The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel released a report “No Second Thoughts: Changes in the IDF’s Combat Doctrine In Light of Operation Cast Lead.” The report explains how the IDF’s shift of priority from minimizing civilian casualties to minimizing IDF casualties constitutes deliberate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure — in violation of international [...]
Archive for January, 2010
B’Tselem’s animated short on why Israel’s Gaza seige strengthens Hamas
Pretty straight forward to me. And take a look at the real tunnels via cameras B’Tselem gave to Gazan youth to document their lives.
Jan 30th, 2010 Israel 0 Comments
Obama left peace out of the State of the Union, but he talked about it today
Obama addressed a question about Middle East peace at a town hall in Tampa, Florida, today (emphases mine). Transcript courtesy of the Jewish liaison from the office of the Vice President, whom I met in DC and who always sends me Presidential quotations she thinks I want to hear. In a marked difference from the [...]
Jan 28th, 2010 Israel and Politics 0 Comments
Notes for Israel advocates: Negativity
A colleague in the Israel advocacy field (on the right from me…far right) complained that negativity about Israel will drive young Jews away from caring about Israel. Meaning progressive Israel advocacy is bad for Jews, bad for the Jewish state. Dude, the negativity is already there! The news is full of negative stuff regarding Israel [...]
Jan 27th, 2010 Israel 0 Comments
“With God on Our Side”: Christian progressives tackle Christian Zionists
Awesomeness. With Jewish progressives tackling the right-wing in our own camp, it is high time progressive folks in the Christian community stopped targeting Jews for outreach and went after their own flock. Check it out: www.withgodonourside.com.
Jan 25th, 2010 Israel 0 Comments
How to kill non-Jews — now available at a bookstore near you
As reported by The Forward: Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, one of Israel’s most respected rabbinic commentators, initially endorsed the book, but rescinded his approval a month after its release, saying that the book includes statements that “have no place in human intelligence.” Shlomo Aviner, chief rabbi of Beit El and head of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim, [...]
Jan 25th, 2010 General 3 Comments
Erev Hadash TV interview: Breaking the Silence supporter creams Im Tirtzu sloganeer
Rami Hoyberger debating the Im Tirtzu supporter here is like sandblasting a Saltine. Rami Hoyberger is an Israeli actor who’s signed onto the Rabbis for Human Rights petition for an independent investigation into the Cast Lead war in Gaza, as suggested is necessary by testimonies collected by Breaking the Silence. Im Tirtzu is a self-declared [...]
Jan 22nd, 2010 Israel and War 0 Comments
What the Israeli Embassy replied about Women of the Wall
I sent the Israeli Embassy an email provided to me by NIF and the Religious Action Center of the Reform movement, supporting the Women of the Wall‘s call for gender equality at the Kotel/Western Wall. This is their reply. Pfft. ———- Forwarded message ———- From: IsraelEmb DC Date: Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 1:54 PM [...]
Jan 21st, 2010 Gender and Israel 2 Comments
Shomrim mobile HQ copies NYPD motif
Shomrim mobile HQ copies NYPD motif, originally uploaded by Kung Fu Jew 18. Spotted in my hood of Crown Heights while buying kosher meat. Is that even legal? Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Jan 17th, 2010 General 1 Comment
This is why I blog
Hat tip to DCC for the brilliant use of this in a Jewschool comment spat.
Jan 12th, 2010 Humor 1 Comment