Troubles with Turkey cause Jews to rethink Armenian genocide

Feb. 5, 2009

And now for an issue dear to my heart: Jews check Armenian genocide stance. Only fitting that one genocide survivor support another. However, the article is thin on proof of an actual movement. From the Jerusalem Post:

An official with a leading American Jewish organization told the The Jerusalem Post on Monday that a deterioration in Israel-Turkey relations might prompt his group and others to reconsider Armenian efforts to win recognition of the century-old Turkish massacres as genocide.

A bill that would ensure such recognition by the US, which was backed by Rep. Adam Schiff - a Jewish Democrat who represents a heavily Armenian area of Los Angeles - failed to make it to a Congressional vote in 2007. However, it sparked a row in the American Jewish community between those who sided with Turkey in an effort to protect Israel's political interests, and those who argued that Jews were particularly responsible for helping other groups block the public denial of genocide.

"No Jew or Israeli in his right mind will insult Turkey," the official told the Post. "But next time... they might not come to Turkey's aid or equivocate quite so much on the issue."

The Bush administration opposed the bill out of concern for what it would do to US-Turkey relations.

I’d like to add that even several Israeli politicians oppose recognition for the same reason.

The current blowup between Israel and Turkey comes amid expectations that the Obama administration will name academic and writer Samantha Power, an expert on genocide, to a key National Security Council post dealing with multilateral institutions. Power has been outspoken in labeling the Turkish massacre of Armenians genocide, albeit from outside the government.

Anti-Defamation League head Abraham Foxman - whose opposition to the Armenian genocide legislation in 2007 provoked widespread criticism - told the Post that as long as Israel maintained its diplomatic ties with Turkey, he saw no immediate reason to change his position on any future genocide resolutions.

"This is not a punishment or a reward issue - we don't change our position on what's right or wrong based on what people say," Foxman said. "The interests between Israel and Turkey continue."

Foxman also noted that he knew of Jewish friends who had cancelled trips to Turkey over Erdogan's comments, but described the Erdogan flap as a disagreement between "friends."

The Armenian community of some 20,000 in Israel has long lobbied the Israeli government to recognize the genocide. Several Israel scholars have taken up the cause arguing that of all people groups, Jews should express sympathy with genocide victims. But the issue hasn't taken hold in the political world. Three years ago, Knesset Member Yuri Shtern told me (noticing that my married name is Armenian) that he and Israel's chief Rabbi Yona Metzger traveled to Armenia and were fighting for recognition. Shtern--a fair and compassionate politician--has since died of cancer, however, and no one has taken his place on this issue.

On the other hand, it is rare for Israel to have strong ties with a Muslim nation and recognizing the genocide would risk their friendship with Turkey. But after the outburst of Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan at the Davos conference, Israelis are starting to see just how far their friendship with Turkey stretches, or not. Erdogan stalked off the stage there on Jan. 29, calling Israeli Pres. Shimon Peres a murdered.

Since then relations ahve been strained with both sides trying to patch things. But trust has been damaged.

Turkey: “It’s not a business-as-usual relationship anymore,” said Cengiz Candar, a columnist for Radikal, a Turkish daily. “It’s a very uneasy sort of cohabitation in this region now.”

Israel: "He has burned all the bridges with Jerusalem,” said one senior Israeli official, who spoke anonymously to the NY Times. “He won’t be seen as an honest broker anymore.”

Turkey denies slaughtering 1.5 million Armenians beginning in 1914. Recognition of the genocide would mean denying Turkey's claims, thus ruining relations with the vast Islamic country.

To learn more about the Armenian genocide, of which my husband's grandparents were survivors, check this out: Armenian Genocide (http://www.armenian-genocide.org)

UN-neutral accuses Hamas seized Gaza aid

Feb. 4, 2009

The UN, after blaming Israel for not letting aid through, albeit unapproved aid, is now accusing Hamas police of raiding a UN aid warehouse in Gaza City on Tuesday and snatched 3,500 blankets and hundreds of food parcels.

According to a UN statement: "This took place after UNRWA staff had earlier refused to hand over the aid supplies to the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs. The police subsequently broke into the warehouse and seized the aid by force. The aid was due to be distributed to five hundred families in the area. UNRWA condemns in the strongest terms the confiscation of its aid supplies and has demanded that it is returned immediately."

Obviously Gazans are in need of aid after Israel's three-week military offensive against Hamas. Gunness also said Wednesday this is the first time Hamas has seized UN aid. Er hmm. Not according to the Jordanians, but whatever.

Israeli officials have charged that the militant group routinely confiscates supplies meant for needy Gazans. But Israelis are biased, of course.

Isaac Herzog, responsible for the humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, called the robbing of UN warehouses by Hamas “further proof that Hamas is continuing to make life miserable for the population of Gaza and will use any means to intensify its suffering.”

Israel insists that humanitarian assistance transferred to the Gaza Strip go to the civilian population only, without allowing Hamas to benefit from it. Herzog noted that Israel allowed aid trucks through even while under fire.

Hamas had no comment.

Mahmoud “Wipe out the Jews” Ahmadinejad a Jew?

Feb. 4, 2009

Could it be? The son of a leading Iranian authority alleges that the Iranian president, who has called for the destruction of the Jewish state, is himself Jewish.

Mahdi Khazali apparently wrote in a blog that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has Jewish roots. The story was picked up by the Hebrew-language Omedia website and Radio Free Europe. He said Ahmadinejad changed his name, attacks Israel and the Jews and expresses strong Muslim religious beliefs in order to hide his Jewish roots.

The name under scrutiny is Saburjian and A’jad hails from the Aradan region of Iran. The accusations appear in an article Khazali wrote entitled, “The Jews in Iran” where he says the time has come to “reveal the truth” about the Jews’ role in Iran. Not sure what that means.

A'jad's relatives once told the The Guardian that the family had changed its name for "a mixture of religious and economic reasons."

Of course this could be a political strategy: A'jad is up for re-election five months from now. Perhaps his opponents think they can defeat him by using his own rhetoric against the Jews.

Hope and Change, also for Hamas

Feb, 4, 2009

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told the Iranian Parliament yesterday that Hamas has even more legitimacy after winning the war against Israel. Fars News reports:

Hamas government's legitimacy has grown stronger after the Israeli regime failed to attain its goals through the invasion of Gaza, Hamas Political Leader Khaled Meshaal said on Tuesday.

"The enemy announced ceasefire without any preconditions for Hamas and it's a great success," Meshaal said.

He viewed Hamas's victory a result of faith and jihad (holy war).

"Today when Iran and Turkey stand by the Palestinian cause, they strengthen our cause and it's a real conflict with the US administration and Israel's supporters."

"Israel's power is in destruction and killing and this power is not useful for them anymore," the senior Hamas official said, adding, "There will be no security even through occupation and Israel's downfall has began already."

Addressing European countries, he reiterated, "We are still waiting for them to play a different role based on their long past history with the Islamic and Arab world and based on their experiences which are deeper than those of the Americans."

"The US president's change may be an opportunity for Europe and the western world to change their policies and press the new US administration not to repeat the past mistakes," Meshaal added.

UN-neutral?

Feb. 4, 2009

Is the UN declaring its own war on Israel? Consider some previous incidents:

1. When Israelis saved Arab students trapped in a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) school, they encountered pictures depicting the IDF as murderers. A floor in the school collapsed on Feb. 1 and several students fell into a six-foot deep hole. Israeli responders found drawings depicting Arabs handing out food at the Gaza border while Israeli soldiers shot at them at point blank range. One of the pictures, drawn by a student, showed an Arab shot to death.
   
   
2. The United Nations agency that administers a school in Gaza where dozens of civilians were killed by Israeli mortar fire in Operation Cast Lead has admitted to employing terrorists to work at its Palestinian schools in the past, has no system in place to keep members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad off its payroll, and provides textbooks to children that contain hate speech and other incendiary information.
   
   
3. UNRWA brought the media to watch while it tried to pass unapproved goods through the Gaza border Tuesday, Feb. 3. The Israeli army, as expected, turned away the unappoved trucks then slammed UNRWA for trying to pass through the unkosher good and bringing the media to film Israel's rejection of the trucks. Coordinator of Government Activities in the Spokesman Maj. Peter Lerner said the incident was a “regretful provocation. ... UNRWA receives preferential treatment at the crossings, and today alone 50 of its trucks were allowed in.”
   

Pres. Hussein addresses Arab world

Suddenly its okay to mention Obama’s Muslim roots
Jan. 29, 2009

Where’s John McCain to the rescue? During the campaign, McCain chided anyone who used the current president’s middle name. Mention of the H word became taboo and labeled “fear mongering.” But where is that sentiment now?

Obama referred to himself by his full name when being interviewed by Al Arabiye, a Saudi-owned TV network, during an interview -- his first sit-down interview of his presidency. Apparently telling a pan-Arab television network about his Muslim ties is okay, just not the American press.

“I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries,” Obama told Hisham Melhem.

Obama’s father, Barack Sr., was born into a Muslim family – though he became an atheist before arriving in Hawaii, where Obama Jr. was later born. Obama spent four years as a boy in Indonesia – the world’s most populous Muslim country.

Hamas tried to hijack ambulances during Gaza war

Aussie reporter talks to civilians in the Strip
Jan. 29, 2009

Ambulance drivers in Gaza told The Sydney Morning Herald that Hamas was more of a threat than Israeli bullets. Drivers coordinated patient pick up with Israeli troops so they wouldn’t get shot at, but Hamas staged emergencies in order to get whisked out of harm's way.

Mohammed Shriteh, 30, an ambulance driver for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, said Hamas members would lure the ambulances into the heart of a battle to transport fighters to safety.

"After the first week, at night time, there was a call for a house in Jabaliya. I got to the house and there was lots of shooting and explosions all around," he said.

Because of the urgency of the call, Mr Shriteh said there was no time to arrange his movements with the IDF.

"I knew the Israelis were watching me because I could see the red laser beam in the ambulance and on me, on my body," he said.

Getting out of the ambulance and entering the house, he saw there were three Hamas fighters taking cover inside. One half of the building had already been destroyed.

"They were very scared, and very nervous … They dropped their weapons and ordered me to get them out, to put them in the ambulance and take them away. I refused, because if the IDF sees me doing this I am finished, I cannot pick up any more wounded people.

"And then one of the fighters picked up a gun and held it to my head, to force me. I still refused, and then they allowed me to leave."

Mr Shriteh says Hamas made several attempts to hijack the al-Quds Hospital's fleet of ambulances during the war.

"You hear when they are coming. People ring to tell you. So we had to get in all the ambulances and make the illusion of an emergency and only come back when they had gone."