Hamas says they can’t be “blackmailed” into not killing Jews or trying to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic State. Oh, and their spokemen continue the let’s-lie-to-the-world-until-they-buy-it routine.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - A top Hamas official said Tuesday the Islamic militant group will not be “blackmailed” by international threats to cut off aid to the Palestinians and is searching for new sources of funding.

Osama Hamdan, a member of the group’s exiled leadership, spoke a day after international donors that support the Palestinian government said millions of dollars of aid could be in jeopardy if Hamas does not change its violent ways.

Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide attacks, is poised to lead the next Palestinian government after winning legislative elections.

“We are looking for alternative sources and we will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,” Hamdan said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from Beirut, Lebanon. “We will not accept any conditions from anybody. At the same time, we are ready for dialogue.”

Monday’s meeting of the so-called “Quartet” of Mideast peace makers - the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia - stopped short of issuing an outright threat to Hamas.

But they said it is “inevitable” that future aid to a Hamas-led government “would be reviewed” if Hamas fails to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept existing agreements between the Palestinians and Israel. Hamas leaders have rejected the Western demands.

By the way, did you notice that Hamas’ description was whitewashed in this report? Somehow, the phrase “and is committed to Israel’s destruction” got edited out. It should go right after the phrase in bold. I’m sure it was just a careless copy editing mistake.

Not.

This is the only bright spot in the article:

But Hamas officials said Tuesday the group already is in touch with potential donors in Arab and Muslim nations. The officials declined to be identified because the contacts are in an early stage.

Analysts say that although most wealthy Gulf nations will not stand by and watch the Palestinians starve, the Arab and Muslim world is unlikely to provide the kind of cash Western nations have given.

Government officials in the oil-rich countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, the most likely donors, are staying clear of the subject for now, refusing to discuss the issue despite repeated contacts from the AP.

The Gulf governments have pledged tens of millions of dollars to the Palestinians in the past but sent only a tiny fraction of that money.

Here’s hoping. Starve the beast in order to kill it. If Hamas can’t supply the goods, the people will turn on them.

Funny, I thought the elections were supposed to “moderate” Hamas. That’s what they all keep telling us, right?

Wrong.

Hamas has yet to suspend its efforts to perpetrate terror attacks against Israel despite having won the Palestinian parliamentary elections last week, a high-ranking IDF officer told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

According to the officer, the relatively low number of terror attacks in recent months was due to the military’s intensive crackdown in the West Bank and the almost daily arrest operations the army carried out in Palestinian cities. On Tuesday, IDF forces arrested 22 Palestinian fugitives throughout the West Bank, including seven Hamas operatives.

“There hasn’t been a change in the Hamas since the elections,” said the officer who commands a brigade stationed in the West Bank. “They are still highly motivated to carry out attacks and to obtain new technology to advance their weaponry and rockets.”

The officer said that the defense establishment had noticed an attempt by the Hamas to train operatives in the West Bank how to manufacture Kassam-style rockets that could be fired at Israeli cities along the coast.

You may have noticed that I’ve now added a Hamas category to my posts. I look forward to the day when it disappears, because that will mean Hamas will have disappeared.

Not that I expect it to happen. I’m just an optimist.

As I said yesterday, Iran is there to pick up the slack if the EU and US donations to the PA dry up.

Natan Sharansky says the election was not an example of democracy; I agree. Ba’athists were forbidden to run in Iraq. The Taliban was forbidden to run in Afghanistan. The Exception Clause allowed Hamas terrorists to run in the PA elections.

“Democracy isn’t hocus-pocus; it’s a process. An election between a terrorist organization that wants to destroy the State of Israel and a corrupt dictatorship that does not care about helping its own people is not democracy.”

Shocker: The president of Russia says Hamas must recognize Israel.

Something you won’t see in the mainstream media: The PA owes Israel $47 million in electric bills. When that gets deducted from the tax revenues, watch for the howling about stealing palestinian funds.

This poison was added to the documentation about Holocaust Remembrance Day, but you have to search pretty hard to find it. (Thanks to Judeosphere for finding it for me.)

Explanation of position of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the resolution entitled “Holocaust remembrance” adopted by the General Assembly on 1 November 2005

The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns genocide against any race, ethnic or religious group as a crime against humanity. Many abhorrent cases of genocide that have regrettably occurred throughout history necessitate a thorough and comprehensive examination by the United Nations of the pain and suffering that this horrific crime has inflicted on various peoples and groups, avoiding a restrictive approach to a particular ethnicity or religion.

Addressing historical events of horrific enormity, with a view to avoiding their recurrence, requires a commensurate degree of scientific scrutiny and rigour. Rendering political judgements on such events and closing the door to any scientific inquiry on their characteristics, scope and extent would seriously undermine the
sincerity of the endeavour, particularly in its preventive aspect, which should aim at precluding the reoccurrence of similar atrocities. The basic principles of democracy, including the right to freedom of expression and belief, should pave the way for exploring different aspects of historical events without any arbitrary restrictions.

Moreover, genocide and the immense sufferings associated with that horrific crime should not be manipulated for political purposes. Regrettably, the Zionist regime has routinely attempted to exploit the sufferings of the Jewish people in the past as a cover for its crimes being perpetrated today against Palestinians in the occupied territories, including massacre, demolition of houses, properties and farmlands, as well as acts of state terrorism. The international community should take strong action against such atrocious crimes of the Zionist regime and not allow it to manipulate humanitarian sentiments to pursue its illegitimate goals.

If there is anyone out there who doubts what the Holocaust [denial] conference Iran is sponsoring will be about, doubt no further.

This anti-Semitic filth now becomes part of the permanent record of the UN, adding to the hundreds of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish documentation already extant. And for this, the U.S. pays 25% of the UN’s costs.

Lovely.

I watched the premiere of “Courting Alex” last week. I liked it. I actually laughed a couple of times. I’ll be keeping my eye on this one.

Update: The Danes caved and apologized. Score another one for the Religion of Intolerance.

Once again, Islam, the religion of tolerance, shows its tolerance by threatening to kill those who don’t follow Islamic dictates. Muslims the world over are attacking and threatening Danes because a Danish newspaper printed twelve cartoons that depicted Mohammed.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The controversy over Danish caricatures of Prophet Muhammad escalated Monday as gunmen seized an EU office in Gaza and Muslims appealed for a trade boycott of Danish products. Denmark called for its citizens in the Middle East to exercise vigilance.

Denmark-based Arla Foods, which has been the target of a widespread boycott in the Middle East, reported that two of its employees in Saudi Arabia were beaten by angry customers. Aid groups, meanwhile, pulled workers out of Gaza, citing the threat of hostilities.

[...] In Gaza, masked gunmen briefly took over an office used by the EU, demanding an apology from Denmark and Norway. The gunmen said citizens of the two countries would be prevented from entering the Gaza Strip. No one was hurt.

The Danish Red Cross said it was evacuating two employees from Gaza and one from Yemen.

“There have been concrete threats against our employees. The fact that they are Danish nationals has made the difference,” Danish Red Cross spokesman Anders Ladekarl said.

The Norwegian People’s Aid group also said it was withdrawing its two Norwegian representatives in Gaza but that operations would be maintained by local staff.

In a statement issued Sunday evening on its Web site, the Foreign Ministry called for Danes in the Middle East to be cautious.

The newspaper and Danish government are standing fast, but some Danes are already calling for them to back down. Muslim nations are talking about boycotting Denmark, but Denmark pointed out to Saudi Arabia that private boycotts are against World Bank policy.

Arabs and Muslims also are calling for a boycott of Danish foods, including popular cream cheese, butter and cookie brands. Arla said the boycott of its products in the Middle East was almost total.

“Sales have come to a standstill in almost all markets,” said Jens Refslund, the foods production division manager.

Arla Foods has $430 million in annual sales in the Middle East and about 1,000 employees in the region.

Saudi Arabia, which has recalled its ambassador to Denmark, was warned by the EU trade commissioner that the 25-nation bloc would take action with the World Trade Organization if the kingdom supported a Danish boycott, the European Commission said Monday.

Libya on Sunday said it was closing its embassy in Denmark.

Emirates’ Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Mohammed Al Dhaheri said publishing the “blasphemous” cartoons was “disgusting and irresponsible,” according to comments released Monday by the official WAM news agency.

“This is cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression. The repercussions of such irresponsible acts will have adverse impact on international relations.”

There we go, misuse of the T-word. Yes, “insulting the prophet” is now tantamount to blowing up children on buses, hijacking planes, and bombing synagogues and churches.

Oh. My. God. Could these people be any less mature?

Once more, we are expected to change our values to match their culture, and yet, they are not expected to change a whit to respect Western values, like, say, equality for women, freedom of expression, the ability to worship whom you please.

But Islam is a religion of tolerance. And peace.

As long as you toe the line, that is.

Judith Apter Klinghoffer has a counter to the boycott of Danish products: Buy Danish. (Not the pastry.)

This paragraph in Ynet’s article about Iran inviting Tony Blair to his Holocaust-denial conference got my intererest piqued:

“What was published as a document in the United Nations on Saturday is the stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Holocaust,” the Tehran Times quoted Asefi as saying.

I looked for a reference to the document on The Tehran Times. Nothing. Looked on IRNA. Nothing. Went to the UN and searched its documents online pages. Nothing. Finally, I went to Iran’s UN website.

They don’t have one. This is the full text of the home page:

Dear visitor,

The website http://www.un.int/iran is temporarily down for maintenance.
We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Please try back in a little while.

Wow, lameness. All those petrodollars, and that’s the best they can come up with?

But I digress. If anyone finds any publication that refers to an Iranian document on the Holocaust submitted to the UN on January 28, I’d love to see it.

Lair Simon just pointed me to a hilarious cartoon blog that’s been added to my cartoon blogroll.

Check out the anniversary post, and if you’re at work, you might want to wait until the boss is out of earshot. I bit my tongue trying not to laugh out loud. I think I cracked a rib, too.

Definitely scroll through Doug’s ten best list. I think Brevity is my favorite, but they’re all quite funny.

I would like to go on record to say that I am climbing aboard the Global Warming bandwagon.

It is January 30th. It is in the mid-sixties in Richmond. While we have had January thaws before, it was in the mid-sixties yesterday. It will be in the mid-sixties again in a few days.

This winter is creeping me out.

The AP has yet another balanced(!) piece on the money woes facing Hamas.

JERUSALEM (AP) - Even before it embarks on its first effort at governing, the militant group Islamic Hamas faces serious problems - international isolation because of its extremist policies and an inherited money crunch.

Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that after Hamas sets up a government, Israel will stop transferring tens of millions of dollars a month to the Palestinians in customs and taxes. Foreign donors, who have annually made up a huge budget shortfall, are also balking at funding a Hamas regime.

Meanwhile, Fatah leaders are refusing to cooperate with the new rulers, openly hoping for their failure after Fatah was beaten in last week’s parliamentary election. Fatah won just 45 seats in the 132-seat parliament, while Hamas took 74, ending four decades of Fatah control over Palestinian politics.

“We will not allow … anyone to take part in a government with Hamas,” said Sufian Abu Zaydeh, an outgoing Fatah Cabinet minister. He told Israel’s Channel 2 TV that Fatah is hoping Hamas falls flat on its first mission of governing.

“They said they have a different way of doing things, they can conduct negotiations without talking to Israel, without recognizing Israel - let’s see them do it,” he said.

Read the whole thing.

Iran can definitely afford to fund the PA entirely, what with the extra billions the price of oil has given them over the last few years. I’m sure Syria wants to fund them, but won’t be able to. My guess is that Iran is going to fill in the gap and Hamas will lie about it. Then again, Gorilla Boy doesn’t care what the world thinks of him or his country, so perhaps they will do so openly — although Zahar has already denied that he’s getting any money from Iran. The fact that Ahmadinejad met with the leaders of various terrorist groups (including Hamas) while in Damascus means nothing. Really.

However, the EU is already wobbly over this. I don’t have much confidence in them.

Jan. 30 (Bloomberg) — European Union foreign ministers ruled out an immediate cutoff of financial aid to a Hamas-led Palestinian government, saying the movement deserves a chance to give up its armed struggle and embrace peace with Israel.

Hamas, branded as a terrorist group by Europe and the U.S., won 74 of 132 parliamentary seats in last week’s Palestinian election, ending the four-decade dominance of Palestinian politics by the more moderate Fatah movement founded by Yasser Arafat.

“We are looking to Hamas to renounce violence,” U.K. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels today. European governments “have an opportunity to pause and to think about” putting conditions on EU financial support.

So you think all of this pressure will work?

“The Americans and the European Union are dreaming if they think they can force us to change our positions,” Mohammed Nazzal, a Damascus-based Hamas leader, said on Al Arabiya television.

Nah, me neither.

You know, if you added an “h” to the last word in this headline…

Rice Urges Nations to Cut Off Hamas Aid

it would work a lot better for me.

Rice Urges Nations to Cut Off Hamas Haid

Yep. Looks perfect. Now if we can only convince Condi.

(Note: She’s from Alabama. She can speak Southern fluently.)

There’s no use crying over spilled milk, but swearing sure feels good.

The noose is tightening around Hamas. Unfortunately, it’s not a physical noose around the terrorists’ necks, but the world is actually reacting, well, like a bunch of terrorists have just been elected. (Thanks to Lair Simon, from whom I lifted half the URLs in this post.)

Ehud Olmert says Israel stands firm: No talks with the PA until Hamas renounces its charter and lays down its arms.

The new German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, stands in full agreement with Israel in refusing to deal with Hamas. Good for her.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark “hopes” that Hamas will change its stance. Sweetie, every time I plunk down my dollar, I hope I’ll win the lottery. Hasn’t happened yet. But best of luck to you. (Moron.)

Israel will not transfer this month’s tax collections to the Hamas-controlled PA. I’m sure Hamas is going to squeal about it; just as I’m sure Mahmoud Abbas is going to hem and haw and tell Israel to send the money back [wink, wink], really, they must help Hamas run the PA [wink, wink].

The Third Way says “No way” to joining a Hamas coalition. The success or failure of the PA is going to be all on Hamas’ heads.

Saudi Arabia could screw things up big-time if they go through with their promised $100 million dollar “donation” to the PA. I wonder if W. will give his “good friends the Saudis” a call over this one.

Holy crap! A writer in the Sydney Morning Herald says it’s Arafat’s fault, not Bush’s, that Hamas was elected. Quick! Get the smelling salts, I feel faint!

The AP has a typical article that simply reeks of sympathy for Hamas’ position–nobody likes them, nobody will fund them, gee, you’d think they were a terrorist organization devoted to the destruction of Israel, or something.

Mahmoud Zahar goes live on CNN to reiterate that Hamas will never recognize Israel, and also manages to show that Gorilla Boy is not the only insane Muslim leader. He uses the Israeli flag to prove that Israel wants a Jewish state from the Nile to the Euphrates. Yep, that’s what the lines and the Star of David mean. Because it’s in the Jewish Bible, you see. Go read the Hamas charter, and you’ll see more Zionist conspiracy theory lunacy from Hamas. However, if Israel were to withdraw from all the territories occupied in ‘67, allow the right of return, and dismantle all the settlements, Hamas will graciously allow a long-term hudna.

So sure, deal with these people. They’ll moderate their stance. Sure. The Telegraph interviewed Mahmoud Zahar, the leader of Hamas who was not assassinated after Yassin and Rantisi.

“We are not going to recognise Israel,” he said, putting paid to suggestions that Hamas may alter its 1988 charter calling for the destruction of the Jewish state. But he added: “We can reach out to them with a long-term hudna (truce).”

He then called on the world to recognise Hamas.

“The outside world must not fear us,” he said, adding that while Hamas did not yet have official contact with the west, “we have channels of communication”. He paused, then added: “We meet all the time.”

Mr Zahar first rose to power in Hamas in 1989, a year after Ahmed Yassin was jailed by Israel for ordering the execution of alleged collaborators with the Jewish state. Almost two decades on, spies remain a constant concern.

“Spies and thieves must fear us,” he said, in his pastel-coloured reception room, where he was holding court as the new most powerful man in town. The “thieves”, he added, in a reference to Israel, “are those who steal our land”.

You want to find for me the hopeful world bit that expects Hamas to moderate its stance? Because I’m just not seeing it.

Reader Hugh S. sent me to this Spielberg interview with Der Spiegel about the film, Munich. The interview is pretty much what has already been said, with Spielberg insisting that he’s being misinterpreted, bullied, misunderstood, and attacked by — wait for it — “right-wingers.” Yeah, okay.

But that isn’t what I found interesting. Der Spiegel also decided to bring back the editorial they wrote after the Munich Massacre occurred. And I read this paragraph, written before the bodies had cooled:

The conflagration in the Middle East, prematurely thought to have been extinguished, was raging once again. Israeli bombers penetrated more deeply than ever into Syria, almost reaching the Turkish border. The extreme “Jewish Defence League” called for the murder of Arab diplomats. The Jewish state found itself once again fixated on the revenge that its political survival, but not its moral integrity, demands.

The Arab governments, halfway willing to compromise, again felt forced into at least a verbal solidarity — against the Jews and the Germans — with the Palestinians, whom they had already abandoned before.

What is missing from these statements is any Arab responsibility for the situation in the Middle East. Five years after the Six-Day War — five years after the infamous three no’s from the Arabs (No recognition of Israel. No negotiations with Israel. No peace with Israel.) — the damage had already been done. It wasn’t the terrorists’ fault. They were driven to it by Israeli actions. I’m sorry, Israeli “revenge,” because as everyone knows, retaliation is for everyone except the Jews.

Interesting reading, no? The more things change….

Oh, please don’t tease me like this:

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - The leader of Hamas suggested Saturday that the Islamic group could create a Palestinian army that would include its militant wing - responsible for scores of deadly attacks on Israelis - in the aftermath of its crushing victory in parliamentary elections.

(more…)

The AP has a remarkably plain-talking article about Hamas’ rejectionism.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Following their resounding election victory, the Islamic militants of Hamas met the question of whether they will change their stripes with a loud “no”: no recognition of Israel, no negotiations, no renunciation of terror.

Wow. That’s about as plain as you can get it: The three no’s, in the first paragraph.

(more…)

This weekend was my class’ turn to lead services. The religious school has had each class take a turn leading Friday night services since I started teaching, and this year, they have fourth grade and up lead Saturday morning services as well.

I can see the difference between my current class and my class from 2002. The rabbi and the director of education instituted a new program that year, where all the grades would learn t’filah (prayers) and shirah (religious and Jewish-culture songs). Twice a week for the past four years, my current fourth graders–less the two that just joined us from a different state–have been learning the Shabbat prayers. Between that, and our weeks of practice as the day grew closer, I saw a marked difference in the children as they stood in front of the synagogue. It’s no discredit to my first class–they did a wonderful job–but my current class had more practice. They even begged to lead the Ashrey, which I declined. It’s a prayer that used to not be broached before seventh grade. Now the sixth graders handle it easily. Last week, the fifth graders volunteered to do it in t’filah, and did a very nice job of it. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if my next year’s class, or the one after, are able to do the Ashrey at age nine.

In any case, they were confident, they were cheerful, and they were great. I warned them ahead of time that it didn’t matter what program I gave the rabbi; he always improvises and makes them stay up for more prayers than they’d intended. He did, of course, and they took it gracefully. But boy, were they glad to go when I told them to go take a break as he finally let them sit down. They were on their feet for nearly an hour.

It’s been too long since I’ve been up in front of the congregation myself. I stumbled on my aliya, and blanked on the tune for a moment. My students never noticed.

I guess it’s time to start practicing for my Bat Mitvah. November 2007 will be here before I know it. My Torah portion is Chayyei Sarah, as I’m sure some of you will be asking. I’ll be having my Bat Mitzvah the same year as my second class. There were only five that year, though they’ve got two more students since then. The kids are already asking me about the big party I’ll be throwing. They all assume I’m inviting all of my former students.

Oy. I’d better start saving for it too, hm?

Well, I bought the microphone. I’ve spoken to Bruce, and I’ve sent off a sound check. Next week I should have something on the Shire Network News.

Here’s a hint: It will probably not be anything that I have written about on the blog. I want to do something completely different from my usual blogging if I’m going to podcast.

And I’m going to work on it being funny. We shall see how that turns out.

The AP simply cannot bring itself to call the upset in Gaza what it is: Rioting, anarchy, the prelude to civil war–and so we get pablum like this:

Fatah Activists Demand Change in Party
Jan 28, 1:51 PM (ET)
By SARAH EL DEEB
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Fatah activists marched to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ compound, police briefly stormed the parliament building in Gaza and security forces clashed with Hamas gunmen on Saturday as the long-ruling party lashed out in anger for its devastating election loss.

(more…)

I’m guessing no.

Asked if a Hamas-run cabinet would negotiate with Israel, Zahar said even prior to his movement’s victory there had been no movement toward peace and, therefore, there was no point in holding a dialogue at this time.

“We have no peace process,” he said. “We are not going to mislead our people to tell them we are waiting, meeting, for a peace process that is nothing.”

You know how when guys are young, they greet each other with a punch? (Yeah, I know, girls, I never understood it, either.)

What’s the grown-up equivalent of that punch?

Two thousand soon-to-be-unemployed Fatah members are rioting across Gaza–even in front of Mahmoud Abbas’ house. And the AP headlines its story thus:

Thousands of Fatah Members Protest in Gaza
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Thousands of activists from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party rallied across the Gaza Strip on Friday, burning abandoned cars, shooting in the air and demanding corrupt leaders resign after their devastating election loss to the militant Hamas movement.

Sounds like rioting to me.

On Friday night, thousands of Fatah activists burned cars and shot in the air in demonstrations demanding the resignation of corrupt party officials and insisting that Fatah form no coalition with Hamas.

Yep, still rioting.

Perhaps they can blame it on the Muslim “youths” of France. No, wait, then they’d have to call it a riot.

This is why the AP has its very own category on my blog: AP Media Bias.

Update: Oh, this is even more precious. An earlier version of this headline is “Fatah Members Rally Against Corruption.”

Yes, because the corrupt members of Fatah would almost certainly rally against their own corruption. The AP should have a new motto: “We’re always good for a laugh.”

Wow. Just when I think the AP can’t get any dumber, they surprise me. Get a load of this drek put forth as analysis of what Hamas’ position on Israel is:

JERUSALEM (AP) - Islamic Hamas militants who swept the Palestinian parliamentary election have a clear domestic agenda: purging government corruption and restoring order to lawless streets. But they are much murkier when it comes to explaining how they’ll deal with a Jewish state whose existence they reject - but cannot ignore.

“What their real agenda is I can’t say,” said Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi, a former Fatah legislator re-elected to parliament on a small party list. “I don’t think they have it fully formulated.

“We know what they say, they want all of Palestine (including Israel) and say that negotiations did not work,” Ashrawi said. “They talk about wanting reform. That doesn’t mean they will do it.”

Funny, that sounds like a real agenda to me.

(more…)

Today is the 61st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. You know, the camp that didn’t exist, and the Jews that weren’t prisoners there, according to the heir to the Nazis, the current president of Iran (known here and at Israellycool as Gorilla Boy).

One of the things that struck me as the most evil and contemptible of everything the Nazis did was their attempt to murder all the remaining Jews rather than let them be rescued. 60,000 Jews from Auschwitz went on the death march. More than a quarter of them died.

Read Elie Weisel’s “Night.” It’s been recently re-translated and re-issued.

Someone should send a copy to Gorilla Boy. Not that it would do any good.

Today’s main editorial in the Washington Post concludes with a hard-line stance on Hamas’ involvement in the PA:

The Islamists no doubt will seek to construct a coalition that could continue to attract international aid — without which the Palestinian Authority would collapse — while evading compromises on Hamas’s militia or ideology.

Even if Fatah consents to this strategy, Western governments should not. Instead, they should stick to the principle already articulated by the so-called Quartet of peace process sponsors, which includes the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, as well as the Bush administration: that “a future Palestinian Authority cabinet should include no member who has not committed to the principles of Israel’s right to exist in peace and security and an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism.” If Hamas will not meet that condition, then it should be condemned to governing Gaza and the West Bank in diplomatic isolation, without European, U.S. or World Bank aid. The Islamists must be forced to choose between democracy and terrorism; between their ideology and the yearning of Palestinians for security, good government and a state of their own.

Fine. I will take them at their word, and leave this here for future reference–to return to when the WaPo starts saying that Hamas has “reformed” and it’s time to deal with the “democratically elected” government of the palestinians.

There’s plenty of blame to go around. Really. The WaPo found someone to blame Bush–Edward G. Abington Jr., a “consultant to the Palestinian Authority” (and what, one wonders, does he consult on? How to rename terrorism “resistance”?).

Abington said the Bush administration shares responsibility for the outcome because U.S. officials did little to help Abbas or to push the Israeli government to end settlement expansion, limit roadblocks, release prisoners or stop other activities that undermined his authority in the eyes of the Palestinian people. He said the result is a “huge blow to Bush’s advocacy of democracy in the Middle East” because Arab leaders fearful of Islamic victories in their countries will “push back very hard.”

(more…)

The Times is in fine fettle this morning, with an editorial that pretends to blame Fatah and Abbas for the Hamas upset. But they know who the real villain in the piece is:

Israeli hard-liners can blame themselves as well. Even though most reasonable people have recognized Mr. Abbas as a far more pragmatic negotiating partner than Yasir Arafat was, Prime Minister Sharon failed to give Mr. Abbas any concession that he could point to as an achievement. Instead, Israel has busied itself with carrying out Mr. Sharon’s doctrine of unilateral separation from the Palestinians, a doctrine that is sure to gain more favor now that the Palestinians have chosen Hamas.

(more…)

I’ve been seeing the name — Vital Perspectives — around for a while. Two people? What are they, Flash and Kid Flash?

Anyway, go check out some of the posts on the results of the Hamas election. There’s the statement by the Quartet, and the one by Ehud Olmert on why Israel will not negotiate with Hamas, and this excellent quote on why Israel shouldn’t negotiate with Hamas.

Fellahs, consider yourselves blogrolled.

I’m showing my manager WordPress, whatever you do, make sure you mention that I always, always schedule my posts ahead of time, which is why some of them show up timestamped during the workweek.

No, I’m not kidding. I’m really going to show him WordPress.

Look, if you folks don’t want to vote, I don’t want to keep nagging you.

I should probably throw my votes somewhere else. The only reason I won last year was due to nag, nag, nag.

But you could at least go back and vote in the best post category, which was set back to zero by mistake and erased all of your votes. Which is why my showing sucks so much, I presume.

The AP on world reactions to the Hamas win.

PARIS (AP) - World leaders, uneasy at the prospect of a Hamas-led Palestinian government, immediately exerted pressure on the Islamic militants Thursday to recognize Israel and renounce violence as a precondition for ties.

France noted that the European Union lists Hamas as a terrorist organization, as does the United States. Italy said the militant group’s resounding - and surprising - victory in legislative elections Wednesday could indefinitely postpone any chance of Israeli-Palestinian peace and make the creation of a Palestinian state more difficult.

“It is a very, very, very bad result,” Italian news agencies quoted Premier Silvio Berlusconi as saying.

Concern crossed political divides, with traditional supporters of the Palestinian cause - such as Italy’s center-left opposition - among those expressing concern.

Gee, ya think?

“The whole of the international community has the responsibility to accept the outcome of any fair and democratic election,” said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. “But in this case Hamas has a clear responsibility to understand that with democracy goes a rejection of violence.”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman was blunter: “We can only do business with people who renounce terrorism,” he said.

Israel, the United States and the European Union have said they would not deal with a government led by Hamas, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings, seeks Israel’s destruction and has said that it opposes peace talks and will not disarm.

Freivalds, the Swedish minister, said the 25-nation EU will not be able to cooperate with Hamas unless it changes its policies. The French prime minister laid out what he described as “indispensable” conditions: Renouncing violence, accepting progress toward peace, recognizing Israel and recognizing international accords, notably the Oslo peace accords.

Here’s the biggest laugh of the article, though:

“It is obvious that the EU would never countenance funding a regime that continued an armed fight against Israel,” said Ignasi Guardans, a Spanish member of the European Parliament. “But we cannot push for democracy and then deny the result of free and fair elections.”

First off, refusing to recognize terrorists in a government is not denying the results of a democratic election. You recognize that they won. You simply refuse to deal with terrorists. However, I don’t expect the EU to stick to their current guns. You’ll be seeing pictures of the EU representatives having coffee with Hamas within the month.

Secondly: This quote is proof positive of the wilful blindness of the world regarding palestinian terror. They funded Yasser Arafat for decades. They were presented with the evidence of his involvement in terror. They ignored or denied it.

I said before that this is Ehud Olmert’s Harry Truman moment. It’s even more important than that. America wasn’t facing an existential threat when Roosevelt died. The war in Europe was in the mop-up stage. The war with Japan was in its final stages.

Israel’s war with the Arab and Muslim world is ongoing. Most of the Arab world has never recognized Israel. Syria is still at war with her. Lebanon has thousands of Iranian proxy troops waiting for the order to invade. And Iran’s president has stated many times in the past months that he wants to rid the world of Israel.

This is the opportunity for the world to step up and stand with Israel against those who would destroy her.

I’m not holding out a lot of hope for that right now, judging on the past. Every time the world has the chance to destroy Jews or save them, it always chooses the former.

The difference this time, of course, is that the Jews are armed. And dangerous.

World leaders are saying — now — that Hamas must disarm.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw urged Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel following its success in the Palestinian legislative elections.

“Hamas has to understand that with democracy goes renunciation of violence,” Straw said on a visit to the Turkish capital.

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Those nutjobs who think that Armageddon is upon us must be very happy today. Hamas is Israel’s new non-negotiating partner in the PA.

And Hamas has re-issued the three no’s: No peace with Israel, no negotiations, no recognition.

It’s going to be interesting to see what happens when Israel assassinates a Hamas legilsator for taking part in suicide attacks.

This is a test for the entire world, to see if they really mean it about terrorists.

I give them a week before they try to push Israel into negotiating with Hamas.

Notice anything familiar in this AP photo of a Hamas rally?

Kinda looks like this, doesn’t it?

Yes, these are the people that the world thinks Israel will have to deal with after the upcoming palestinian elections. No Jew-haters here. Nope. None at all.

Vote.

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The AIPAC conference is in March. It costs $500 to get in.

Would my readers be interested in kicking in the conference fee in order to get first-hand reporting from me?

I have some friends in the D.C. area that I could possibly stay with.

If there’s enough interest, I’d love to go. I’ve been wanting to buy a digital recorder, anyway.

Hamas is openly stating its genocidal purpose toward Israel, and yet, most of the world will simply stuff their fingers into their ears and say “LALALALA, I can’t hear you!”

Exhibit one: Hamas intends to unite their “army” with the PA security forces for one giant “resistance weapon” pointed, of course, at Israel.

Damascus - Head of the political bureau in the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, Khaled Mishaal, affirmed that his Movement’s participation in the next PA cabinet is under intensive deliberation and will be announced in the suitable time.

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The Economist thinks that it’s cute to call the existential threats Iran has been making against Israel a “family feud.”

IRAN’S president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, says Israel is an alien implantation whose people should return to Europe or perhaps settle in Alaska. So it is an irony that Israel’s president, Moshe Katzav, is in fact a Farsi-speaker born in Iran. Ditto Israel’s defence minister, Shaul Mofaz, who is doubtless preoccupied nowadays with how to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme. He is advised by Dan Halutz, Israel’s former air-force commander and now chief of staff. Lieut-General Halutz was born in Israel, both his parents in Iran. They seem to have taught him a sense of humour. Asked how far Israel would go to stop Iran’s nuclear programme, he replied: “two thousand kilometres”.

Gee, that’s a knee-slapper. Ha. Ha. Family feud. Get it? Get it?

No.

The new merger of UPN and the WB brings happiness to Meryl: CW is going to replace Richmond’s UPN station, which means that I get to watch Gilmore Girls when the rest of the country watches it.

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What’s wrong with this picture? I’m going to make it easy for you to play along and put some of the text into boldface. See if you can pick out a pattern.

Bombs Kill Six in Southwestern Iran
Nezam Molla Hoveizeh, a Khuzestan lawmaker, alleged Tuesday’s explosions were the work of Iranian Arab separatists who have offices in London and are supported by Britain.

“The bombers are directed by the British. Britain is the main culprit behind the blasts. The British government offers financial and material support to these terrorists,” he told The Associated Press.

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Another hilarious link, one that will probably not be nearly as amusing to my conservative readers as it is to the rest of us.

It’s a Zork-like look at the Bush years. W., not Daddy.

The widow of murdered Israeli Moni Weinberg talked to Ynet about the Spielberg film:

I watched the Golden Globe film awards all tense. When Spielberg and Kushner failed to win anything, I jumped for joy.”

Why?

Because they produced a fantasy. That a Jewish producer and director never bothered to call (former Mossad Chief) Tzvi Zamir or anyone else to learn about what really happened. None of us were invited to premiers in Hollywood or Israel, because they were afraid we’d speak out.

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We’ve had nothing but anarchy in chaos, a legacy of the ruin Yasser Arafat made of any semblance of palestinian civil rule, since the Gaza pullout. In Gaza itself, palestinian elections are near the end stage, and this is what you get:

Thousands of Palestinian security personnel, who voted early, fanned out across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protect polling stations. More than 1,700 Israeli border police are being deployed to ensure order and the free movement of voters in the Jerusalem area during election day, Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said.

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Interesting news article from the Asia Times, where I found this information:

… Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff Dan Halutz held discussions with the head of the Turkish military, General Hilmi Ozkok, and Turkish President Ahmed Necdet Sezer. The leading left-nationalist daily, the Cumhuriyet, reported that talks centered on how to deal with Iran.

The Turkish Weekly journal claimed further revelations. In a December 27 article it said Halutz had asked permission for training Israeli commandos in Turkey’s Bolu and Hakkari mountains. The magazine speculated that the Israeli request had to do with preparations for operations in northwestern Iran’s mountainous territory.

In November, Israel’s Yediot Aharonot newspaper revealed that private Israeli security firms had sent experts to Iraq’s northern Kurdish region to give Kurdish security forces covert training. The newspaper said the teams had originally entered northern Iraq from Turkey, but had to abandon their mission after receiving a credible warning of an impending al-Qaeda attack on their camp.

The end of the article bolsters my theory that the Iranian nuclear sites will be taken out by the IAF and the USAF working together–I say the USAF will be painting the Star of David on their jets for the operation.

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Let us take a moment from my regular subjects, and point out something in an AP description of Hanan Ashrawi, who, as regular readers know, is no friend of mine:

HANAN ASHRAWI, 59. She emerged as a prominent figure in Palestinian politics during the first Palestinian uprising, which erupted in 1987. Eloquent and often feisty, she was official spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace talks 1991-93, and headed a committee responsible for Jerusalem’s citizens rights after the signing of the peace agreement. She was appointed minister of higher education in 1996, and quit her post in a high-profile rebuke to Arafat over corruption in 1998. A legislator in the outgoing parliament, she serves on a number of international bodies, including the Council of Foreign Relations. She is a member of the Palestinians’ Christian minority.

“Feisty.” This is a word used most often to describe a woman. This is a demeaning word, used when the writer can’t seem to use the words “strong,” “tough,” or “independent.” Its nearest relation is “spunky,” a word which, if used to describe me while I am at arms’ reach, often results in physical damage to the person using the word.

Feisty. Good choice, AP. If you’re Ward Cleaver.