Who Is Behind Israel Apartheid Week?

geoffff

It is that time of year again.

If this is not racism, what is it? 

There is a foreign ideology loose in our universities that has at its driving core an intent to ultimately dominate the world with a Dark Ages dogma and with its modern roots deep in the Third Reich. This is not an exaggeration. 

Political Islam is not only a threat to Israel and the Jews. It threatens us all and especially Muslims. It is the Muslims they kill first. You must have noticed this. Above all Political Islam is a barbaric and apparently endless civil war.

The Nazis murdered only Germans at first. Including other Nazis. The more the better you might have been tempted to say.  

Political Islam is a Nazi - like philosophy. Look at what they advocate. Some have pointed out that in some respects it is even worse. Even at the lowest pit of the Third Reich the Nazis did not tie up women in sacks and stone them to death for the crime of being raped.

hat tip Shirlee

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

Hat Tip Daphne Anson

geoffff



Picked this up from a comment in the university newspaper of  UCLA  on a report of an undergraduate council marathon meeting on a resolution demanding divestment from companies that do business with Israel.

The bad guys lost 7 : 5. They demanded two more polls and then  a secret ballot. The racists lost again.  And again. Still 7 : 5. Then the head minute taker (or something) for the bad guys went ballistic in a way that used up her fifteen minutes of fame in a single puff. Or perhaps more like a string of Tom Thumbs with a quarter inch fuse.

This girl will be remembered. That is a text book demonstration of cognitive dissonance in its most extreme form. Remarkable really when you consider this person is only a year or two out of high school. She is an undergraduate researcher in the Neurology Department of the UCLA Medical School. This has to be some kind of unauthorised experiment. On the next floor they could be breeding pig men.

Some people will ask why bother with this undergraduate stuff? Kids will be kids and for many that means stupid. 

Sure it does. But in the thirties the kids were picking on the Jews and even by the fifties they were still picking on the Blacks. The anti-Israel bigots need to understand they will be fought every inch of the way. We have been down this path before.

Star of the show was this guy.

'My name is Ben Shapiro. I'm an alumnus of this university. I'm also a local talk show host on 870 [AM] in the morning, and I got out of bed and left my one month old baby there when I saw what was going on here tonight. I've never been more ashamed to be a Bruin. I've never been more ashamed to be an alumnus of this university than to see this divestment petition being considered at this level. To pretend this is about occupation, to pretend this is about peace, to pretend that this anything other than vile, spiteful Jew hatred is a lie!

There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Saudi Arabia. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Iran. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing Palestine. There is only one reason we are discussing Israel and not discussing the vast bevy of human rights violations that happen every day in the Middle East, exponentially worse that what happens in Israel.

Any gay or lesbian that is targeting Israel in this room seems to have forgotten how high they hang gays from cranes in Iran. Every person of liberal bent who suggests that Israel is the problem in the Middle East seems to have forgotten that there is only one country in the Middle East that actually has any sort of religious diversity in it. The countries that are apartheid countries are those that are Judenrein – like, for example, Palestine.

So, for us to sit here and pretend that Israel is somehow on a lower moral plane is a direct manifestation of anti-Semitism. And to hold Jews to a different moral standard than any other country or group on the face of the earth represents nothing but an age-old and historic hatred for the Jewish people. All the folks here who are pretending that the B.D.S is about anything other than that, I would like to see a poll of those folks, and see how many of them actually believe in the existence of a Jewish state, qua-Jewish state, not as a state like any other, but as a Jewish state. They don't. They don't acknowledge that existence. They don't believe in that existence. They don't believe in peace. All this is about, pure and simple, is a desire to target the Jewish people."

Pay that man

From this Pew Poll.

89% of Muslim "Palestinians" want Sharia (Islamic law) to be “the official law of the land” (p. 9)

40% of Muslim "Palestinians" support suicide bombings or other forms of violence against civilians in the name of Islam (Pp. 10, 70)

48% of Muslim "Palestinians" see polygamy as morally acceptable (p. 11)

51% of Muslim "Palestinians" believe that there is only one correct interpretation of Sharia (p. 44)

95% of Muslim "Palestinians" who pray several times a day and 68% who pray less often believe that Sharia should be the law of the land (p. 47)

44% of Muslim "Palestinians" believe that Sharia must be enforced upon non-Muslims as well (p.48)

76% of Muslim "Palestinians" who say Sharia should be the law of the land, favor corporal punishment, like cutting off hands for theft, etc. (p.52)

84% of Muslim "Palestinians" who say Sharia should be the law of the land, favor stoning as a punishment for adultery (p.54)

66% of Muslim "Palestinians" who say Sharia should be the law of the land, support the death penalty for one leaving Islam (p. 55)

40% of Muslim "Palestinians" prefer a strong leader over democracy (p. 60)

72% of Muslim "Palestinians" believe that religious leaders should have either a large influence or some influence in politics (p. 64)

65% of "Palestinians say that religious parties are either better or the same as secular parties. Only 29% say that they are worse (p. 66)

92% of Muslim "Palestinians" say that drinking alcohol is immoral (p. 76)

87% of Muslim "Palestinians" say that a woman must always obey her husband (p. 93)

33% of Muslim "Palestinians" say that a woman should be able to divorce her husband (p. 94)

43% of Muslim "Palestinians" say that sons and daughters should have equal inheritance rights (p. 95)

44% of "Palestinian" males believe that it is a woman's right to decide whether to wear a veil (p. 97)

89% of Muslim "Palestinians" believe that only Islam leads to salvation (p. 110)

82% of Muslim "Palestinians" believe that it is a religious duty to convert others to Islam (p. 112)

They did not bother asking them what they thought about Christians. Let alone Jews. God only knows what they would do to atheists if they could get their hands on a few.

Do you really think that it is the "settlements" that is the problem here?

Hat Tip Daphne Anson

If You Think Israel is an Illegal Occupier Then Perhaps That is Because You Would Not Know a Law From a Cold Sore

geoffff

This has been picked up in its entirety from Jews Down Under.  

Written and submitted by Arlene Kushner.

When it comes to speaking out about Israel’s legal grounds in Judea and Samaria, there is no giving up.  There is only persistence in moving ahead.

As some of you are already aware, progress is being made on the Legal Grounds campaign that I co-chair with Jeff Daube.  We are now calling it Legal Grounds: The Campaign for Promoting Israel’s Rights, rather than a campaign to promote the Levy Report, because this approach is more broad-based.  The Levy Report is encompassed within that broader scope.

Last week, MK Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beitenu) chaired a Knesset session on BDS (Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions).  MK Ilatov had been convinced by our argument that such a session had to look at our legal grounds, along with other issues (such as the role of “human rights” NGOs).  And so, enfolded within that session was a brief talk by international lawyer Harel Arnon, whom we brought in response to MK Ilatov’s request that we supply the speaker.  Dr. Arnon, who received his doctorate in law from Harvard University, has co-authored a book on international law in Judea and Samaria.

MK Ilatov was so pleased with Dr. Arnon’s talk, that he, along with other MKs, is planning a full session on the legal grounds issue, to be arranged in consultation with Dr. Arnon, after Pesach.

I am sharing here a link to his talk, which he gave in Hebrew, along with English subtitles.  Please! see it, share it broadly, and save it for future reference.

If the subtitles don’t come up automatically, click on the captions box, and be sure to advise others to do this as you share.

I am confident that many people will find this valuable.  Hopefully, over time we will provide other similar talks on video, for your information and sharing.

Dr. Arnon says in his talk that most of the world accepts as truth the Palestinian Arab narrative even though it is not based on any finding of a legal tribunal.  We live in an age, he says, in which if a lie is repeated often enough it becomes accepted as truth.  We believe, he said, that if we repeat the truth again and again and again, there is a chance people will become convinced by that simple truth.

So that is our task – mine and yours: to repeat the truth again and again and again – as that information is provided by experts.

The Levy Report Campaign Facebook page.

Like and share: https://www.facebook.com/TheLevyReport

The Levy Report Campaign website: http://thelevyreport.org/

The Truth About The UN

geoffff

This should be compulsory viewing for those who seek to demonise Israel based on the number of UN General Assembly resolutions it attracts. As if this is a bad thing.

They should be forced to watch it. They are champions of coercion.

Just as the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the security barrier says much more about the ICJ than it does about Israel so does this grubby cynical record say something about the UN.  

On Law, Lies and Propaganda ( Updated )

geoffff

There are two matters that are playing out in this part of the world right now that have captured some attention.

One is the sudden emergence of the "legality" of the "settlements" as an issue for national debate. Or non-debate. Whatever. It is difficult to appreciate how much this is progress. Up until very recently it was simply taken as a given that the "settlements" were "illegal" under "international law".  Everybody knows that.  Everybody said so. It was said every time the "settlements" were in the news.  The BBC (and therefore the ABC) sometimes added the faintly condescending and misleading rider "although Israel disputes this".  Journalists such as John Lyons of The Australian didn't even bother to do that.

I will return to this issue because of its importance but here's a snapshot to go on with. It started last week with an article in The Australian by  Bob Carr, Foreign Minister - Never Again (File Stamped: Do Not Employ) still smarting from being thwarted from what he saw was to be the overarching achievement of a grey and mediocre career by any standard --- the de-legitimisation of Jews who live on the wrong side of the "Green Line" by declaring them as "illegal", thus in his mind paving the way for the two state solution as the only show in town.

It's all so easy in Bob's imagination. Once you imagine the "Green Line" dividing Jerusalem and the "West Bank" from Israel then everything else falls into place. The Jews have to be rescued from themselves and its his job to help. This "nudges" the parties towards peace. This is what he says. What a stupid man.

Carr was answered comprehensively, elegantly and far more politely than I could ever manage in a piece by Mark Leibler of AIJAC however I saw something during the week that might have included some free and fair advice for people like us and that I think deserves a response.

Here it is:

THE contention of Bob Carr (”West Bank settlements always illegal”, 12/2) that “all” Israeli settlements are illegal and have “always” been illegal goes beyond any reasonable view.

International lawyers who are generally critical of the settlements, and even the PLO, have conceded that some of the settlements are built on land that was privately purchased by Jews before Israel was established and to which the current occupants have full and proper title.

Politicians, lawyers and others are entitled to their opinions about the legality or illegality of the settlements, but should not be presenting their views as incontrovertible truths.

There has never been a legally binding determination of the issue by the International Court of Justice or any other court.

Further, Carr’s opinion is at odds with the common view that the major settlement blocs will become a part of Israel in any peace deal, in return for equivalent land within pre-1967 Israel that will become part of a state of Palestine.

The debate about the legality or illegality of the settlements will therefore not decide the issue. Peter Wertheim, Executive director, Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Sydney

I agree the debate about the legality or illegality of the "settlements" will not decide the issue. That is why it is so important. There should not even be a debate. Or if there is it should be even handed and both sides should be heard.

With respect I am going to decline Peter Wertheim's advice to not present my views on this with some force and the reason for that is not just because I have a strong view on it but because I have not lost all hope in the two state solution. It is because I think there is still a chance and it should not be thrown away. Even if the two states in the solution turn out to be Egypt and Jordan.

Those who fret over this even being raised need to ask themselves why. We ignored it after Oslo because we thought it was moot. Why even talk about it. It can only do harm. Let them have their fantasies. We know it's a crock but then again so is the whole "Palestinian" story really so let it slide. There's about to be a deal and then everyone will be nice.

Instead we got the Second Intifada and everyone got very ugly. Especially them. At least around here they did. And that was just the politicians like Bob Carr and the journalists like ... let's give John a pass for now ... pretty much all of them really except Greg Sheridan also of The Australian. 

  "The occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territories it occupies."

 Come on. A break needed at this point please. The first time I read that this line was being interpreted to deem people acting on their own volition as "illegal" based on what a liberal democratic"power" did not do, could not do and legally did not even have the power to do, in regard to "territories" that are not even "occupied" within the context, and therefore these same people are actually liable for deportation or transfer, I thought I was inside some legal parody from hell. A Kafka story come to haunt us. That this "legal" principle was to be applied only once and for the first time in all of history only to Jews living in Jerusalem, even born in Jerusalem, not even to mention Judea and Samaria, could only be a script written by something very strange and sinister indeed.

The Australian Greens for example. They don't come much stranger and more sinister than that. From the Greens national policy:

The Australian Greens will work for:

2.1 the removal of Israeli settlers and Israeli security and military forces from the Palestinian territories

● the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli military from all Palestinian cities, towns, refugee camps, surrounding areas and transport routes, allowing freedom of movement of Palestinians within the West Bank and Gaza

● the immediate freezing of all Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories (including natural growth) and the simultaneous commencement of the repatriation of the Israeli settlers from the Palestinian territories

● an associated withdrawal of Israeli security and military forces from the areas evacuated by the settlers

● the immediate dismantling of the separation wall

So when Jews exercise their right to live lawfully and peacefully where they choose, this is the "deportation or transfer" of part of the population of an occupying power. But their dispossession and forcible eviction (Greens policy)  is "repatriation". This is where this leads. Buying or renting in a Jewish neighbourhood of Jerusalem is "deportation or transfer" (provided you are Jewish. It is not if you are an Israeli Arab.) What happened in Gaza however was "repatriation". This is probably a fair summary of "elite progressive opinion" on this subject throughout the West.

How do you "freeze natural growth" by the way? Are the Greens advocating compulsory contraception as an interim measure?

What on earth are you thinking, Bob Carr? Where is your head at, John Lyons?

Bob Carr and others emphasis the illegality of the "settlements", and others are nervous about this even being forcefully challenged, because they believe that the "settlements" are an obstacle to peace and that their "apologists" (Carr's word) necessarily have an agenda that includes destroying any prospect of a two state solution. "Settlements" make "Palestine" harder or even impossible.

But why? Why is the presence of Jews such anathema to those who say they are striving for an independent sovereign "Palestine"? It's almost as if the very thought for some of Jews living among them even as a tiny minority with equal and full rights as citizens is repulsive at its very core. Of course it's illegal.

Oh wait...

It is not the "settlements" that are the problem here. It is not their "illegality". It is not "international law" at all, which is largely irrelevant.  After all no one talks about international law when it comes to racist incitement and indoctrination by the PA and Hamas, the use of children in insurrection and war or the indiscriminate targeting of Israeli civilians. The problem is a deep seated and carefully nurtured fear and hatred of Jews everywhere and especially in their own homeland.

Unless that is addressed there will be no peace. It does not help at all to concede or leave unchallenged the notion that Jews are illegal if they live outside of their part of the city. We know about those laws. We can do without them.

And that is the whole point. We are better off without any international law than "international law" such as this. It may come to that.

Bob Carr, John Lyons, the BBC, the ABC, the Greens and all the rest should shut up about international law and it's not just because they do not know what they are talking about. It is because there can only be peace between peoples if they deal with each other with mutual respect and as equals. Not if one side is seeing a people that are "illegal" by their very presence on the land as if it was some kind of divine curse passed from generation to generation.

Oh wait ...

I say again I agree with Peter Wertheim that the illegality or legality of the "settlements" will not determine the issue. That is why it is important to blast this perverse notion out of the water with all guns. Then maybe the way might be cleared for real negotiations for a genuine two state solution. At least the view from the West on what is going on might be a little clearer without all the mud in the water.

Which brings me to John Lyons, the ABC and the other matter being played out around here.

To be continued ...

cross posted Israel Thrives

                  Jews Downunder 

Update

Interesting exchange of views on this piece at Jews Downunder

This Blog Will Never Sink To The Level Of The ABC

geoffff




If the ABC reckons it is OK to broadcast vicious attacks on Australian, Israeli and other allied servicemen based on nothing more than the word of a single indoctrinated under age criminal then it is past time that I started putting up some stuff that I intuitively believe is likely, and even documented, but so far uncorroborated.

So here goes. I will appreciate it if readers noted that this modest private blog is determined to hold editorial and publishing ethics to a higher standard than the Australian national broadcaster. That is the least we can do.

Hat Tip Political UNCOMMOM Sense

Today's Political UNCOMMON Sense is a single item special bulletin, possibly an Australian exclusive. This is an international and diplomatic scandal.

Imagine if we did a deal with convicted criminals to go into a conflict in another country to "do their worst" in the civil war!

I have been sent a copy and a report of documentation outlining a programme by Saudi Arabia to send convicted death row criminals to fight in Syria. The incentives offered are:

1. Pardoning of their crimes
2. A salary to be paid directly to their families.

These are murderers, rapists and other violent criminals. They are in effect given an unrestricted licence to murder and rape and perform various other atrocities in Syria.

Below you will find:

Firstly the explanatory report.
Secondly a copy of the official memorandum from the Saudi Ministry of the Interior
Thirdly a translation of that memo.

1. Explanatory report

Saudi Arabia Sent Death Row Inmates to Fight in Syria in Lieu of Execution

A top secret memo sent by the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia reveals the Saudi Kingdom sent death-row inmates, sentenced to execution by decapitation by sword (common execution method in Saudi), to Syria to fight Jihad against the Syrian government in exchange for commuting their sentences.
According to the memo, dated April 17, 2012, the Saudi Kingdom negotiated with a total of 1239 inmates, offering them a full pardon and a monthly salary for their families, who were to remain in the Kingdom, in exchange for "...their training in order to send them to Jihad in Syria."
The memo was signed by Abdullah bin Ali al-Rmezan, the "Director of follow up in Ministry of Interior."
According to the memo, prisoners were of the following nationalities: Yemenis, Palestinians, Saudis, Sudanese, Syrians, Jordanians, Somalis, Afghanis, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Iraqis, and Kuwaitis.

A former member of the Iraqi parliament, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the authenticity of the document and said most of the Iraqi prisoners Saudi Arabia sent to Syria returned to Iraq and admitted that they had agreed to the deal offered by the Saudi Kingdom, and requested the Iraqi government to petition the Saudi government to release their families, who were being held hostage in Saudi Arabia.
Yemeni nationals who were sent to Syria also returned to Yemen and asked their government to secure the release of their families, according to the former Iraqi MP, who said there are many more documents, like the one shown below, about Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Initially Saudi Arabia denied the existence of this program. But the testimony of the released prisoners forced the Saudi government to admit, in private circles, its existence.
According to the former Iraqi MP, the Russians threatened to bring this issue to the United Nations if the Saudis continued working against President Bashar al-Assad. The Saudis agreed to stop their clandestine activities and work towards finding a political solution on condition that knowledge of this program would not be made public.

2. Memorandum, Ministry of the Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

 

  

3. Translation of memo

This is a document issued by
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Interior Follow-up	LOGO	Number: 71466/J/H Attachments: Date: 25/5/1433 H. [April /17/2012 AD]
	(Top Secret)
His Excellency General Suood Al-Thnayyan The Classified [Secret] Office at the Ministry of Interior		May Allah protect him
Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings
In reference to the Royal Court telegram No. 112, dated on 04/19/1433 H [March 3, 2012], referring to those held in the Kingdom jails accused with crimes to which Islamic Sharia law of execution by sword applies, we inform you that we are in dialogue with the accused criminals who have been convicted with smuggling drugs, murder, rape, from the following nationalities: 110 Yemenis, 21 Palestinians, 212 Saudis, 96 Sudanese, 254 Syrians, 82 Jordanians, 68 Somalis, 32 Afghanis, 94 Egyptians, 203 Pakistanis, 23 Iraqis, and 44 Kuwaitis. We have reached an agreement with them that they will be exempted from the death sentence and given a monthly salary to their families and loved ones, who will be prevented from traveling outside Saudi Arabia in return for rehabilitation of the accused and their training in order to send them to Jihad in Syria. Please accept my greetings. [Signed] Director of follow up in Ministry of Interior Abdullah bin Ali al-Rmezan CC: Authority of enforcement of the common good and prevention of forbidden Copy for general intelligence

Children At Play -- As Easy As ABC

geoffff

What a crock that 4 Corners program was. It was actually worse than I expected. Its only redeeming feature is that it was so boring nobody could possibly remember anything about it beyond the twelve minute mark.

Nothing new. The usual mangy suspects. (That guy with the video camera who showed up to protect the Arab kids going to school "because the attacks on the children have become so frequent? ... or something ... they usually need the army but dork from central casting over here has taken over today because the army didn't show up .. or something)

As for the lady Lyons chose to state the case for the Israelis? The this is all about religion person? Sorry. Tired of this crap. If Lyons can not bring himself to report the truth that the existence of Israel is all about the law, the peace, the rights of nations, and that those who are opposed to Israel mean to destroy her, then the guy has no worth as a journalist. Just another cafe latte bore with suspect motives. 

And "No More Silence"? Or whatever they are? Come on. We know about them. 

It is impressive how effectively the authorities have this thing under control. As Lyons reports, casualties in Judea and Samaria from this latest filthy little racist insurrection have been minor. Lyons of course completely misses the point of that.

For Lyons the lack of blood shed in a bad situation is a sure sign that you are doing things wrong. Lyons wants more blood. Otherwise how can you pretend that you even have a case?

How come of all the under age thugs in the world only the "Palestinian" ones gets to be called "children" ? 


They're cute when they are this age:

ABC Hatchet Job On Israel Imminent (So What Else Is News)

geoffff

"Palestinian children" played here 

If "Palestinian" "children" broke into your home in the night and murdered your family, including decapitating a baby, then you might have a different definition than John Lyons as to what is a "child".

The following is reproduced from Honest Reporting 

Rock Solid Reporting Down Under? 


Please tune in on February 10, 8.30pm to Four Corners on ABC1 and see whether this topic is handled fairly and appropriately.

In advance of an Australian Broadcasting Corporation program to be aired on February 10, The Australian’s John Lyons has produced two articles and an accompanying video interview on the subject of Israel’s treatment of Palestinian children in the West Bank.

The Australian articles most likely offer a preview as to what will be seen on the television.


Central to Lyons’ report is the following:

At the heart of the issue is that Israel enforces two legal systems in the West Bank, one for Jews and one for Palestinians. About 2.5 million Palestinians live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank – also known as the Palestinian Territories – which Israel has occupied since 1967.

Palestinian children appear before the military court, while Jewish children face a civil court with full legal protections.

Contrary to Lyons’ statement, the two legal systems in operation are divided between Israeli citizens (which, of course, includes both Jews and Arabs) and non-citizens. This is not a division based on race, ethnicity or religion but on the legal status of the disputed territories. The reason why Palestinians, both children and adults, are not subject to Israeli civil law is that Israel has never annexed the West Bank and therefore, Israeli law does not apply to the area. Instead, military law is applied.

It’s safe to say that Lyons would not advocate Israel’s annexation of the West Bank and it’s also safe to assume that were Israeli law to be administered in the disputed territories, there would be an international outcry and accusations of breaching so-called international law.
So it’s hardly surprising that Jewish children face a civil court. After all, how many Jewish children would find themselves in front of a military court charged with throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli cars or IDF soldiers?

In addition, contrary to Lyons’ statement that “2.5 million Palestinians live under Israeli occupation,” needs clarification, especially when discussing the legal rights of the Palestinians. Some 2.4 million Palestinians live under Palestinian Authority rule and are subject to the PA’s domestic laws.
To Lyons’ credit, he interviews Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor who refutes the charge that Israeli policy is designed to make life intolerable for the Palestinians:

Let me say this very clearly. There is no such policy. A policy to create fear? There is no such thing. The only policy is to maintain law and order, that’s all. If there’s no violence, there’s no law enforcement.

But who exactly are the Palestinian “children” that Lyons refers to? These aren’t 8 year olds but Palestinian youths, perhaps 17 years old who are engaged in the same terror activities as Palestinians who are legally considered to be adults. Israel does not arbitrarily arrest minors for the sake of it. It isn’t “only” stone throwing that Palestinian minors are involved in.
In response to a Guardian article on the same subject, the spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London wrote in January 2012:

But you omit the horrific nature of the atrocities that minors, some as young as 12, can be arrested for.

Hakim Awad, 17, is a minor. Last March [2011] he and his 18-year-old cousin, Amjad, brutally murdered the Fogel family while they slept. No mercy was shown to three-month-old Hadas, her two brothers (aged four and 11) and their parents. The scene of the crime, including the severed head of a toddler, left even the most experienced of police officers devastated. The duo proudly confessed to their killings, and they have shown no subsequent remorse.
Between 2000-04, 292 minors took part in terrorist activities. Shocking images of Palestinian infants dressed in explosive vests are only the tip of the hate industry that Palestinian children are exposed to. Ismail Tsabaj, 12, Azi Mostafa, 13, and Yousuf Basam, 14, were sent by Hamas on a mission chillingly similar to the one involving the Fogels, aiming to penetrate a Jewish home at night and slaughter a family in their beds. In this case, the IDF fortunately stopped them in time. …

In the face of ever younger minors committing ever greater numbers of crimes, its efforts to maintain and even increase legal protections are impressive. When a minor involved in terrorist activity is arrested, the law is clear: no torture or humiliation is permitted, nor is solitary confinement in order to induce a confession. …

Furthermore, a special juvenile court has been established to guarantee professional care for minors in detention. The above and other measures have succeeded in making legal proceedings easier for minors, and have almost halved their duration. …

It would be our wish that no minor would ever find themselves in Israeli custody. Unfortunately, we have to deal with the reality, not our dreams.
Much criticism is made of Israeli arrest operations of children in the middle of the night. Lyons may wish to consider the probable outcome of an arrest operation carried out during daylight hours. This would most likely result in violence as Palestinians in the immediate vicinity engage IDF soldiers leading to injuries or worse on both sides. Is the arrest of children during nighttime hours unpleasant? Certainly. But it still preferable to the alternative.
Lyons also states in his video interview that the Israeli authorities have been very receptive to the criticisms of the treatment of Palestinian children. Israel recognizes that improvements need to be made to the system and are continuously striving for this.

The discussion is undoubtedly a sensitive and emotive one. Nonetheless, it should be carried out in an accurate manner that avoids demonizing Israel.

On Monday night the ABC’s Four Corners will screen Stone Cold Justice, which it describes as “a special investigation” about the treatment of Palestinian children in the West Bank. Overview here: 


Should you wish to comment once you have seen the programme,

Online: Lodge a complaint


Email: Send your complaint


Call: 139 994 

Write: ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs, GPO BOX 9994 In your capital city

Telephone Typewriter: 1800 627 854

Update

Comment from Daphne

Daphne AnsonFebruary 10, 2014 at 11:27 PM

With but the merest attempt at balance, and with evident malice aforethought, it was an ambush alright.
Israel 0, BDS 1
And there was me thinking "The Australian" is a staunch friend of Israel.
Never heard of that Horton guy before. Live and learn.

Couldn't agree more. I too have never heard of Horton.