Monthly Archives: August 2015

Touring the ‘West Bank’ with Machsom’s Watch

Arab/Israeli Conflict, Israeli Society

By Uri Pilichowski, published in The Times of Israel:

Over the summer, tour groups come to our house in Mitzpe Yericho to meet “real settlers” and hear about life in Judea and Samaria — what the world calls the West Bank. Looking at our glorious view of Jericho, the Jordan Valley and the Jordanian mountains, I talk about the religious, legal and national right of the Israeli people have to live in this small strip.

During the Q & A part of one group’s visit, I was asked if I have empathy for Palestinian suffering. I answered that of course I had empathy for their suffering — Jews wish suffering on no one. I expressed my hope that one day there would be peace between our people and all suffering would stop.

Inspired by that interaction and many more left wing friends’ challenges to see things from the Palestinian perspective, I joined an uber­left wing organization, “Machsom Watch” to take a tour around the West Bank and see the “occupation caused” suffering of the Palestinians. The goal, as our guide quoted President Obama’s charge to Israeli University students, was to “Put yourself in the [Palestinian’s] shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.” Read more »

Iran’s Supreme Leader publishes new book outlining ‘annihilation’ of Israel, giving Iran full reign in Middle East

Middle East Politics

From the EU Reporter:

Only weeks after a deal was reached between the world powers and Iran that will lift international sanctions in exchange for some restrictions on and monitoring of its declared nuclear program, which Iran largely developed in secret. in a new published book, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) outlines a “slow and painful” strategy to annihilate the State of Israel.

He claims that his plan would promote “the hegemony of Iran” while removing “the West’s hegemony” from the Middle East.

Iranian leaders regularly and openly call for the destruction of Israel. Iran has intercontinental missiles apparently capable of striking Israel, and past intelligence has indicated that Iran had researched fitting one of those missiles with a nuclear warhead.

In this 416-page book edited by Saeed Solh-Mirzai, entitled “Palestine,”Khamenei recommends rather than wiping Israel off the map through conventional warfare a plan of terrorism and everlasting chain of low-intensity attacks that will ultimately make life unbearable for Israelis, who would largely respond, Iran’s Supreme Leader hypothesizes, by packing their bags and relocating themselves out of the country.

Khamenei makes his position clear from the start : Israel has no right to exist as a state. He uses three words : one is “nabudi” which means “annihilation”, the other is “imha” which means “fading out’’ and finally there is “zaval” meaning “effacement.”

Read more »