I have just came across this first-hand account of Kuntar's arrest. Apparently, the hero feted last week in Lebanon and on Al-Jazeera (why are they still allowed to broadcast from Israel?) was unable to contain his bowels when he was caught. That much for shattering the myth of the invincible IDF soldier. 27 years later, Hezboloonies captured by IDF (I guess those released toghether with Kuntar included) also had a heavy package in their pants. Way to go boys, malign us as you like, you're still full of shit! Both figuratively but mainly literally! Besides, hero Kuntar was sexually abused and sodomized by his father (which might explain the expensive presents lavished on him, as well as the raging volcano beneath the "quiet, thoughtful child" appearance) and by his Palestinian handlers (no pun intended. Besides, Arafat was a notorious pederast, as may have been some of his cronies and rivals. Although Kuntar was not affiliated with Arafat's gangs, I wouldn't put it past the others - Jibril, Abu-Abbas, Habbash the pediatrician - to have indulged on occasion in what the Arabs view as a legitimate leisure activity - wives for reproduction, animals for relief and boys for pleasure. And that is probably why Kuntar and the others' sphincters may have lost some muscle tone by the time they were ready for a suicide operation in Israel).
Yaakov Marks, an American-born Israeli living in the northern town of Maalot writes about his first-hand encounter with Kuntar:
" As you have seen in news reports from Israel, the majority of Israelis would rather pay an exorbitant price and deal with despicable enemies such as Hezbollah and Hamas to retrieve those who have fought and died for their country since we honor our fallen and captive soldiers.
Now we must pray for "our" Gilad Shalit. But our despicable foes have upped their price since the "victory". So the final question is,"How much are we willing to pay?" "What will be the limit?" This dilemma is tearing us apart. How much would you give if it where your son or daughter? What would you do?
My wife and I suffer this dilemma every Sunday morning, and have been for ten long years as we drop off our third son at the train station in Nahariyah on his way back to his IDF base.
My question to those people of good conscience all over the world and especially those who gleefully attack Israel with their hate filled propaganda is, "Why has the Red Cross never been allowed to visitIsraeli prisoners, especially Gilad Shalit and Ron Arad?" Here is some information to consider.
As to the truth concerning Samir Kuntar, a Druse, born on July 20, 1962 in Abey, Lebanon, please allow me to relate from first hand experience exactly who their brave hero really is. I met the 16.9 year old hate-filled, sexually abused, wild-eyed youth that murdered Dani Harran and his four year old toddler, Einat that night April 22nd, 1979 on the beach in Nahariyah.
I had gone to do my nightly volunteer shift as amember of the Civil Guard in the Meona Police station near Ma'alot in northern Israel. It was a cool night and we could clearly hear the radio communications from Nahariyah. Around 11:30PM, myself andShabbati Alon, the ex-commander of the police in Meona who was now commander of the Civil Guard of Ma'alot, went to visit an Arab acquaintance to drink some strong Arabic coffee. Around 12:10AM we heard Eli Shachar Z"L answer the call for a robbery on Rechov Jabotinsky in Nahariyah. Suddenly there were frantic calls. Alon decided to go towards the scene to clarify what was going on. As an experienced officer and veteran of the 101 unit and an 18-year veteran of the Israeli police he felt that in those first moments his expertise as well as mine as a senior medic were needed, so we drove to the area.
When we arrived on the scene, I witnessed first hand how Samir Kuntar viciously murdered Danny and then grabbed Einat by the arm and hair as he used the butt of his rifle to smash her little skull on the rocks.
Once he had surrendered, sniveling after three of his comrades were killed, he was taken into custody along with his comrade, Ahmed AlAbras. AlAbras would later be freed by Israel in the Jibril Agreement of May 1985.
Standing near Kuntar, I saw how from abject fear of retribution he defecated on himself, whimpered, cried and begged. We could have shot him but the officers said no, he surrendered, leave him alone. Kuntar was pitiful. Later, in order to hide his embarassment, he claimed that since he had been shot he could not have murdered Danny or Einat. I never saw any wound on him.
During my many years in the IDF Reserves, I served as an EMT Master Sergeant of a Medical Unit, unarmed and dressed in a medical white coat, that administered medic care under Red Cross regulations. Our doctors and medics served honorably under the severest conditions of abuse and threats from the prisoners. We served according to the best tradition of the Hippocratic Oath and the motto of the medical corps, "To save Life".
In the routine briefing while reviewing the cases of our prisoners who needed continual treatment, it was recorded in Kuntar's files that during the required pre-imprisonment psychological exam it was determined that he had been a sexually abused and beaten child. He voluntarily admitted the information without any force upon him, how his own father had sodomized him and how as a new young recruit he had repeatedly been sodomized by his friends in the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) camp of Rashadiyah, Lebanon, near Tyre before the terrorist attack in 1979. Furthermore, we learned that as a young Lebanese Druse the Palestinians taunted him consistently as theyq uestioned his loyalty to the cause.
Later, while one of the doctors and I were administering treatment to Kuntar, he readily verified this information freely during treatment. His fair and conscientious medical care was in glaring contrast to how Israeli POWs are treated.
When we older reservists served in the prison we attempted to bring sanity to an insane situation. Many of us were against the occupation and the persecution of the Palestinians. From our code of treatment we were respected by the members of Fatah and the Democratic Front who argued and fought the Jihadists and Hamas. Many times they would warn us of attempts to harm us. We respected them and were respected inturn.
In the prison camps were we served there were cases of murder between rival gangs. Gang rape, brutal sodomy, torture and all forms of physical abuse by their own cellmates were a daily occurrence. Many times when homosexuals were discovered by their cellmates they would be abused and tortured to death, their screams muffled by socks filled with bread dough stuffed brutally down their throats by their torturers. The torturers comitted horrid atrocities against those they felt were spies. The worst was how they would treat young boys, just as they had done to Kuntar.
The hypocrites of Children`s Defense International (Palestine Section) imply that it is Israeli soldiers performing illegal acts and mistreating Palestinian prisoners. Just for their information, most of those guarding the Palestinians are reservists. If this human rights group had even the slightest knowledge of Israel they would know that 99.5%+ of all reservists are not interested in losing their personal freedom to even care about the Palestinians prisoners they are guarding. The reservists would sit in guard towers or patrol outside the fenced areas waiting to finish as soon as possible and go home.
The only ones allowed to touch prisoners were medics and doctors. Every week entire families would come to the prison to visit and bring food items. These same elementary rights that till today have always been denied our prisoners held by the Arabs, Hamas orHezbollah are a daily occurrence in Israeli prisons.
Let me state that many Palestinians in the camps suffered from multiple maladies before they were arrested. Many ofthem owe my medics and especially our doctors a deep debt of gratitude for the humanitarian care we gave them 24 hours a day, seven daysa week. We lived like them in the same sweltering conditions in the summer and in the freezing cold of winter. We treated and cared for them 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there where times where they even honoredus. So for these critics of Israel, they may tell their vicious lies that belittle me and my dedicated medical personnel. Yet it is these same doctors who in civilian life care for them and their families in our hospitals. These same hospitals in the area of Ashkelon in the south that have been threatened by Qassam rockets have unselfishly treated Gazans for years. Just like the hospitals in Nahariyah and Safed that treated Arab Israelis and Lebanese but were hit by Hezbollah Katyushas during the Second Lebanon War.
In conclusion, please note that though a captive in our Israeli prisons Samir earned a university degree, received medical care, Red Cross visits and privileges. He ate good food, as evidenced by his obesity and enjoyed his moments with his friends.
Years later, during another reserve duty stint I remember seeing the new hero of the Palestinians and Hezbollah. He was overweight, suffering from hyperuricema, diabetes mellitus, dyspnea and severe water retention from his hypertension. Some hero."
From: Yakov Marks, Maalot,E-Mail: big_yakov@bezeqint.net
Showing posts with label hezbollah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hezbollah. Show all posts
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Us and Them
As I watched in horror the drama unfolding before our very eyes in Israel, and the malignant festival of necrophilia and necrophagia vampire's ball organized in the Dahya, Pink Floyd's poignant words came to mind:
Us, and them.
And after all were only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
And then, in what must have been one of the saddest and painful moments in his life, Offer Regev, Eldad's eldest brother, stood by the freshly dug grave and eulogized his youngest brother, quoting from a Shalom Hanoch song:
A strange man, is your enemy – just like you
He suddenly wants to live – just like you
Suddenly, there he stands, in front of you,
Stubbornly alive.
You know that this man – just like you
Is in no hurry to kill himself – just like you
And it comes as no surprise that he too loves
And he too hates …
You and your enemy, us and our enemy, us and them. We who love and cherish life and they, Nassr-al-shaytan and Hezb-al-shaytan, who trade in bodies and body parts. We who need to bring our heroes home and bury them with honors, while they officiate a mass wedding between 200 odd mass murderers and a Mughrabian (Moroccan) creature. I guess in lieu of each and any one of those shaheeds getting their 72 houris, Dalal the cold-blooded murderess gets to enjoy an unknown number of bloodied and soiled terrorists. The high priests of this depraved voodoo ceremony were, no surprise, Samir Kuntar looking more and more like a force-fed Christmas pig and Nassr-al-shaytan scanning the skies for the Israeli jets zooming in on him. Kuntar and one of the other prisoners, whose names I could not be bothered to remember, look like they had been badly tortured by the Israelis – forced to shower every day, keep their hair nicely cut, and above all forced to eat chickpeas and steak, baklava and knafe.
Udi and Eldad, on the other hand, were treated fairly. Three of their fellow soldiers were killed on that fateful morning, with another two wounded in order to secure their kidnapping in a cross border attack. Five more soldiers from the rescuing force paid with their lives during the immediate attempt to retrieve them. What followed is what became known as the Second Lebanon War.
Udi and Eldad were killed during the attack or shortly thereafter. Kuntar was not only kept alive in the Nazi-like Israeli prison system, he was allowed to get married and divorced, meet his fellow terrorists from the Palestinian side of the "resistance" and obtain an academic degree. One has to admit this is torture. Udi and Eldad were unceremoniously buried. Twice. I don't think their bodies were mutilated in the sense that one perceives mutilation. But they were desecrated. Just as their coffins were dumped in front of the Red Cross ambulance meant to take them back to Israel, they were shoved into some hole in the ground, only to be dug up later and reburied. Then they were dug up again and turned over to Israel. Kuntar and the other Hezb-al-shaytans were forced to see the prison doctor before they were released. The doctor even made sure that Kuntar had received his medication. Now this is what I call torture.
I've been watching TV and reading the newspapers and I managed to put together a few things. I might be wrong, but then again I might be not.
Udi and Eldad were riding in the first Hummer. Udi was sitting next to the driver and Eldad was right behind him, on the right hand side of the vehicle. The driver, Razak Mu'adi, and Tomer Weinberg who was sitting behind him, on the left hand side of the vehicle, managed to jump out and hide behind some bushes, despite gunshot wounds sustained during the attack.
Initially, I mean about six months after the kidnapping, when he came to himself and began to talk, Razak who seems to have suffered from a severe case of shellshock, reported that when he jumped out of the vehicle, Udi and Eldad were alive. However, a friend of mine saw him sometime later him on TV (so this is hearsay, since yours truly cannot really vouch for the veracity of the report), and he in fact said that when the first RPG rounds hit the Hummer, someone's head landed in his lap. Which might explain why he went into shock for such a long time. His family reports very strange behavior which included loss of appetite, poor communication, and mostly inability to speak (no head injury, mind you). If indeed someone's head landed in his lap, whose was it? Did he not recognize it? Could this late-in-the-day testimony endorse what three independently writing forensic experts concluded three weeks after the kidnapping, namely that one of the abductees was mortally wounded and the other severely wounded? I mean one can't be much more mortally wounded than when one's head is blown off.
In any case, at one point during these two years, Nasr-al-shaytan gave some indication concerning the soldiers' fate and whereabouts: deep, deep inside Lebanon. The shaytanic look in his eyes and his vicious smile leave no room for interpretation, but at the time nobody wanted to listen and look. He may have been cynically gloating over his "exploit", but unfortunately he was telling the truth. Eldad and Udi were buried deep in Lebanese soil, in a secret location. This caused the abducted soldiers' families unimaginable anguish and only strengthened their will to push on for the swap. Unfortunately, the pain-stricken families began playing against each other.
Investigative journalist and author of several books, Ronen Bergman, disclosed in one of the shows he anchors, that based on his investigations and interviews held with relevant key figures in the affair (and I really have no idea who they are), he also came to the conclusion that one of the soldiers was dead. During a meeting with Karnit he told her about his conclusion, but she did not want to know who it was.
Eldad's father could not and would not believe the army (and not only) officials who were trying to insinuate that perhaps Eldad was no longer alive, because the families desperately wanted to believe that their loved ones were alive and would be returned to them if not safe and sound, at least in wheelchairs. But they would be reunited, and if heaven forbid, the loved one was incapacitated, then they would have the chance to shower all their love on him and take care of him and make good on all their broken promises, such as Karnit's pledge to fetch the moon from the sky for Udi, and Zwi Regev's plans to dedicate the rest of his life to Eldad, in order to compensate his youngest son, whose mother had been taken when he was barely 18. Nobody wants to believe their loved one is gone. Everybody wants a second chance to make amends. And Nasr-al-shaytan was toying with these people's hearts saying oh, perhaps they are both dead, or alive, or one of them is dead and the other is alive… To the point that these poor people were, how shall I put it, not hoping that the other one was dead, but at least hoping that their own one was alive. So they kept pushing on and on, even when it became certain that Samir Kuntar would be released in exchange. Even a few days prior to the swap, when the families were finally told the truth, Miki Goldwasser said that in a few days she would be hugging and kissing her son. In fact, the one who got to hug and kiss her son was Kuntar's mother. Poor Miki Goldwasser, all she got to hug was a coffin. Karnit could not contain her pain and bewilderment, and blurted a few words: "let me go home now and nurse my pain." Zwi Regev recounts a similar experience: when an officer from the Missing in Action unit of the IDF came to his house to ask for any particular marks Eldad might have, such as scars or birthmarks, he didn't understand the question. Even when he was asked to choose a burial place for his son (since the military cemetery in Motzkin where Eldad resided was closed), he refused to even consider the possibility that Eldad was gone. Even on that awful morning of Wednesday, July 16th 2008, two years and five days after the abduction, when he saw the first of the black coffins being slammed onto the ground he thought that was Udi, and Eldad was about to walk out of the black van. Or at least would be wheelchaired out. The Goldwassers must have felt the same: that's Eldad, now Udi is going to walk out of the van. Or at least will be wheelchaired out. Who can blame them? Who can give up on either of those beautiful men, young, smart, kind, educated, brave, healthy, gifted, one a young husband and a first born child, the other still a bachelor, a youngest son and brother. Who would give up their loved one to the blood-thirsty shaytan? Not me.
But then I don't think I would hold an entire country and people hostage either, and I would not have the guts Miki had to declare :"The State screwed up, the State must pay." Meaning what? That we should dismantle the state and give in and up? That we should perhaps cede Tel-Aviv to the Palestinians? Haifa to Hezb-al-shaytan?
I may sound bitter, and I really don't mean to be harsh with these people in what might be their darkest hour, but what did Miki mean when she said Hizb-al-shaytan had an interest to provide medical care for the abductees and keep them alive? Was she not in Israel when the bodies of Benny Avraham, Omar Sawayed and Avi Avitan were returned in their coffins? Nasr-al-shaytan knew he would get almost what he wanted for the mangled bodies of our soldiers, because we need to honor them in their death and give them a ritual burial. But does that really mean that we must open the door for Nasr-al-shaytan to provide more of us with graves? Maybe. I don’t really know. But I remember Haim Avraham campaigning for his son and the other abductees from the year 2000 claiming that we had to do everything to bring "our boys back". I agree, we must do everything short of suicide, because we choose life. Six million Holocaust victims do not lie in Jewish graves. Most of them were burned and blown in the wind. Did that not teach us anything? Apparently not. I saw Haim Avraham at the funerals. Did he for one second stop to think that had he perhaps campaigned less for the swap to secure his son's return, Udi and Eldad would still be alive? Not to mention the other 119 soldiers who died during that awful war. Not to mention the civilians. Not to mentions those who gave their legs and eyesight and sanity. Not to mention the destruction, the million people who took to the shelters. My 70-year-old friend in Haifa who had had to run for her life up and down two flights of stairs to the bomb shelter several times a day for 34 days.
So we let Kuntar and the other four bloodsuckers walk free. One of those four had taken part in the attack. He must have surely shot or even killed one of the fallen soldiers. Maybe even Udi or Eldad. He may have abused them, hit them, denied them medical care. More Palestinian vampires are to be released soon, to appease Banki Moonbat. Just like that. Invite more terrorism and bloodshed to our doorstep. Kuntar already misses us and wants to come back to "Palestine" and smash some more innocent heads, preferably young innocent children's heads. I hope this time he gets shot on site. Visa arrangements later.
So now we hear that Hamas is emboldened and has learned something from Hezb-al-shaytan: extortion works. But I would like Israeli officials to have the guts to speak out and tell Hamas that we too have learned something from this deal: that terrorist organizations cannot be trusted. So Hamas would have to really prove that Gilad Shalit is alive: not letters or audiotapes that could have been obtained before they killed him. How about a videotaped message of Gilad holding with today's paper in his hand? Or a message for the Regev and Goldwasser families? How about a visit from a Red Cross official (no Arabs please, make it a Swiss or German employee). Until then, we should really cut Gaza off: no food or water, no electricity, no fuel, no humanitarian cases. Nada. Zilch. No hudna, by the way. Declare open season in Gaza until a clear sign from Gilad is obtained. The international community you say? Who is the international community? Where were they when we were attacked?
This of course is idle day-dreaming coming from a despairing Israeli whose country is being pushed into non-existence by an increasing hostile world who cares naught about the real disasters and catastrophes plaguing this our world.
Us, and them.
And after all were only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
And then, in what must have been one of the saddest and painful moments in his life, Offer Regev, Eldad's eldest brother, stood by the freshly dug grave and eulogized his youngest brother, quoting from a Shalom Hanoch song:
A strange man, is your enemy – just like you
He suddenly wants to live – just like you
Suddenly, there he stands, in front of you,
Stubbornly alive.
You know that this man – just like you
Is in no hurry to kill himself – just like you
And it comes as no surprise that he too loves
And he too hates …
You and your enemy, us and our enemy, us and them. We who love and cherish life and they, Nassr-al-shaytan and Hezb-al-shaytan, who trade in bodies and body parts. We who need to bring our heroes home and bury them with honors, while they officiate a mass wedding between 200 odd mass murderers and a Mughrabian (Moroccan) creature. I guess in lieu of each and any one of those shaheeds getting their 72 houris, Dalal the cold-blooded murderess gets to enjoy an unknown number of bloodied and soiled terrorists. The high priests of this depraved voodoo ceremony were, no surprise, Samir Kuntar looking more and more like a force-fed Christmas pig and Nassr-al-shaytan scanning the skies for the Israeli jets zooming in on him. Kuntar and one of the other prisoners, whose names I could not be bothered to remember, look like they had been badly tortured by the Israelis – forced to shower every day, keep their hair nicely cut, and above all forced to eat chickpeas and steak, baklava and knafe.
Udi and Eldad, on the other hand, were treated fairly. Three of their fellow soldiers were killed on that fateful morning, with another two wounded in order to secure their kidnapping in a cross border attack. Five more soldiers from the rescuing force paid with their lives during the immediate attempt to retrieve them. What followed is what became known as the Second Lebanon War.
Udi and Eldad were killed during the attack or shortly thereafter. Kuntar was not only kept alive in the Nazi-like Israeli prison system, he was allowed to get married and divorced, meet his fellow terrorists from the Palestinian side of the "resistance" and obtain an academic degree. One has to admit this is torture. Udi and Eldad were unceremoniously buried. Twice. I don't think their bodies were mutilated in the sense that one perceives mutilation. But they were desecrated. Just as their coffins were dumped in front of the Red Cross ambulance meant to take them back to Israel, they were shoved into some hole in the ground, only to be dug up later and reburied. Then they were dug up again and turned over to Israel. Kuntar and the other Hezb-al-shaytans were forced to see the prison doctor before they were released. The doctor even made sure that Kuntar had received his medication. Now this is what I call torture.
I've been watching TV and reading the newspapers and I managed to put together a few things. I might be wrong, but then again I might be not.
Udi and Eldad were riding in the first Hummer. Udi was sitting next to the driver and Eldad was right behind him, on the right hand side of the vehicle. The driver, Razak Mu'adi, and Tomer Weinberg who was sitting behind him, on the left hand side of the vehicle, managed to jump out and hide behind some bushes, despite gunshot wounds sustained during the attack.
Initially, I mean about six months after the kidnapping, when he came to himself and began to talk, Razak who seems to have suffered from a severe case of shellshock, reported that when he jumped out of the vehicle, Udi and Eldad were alive. However, a friend of mine saw him sometime later him on TV (so this is hearsay, since yours truly cannot really vouch for the veracity of the report), and he in fact said that when the first RPG rounds hit the Hummer, someone's head landed in his lap. Which might explain why he went into shock for such a long time. His family reports very strange behavior which included loss of appetite, poor communication, and mostly inability to speak (no head injury, mind you). If indeed someone's head landed in his lap, whose was it? Did he not recognize it? Could this late-in-the-day testimony endorse what three independently writing forensic experts concluded three weeks after the kidnapping, namely that one of the abductees was mortally wounded and the other severely wounded? I mean one can't be much more mortally wounded than when one's head is blown off.
In any case, at one point during these two years, Nasr-al-shaytan gave some indication concerning the soldiers' fate and whereabouts: deep, deep inside Lebanon. The shaytanic look in his eyes and his vicious smile leave no room for interpretation, but at the time nobody wanted to listen and look. He may have been cynically gloating over his "exploit", but unfortunately he was telling the truth. Eldad and Udi were buried deep in Lebanese soil, in a secret location. This caused the abducted soldiers' families unimaginable anguish and only strengthened their will to push on for the swap. Unfortunately, the pain-stricken families began playing against each other.
Investigative journalist and author of several books, Ronen Bergman, disclosed in one of the shows he anchors, that based on his investigations and interviews held with relevant key figures in the affair (and I really have no idea who they are), he also came to the conclusion that one of the soldiers was dead. During a meeting with Karnit he told her about his conclusion, but she did not want to know who it was.
Eldad's father could not and would not believe the army (and not only) officials who were trying to insinuate that perhaps Eldad was no longer alive, because the families desperately wanted to believe that their loved ones were alive and would be returned to them if not safe and sound, at least in wheelchairs. But they would be reunited, and if heaven forbid, the loved one was incapacitated, then they would have the chance to shower all their love on him and take care of him and make good on all their broken promises, such as Karnit's pledge to fetch the moon from the sky for Udi, and Zwi Regev's plans to dedicate the rest of his life to Eldad, in order to compensate his youngest son, whose mother had been taken when he was barely 18. Nobody wants to believe their loved one is gone. Everybody wants a second chance to make amends. And Nasr-al-shaytan was toying with these people's hearts saying oh, perhaps they are both dead, or alive, or one of them is dead and the other is alive… To the point that these poor people were, how shall I put it, not hoping that the other one was dead, but at least hoping that their own one was alive. So they kept pushing on and on, even when it became certain that Samir Kuntar would be released in exchange. Even a few days prior to the swap, when the families were finally told the truth, Miki Goldwasser said that in a few days she would be hugging and kissing her son. In fact, the one who got to hug and kiss her son was Kuntar's mother. Poor Miki Goldwasser, all she got to hug was a coffin. Karnit could not contain her pain and bewilderment, and blurted a few words: "let me go home now and nurse my pain." Zwi Regev recounts a similar experience: when an officer from the Missing in Action unit of the IDF came to his house to ask for any particular marks Eldad might have, such as scars or birthmarks, he didn't understand the question. Even when he was asked to choose a burial place for his son (since the military cemetery in Motzkin where Eldad resided was closed), he refused to even consider the possibility that Eldad was gone. Even on that awful morning of Wednesday, July 16th 2008, two years and five days after the abduction, when he saw the first of the black coffins being slammed onto the ground he thought that was Udi, and Eldad was about to walk out of the black van. Or at least would be wheelchaired out. The Goldwassers must have felt the same: that's Eldad, now Udi is going to walk out of the van. Or at least will be wheelchaired out. Who can blame them? Who can give up on either of those beautiful men, young, smart, kind, educated, brave, healthy, gifted, one a young husband and a first born child, the other still a bachelor, a youngest son and brother. Who would give up their loved one to the blood-thirsty shaytan? Not me.
But then I don't think I would hold an entire country and people hostage either, and I would not have the guts Miki had to declare :"The State screwed up, the State must pay." Meaning what? That we should dismantle the state and give in and up? That we should perhaps cede Tel-Aviv to the Palestinians? Haifa to Hezb-al-shaytan?
I may sound bitter, and I really don't mean to be harsh with these people in what might be their darkest hour, but what did Miki mean when she said Hizb-al-shaytan had an interest to provide medical care for the abductees and keep them alive? Was she not in Israel when the bodies of Benny Avraham, Omar Sawayed and Avi Avitan were returned in their coffins? Nasr-al-shaytan knew he would get almost what he wanted for the mangled bodies of our soldiers, because we need to honor them in their death and give them a ritual burial. But does that really mean that we must open the door for Nasr-al-shaytan to provide more of us with graves? Maybe. I don’t really know. But I remember Haim Avraham campaigning for his son and the other abductees from the year 2000 claiming that we had to do everything to bring "our boys back". I agree, we must do everything short of suicide, because we choose life. Six million Holocaust victims do not lie in Jewish graves. Most of them were burned and blown in the wind. Did that not teach us anything? Apparently not. I saw Haim Avraham at the funerals. Did he for one second stop to think that had he perhaps campaigned less for the swap to secure his son's return, Udi and Eldad would still be alive? Not to mention the other 119 soldiers who died during that awful war. Not to mention the civilians. Not to mentions those who gave their legs and eyesight and sanity. Not to mention the destruction, the million people who took to the shelters. My 70-year-old friend in Haifa who had had to run for her life up and down two flights of stairs to the bomb shelter several times a day for 34 days.
So we let Kuntar and the other four bloodsuckers walk free. One of those four had taken part in the attack. He must have surely shot or even killed one of the fallen soldiers. Maybe even Udi or Eldad. He may have abused them, hit them, denied them medical care. More Palestinian vampires are to be released soon, to appease Banki Moonbat. Just like that. Invite more terrorism and bloodshed to our doorstep. Kuntar already misses us and wants to come back to "Palestine" and smash some more innocent heads, preferably young innocent children's heads. I hope this time he gets shot on site. Visa arrangements later.
So now we hear that Hamas is emboldened and has learned something from Hezb-al-shaytan: extortion works. But I would like Israeli officials to have the guts to speak out and tell Hamas that we too have learned something from this deal: that terrorist organizations cannot be trusted. So Hamas would have to really prove that Gilad Shalit is alive: not letters or audiotapes that could have been obtained before they killed him. How about a videotaped message of Gilad holding with today's paper in his hand? Or a message for the Regev and Goldwasser families? How about a visit from a Red Cross official (no Arabs please, make it a Swiss or German employee). Until then, we should really cut Gaza off: no food or water, no electricity, no fuel, no humanitarian cases. Nada. Zilch. No hudna, by the way. Declare open season in Gaza until a clear sign from Gilad is obtained. The international community you say? Who is the international community? Where were they when we were attacked?
This of course is idle day-dreaming coming from a despairing Israeli whose country is being pushed into non-existence by an increasing hostile world who cares naught about the real disasters and catastrophes plaguing this our world.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Tinker, Tailor, Spy and Traitor or Bishara Launderette, Ltd.
It's urgent, it's urgent, and I need it!
by Shmuel Mittlemann
January 2, 2008
Ma'ariv (Today supplement)
"MK Azmi Bishara, sir, you are suspected of breaking the law on a number of counts: you have traveled to enemy states without proper clearance, aided the enemy during wartime, passed information onto the enemy, laundered money received from foreign agencies, became involved with terror financing. We have solid evidence that you have received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Jordan, via an East Jerusalem money changer." This is how Yaron London of the International Crime Unit greeted his distinguished guest. Bishara missed a beat, but quickly recovered: "This is all lies, it's insulting… I never …"
by Shmuel Mittlemann
January 2, 2008
Ma'ariv (Today supplement)
"MK Azmi Bishara, sir, you are suspected of breaking the law on a number of counts: you have traveled to enemy states without proper clearance, aided the enemy during wartime, passed information onto the enemy, laundered money received from foreign agencies, became involved with terror financing. We have solid evidence that you have received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Jordan, via an East Jerusalem money changer." This is how Yaron London of the International Crime Unit greeted his distinguished guest. Bishara missed a beat, but quickly recovered: "This is all lies, it's insulting… I never …" 
It was an embarrassing situation: the most prominent Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, the intellectual who hopped in and out of Arab capitals, sitting in the interrogation room of the Petach Tikva international crime unit, like a common criminal. Wondering how this came to pass. He denied everything, angrily, vehemently, but the interrogating officer kept on asking the pertinent questions unrelentingly. Bishara felt cornered. He saw no way out. That is why, a few days later, at the end of March 2007, taking advantage of his parliamentary immunity, he fled the country and has not come back since, fearing justice, no doubt. Sometime later he resigned from the Knesset. 
Bishara saved his skin from a severe criminal trial concerning the security of Israel, that had the potential to put him behind bars for a good number of years. His minor partner in crime was not so lucky. Last week, Fires Assila, the East Jerusalem money changer, was convicted by the Jerusalem District Court for transferring excessive amounts of money from Jordan to Bishara. No less than three hundred and ninety thousand USD. The source of money in Amman, Jordan, remains a mystery. All through the trial the State (Israel) claimed that the money had been sent from an Arab country, but it is believed that the money source was a terrorist organizations, meaning Hezbollah. The money is also gone, and nobody knows where it went.Assila was confronted with the incriminating evidence and stood trial. He consented to a plea bargain: admitting to money laundering. His attorney, Reuven Bar-Haim, managed to get him off lightly: the more severe charges of endangering state security were dropped. He will probably spend six to eight months in jail.
Ma'ariv has recently obtained transcripts from Assila's questioning, shedding quite a lot of light on the "money monkey business" surrounding the Bishara affair: declarations obtained from Assila and Bishara and transcripts from their tapped telephone conversations about money transfers and meetings. It appears that there was solid evidence against Bishara, that would have gotten him convicted, at least on the money laundering charge.
Thirty-year-old Assila went to university in Jordan, and is currently an employee of the Assila Bros money changing firm. Their offices are in East Jerusalem, on Saladin Street, a few hundred yards away from the Department of Justice and the Attorney General's Office. On March 16th, 2007, Assila admitted that his dealings with Bishara were an extension of his connection with Bishara's wife Rana, who used Assila's offices to
convert her salary from Bir Zeit University where she was a lecturer. In early 2006, she asked Assila for his private number.Thirty-year-old Assila went to university in Jordan, and is currently an employee of the Assila Bros money changing firm. Their offices are in East Jerusalem, on Saladin Street, a few hundred yards away from the Department of Justice and the Attorney General's Office. On March 16th, 2007, Assila admitted that his dealings with Bishara were an extension of his connection with Bishara's wife Rana, who used Assila's offices to
One week later her husband, dr. Azmi Bishara, called him and invited him to their home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina. There Bishara asked Assila to help him transfer a certain amount of money from Jordan to Israel. Assila agreed and gave Bishara the address of G., a money changing friend of his in Amman. Bishara asked Assila to notify G. in Amman that every now and then a courier would deposit certain amounts of cash, and that he was not supposed to enquire as to who the man was, who sent him or where the money was coming from.
And this is how it worked: G. would notify Assila whenever the money man arrived. Assila would transfer the money to Bishara and refer East Jerusalem residents seeking to exchange money in order to travel to Jordan on business or for university studies to G. in Amman, who would do the same: send the Bishara money via East Jerusalem investors. During
And this is how it worked: G. would notify Assila whenever the money man arrived. Assila would transfer the money to Bishara and refer East Jerusalem residents seeking to exchange money in order to travel to Jordan on business or for university studies to G. in Amman, who would do the same: send the Bishara money via East Jerusalem investors. During
the next fourteen months, Assila transferred, in complete secrecy and total violation of the law, seven installments of at least fifty thousand USD each, adding up to 390 thousand USD in cash, to Azmi Bishara. "Whenever he called, I'd go to his house and hand him the money."
The International Crime Unit investigator informed the money changer that he was suspect of financing terror, assisting in unauthorized associations, and contact with foreign agents:
"Investigator: Does your money changing firm transfer money from Arab states?
Assila: No, not even once.
I: Then why did you agree to transfer money from Jordan to Bishara?
A: For profit. He agreed to pay me one percent out of every payment.
I: Did you know that the money was being transferred illegally?
A: Yes.
I: Then why did you do it?
A: Because Dr. Azmi is a Christian, famous and honorable. I had no idea the money was meant to finance terror. I was wrong and I am sorry.
I: Did Bishara ask you not to record any of the transfers?
A: No, but it was obvious.
I: Did you use any code words?
A: When he wanted shekalim, he'd say "local" (from the transcripts it appears that Bishara also mentioned "books, local", when he wanted shekalim).
I: Would you have agreed to transfer money for any other person?
A: Of course not. Moreover, had Bishara been Moslem I would have refused because I would have suspected a terror connection."
The transcripts of the phone conversation between Bishara and Assila are even more incriminating. Bishara is laconic and prudent, and uses code words, obviously trying to avoid the unwanted eavesdropper. There is no way he was acting candidly. Sometimes he asked for "urgent" deliveries: "It's been a long time and you're late. And it's got to be in Hebrew. Books." Whenever someone else answered the phone in Assila's office, Bishara would just leave a message for Assila to call Omar.
Assila: No, not even once.
I: Then why did you agree to transfer money from Jordan to Bishara?
A: For profit. He agreed to pay me one percent out of every payment.
I: Did you know that the money was being transferred illegally?A: Yes.
I: Then why did you do it?
A: Because Dr. Azmi is a Christian, famous and honorable. I had no idea the money was meant to finance terror. I was wrong and I am sorry.
I: Did Bishara ask you not to record any of the transfers?
A: No, but it was obvious.
I: Did you use any code words?
A: When he wanted shekalim, he'd say "local" (from the transcripts it appears that Bishara also mentioned "books, local", when he wanted shekalim).
I: Would you have agreed to transfer money for any other person?
A: Of course not. Moreover, had Bishara been Moslem I would have refused because I would have suspected a terror connection."
The transcripts of the phone conversation between Bishara and Assila are even more incriminating. Bishara is laconic and prudent, and uses code words, obviously trying to avoid the unwanted eavesdropper. There is no way he was acting candidly. Sometimes he asked for "urgent" deliveries: "It's been a long time and you're late. And it's got to be in Hebrew. Books." Whenever someone else answered the phone in Assila's office, Bishara would just leave a message for Assila to call Omar.
The following conversation took place on December 28th 2006:"Bishara: What are you doing tomorrow morning?
Assila: Ok, half a book?
B: Nope, one or two. In Hebrew. It's got to be in Hebrew.
Later the same day:
B: Hello, Fires. Please come by tomorrow morning. It's very very urgent. Because of the holidays. I want to know where I stand."
Assila went to Bishara's house and gave him the money. Bishara called him again, probably before flying abroad and asked: "Please have the remainder ready for me by next Sunday, when I get back."January 19th, 2007, Bishara calls again and is very laconic:
B: The remainder, when is it possible?
A: How do you want it?
B: Doesn't matter, it's been a long time. You're late. When? Tomorrow? The day after?
A: You want two installments? Tomorrow and the day after?
B: Yes, like the last time.A: OK, four local?
B: Twenty two-hundred bills."
During the last conversation, on February 17th, 2007, Bishara asked: "Can you bring me the last book?" Assila agreed and two days later brought Bishara the last payment, about 100 thousand USD.
One month later, as evidence was piling up, the police and the Shabak decided the time was ripe for an inquiry. On March 22, 2007, Bishara was summoned to the Petach Tikva
international crime unit. He had no idea that the investigators had a solid body of evidence, including the money changer's declarations, tapped conversations transcripts and additional elements, quite sufficient to incriminate him. Bishara was taken aback by the gravity of the accusations:"Investigator: Do you know Fires Assila?
Bishara: Yes, money changers.
I: Are you conducting any kind of business with them?
B: No, sometimes my wife or I use their services for checks.I: So you are not conducting any kind of business with their firm?
B: Occasionally I exchange very small sums of money, checks that I receive from different newspapers.
I: So you conduct no personal business with Assila?
B: I have no personal connection with him.
I: Is it possible that he transferred money for you from a foreign source? B: No, there is no such thing.
I: Has he ever been to your house?
B: Yes, I invite him over when I need to exchange the checks.
I: Does he receive money for you from different sources and transfers you this money?
B: No.
I: We have evidence that he has handed you sums of money received from different sources.
B: No, there is no such thing. If he says so, he's lying.
I: He told us he received money on your behalf. And he
mentioned very large sums.
B: There is no such thing.
I: Can it be that someone is trying to frame you?
B: No, there is no such thing. This comes to me as a surprise.
I: He told us that he came to your house on several occasions and handed you large sums of money.
B: It can't be. This is groundless.
I: Do you want to check back with him?
B: No, I don't.
I: Do you understand that this means breaking the law?
B: It surely means breaking the law."
The following day Bishara was questioned again. Officer London confronted him with the previous day's declarations: "Yesterday you told us that you didn't want money from Rabbat Ammon (Amman). Except I never mentioned Rabbat Ammon." Sensing that he had fallen into a trap, Bishara lost his temper and went into a lengthy angry monologue: "You mentioned money transfer, and I understood exactly what you meant, that's why I answered categorically NO. I know those people and I use their money changing services. But this thing comes as a total surprise. Because 
your accusations make no sense. One can get to Rabbat Ammon by car. I am just a state employee, my wife is also an employee, anyone can tell that we don't have a lot of money. We live a modest life. No way I could have received such large amounts of money. This is insulting. I wish they had sent me some money. I have rich relatives abroad. It is not uncommon for rich relatives to help. But this thing… What would that money have been for? This is quite a surprise… Do you have any information on Azmi Bishara spending money? You have put people on trial for things like that. Had I received any money I would have told you. I have nothing to add, and I am very upset, because I live a modest life and I stay away from these things as fire stays away from water."
People involved in the investigation told Ma'ariv that the secretive conspiracy-like manner adopted by Bishara, the total separation between the Jordanian and Israeli money changers and the
very high sums of money involved, point to illegal activities. "This is not writer's fees", they said cynically. At the end of the investigation, Bishara informed the detectives that he was traveling abroad for a few days. They replied that he would be needed for additional questioning upon his return. He promised to be there. Except he has never returned.
I: Has he ever been to your house?
B: Yes, I invite him over when I need to exchange the checks.
I: Does he receive money for you from different sources and transfers you this money?
B: No.
I: We have evidence that he has handed you sums of money received from different sources.
B: No, there is no such thing. If he says so, he's lying.
I: He told us he received money on your behalf. And he
mentioned very large sums.B: There is no such thing.
I: Can it be that someone is trying to frame you?
B: No, there is no such thing. This comes to me as a surprise.
I: He told us that he came to your house on several occasions and handed you large sums of money.
B: It can't be. This is groundless.
I: Do you want to check back with him?
B: No, I don't.
I: Do you understand that this means breaking the law?
B: It surely means breaking the law."
The following day Bishara was questioned again. Officer London confronted him with the previous day's declarations: "Yesterday you told us that you didn't want money from Rabbat Ammon (Amman). Except I never mentioned Rabbat Ammon." Sensing that he had fallen into a trap, Bishara lost his temper and went into a lengthy angry monologue: "You mentioned money transfer, and I understood exactly what you meant, that's why I answered categorically NO. I know those people and I use their money changing services. But this thing comes as a total surprise. Because 
your accusations make no sense. One can get to Rabbat Ammon by car. I am just a state employee, my wife is also an employee, anyone can tell that we don't have a lot of money. We live a modest life. No way I could have received such large amounts of money. This is insulting. I wish they had sent me some money. I have rich relatives abroad. It is not uncommon for rich relatives to help. But this thing… What would that money have been for? This is quite a surprise… Do you have any information on Azmi Bishara spending money? You have put people on trial for things like that. Had I received any money I would have told you. I have nothing to add, and I am very upset, because I live a modest life and I stay away from these things as fire stays away from water."People involved in the investigation told Ma'ariv that the secretive conspiracy-like manner adopted by Bishara, the total separation between the Jordanian and Israeli money changers and the
very high sums of money involved, point to illegal activities. "This is not writer's fees", they said cynically. At the end of the investigation, Bishara informed the detectives that he was traveling abroad for a few days. They replied that he would be needed for additional questioning upon his return. He promised to be there. Except he has never returned.
Bishara is suspected of aiding Hezbollah target strategic locations in Israel. Many of the victims were Arabs, Druze and Bedouins.Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Azmi again
Nadav Eyal
Ma'ariv, April 13, 2007 (before Azmi's defection)
A swamp has been bubbling since Israeli-Arab weekly Al-Senara gloatingly published its exclusive headlines about Azmi Bishara. Our politicians, weary and heavy with the Passover meals, rushed into their roles: the right cried treason, the left warned of generalizations. The Arab MK's were divided: those who had been in Azmi's camp were justified to express their fears about the future. Those who had not been in Azmi's camp couldn't hide their relief. Some of them loathe Azmi to an extent that wouldn't shame the Hilltop Youth. As one of them put it, they were felt "restrained, but unadulterated joy".
Unfortunately, there are things concerning this issue that cannot be said. However, in order to make something of the Azmi affair, one needs to examine Israeli Arab politics, as it combines all the elements and tensions among the Israeli Arabs. Bishara represents the secular nationalists, pan-Arabism if you wish. Opposing him are those who embrace the Islamic movement. Bishara's nationalistic views are not necessarily socialist, such as are expressed by the Hadash party. Moreover, Bishara is Christian, and that is his Achilles heel. His opponents will not readily admit to it, but they don't consider him "one of them".
In fact, Azmi Bishara isn't one of anybody. He was never seen in the Knesset cafe sitting down to a cup of coffee with his political opponents, Zionists or Arabs. He had no friends in the house. How could he have befriended anyone? He was the absentee champion for years. Bishara was a separatist. Ahmad Tibi, Taleb a-Sana, Muhammad Barake are all part of the Knesset machinery. They are no friends of Zion. They are the bitter parliamentary opposition, revoltingly nationalistic to the best of their abilities. But they are part of the Israeli political scene. They propose legislation, they lobby, they engage in fierce disputes but also share friendly luncheons in the Knesset cafe. Self-righteous Bishara was also arrogant, so he stayed away from the Knesset. So the Knesset, including the left, stayed away from him.
However, in this story two opposing political camps are expressing false joy: the right is concentrating on Azmi's public figure, but if certain facts that cannot be named due to the gag order are right, and if Bishara is in fact not returning to Israel (which he didn't, return, that is), that's bad news. "Imagine", said a political personality this week, "imagine that he starts a political movement abroad, plays the conscience dissenter and calls on all Israeli Arabs to revolt. All Arab MK's will be considered traitors, collaborators with the Israeli regime. We have no need for that. It will not benefit the Jews if the Arab sector distances itself from Israeli political life."
The other camp, the Arab MK's, doesn't get it right either. They are relieved by Bishara's disappearing act, probably hoping that the Jewish sector is going to differentiate between Bishara and themselves. Wrong again. The Jewish public sees no difference between the Arab parties, and does not care about their internal bickering. "All Arabs are the same" in the eyes of many a Jew. Bishara will be just one more brick in the wall that is beginning to separate Arabs from Jews. Just one more reason to argue.
Ami ben-David and Felix Frish
Ma'ariv, May 3rd, 2007
Following months of ambiguity, rumors and speculations, the gag order was finally lifted: former MK dr. Azmi Bishara is suspected of assisting the enemy during the second Lebanon war. According to the Israeli police and the Shin Bet, transcriptions of the telephone conversations conducted by Bishara during the past few months prove that he crossed the red lines and acted as an agent on behalf of the Hezbollah.
Details of the investigations reveal that several months before the second Lebanon war broke out Bishara established telephonic contact with several Hezbollah agents. It appears that during the war, Hezbollah advised the Hezbollah what Israeli objectives they should target, and also offered them assessments on how rockets landing South of Haifa might affect the Israeli public resilience.
On one occasion, Bishara complained about the rockets landing in Arab villages: "I can understand attacking Haifa, but I can't understand rockets landing in Arab villages." And also: "Rockets falling beyond Haifa will precipitate the ceasefire". And indeed, when comparing the dates, several days after this conversation, rockets fell beyond Haifa and Hedera.
The investigators also suspect that Bishara passed on to Hezbollah military information, despite his knowledge that such information was classified (perhaps it is high time that the security of Israel be off-limits for Arab MK's. Let them concentrate on the well-being and welfare of their own electorate). He is also suspected of delivering details concerning the assessment of the situation that the was privy to as a member of the Israeli parliament participating in parliamentary debates during the war. According to the investigators, Bishara warned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that Israel might considering targeting when the war was over.
The investigators also reveal that in exchange for information collected and delivered to his operators, Bishara received hundreds of thousands of USD in cash, from several Arab sources, including the Hezbollah. Three money changers with offices in Jordan and East Jerusalem seem to have acted as couriers, delivering each time 50 thousand USD to Bishara's residence in Beit-Hanina (Jerusalem).
The police also claims that the information available to Bishara was not of the highest security level and that he was never exposed to critical security data. This did not stop his Hezbollah operators from seeing in him a reliable source of information, due to his senior political status in Israel: "Bishara's operators considered him a highly reliable source, and they were thirsty for every tidbit of information he could provide."
The covert investigation began in the months prior to the war, with permission from the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor. The Supreme Court authorized the police to tap Bishara's phone lines. On March 22, he was summoned for the first time and was questioned for three hours. The following day he met again with the investigators, but he refused to even consider or even provide a response to the preliminary evidence presented before him. At the end of the meeting, he informed the police that he intended to travel abroad and has since refused to appear before the investigators.
Amichai Shai, head of the police's international crimes unit, was in charge of the investigation, said that it was impossible to stop Bishara from leaving the country before the Knesset Committee lifted his parliamentary immunity. The police feared that action might have disclosed important details of the investigation. In the wake of his flight, Bishara has been declared "wanted for investigation", and should he be found on Israeli soil he will be arrested and brought in for questioning. The police are currently considering an international arrest warrant.
And the rockets did land South of Haifa: Nazareth, Hadera, Afula, Nesher ...
Ma'ariv, April 13, 2007 (before Azmi's defection)
A swamp has been bubbling since Israeli-Arab weekly Al-Senara gloatingly published its exclusive headlines about Azmi Bishara. Our politicians, weary and heavy with the Passover meals, rushed into their roles: the right cried treason, the left warned of generalizations. The Arab MK's were divided: those who had been in Azmi's camp were justified to express their fears about the future. Those who had not been in Azmi's camp couldn't hide their relief. Some of them loathe Azmi to an extent that wouldn't shame the Hilltop Youth. As one of them put it, they were felt "restrained, but unadulterated joy".
Unfortunately, there are things concerning this issue that cannot be said. However, in order to make something of the Azmi affair, one needs to examine Israeli Arab politics, as it combines all the elements and tensions among the Israeli Arabs. Bishara represents the secular nationalists, pan-Arabism if you wish. Opposing him are those who embrace the Islamic movement. Bishara's nationalistic views are not necessarily socialist, such as are expressed by the Hadash party. Moreover, Bishara is Christian, and that is his Achilles heel. His opponents will not readily admit to it, but they don't consider him "one of them".
In fact, Azmi Bishara isn't one of anybody. He was never seen in the Knesset cafe sitting down to a cup of coffee with his political opponents, Zionists or Arabs. He had no friends in the house. How could he have befriended anyone? He was the absentee champion for years. Bishara was a separatist. Ahmad Tibi, Taleb a-Sana, Muhammad Barake are all part of the Knesset machinery. They are no friends of Zion. They are the bitter parliamentary opposition, revoltingly nationalistic to the best of their abilities. But they are part of the Israeli political scene. They propose legislation, they lobby, they engage in fierce disputes but also share friendly luncheons in the Knesset cafe. Self-righteous Bishara was also arrogant, so he stayed away from the Knesset. So the Knesset, including the left, stayed away from him.
However, in this story two opposing political camps are expressing false joy: the right is concentrating on Azmi's public figure, but if certain facts that cannot be named due to the gag order are right, and if Bishara is in fact not returning to Israel (which he didn't, return, that is), that's bad news. "Imagine", said a political personality this week, "imagine that he starts a political movement abroad, plays the conscience dissenter and calls on all Israeli Arabs to revolt. All Arab MK's will be considered traitors, collaborators with the Israeli regime. We have no need for that. It will not benefit the Jews if the Arab sector distances itself from Israeli political life."
The other camp, the Arab MK's, doesn't get it right either. They are relieved by Bishara's disappearing act, probably hoping that the Jewish sector is going to differentiate between Bishara and themselves. Wrong again. The Jewish public sees no difference between the Arab parties, and does not care about their internal bickering. "All Arabs are the same" in the eyes of many a Jew. Bishara will be just one more brick in the wall that is beginning to separate Arabs from Jews. Just one more reason to argue.
Ami ben-David and Felix Frish
Ma'ariv, May 3rd, 2007
Following months of ambiguity, rumors and speculations, the gag order was finally lifted: former MK dr. Azmi Bishara is suspected of assisting the enemy during the second Lebanon war. According to the Israeli police and the Shin Bet, transcriptions of the telephone conversations conducted by Bishara during the past few months prove that he crossed the red lines and acted as an agent on behalf of the Hezbollah.
Details of the investigations reveal that several months before the second Lebanon war broke out Bishara established telephonic contact with several Hezbollah agents. It appears that during the war, Hezbollah advised the Hezbollah what Israeli objectives they should target, and also offered them assessments on how rockets landing South of Haifa might affect the Israeli public resilience.
On one occasion, Bishara complained about the rockets landing in Arab villages: "I can understand attacking Haifa, but I can't understand rockets landing in Arab villages." And also: "Rockets falling beyond Haifa will precipitate the ceasefire". And indeed, when comparing the dates, several days after this conversation, rockets fell beyond Haifa and Hedera.
The investigators also suspect that Bishara passed on to Hezbollah military information, despite his knowledge that such information was classified (perhaps it is high time that the security of Israel be off-limits for Arab MK's. Let them concentrate on the well-being and welfare of their own electorate). He is also suspected of delivering details concerning the assessment of the situation that the was privy to as a member of the Israeli parliament participating in parliamentary debates during the war. According to the investigators, Bishara warned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that Israel might considering targeting when the war was over.
The investigators also reveal that in exchange for information collected and delivered to his operators, Bishara received hundreds of thousands of USD in cash, from several Arab sources, including the Hezbollah. Three money changers with offices in Jordan and East Jerusalem seem to have acted as couriers, delivering each time 50 thousand USD to Bishara's residence in Beit-Hanina (Jerusalem).
The police also claims that the information available to Bishara was not of the highest security level and that he was never exposed to critical security data. This did not stop his Hezbollah operators from seeing in him a reliable source of information, due to his senior political status in Israel: "Bishara's operators considered him a highly reliable source, and they were thirsty for every tidbit of information he could provide."
The covert investigation began in the months prior to the war, with permission from the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor. The Supreme Court authorized the police to tap Bishara's phone lines. On March 22, he was summoned for the first time and was questioned for three hours. The following day he met again with the investigators, but he refused to even consider or even provide a response to the preliminary evidence presented before him. At the end of the meeting, he informed the police that he intended to travel abroad and has since refused to appear before the investigators.
Amichai Shai, head of the police's international crimes unit, was in charge of the investigation, said that it was impossible to stop Bishara from leaving the country before the Knesset Committee lifted his parliamentary immunity. The police feared that action might have disclosed important details of the investigation. In the wake of his flight, Bishara has been declared "wanted for investigation", and should he be found on Israeli soil he will be arrested and brought in for questioning. The police are currently considering an international arrest warrant.
And the rockets did land South of Haifa: Nazareth, Hadera, Afula, Nesher ...
Friday, May 18, 2007
More crap from Lebanon c/o AP
These are fauxlegs. I mean the nuns are real, they have real legs, the bar stools are also real. And naughty. The whole thing is funny, and the nuns are just as amused as anybody else. Fauxtography, on the other hand is neither that innocent nor well-intended.
Below is Hezbollah anti-Israel propaganda and the MSM editors are buying it again, producing more proof of their stupidity, ignorance and lack of professionalism. During the second Lebanon war the general excuse offered by the major news outlets when caught with their pants down was that the editors were too busy okaying the posting of the huge amount of pictures coming in all the time, to spot any kind of monkey business. Okay, I'll give them that. What's there excuse now? They're too busy doing what? Trying to ignore the massacres Hamas and Fatah are inflicting on each other?Hezbollah is back on the border to hoist its bile-stained jaundiced flag:
Hezbollah supporters set a huge Hezbollah flag in front the Israeli settlement of Metulla, in Hamames village at the Lebanese-Israeli border south of Lebanon, Thursday May 17, 2007. Israel released a Lebanese civilian on Thursday, a day after capturing him near the disputed Chebaa Farms area, U.N. and Lebanese security officials said. Israeli troops seized Hisham Daleh, 35, as he was gathering herbs near the village of Chebaa on Wednesday, the security officials said. (AP Photo/Lutfallah Daher)
And not only is this in violation of UN resolution 1701 [Aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict, the Security Council created a buffer zone free of “any armed personnel” –- both Hizbollah militants and Israeli troops -- between the United Nations-drawn Blue Line in southern Lebanon and the Litani River (12 miles from the Israeli border), and called for both Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive solution to the crisis], it is incitement against Israel. Take a look at the caption again: "settlement of Metulla." Except Metulla was founded in 1896 on lands bought from Druze land owners by Baron Nathan Rothschild. At the time Israel/Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire, as was Lebanon. By the way, Lebanon gained its independence in the 1940's, a few years before Israel.
In any case, during the war photographs posted by Lutfallah (or Lotfallah?) Daher for AP were also contributed by Karamallah Daher for Reuters (and they claim to be twin brothers). Is it possible that the MSM is actually funding Hezbollah due to negligent standards or are AP and Reuters supporting terrorism in earnest?
Israeli army tanks advance to new positions in the outskirts of the southern town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, Thursday Aug. 10, 2006. Israeli troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, took the key south Lebanon town of Marjayoun early Thursday just hours before a senior Israeli official announced that the military would hold off expanding its ground offensive to give diplomacy a chance. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)
Israeli tanks are seen in the field of Marjayoun in south Lebanon, August 10, 2006. (Karamallah Daher/Reuters)
Is Marjayoun such a small place that two different photographers working for two different news agencies should need to stick together and contribute nearly identical pictures?
Two Israeli tanks on fire after a Hezbollah attack while they were advancing to a new position in the town of Marjayoun in South Lebanon early Thursday morning Aug. 10, 2006. There is no immediate information on casualties. Israeli troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, took the key south Lebanon town of Marjayoun early Thursday just hours before a senior Israeli official announced that the military would hold off expanding its ground offensive to give diplomacy a chance. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)
An Israeli tank burns during fighting with Hizbollah guerrillas near Marjayoun town in south Lebanon August 10, 2006. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher (LEBANON)
In addition, it appears to me that they are embedded with the Hezbollah, otherwise how could they have gotten these images of burning tanks? Hezbollah has a long standing history of documenting its attacks of Israel. So the MSM is paying Hezbollah to attack Israeli troops...
Smoke billows in the town of Khiam, in southern Lebanon, Friday, July 28, 2006, after an Israeli attack. Israeli warplanes renewed attacks on suspected Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Friday, killing at least one person and wounding four others, Lebanese security officials said. (AP Photo/Lotfallah Daher)
Smoke rises from Al-Khiam village after it was targeted by Israeli air strikes in south Lebanon July 28, 2006. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher (LEBANON)
Is it me or are the pictures practically identical? No, its' probably me. I mean could AP and Reuters be this sloppy?
And there's more from Karamallah who couldn't even get his dates right. See, the war didn't start until July 12, 2006. Yet the caption claims the IDF destroyed this bridge on July 7, 2007. Unless of course, he meant August 7, 2006, in order to amplify the Israeli bombardments, a practice which became so common during the war last summer: multiple use buildings, multiple use bodies, multiple use toys, as already revealed by this blog.
<--- Lebanese civilians inspect Litani bridge that was attacked by Israeli warplanes in south Lebanon July 13, 2006. Israel struck Beirut airport and Hizbollah's television station on Thursday and killed 22 civilians in raids on south Lebanon, intensifying its reprisals after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
To say nothing of the fact that the picture on the left seems to be a close-up of the left side of the picture below:
A bridge over the Litani river that was attacked by Israeli warplanes in south Lebanon, July 7, 2006. (Karamallah Daher/Reuters). --->
Friday, May 04, 2007
The Gospel of Azmi
(Azmi Bizbullah, courtesy of Ma'ariv). About the South Lebanon Army – It is inconceivable that traitors and mercenaries be allowed to live amongst us. (October 5, 1999)
About Hezbollah – Hezbollah is a brave national movement that will teach Israel a lesson. It has become a pilot force in the Arab world and it is willing to sacrifice itself for the cause. (February 19, 1999 and June 27, 2000).
About the State of Israel - I am not against the entire Israel becoming Palestine. The Israelis immigrated to us, we did not emigrate to them. (October 14, 2000, interview with Austrian weekly).
About the democratic state – Israel is the greatest robber of the century … Give us back Palestine and take back your democracy. We, the Arabs, are not interested. (December 2005).
According to Ma'ariv, April 10, 2007 (Itamar Enbari), there are several Jewish Israelis in Bishara's constituency among them: translator Yael Lerer, former assistant to Azmi, attorney Leah Tsemel and her husband, Michael Warshawski. I am not surprised that some "people" even consider him their brother. I find this relieving, I now know who my enemies are, thanks to Yisrael Medad.
While crying foul and oppression/suppression he has amassed a substantial fortune (now we know he has been receiving thousands of dollars from Hezbollah and from an undisclosed country), and has managed to close several real estate transactions in the form of houses/mansions in Haifa and Jerusalem, along with securing ownership of his parental house in Nazareth – which is perfectly alright with me: everybody should be entitled to inherit their parents and buy property. According to eye witness reports, he made quite an entrance when he attended his party's (Balad) first post-election gathering in 1996 – in a Benz!!! Which is quite alright with me again – everybody should have access to luxury cars. How many Israeli Arabs can afford several mansions and one luxury automobile? How many Israeli Jews?
I suppose that he is not troubled by any qualms at the thought of several of his Arab brethren (Christian, Muslim and Druze) having been killed in vicious rocket attacks. The cries of the dead and wounded were probably drowned by the sweet sound of counting hundreds of thousands of dollars. There's Judas Iscariot for you! (Azmi is a proud Christian).
By the way, Carl in Jerusalem has a comprehensive analysis of Azmi's secret agent activities.
In any case, some Arab commentators hold Azmi in great admiration, such as Nawaf Atamna who posted on his internet site Machsom (Checkpoint): "Never has the Israeli parliament seen a man of such intellectual prowess, such high moral standards, such sharp insight as MK Azmi Bishara."
I say aye. Alongside the "oldies but goldies" above, here is one more unforgettable example of Azmi's power of expression. Please note the depth of analysis, the ancient wisdom and higher intelligence quality that left his opponent speechless:
On May 12, 2005, during a heated debate in the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice committee over an intended bill to sack such MK's who just can't stay away from terror organizations, Likud MK Gilad Erdan (in favor of the legislation) turned to Azmi (fervent opponent by nature and definition) and said: "Go find a good job in Syria." Azmi, with his quick grasp of the words and unique talent of volleying lethal retorts, not to mention aristocratic manners and elegance, shouted at the top of his lungs: "You go fuck yourself, ya piece of garbage!" See? Go find, go fuck…
About Hezbollah – Hezbollah is a brave national movement that will teach Israel a lesson. It has become a pilot force in the Arab world and it is willing to sacrifice itself for the cause. (February 19, 1999 and June 27, 2000).
About the State of Israel - I am not against the entire Israel becoming Palestine. The Israelis immigrated to us, we did not emigrate to them. (October 14, 2000, interview with Austrian weekly).
About the democratic state – Israel is the greatest robber of the century … Give us back Palestine and take back your democracy. We, the Arabs, are not interested. (December 2005).
According to Ma'ariv, April 10, 2007 (Itamar Enbari), there are several Jewish Israelis in Bishara's constituency among them: translator Yael Lerer, former assistant to Azmi, attorney Leah Tsemel and her husband, Michael Warshawski. I am not surprised that some "people" even consider him their brother. I find this relieving, I now know who my enemies are, thanks to Yisrael Medad.
While crying foul and oppression/suppression he has amassed a substantial fortune (now we know he has been receiving thousands of dollars from Hezbollah and from an undisclosed country), and has managed to close several real estate transactions in the form of houses/mansions in Haifa and Jerusalem, along with securing ownership of his parental house in Nazareth – which is perfectly alright with me: everybody should be entitled to inherit their parents and buy property. According to eye witness reports, he made quite an entrance when he attended his party's (Balad) first post-election gathering in 1996 – in a Benz!!! Which is quite alright with me again – everybody should have access to luxury cars. How many Israeli Arabs can afford several mansions and one luxury automobile? How many Israeli Jews?
I suppose that he is not troubled by any qualms at the thought of several of his Arab brethren (Christian, Muslim and Druze) having been killed in vicious rocket attacks. The cries of the dead and wounded were probably drowned by the sweet sound of counting hundreds of thousands of dollars. There's Judas Iscariot for you! (Azmi is a proud Christian).
By the way, Carl in Jerusalem has a comprehensive analysis of Azmi's secret agent activities.
In any case, some Arab commentators hold Azmi in great admiration, such as Nawaf Atamna who posted on his internet site Machsom (Checkpoint): "Never has the Israeli parliament seen a man of such intellectual prowess, such high moral standards, such sharp insight as MK Azmi Bishara."
I say aye. Alongside the "oldies but goldies" above, here is one more unforgettable example of Azmi's power of expression. Please note the depth of analysis, the ancient wisdom and higher intelligence quality that left his opponent speechless:
On May 12, 2005, during a heated debate in the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice committee over an intended bill to sack such MK's who just can't stay away from terror organizations, Likud MK Gilad Erdan (in favor of the legislation) turned to Azmi (fervent opponent by nature and definition) and said: "Go find a good job in Syria." Azmi, with his quick grasp of the words and unique talent of volleying lethal retorts, not to mention aristocratic manners and elegance, shouted at the top of his lungs: "You go fuck yourself, ya piece of garbage!" See? Go find, go fuck…
Ben Caspit (Ma'ariv, dang, those dates again, but I guess last Friday's edition):
Most people agree that Azmi Bishara won't return to Israel. And why should he? Several years ago he started "living la dolce vita". The great, articulate "ideologist" enjoyed life à la Saudi prince: business class flights around the world, VIP lounge receptions, house guest in Arab world leaders palaces, popular rally speaker. Lots of money must have gone into funding all that.
Were he to return to Israel, he would have to enjoy the good life of a prison cell, his name highly
unlikely to appear on the next prisoner exchange list, nor the one after that. That's why Azmi Bishara will not return to Israel, or so his friends will have us know. This is how a brave man runs for his life. The parliamentary career of this great revolutionary comes to an end under suspicion of bribery. The great warrior became a fugitive criminal overnight. The Shabak was aware of his intention to flee the country, yet did not stand in his way. Although weeks ago some suggested that his passport be revoked, Azmi was allowed to travel unhindered.
The first police investigation gave him a hint into what would follow, therefore he packed his bags and boarded the first plane out of Israel only to resurface on Al-Jazeera, as expected. He will keep on bothering us for some time courtesy of Arab TV stations. On the other hand, his image as a freedom fighter (fucker, go find, go fuck, go fight, go fuck), social justice advocate, great socio-political and ideological reformer would have been greatly amplified by the wall-to-wall media coverage of the circus act of his trial (had there ever been one). Now, it appears that Azmi was none of the above (except perhaps fucker).
Let us be clear on this point: investigating ex-MK Bishara is not aiming to investigate the entire Israeli Arab sector. Not even Balad (shame, Zahalka advocates kidnapping IDF troops, plus the Balad trio - Bishara, Zahalka and Wassil travelled to Beirut after the second Lebanon war to express their support for Hezbollah). The police are investigating the doings of one person alone. And rightly so, because the large majority of Israeli Arabs (except the rapists and those who crash their vehicles into ours with the sole purpose of killing us or at least maiming us for life) are not suspected of espionage or money-laundering. The Arab minority in Israel is a lot better than its leaders combined (I largely agree).
...
On the rare occasions when he graced the Knesset with his presence, Bishara's eyes were full of contempt for everything this institution stands for, contempt for the state that generously covered his expenses contempt for his Zionist colleagues, contempt for most of the issues on the agenda. He kept on spitting into the very well he himself was drinking from. And nothing stopped him from fighting like a cornered panther for a seat in the "Zionist parliament". He craved the honors, the attention, the spotlight and mostly the immunity. He never intended to relinquish any of those. Except that now that his monkey business has been discovered, it suddenly dawns on him that perhaps this might be a good time to retire. To do what? Since we know that he has already taken very good care of his own house, he will probably concentrate on ruining our own. Quite adroitly.
There were more sides to his activities. Such as performing discreet missions for the Israeli government, such as carrying Ehud Barak's messages to president Assad, e.g., while the napkin carrying Danny Yatom's proposed borders for Israel retreat from the Golan Heights earned him the "collaborationist" status.
He loathed the media covering that. Balad's internet site did what was expected in such situation: blamed the press. But we loved it. So Azmi traveled to Damascus, met with Assad and presented Barak's plan and how the depth of the redeployment. But as far as he himself was concerned, the world should have remained ignorant. That was worse than spying for the enemy during war: that was colluding with the enemy during peace. Bishara was very careful in picking his enemies, according to his ideology or financial needs at any given time.
All of this is over now. In any normal country this man would not have been allowed a parliamentary seat. Except that six years ago the Supreme Court Justices ruled - seven to four - that he should not be demoted , in other words they came up with a new and original formula on how to turn shit into gold - the risk of Bishara's ideas materializing was so low that he should be allowed to maintain his Knesset seat whence he would be allowed to go on "preaching". This was the lame rationale behind their decision, despite the fact the both Talia Sasson (State Attorney) and Elyakim Rubinstein (Attorney General) recommended outlawing Balad. Translated into English - imagine that the Americans would allow Al-Qaeda supporters Congress seats on the assumption that "the risk of Al-Qaeda's aspirations of destroying the USA is not high enough". In the meantime we have discovered that Bishara's aspirations had a higher chance of materializing than the Supreme court had initially assessed. And we have to pay the price.
And now for a bit of Hebrew:
Az mi boged? (? אז מי בוגד) - so who is a traitor?
Azmi boged (עזמי בוגד) - Azmi is a traitor.
Monday, March 05, 2007
4,000 rockets or so
You weren't really supposed to see these pictures, although they were published by the MSM, not on the front pages though. As a friend of mine from Europe said - "We only care about what happens to civilians," (English translation - what you war criminal Zionists do to innocent Lebanese or Palestinians, as per case). Well, I guess that makes Israel a huge military compound, devoid of civilians and civilian infrastructures. I never thought trees and forests were part of the military. Lucky me, I get to learn something new every day, grace a la presse and my fully indoctrinated European "friends".
The 5000 rockets that landed in Israel during just 34 days in the summer of 2006 caused terrible damage: they killed and maimed, damaged homes, roads, industries and animal farms, disrupted the life in Northern Israel, displaced several hundred thousand people, while over 1 million civilians had to spend the better part of the summer in bomb shelters. The forests in Northern Israel were not spared. These forests did not occur naturally. They were painstakingly planted, sapling by sapling, and carefully tended by The Jewish National Fund and volunteers. Even when the fires were put out, the soil kept on smouldering. It appears that these once beautiful forests will take 50 years to recover. Due to the daily rocket barrages firefighter brigades from all over Israel concentrated in the North in order to help the local firefighters. New York firefighters volunteered to serve in the Jerusalem area in their place. Heartfelt thanks, guys. We love you.
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