No, This Time It's A Muslim Nose Joke

Reported:-

Cafe owner ordered to remove extractor fan because neighbour claimed 'smell of frying bacon offends Muslims'

This doesn't sound kosher.

The story:

A hard-working cafe owner has been ordered to tear down an extractor fan - because the smell of her frying bacon 'offends' Muslims. Planning bosses acted against Beverley Akciecek, 49, after being told her next-door neighbour's Muslim friends had felt 'physically sick' due to the 'foul odour'.

Councillors at Stockport Council in Greater Manchester say the smell from the fan is 'unacceptable on the grounds of residential amenity'. The fan has been in Beverley's Snack Shack takeaway in the Shaw Heath area of the town for the past three years.

Mrs Akciecek and her husband Cetin, 50, - himself a Turkish Muslim - work more than 50 hours a week buying, preparing and cooking hot and cold sandwiches and hot-pots for their customers.

Today mother-of-seven Mrs Akciecek said she plans to appeal against the decision.

She said: 'I just think it's crazy. Cetin's friends actually visit the shop, they're regular visitors, they're Muslim people, they come in a couple of times a week.

'I have Muslim people come in for cheese toasties. Cetin cooks the food himself, he cooks the bacon.

- - -

Who To Believe?

CNN and Peace Now?

Construction has started for about 600 new housing units in the West Bank since the Israeli settlement freeze ended late last month, the group Peace Now said Thursday.

Or AP?

A list of 544 housing starts in West Bank settlements since end of freeze 3 weeks ago

If you ask me, neither are correct.

But then we have this:

U.N. envoy Robert Serry called the AP report "alarming." He said settlement construction is "illegal under international law" and "will only further undermine trust."

- - -

Neo-Colonist Am I? But Who Is Goldblog?

According to Andrew "Sully" Sullivan. But first, a word from an anti-religionist:

...one important factor in this - the evangelical end-times view of Israel. It's the politics of the Book of Revelation that impels Sarah Palin to take the view of the right-wing Jewish settlers and terrorists in the West Bank (Yes, I take setting fire to mosques, poisoning fig trees, destroying Palestinian agriculture as terrorism). The pro-Israel lobby is successful not just because it pursues legitimate lobbying of Congress to defend almost anything Israel does, but because it also has a sturdy outreach program to non-Jewish Americans who, by and large, identify far more with Western-seeming Israelis than with Arabs and Muslims, an identification understandably intensified after 9/11.

And now:

Supporting the continuing construction of settlements in East Jerusalem and the neo-colonization of the West Bank are also issues that are not synonymous with support of Israel, as Mead and Goldblog [sic! was that intentional?] have stated.

My, my.

US Sec'y of State Condemns...School Warehouse Fire

At the start of her words before the American Task Force on Palestine:

Before I begin, however, I want to take a moment to express our government’s strong condemnation of today’s disturbing reports of arson at a school warehouse near Nablus. There is never any justification for violence against civilians, and an attack against a school is particularly outrageous. These incidents cannot be tolerated. We hope for a swift investigation. And our thoughts and prayers are with those whose families have been affected.

At least she didn't blame the Jews. But the use of "outrageous"?

At least she made this point:-

...Palestinians could do more to discourage and denounce incitement that inflames tensions and undermines cooperation.

I would call that activity quite outrageous, actually.

Last time she used that term was in early September:

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that plans by a small church in Florida to burn the Muslim holy book are "outrageous" and "aberrational" and do not represent America.

By the way, it seems Taliban kidnapping is outrageous as well as advice from advice from former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan.

I can't find if the killing of Jews is also "outrageous" in Hillary's vocabulary.

And she gets all gushy about those Pal. "security forces":-

[at]the Beituniya checkpoint, well-equipped Palestinian security officers lined the road. They are more professional and capable than ever thanks to strong leadership and increased training that the United States has helped to assist.

But she goes on to make a strange claim:-

...as First Lady, I may have been the first person ever associated with an American administration to call for a Palestinian state and the two-state solution. (Applause.) This goal is now the official policy of the United States.

That sounds odd. The "first person"?

And is this an oblique reference to Mr. Netanyahu?

Now, I know that there are those who think that if they wait, scheme, or fight long enough, they can avoid compromising or negotiating. But I am here to say that that is not the case. That will only guarantee more suffering, more sorrow, and more victims.

- - -

What The Pals. Really Think

Further to my post yesterday, here comes more bad news for the US from a report, Palestinian Pulse, a review of Arab conversations, discussions and debates on social media sites:-

• The Islamist Hamas faction shows little desire for a negotiated peace with Israel. On this issue, the faction’s supporters showed no apparent disagreement with Salafists such as al-Qaeda.

• The Fatah faction, which is the current Palestinian representative in U.S.-led peace talks, is in disarray. Its supporters break down into two factions of roughly equal strength: one that supports non-violence, and one that seeks armed conflict and terrorism against Israel.

• The three-year conflict between Hamas and Fatah is not likely to end soon. The two sides regularly trade barbs online, and FDD found little evidence of rapprochement. Hamas was more interested in rapprochement with the Salafist factions.

• There is little evidence that Palestinians are prepared to challenge Iran’s vast influence in the Gaza Strip, where it is prevalent, or in the West Bank, where its influence is less clear.

• Palestinian reform factions are weak and have little influence online, raising red flags about institution building and/or liberalization.

Of course, we all know that but why should the US Administration, the State Department, the President, the Secretary of State and their advisors think they can get away with forcing "Palestine" down Israel's throat when this is the reality?

- -

Okay, And Where Was This Reported?

.

"Yes, Jews might have lit the fire, but it also could have been delinquent Arab youth from As-Sawiya or demented provocateurs like [Rabbis for Human Rights director] Arik Ascherman who was seen in the same area yesterday trying to ignite tensions between local Arabs and Jews," said David Ha'ivri, director of the Shomron Liaison Office.

"Every year as the olive harvest arrives the region is overrun with outsiders claiming to be 'peace activists' or 'humanitarian aid givers' who wish to take part in the action and when they find nothing newsworthy going on they volunteer to make things more exciting by initiating violent events," he said in an emailed statement.

And the answer is _____.


- - -

Temple Mount Sacred to Muslims?

Good resource:

...For Muslims, Jerusalem is thought to be sacred for two reasons: First, Muslims were initially commanded to pray toward Jerusalem. But when the Jews refused to convert to Islam, Muhammad changed the prayer direction toward Mecca. Second, Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to heaven and back from "the Rock" which much later after his death was interpreted to mean what is today the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

Interestingly, Islamic sources from the first 50 years or so after Muhammad's death make clear that Jerusalem had absolutely no holy status for Muslims.

Some centuries later, Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) another important Muslim cleric with an encyclopedic knowledge of the Koran and Hadith, wrote extensively about Jerusalem, and how there were only two holy cities in Islam – Mecca and Medina...

Ibn Taymiyya went to great lengths to explain that the veneration of Jerusalem in nothing more than the "Judaization" of Islam...

Later, Ibn Taymiyya discussed the first caliphs and showed that when they ruled over today's Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel, neither they nor any of the early governors nor any clerics made any attempt to build any structure over the Rock on the Temple Mount...How then, Ibn Taymiyya reasoned, could we who never knew them nor Muhammad have the right to disagree? There is no way we could know more about Islam than they. We therefore have no right to sanctity al-Aqsa because they did not do so.

In order to further strengthen his argument against Jerusalem's sanctity, Ibn Taymiyya wrote that during Muhammad's night journey to heaven from Jerusalem, there is no mention of the (Temple) Rock in the story. Therefore, since the Rock is not even mentioned, it has no importance in Islamic tradition.

...So how did Jerusalem become holy in Islam?

Read on.

Listening In

Here's a study, entitled "Palestine's Web 2.0" by Jonathan Schanzer and Mark Dubowitz on just how much Arabs really don't like Israel, among others:

...Imagine that Obama’s advisors could simultaneously sit in a dozen Palestinian markets, or souks, and listen to thousands of Palestinians speaking in Arabic about U.S. policy priorities in the Middle East. More importantly, imagine those conversations had no outside influence.

In April 2010, we launched a study with that in mind. Our organization, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), commissioned ConStrat, a company that deploys military-grade technology on behalf of the United States Central Command, to study online Palestinian political sentiment. For nine weeks, ConStrat culled thousands of Arabic language posts from search engines, unstructured social media sites, YouTube, Twitter, social networks (like Facebook), wikis, and RSS feeds.

While polls are often designed to elicit specific responses, social media is largely free of outside manipulation. Most Palestinians write under pseudonyms, enabling them to discuss controversial issues without fear of retribution. Admittedly, social media captures only the sentiments of literate Palestinians with access to computers and with passionate views. But it offers important insights nonetheless.

Here’s what we found: Although the Palestinian web landscape is not devoid of users with moderate to liberal views, it is dominated by radicalism. There is also little crossover between radical and liberal sites, indicating a lack of important debate.


...The data also confirmed what analysts already know about Fatah in the West Bank. Though it represents Palestinians in U.S.-led peace talks, Fatah is a faction in disarray. Politically, it lacks leadership. Ideologically, it lacks direction.

...while U.S. media has lauded Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad’s efforts to reform the West Bank, online forums indicate that Palestinians are not impressed. Some forums circulated articles declaring Fayyad a puppet of the West, while others claimed that his government is constitutionally illegitimate. More broadly, Palestinians are deeply suspicious of any collaboration with the United States, Fayyad’s most important political ally.

Finally, our data showed that a majority of Palestinians do not support regional peace efforts. Palestinian internet users often derided diplomatic initiatives; discussion of peace talks was overwhelmingly negative...

^

Will Obama Have To Wear A Yarmulke?

.


In India????

UPDATE

“To come to golden temple he needs to cover his head,” said Dalmegh Singh, secretary of the committee that runs the temple. “That is our tradition.”

Mr. Obama, a Christian, has struggled to fend off persistent rumors that he is a Muslim...Observant Sikhs do not cut their hair, and Sikh men wear turbans that cover their heads in public. Visitors to Sikh temples, known as gurudwaras, are required to cover their heads and remove their shoes. Baseball caps are not considered appropriate. Sikh scriptures require that men tie a piece of cloth on their heads, not simply put on a hat that can be easily taken off, because the act of tying has spiritual significance. Most non-Sikh visitors tie on kerchiefs sold by vendors outside the temple.

^

On The So-Called "Demographic Threat"

^


Think it this way -

would it not be better to have to deal with even more Arabs than the quantity claimed there are, rather than having to deal with too many less Jews as a result of the quality of Arab terror?

- - -

Our Opponents Are Being Disturbed

By this idea:

Hebron Aid 'Flotilla'

Read here:

...here's the most brazen fundraising effort we've encountered in a while: the Brooklyn-based Hebron Fund is holding a dinner cruise that will leave from Chelsea Piers in Manhattan next month, and the group is dubbing the event the "Hebron Aid Flotilla."

That name, of course, is a play on the Gaza aid flotilla, the boats carrying humanitaritan aid that were raided in May by Israeli commandoes, who killed nine of the passengers.

Those participating in the Hebron Aid Flotilla select from donation levels ranging from $100 to $100,000 in order to "raise our voices and take out our checkbooks in protest against the evil discrimination against the Jews of Hebron and Eretz Yisrael." The main honoree and keynote speaker, will be Caroline Glick, the right-wing Jerusalem Post editor.

- - -

Great News - Initiative for Israel

The Emergency Committee for Israel launched an Independent Expenditure PAC. This “Super-PAC” will run television ads through election day, educating voters about candidates who have signed the notorious “Gaza 54” letter and who have failed to support strong US backing for Israel.

ECI PAC's first ad -- which can be viewed at www.ecipac.org -- will air twice during this evening's National League Championship Series between the Phillies and Giants. It will be broadcast throughout the Philadelphia media market. The ad follows an earlier ad campaign in Pennsylvania by ECI that helped elevate Joe Sestak's record of hostility to Israel into a major factor in the Senate race in that state.

Between now and election day, ECI PAC will air futher ads that will help to bring to the attention of American voters the records of incumbents in several tightly-contested congressional races, with the goal of making sure the next Congress supports a strong U.S.-Israel alliance.

ECI PAC's website can be viewed here:

He Should Be In A Cage

In Damascus, Syria, Jimmy Carter said today that:

Palestinians are "living in a cage" in Gaza and that the militant group Hamas must be included in all major efforts for peace.

..."We believe that Hamas should be included in all the major efforts to peace ... It is part of the Palestinian people," Carter said. He added that "1.5 million Palestinians are held in a cage or prison while their human rights are taken away."

A padded cage.

And talking of asses, you saw this?

- - -

He Wants to Scream? I've Been Screaming For Years

Howard Jacobson ponders his situation:

“To me, being a comic novelist is obviously to be serious, too — what else is there to be comic about?” Mr. Jacobson said. “But when I hear people call me a comic novelist, I want to scream, because they mean something different. I can call myself a comic novelist, though, because I know what I mean when I say it.”

He, however, unlike me, has won the prestigious Booker Prize:

...The winning book, “The Finkler Question,” is Mr. Jacobson’s 11th novel...It is an unusual Booker choice, both because it delves into the heart of the British Jewish experience, something that few contemporary British novels try to do, and because it is, on its surface at least, so ebulliently comic. It tells the story of three friends, two Jewish and one, Julian Treslove, who longs to be.

When Treslove is attacked by a mugger who mutters something like, “You’re Jules,” or possibly, “You Jew!,” the experience sends him on a long exploration of the nature of Jewishness, culturally, socially and politically. He grapples with questions like, What makes someone Jewish? Is it anti-Semitic to make generalizations about what makes someone Jewish? Why are British Jews so much more open and warm than British non-Jews?

...his friends argue endlessly about Israel, forever “examining and shredding each other’s evidence,” Mr. Jacobson writes. One of them, Sam Finkler, who writes pop-philosophy books, joins an anti-Zionist group called the ASHamed Jews — mercilessly lampooned by Mr. Jacobson — that meets regularly at the fashionable Groucho Club to denounce Israel’s foreign policy.

Some readers have misunderstood. “People think they’re parodies of Jews who happen to disapprove of Israel,” Mr. Jacobson said of the ASHamed, sitting in his apartment in the Soho neighborhood here, his new Man Booker statuette gleaming behind him. “But they’re not. They’re parodies of Jews who parade their disapproval of Israel.”

...there is an ominous undercurrent in the book in the form of a growing number of anti-Semitic attacks, mostly offstage, that shatter the complacency of characters who resist the notion of Jews as perpetual victims. Mr. Jacobson says that such incidents worry him too, and that some of the views in the cacophony of arguments and counterarguments in the book reflect his own opinions. But mostly, he said, he adheres to the notion, as one of his characters says, that “as a Jew, I believe that every argument has a counterargument.”

As BDL has written:

So now we a have a book which has won Britain's highest literary award - and it makes fun of anti-Israeli lefties! What is going to happen in Israel when it is translated into Hebrew? Will Haaretz carry articles explaining how the British literary establishment has suffered temporary insanity?

- - -

J Street; Feces: Go Slowly

No, not that J Street.

No, the one in Ephrata - which is ironic in that the original Ephrata is across the Green Line in Judea.

The news:

EPHRATA (pronounced yufrayti) — Repairs on a collapsed sewer pipe on Division Street in Ephrata are complete.

Division Street between J Street Northeast and L Street Northeast will be closed again between Monday and Friday while the street is paved, according to a city spokesperson.

“The detour route will be re-established, and again, the city urges residents to follow this route slowly,”...

- - -

Alexa Ranking

Here:

* Alexa Traffic Rank: 1,141,523
* United States Flag Traffic Rank in US: 501,678
* Sites Linking In: 210

There are 1,141,522 sites with a better three-month global Alexa traffic rank than Myrightword.blogspot.com, and its visitors view 1.3 unique pages each day on average. Approximately 25% of visits to the site are referred by search engines. Roughly 50% of Myrightword.blogspot.com's visitors are in the US, where it has attained a traffic rank of 501,678. The site is relatively popular among users in the city of New York (where it is ranked #104,817).

Based on internet averages, myrightword.blogspot.com is visited more frequently by males who are over 65 years old, have no children and are graduate school educated.

Percent of global Internet users who visit myrightword.blogspot.com:
3 month 0.00015 +30% Change in Reach over the trailing 3 month period

Exactly what that means, I am not fully cognizant.

^

So, Ascherman Is A "Fig-Leaf" Cover for "Arab Olives"

Even in Haaretz:

Near Har Bracha, a verbal confrontation erupted yesterday between Jewish farmer Erez Ben Sa'adon and Rabbi Arik Ascherman, the head of Rabbis for Human Rights. Ascherman claimed Ben Sa'adon was harvesting olives that belonged to Palestinians from nearby Karyut. Ben Sa'adon, whose nearby vineyard had been destroyed by unidentified parties the previous night, said he had leased that plot for the past 12 years and the olives were his.

Civil Administration officials were called to resolve the dispute, and they summoned the mayor of Karyut - who admitted that the trees belonged to Ben Sa'adon.

By the way, it wasn't at Ha Bracha, as far as I know, but near Rachelim where Ben-Saadon lives.

Ascherman put on a show for the reporters, screaming "it's a desecration of God's name" and running around for a few minutes before being assured that the journalists were sufficiently impressed by his fake histrionics.

In Hebrew, we have a term, "eved nirtza", a house servant who refuses to leave even after his indentured period is over and to make sure that all know he yielded on his freedom, his earlobe was to be punctured.

[Here: A servant sold by the court has his ear pierced should he decide to remain in service beyond the six years. This physical imprint labels him as a slave; it marks the change in his personal status.]

Such a poor soul.

I am still investigating his other claims, which, given logic, may be true or part true. In any case, any criminal act or non-defensive violence is, of course, to be condemned, as I do, and attempts made to halt it.

Thinking, Discussing, Learning, Planning

What Claims?

I can't quite figure this out:-

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said he is willing to renounce all future claims on Israel after a Palestinian state is established, though he stopped short of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.

"Claims"?  What claims?  What future claims?

Didn't the PLO supposedly recognize the "two-state solution"?  If so, what claims could they possibly have?

Ah, the claims that Israel shouldn't exist at all and that, like Hamas, all of the land on which Israel exists is not only "occupied" but that Israel has no right to exist anywhere?

Are those the "claims"?

Is that what the future holds for Arab "peace negotiations"?

Or is he referring to the "right of return"?  Is that a "claim" now, or a "right"?

I am confused.

-  -   -

The Poisoned Tree Story

I finally located a picture of a "poisoned" olive tree that was supposedly chemically treated at a grove near Turmos-Aya.

Here it is:

Credit:  Karim Jubran of B'tselem

Any arborist out there that could assist here?

Is that a poison hole?  What, besides poison, could cause any withering or discoloration, as claimed?

^