Zionist Press Original Content
Palestinian Society Has a Sickness, And Statehood Is Not The Cure
In this Zionist Press original article, I discuss one of the leading impediments to peace between Palestinians and Israelis. From the leadership, to the media, to schools, Palestinian society preaches hatred toward Jews. A sovereign state will not cause this hate to dissipate, and without this hatred subsiding, a lasting peace is not possible.
Must Read
OPINION: EUROPE’S CONTINUING FIXATION ON JEWS MUST NOT GRIP THE UNITED STATES
In this opinion piece for Newsweek, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and Israeli MK Michael Oren describes Europe's millennia-long obsession with framing Jews as the ultimate "Other" in order to define its own identity. Even today, he explains, European parliaments put unusual amounts of focus on the question of Israel, rather than their own pressing domestic problems, such as failing economies and migrant crises. Oren worries that this trend is spreading to the United States.
The Last Nazi Hunter
In this Must Read piece, Newsweek profiles Efraim Zuroff, often referred to as "The Last Nazi Hunter." It tells of his lifelong pursuit to bring to justice Nazi criminals responsible for the Holocaust. Even all these years later, Zuroff defies critics because, as he puts it ". . . the passage of time in no way diminishes the guilt of the killers." Unfortunately, the time for such justice is quickly running out.
Israel
Hamas turns Gaza terror tunnels into summer tourist attraction
Always proud of its terrorist tactics, Hamas has started giving guided tours of its terror tunnels. I suppose that when all you do is repress your own people by syphoning off resources and diverting them toward terror, you don't have much to be proud of.
Congress demands true number of Palestinian refugees from UNRWA
We have written before about how the despicable UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees helps to perpetuate the Middle East Conflict. One of the continued problems is that the UN defines "refugee" using a broad definition that applies to no other situation around the world. According to UNRWA, even those three generations removed from a Palestinian born in the Mandate of Palestine is considered a "refugee," even if the person's family has been living outside of Israel for multiple generations. Fortunately, the US Congress is starting to ask questions about this definition and will, hopefully, cut funding to UNRWA and instead divert such money to causes that actually advance Palestinian well-being.
BDS
Anti-BDS laws don’t perpetuate discrimination. They prevent it.
If it seems like I am always posting articles by Eugene Kontorovich, it is because I am. I previously profiled him in our Heroes section. Kontorovich is a brilliant lawyer and writer, and is probably one of the most important champions Israel has at the moment. In this opinion piece for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Kentorovich succinctly explains why anti-BDS legislation sweeping the nation is not a matter of free speech but, rather, a matter of anti-discrimination laws. JTA ran two opposing opinion pieces on the topic, and the opposing view by Rabbi Jill Jacobs can be found here.
Anthropology Group Won't Boycott Israel
The American Anthropological Association recently voted by a slight majority not to boycott Israeli academic institutions after a preliminary vote in November in favor of boycott by a 1,040 to 136 margin. It is possible that the sudden change of heart was due to the organization getting scared of a lawsuit similar to the one brought against the American Studies Association by some of its members, who accused the Association of acting outside of its corporate charter.
If true, this is a good example of how taking the anti-BDS fight against one group can cause a domino effect.
WATCH: Atlanta Mayor Rejects Demand To End Police Training Cooperation With Israel
Aussie Dave over at israellycool.com reports on another rejection of BDS, as the Atlanta Mayor rejecting calls for his law enforcement personnel to stop training with the IDF.
Hey, BDS-Loving Professors Watching the Assault on Academic Freedom in Turkey: Why so Quiet?
Turkey recently saw a failed coup that led Erdogan's government to dismiss and/or detain scores of public sector employees, including over 100 academics. Erdogan also called on the dean of every public and private university to resign and banned travel for professors. As Liel Leibovitz highlights, we are sure to see complete silence from all of the US-based academic organizations that signed on to BDS ostensibly in support of "academic freedom."
Anti-Semitism
'Israel is creating terrorists with a justified grudge', Baroness Tonge claims
Baroness Tonge of the UK House of Lords considers the cause of the Islamic State terrorist group to be.......Israel. Tonge claims that violent extremists have a "justified grudge" because of Israeli policy.
Legal
Why Critics of Israel’s New NGO ‘Transparency Law’ Are Wrong
Eugene Kontorovich writes in Tablet Magazine about the controversial NGO transparency bill recently passed in Israel. Several "pro peace" organizations such as J Street and Americans for Peace Now deliberately mischaracterized the bill as an attack on liberal NGOs. Kontorovich deftly rebuts this mischaracterizing by explaining that it is a neutral NGO transparency bill just like those of many other countries, including the United States.
Ridiculous Headlines
CNN Terror List Ignored Israeli Victims
It should come as no surprise that when CNN recently posted a list of "30 Days Of Terror Around the World," they completely omitted mention of any casualties of terror in Israel, including 13-year old Hallel Yaffa Ariel, who was stabbed to death in her home, and Rabbi Michael Mark, who was killed in front of his family on a highway. CNN did, however, choose to include terror incidents in other countries in which there were no casualties.
Fortunately, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) pressured CNN into altering its timeline, which can be found here
Tweets
Kontorovich Tweet Perfectly Addresses Kerry
This tweet by Eugene Kontorovich came after it was revealed that a US strike in Syria killed roughly 60 civilians. It perfectly responds to Kerry's absurd commentary during Operation Protective Edge.