coupled with everyday living. You have to have the history and the
future living together. That's what Jerusalem is all about, and what Israel is
all about. You cannot throw aside your past, but you have to look to the
future."

Presumably, later this month, when the prime minister presses the button - the
replicated original wind-driven mechanism will be backed by a generator, just in
case the wind doesn't show up for the occasion - and the windmill's mechanism
stirs for the first time in over a century and a quarter, those two temporal
entities will meet.

Sofer says the Jerusalem Foundation was happy to go along with the restoration
scheme.

"We do these three things - community, culture and coexistence, the three Cs -
so that Jerusalem will remain a living city, a pluralistic city, and won't be a
museum piece. But this [windmill] project is actually about much more than what
the Jerusalem Foundation does. This is by far not our biggest project, but it is
a very visible project."

Sofer adds that the Jerusalem Foundation's interest in the restoration project
is a perfect fit for its support credo too.

"Philanthropy is not about handouts," he states.

"You make a program, build an institution - like the windmill - but, at the end
of the day, the idea is not give X a hundred dollars or Y a thousand dollars,
but to make something that will allow the people, themselves, to build up their
own lives. That is what philanthropy is all about, and that is where the
Jerusalem Foundation is coming from."

IT WAS no mean feat, to build the windmill here in the mid-19th century. In
addition to the logistics of getting the parts up the hill to Jerusalem, all
kinds of artisans and a large number of laborers were required.

In the spring of 1857 Thomas Richard Holman made the trek from Canterbury to
Palestine to oversee the formation of the work team. He was later joined by his
brother Charles, and two expert millwrights from England - Messrs Kemp and Mace
- and dozens of manual workers, mostly Arabs, were hired.

The work progressed at a furious pace, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week - Sunday
was, naturally, a rest day in England, and the Holmans observed the rules of the
Christian Sabbath here too. The cornerstone was laid on May 5, 1857, and the
construction work was completed the following year.

The windmill was eventually closed down in 1891, partly due to the lack of wind
- hence the advantage enjoyed by the subsequent steam-driven models. The
meteorological shortfall was not helped by the fact that the machinery was
designed for soft European wheat, which required less wind power than the local
wheat.

As Mimran and I made our way to the windmill it was clear that the restoration
work was very much still in full flow. Two Dutch experts were busy putting the
final touches on the windmill cap which, unlike most of the previous restoration
attempts, replicates the original Kentish design.

"What we are doing today is based on the plans drawn up in the middle of the
19th century," says Mimran proudly.

The windmill was largely left untouched after it fell into disuse, although,
almost a century after it was built, its location did offer certain strategic
advances.

That was also its ruination.

"The windmill stood here, in splendid isolation, until 1948 when it was blown up
by the British," Mimran continues. "The cap was used as a firing position for
the Hagana, and in early 1948 the British high commissioner issued an order to
have the windmill destroyed."

The mill received its first, partial face-lift in 1955, but received an initial
serious makeover in 1967, shortly after the Six Day War, by the Jerusalem
Foundation.

"They put a bronze cap on the top and installed something like windmill vanes,
not real ones, for symbolic purposes only," adds Mimran. "This whole area is a
sort of symbol of the first Jewish community outside the walls of the Old City."

The next restoration project took place in 1982, with the help of a donation of
a wealthy Jewish family from Mexico.

"Then they assembled the famous Montefiore carriage and built the piazza here,"
explains Mimran.

Sadly, the carriage was badly burned four years later.

However, it was subsequently repaired and restored, and the bars that prevented
the public from accessing the carriage were replaced by sturdy glass.

The next chapter in the windmill's ongoing restoration story was in 2000.

"There were cracks in the structure, and it became a dangerous place," says
Mimran. "That's when we brought the Tourism Ministry into the picture. We
reinforced the structure and replaced the sails, and the dome - although, again,
the cap wasn't based on the original design."

The current restoration plan was initiated around four years ago when the
Dutch-based Christians for Israel group suggested not only beautifying the
windmill, but also restoring it to something like its initial operational state.

"We found the original order for the windmill, from the company in England, in
the National Library," says Mimran. "Then we went to the municipality's
Preservation Committee, for ratification of the plan, and then to the Tourism
Ministry. Everyone was enthusiastic about the plan, and the whole thing grew and
grew, and we ended up with a budget of NIS 5 million - NIS 2m. from Christians
for Israel, NIS 1m. from the Jerusalem Municipality, NIS 1m. from the Tourism
Ministry and the last NIS 1m. from the Prime Minister's Office. The Prime
Minister's Office recognized this as a heritage project."

Mimran is excited by the impending resurrection.

"The structure has been mostly empty for well over a century, but it will soon
be brought back to life. We have gone back to the original design, of four
levels - the ground floor for taking in the flour [the meal floor], the one
above is for the millstones, the third level is for the sacks of wheat and the
top level is for dispersing the chaff and dust."

The ground floor also houses a screen where members of the public will be able
to watch a short film about the history of the windmill, but Sofer is keen to
point out that it won't just be about esthetics and symbolism.

"The mill will actually produce flour which will be used to bake bread," he says
enthusiastically. "It will be like a boutique bakery. It won't be competing with
any of the local bakeries, with their large-scale factories, but the idea is to
actually produce a certain amount of bread for sale. This is a real, living
project."

It is also a very inviting project. The original stones have been spruced up a
treat, joists and various other wooden fixtures have been added, and one gets a
real sense of history inside the tower. Over a century and a half after he
conceived the idea, Sir Moses would have been delighted.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: The Montefiore Windmill

GRAPHIC: 5 photos: The windmill in the early 1930s. Inset: The finished product.
Mark Sofer. 'This is a real, living project.' Twenty percent of the funding for
the restoration is coming from the Dutch-based Christians for Israel group.
After it was blown up in 1948. (Credit: Courtesy Jerusalem Foundation; Marc
Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

961 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Painting a fantasy world

BYLINE: CARL HOFFMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 1290 words

Most people like to dream. Most people have active imaginations. Most people can
tell the difference between reality and what they dream or imagine. For Erez
Regev, however, the distinction between what is real and what is not real is not
only meaningless but actually nonexistent. Tell Regev that he lives in a fantasy
world and he will probably answer, "Thank-you."

And his current debut exhibition of paintings and drawings, called "Suspension
of Disbelief," tells us something else: that Regev does not live in that fantasy
world alone. He says, "In its broadest definition, fantasy is everything that is
not right in the present moment, everything that cannot be perceived by the five
senses in the here and now. It includes everything that has been in the past -
and that you have felt in the past - and everything that is possible in the
future.

"Considering that we live most of our lives in the near past or the near future,
we are actually living in fantasy all the time. I think that fantasy is a
complementary piece of life that fills in the other part. I believe that we as
human beings are meant to visualize other worlds. It's part of our psyche, our
psychic capabilities. These capabilities were meant to be used in this way.
Everyone requires this fantasy part in our lives. We cannot live without it.
It's part of our programming."

Born 28 years ago, Regev grew up in Even Yehuda, attended the Hadassim High
School and served in the Israel Air Force. "I was an F-16 technician. My unit
were the first people on the scene when the plane landed, to unhook the pilot,
look the plane over and troubleshoot any immediate problems," he recalls. He
graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design last year, specializing in
animation and screen-based arts. He has been drawing all his life.

"I started drawing and painting from the moment I could pick up a pencil," he
says. "There was never a time in my life when I did not draw. All children draw,
but most stop when they reach a certain age. Some people come back to drawing
and painting later on in life. I simply never stopped. As a child, I sat and did
drawings in our garden. Later it was doodles in my school notebooks. As I got
older, the things that I drew became more developed, more complex. I can't
really remember the first time I began to draw. The first time was at an age
earlier than memory."

Regev's fascination with the world of fantasy, however, began at the age of
nine. "It was my older brother who discovered it before me, and then introduced
me to the world of fantasy and fantasy role-playing. He left all that after a
couple of years, though, but I have been there ever since."

And he has been there devotedly. Regev began participating in Dungeons and
Dragons games at age 14, and is now an active member of the Israeli Role Playing
Society, which was founded in the 1990s and is today a community with hundreds
of members. "Fantasy is not a 'hobby' for me," he says. "It's a calling."

Asked why the world of fantasy had such an effect on him at age nine, he is
silent for a long moment before replying, "That's a good question, and I can't
quite put my finger on the correct answer. It simply 'clicked' for me, as though
I were a puzzle with one missing piece. Fantasy was simply the right shape, the
right fit, and exactly what was missing to complete the puzzle. As to why
fantasy was the missing piece, I just felt like it was part of my natural state,
part of who I am, that I had somehow been born without it and was meant someday
to find it."

One thing seems evident, however. Regev's introduction to fantasy not only
changed his life, but set a new direction for his budding artistic vision. Regev
has saved much of his work, from his earliest childhood doodles until the
present day, he says. "You can very clearly see the difference in my work before
and after I learned about fantasy, what fantasy is. My art before that was
mostly animals - some dinosaurs, because I was a kid - but mostly animals. And
after that, it was all mythology, fantasy and history, starting right at that
moment and developing while I grew up and read more. But even before fantasy
came into my work, I was already using my art to tell a story, first to myself
and later to others as I grew up. Narrative is very important in my work, and
it's very important to me. It's one of the reasons why I do not do abstract art.
It's very important to me that the narrative be visible. That requires
recognizable characters and recognizable situations."

IN "SUSPENSION of Disbelief," his current and first exhibition, those
recognizable characters are us, and those recognizable situations are our
everyday lives, inextricably interwoven with our own parallel fantastic worlds.
A painting called Reflections depicts a young woman gazing into a mirror and
seeing a fantasy version of herself reflected back. Another, entitled
Altercation, shows three people sitting on a living-room sofa, apparently having
some sort of argument or debate, with a screen in the foreground of the painting
showing the same people as fantastic characters, having an epic battle.
Interestingly, both the people on the sofa and their fantasy avatars on the
screen appear to be having quite a good time.

Other paintings and drawings tell stories of a "real-time world" that is
virtually pregnant with fantasy. The Forgemistress shows how a young girl
writing a story in a school notebook causes the fantasy figure she is writing
about to spring vividly to life. In Blueprint, we see two people at a sci-fi
convention, with the man describing the huge robot he is planning to build and
the woman listening while sitting at the foot of the very robot the man is
describing.

Regev has both whimsical and dark sides. The former is represented by Waiting at
the Bus Stop, in which we see four people enjoying a brief fantasy interlude
while waiting for a bus, with two other people off to the sides, looking quite
annoyed. The fantasy participants are painted in vivid colors; the two very
irritated people who have removed themselves from the fun are colored almost
gray. Regev's dark side is best presented in Martyr, a self-portrait that
features two carrion birds perched on his arm while blood oozes from what
appears to be slashed wrist. "I painted this at a very dark moment in my life,"
Regev says.

Asked whether he does his best work when happy or unhappy, he replies, "At both
extremes, when I am most depressed and when I am most happy."

As for his influences as an artist, he says, "That's a very long list." But he
pays special homage to Leonardo da Vinci, who, he says, "always tried to present
three things when he painted a portrait: how this person sees himself, how he
sees the world, and how the world sees him. All of this in one painting."

Not surprisingly, Regev also cites the surrealist painters, especially Salvador
Dali, as well as a genre called "Fantastic Realism," which he considers himself
part of. And while he says he draws a lot of inspiration from contemporary comic
books, he does not consider himself a comics artist.

Asked finally what he would do with his days if he could no longer engage in
fantasy and art, he says, "I cannot stop involving myself with fantasy. And even
if I could no longer earn my living from creating, I would still create, because
I cannot stop. Even if I'm only creating in my head. If you say no fantasy, no
art - well, you're actually asking me to die. Maybe not physically, but my mind
will die."

"Suspension of Disbelief" is showing until August 4 at the Artists' House, 9
Alharizi Street, corner of Ibn Gvirol, Tel Aviv. (03) 524-6685. Monday to
Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5 to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday,
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: 'Suspension of Disbelief,' Erez Regev's first exhibition, tells stories
of a parallel reality

GRAPHIC: 6 photos: Erez Regev. "Fantasy is not a 'hobby' for me. it's a
calling." 'Waiting at the Bus Stop,' 2012. 'Beginning of the Journey,' 2012.
'Blueprint,' 2012. 'Altercation,' 2011. (Credit: Courtesy photos)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

962 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Rubin's return

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 22

LENGTH: 1268 words

Harold Rubin has been on and around the local jazz scene for quite some time,
although it is unlikely that you would have caught him at the country's larger
auditoriums too often.

The 80-year-old South African-born Renaissance-man jazz clarinetist, painter,
poet, and retired architect and design teacher has been spinning his
free-flowing musical tales at intimate venues such as Hagada Hasmalit and
Levontin 7 in Tel Aviv and Barbur in Jerusalem for three decades alongside
like-minded musicians who prefer to seek their truths on the more
improvisational side of the jazz tracks.

"I wanted to play original music," says Rubin, by way of explaining his break
from mainstream - largely swing - jazz to avant garde.

One of Rubin's vehicles for his exploratory endeavors was the Zaviyot group,
which he formed in 1985 along with British-born bass player Mark Smulian and
Americans, drummer Reuben Hoch and, later, guitarist Tommy Belman. On August 2,
the last day of Eilat's Red Sea Jazz Festival, this country's preeminent jazz
event, Zaviyot will play with young New Zealand-based Israeli guitarist Arli
Liberman replacing Belman. In a sense it is a vindication of Rubin's unstinting
efforts to forge his own path through the less orthodox musical realms.

In fact, Rubin started out as a straitlaced music student on the classical
clarinet at the age of 16, taking lessons with a Russian teacher named Louis
Nicholaeff. However, although Nicholaeff offered Rubin a link to a glorious
Russian epoch - Nicholaeff himself had studied composition and theory at the
Leningrad Conservatory with Rimsky-Korsakov - Rubin soon found classical music
too constricting and opted for jazz.

"Louis was terribly disappointed," he recalls. "He thought I was talented and
really wanted me to develop as a classical musician."

But it was not to be, and Rubin hooked up with more experienced members of the
improvisational music gang with the Jewish British pianist Dave Lee, and soon
formed his own quartet and began writing his own music. The clarinet player's
original entry into the world of jazz was via the joyous dance-based rhythms of
the swing genre but, true to his left-field view of music, and life, Rubin
leapfrogged bebop jazz - the initial phase of the so-called "modern jazz" era -
and went straight from swing into the more rarefied and ethereal domain of free
jazz.

"Bebop never really interested me," he says. "I really enjoyed listening to
[bebop founder saxophonist] Charlie Parker and [trumpeter] Dizzy Gillespie and
[pianist] Thelonious Monk, and I took things from them, but I never really
wanted to play bebop."

Rubin was also attracted by the work of black jazz artists in South Africa, such
as saxophonist Kippy Moeketsi and trombonist Jonas Gwangwa, although he had to
navigate some challenging logistics to join to them. On Sundays he would take
his band and they'd sneak into the Odin Cinema in the black township of
Sophiatown to play with Moeketsi, Gwangwa and others. But musical fraternizing
between whites and blacks was frowned upon by the apartheid regime of the time,
and Rubin and his band sometimes had to take evasive action.

"The cinema was on a corner and there were a couple of boys outside on lookout,
and if the police were in the neighborhood the boys would come in whistling," he
recalls. "Then we'd hide under the stage." But Rubin did eventually fall afoul
of the authorities in 1963, when a painting of Jesus he had entered in a group
exhibition was deemed to be blasphemous. A trial ensued and, although Rubin was
eventually exonerated, he realized it was time to get away from the suffocating
life under the South African regime.

He made aliya and soon found a job with a prestigious architecture firm in Tel
Aviv, but his musical work suffered.

"Everyone here was playing bebop," says Rubin, "so I didn't really have anyone
to play with."

For a while, he did his best to find some common ground with the members of the
local scene, but it didn't last long.

"I played with [veteran jazz drummer] Areleh Kaminsky and he said I played swing
rhythm and that it was hard to play with someone who did swing," he says.

Frustration soon got the better of him, and Rubin left his instrument in its
case for almost all of the next 12 years, sticking to his daytime job as an
architect while keeping up with his painting. In the early '80s, something of an
improvisational music scene began to emerge here, and Rubin teamed up with
pianist-electronic music pioneer Yossi Mar-Haim before his path crossed that of
Smulian and the rest of the Zaviyot band.

The group soon found a stage - albeit a small one - for its envelope-pushing
efforts.

"We got a gig at a cafZ on Arlosoroff Street for five months," says Rubin. While
they didn't exactly pack 'em in in the thousands, it was certainly a lively and
colorful scene.

"We got all sorts of people, of all ages, coming to listen to us," he recalls.
"I remember prostitutes used to come by later on in the night, not to work but
to hear the music. We had a lot of fun there."

The word got around that there was a band doing some unprecedented creative
things in Tel Aviv, and Zaviyot landed a berth at the inaugural Red Sea Jazz
Festival in 1987. It was around that time that the group put out its eponymous
record, which was followed by a fruitful synergy between them and German pianist
Christoph Spendel and American-Israeli drummer Jerry Garval called Tel Aviv
Connection, which also spawned a recording. Rubin and company were on a roll.
They performed at the next two jazz bashes in Eilat in 1988 and 1989, and toured
Germany extensively for a couple of years. There was also an exciting project
between Zaviyot and top New York avant-garde saxophonist Dave Liebman, which
produced the Unexpected album in 1988.

They say that if you hang around long enough you eventually come back into
fashion. With Rubin, it is more a matter of having arrived at an artistic
epiphany way ahead of the then-developing straight-and-narrow Israeli jazz
community. However, these days he finds plenty of people to play with, such as
saxophonist Asif Tsahar, who spent a decade and a half at the forefront of the
New York free jazz scene before returning to Israel to help establish the
Levontin 7 music venue in Tel Aviv where Rubin performs periodically. There are
also bass clarinetist Yoni Silver, pianist and Levontin 7 co-owner Daniel Sarid,
guitarist-banjo player Ido Bukelman and Jerusalemite bassist-record producer
Jean-Claude Jones.

The latter confluence also led to a string of excellent improvisational
recordings on Jones's Kadima Collective record label, which featured such
frontier benders as Silver, Jones on bass, violinist Daniel Hoffman, pianist
Maya Dunietz and saxophonists Steve Horenstein and Albert Beger. Rubin is also a
long-serving member of the Tel Aviv Art Ensemble.

Rubin has never been one for putting himself out there, instead allowing his art
to do his talking. He says he never expected to play in Eilat again.

"I was very surprised when I was asked back with Zaviyot," he says. So,
presumably, this is an opportunity to introduce a new generation to the band's
work.

"I don't know about that," says Rubin. "We have been given a longer slot by the
festival, I think an hour and a half, and I just hope the audience likes what it
hears. The other day someone told me I'm on YouTube, and I found all sorts of
bits and pieces from gigs I didn't even remember doing. It's nice to know
there's some stuff out there."

Zaviyot will perform at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat on August 2 at 8 p.m.
For more information: www.redseajazzeilat.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A veteran jazz artist makes his festival comeback in Eilat

GRAPHIC: Photo: Harold Rubin only started playing here in the '80s when the
improvisational music scene got going. (Credit: Rinat Aldema)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

963 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Putting women's rights front and center

BYLINE: SAM SOKOL

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 1965 words

Last September, 15-year-old high school student Ariella Marsden boarded a local
bus in Beit Shemesh with a couple of friends on the way home from school. There
were plenty of seats, and the girls found three together in the front. Soon, a
pair of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men entered the bus and, ignoring seats to the
back, hovered over Marsden and her friends. After several stops, as the bus
slowly filled, the driver turned around and instructed the girls to go to the
back and give up their seats to the two men.

Scared of being kicked off the bus, she and her friends complied. While they had
sat in the front, the bus had filled, and they were forced to stand in the back
for the remainder of their journey home.

Nobody yelled at Marsden or threatened violence, but she was intimidated
nonetheless. The driver, she says, "was just quite big... and he was an adult
and we were just little girls." And nobody, on the entire bus, stood up for her
or reacted in any way.

When she returned home, she told her mother, Dawn, an Anglo immigrant, what had
occurred. Dawn decided to sue Superbus, the company that runs the local bus
service in Beit Shemesh, and was awarded NIS 13,000 in damages earlier this
month for the discrimination.

The Marsdens live on Gad Street in the quiet residential neighborhood of
Sheinfeld. Her neighborhood rose to national prominence last year when haredi
extremists held daily protests against the opening of the local
national-religious girls' school Orot Banot. In fact, Ariella's 12-year-old
sister Leora has just graduated from Orot and was an eyewitness of the yelling
and spitting of her city's extremists.

For Dawn, Ariella's anguish over the discrimination, on top of the stress of
dealing with a daughter who had to run a daily gauntlet just to attend
elementary school, proved too much to bear in silence.

"The incident [on the bus] happened at the beginning of the school year last
year, and Leora was in Orot Banot and she was having to go to school every day
with the haredim making all the trouble down there, and all of a sudden, one day
Ariella comes home, and she was very clearly upset about what had happened, and
I just got really annoyed," says Dawn, who, like most of her neighborhood's
residents, is national religious. "I thought to myself, I didn't come on aliya
to bring my children up, my girls especially, in this environment, and I just
decided that I had to do something about it."

What she did was contact attorney Orly Erez-Lahovski of the Israel Religious
Action Center, the advocacy branch of the Israel Movement for Progressive
Judaism. IRAC represents the interests of the Reform Movement in Israel and is
involved in litigation to promote pluralism and religious tolerance for the
non-Orthodox branches of Judaism.

Erez-Lahovski advised the Marsdens on how to go about suing Superbus and the
driver - who, ironically, was not haredi himself, but Arab.

The Marsdens have been the victims of intimidation before. Their neighborhood
lies on the fault line between the overwhelmingly English-speaking,
national-religious neighborhood of Sheinfeld and the insular hassidic enclave of
Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet. Her house is only meters away from Herzog Street, which
forms the boundary between the two neighborhoods.

When her apartment complex was first built, she says, "the new house owners
received letters from some of the haredi neighbors... saying that if they didn't
get rid of their televisions, the writers of the letters could not guarantee the
safety of the new owners' property."

While she herself has not been subject to harassment, she says that her female
neighbors have been subject to abuse while jogging on the national-religious
side of the street. Such incidents are familiar to many in the community, and
one enterprising teenager has even created a business selling pepper spray to
residents for self-defense.

Beit Shemesh has been back in the news in recent weeks due to the reappearance
of signs in the Kirya Haredit neighborhood calling for women not to walk on the
same side of the street as a synagogue housing a study hall. Though authorities
have taken down the signs multiple times, local haredi activists have come back
and erected them on the same site, claiming that it is their right to do so
within their neighborhood.

However, critics charge that public streets belong to everybody in the community
and that the haredim do not have the right to determine who uses streets paid
for by all taxpayers.

Meanwhile, giant signs calling for Jewish girls to dress modestly loom on every
building in the haredi areas, including the more liberal and American haredi
neighborhood of Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef.

Residents angry at the city's haredi mayor, Rabbi Moshe Abutbol of Shas,
recently covered up one of those signs in Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef's shopping
center with a banner calling for his ouster, but it was quickly taken down.

Dawn did not want her daughter to have to tolerate further abuse, and filed suit
almost immediately after the incident on the bus occurred.

"The incident was on September 22, 2011, and the court case itself was on July
1, [and] we had to wait nine days for a verdict," she says.

The wait was worth it, and on the ninth day the Marsdens received their
compensation. But they stress that they did not sue either for the money or to
attack the haredim.

"I want to emphasize that the lawsuit that we brought was not an anti-haredi
act," Dawn says. "It was based on the idea that my daughter, as well as
everybody else's daughters in Beit Shemesh, [should be able to] catch a bus
outside school and take a ride home without being harassed by the driver or
anybody else."

However, a Superbus spokesman objected to the Marsdens' allegations, saying that
there would not be a change in company policy, as the company's policy has
always been to comply with the law and prevent discrimination.

According to Superbus, it was not Ariella whom the driver asked to move, but the
haredim who took the girls' seats. The driver, his employers assert, did not
even see what had happened and was not aware of it until he was brought to
court.

Both Ariella and her mother, meanwhile, make a point of differentiating between
extremists and other haredim, emphasizing that many haredi women work as
teachers at Orot Banot and that there are "some wonderful people" in the haredi
community. In fact, notes Dawn, most of the faculty at Orot "found themselves in
a very difficult position last year where they were living between teaching in
the school and living in the haredi community. That's very hard."

WHILE THE Marsdens only sued for the one incident, it was not the only one that
occurred. A week after the events enumerated in the lawsuit, Ariella again found
herself on a local Superbus line, this time with her 17-year-old brother.

"He sat next to me, and then a ticket inspector came and told him to move to the
front," she recounts. "He said to my brother that this is a mehadrin
[gender-separate] bus, and then my brother said no, it's not, there is no such
thing. Then the ticket inspector turns around and goes."

The High Court of Justice has declared mehadrin bus lines illegal. While men and
women are allowed to segregate themselves voluntarily, any compulsion to do so
is strictly against the law.

On many Beit Shemesh buses that pass through ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, the
sight of women sitting in the back is common and, to longtime residents, no
longer remarkable, even though it shocks out-of-towners.

Asked if she feels nervous about riding the bus after both of these incidents,
Ariella replies that she is not afraid in the slightest.

"Me and my friends, we just sit in the front, and we have decided that we have a
right," she says, "and if they ask us to move, we will tell them that they can't
[ask this of us]."

Dawn interjects that the lawsuit "definitely empowered Ariella and let her know
what her rights are, and I think that's a really good thing."

The court case, Dawn believes, will make a difference because it will help keep
the issue of gender segregation in the public eye and because it has let drivers
know that they are accountable for their actions.

"Our lawsuit was not just against Superbus themselves, it was also specifically
against the driver, and the judge also found against him," she explains. "Now
that they know that they can also be sued, [the bus drivers] are less likely to
get involved in something and less likely to do this again, because it means
that they [are liable] as well."

However, she declines to be photographed for this article, stating that "we are
not looking for publicity, and we are not looking for the attention. I never
want to give somebody the option to turn around and say, 'Oh, they are just
looking to be famous.'"

The community has been supportive of the Marsdens, although Dawn admits that
many were skeptical that the lawsuit would yield any tangible results.

"When I announced on Facebook that we were going to sue, people were very
supportive and encouraged us to do so, but on the same note, I don't think that
people quite had the expectations that the suit would end up with the verdict
and the compensation that it did," she says.

The importance of this issue, she adds, is not connected to her or her daughter
and must be discussed without being tied to any specific individual.

She believes activism, both political and judicial, is important in combating
extremism.

"I personally feel that for a long time, the extremist elements in the haredi
community have worked under the tactics of intimidation, and I think that if we
stand up to them and we say we are not going to be intimidated, we are going to
take action, then they are going to see that things aren't going to go their way
all the time," she says.

Rabbi Dov Lipman, a local activist who organized protests against the harassment
of the Orot Banot pupils, agrees.

"We have learned that the best thing we can do, as a community, is to combat
extremism in every size, shape or form," he notes. "Even if we cannot see the
immediate result, we know that doing so helps with the overall cause."

According to Lipman, "in this specific scenario, there is no question that bus
companies will instruct their drivers to enforce the law and defend the rights
of female passengers rather than face the prospect of a lawsuit, so the
immediate gain can be seen."

Nonetheless, many residents of Beit Shemesh believe that real change will not
come until there is a change in the attitudes of many of the city's rabbinic
leaders.

During the controversy over the violence against Orot Banot girls, local
residents protested the rabbinic leadership's silence. Locals have stated that
their rabbis have issued thunderous denunciations of radicalism within their
synagogues, but many of them have declined to sign petitions calling on
religious leaders to condemn the protesters publicly.

Last year, Rabbi Natan Slifkin, a local author and blogger, told In Jerusalem
that "at the various rallies held in support of Orot over the last few months,
barely any haredim were present. And a letter of support signed by 14 local
rabbis included only rabbis on the edge of haredi society; more mainstream
haredi rabbis refused to cosign it. I don't believe for a moment that they
support the violence, but they are not willing to openly protest it."

There has been a more vigorous police response to violent incidents following
the national outrage and mass protests that the Orot Banot affair engendered,
and many residents are still waiting to see a similar change in the actions of
the city's rabbis. In the meantime, however, they continue doing what they can
to prevent extremists from harassing the many citizens - haredi,
national-religious and secular - who just want to live their lives in peace.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: In winning a lawsuit against the Superbus company for being asked to move
to the back of the bus, a 15-year-old Beit Shemesh resident has earned the right
for everyone to ride the bus without fear

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: Haredim get on the bus near the border between Sheinfeld and
the haredi Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet. Superbus stops in the hassidic enclave of
Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet. A sticker reads 'We're not giving up on Beit Shemesh.'
(Credit: SAM SOKOL)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Acre dedicates 'fig tree promenade' to Ze'ev Boim

BYLINE: MICHAEL OMER-MAN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 1449 words

NORTH

The Acre Municipality dedicated an avenue lined with fig trees in the name of
late former construction and housing minister Ze'ev Boim this week, the Local
website reported. Among those attending the dedication ceremony were Boim's
widow, Acre Mayor Shimon Lankry, his deputy, city council members and other
municipal officials. The municipal Klezmer Music Conservatory performed at the
dedication.

Lankry praised Boim's many contributions as housing and construction minister,
especially in promoting construction in Acre. Boim's widow, Edna, thanked the
mayor for his decision to commemorate her husband with the boulevard, which
features a statue of the late minister, according to the report.

Boim passed away last year after a battle with cancer. He had previously worked
as a teacher, a school principal, the mayor of Kiryat Gat and an MK and cabinet
minister.

Engineer jailed for poisoning coworkers

The Haifa District Court this week sentenced an engineer from Kiryat Yam to 25
months in prison for using a dangerous poison on his coworkers, spraying
pesticides in their coffee cups, the Local website reported.

According to the conviction, the man waited until all other employees had left
his office, then locked the door and sprayed K-300 pesticide into coffee cups
and a milk carton his coworkers used. The poisoning resulted in headaches and
sore throats, although the judge noted the injuries could have been far graver,
according to the report.

The man was allegedly motivated by anger toward his coworkers and was only
caught once the office had a surveillance camera installed. The man denied the
charges. In his sentencing, the court considered that the man suffered from a
personality disorder, but ruled that ultimately he was responsible for his
actions. The judge decided that he must be imprisoned to protect the public, the
report said.

Safed mayor threatens housing protests

Safed Mayor Ilan Shohat threatened to lead popular protests in his efforts to
build new housing in the northern mountain city, in a letter to Construction and
Housing Ministry director-general Mordechai Mordechai last week, according to
the Local website.

In the letter, Shohat said the ministry's procedural foot-dragging had stymied
his efforts to build necessary housing in the city since he took office in late
2008. Claiming that the municipality had felt contempt and disregard for the
city's housing needs in meetings with the ministry, Shohat warned that "we're
not far from raising our hands and undertaking a public struggle of all the
city's residents," the report said.

In response, the ministry said it was planning many large-scale development
programs in the city, but must perform soil and safety tests, which it hopes to
have completed by the end of the year. Plans for over 1,000 units have already
been approved for deposit, the website cited the ministry as saying.

CENTER

Beach shopping - in the Givatayim Mall?

Givatayim residents without private transportation, and others who simply prefer
a climate-controlled experience, had an opportunity to enjoy the sand without
going to the beach last week. The Givatayim Mall shipped over a metric ton of
sand into the air-conditioned complex, complete with beach chairs, roving
popsicle vendors, umbrellas to protect "beach-goers" from the mall's fluorescent
lighting, and even lifeguards.

The three days of events even included an activity in which an actor pretended
to be a lost child and mall-goers were asked to help find his mother. On the
beach's last day at the mall, shoppers and revelers participated in an
ice-cream-making workshop. The only thing missing was the most talked-about
beach-goers in the country's Center this time of year: jellyfish.

'Jaffa Nights' launches summer concert series

The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality kicked off its "Jaffa Nights" series of musical
programs - which take place every Saturday night through the end of August - in
Jaffa's Old City last week.

The series started off with an outdoor performance by the Israel Chamber
Orchestra, which played a selection of well-known and -loved pieces. At Kedumim
Square, there were performances of hip-hop, reggae and soul music accented with
Israeli and Oriental influences.

This Saturday at 8:30 p.m., the popular folk troupe We're Here is scheduled to
hold a concert of rhythmic dance and song, featuring 70 dancers, singers,
soloists and chorus members. The band Pow will also perform an acoustic mix of
songs from films and world music.

3D art splashes color on Ramat Hasharon

As part of its year of activities celebrating 90 years since its establishment,
the Ramat Hasharon Municipality held a three-dimensional sidewalk drawing
festival last week, launched with the guidance of international experts in an
attempt to foster artistic street culture in the city.

The festival drew dozens of leading artists from around the country and from as
far away as Holland, Italy, the US and Russia. The city's Bialik Boulevard was
turned into an urban street art gallery with works that challenge the laws of
physics, or at least visual perceptions of them. The Ramat Hasharon Symphony
Orchestra also performed, alongside musical ensembles from two local schools.
Other activities included workshops in dance, and sculpture using recycled
materials.

Ramat Hasharon Mayor Itzik Rochberger noted that the municipality "places great
emphasis on the development of art and culture in the city, and will continue to
promote the field [of art]. There is no doubt that a novel festival like this,
on an international level that combines overseas and Israeli artists and that
will occupy public spaces for three days, offers a cultural and artistic event
that adds value for all residents of the city and the state."

SOUTH

'Safe summer' in Eilat offers activities for youth

The Eilat Municipality kicked off its "safe summer" series of programs this
week, designed to keep the city's youth and its younger visitors occupied during
the summer vacation months. The programs and activities will run for six weeks,
along with the yearly Red Sea Jazz Festival and other festivals.

The youth-targeted activities include sports activities, midnight swimming at
public pools, a Beduin-style tent compound on the city's boardwalk, and
activities by the National Road Safety Administration.

Nighttime sports activities will take place every third Sunday at the city's
Rabin School between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., and will include supervised soccer,
basketball, volleyball and other sports. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, a
climbing wall will open between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., for a nominal fee of NIS 15.
There will be tennis activities every Wednesday between 8 p.m. and midnight,
with couples tournaments for various age groups. At the municipal swimming pool,
night swimming will take place every Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with no
charge for entrance.

In addition, social workers, parents and police officers will be running a youth
patrol on the promenade, in neighborhoods and at public parks throughout the
city to ensure that violence does not occur.

Eilat Mayor Yitzhak Meir Halevy said of the programs, "Along with the sense of
absolute freedom the city of Eilat offers, it is important to us that we
maintain boundaries, our values and [public] order." All of the city's law
enforcement agencies, he continued, "will step up their central operations,
upholding the law and maintaining peace and security for youth, so that along
with the leisure activities and attractions, the summer is fun and safe."

However, the first week of the "safe summer" was marred by a shooting on the
city's beachside promenade on Sunday, in which an unknown assailant shot an
Eilat resident in front of hundreds of tourists and visitors. The victim was in
moderate to serious condition. Police were investigating.

Ashdod beautifies industrial areas

Visitors to Ashdod's northern industrial zone will be seeing a more aesthetic
landscape soon thanks to a project by the city's Industrial Directorate, which
aims to push business owners to take more responsibility for the aesthetics of
their properties, the Local website reported.

The project recently saw thousands of flower seedlings and other greenery
planted along the northern entrances of the city. Such planting has gone on for
years throughout the city, but municipal officials asserted that this year was
different because it was targeting factories and other industrial facilities in
the area, according to the report.

The most noticeable results of the project are visible at the start of Bnei Brit
Boulevard, near the port intersection, where workers recently completed waste
removal and intensively planted new seedlings, the report said.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Showtime

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 678 words

Voice of Music Festival hits 28

The 28th annual Voice of Music Festival will take place from July 23 to 28. As
usual, most of the concerts in the country's leading chamber music gathering
will be held in and around Kfar Blum, with some events dotted around the area,
including at Kibbutz Yiron - at the Galilee Mountains Winery - Kibbutz Kfar
Giladi and near the Jordan River.

Naturally, there will be plenty of the regular classical musical fare, with
works by Haydn, Ravel, Shostakovich, Vivaldi, Mozart and Mahler on the list.
Many of the concerts appear under various thematic headings, such as "Music from
Far-Off Places," "Legend Time" and "Mostly Bialik" - with works by the poet set
to music by Negev-based composer Michael Volpe.

However, this year's festival won't be exclusively classical, with shows by
veteran singer-songwriter and choir leader Shlomo Gronich, a program of Beatles
numbers performed by Ummagumma and a rare performance by top 1980s Israeli rock
outfit Tislam at the Galilee Mountains Winery.

For tickets and more information about the festival: (03) 604-5000 or
www.kol-hamusica.org.il

For tickets and more information about concerts at the Galilee Mountain Winery:
(04) 686-8748 or www.galilmountain.co.il

Dying to do it

Haifa Theater will premiere its new production, Dying For It, on July 25, in the
theater's Stage 3 auditorium at 8:30 p.m. The work was written by English
playwright-actor Moira Buffini and is loosely based on Soviet dramatist and
screenwriter Nikolay Erdman's seminal 1928 work The Suicide.

Dying For It is a satirical comedy about a hapless nobody called Semyon who has
been unemployed for a long time and is down at the heel. He considers putting an
end to it all, but once word of his impending suicide gets out, all manner of
disreputable characters get in on the act and try to exploit Semyon's planned
demise for their own ends. The plot thickens when it transpires that our
reluctant hero has great difficulty in going through with terminal scheme.

The lead character in the Haifa production is played by Ron Richter, with the
rest of the cast including Keren Or, Nadia Kutcher, Maayan Weissberg and Yonatan
Schwartz.

More shows are scheduled for July 26, 29, 30 and 31. For tickets and more
information: (04) 860-0500 or www.ht1.co.il

Loving nights

The Desert Ashram at Shittim in the Arava is offering romantics three days and
nights of a star-studded getaway at its Love Nights Festival to celebrate the Tu
Be'av day of love.

The accent of the program, which starts on August 2, is very much on intimacy,
love and mutual- and self-discovery for couples, with a lineup of workshops on
such areas as tantra, touch, relationships, and female and male energies and the
confluence between them.

There will also be several musical slots, including a nocturnal trek into the
heart of the desert culminating in a trance musical session which will end at
sunrise.

For tickets and more information: 052-544-3349 or desertashram@gmail.com

Kids' film festival goes green

The eighth annual Tel Aviv International Children's Film Festival will take
place July 22-27 at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

The program features movies from all over the world, including from France,
Finland, Holland, the US, India and Israel, which are tailored to various age
groups.

The second day of the festival will be devoted to films and events with an
ecological theme. The "green day" includes a screening of Kauwboy, from Holland,
which won the Best Children's Film award at this year's Berlin Film Festival. It
is about an enchanting relationship between a boy and a wounded fledgling. That
will be followed by Land of Genesis, Israel's first full-length nature film,
made in 2010, and the French documentary about chimps, Benny Back to the Wild.

The environmental roster also includes a program of short Israeli documentaries
and a touching Greek work about a boy who manages to patch up his stormy
relationship with his dad thanks to a baby pelican.

For tickets and more information:

(03) 515-7929, (03) 606-0800, www.cinema.co.il or kidsfestival09@gmail.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Yuval, Avi, Ajay - whatever

BYLINE: AKIN AJAYI

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 24

LENGTH: 908 words

I have this odd thing about my name: I like it just the way it is. No creative
reconfigurations, no umlauts, no hyphens. I'm even happy to bargain on
pronunciation - just as long as it is spelled correctly. But since I've spent
the better part of my life in countries where my name isn't native, this modest
desire of mine seems to be wishful thinking at times.

In England, for instance: from the brief and eventful period when I was a
full-time trade union representative, there was my colleague who was conversant
with multiculturalism and equal rights for all and stuff like that, but who
could never quite manage to get my surname right. "It's Ajay, innit? You Indians
don't spell it with an 'I,' do you?"

Well, it isn't "Ajay, innit," and - multicultural world or not - I think the
physical evidence ought to be enough to convince that I'm not from the
subcontinent.

Anyway, in these parts I rarely get people fumbling over the spelling of my
surname - mercifully, it is quite straightforward in Hebrew. I do have a problem
with wrong numbers, however. For some reason, I get loads of misdirected calls.
Also, for some reason, most of them seem to be from people who seem unable to
accept that I am who I am. For example:

Them: 'Allo, Yuval? (Or Micky, or Motti...)

Me: (In Hebrew). No, this is Akin.

Them: No, this is Yuval's number. (Long pause). What kind of name is Akin,
anyway?

Me: Mine. And clearly, you have made a mistake.

Click. They've hung up on me. Charming. An apology wouldn't be out of order,
y'know.

IT ISN'T always like this, I must admit. Last week, I had the most surprising
experience.

Him: Avi?

Me: Lo, ta'ut (No, you're mistaken).

I admit it's rude, but I believe in getting my retaliation in first. So I'm
about to hang up on He-Who-Demands-Avi but something makes me pause.

Him: You're Maya's husband? Maya L? And this is 050-XXX-XXXX?

Me: As a matter of fact I am, and yes it is.

Him: But you're not Avi? [He's switched to English now, by the way.]

Me: No, I'm Akin.

There is genuine bewilderment in his voice. I'm a little puzzled too. But it
turns out there's a simple explanation. He got the number from Directory
Assistance. They had said "Akin and Maya L", but he'd assumed they'd made a
mistake.

No probs. I'm still ready to hang up, but my new-found friend wants to chat. "So
where is the name Akin from? And your accent... British, perhaps?"

"Yes," I reply, but I'm not sure what this has to do with anything. But he's
still chatting away, as if we're best friends from the army or something.

"So how are you managing in Israel? It's not an easy country to live in, is it?"

He doesn't actually apologize for calling me "Avi"; he goes several steps
further. He eventually rings off, but only after wishing me and my wife well.

I was so touched by his good wishes, I'm thinking of changing my name to Avi.

I guess it's a bit rich of me to complain about people making a mess of my name.
I've done far worse myself. Take the other week, for instance. Wandering through
the shopping mall in Herzliya Pituah, I'm seized by the urge to buy Mrs. Goy a
dress. (OK, lets be honest: I'm seized by remorse for my multiple failings as a
husband and father. But this is neither the time nor the place for a discussion
about that.) At some point during the to-ing and fro-ing over my choice of
dress, I mention my wife's name. As the shop assistant wraps the dress and scans
my credit card - do women's clothes really cost that much, by the way? - we fall
into casual conversation.

"Your wife's name is Maya?" she says. "What a beautiful name."

"I know, that's why I married her," I reply. We both laugh.

"Actually," I continue, "I'm not sure I would have married her if her name had
been Rivka or something ugly like that."

I'll leave it to you to imagine my humiliation and embarrassment. Actually no,
I'll add a little more in my master class on "How to Humiliate Oneself and
Embarrass Others." An awkward silence falls between Rivka and myself, and I just
have to say something to ease the discomfort.

"Well, I guess I won't be marrying you now..." I blurt out.

Rivka is kind enough to let me know that it is actually her middle name. I do
hope that makes her feel better, because it didn't do much for me.

EDMOND IS a pretty odd name for an Israeli, don't you think? That said, it does
show just how much attention I pay to the Israeli political and judicial
landscape, given that I'd never heard of Edmond Levy, retired justice of the
Supreme Court of Israel, until last week. OK, so I'm not alone in this, and I
didn't live here during the evacuation from Gaza, but still...

Anyway, everyone knows Justice Edmond Levy's name now, thanks to the so-called
Outposts Report. There's nothing sensible I can add to a discussion about the
report. If nothing else, the one thing I have retained from my legal training is
that there's no point in commenting about anything until one has read the fine
print. And with said fine print being in Hebrew, and my Hebrew being what it
is...

Still, a rose by any other name will smell as sweet, etc, etc. The situation in
the West Bank - or Judea and Samaria, if that's the name one prefers - is
untenable. It might be that the name used to describe this situation for the
last 40-odd years is no longer deemed to be suitable or accurate or appropriate.
So be it. But changing what one calls it won't change the circumstances on the
ground.

It's not always the name by which you call something that matters, after all.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: What kind of name is Akin, anyway?

GRAPHIC: Cartoon: (Credit: Pepe Fainberg)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

967 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A better cycle

BYLINE: ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN/www.israel21c.org

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 823 words

Until a crippling motorcycle accident in 1999, hi-tech exec Nati Gruberg was a
paunchy couch-potato. In August, he'll be one of three Israeli handcyclists
among 4,200 athletes from 160 nations heading to the London Paralympic Games.

It's easy to pick out Gruberg from other cyclists rounding the trail at Tel
Aviv's Ganei Yehoshua park. His muscular arms power a custom-fitted German
handcycle as his barefoot legs stay tucked beneath him.

He was puzzled when a representative from Etgarim ("Challenges") - a non-profit
organization formed in 1995 by disabled IDF veterans and rehabilitation experts
- visited him in the rehab hospital and broached the idea of cycling. Gruberg's
legs were so badly injured that he underwent 13 operations over two and a half
years. In an interview at the Israeli Olympic Committee headquarters following
his morning training, Gruberg jokes that before his accident he barely lifted a
finger.

"The main thing was moving from the couch to the kitchen to make coffee," he
says while sipping a Coca-Cola Zero, his crutches resting nearby.

"I thought there was something wrong with him," Gruberg recalls. But as soon as
he understood the volunteer was talking about a handbike, he was intrigued. He
soon ordered his own cycle and set his sights on the New York Marathon - "not to
win, but to finish and see how it goes." He hired a coach, Eran Caspi, who
advised him to get "a serious bike" and then start training - partly for rehab
and partly to get his weight down from about 90 kilograms.

"After three months, I became second in Israel, and my coach told me that before
the marathon I should go look at other races in the world," he says.

He went to a European Handcycling Federation time-trial race in Czechoslovakia
and finished sixth. Caspi informed Gruberg that he wasn't going to the marathon
after all, because he was going to Beijing; He was the only Israeli handcyclist
to receive an invitation to the 2008 Paralympic Games.

It would be nice to report that Gruberg did well in Beijing, but a day before
the race, he landed in the hospital with a broken shoulder and ribs after being
struck by a police car.

"The only thing on my mind was not even the pain, but what I was doing to my
family again," he recalls. He and his wife, Yaffit, have three children - Paz,
now 15; Ofri, 11; and Ido, nine.

"I saw my wife sitting near my bed in Beijing and all I could think was, 'She
doesn't deserve this.' But after two weeks we came back to Israel, and two days
later she came to me with a present. When I opened it, I was choking on my tears
- she bought me a [bike] helmet because the one I was wearing in Beijing got
broken.

"I said, 'What the hell are you doing?' She said to me, 'You don't have to
compete, but you have to go back on the bike again.' In the same second I
reassembled my bike and went out for 20 minutes with her. I came back with a
smile like a little kid. Of course I reopened a few of my broken bones, but I
didn't care about that."

With strong family support, in 2009 Gruberg hesitantly started competing in
Israel again. "The Paralympic Committee asked me to finish [at least] eighth in
the championships so I could stay on the team, and I did it," he reports
proudly.

Feeling the need for a greater push, he argued his way onto the first and only
Tour de Israel bike race in 2010, covering 760 kilometers from Metulla to Eilat
in four days. "I didn't even finish last of the regular riders, although I was
the only one on a handbike."

In December 2011, he rappelled down Jerusalem's Old City walls with Mayor Nir
Barkat in an Etgarim and National Insurance Institute event to mark
International Disability Awareness Month.

Now ranked Israel's No. 1 handcyclist, Gruberg often gives inspirational
lectures to students and volunteers with disabled children. "I talk about how to
go out from a difficult time and think positive. I am not a coach. I tell my
story, and they take whatever they want from it," he explains.

In London, Gruberg will be joined by Israeli handcyclists Pascale Berkowitz and
Koby Leon. Each is competing in a separate category according to the severity of
his disability. Gruberg, in the least severe category, will face about a dozen
others. First he will race in Spain and Belgium.

Gruberg is in obvious pain after the most intense of his daily workouts, which
range from one to four hours. But riding makes him feel good in many other ways.

"The minute I don't like it, I will stop - it doesn't matter if it's the day
before the Olympics. I'm doing it for myself and if I don't feel comfortable I
will not do it."

He's also doing it for his country.

"As an Israeli champion; I ride with an Israeli flag on my shirt and on my bag,"
says Gruberg, who lives on Moshav Kfar Bin-Nun near Latrun. "I'm very, very
proud to get to a place where I can represent Israel with a lot of honor. It's
one of the things that pushes me - I want everybody to see that we're here,
we're good."

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: How an overweight hi-tech exec got to be an athletic powerhouse despite
two devastating accidents

GRAPHIC: 3 photos: Nati Gruberg rappels down the Old City walls with Jerusalem
Mayor Nir Barkat. Nati Gruberg is the top handcyclist in Israel. Gruberg
training at Tel Aviv's Ganei Yehoshua Park. (Credit: Flash 90; Courtesy
ISRAEL21c; Abigail Klein Leichman)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

968 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

French open house

BYLINE: GREER FAY CASHMAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 21

LENGTH: 972 words

* WHILE IT is customary for ambassadors to host national day events in their
residences, mainly in Herzliya Pituah and Kfar Shmaryahu, they also utilize Tel
Aviv hotels. However, if the visit of their president, prime minister or foreign
minister coincides with the national day, the venue is usually moved to a
Jerusalem hotel.

The consuls of these countries also host receptions in the cities in which they
are resident and, like the receptions hosted by the ambassador, they are
generally by invitation only. Not so in the case of Jean-Christian Coppin, the
French consul in Haifa and director of the French Institute in Haifa, who held
an open house at the French Institute to celebrate Bastille Day and invited all
and sundry to come and dance.

* FOR THE seventh consecutive year, legendary Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball player
and former captain of the national basketball team Tani (Tanhum) Cohen Mintz
provided scholarships for promising young female tennis players. The
scholarships help girls in the under-16 division pay for their participation in
international tournaments. They were presented at a ceremony at the Israel
Tennis Center in Jaffa. This year's recipients were Nicole Saveljev from the
Ramat Hasharon Tennis Center and Alona Pushkarevsky from the Haifa Tennis
Center. Tani and his brother Shaul Cohen Mintz give the scholarships in memory
of their mother and sister.

Their mother, Edith Cohen Mintz, was a champion tennis player and one of the
pioneers of tennis in Israel. Before coming to Israel, she had been a tennis
champion in her native Latvia and had participated in the Maccabiah Games in the
1930s. Their sister Mara Kinston was a former Federal Cup player and coach to
many talented children. Mara's son Daniel and his wife, who live in Australia,
came to Israel to attend the scholarship ceremony.

* RECOGNITION FOR one's good deeds or one's accomplishments is always a balm for
the ego, but in the case of lawyer Ori Slonim, he had a double dose.

Last month, Slonim was among the first group of recipients of the President's
Medal of Distinction. The award was initiated by President Shimon Peres in
recognition of outstanding contributions to humanity, the Jewish People and the
State of Israel. Within less than a month of the awards ceremony, Slonim
attended a second ceremony in Ra'anana, where he lives. There, he was given a
citation for volunteerism by Mayor Nahum Hofree in recognition of his
contribution to the community, to Israel's society at large and to the children
of the world. The citation was presented to him at a special meeting of the
Ra'anana Municipal Council.

Slonim is the chairman of Variety International and former chairman of Variety
Israel. He has been involved for many years in negotiating for the release of
Israelis taken captive by enemy elements.

* ONE OF the perks of being a minister of culture or a minister of education is
that one gets a lot of entertainment in one's life. Culture Minister Limor
Livnat and Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar get to go to a great number of plays
and concerts that they might not otherwise attend.

Last week, Herzliya Mayor Yael German invited Sa'ar and senior members of his
staff to the opening performance of the new Herzliya Ensemble Theater production
of A.B. Yehoshua's play They Walked Together, directed by Oded Kotler and
featuring Gil Frank and Rami Baruch in the lead roles. Among the people
attending the post-performance reception were A. B. Yehoshua, former Bank Leumi
CEO Galia Maor, Oded Kotler and members of the cast. The play, which is about
the love-hate relationship between David Ben-Gurion and Ze'ev Jabotinsky, is
scheduled to be staged at the Knesset on July 23 in the presence of President
Shimon Peres.

Memorial ceremonies and symposia were held for Jabotinsky this week to mark the
72nd anniversary of his death. Ben-Gurion harbored so much animosity towards the
man that after Jabotinsky's death in 1940, he would not allow his remains to be
transferred to Israel. It was only after Levi Eshkol became prime minister that
Jabotinsky's will could be carried out. Jabotinsky, who died in the United
States, asked that once the state was established, his final resting place
should be in Israel.

* THE NAME of tycoon Yitzhak Tshuva is usually associated with megabusiness
deals in Israel and abroad or with generous financial support for Netanya
Academic College. Tshuva, who was raised poor in a large family in Netanya,
tried to persuade his mother to move out of the humble apartment in the
economically depressed Netanya neighborhood in which he had grown up and to move
into something larger and more comfortable in a better part of town. After all,
he could easily afford to pay for it. But she refused, saying that she felt just
fine where she was.

His mother died not long ago, and his father before her. When going through the
contents of his mother's home, he came upon the bloodstained coat of his
grandfather Rabbi Yosef Tshuva, who had been killed in a Nazi pogrom in Libya
long before Tshuva's birth 64 years ago. The rabbi had been a prominent figure
in his community, and his family had preserved his memory. When Yitzhak Tshuva
found the coat, he had a replica of it made, which he donated to the Libyan
Jewish Museum in Or Akiva. Tshuva is one of the leading supporters of the
museum.

The original coat was buried this week in a symbolic ceremony in the Netanya
cemetery. "Even though I never knew you personally, I always admired you," an
emotional Tshuva said at the burial site, adding that the bloodstains on the
coat meant that something of his grandfather would be buried in Israel. Tshuva
also said that he would spare no effort in trying to locate his grandfather's
remains and transferring them to Israel to be forever laid to rest with the coat
he was wearing at the time of his death.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Grapevine

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

969 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Loyal to whom?

BYLINE: ARIEL ZILBER

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 18

LENGTH: 2447 words

'All of this media attention is tiring," says Anet Haskia, sounding more like a
pampered pop diva and less like a divorced, 40-something hairdresser from Acre,
a Muslim woman from the ancient town's Old City.

Just a few days earlier, Haskia burst onto the public scene and garnered the
adulation of thousands when she took to the stage during a rally held by
reservist soldiers demanding that the government apply compulsory conscription
laws to all Israeli citizens, not just non-haredi Jews and the Druse minority.

"I am a proud Israeli-Arab Muslim woman," she told throngs of attendees who
descended on the plaza of Tel Aviv Museum last Saturday, which roared in
approval after nearly every utterance delivered by this charismatic woman with
bleached-blonde hair and a cheery disposition.

Haskia proudly and unapologetically boasted to the crowd of her three children's
decision to volunteer - including her daughter's decision to sign up for officer
training as well as her youngest son's intention to enlist into the Golani
infantry brigade upon completing a year of national service. Her 15 minutes of
fame continues apace, with appearances on nationally broadcast television and
radio shows. She was even featured by the monthly women's magazine La'sha.

The backlash from her fellow Arabs was not long in coming.

"I've been waging this struggle [on behalf of universal conscription for Arabs]
for three months now," she says indignantly. "Until [last week], no
Arab-language media outlet came near me. No newspaper or radio station. It was
Tuesday when a reporter from Kul el-Arab [one of the most widely read
Arabic-language weekly newspapers in the country] called me."

"I was asked all sorts of questions," she says. "They asked if I [had] converted
to Judaism. They asked if my children even knew that the Arabic language
existed. They asked if I celebrate Islamic holy days. They thought I was totally
unrealistic. They asked if my children knew that they were Muslims. They
couldn't comprehend how I could stand in the middle of Tel Aviv and call on
other Arabs to enlist in the army. How could I do such a thing?"

Haskia revels in the notoriety, which befits her self-image as a woman who has
gone against the grain her entire life. She remembers her "primitive" childhood,
part of which was spent growing up in the Old City of Acre. Playing with
children in the adjacent neighborhood was forbidden, as was leaving the house in
a skirt. These rules mattered little to Haskia.

"I was very rebellious, in virtually every way imaginable," she says. "I did
everything that the Arab mentality forbade me to do, like walking around with a
pierced nose, getting tattoos, divorcing my husband, living alone, deciding
whether I even wanted to get married, moving out of my family's home and living
far away. It doesn't matter where I live. Like I said, the Jews won't determine
if I'm a whore or a bimbo. I'm the one who decides what lifestyle I'm going to
lead. Throughout the years, I've proved [to the Arabs] that everything they've
been taught their whole lives is a lie.

"The reporter from Kul al-Arab asked me, 'Why do you choose to live among the
Jews? Why did you run away?' So I said to him, 'Do you think if I still lived in
Arab society, I'd be left alone? You know what Arab society is like. Don't you
know what Arabs think about divorced women? Would they allow me to work as a
self-employed woman? Would they let me raise my children in the way that I want
to raise my children? They would've immediately put a price tag on me as a
'divorced whore.' They wouldn't let me be."

"I came to the Jews, I live [in the upscale suburb of Kfar Vradim], where I am
loved and accepted, I am making a living, and they couldn't care less whom I
date. On the contrary, they encourage me to go out, meet people, and find a
romantic companion. When I need to confide in someone or a shoulder to cry on or
to get advice from someone, I don't call my mother or my sisters. I call my
clients."

Haskia has reached out to the Jewish public, which has embraced her in kind. She
makes numerous speaking engagements at universities and think tanks, schools and
town halls. Her message is a conciliatory one, though to Arab ears it is
delivered bluntly and without equivocation.

"I speak because it's important to get the message across, that there be greater
awareness of the issue of performing national service and shouldering a fair
share of the burden," she says. "It's important [for Israeli Arabs] to take
responsibility."

Haskia rejects long-held Arab assumptions that agreeing to perform national
service is tantamount to de facto capitulation to Jewish lordship over the
indigenous Palestinian population. On the contrary, she is adamant that having
Arab youths volunteer in their communities would pave the way for their social
mobilization.

"I don't care about all the attention," she says. "The only thing that's
important to me is to achieve my goal, which is to see every Arab and Muslim
enlist in the army and to serve the country. I want to see the Muslim community
rise onward and upward, and for it to change its attitudes and opinions so that
it can belong. The perception of Muslims is a bad one. People look at them as
terrorists, and this tugs at my heart, because not all of them are like that.
There are also good people, people who want to live quietly, people who were
unhappy about the suicide bombings. The Arab sector needs to pull its weight so
that it can feel part of this country."

When asked if it was appropriate to call her a Zionist, she says: "I consider
myself a proud Israeli-Arab Muslim woman. I'm not trying to be Jewish."

Some may have difficult grasping Haskia's rationale, but she seems unperturbed.

"Let them think whatever they want," she says. "I really don't care what other
people think. I'm at peace with the opinions I hold, and the decisions that I've
made."

AYMAN ODEH would beg to differ. A lawyer by profession, the Nazareth-based Odeh
is the secretary-general of the Jewish-Arab Hadash Party. He also sits as a
representative of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee's response team on the
issue of national service for Israeli Arabs.

"Of course I am opposed, and I am opposed to this whole idea for a number of
reasons," he says. "The army has been an occupying army in the occupied
territories since the '67 war. This is an army that is likely to fight our
brothers, but not just our brothers. The army is occupying the ground of another
people."

According to Odeh's figures, less than 4 percent of the Beduin of the South
serve in the military. The number is slightly higher among the northern Beduin.
As of now, only 350 Christians and Muslims serve in the military. Odeh says
there are 2,400 Israeli Arabs who do national service, including a third of this
number volunteering with auxiliary police in their communities.

Odeh scoffs at the notion that Israeli Arabs would gain equality by agreeing to
enlist in the military. He points out that Druse and Beduin who perform army
service frequently face discrimination in civilian life. In addition, he takes
issue with the Israeli authorities' insistence on associating national or civil
service with defense-related agencies like the army and the police.

In 2005, the government appointed a panel headed by former air force chief and
ambassador to the US David Ivry. The committee recommended the formation of an
Administration for Civic-National Service, which was designed to offer an
alternative, non-military track for Israelis who by law were exempt from
conscription. The Ivry committee's recommendations were adopted by the
government in 2007.

The committee headed by Kadima MK Yohanan Plesner, which seeks to increase
ultra-Orthodox enlistment in the military, recommends that the government
continue to encourage Israeli Arabs to volunteer for civic service. Plesner
suggests that the state aim to reach a quota of 600 Arab volunteers a year,
which would push the number of total volunteers from the Arab sector to 6,000 by
the year 2017.

"In the past 10 years, there have been three government-appointed panels that
have looked into the issue of national service - the Lapid commission, the Ivry
commission and the Plesner commission," Odeh says. "All of these bodies were
composed entirely of Jews. There wasn't one Arab on any of these committees.
This attitude of having other people decide what is best for us is unacceptable.
We demand full partnership in decisions and in building everything that relates
to us."

Odeh says that as full-fledged citizens, the rights of Arabs should not be
contingent on performing national service.

"I'm in favor of anyone getting benefits for serving in the army, but not
rights," he says. "If the army wants to give tuition or a supplementary salary
to soldiers, that's fine. But to make it a condition for granting us rights is
absurd. In the State of Israel, we are discriminated against, and it's not
because we don't serve in the army."

Haskia's next goal is to rally Arab public opinion to her side and eventually
replace the lawmakers in the Knesset whom she accuses of causing damage to their
constituents' cause.

"For all the muscle-flexing that they do in public when it comes to refusing to
recognize the state, many Arabs have told me that they have had it with the Arab
Knesset members, who in their view do not represent their constituency and thus
should be removed," she says. "Everybody told me this. There is a feeling that
the time has come to organize a movement that would displace them. After all,
they were elected due to the goodwill of the public. They weren't hand-picked by
the government, just like the prime minister was elected by the public."

Haskia was coy when asked if she planned to enter politics or form a party,
though it is easy to envision such a scenario, particularly given her fondness
for engaging the public and her gift for holding an audience.

"Let's form our own organization," she tells her fellow Arabs. "Let's be a
force, and let's make a change. We can change a lot of things and gain even more
rights the moment we become loyal to the state and the moment when we really
feel that we belong, and not when we come with the attitude of 'I'm an Arab, and
I'm persecuted.' Nobody was willing to take the plunge and join me. They said,
'Well, when you get other people to join, then I'll sign on.'"

(BOX)

Should they serve?

Ariel Tamir, a 24-year-old from Bat Yam, served three years in the IDF's Land
Forces Headquarters in Kiryat Malachi. He says he would have no problem serving
alongside an Israeli Arab, though he would be hesitant to allow him to hold high
rank in a sensitive unit such as military intelligence.

"If an Israeli Arab is in the army, and he does everything that is required,
then I see no problem with it," Tamir says. "But in today's climate, there's no
way I would allow him to serve in intelligence. Naturally, he would seek to
exploit his position to the Arabs' advantage and harm state security."

Tamir says it is unrealistic for Jewish Israelis to expect Arabs to enlist,
given the socioeconomic gaps and discriminatory government policies that have
alienated the country's largest minority.

"As long as an Arab city receives a third of the budget of a Jewish city of the
same size, there is no reason for them to enlist in the army," he says. "First
they should get equal rights, and only then should they be asked to bear an
equal share of the burden.

"You can't demand that they do something while this is the situation," he says.
"If they had budgets that were equal, then sure."

Alex Bebayev, a resident of south Tel Aviv, is a self-described "far-rightist."
He says he would have no problem serving alongside an Israeli Arab.

"The state needs to give them the option of serving in the military," says
Bebayev, who completed his three years of compulsory service in the air force.
"The state doesn't really allow them to serve. There is a certain fear of, 'How
will they cope? How will they deal with the fact that we are at war against the
Arabs?'"

Bebayev, who currently works as a bank receptionist in Tel Aviv, says that Arab
readiness to serve in the armed forces would move him to look upon them
differently.

"It shows they want to get legitimacy, to contribute, to be a part of us, to
integrate with us," he says. "It looks different, because it proves that we can
choose something else besides war and hostility, and that goes for both sides
[Jews and Arabs]. It shows that they care about the country they live in, they
want to connect with the Jewish citizens of this country, they want to be part
of the Israeli nation, to give of themselves, and make an effort for the good of
society at large."

Bebayev takes aim at Israeli-Arab leaders and Knesset members, whom he accuses
of "constantly selling us stories about occupation and racism."

"Arabs have been fighting each other in the Middle East for years," he says.
"Saddam invaded Kuwait, and that pitted Arabs against each other. In Syria,
Arabs fight other Arabs. If Arabs can fight in wars against each other, then
they could also fight wars against other Arabs in our country."

Michal Rahamim, a Herzliya lawyer and mother of two, has no desire to see Arabs
enlist in the IDF.

"As painful as it is, they are our enemies," she says. "As long as this is the
case, we mustn't trust them, at least not for the moment."

Rahamim believes Israeli Arabs need to prove their loyalty to the state,
"although I'm doubtful it will ever be possible to trust them."

On the other hand, she acknowledges that she would view Arabs who served in the
IDF differently than those who hadn't.

"I would have much more respect for them if they did serve, and I would trust
them more, just like I did the Beduin with whom I worked," she says.

Rahamim was once employed at the Hiriya waste management site, where she worked
alongside Beduin from the South.

"At first, I was afraid to work with them," she says. "But when I found out they
served in the army, I was able to trust them more."

"I don't like wars," she says. "I just want everybody to live together
peacefully."

Daniel Niknazar, a nursing attendant from Herzliya, takes issue with the
argument that Arabs should be exempt from military service until they are
treated more equitably by the state.

"Before they ask for their rights to be respected, they should serve the
country," he says. "In my opinion, everyone who lives in this country should
enlist in the army, except for those with disabilities."

Niknazar thinks that Arabs who do perform army service should be precluded from
combat units.

"They should be given jobs that are supportive of their communities and that
serve the public," he says.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: A Muslim woman whose children serve in the army calls on all Israeli
Arabs to enlist. Box at end of article.

GRAPHIC: 4 photos: Anet Haskia. 'I consider myself a proud Israeli-Arab Muslim
woman. I'm not trying to be Jewish.' The Desert Reconnaissance Battalion of the
Gaza Division concludes a three-day long military exercise. Only a small
percentage of Beduin volunteer for army service. According to Hadash Party
secretary-general Ayman Odeh, 2,400 Israeli Arabs do national service, but he
does not believe his community would gain equality by enlisting in the army.
(Credit: Courtesy; Illustrative photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

970 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Socializing with social protesters one last time

BYLINE: DEBORAH S. DANAN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 1302 words

One night last week, I suffered from a bout of insomnia. I just couldn't fall
asleep. It didn't help that it was stiflingly hot and I didn't want to switch on
the air conditioning for the simple reason that it's just too expensive.

Daunted by the deliberation of suffering sweat-induced insomnia versus the risk
of switching the A/C on and then falling asleep before switching it off, I
decided to leave the house instead. I found myself ambling in the direction of
the tent city in the park opposite the train station on Arlosoroff Street. About
40 tents are gathered together under the trees, a weak homage to the hundreds
that lined Rothschild Boulevard this time last year. Even though it was 4 a.m.,
a few of the protesters were awake. Were they also awake because of the heat, I
wondered? They insisted that no, the heat didn't bother them; The shade provided
by the trees more than sufficed. For a brief moment, I considered moving into
tent city and saving on electricity bills.

Either that or convincing the tent denizens to take to the streets for an air
conditioning protest. Can't the electric company cut us some slack by taking
into account that it is nigh impossible to survive without A/C and therefore it
wouldn't hurt to subsidize summer bills a smidgen? With a 15-percent hike-up in
tariffs this year, I doubt that the electric company is going to provide a
sympathetic ear. But perhaps Shai Agassi will. He's turned cars from gas
guzzlers into electricity eaters. Can't he now use his smarts to turn
electricity-eating air conditioners into solar-powered devices? This would also
curb the power cuts that have been spreading across the center of the country.

My thoughts were interrupted by the loud crunch of metal hitting metal - the
unmistakable sounds of a car crash. We turned to see that a police car had
embedded its bumper into the side of another car, right in the middle of the
busy junction. Luckily, no one seemed to be hurt. Within seconds, a couple of
other police cars had joined the fray, erecting a makeshift wall around the
scene of the accident. One protester standing next to me snorted, "Typical. It's
so obvious that the police car is responsible for the crash, yet look how quick
they are to cover up their mistake." I asked him why it was so obvious that it
was the police's fault. After all, we hadn't actually witnessed the lead-up to
the crash and it could just have easily have been the fault of the civilian car
- perhaps he ran a red light?

The protester shrugged and said simply, "Because it's always the police's
fault." He continued by saying that the responsibility for the violence at last
month's protest also rested entirely on the shoulders of the police force.

In an attempt to change the subject, I struck up some small talk with the
protesters. Where was the protest headed, where did they live when they weren't
squatting in tents on prime real estate, what were their occupations, I asked
them. I marveled at the difference between this year's tent-dwellers and last
year's. I quickly learned that many of this year's were more like holiday-makers
than harbingers of change. Hailing from Tiberias, Haifa and even as far as
Dimona, not a single tent-dweller was actually a resident of Tel Aviv. Neither
did any of them seem to have gainful employment. Every day, they wander the
streets of Tel Aviv or hang out in their tents, spouting rhetoric about the
government over coffee and cigarettes.

We chatted about the Million Man March that was scheduled to be held that
Saturday night. One man said that if the protest didn't attract 200,000
protesters, the cause would be doomed. I told him not to hold his breath. I said
that people like me, your average Tel Aviv resident, had been turned off from
the protest because of factors such as the apparent lack of direction and the
violence that ensued at the last one.

Indeed, the protest managed to attract only a few thousand. A lack of consensus
between the protest leaders - whoever they might be - further meant that there
ended up being two marches taking place at the same time in Tel Aviv. One of
them managed to draw only a few hundred protesters. The other, lead by Daphni
Leef, garnered a few thousand more - still a far cry from last year's march. The
protest did receive the headlines the social justice activists were hoping for -
but for all the wrong reasons.

Moshe Silman, 57, set himself on fire in front of the cameras after distributing
a suicide note stating that the government "had robbed him of everything."
Needless to say, I was shocked and dismayed at this tragic turn of events. I
read many posts online, ranging from well-wishers to people who were angered by
the government's indirect responsibility for the downfall of a man who had been
drowning in debt. Others claimed that the social justice movement had become
little more than a gathering for nihilists and anarchists whose only goal was to
spark social pandemonium. But was this really the case?

Meanwhile, back at the sweltering ranch, I remembered why I joined last year's
march. How could it be that I, along with so many of my friends who have at
least one if not two university degrees, can never dream of buying an apartment
without help from some external source, such as our parents? I decided to walk
to the tent city again to see if someone there could provide me with some hope
about the social-justice movement.

When I arrived, people were yelling at each other left and right. They had just
returned from yet another march, in which protesters had chanted "We are all
Moshe Silman!" One middle-aged woman wagged her finger and decried the fact that
the property tax rate in Savyon is lower than in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel
Aviv. Another woman promised to dedicate 10 years of her life to this cause;
after all, these things take time. But after a decade, she vowed, perhaps she
too would end up like Moshe Silman.

I chatted with a physiotherapist from Hod Hasharon who afforded me a glimmer of
hope that the movement hadn't been hijacked by nihilists. I told him that I was
saddened by the direction that the movement had taken. A poster lay discarded at
my feet. It read: "Government of Israel, Housing Ministry, National Insurance:
We will not forget and we will not forgive." I told him that slogans like this,
along with the inevitable comparisons made between Silman and the Tunisian youth
who sparked the Arab Spring with his self-immolation, not only turned me off the
movement, it made me sick to the point that I wanted nothing to do with it. To
abuse Holocaust slogans or to compare Israel with brutal Arab regimes is
downright disgusting. He agreed wholeheartedly and told me that ultimately,
change has to begin on a micro level, among our family and friends. We have to
learn how to consume less and become a more active society. Too many people are
passive and choose to stay at home and be fed garbage by our TV stations instead
of going out and speaking to others.

Just then, another man joined our conversation. "That's it," he said. "There's
nothing left to do. We'll wake up tomorrow and nothing will have changed - we'll
still be in the same dungheap." I told him not to give up hope. He shook his
head.

"The only way forward now is violence. That's the only thing the government will
listen to. Dialogue has proven itself to be a failure. The only march I'm
willing to join now is one that will burn government buildings."

Sickened by what I was hearing, I said goodbye to the tent city forever. The
following morning, I read that the National Insurance Institute building in
Ramat Gan had been sprayed with graffiti that read "Price tag for Moshe Silman."
The entrance to the building had also been torched. With each word I read, my
social-justice proclivities turned to ash.

Deborah@jpost.com

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Has the movement had become little more than a gathering for nihilists
and anarchists whose only goal is to spark pandemonium? Highway One

GRAPHIC: Cartoon: (Credit: Deborah S. Danon)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

971 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Down by the river

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 1117 words

To paraphrase a well-known saying by fourth-century Italian bishop Aurelius
Ambrosius, later to be known as St. Ambrose, when in England do as your Israeli
guide does. This is a particularly good rule of thumb when the group leader in
question is a certain Danny Kerman.

Kerman is a self-confessed anglophile and probably knows more about England than
the vast majority of the English do. The man is a walking, talking and laughing
compendium of the best pubs, the prettiest villages and most colorful,
picturesque routes to take in many parts of the country, particularly in London
and along various stretches of the River Thames.

This Tuesday, Kerman will combine two of his passions - England and literature -
when he presents a talk entitled "Along the Thames in the Footsteps of English
Literature" in Tel Aviv. The lecture prefaces a tour, which will be held at the
end of August, of that green and pleasant part of the Sceptered Isle, led by
Kerman and Tali Yaron in conjunction with the Society for Protection of Nature
in Israel (SPNI) and Masa Acher Online.

For Kerman, everything starts from the written word, and he tends to embellish
the text with some appealing aesthetics. The 72-year-old has been one of the
country's leading illustrators for over half a century and has picked up a
clutch of prestigious awards in the process. But there are also some literary
efforts in his CV, including a Hebrew translation of Jerome K. Jerome's
ever-popular late 19th-century humorous account of a boat trip along the Thames,
Three Men in A Boat, with plenty of illuminating addenda written by Kerman for
the Israeli reader, several children's books and his latest work, Three Men in
Berlin.

Surprisingly, anglophile or no, Kerman says his command of English isn't all
that great. "I don't really know English very well," he says. "I am bluffing my
way." So how did he manage, for example, to translate Three Men in a Boat? "I
knew the book in the original Hebrew translation very well, and I have Victorian
friends - I mean experts on the Victorian era - in England who know everything
about the history of that time. When I tell people I know London so well, they
don't believe me, and then when I tell them I don't know English they also don't
believe me. But it's all true."

Kerman produced his first book, Holech Itcha B'London - Madrich Ishi Lemitkadmim
(With You in London - A Personal Guide for the Advanced), around 15 years ago.
It was, he says, a way of getting people off his back. "I had all sorts of
friends and other people who heard I knew London well and they'd constantly ask
for tips," he recalls. "I got fed up with it so I wrote the book so I could just
refer them to it and get a bit of peace and quiet."

But he's not just resting on his laurels. "I am now working on a new edition,"
he says. "London is not like here - in Israel everything is in a constant state
of flux - but there have still been lots of changes in London since the book
first came out, even though I relate more to the historic things, the things
that tend to change less."

Not all the transformations are to his liking. "I have an Irish friend in
London, he's married to an Israeli, who owns a pub in Fulham and he says the pub
is in a really bad way," says Kerman who confesses to enjoying a pint or two.

It seems that Londoners are replacing Guinness with espresso. "There are loads
of cafZs all over London now, not just in the traditional areas like Soho, all
sorts of fancy schmancy places. It's so sad."

Listening to Kerman's stories, peppered with colorful anecdotes, one might get
the impression that he was practically born on a plane. In fact it took him
quite a while to pack his bags and start traveling. "I didn't go abroad until I
was 30," he says. "I had lots of friends who'd traveled all over but I didn't
know any English."

When he eventually got his skates on, Britain was his first port of call and
became his first offshore love. "When I saw London for the first time, I was
smitten."

He also knew a thing or two about the British capital, again thanks to his love
of literature. "When I was growing up in Israel we were lucky to have wonderful
translations of books written in other languages," he explains. "For example, I
read everything by Dickens which came out in Hebrew. I call it 'homo eclecticus'
- we read everything we could get our hands on," he laughs.

Mind you, his less-than-perfect English meant there were some gaps in his
impressive literary spread. "I have friends in England who challenge me on, say,
[Dickens's first novel] The Pickwick Papers; no one can beat me on that. But
then they say 'what about [later Dickens novel] Bleak House,' and I say 'I don't
know it because it never came out in Hebrew.' The truth is I can read books in
English, but only after I have got to know them well in Hebrew."

Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of intrepid sleuth Sherlock Holmes are also up there
in Kerman's Victorian literary hit parade.

Unsurprisingly, his Tel Aviv apartment is packed with hundreds of books in
Hebrew and English. One weighty, blue-backed tome catches my eye. "That's a
hard-backed edition of Punch [satirical] magazine from the 19th century," says
Kerman with a gleam in his eye, and sets off on another anecdotal aside. "You
know, the Germans were better at illustrations than the English back then, but
the English had some geniuses, like [Winnie-the-Pooh] illustrator [E.H.]
Shepard," he proffers. "By the way, Winnie-the-Pooh started out as a serialized
story for adults in Punch, with wonderful illustrations by Shepard, and only
later became a children's story."

People who are considering joining Kerman's trip along the Thames have been
advised to ensure they are as well-versed as possible in a number of
quintessentially English books. In addition to Three Men in a Boat, the reading
list includes Kenneth Grahame's early 20th-century classic The Wind in the
Willows, which is based in the Thames Valley, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in
Wonderland, which came out in 1865 - all staples of the Victorian and
post-Victorian literary world.

One could imagine that Kerman would have been happier to be have been born in
some picturesque Thameside village, such as Cookham, where he says he knows
every pub intimately, than in Tel Aviv. But he says he is glad he is an outsider
and does not rue his shortcomings in the English language at all.

"You know, people who come from elsewhere generally know more than the locals,"
he observes. "All this, my great love of England comes from my 'handicap' in
English. It's as if I always have to prove I am more English than the English."

For more information about Danny Kerman's lecture and tour of the River Thames:
(03) 752-7777.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Danny Kerman has combined two of his passions - England and literature -
in a lecture and literary tour

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: Danny Kerman doesn't let a little thing like poor English get
in the way of leading a tour of London. The River Thames. 'When I saw London for
the first time, I was smitten,' Kerman says. (Credit: Aviva Even Zohar; Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

972 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A tale of two orientations

BYLINE: BARRY DAVIS

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 1053 words

This year for the first time in its 26-year history, the Red Sea Jazz Festival
program has been overseen by two artistic directors - Eli Degibri and Dubi Lenz.
Perhaps, then, it comes as no surprise to discover that the lineup of this
year's four-dayer, which kicks off on July 30, is very much a tale of two
musical orientations.

While 34-year-old saxophonist Degibri is a well-respected veteran of the
international jazz scene, with collaborations with such celebrated jazz
performers as pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Al Foster under his belt,
65-year-old Lenz is better known as a senior member of the global world music
scene, the latter's role as artistic director of the winter edition of the Red
Sea Jazz Festival notwithstanding.

The 20 acts lined up for the Port of Eilat later this month include a dozen jazz
bands and eight shows that either touch on the periphery of the genre or are way
beyond the jazz pale.

Jazz fans who prefer their music on the more envelope-pushing side will be
excited by the inclusion of American pianist Geri Allen on the Eilat roster.
Allen, who played at the 2006 Jerusalem Jazz Festival, has been one of the
brightest stars in the forward-looking sector of the jazz firmament for some
years now, putting out several critically acclaimed albums and collaborating
with the likes of bassists Charlie Haden and Ron Carter, and saxophonists
Charles Lloyd - with whom she appeared in Eilat in 2004 - and Ornette Coleman.
Allen was also behind the piano keys as part of an all-woman quartet that played
in Eilat four years ago.

Bassist Christian McBride (cover photo), is another Eilat returnee - he played
here 12 years ago with guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Benny Green - as
leader of a trio that includes Christian Sands on piano and Ulysses Owens on
drums. The 40-year-old Grammy Award winner McBride has spread his artistic net
far and wide over the last two-plus decades, recording and performing with
leading jazz figures such as reedman Sonny Rollins and trumpeter Freddie
Hubbard, as well as top pop acts Sting, Carly Simon and Don Henley and seasoned
rapper Queen Latifah.

Other jazz imports at the Eilat bash include trumpeter Sean Jones and
saxophonist Kenny Garrett, while Craig Adams will infuse the proceedings with a
high-energy gospel program.

The artistic directors have also provided a generous number of berths for
homegrown talent, including Israeli artists who have been plying their trade
abroad for some years. This year's festival sees a long overdue Eilat debut by
guitarist Gilad Hekselman, who has been making waves for some time from his base
in New York. Hekselman is coming here with a top-class quartet, featuring
stellar saxophonist Mark Turner, longtime colleague drummer Marcus Gilmore and
bassist Matt Brewer, who replaces Joe Martin, who is unable to make the Eilat
date. The Hekselman gigs, on July 31 and August 1, will feature material from
his well-received third release, Hearts Wide Open, as well as cuts from his
previous CDs and numbers from his forthcoming fourth album.

Bassist Omar Avital's performances are always popular here, and his Eilat
concerts on the last two days of the festival will surely pack 'em in. Avital
has been based in New York for much of the last 20 years and has become a
mainstay of the Smalls jazz club scene in Greenwich Village, as well as touring
around the world. For his Eilat gigs, Avital joins forces with longtime
colleagues pianist Aaron Goldberg and drummer Ali Jackson as the Yes! trio.

Another intriguing Israeli slot at the festival is occupied by bassist Daniel
Ori, who has in the US since 2006. Ori's group in Eilat includes stellar
Germany-based Israeli pianist Omer Klein, New York-based drummer Aviv Cohen,
guitarist Jonathan Albalak and saxophonist Matan Chapnizka.

Veteran saxophonist Yuval Cohen, best known as a member of the 3 Cohens act
along with siblings saxophonist-clarinetist Anat and trumpeter Avishai, will be
in Eilat with his septet.

This year's festival will also showcase two of our younger stars - 16-year-old
pianist Gadi Lehavi, who will join forces with pianist Eden Ladin, who is his
senior by eight years, and pianist Tomer Bar who, at 18, has already released
several CDs and features regularly at many major local musical events. Bar will
be joined by fellow teenagers bassist Uri Kutner and drummer Ofri Nehemia.

At the other end of the age and experience spectrum, this year's festival
provides the long-awaited return of 80-year-old South African-born clarinetist
Harold Rubin, who will reunite with the other members of the Zaviyot band,
bassist Mark Smulian and drummer Reuben Hoch. They will be joined by young
Israeli guitarist Arli Liberman, who has been working from his New Zealand base
for several years.

Meanwhile, music fans looking to soak up some of the vibes in Eilat but prefer
to get their musical kicks from less improvisational sources can groove to a
wide range of energies and artistic sentiments, from Israeli-Brazilian
percussionist-vocalist Joca Perpignan to Iraqi-infused rocker Dudu Tassa, and
from Cameroon-born guitarist-vocalist Richard Bona's mellifluous West African
riffs to fellow West African Cape Verdean singer-guitarist-keyboardist Carmen
Souza's world music quartet.

Elsewhere on the non-jazz side of the program there is bluesy Ladino-oriented
singer-pianist Ruth Dolores Weiss, clarinetist-saxophonist Harel Shachal and his
Middle Eastern-Mediterranean eight-piece outfit, pop singer Karen Malka and the
Gallic confluence of vocalist-percussionist Andre Minvielle, accordion player
Lionel Suarez and drummer-cellist Pierre-Francois Dufour who, according to the
festival website, will offer a taste of "chanson and tango through rock, hip hop
and rap and even some reggae vibes in a welcoming jazz experience."

The festival organizers have also noted the contribution of some of the founding
fathers of Israeli jazz by renaming the concert areas of the port in a salute to
saxophonist-clarinetist Albert Piamenta, drummer Areleh Kaminsky and festival
founder and pianist Danny Gottfried.

McBride, Adams, Hekselman, Goldberg, Allen and Rubin will also be on hand to
present master classes over the four days, and there will be jam sessions
through the night.

For tickets and more information: (08) 634-0253 and www.redseajazzeilat.com

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: This year's Red Sea Jazz Festival strikes a balance between international
jazz and world music

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: West African riffs: Richard Bona. Veteran saxophonist Eli
Degibri, co-directs this year's festival with Dubi Lenz. (Credit: Ingrid
Hertfelder. Orit Pnini)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

973 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The royal treatment

BYLINE: GLORIA DEUTSCH

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 77

LENGTH: 663 words

At the King Solomon Restaurant in the Tel Aviv Hilton, you could imagine you
were in that magical world of Hutz la'aretz - abroad. Soft, kind lighting,
golden damask tablecloths, a rich carpet underfoot; waiters who don't try to be
your new best friend; quiet surroundings and an English menu with no errors.

Sitting down to a taste of the new menu that was launched on July 1 one evening,
we felt we were in for a memorable meal, and indeed it was. Perusing the
aforementioned perfect menu, it was difficult to choose, as there were so many
starters and main courses on offer. Luckily, the ma"tre d' suggested we sample
small portions of several, as well as our main choices.

While we were trying to choose a wine from the extensive wine list of
all-Israeli wines, two tiny amuse-bouches arrived at the table - a sample of the
pate de foie gras with homemade walnut bread, a yummy foretaste of what was to
come.

We also had three dips for the crusty whole grain rolls - fruity olive oil with
a slash of balsamic vinegar, creamy homemade tehina and a rich tomato tapenade.

One of the major innovations this summer at the Hilton is the return of blue-fin
tuna, which is served as the first course, tuna tataki. The food and beverage
manager, Vered, came over to explain that they had stopped serving tuna for a
time, as they thought it was going to be extinct, but the dish is now
reinstated.

The dish (NIS 47.50) consists of slices of seared but rare tuna with cellophane
noodles, pickled carrot and a garlic and wasabi sauce. The combination of
tastes, colors and textures made for a perfect starter.

My companion had the escalope of foie gras (NIS 105), a large piece of chunky
p%otZ, crumbed and deep fried, which came with cinnamon and orange churros, a
delicious orange-flavored crispy sweet meat, all this served on a bed of pureed
smoked pumpkin. It was all melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

We were also served a single duck-filled ravioli that looked like a flying
saucer, served with a sweet black raisin sauce.

My official starter was ceviche of minted sea bream and diced salad (NIS 52). It
was absolutely fresh and a very pretty dish, decorated with a red micro leaf of
basil and avocado sauce. In fact, top marks for presentation of all the dishes.

We also tried a coffee cup thimble of the green onion soup (NIS 27.50), which
was good but probably more welcome on a cold winter's day.

For the main course, my companion chose the lamb chops - four meaty and
succulent pieces set in a ring of mushrooms and courgettes.(NIS 209). It came
with a latke-like potato rosti full of onion - crispy outside and soft within as
it should be.

I had the Cornish hen (NIS 105), which was tasty but quite conventional,
although I loved the accompanying grilled vegetables, especially the skinned
tomato. We shared a chef's salad (NIS 46), which contained fennel, beet and
roasted apple slices and was quite unusual.

Other main course choices are the vegetarian one - semolina dumplings stuffed
with pumpkin, tomato sauce and green peas (NIS 66.50) - grouper (NIS 71) and
fillet of red snapper (NIS 185). These are new additions to the menu; as well as
all kinds of grilled steaks.

The wine to accompany this sumptuous meal was a half-bottle of Golan Gamla
Cabernet Sauvignon (NIS 165), which complements everything - a wine that is all
things to all food.

Forcing ourselves to sample dessert in the name of journalistic integrity, we
tried the chocolate trio (NIS 52), a very aesthetic collection of mercifully
small mousses and marquises. We were brought a selection of petits fours (NIS
38). Some of these dainty almond biscuits were a rather off-putting shade of
green, but that is a nit-picking complaint - they tasted good.

We got up and staggered into the night with full stomachs, great memories and
idiotic smiles on our faces. Compliments to executive chef Avigdor Brueh on a
job very well done.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

King Solomon Restaurant, Kosher

Tel Aviv Hilton, Tel Aviv

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dining. The King Solomon Restaurant at the Tel Aviv Hilton has launched a
memorable new menu

GRAPHIC: 2 photos:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

974 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The maestros's voice

BYLINE: MAXIM REIDER

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 741 words

The 2012-2013 season program of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra features an
impressive mixture of the IPO's old friends and new, all of them well-known
names in the classical music world.

Among the conductors who will take their place on the podium are Christoph von
Dohnanyi, Kurt Masur, Gianandrea Noseda, Gustavo Dudamel, Kirill Petrenko, David
Robertson, Vladimir Jurowski, Christoph Eschenbach, Semyon Bychkov, as well as
soloists/conductors Pinchas Zukerman, Murray Perahia and Andras Schiff.

The list of soloists is no less impressive and includes such names as pianists
Yuja Wang, Denis Matsuev, Kun Woo Paik, violinists Joshua Bell, Nikolaj Znaider,
Julian Rachlin, Janine Jansen, Ray Chen, Itamar Zorman and Michael Barenboim,
cellist Boris Andrianov and sitar player Anoushka Shankar.

The musical director of the orchestra, maestro Zubin Mehta, returns to the IPO
to lead many captivating concerts during its 77th season. Under his baton, the
orchestra will open the season with a series of concerts with pianist Yuja Wang,
who will perform concerti by Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn. Mehta will
also lead the closing series, which will feature concert performances of popular
operas by Verdi, such as Falstaff and Othello.

Next March, the IPO plans to return to its home, Heichal Hatarbut in Tel Aviv,
which is due to open after a period of renovations.

"We are looking forward to going back to our refurbished hall, and I know there
will be better acoustics," says Mehta in an interview with The Jerusalem Post.
"I was there already. It is still unfinished, but it is going in the right
direction. The ceiling above the stage is higher. That's my victory," he adds
with a smile. "The ceiling was too low, constricting the sound and, as a result,
the sound was of low quality."

While the IPO's list of outstanding conductors and soloists would make any music
capital in the world proud, its programs are quite conservative and do not
really speak to that segment of the audience that is looking for an exciting
experience of the here and now and not simply the pleasure of hearing yet
another performance of well-known classics.

So why is the programming so conservative? Where are new pieces, written less
than 100 years ago, that relate to the spirit of our time?

"I agree with you," says Mehta. "The reason is that our audience hates it. And
the organizers of the orchestra - my colleagues and friends - are afraid,
because we live on tickets sales. We do play modern pieces, but absolutely not
enough."

What could be done to educate the audience?

"You can educate the public by playing more and more contemporary music, till
they trust us. This is what we do at the New York Philharmonic: We play a lot of
modern music, and although not everybody likes it, people trust us because we do
it for their and the composers' future. We do not do that enough here."

How does he see the future of the IPO and are there any things he would like to
develop or change?

"With the Israel Philharmonic, we must play Wagner, that's for sure," says
Mehta. "We need to get better instruments. We need to give commissions to young
composers."

How does Mehta feel about spending so many years with the same orchestra?

"Granted, I do not spend 12 months a year with the IPO, but being its music
director for 43 years, that is already something. I hired all the members of the
orchestra, everyone of them - a thing that never happened before!"

So would it be safe to say that as a musician, he grew together with the
orchestra?

"Yes, definitely. We've learned a lot of repertoire together; for example,
Mahler's later symphonies among other pieces, and a lot of operas."

How does Mehta choose new soloists and conductors to perform with the IPO? For
example, this year violinist Michael Barenboim will play with the IPO, and it is
clear that the reason is not that he is the son of the maestro's lifelong friend
Daniel Barenboim.

"I heard him playing Schoenberg's concerto at La Scala and I said, 'You have to
come and perform it in Israel.' I listen, I get word of mouth, and they also
send me their recordings."

Mehta adds that the Israeli government does not support the IPO enough
financially. "It must support us more, instead of cutting our budget. I know
they have problems, but culture does not cost that much money. The percentage of
culture in Israel's budget is nothing; and to increase it, which would help us a
lot, is also nothing. So do it!" he urges.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Iconic musical director Zubin Mehta talks candidly about the IPO's
upcoming season

GRAPHIC: Photo: Zubin Mehta (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

975 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Kolben choreographs 'Kme'hin'

BYLINE: ORI J. LENKINSKI

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 649 words

When we think about luxury and excess, food is often part of the picture.
Champagne, caviar, certain fancy and rare spices and truffles all symbolize the
good life. In recent months, in Israel as well as abroad, these indulgences have
become limited to an increasingly smaller segment of the population. As the cost
of living rises and employment opportunities decline, food prices have come to
represent all that is unfair, unjust and unbalanced in society.

This notion of the disparity between rich and poor is what propelled
choreographer Amir Kolben throughout the creative process of his newest work,
which will premiere next week at the Suzanne Dellal Center. Entitled Kme'hin
(Truffles), the piece is set around a large table.

"With the current protests, food has become an even more highly charged
subject," Kolben said at a recent presentation leading up to the premiere. "Not
everyone has bread on the table. When I thought about the kind of food only some
can afford, I immediately thought about truffles. Only a small group of
fortunate individuals can really allow themselves to enjoy a dish that is made
with this fine product."

Once Kolben began exploring food, the practices and traditions surrounding food
quickly tumbled onto the drawing board. In the piece, Kolben uses stillness
around the table to visually evoke The Last Supper by Da Vinci, perhaps the most
famous repast in history. "It's impossible to portray food and meals without
eventually drawing on Da Vinci," said Kolben.

His musical choices reflect holiday meals, during which families gather around
the table to break bread. There is a recurring reference to the Passover story,
with one scene set to Chava Alberstein's rendition of "Chad Gadya."

"Well, we all know that the Last Supper was in fact a Passover Seder," Kolben
explained. However, Kolben's Seder takes place somewhere long ago and far away.
"They will be wearing evening wear - gowns and suits, I mean. There is a sense
that this event is happening in Europe. It is a sort of gala," he explained.

Kolben and his cast of eight dancers spent eight months developing Kme'hin. As
in most of his works, Kolben uses text at various points during the piece. One
dancer hungrily chomps on a shiny red apple as the rest of the cast shouts out
the names of the Ten Plagues. Between moments of theatrics, there is more than a
fair share of strong partnering work. As a choreographer, Kolben is a fan of
lifts and gravity-defying movement. His dancers seem to effortlessly swing each
other through the air, thrusting one another to the floor and back up again.

This season, the Kolben Dance Company is celebrating 16 years of activity. At
the time that the company was established, it stood alone as the only troupe of
its kind in Jerusalem. Now Kolben shares the Gerard Behar Center with the
Vertigo Dance Company, whose studio is directly below KDC's. A wealth of young
choreographers have recently named Jerusalem their home, and the Mahol Shalem
House has become a hub for local dance makers. While the company has experienced
ups and downs over the past few years, Kolben has remained a unique voice in the
local dance community.

Kme'hin offers glimpses of the types of choreographies with which Kolben first
made a name for himself. This is no doubt due to the strong cast of both
Israelis and foreigners that Kolben has had at his fingertips this season. Each
of his skilled dancers is highlighted in material that appears to have been
created in collaboration.

Dancer Stav Dror particularly drew focus during Kolben's pre-premiere
presentation. With featured roles in many sections, Dror is lithe, articulate
and charismatic. She manages to express emotion without turning to melodrama and
is a welcome surprise to behold in Kme'hin.

Kme'hin will premiere at the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv on July 23. For
more information, visit www.suzannedellal.org.il.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Food - and the lack of it - is the central theme of the dance company's
latest creation

GRAPHIC: Photo: FOOD HAS BECOME A charged subject. (Credit: Kfir Bolutin)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

976 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

A worthwhile venture

BYLINE: YONI COHEN

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 78

LENGTH: 715 words

Living in the center of Tel Aviv for the past two years, I have become spoiled
by the great selection of restaurants available on my doorstep. So when I was
invited to head out of my comfort zone into the deepest, darkest suburbs of
Yehud to check out local restaurant Lehem Yayin (Bread and Wine), I was a little
dubious. At first I didn't quite see the point of heading all the way out there
when I had so many great places to choose from within walking distance. Once I
realized that it wasn't such a big deal and I should venture out of the bubble
that is Tel Aviv, I asked my dad if he wanted to join me, mainly because he has
a car and would be able to get me to Yehud without my having to deal with public
transportation.

Lehem Yayin, somewhat of an institution in the Bakat Ono area, recently
celebrated its bar mitzva after being in operation for 13 years. The somewhat
dull exterior and the location beneath a suburban medical center was a bit of a
turn-off initially, but once we stepped inside the restaurant, we could have
been inside any one of Tel Aviv's trendy establishments. The smell of fresh
bread and the exposed brick walls give the place a rustic feel, while the low
lighting adds a touch of class.

Our waiter was very attentive and seemed to know what he was doing, even though
he did seem a bit nervous at times. He gave us some tastings from the special
summer wine menu, and in the end I went for rose and my dad went for a
GewYrztraminer.

To start with, I had the salmon carpaccio (NIS 27), which was simple yet
elegant. The small pieces of freshly toasted bread went well with the generous
helping of thinly cut cured salmon.

My dad had the tomato gazpacho (NIS 27), a good choice, considering the soaring
temperatures outside. This refreshing dish was perfect for a sticky summer's
evening. The cold soup was served with a selection of chopped vegetables and
croutons on the side, to be mixed in, and added some crunch to the otherwise
smooth texture.

We also tried the corn schnitzel (NIS 29), which forms part of their summer
schnitzel menu. While it was tasty enough, there was nothing that made the dish
stand out.

For the main course, we both went for meat. I decided to take the fillet steak,
served with creamy mushroom sauce and roast potatoes (NIS 114). The entire dish
was served in a hot black pan, and while this added to the visual appeal of the
dish, it also served a very practical role in that it kept the food warm for a
long time. The meat itself was good quality and perfectly cooked. But what
really stole the show was the creamy mushroom sauce. The roast potatoes on the
side were also not too bad at all and were a great tool to soak up all of the
sauce at the end.

My dad went for the rocket steak (NIS 89). Although it wasn't as good as the
fillet, it was still tasty enough. The thin strips of meat were well seasoned,
and the baked potato gave it a homely feel. However, the excess of rocket leaves
on the plate with no dressing didn't do this dish any favors.

As per usual, after all the wonderful food, we didn't have too much room for
dessert; but when presented with the great selection, we just couldn't resist.
In keeping with the summer schnitzel menu, there was a deep-fried chocolate dish
dubbed "chocopie" (NIS 28), which I just had to try. It was very rich, and the
fact that it was wrapped in a sweet batter and deep fried only added to the
intensity. But for a chocolate lover such as myself, it hit the spot.

My dad went for the apple tart tatin (NIS 34), which was fresh and had all the
right components for a great dessert.

One of the main advantages of venturing out of the bubble of Tel Aviv is that
the prices are significantly lower, and the whole experience becomes much better
value for money. I did think to myself a few times during the evening that if I
overlooked where I actually was, I could well be in a lively restaurant on one
of Tel Aviv's main streets, while not paying a premium for it. Therefore, Lehem
Yayin is great for those that don't want to have to deal with the stresses of
the big city, such as worrying about finding parking, but still want to enjoy a
sophisticated evening with good food.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Lehem Yayin

4 Derech Horesh

Not kosher

Kiryat Savyonim, Yehud

(03) 632-1793

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dining. Lehem Yayin in Yehud has good food at great prices

GRAPHIC: Photo: (Credit: Boaz Lavie)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

977 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The Oscar Wilde of rock

BYLINE: DAVID BRINN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 519 words

What I remember most about Morrissey's concert in Tel Aviv in 2008 wasn't the
whole crowd ecstatically singing along to lines like "If a double-decker bus
crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die" or the
generous set list, varied between the storied classics of his prototype
post-punk pioneers The Smiths and his much longer and diverse solo career. What
I remember is that his backing band, consisting of young American players, wore
T-shirts and shorts looking like they had been rejected for the John Travolta
and Samuel L. Jackson diner scene in Pulp Fiction - an arch contrast to the
fashion plate front man who made numerous shirt changes that allowed him to bare
his toned torso to the crowd. Maybe they lost their luggage upon arriving in the
country and had to buy some quick souvenir replacements in their hotel gift
shop, I don't know. But it always left an odd memory of something that didn't
quite fit together, much like the way that Morrissey's entire public persona has
been a little off kilter.

Labeled by the BBC as "one of the most influential figures in the history of
British pop" and by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest rock singers of all
time, Morrissey has uniquely made moroseness and loneliness seem desirable
throughout his almost-30 years as a recording artist and performer. With a
cutting wit, a journalist's eye, a suitcase full of hang-ups and the ability to
make bleak seem funny, he's been called the "Oscar Wilde of rock" and "the
greatest-ever lyricist of desire that has ever moaned."

When the articulate "big mouth" brings his pompadour back to Israel this weekend
for his July 21 show at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds, it could be a swan
song. According to rumors that the 53-year-old Steven Patrick Morrissey from
Manchester has perpetuated himself in recent interviews, he plans to retire at
55, after "aging a lot recently." If that's the case, this could be the last
time for fans, who are some of the most dedicated and rabid around, to see their
hero in the flesh before he sets out to his own self-defined pasture.

According to one scenario, a 33-date tour later this year in the US following
his current European run will mark the end of the performance road for the
singer. If so, he'll leave behind a formidable legacy that's crowned by his
1980s work with The Smiths and his songwriting partnership with guitarist Johnny
Marr, the Lennon and McCartney of the decade. Since parting ways with Marr in
1988, Morrissey has released nine albums, most recently 2009's Years of Refusal,
while adding to his reputation rock's most potent iconoclast.

As of four years ago, he still created a formidable presence onstage, and though
he occasionally misfired reaching the high notes, his vocals were in fine form,
and his music as theater ethos was in full throttle. Whether there's been a
noticeable decline since will only be judged by his fans, but they'll be so busy
singing along to the lyrics that they all know by heart, that Morrissey will get
a free pass in any event. Let's just hope his band members have finally found
their stage clothes.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Legendary British singer and lyricist 'big mouth' Morrissey strikes for
maybe the last time

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

978 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

On your mark, get set.....

BYLINE: GIL KARPAS

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 748 words

LONDON - When the Summer Olympics were last held in London in 1948, a post-war
impoverished Europe came together in the British capital after having had two
scheduled games canceled by war. Due to the economic climate and the post-war
rationing these games were dubbed the "Austerity games." Yet despite the
ravaging effects of almost a decade of conflict, 59 nations turned up to be
represented. The opening ceremony involved 85,000 spectators crammed into
Wembley Stadium with army bands, a royal address and 2,500 pigeons.

This year, things have come a long way as the games return to London. In Beijing
in 2008, the world marveled at the sheer scale of the production, the number of
choreographed participants and the grand scale of the fireworks display. The
British have taken up the challenge and engaged one of their greatest film
directors as the visionary for the opening pageant, Danny Boyle.

The stadium will be transformed into a vision of "a green and pleasant land,"
which is a very symbolic lyric taken from, what is considered Britain's most
resonant hymn, "Jerusalem," by poet William Blake. To bring this vision to life,
10,000 volunteers have been working on the show, which will be on a set that
will feature meadows, fields and rivers, farmers working the land, families
having picnics, and sports being played on the village green. This rural idyll
will feature real farmyard animals grazing in this "countryside." While this may
have been the image people would have instantly expected of Britain back in
1948, Boyle has sought to bring this sense of rural British identity to the
21st-century global stage.

With one billion people worldwide expected to watch the opening ceremony, not
only will all eyes be on the participants, but all ears will also be on the
broadcasters to deliver and represent the games to the people.

In an interview with Dave Gordon, head of Olympics for BBC Sport, he talks about
how they had been involved in the planning and delivery of the games as the host
country's domestic broadcaster.

How long has the broadcasting been in the planning?

I started working on the idea of a London Olympics at the end of 2003. At the
time there was the idea to bid for the games, and the planners came to the BBC
for some advice. So when the envelope was opened and the news was announced,
that got us thinking about the ideas we might bring to London.

With so many different events and athletes, what are the main challenges to
providing the same level of excellence in delivery as the participants do in
their performance?

The host broadcaster is OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services), which is part of
the IOC. They provide the core coverage of all the sport, while our job is to
provide coverage that befits a British audience. The technology now enables us
to actually deliver every sport to our audience via the online environment and
through the on-demand interactive broadcasting. The audience can watch what they
want, when they want.

As head of Olympics, BBC Sport, what is the most satisfying aspect of the job?

I will only be satisfied if the public perception is that the BBC did the
British public and the Olympics proud. There is no sense of self-satisfaction.
We are just going to do our damnedest to do the best job we can to serve all our
audiences.

What does sports mean to you?

I'm a great believer in the emotion of sports, and that's what will resonate
with our audience. It's the great stories of people who have triumphed over
adversity and about remarkable human beings, and I think that's what we will
celebrate and that's what I feel our audiences will want to celebrate, too.

What do feel is different about your coverage than that of the Beijing Olympics?

I think it's the breadth of the offer. We are offering every session of every
sport, every day. If you want to watch six hockey matches a day, then you can
watch just that. Our strapline for the games is "Never miss a moment."And due to
the technology on offer, this is the first Olympic Games that we've been
actually able to say that.

What's your next project after the Olympics?

This is my 10th summer Olympics, and I'm actually leaving the BBC after 40 years
at the end of the year. I think the time is right. I'm not sure what I'm going
to do next, but I'm open to offers.

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London will begin on Friday, July
27.

Channel 1 will broadcast the opening ceremony live at 11 p.m. The closing
ceremony will be broadcated on August 12 at 11 p.m.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: London Olympics 2012: 'Never miss a moment' - any sport on demand, every
day

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: Dave Gordon, head of Olympics for BBC Sport. The Israeli team
olf Broadcasters for channel 1. (Credit: Todd Antony, BBC. Raffi Deloya)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

979 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

The haredi boys in the 'hood

BYLINE: HANNAH BROWN

SECTION: ARTS; Pg. 23

LENGTH: 706 words

God's Neighbors

Written and directed

by Meni Yaesh.

Hebrew title: Ha Mashgihim.

Running time: 98 minutes.

In Hebrew. Check with theaters for subtitle information.

In God's Neighbors, Meni Yaesh has managed to make a film that is both engaging
and disturbing on an unlikely subject: a group of newly religious young men who
make sure that religious law is observed in their Bat Yam neighborhood. The
three use any means necessary to get their way - for them, it is God's way -
including threats, intimidation and, especially, violence. We hear about people
like these toughs every day, and some of us may even have to avoid certain
streets because of them. But the feat Yaesh pulls off here - and it's a
difficult one - is to get us to see the world through the eyes of one of these
young men, Avi (Roy Assaf). As we get to know him and like him, we begin to see
how isolated he is, in spite of all the hours he spends with his buddies. We
begin to root for him to find the redemption he is searching for and which, the
director suggests, he can only find if he becomes more tolerant and less angry.

Avi is in his 20s or early 30s, single and lives with his widowed father, with
whom he runs a fruit and vegetable stand. His father is traditional, but Avi's
fervent embrace of Breslov Hassidism has nothing to do with the way he was
raised. Avi spends his evenings creating Hassidic trance music and hanging out
with his like-minded friends, Kobi (Gal Friedman) and Yaniv (Itzik Golan). While
each of these men on his own is awkward, confused and endearingly devoted to his
faith, when the three of them are together, they incite each other into a
righteous rage that is virtually murderous. At times, you can see the logic
behind their actions. For example, when they ask a thuggish group of Russian
teens blasting music from their car on a Friday evening to quiet down. But when
they get into a brawl and nearly kill the teens, you realize how disturbed they
are.

They try to channel their energy into spiritual study, led by an American rabbi,
but the level of the study is absurdly shallow and, in any case, they are like
hyperactive kids who can barely focus on a text. Although we don't get their
complete life stories, we sense that they have been drawn into their faith
because of some darkness in their pasts, but the faith gives them only so much.
The violence and control of policing the neighborhood satisfies deeper needs for
them.

When a new girl, Miri (Rotem Zisman Cohen), whom Kobi thinks is showing too much
skin, moves into the neighborhood, it creates a predictable rift in the group.
Avi, who is more socially adept than his buddies, begins falling for her, while
Kobi, more threatened by her sexuality, wants to scare her away.

While at times Avi seems implausibly mature and sensible, on the whole the
script is believable and entertaining throughout. It isn't easy to make these
characters palatable, but Yaesh has a flair for dialogue and a great sense of
humor, which helps enormously. There is a particularly funny scene in which Avi
and Kobi compare which of their communities - Avi is Turkish and Kobi, Moroccan
- has more distinguished members and more annoying ones. I wonder how this will
go over with foreign audiences: It depends on details, such as knowing who Tali
Fahima is.

The other outstanding element is the acting. Roy Assaf, whom I have seen before
but who didn't stand out in the past, becomes a star with this performance. He
is on screen almost every second and makes each moment count. Rotem Zisman Cohen
is lovely as the woman who makes him question his world view. And, in the role
of Kobi, Gal Friedman, who is also a writer, is amazing. You can see the crazy
energy threatening to burst forth from this character at every second, as well
as the resentment that lurks behind his affable, goofy facade. He and Assaf work
well together, and it's easy to see how these characters bring out the best and
worst in each other.

God's Neighbors will most likely stir up controversy. Some will feel it is too
flattering toward its zealots, while others won't think it is critical enough.
But for anyone more interested in a compelling film than a religious or
political diatribe, God's Neighbors is worth seeing.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Movie Review. These neighbors are scary but worth getting to know

GRAPHIC: Photo:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

980 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Dinner and a movie

BYLINE: AMANDA SCHER

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 79

LENGTH: 570 words

When it comes to ordering a bottle of wine in a restaurant, even those who know
about wine can benefit from a sommelier's advice. Sommelier is the French term
for "cellar master" or "wine steward." He has tasted the items on the wine list
and knows all the fancy names and technical data. But being a good sommelier
isn't just about knowing every wine producer and vintage in the universe. It's
about pairing wine with food. In Israel, you're not likely to meet a sommelier
unless you're at an upscale restaurant, so it came as a pleasant surprise to
find one at Traklin, one of the many trendy eateries in Tel Aviv's Nahlat
Binyamin neighborhood.

Co-owner and sommelier Yossi Ben-Udis aims to bring wine "without the snob value
that surrounds it," which is an admirable goal. The extensive wine list is made
up of wines from small local boutique wineries and is hand-picked by Ben-Udis

Wine aside, Traklin was recently included on the top 100 most unusual
restaurants in the world list thanks to its very romantic and unique "Meals from
the movies" nights. During each session, Ben-Udis screens clips of food from
well-known movies and serves each couple with that dish. Being both film and
food buffs, my dining partner and I knew we were in for a treat.

The 11-meal course started off with a scene from Julie and Julia. This 2009 hit
movie starred Meryl Streep and revolved around Julia Childs's experiences in
France, so naturally we were presented with a country French onion soup. The
clear broth rich with caramelized onions was delicious. This was followed by a
clip from the 2001 romantic comedy Martha's Kitchen. We were presented with beef
carpaccio accompanied by roasted vegetable antipasti. The meat was tender,
delicately flavored and prepared with love, This was followed by a chicken liver
pate that was very rich and creamy, served with an onion confiture. Next up was
a scene from The Mistress of Spices, which starred Dylan Mcdermott who falls for
a beautiful Indian woman . This led to a serving of chicken curry in coconut. It
was very tender, rich and full of superb flavors, and came with nutty basmati
rice.

So far we were the pleased recipients of an array of delicious and, dare I say
it, enticing cuisine, with each course accompanied by a wine of Ben-Udis's
choosing.

Being a Pixar fan, I gave a little yelp of joy as the next clip was from the
delightful animated film Ratatouille. We were presented with slices of entrecote
with ratatouille vegetables, of course. This was followed by grilled chunks of
sirloin mixed in a rocket salad with roast potatoes.

The final clip of the evening came from the deliciously decadent Chocolat. When
dessert was brought out, I wanted to politely decline. It looked fabulous, but I
didn't want anything to interfere with the myriad of flavors that I had just
experienced. Thankfully, my dining partner was game, so we had some fruit sorbet
and Belgian chocolate mousse.

For the everyman looking for a classy and unique night out, Traklin's "Meals
from the movies" is a solid choice. The food is high-end ordinary fare, served
with style. Don't expect adventure or exotic foods you haven't tried before. But
do expect food you know, and expect it to taste great. And expect to impress
your date.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Traklin

Not kosher

41 Nahlat Binyamin, Tel Aviv

(03) 566-0013

"Meals from the movies" costs NIS 185 per person. Booking is advised.

LOAD-DATE: August 1, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Dining. The innovative food and film evening at Traklin is well worth the
price of admission

GRAPHIC: 3 photos:

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

981 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 20, 2012 Friday

Correction

BYLINE: In Jerusalem staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 28 words

Correction

In the article "Laying new foundations" (July 6), the president of the Avi Chai
Foundation trustees is Eli Silver and Avi Chai's late founder is Zalman
Bernstein.

LOAD-DATE: July 31, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

982 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Ariel university decision doesn't provoke international condemnation

BYLINE: HERB KEINON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 214 words

Tuesday's decision to upgrade the status of the Ariel college to that of a
university did not evoke international condemnation on Wednesday, even though
some warned of a wave of protests because the school is located in a settlement.

One Foreign Ministry official said that no governmental condemnation was
registered in any of the major capitals around the world about the matter.

One reason given for the silence - despite the fact that condemnations are
routinely issued in various capitals where there is any announcement of building
or plans to build beyond the Green Line - is that while the status of the Ariel
University Center might change, nothing is changing on the ground.

According to this reasoning, were the school to announce plans to build a number
of new dormitories to absorb an influx of new students, then the world reaction
would be different.

Instead, this is largely seen abroad as an internal Israeli matter, though one
with obvious symbolism, as it's the first such institution over the Green Line.

One senior US official, when asked about the matter, said he did not know how to
respond, because he was not sure of the decision's real significance.

The Council for Higher Education in Judea and Samaria voted Tuesday to grant
full university status to the school.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

983 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Cracks in the foundation

BYLINE: DOUGLAS BLOOMFIELD

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 1024 words

Several recent developments threaten to erode Israel's support among American
Jews and its political base on Capitol Hill. The government is grappling with
questions involving conscription of ultra-religious Jews, recognition of
non-Orthodox streams of Judaism, Israel's control of the West Bank and the
future of the settler enterprise.

Some might argue that these are local issues to be decided by Israelis for
Israelis, and to some extent that is true, but they also impact how the Diaspora
sees Israel. And a Diaspora told to mind its own business and just do as it's
told and make sure your government keeps sending us billions of dollars and
top-of-the-line weapons might have different ideas.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox-dominated religious establishment wields
disproportionate power as it seeks to impose its will on government and society
and plunges its hands deep into the national cookie jar.

Resentment is widespread but governments of both the Right and the Left let them
get away with it because they want those votes to build their coalitions, and
usually the religious parties stay out of most issues that don't directly affect
them, such as national defense. But not when it looks like their yeshiva
students might be subject to the same draft as all other Israelis.

The High Court of Justice ruled the "Tal Law," which exempts haredim from
conscription, is unconstitutional and needs to be replaced.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is very responsive to the religious
establishment, wants to keep the rabbis happy but faces a revolt from secular
coalition partners demanding that yeshiva students share the burden of defending
the state. They have largely been exempt from the draft since the founding of
the state; an agreement that was once meant to cover about 300 to 400 young
scholars now exempts tens of thousands.

President Shimon Peres told Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar, the leading
opponent of drafting haredim, that everyone who can serve in the IDF should, and
that in all seven of Israel's wars there had been a shortage of manpower.

Amar has said drafting yeshiva students is the work of the devil.

A major concern about drafting haredim is whether their first loyalty will be to
the state and the army or to their rabbis. A number of rabbis have ordered their
followers in the IDF to disobey any order to dismantle settlements.

After years of trying, the non-Orthodox got the High Court to recognize and pay
the salaries for a handful of Conservative and Reform rabbis. The Netanyahu
government agreed to recognize them as "rabbis of a non-Orthodox community," but
even that was too much for the haredim.

The few non-Orthodox rabbis will have no authority over Jewish law or marriage
and divorce ceremonies, and - a particularly egregious slap in the face - their
salaries will be paid by the Culture and Sports Ministry, not the Religious
Services Ministry, whose minister said he would quit before paying their
salaries but that first he had to get permission from the rabbi who dominates
his Shas Party, Ovadia Yosef.

Shelly Yecimovich, head of the Labor Party, said the decision to recognize the
rabbis "advances pluralism and tightens the ties between Israel and the Jews of
the world, particularly American Jews." That is a point that seems lost on most
Israeli leaders.

The response from Rabbis Amar and Yosef and other haredi leaders has been
particularly incendiary, calling the non-Orthodox "destroyers of Judaism,"
"evil," "haters of the Lord," "enemies of God, wicked," "heretics" and "curses."
Ê That tells the 80 percent or more of American Jews who are not Orthodox that
they are not real Jews in the eyes of Israel's dominant religious establishment.
It says, this is not your Israel and you're not welcome here, so just shut up
and send more money.

Their invective further widens the gap between religious and secular in Israel
but, more so between Israel and the Diaspora, where it could have serious
political impact.

Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America,
said statements such as those of Rabbi Amar "only serve to alienate our fellow
Jews from our religion, our people and the Jewish state."

A recent survey for the Workmen's Circle reported an increased affinity for
Israel among non-Orthodox American Jews under age 35, but it found that
attachment dropped steadily for those over 45. More important, it discovered
that attachment does not translate to trust in Israeli leaders, and that means
they will be less inclined to work to support the policies of those leaders.

A major disconnect regards settlements. Historically, there has been little
support for them among the majority of American Jews, and support has eroded
further as the settler movement is perceived as the primary obstacle to peace
with the Palestinians and the two-state solution, which enjoys wide support in
the US. The widespread perception that Netanyahu would rather build settlements
than make peace will erode support among all but the hardliners, not just in the
Jewish community but in the rest of the US as well.

A group of 40 American Jewish leaders wrote to Netanyahu this month saying they
were "deeply concerned" about a report from a committee headed by retired
Supreme Court justice Edmund Levy that declares the West Bank is not occupied
territory "under international law," and thus all settlements are legal.

The group warned Netanyahu that his endorsement of the report "will place the
two-state solution, and the prestige of Israel" as a democracy, in peril, and
add fuel to those who seek to delegitimize Israel's right to exist.

And Israel's future as a Jewish state would also be threatened, because the Levy
report implies that Israel would have to decide whether to grant Palestinians
living the West Bank full citizenship rights, or disenfranchise them and
relegate them to selected enclaves.

The choices Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government make on these issues
will resonate far beyond Israel's borders. They have the potential to redefine
the relationship between Israel and American Jewry, and Israel's broader
standing in the US.

bloomfieldcolumn@gmail.com

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: WASHINGTON WATCH

GRAPHIC: Photo: CHIEF RABBI Shlomo Amar addresses a crowd at the Western Wall.
(Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Bulgaria bombing survivors describe carnage. Passengers jump out of bus windows
to escape. 'People were thrown into the air. Everyone was shouting and crying,'
woman recalls

BYLINE: YAAKOV LAPPIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 296 words

Survivors of the Bulgaria bus bombing described horrific scenes of carnage and
chaos on Wednesday.

The witnesses said the explosion began at the front of the bus, sending fire and
destruction down through the vehicle.

One young woman, Gal Malka, who flew to Bulgaria on a vacation before being
drafted into the IDF, told Channel two by phone from the scene, "We got on the
bus. There were a lot of people on it... Suddenly someone got on there, and
something exploded. We heard a boom. And we actually saw body parts. We tried to
escape. The door was closed. But there was a hole in the side, through which me
and my friend escaped."

Malksa said there were bodies all around her, and that many people were
screaming. She said she bandaged a man who was suffering heavy bleeding from his
head.

After the earth-shattering blast, "I opened my eyes and saw that everything
around me was fire," Malka later told Ynet.

Shimon Avraham, a Jerusalem resident, told Channel 10 news that security forces
arrived on the scene within 10 minutes of the explosion.

A man named Ben told Channel 2 that he had been sitting in the back of the bus
with his mother when it was rocked by a huge explosion. "The bus went up in
flames, people were screaming and we jumped out of the window," he said.

Shoshi Eiler, who boarded a bus next to the one that was attacked, told Ynet
that after the blast, "people ran in hysteria and escaped toward the [airport]
terminal.

Eiler landed at the Bulgarian resort city with her son, and said they had just
picked up luggage and boarded their bus when the bomb went off. "As soon as we
saw the bus explode, we immediately got off our bus and we also ran toward the
terminal," she said.

She later heard that passengers on the burning bus jumped out of the windows to
escape.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

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Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Coalition collapse could threaten 2013 state budget

BYLINE: NADAV SHEMER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 276 words

An agreement on drafting yeshiva students into the IDF may not be the only
casualty of the coalition collapse this week. It appears that the 2013 state
budget is also under threat.

No official statement has been made on budget preparations since Finance
Minister Yuval Steinitz declared in early June that they were weeks away from
completion. Discussions involving Treasury officials have ground to a halt and
the government is likely to function according to the 2012 budget next year,
according to reports Wednesday.

The government produced biennial budgets in 2009-10 and 2011-12, and has
frequently credited this method with helping the Israeli economy maintain
stability and avoid the slowdowns that have plagued other developed economies in
recent years. It declared last month that it would produce only a single-year
budget in election years.

Faced once again with a narrow coalition, the government may have a harder time
implementing proposed tax hikes than when Steinitz and Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu first announced them last month. The two men are already facing
pressure from the Treasury budgets department and the Bank of Israel over their
plan to double next year's budget deficit target to 3 percent of GDP, or almost
NIS 30 billion.

Recently published data indicates the economy is heading for a worse slowdown
than previously forecast. The Central Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday
that the economy grew an annualized 2.7% in the first quarter of the year, lower
than its initial estimate of 3%. Inflation is expected to reach 1.9% in the next
12 months, compared with a 2.1% forecast last month, the Bank of Israel said
Tuesday.

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Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Connecting the dots between Bulgaria and Syria

BYLINE: YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 577 words

Eighteen years after blowing up the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires
- an attack that killed 85 people - Hezbollah appears to have struck again, this
time in Bulgaria.

While it is difficult to disconnect the two attacks due to the amazing timing,
there are some differences, most importantly the chosen target.

In 1994 in Argentina, a van with hundreds of kilograms of explosives rammed into
the AMIA center, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. Wednesday's attack
appears to have been caused by a bomb planted on the bus. While the attack is
severe, it is not on the scale of what happened in 1994.

The fact that the assault is of a smaller scale demonstrates the difficulty
Hezbollah faces today in carrying out large-scale attacks against Israel.

This is due to the world's efforts to crack down on Iran and its terror proxies
over the years in addition to Israeli efforts to bolster its intelligence and
defense ties with countries that it feared were not taking the threat seriously.

An example of this was in 2010, when then-Mossad chief Meir Dagan visited Sofia
and met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. The Bulgarians then
released a rare photo of the two meeting.

The question now is what Israel will do.

While Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak vowed a
"powerful response" to Wednesday's attack, Israel will first need to obtain
concrete evidence against the perpetrators and the plotters.

In general, Hezbollah is understood to prefer an attack overseas - against an
embassy, an airplane or a consulate - rather than one along the northern border,
since this would allow it a level of deniability. On Wednesday evening, shortly
after the attack, it issued a statement denying it was involved.

Either way, there are officials within the defense establishment who believe
that such an attack needs to be met by a fierce response.

A few months ago, for example, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz warned
Hezbollah not to test Israel's resolve by perpetrating a terror attack against
an Israeli target overseas. If Israel does not respond, it could be perceived as
a paper tiger.

Other officials believe Israel should not go to war over just any attack, and
the country's reaction would need to depend on the chosen target and of course
the outcome, i.e. the number of casualties.

Basically, is the number of Israelis killed in Bulgaria enough to justify a
response that could lead to a war? This is how the attack in Bulgaria connects
to another bombing that happened earlier in the day in Damascus and wiped out
some of Syrian President Bashar Assad's most-senior advisors, including his
defense minister and more importantly - his brother-in-law, the deputy defense
minister.

The situation in Syria - described by one defense official as a massive
earthquake - is extremely unstable right now and Israel's primary concern is the
possibility that Hezbollah or another rogue actor will try to get its hands on
Assad's chemical weapons.

If this happens, Israel might attack, a move that could easily and fairly
quickly develop into a full-scale war and suck in Hezbollah as well.

In addition, while the attack in Bulgaria is severe, it might not be enough to
require an immediate response. Instead, the government will likely take time to
calculate its moves before striking back.

But, above all, it will first work to create an intelligence dossier to prove to
the world that Iran really was behind the bombing.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: ANALYSIS

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987 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Seven Israelis dead, dozens wounded after bomb explodes on tourist bus in
Bulgaria. Netanyahu blames Iran for bombing near Burgas airport, vows to act
'forcefully' against Tehran-backed terror on targets abroad

BYLINE: HERB KEINON and YAAKOV KATZ

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 932 words

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu blamed Iran on Wednesday for the bomb attack
that killed at least seven people and wounded dozens more on a bus carrying
Israelis just outside the airport in Burgas on the Black Sea coast.

Netanyahu, who said "all signs lead to Iran," warned that Israel would respond
forcefully against Iranian terrorism.

The blast on the bus occurred soon after a charter plane, Air Bulgaria flight
392 from Ben-Gurion Airport, landed at 4:45 p.m. The bus was the second of four
carrying Israeli tourists from the airport to hotels in the city. The explosion
also damaged two of the other buses.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by a bomb placed either underneath
the bus or in its luggage compartment.

Eyewitnesses said people jumped out of the windows to extricate themselves from
the carnage.

One eyewitness, Shoshi Ayaler, told Channel 2 that the Israelis had just gone
through passport control and were directed to the buses.

"We placed our bags in the luggage compartment and after a couple of minutes the
bus burst into flames," she said.

Her son Guy said that "people who survived the blast escaped through the windows
so as not to walk over corpses." He said the injured were evacuated to the
hospital and the rest were returned to the terminal.

"Over the last few months alone we have seen Iranian attempts to attack Israelis
in Thailand, India, Georgia, Kenya, Cyprus and other places," the prime minister
said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu raised the threat of Iranian-backed terrorist attacks on
Israeli targets, during a meeting with Hungarian President Janos Ader. He also
mentioned this threat at Sunday's cabinet meeting, when he pointed a finger at
Iran for trying to carry out a thwarted attack in Cyprus earlier this month.

Security officials said a similar plot - the bombing of an Israeli tourist bus
in Bulgaria - was foiled earlier this year.

Wednesday's attack came on the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish
center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
Referring to that attack, which an Argentinean court blamed squarely on Iran,
Netanyahu said that nearly two decades later, "deadly Iranian terrorism
continues to strike at innocent people. This is a global Iranian terror
onslaught and Israel will react forcefully to it."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the attack was part of a "long battle" that
Israel was waging against attempts by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas to attack
Israeli targets overseas. He urged Israelis to continue traveling abroad and
vowed that the defense establishment would use all its force to "get its hands
on the perpetrators and the plotters."

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov and the
country's interior minister all rushed to the scene of the bombing. Israel and
Bulgaria have close ties and the Bulgarian resorts on the Black Sea coast are
popular vacation destinations for Israelis, especially for youth.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman was in contact with Mladenov, who said that
six people were killed at the scene, and a seventh died in the hospital. Thirty
other people were wounded, including two in critical condition.

The Foreign Ministry's situation room immediately went into operation after the
blast, and received scores of calls from worried relatives. Deputy
director-general Gideon Meir said the ministry efforts were focused on three
areas: providing help to the injured, providing logistical assistance for other
Israeli tourists in the area and identifying the bodies.

Meir said that two Israeli planes were expected to land in Burgas after midnight
with two Israeli doctors, seven paramedics, a psychologist and three Foreign
Ministry workers to supplement the staff from the embassy in Sofia who went to
Burgas.

Liberman, in a conversation with Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato
Kozakou-Marcoullis, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said
that in addition to dealing with the dead and wounded, Israel would work on all
level to ensure directly or indirectly that all those involved in the attack
"pay the price."

Brig.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Nuriel, the former head of the Counterterrorism Bureau,
said Hezbollah and Iran could have recruited operatives.

"Hezbollah has a presence in Bulgaria and there have been attempts that were
thwarted there before," said Nuriel, who stepped down from his post earlier this
year. "They could have relied on the local Muslim community or [their terrorists
could have] crossed into Bulgaria from Turkey. It is quite easy."

Israel has been concerned Hezbollah would attack Israelis overseas in connection
with the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah military commander
Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus, attributed to the Mossad.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon called for European countries to include
Hezbollah in their list of terrorist organizations.

Israel had asked Bulgaria to increase its security over Israeli tour groups in
the capital city of Sofia. According to Sofia News Agency, a Hezbollah plot was
earlier uncovered by local security agencies, which warned Israel. There was no
travel advisory in effect for Bulgaria on Wednesday.

Just a few hours before the attack, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement
marking 18 years since the Buenos Aires bombing.

"The pain and sorrow we feel is added to the difficult feeling we have that
those responsible for this attack were not yet brought to justice," the
statement said.

"Israel condemns Iran for standing behind terror attacks around the world by
funding training and arming terrorist organizations."

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Lead Story

GRAPHIC: 2 photos: SMOKE RISES near the airport in Burgas, Bulgaria, after
yesterday's attack. A COUPLE reacts to seeing the Israelis' bus explode in
Burgas yesterday. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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988 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Christian MK calls for legal action against Ben-Ari for defiling New Testament.
Rivlin to National Union MK: Stop giving the Knesset a bad name. Ben-Ari says
millions of Jews massacred because of revolting book

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV; Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 933 words

Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein should press incitement charges against MK
Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) for tearing a New Testament and throwing it in
the trash, the Knesset's sole Christian MK, Hanna Sweid, said.

"This is hooliganism, bullying and an apocalyptic act of hatred that was
baseless and unnecessary," Sweid told The Jerusalem Post after Ben-Ari destroyed
the book, which was mailed to all 120 MKs by a messianic Jewish organization.
"This reflects the culture of a man who is dangerous to nations and religions of
the world."

Sweid, an MK in the Arab-Jewish socialist faction Hadash, complained to the
Knesset Ethics Committee, but said he has no doubt that it will not punish
Ben-Ari effectively or remove his parliamentary immunity. He was also skeptical
that the Attorney-General's Office would heed his call, though he called
Ben-Ari's actions on Tuesday "incitement," and expressed fears that they would
encourage the public "to raise a hand against Christians."

"I hope that [Ben-Ari] represents a minority, and such incitement won't
continue," Sweid sighed.

According to Sweid, "Evangelicals support Ben-Ari's path of occupation and
settlements. I hope they will now see who they are dealing with."

Sweid said he was disappointed that there was not more of an outcry, but at the
same time is not accusing those who did not speak out against Ben-Ari of
supporting such acts. However, the Hadash MK stated that if the public does not
stand up against Ben-Ari, he will be encouraged.

At the same time, Sweid thanked Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin for his "noble and
brave" condemnation of Ben-Ari in the plenum on Wednesday.

"I condemn any disrespect of holy texts of any religion, including ripping the
New Testament by an MK yesterday," Rivlin said. "Every holy book is important to
its believers."

According to the Knesset speaker, if a parliamentarian from another country
would burn a Torah and call it a provocation, the world would condemn him or
her.

"Democracy is the freedom of speech, but it is not anarchy, and freedom of faith
and worship is one of the founding values of this country," Rivlin added.

On Tuesday, Ben-Ari tore up a copy of the Book of Testaments, combining the
Bible and New Testament in one volume, sent to all 120 MKs by The Bible Society
in Israel, a messianic Judaism institution for research, publication and
dissemination of holy books.

Rivlin rejected Ben-Ari's request to respond in the plenum on Wednesday, telling
him to "stop giving the Knesset a bad name."

But the National Union MK made his thoughts on the matter clear.

"Millions of Jews were murdered in the name of the New Testament, this revolting
book brought massacres of Jews in the [Spanish] Inquisition and throughout
history," Ben-Ari said.

According to the National Union MK, The Bible Society wanted to "step on the
corpses of the millions of martyrs that were murdered because of their Judaism."

As for allegations that Christians support the Right, Ben-Ari accused the Likud
of accepting donations from Evangelicals, and said that he, like his ideological
forbearer Kach leader Rabbi Meir Kahane, would not accept a cent from non-Jews.

The Likud declined to comment.

Ben-Ari said he has no doubt his reaction was appropriate and called for all
other MKs to throw the New Testament in the trash.

After Rivlin's condemnation in the Knesset, several MKs reacted for and against
Ben-Ari in the plenum.

MK Nissim Ze'ev (Shas) said the copies of the New Testament sent to the Knesset
were written by "heretics" - meaning messianic Jews - and as such must be
burned. He added that a Torah written by a female Reform Rabbi should also be
incinerated.

Ze'ev condemned missionary activity, and called sending the books to MKs a
"pointless provocation."

Other MKs expressed their disgust with Ben-Ari.

"I got a copy of the New Testament in the mail, too, but I never thought to rip
it up or burn it," MK Masud Gnaim (United Arab List-Ta'al) said, calling Ben-Ari
and Ze'ev racists. "As a Muslim, I respect all religions' holy books."

MK Ahmed Tibi (UAL-Ta'al) broke a Knesset regulation Wednesday, bringing a
photograph of Kahane on the plenum stage, saying he is to blame for Ben-Ari's
actions, and tearing it up.

Dr. Jurgen Buhler, director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem,
said that Ben-Ari's actions "have needlessly inflamed this situation and were an
obvious stunt to gain publicity."

"We recognize that he does not represent the Israeli mainstream, which rejects
this sort of incendiary act and shows respect for the sacred books of other
faiths," Beuhler added.

Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, the Latin patriarchal vicar in Israel, strongly
condemned the act.

"I speak not only on behalf of the Catholic and Latin Church in Israel, but also
on behalf of all Christian communities here. We express our strong protest and
condemn the actions of Michael Ben-Ari.

"All Christian communities are scandalized by this action, there is absolutely
no justification for it whatsoever. This is a holy book and it is completely
unethical to treat it in this way, and goes against religious values which
demand mutual respect. We don't ask others to adopt our religious values only
that they show respect."

Ben-Ari's desecration also defies the values of democracy, the bishop said.

"We have to respect the other, the minorities in the country and those with
other religions.

"It is unbelievable that a member of Knesset, in the Knesset itself and in front
of the media, can do such an unjustifiable action. It is a provocation to all
Christian communities in Israel, the Middle East, and around the world."

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: EXCLUSIVE

GRAPHIC: Photo: Michael Ben-Ari (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

989 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

US must act on Iran soon, says Senator Lieberman

BYLINE: HILARY LEILA KRIEGER/Jerusalem Post correspondent

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 424 words

WASHINGTON - US Senator Joseph Lieberman warned Tuesday that the US soon faces a
choice between allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons or taking military
action to stop it.

"For me, there is only one choice," he told the crowd of thousands of Christians
United for Israel activists, who had traveled to Washington for their annual
conference and to lobby members of Congress.

"I have absolutely no doubt that it is within our power to stop Iran from
becoming a nuclear weapons country," the Independent Connecticut senator
continued. "The question is not whether we can stop them, but whether we will
choose to stop them."

To that end, he pointed to a bipartisan Senate resolution with 78 co-sponsors
declaring that when it comes to Iran, "all options are on the table except one,
and that one is containment of a nuclear Iran."

His words received loud applause from the audience.

Coinciding with CUFI's lobbying effort on Capitol Hill, the House passed the
US-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, which codifies existing support for
Israel, including vetoing one-sided resolutions against Israel at the UN and
intelligence coordination, and calls for actions such as reporting on the State
of Israel's qualitative military edge and looking to expand Israel's presence at
NATO.

Already passed by the Senate, the legislation, which the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee and CUFI strongly supported, now heads to the White House for
the president's signature.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also addressed CUFI by satellite link on
Tuesday, speaking of Israel's regional priorities and the threats it faces.

He reminded the audience of the freedom of worship that Christians have in
Israel while they face the threat of violence in Egypt and other parts of the
Muslim world, for which he received applause.

But his main message was one of gratitude for the organization's support for
Israel, referring to some of its more controversial policies.

"You stand with us when Israel refuses to accept one of the greatest lies in
modern times, that the Jewish people are foreign occupiers of Judea and
Samaria," he declared.

The United States and others have criticized Israel recently for a report
finding that Israel's settlement activity in the West Bank is legal and that
most unauthorized outposts should be recognized.

Netanyahu told the group that Israel is prepared to make "painful compromises"
for peace with the Palestinians. But he stressed, "We will not deny our own
history."

His speech earned a nearly one-minute-long standing ovation.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Joseph Lieberman (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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990 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Former Israeli Olympian Alon remembers '72 Massacre

BYLINE: DAVID ROUMANI

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 484 words

As this year's Israeli delegation prepares to head to London to compete in the
2012 Olympics, this year's delegation will surely remember the courageous
athletes from the '72 Munich Games.

An event that took place Tuesday evening in Talpiyot shed light on what the
Olympics represent.

"The Olympics are a symbol of freedom and peace between nations" said Dan Alon,
an Olympic Fencer from the '72 Israeli delegation, to a large crowd at the
Association of Americans & Canadians in Israel (AACI).

Alon, a survivor of the Munich Massacre, is featured in the documentary "The
Eleventh Day: The Survivors of Munich '72".

Alon began fencing when he was only twelve years old and quickly made a name for
himself, earning bragging rights as Israel's Junior Champion, and following
national service, Israeli's National Champion.

Born in Tel Aviv, Dan, like many other athletes today, had a singular dream - to
participate in the Olympics.

Dan spoke to the crowd about his own experiences at the Olympics, and recounted
the horrific events that occurred.

Weightlifters, Moshe Weinstein, and Joseph Romano, both whom Alon called,
"Tremendous human beings, and very dedicated athletes," tried to fight off the
terrorists, and as a result lost their lives.

In the world of sports, athletes relish the opportunity to represent their
country at big sporting events such as the Olympics. But very few of them are
faced with the life threatening situations that the Israeli delegation faced in
Munich.

For the Israeli delegation, the Olympics wasn't just a competition, it was a
chance to show the world that the nation of Israel was thriving. Alon expressed
that being the first Israeli team to compete since World War II was a once in a
lifetime opportunity "to show the world, that we are here, and still alive!"

Alon remembered how close he was to making it to the semifinals. He had defeated
his opponent in the first four rounds of his fencing quarterfinal, and needed
just one victory to advance.

"My opponent won a few point, and all of a sudden he had defeated me five games
to four."

Athletics competitions are decided by mere milliseconds of a difference. A few
milliseconds was the difference that some of the Israeli Olympians had, to try
and save their teammates.

Though the games continued after the terrible massacre, according to Alon, "some
of the players from various countries decided that in light of what had
happened, they would pack their bags and return home - for this I applaud them."

For Alon, and other Israeli Olympians, one of the most important aspects of the
Olympics is that they know the people of Israel will always be by their side.
Some of the pain and suffering he felt returning to Israel after the massacre
was alleviated when he stepped off the plane.

"When we land at the airport, and I see these beautiful Israeli people, waiting
for us - thousands of them, it was something I will never forget."

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: FORMER ATHLETE Dan Alon of the Israeli Olympic team of 1972
reacts during a news conference in Munich's Olympic Stadium last year. Forty
years after eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team and one German police
officer were killed the surviving members of the team visited the stadium.
(Credit: Michaela Rehle/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

991 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

'Post' to host debates between Democrat and Republican representatives in Israel

BYLINE: Jerusalem Post staff

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 309 words

The upcoming presidential election in the US promises to be among the most
hard-fought political battles in the country's history.

While internal issues will be the focus of the campaigns by both US President
Barack Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, foreign policy will
also play a major role for many voters, including Americans living in Israel.

The Jerusalem Post - along with IVoteIsrael and the Association of Americans and
Canadians in Israel - is doing its part to inform American voters in Israel
about the two candidates and their policies regarding the Jewish state, by
holding a series of debates between representatives of Democrats Abroad Israel
and Republicans Abroad Israel.

"Between the Iranian threat, the situation in the region and the
Israeli-Palestinian stalemate, the next US administration is going to play a
pivotal role in shaping Israel's response to future developments," said Elie
Pieprz, the national director of IVoteIsrael, an organization promoting voter
registration among Americans living in Israel. "And it is of the utmost
importance that US voters in Israel make an informed decision when they cast
their ballot in November."

The first debate takes place Thursday at the AACI building in Jerusalem at 8
p.m. Moderated by Post Managing Editor David Brinn, the debate will be between
Sheldon Schorer, the counsel and past chairman of Democrats Abroad Israel, and
L. Marc Zell, the co-chairman of Republicans Abroad Israel.

Post Editor-in-Chief Steve Linde will moderate a debate on Monday, July 23, at 8
p.m. at Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv, featuring Zell and Democrats Abroad vice chair
and spokesman Hillel Schenker. A third debate will be held Thursday, July 26, in
Beit Shemesh at Netach Menashe Beit Knesset at 8 p.m., moderated by Post
political correspondent Gil Hoffman, and featuring Zell and Schorer.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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All Rights Reserved

992 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Haredi enlistment will not reach Knesset this summer. Shas 'can live' with
Ya'alon proposal, which provides ultra-Orthodox with incentives to enlist
between 18 and 22. FM says vice premier's bill 'paraphrases Tal Law' after
Yisrael Beytenu universal service legislation voted down

BYLINE: LAHAV HARKOV

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 3

LENGTH: 602 words

Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon's proposal to replace the "Tal Law" will not be
brought to a vote in the Knesset, Likud sources said on Wednesday, as Yisrael
Beytenu's bill on the topic was voted down.

According to Ya'alon's outline, which will be brought for ministerial approval
on Sunday, haredim will receive incentives to enlist in the IDF between the ages
of 18 and 22. Those who do not will be required to do civilian service by age 26
for the police, Prisons Service, Magen David Adom or Fire and Rescue Services.

There will be sanctions against those who do not perform military or civilian
service, as well as their yeshivot. The state will take yeshiva students'
biometric IDs to keep track of whether anyone is shirking their duties.

The goal of Ya'alon's outline is for 6,000 yeshiva students to enlist each year
by 2016. Currently, 2,400 enlist in the IDF or perform civilian service
annually.

Speaking in the plenum Wednesday, Ya'alon criticized those who seek to "light a
bonfire."

"Whoever thinks that after 64 years [of the state's existence] we can make a
change all at once is wrong, and I suspect there are ulterior motives behind his
actions," the vice premier said in a thinly-veiled reference to Kadima. "They
are trying to create hatred between groups in society."

Ya'alon said the previous status quo will no longer exist, but it is important
to consider the religious customs and uniqueness of the ultra-Orthodox and the
Arabs.

His plan is expected to be brought to a ministerial vote on Sunday, but it is
unlikely to be ready in bill form in time to be brought to the Knesset next
week, when the summer legislative session ends.

While a Shas source said the party "can live" with Ya'alon's proposal, it would
vote against it in the Knesset, as will United Torah Judaism. Defense Minister
Ehud Barak's Independence Party would prefer no bill be submitted, and that
enlistment be left up to his ministry's discretion. Yisrael Beytenu opposes the
outline because it does not call for haredi and Arab enlistment at age 18. In
the opposition, several Kadima MKs may vote in favor of the bill, but not enough
of them for it to pass.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman slammed Ya'alon's proposal in a press
conference on Wednesday, saying it "paraphrases the Tal Law."

On Wednesday, Yisrael Beytenu's bill calling for service for all at age 18 was
rejected with 74 opposed and 20 in favor.

Five Kadima MKs - Orit Zuaretz, Yoel Hasson, Marina Solodkin, Robert Tibayev and
Yuval Zellner - rebelled against their party line to vote with Liberman's party.
Four more abstained.

Soon after, Liberman thanked the Kadima MKs, calling them "righteous men in
Sodom," adding that the vote was "a litmus test for those who believe in
equality in the burden."

"I hear that reporters expect us to leave the coalition. They'll be just as
successful waiting for the Messiah," Liberman quipped.

The foreign minister pledged that his party would continue working under the
slogan "no citizenship without loyalty," which includes equality in the burden.

Liberman expressed hope that after August 1, the Defense Ministry will draft all
haredim, but said he expects the "real decisions" to be made when the Knesset is
back in session in October.

"This will be an opportunity not just to talk about equality, but to implement
it," he stated. "What the Knesset did not do today, I hope reality will do in
its next session."

The Yisrael Beytenu leader also warned that the latest date for elections is
October 22, 2013, which means an "election year" will begin soon, and the party
will campaign heavily for equality in the burden of service.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Moshe Ya'alon (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

A pragmatic approach

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 13

LENGTH: 675 words

There's no disputing that the "Tal Law" was a dispiriting failure. It barely
dented the inequity that allowed significant sectors of the population - most
prominently many haredim and Arabs - to dodge the draft.

Indeed, the law perversely provided an official stamp of approval for what
turned out to have been an elaborate charade. It furthered and preserved the
link between enrollment in a yeshiva and exemption from enlistment in the army.

Therefore, there is no need for Israelis to lament the fact that no substitute
could be concocted for the law finally struck down by the High Court of Justice.

For all the sound and fury, the differences between the Likud and Kadima were
paltry, hinged on dispensable details rather than substance, and might have not
survived further petitions to the High Court.

The failed negotiations on the law were a facade. The real reason Kadima wanted
to join the coalition was its fear of a September 4 election mulled by the
Likud. Now that this immediate danger has been eliminated, there is patently no
political profit in remaining in a partnership with the Likud.

Had there remained a lucrative payoff, the will would have been found to hammer
out a Tal Law sequel, because in politics, more than in any other sphere, where
there is a will there is a way.

Whatever the other pros and cons to the breakup, the follow-up to the Tal Law is
no loss. Indeed there is no point in rushing before the court-imposed August 1
deadline to wave a magic wand and produce a new formula geared to please
everyone and disgruntle no one. Not only is that inherently undoable but it is
also unnecessary.

We can simply revert to the status quo as it existed before 1999, when
then-premier Ehud Barak appointed the Tal Committee (whose recommendations were
adopted in 2002 and extended, significantly, by the Kadima administration in
2007, when it was already clear that it had become a farce).

Before the Tal Law, every able-bodied 18-year-old was theoretically subject to
conscription according to the 1949 military service regulations. The situation,
in fact, formally resembled what the current Yisrael Beytenu bill proposes.
Beyond it lies the minefield of implementing the existing law. Each defense
minister is empowered to decree if and whom to exempt.

Thus it may well be possible to gradually increase the numbers of ultra-Orthodox
youths conscripted - as the various legislative remedies aimed to do - but
without the attendant fanfare. The 1,300 haredim already in the IDF could be
joined by an additional 400 each year, without straining the army's resources
and capabilities to absorb more. Others could be earmarked for significant
civilian national service.

Such pragmatism could also survive legal challenges. The state could respond
that it is drafting as many ultra-Orthodox as the IDF can handle.

The incremental draft obligation could also be imposed at random. In other
words, a net could be cast unpredictably and whoever is caught in it must serve
or face personal consequences.

The deterrent value of possible punishment cannot be underestimated. Thus it
might be feasible to conscript greater numbers of eligible adolescents without
superfluous hoopla sure to trigger a destructive rift in our anyhow already
fraying societal fabric.

There was nothing sacrosanct in the Tal Law and we can carry on without an
equally deficient replacement. What matters is not that we enact a new law but
how efficiently we use the tools placed in the public's hands during the state's
infancy.

From this point on, it will be up to the electorate to judge how each government
that it had put into office uses the tools it already possesses. Our public
opinion is more critical and more mindful of the issue than ever.

Therefore, voters are more likely to scrutinize the record of every defense
minister and every coalition on the question of conscription. Those who fail to
deliver any improvement may well face electoral backlash. The fear of the voter
can be a potent incentive to progress.

We have power and we can do more than gripe.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: Editorial

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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994 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Building energy audits can save firms, schools lots of cash, experts say.
Israel's energy consumption grows 4% each year

BYLINE: SHARON UDASIN

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 903 words

As the country faces a summer with low power reserves and increasing electrical
demands, it may be strategic "if not crucial" for large institutions to conduct
energy surveys and increase their efficiency.

Dan Bar-Mashiah - a former economic consultant to the Energy and Water Ministry
- founded the energy services company ESCO Israel six years ago. Since then, he
has led more than 600 projects auditing energy systems and retrofitting
buildings to achieve as high efficiency as possible, he told The Jerusalem Post
in an interview in Tel Aviv last week.

"The potential is huge and we hardly do anything in the macro point of view to
achieve this goal," Bar-Mashiah said. "By saving even 20 percent, all this
discussion about building a new power plant, it is not necessary."

With that much more energy efficiency, which Bar-Mashiah said could be done in
Israel, "all these talks about having a shortage of electricity, they wouldn't
happen."

During an ESCO Israel's energy audit, which operates "according to the model of
international ESCO," Bar-Mashiah's staff performs a complete retrofit of the
institution's energy appliances, including overhauls of lighting and cooling
systems. Both before and after, the company measures how much energy the
institution is consuming and how much money it is spending, and the client and
ESCO split the financial savings, Bar-Mashiah explained.

During the retrofitting process, ESCO Israel pays for the purchase and
installation of new appliances, he said.

"It is a long-term business," he said, noting that contracts run between 10 and
24 years.

Simply installing new appliances is not enough, however, according to
Bar-Mashiah.

"We put [in] an automatic control system that, for example, closes the light
when there's no one in the room and then we achieve a lot more savings," he
said.

The company also installs preventative measures, such as anti-heat film on
windows, as in his north Tel Aviv office.

"Before, you could fry an egg," he said, pointing at his window.

Despite the government's efforts to promote conservation this summer,
Bar-Mashiah said "very little [has been] done" by the authorities to promote
further efficiency. One positive step the government could take would be to
issue energy services company tenders, in which companies such as his own could
compete for grants to conduct efficiency surveys in government buildings, he
said.

"Energy consumption in Israel is rising 4% each year," Bar-Mashiah warned.

One of ESCO Israel's most recent undertakings is a Green Campus project, in
which it retrofitted 200 kindergartens and eight educational campuses, changing
the lights and air conditioners and thereby saving 35% to 50% of energy
consumption, he said.

ESCO Israel has reached the prequalification stage for a government tender to
retrofit many of the country's hospitals, in cooperation with one of the North
American ESCO's branches.

Meanwhile, Ronen Azouri, founder of the EcoTower launched last year in Tel Aviv,
has joined with partners from the energy sector to launch a company, EcoViz, for
energy surveys and efficiency processes in buildings throughout the country. The
Azouri EcoTower on Hamasger Street in Tel Aviv, is the city's first office
building compatible with international LEED Gold standards.

Since completion of the EcoTower's initial floors, the number of consultation
requests from organizations and corporations in the economic and industrial
sector, fielded by Azouri and his staff, has risen.

At the EcoTower, the building's greening process produced a 33% decrease in
energy expenditures, as well as 70% in water savings. The Health Ministry
recently conducted gray-water recycling tests at the building.

The number of energy surveys conducted on a voluntary basis will continue to
increase throughout the country, in light of the dramatic hikes in electricity
prices, EcoViz said. Azouri's new venture is being run in partnership with
physicists and energy surveyors Jonathan Fromm and Kedem Levy.

The Law on Energy Sources is expected to change by the end of 2012, setting new
thresholds for institutions that must conduct energy audits of their buildings,
according to EcoViz. Instead of a threshold of consumption equivalent to 2,000
tons of petroleum per year, it will fall to 700 tons only, likely increasing the
number of institutions surveyed from 300 to 1,500, Azouri said.

Until recently, companies saw carrying out energy surveys as a financial burden,
but they now realize that undertaking such procedures will gradually save them
money, he said.

Unlike ESCO Israel, which pays for the analysis and retrofitting procedure
upfront and then splits the savings with the client, EcoViz will be providing
paid energy surveys for clients, who can then decide whether they want to
continue with a retrofitting process, Azouri told the Post on Wednesday.

If they do, then the clients can choose to work with EcoViz's preferred company
to revamp their buildings. The clients can also choose to perform the retrofit
themselves, he explained.

Azouri stressed the importance of providing clients with professional
information for efficient organizational behavior. He is confident that this
industry will expand rapidly, as people understand the importance of energy
conservation as well as its correlation to financial savings.

"We are banking on people who voluntarily can enjoy savings, because this is
what we did for ourselves," he said.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: THE GREEN Azouri EcoTower in Tel Aviv produces savings: 33% in
energy and 70% in water. (Credit: Azouri Brothers)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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995 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Death of a rabbinic giant. For over a decade, 'Lithuanian' haredi community had
turned to Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv as spiritual, social guide

BYLINE: JEREMY SHARON

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 673 words

The foremost rabbi of the Ashkenazi non-hassidic haredi community, Rabbi Yosef
Shalom Elyashiv, died on Wednesday afternoon in Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical
Center at the age of 102.

The rabbi may turn out to be the last of the undisputed leaders of the
non-hassidic "Lithuanian" haredi community, whose members are accustomed to the
security of a clear religious and moral authority to direct their lives.

For more than a decade the ultra-Orthodox world has looked to Elyashiv for its
spiritual and social guidance. The lack of a consensus leader with the authority
of former rabbinic figures may be a turning point for the haredi community in
Israel.

Elyashiv succeeded to the role of posek hador (leading arbiter of Jewish law)
following the death of Rabbi Menachem Elazar Shach in 2001, and to a large
degree continued the conservative path of his groundbreaking predecessor.

Shach was the fiery haredi leader who broke with the Agudath Yisrael movement
that had traditionally represented the haredi world in Israel, but is now the
domain of hassidic Jewry.

He formed the Degel Hatorah Party in 1988 as the home of non-hassidic haredim,
and adopted a hostile approach to wider Israeli society, which Elyashiv largely
continued.

Elyashiv, having less charisma and dynamism than Shach, sought to preserve the
established order. Like Shach before him, Elyashiv set the political stance for
Degel Hatorah and instructed the party's elected representatives in the Knesset
on all matters of public policy. He thereby exercised significant influence
within Israeli political life, as well as over the lifestyle and direction of
the Lithuanian haredi community.

The Degal Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael parties today make up United Torah Judaism.

And on the critical question of ultra-Orthodox accommodation to the demands of
broader Israeli society, Elyashiv took a firm and uncompromising stance,
opposing the growing phenomenon of the "new haredim" - those from a small but
growing segment of the community who serve in the IDF and have joined the
mainstream labor force.

This was in evidence as late as December, shortly before the severe
deterioration in his health, when Elyashiv spoke out against the integration of
haredim into mainstream society, declaring that haredi educational institutions
must be under the control of the rabbis and exclude all paths that lead to
national service, secular studies, or the army, since this would put haredim
under the control and culture of secular Jews.

Born in 1910 in Siauliai (Shavel in Yiddish), Lithuania, Elyashiv was the only
child of Rabbi Avraham Erener and Chaya Musha, born to them 17 years after they
married. The family immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1922.

Elyashiv married his wife of 65 years, Sheina Chaya, in 1929, on the
recommendation of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook, the first chief rabbi of
the Jewish community in Mandatory Palestine, and the couple had 12 children.

He served for many years as a rabbinical judge in the Chief Rabbinate and on the
Supreme Rabbinical Court, during which time his stature as one of the most
knowledgeable authorities on Jewish law, or Halacha, grew rapidly.

Recognized for his outstanding scholarship in Talmudic law, the published works
of Elyashiv are largely compilations of his rulings on Jewish law and responsa
to questions posed to him over his many years as a leading halachic authority.

In the late 1980s, Shach, whose health was declining, called on Elyashiv to take
on a greater role in the leadership of the Lithuanian haredi community that
gradually increased during the 1990s as Shach withdrew from public life. Shach
essentially anointed Elyashiv to be his successor, a role he assumed in 2001
when Shach died.

For a society used to being able to turn to an ultimate authority for answers,
the death of Elyashiv may well mark a turning point in the history of the haredi
community in Israel at which the security and sanctuary of one supreme spiritual
guide was taken away and replaced with the uncertainty of several lesser lights.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: RABBI YOSEF Shalom Elyashiv, the leading light of Lithuanian
Jewry, at one of his last public appearances. (Credit: Hadashot 24)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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996 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Purposeful stupidity: Big government and bureaucracy

BYLINE: SETH J. FRANTZMAN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 14

LENGTH: 960 words

H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the famed irascible American military commander, relates
that as a junior staff officer he was attached to a new headquarters and asked
by the commanding officer to prepare some coffee. Realizing that he would get
stuck in the unpleasant position of being a glorified secretary, if he allowed
himself to be pigeonholed into coffee-making, he brewed a terrible cup, weak
from cold water and not enough grounds. He was never asked to make coffee again.

MANY PEOPLE recall an instance in their past employment where they noticeably
avoided unpleasant tasks through feigning ignorance. Those who are habitual
smokers might recall taking enough smoke breaks so that they actually spent more
time coming and going, smoking and thinking about smoking, than they actually
seemed to do real work.

What is interesting is that in 1944, William "Wild Bill" Donovan, the
hard-driving Catholic head of the Office of Strategic Services (now the CIA),
signed off on an odd memo called the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual." The
unclassified document was recently discussed in a witty column by Haaretz's Amir
Oren, who concentrated on the Olmert verdict. But Oren missed the larger context
of what this fascinating piece of history can teach us.

Simple sabotage was what the OSS defined as the ability of the ordinary citizen
to resist the German occupation, and it could reasonably be applied against
other distasteful regimes. The logic was that the average citizen does not have
the expertise or desire to get himself killed in derring-do James Bond style
operations.

But the citizen can carry out low-level acts of stupidity. The document noted:
"Where destruction is involved, the weapons of the citizen-saboteur are salt,
nails, candles, pebbles, thread or any other materials he might normally be
expected to possess as a householder or as a worker in his particular
occupation. His arsenal is the kitchen shelf, the trash pile, his own usual kit
of tools and supplies. The targets of his sabotage are usually objects to which
he has normal and inconspicuous access in everyday life." The ordinary man may
not like acts of destruction that run contrary to his "habitually
conservationist nature." Mostly, though, "purposeful stupidity is contrary to
human nature." Well, it was assumed so in 1944. But is that true today?

THE OSS imagined that the saboteur would eventually come to the point where he
would train others in his subversive methods. "Normally diligent, he should now
be lazy and careless." He would begin to "think backward." The memo outlined how
the man could resist. "Try to commit acts for which large numbers of people
could be responsible. For instance, if you blow out the wiring in a factory at a
central fire box, almost anyone could have done it." Bus drivers could skip
stops "by mistake." Furthermore, "it is easy to damage a tire in a tire repair
shop... when you fix a flat tire, you can simply leave the object which caused
the flat in the first place [in the tube]." If you work at a hotel you can cut
people off "accidentally."

Opportunity can be found at the otherwise efficient post office; "Employees can
see to it that enemy mail is always delayed... or put it in the wrong sacks."
And if the taxi driver is a patriot, "waste the enemy's time and make extra
money by driving the longest possible route."

If you have begun to suspect that in today's world this is what postal employees
and taxi drivers do in their normal course of work, then reading the section on
how employees of a bureaucracy can do their part is even more illuminating. A
sample:

* Insist on doing everything through "channels," never permit short cuts.

* Make speeches, talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate
your points with long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences.

* When possible refer all matters to committee for "further study," attempt to
make committees as large as possible. Advocate "caution."

* Haggle over precise wording. Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as
possible.

* Insist on perfect work in relatively unimportant products... approve defective
parts whose flaws are not visible.

* Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.

* Never pass on your skill and experience to a new worker.

* Snarl up administration in every possible way.

* Apply all regulations to the last letter.

EVERYONE I showed these "simple sabotage" suggestions to immediately looked at
me askance, broke down in laughter and said, "I think my office got the memo."
Anyone who has dealt with government agencies or worked for a large company has
experienced such headaches as described in the memo - such as the recommendation
to "see that three people have to approve everything... multiply the procedures
and clearances involved in issuing instructions." Yet these recommendations were
designed to undermine an enemy regime.

Are we the enemy? When you get in a taxi, board a bus, go to the post office or
file papers to start a business, are those we interact with engaging in "simple
sabotage"? Surely they are not knowingly doing so. Yet our culture, especially
that related to large institutions, has increasingly taken on the attributes of
this "resistance." Who hasn't sat through a meeting where someone refers "back
to matters decided upon at the last meetings and attempt[s] to reopen the
question of the advisability of that decision"? Yet they aren't undermining a
regime, they are undermining themselves and their colleagues, slowing down
efficiency, wasting both the public's money and time with purposeful stupidity.
The OSS manual should be mandatory reading for those entering bureaucracy or
joining a large firm, for it encapsulates perfectly how not to carry out one's
job. And, it is hilarious.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: HOW ABOUT doing some work today? A unionized Consolidated Edison
worker yells at an employee crossing a picket line during a protest at the
company's offices in New York. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

997 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

How do you say 'Just following orders' in French?

BYLINE: MICHAEL FREUND

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 955 words

This week marks the 70th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the history
of French Jewry. In the early morning hours of July 16, 1942, French police
descended on Jewish neighborhoods and proceeded to arrest 13,152 Jews, including
5,802 women and 4,051 children.

Most of those detained were taken to the Velodrome d'Hiver, a cycling track
located in Paris' 15th arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower. The lavatories had
been sealed close to prevent escape, and there was only one water tap and very
little food available.

After nearly a week of confinement in inhuman conditions, the prisoners were
taken to one of several concentration camps before being deported to Auschwitz,
where nearly all of them were murdered.

The Vel' d'Hiv roundup, as it came to be known, was the subject of a bestselling
novel, Sarah's Key, which was made into a film in 2010.

The roundup heralded the beginning of the end for Jews living in wartime France.

Within two months, an additional 23,000 Jews were arrested in Paris and other
parts of the country. And by August 1944, a total of 80,000 Jews had been sent
from France to Auschwitz, of whom just 2,000, or 2.5 percent, survived.

And so the country that had proudly declared its motto to be "liberte, egalite,
fraternite" ("liberty, equality and brotherhood") turned its back on those
values and instead embraced mass murder and iniquity. The vile Vichy regime,
headed by Marshal Philipe Petain, collaborated with the Nazis and sought to put
an end to the Jewish presence in France.

Among those swept up in the maelstrom were Isaac Kottler, my grandmother's first
cousin, and his wife, Anna. A journalist and book lover, Isaac is said to have
amassed a large collection of volumes. Though he had been born in St. Petersburg
in 1902, he chose to leave behind the chaos of Russia and settled in France.

When my grandmother visited him in Paris before the war, he showed her his most
prized possession: A family tree that stretched back to the expulsion of the
Jews from Spain in 1492. It showed that our ancestors had lived in Toledo, and
traced the journey of their wanderings across Europe down through the centuries.

During the war, Isaac and Anna somehow managed to obtain visas to enter
British-occupied Palestine. But they did not live to use them because some time
during the summer of 1942, they were arrested by the French police and taken to
the concentration camp in the northeastern Paris suburb of Drancy.

Then, on September 2, 1942, Isaac and Anna were deported on Transport 27 to
Auschwitz, where the Germans and their henchmen murdered them. All of Isaac's
library and possessions were confiscated or destroyed, along with the family
tree. They did not have any children, and we have no photographs or mementos of
them.

When most people think of France, they conjure thoughts of a fine Bordeaux with
its complex aromas, or a creamy Roquefort cheese. But when I think of France,
the last thing that comes to mind is material pleasures. Instead, I harbor a
great deal of anger and resentment.

Sure, you might be thinking, but why allow the events of 70 years ago to cast a
shadow over the present?

The answer is really very simple. To forget what was done would be an act of
betrayal toward all those who perished, and to brush it aside would constitute
an unforgivable crime against history, humanity and the Jewish people.

The fact is that it was French police who arrested my grandmother's cousin and
his wife. And French gendarmes who guarded them, herded them onto the cattle
cars, and sent them off to die in the gas chambers.

The Germans, of course, bear ultimate responsibility for the Holocaust, but
France's Vichy regime was shamefully complicit in the murders, and it took more
than five decades for the French government to even bother to acknowledge its
culpability.

Only in 1995, after years of stonewalling, did president Jacques Chirac admit
that France was responsible for the Vel' d'Hiv roundup.

But the story does not end there.

For more than a decade, Holocaust survivors have tried to hold the French
state-owned railway, Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais (SNCF) liable
for the role it played in the deportation of the Jews to their deaths.

Though the company apologized for its role in the Holocaust, it claims it was
forced to transport the Jews.

How do you say "I was just following orders" in French?

In the US, a bipartisan group of senators and congressmen has submitted a bill
called the Holocaust Rail Justice Act, which would make it possible for
survivors to bring claims in US federal court against the company.

In an act of incredible cynicism, SNCF has hired a team of lobbyists to fight
the bill and, according to Legal Times, it has spent more than $270,000 so far
this year on the effort.

So instead of compensating the victims, the French railway prefers instead to
line the pockets of lobbyists.

This is an absolute disgrace and it behooves anyone who cares about justice to
speak out. If you live in the US, contact your elected representatives and press
them to support the bill (more information can be found on the website of the
Coalition for Holocaust Rail Justice at http://holocaustrailvictims.org/).

Personally, I do not think we can ever forgive the Germans or their
collaborators for what they did to our people. The passage of time in no way
ameliorates their collective responsibility for participating in genocide.

Whether they like it or not, they owe a debt to the Jewish people that will last
until the end of time.

But the least that SNCF and the French government can do is to provide a measure
of compensation to the elderly Holocaust survivors who suffered as a result of
their actions. This elementary act of justice is long overdue.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: FUNDAMENTALLY FREUND

GRAPHIC: Photo: WWII veterans pay tribute in 1993 to Jewish victims of France's
wartime collaborationist Vichy regime at the site of the 1942 Vel d'Hiv roundup.
(Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

998 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Will they turn on us again?

BYLINE: JOSH HASTEN

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 16

LENGTH: 763 words

Despite accusations of Israel carrying out policies of "ethnic cleansing" or
"apartheid" against the Arabs living throughout Judea and Samaria, simply
traveling the roads of areas B or C, where Jewish and Arab motorists are in fact
sharing the same pavement, disproves this accusation.

Ironically it is the Jews with Israeli identity cards who are forbidden under
Israeli law from traveling or even setting foot in area A, which fall under
complete Palestinian security and municipal control. Sometimes this
discrimination can make traveling a complete hassle for Jewish commuters.

A perfect example is the Arab-only highway known as the "Quality of Life" road,
which runs east/west, located just north of the Jewish community of Beit Horon
and connecting Route 443 to Ramallah.

Arabs living in villages along the route can get to Ramallah in a matter of
minutes, but Jews who are trying to get to communities in the western Binyamin
region are forced into a complete loop heading west up 443, then north, and
finally east, taking close to an hour to get to places like Talmon, Dolev and
other towns.

Despite the delays on the roads and the overall restrictions on Jews entering
area A, I have no doubt that most Israelis refrain from trying to visit
Ramallah, Jenin and Tulkarem, etc., not because of the law, but because of fears
that exploration of these areas might become a one-way trip.

The images of the bloody hands proudly held up for the cameras outside a
Ramallah window by a young Palestinian - one of the members of the lynch mob who
brutally murdered two Israeli reservists who made a wrong turn and entered the
city during the second intifada, only to be captured and beaten to death with
their bodies thrown out the window and dragged through the streets - no doubt
still resonates with those of us whose long-term (or perhaps one could argue
short-term) memories remain intact.

It is those images and the thousands of others from that war of terror that send
shivers down my spine when I see official Palestinian Authority police vehicles
traveling freely alongside me on the roads in areas B and C. I often find myself
wondering about those officers in the car next to me. The PA security force is
made up of approx. 4,000 armed men spread throughout eight battalions,
supposedly tasked with "keeping the peace" and "fighting the terrorists" from
groups like Hamas - who received their training from US military officials in
Jordan and were granted approval by Israel to openly carry semi-automatic
Kalashnikov rifles.

What if, as was the case in 2000, the Palestinian leadership orders its security
officers - more like soldiers - to turn their guns on Israeli motorists, both
civilians and soldiers?

It certainly isn't comforting to remember that one of the first Israelis
murdered in that pre-mediated war of terror upon the collapse of Camp David on
September 29, 2000, was Border Police Supt. Yosef Tabeja, 27, of Ramle, who was
shot to death by his Palestinian counterpart on a joint patrol near Kalkilya.

Seeing decals of the official Fatah emblem (which includes a rifle, bayonet and
hand grenade and a map of the entire country labeled "Palestine") on
green-license-plated Palestinian 12-seater taxis is also less than reassuring.

But perhaps I'm just being paranoid. A superficial glance at this week's
headlines emanating from the PA might lead one to believe that a third intifada
is a figment of my imagination. As reported in this newspaper by senior IDF
correspondent Yaakov Katz on July 2, the PA recently carried out a "crackdown on
crime and corruption in the West Bank," by arresting 150 suspects and
confiscating 100 weapons. According to the article, Israel views this "as a
milestone for the PA as it imposes its rule and authority throughout the
territory."

One might have a sense of optimism from this apparently positive development.
But a closer look reveals just the opposite. Katz explains: "Many of those
arrested are former members of Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs' Brigades as well as a
number of rogue officers from the Palestinian National Security Forces, the PA's
main counterterrorism arm trained by the US in Jordan."

So, despite the relative quiet we have been experiencing in Judea and Samaria -
don't get me wrong, attacks still take place on a daily basis, but not at the
levels and severity experienced during the first half of the last decade - as
long as the men in the car next to me traveling in an official "PA police
vehicle," there is room for angst.

The writer is a media expert, freelance journalist, and host of Reality Bytes
Radio.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

NOTES: View from the Hills

GRAPHIC: Photo: WILL THEY keep their guns pointed in the right direction?
Members of the Palestinian security forces take position during a training drill
in Hebron. (Credit: Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

999 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

'Breakthrough' could allow preparation of cells to treat degenerative diseases.
Hebrew U. researchers identify mechanism to transform embryonic stem cell into
any human cell

BYLINE: JUDY SIEGEL

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 541 words

The most amazing property of embryonic stem cells is their capability of
renewing themselves an infinite number of times and differentiating into every
type of mature cell in the body - meaning they have the potential of serving as
the "factory" for producing healthy tissues to replace sick ones. But until now,
scientists did not know the secret behind this pluripotency, which if revealed
could eventually lead to their use to implant healthy new cells into humans
suffering from degenerative diseases - from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease
to diabetes.

Doctoral student Shai Melcer and colleagues in the lab of Hebrew University
geneticist Dr. Eran Meshorer have just published their research in the
prestigious journal Nature Communications, reporting how they identified the
processes that turn human embryonic stem cells into any type of body cell.

The article titled "Histone modifications and lamin A regulate chromatin protein
dynamics in early embryonic stem cell differentiation" discusses how the team
combined molecular, microscopic and genomic approaches and focused on epigenetic
pathways, which cause biological changes without a corresponding change in the
DNA sequence and are specific to embryonic stem cells.

The molecular basis for epigenetic mechanisms is chromatin, the combination of
DNA and proteins that make up the contents of the nucleus of a cell. Chromatin's
main functions are to package DNA into a smaller volume to fit in the cell,
strengthen the DNA to allow cell division and prevent harm to the DNA, and
control gene expression and DNA replication. The primary protein components of
chromatin are histones that compact the DNA.

In what is described by Hebrew University as "groundbreaking research," Melcer
studied the mechanisms that support an "open" chromatin conformation in
embryonic stem cells. The team found that chromatin is less condensed in
embryonic stem cells, allowing them the flexibility or "functional plasticity"
to turn into any kind of cell.

A distinct pattern of chemical modifications of chromatin structural proteins
(referred to as the acetylation and methylation of histones) enables a looser
chromatin configuration in embryonic stem cells. During the early stages of
differentiation, this pattern changes to facilitate chromatin compaction.

They also found that a nuclear lamina protein called lamin A is part of the
secret. In all differentiated cell types, lamin A binds compacted domains of
chromatin and anchors them to the cell's nuclear envelope. Lamin A is absent
from embryonic stem cells and this may enable the freer, more dynamic chromatin
state in the cell nucleus. The authors believe that chromatin plasticity is
tantamount to functional plasticity, since chromatin is made up of DNA that
includes all genes and codes for all proteins in any living cell. Understanding
the mechanisms that regulate chromatin function will in the future enable
intelligent manipulations of embryonic stem cells.

"If we can apply this new understanding about the mechanisms that give embryonic
stem cells their plasticity, then we can increase or decrease the dynamics of
the proteins that bind DNA and thereby increase or decrease the cells'
differentiation potential," concluded Meshorer.

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: HEBREW UNIVERSITY geneticist Dr. Eran Meshorer and doctoral
student Shai Melcer, who works in his lab, are pictured. (Credit: Courtesy
Hebrew University)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved

1000 of 1896 DOCUMENTS

Jerusalem Post

July 19, 2012 Thursday

Hungary arrests Csatary, 'most wanted living Nazi.' The 95-year-old said to have
played key role in deportation of thousands of Jews to Auschwitz. Nazi-hunter
Zuroff calls arrest 'victory'

BYLINE: GIL SHEFLER

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 7

LENGTH: 400 words

Police in Hungary on Tuesday arrested Laszlo Csatary, said to be the world's
most wanted living Nazi, and charged him with war crimes related to the
deportation of thousands of Jews to Auschwitz during World War II.

Hungarian prosecution said it indicted the 95-year-old for the part he played in
sending 15,700 Jews to Nazi death camps when he was the police chief of Kosice.

Nazi-hunter Efraim Zuroff, of the Simon Wiesenthal center, who tracked Csatary
down to a suburb of Budapest late last year, told The Jerusalem Post shortly
after the arrest took place that he was overjoyed by the news.

"Hallelujah," he said. "You can't understand what this means to me. It is a
great victory and a very important one."

The Post ran a story on Zuroff's claims against Csatary last April, but it
wasn't until The Sun sent a journalist to Hungary last week and published
shirtless photos of the pensioner answering the door that the issue made
headlines around the world. Over the past week, the story has been picked up by
international media outlets putting pressure on Hungary to act.

"It is very simple, we owe our debt to 'The Sun,'" said Zuroff. "People may
snicker but 'The Sun' spent thousands of pounds to photograph him and embarrass
him. To get a Nazi in prison you have to take a photo of him in his underwear."

The visit to Israel by Hungarian President Janos Ader on Tuesday, where he is
set to attend a ceremony at Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust museum in
Jerusalem, may have also also played a part in the decision to prosecute the
Hungarian national.

Zuroff said he had sent a letter to senior Israeli politicians ahead of Ader's
arrival calling for them to ask for the arrest of Csatary, but he had no idea if
they received it.

After the war, Csatary emigrated to Canada but was stripped of his citizenship
in 1995 when his wartime role was discovered. He subsequently returned to his
country of birth.

Zuroff said on Thursday he hoped Csatary's trial would be swift due to the
suspect's age.

Asked why he insisted on bringing the remaining Nazis and their collaborators
-the youngest of which are well in their 90s - to trial over 60 years after
World War II ended, Zuroff said "the passage of times does not diminish the
guilt of the killers."

"Don't look at Csatary when he is old and frail," he said, "look at a man who
when he was at the height of the his powers devoted them to killing people."

LOAD-DATE: July 23, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Photo: Laszlo Csatary (Credit: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

Copyright 2012 The Jerusalem Post
All Rights Reserved