Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Doing Business in Israel
Doing Business In Israel
Basic Info
| Type: | |
Are you interested in penetrating the Israeli market? Are you a foreign investor or about to make a business trip to Israel? Or have you moved to Israel only to find that doing business in Israel is very different than doing business in your native country? Here we will discuss how to adjust to Israeli business culture. The good. The bad. And the ugly. Group Rules: You may endorse Israeli businesses. You cannot speak badly about any business or person. No personal attacks. Anything which even smells of libel or slander will have you expelled from this room and from Facebook! - Thank you. (Israelis would not say "thank you" ;> ) Just remember one thing. No culture is good or bad - only different. Once you have adjusted you will enjoy unlimited success! And you will be helping to support the State of Israel in the most powerful manner - by creating jobs and a healthy, growing economy! |
Contact Info
| Email: | |
| Office: | Ra'anana, Israel |
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Daniel Seaman: Israel Did Not Abandon Philippe Karsenty
Daniel Seaman: Israel Did Not Abandon Philippe Karsenty
By Israel News Agency Staff
Jerusalem ----- June 26, 2008 ....... Daniel Seaman, the director of the Israel Government Press Office, and perhaps the most experienced, professional and articulate foreign spokesperson Israel has (next to UN Ambassador Danny Gillerman) defends the Israel government in its role regarding Philippe Karsenty, France TV 2 and the Al-Dura affair.
"As developments surrounding the France 2 - Al-Dura affair have unfolded in recent weeks, many have voiced harsh criticism over the perceived silence of Israeli officialdom on the matter. That impression, while not entirely unfounded, is nonetheless inaccurate," said Seaman.
"Admittedly, in the seven years since the broadcast of the Palestinian father and son caught in a cross-fire were first aired - in which Israel was reported to have deliberately shot the young boy dead - Israeli officials responsible for public diplomacy failed to convene to determine an official position. Accordingly, the belief of some officials that any reference to the iconic images would only serve to perpetuate the damage already caused to Israel's standing abroad became the unofficial attitude."
"While the merits of this stand can be argued, other government individuals, who expressed open hostility toward those questioning the France 2 report's credibility, did so for personal and political reasons."
Seaman continues: "Yet at no time had any of these government figures actually viewed the colossal amount of evidence which contradicted the assertions made in the initial France 2 report. These Israeli officials also lacked the intellectual integrity to familiarize themselves with the phenomenon of widespread media-manipulation prevalent in the Palestinian territories, in itself basic for understanding how such a libel against Israel could be created in the first place."
"This situation was disingenuously presented by France 2 to further suggest that Israel agreed with the premise of its report. Before that, it repeatedly pointed to Israel's original acceptance of responsibility for the incident as an indicator of the report's accuracy. All along, France 2 failed to reveal that Israel's primary position was based solely on the France 2 edited report, its officials not having been given the opportunity to verify the facts independently before responding."
"That the State of Israel has not revoked the press credentials of France 2 correspondents has also been criticized," said Daniel Seaman. "Yet journalists reporting for Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian and even Iranian media carry official credentials from Israel. This testifies to the tolerance and character of Israel's democracy. It does not suggest agreement with the content of their reports, or appraisal of their professional abilities."
"Those who concentrate on these aspects overlook the fact that Israel has, at the same time, maintained a more active position challenging the France 2 report. Immediately after the story swept through the international media on September 30, 2000, OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yom Tov Samia initiated a non-military investigation into the events reported by France 2. By virtue of his rank, this was an official investigation. He assembled a team of experts, which included both ballistic and forensic officials. Led by physicist Nahum Shahaf, they were the first to thoroughly examine the events and analyze the footage presented by France 2," Seaman says.
"The analysis and findings were presented to the prime minister's foreign media adviser, Dr. Ra'anan Gissin, and then to myself in early 2001. After reviewing dozens of hours of materials, and only after all our questions had been addressed to our satisfaction, was our initial skepticism transformed into confidence that there was no basis for the accusations leveled against Israel in the France 2 story. Armed with that knowledge, both Gissin and I, as official representatives of the State of Israel, challenged the integrity of the France 2 report in several media interviews," said Seaman.
Seaman states: "A civil servant must not and cannot express personal views or opinions. They answer to their superiors, the political appointments of elected officials. Any actions taken by a civil servant or statements he or she issues have legal consequences for the state and therefore must meet the test of the Attorney-General's Office, or not enjoy its protection in legal proceedings."
"Soon enough, France 2 in Israel indeed demanded an apology, and three times threatened the Prime Minister's Office with legal action over statements issued by the Government Press Office on the Al-Dura report. In each instance, its demands were rejected after the basis for the GPO statements was presented, verified and legally validated by the Attorney-General's Office, in concurrence with the support of the Prime Minister's Office."
Seaman states: "that In 2005, the head of the National Security Agency, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland, was presented with the arguments challenging the France 2 narrative. The findings of the investigation questioning the credibility of the France 2 footage were so overwhelming that Eiland publicly retracted the original admittance of IDF responsibility in the alleged incident and sent a letter to that effect to the French court."
"The libel case in France against Philippe Karsenty put Israel in an awkward position. Israel could not appear to be meddling in the legal proceedings taking place in France, both for diplomatic reasons and out of genuine respect for and trust in the judicial process of a fellow democratic country. At the same time, Israel's reluctance to openly side with Karsenty was misrepresented by France 2 as a validation of its claims. Therefore, Israel's official position on this matter was made public in September 2007 through a Government Press Office statement approved by the Prime Minister's Office and defended by the attorney-general's representatives in the Supreme Court."
"The State of Israel did not abandon Karsenty, and has not been silent on the question of France 2's professional behavior in the Al-Dura affair. However, a nation does not always have the freedom to operate in the same manner as an individual. That is not to say that officials in Israel cannot learn from this situation," says Seaman.
Israel Government spokesperson Daniel Seaman concludes: "One of the most important lessons of this case has been that we should not rush to take responsibility for accusations before all the facts have been uncovered.
Exposure of the truth surrounding the affair has shown that Israel can also benefit by enlisting the efforts of private citizens and professionals in the fields of media, forensics, ballistics, physics, etc. Such experts can analyze the often doctored and staged footage that is presented as fact to the media and verify its accuracy - before the image becomes an icon."
Daniel Seaman is the director of the Israel Government Press Office (GPO), which is a department of the Office of the Israel Prime Minister. Seaman is one of the foremost experts on the foreign press coverage of the Arab - Israel conflict, as a result of having headed the Information and Foreign Press Departments of the GPO during the 1990's.
Seaman also served as the Foreign Press Liaison for the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's unit as an officer. Seaman, who resides in Jerusalem, is married and has three children.
Seaman was appointed as head of the GPO in December 2000 and is responsible for working with thousands of foreign media who cover news events in Israel. Daniel Seaman had worked for the GPO for several years and was the first civil servant promoted to Directorship of the GPO after a period of 30 years. During his tenure as GPO Director he has implemented several measures which have improved working conditions for foreign journalists in Israel. Seaman lectures on Israeli and Middle-Eastern affairs and appears frequently on dozens of international news media outlets. Daniel Seaman resides in Jerusalem with his wife and three children.
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Joel Leyden looks at how Facebook is making MySpace history!
Facebook Tops Myspace
Facebook finally tallied more visits than Myspace.
It doesn’t seem surprising, but while everyone is focused on whose side to take or why Myspace’s redesign came too late - I see something bigger. Here are the statistics: According to Comscore, in May 2008 Myspace pulled in 114M visitors while Facebook captured a remarkable 123M - that means that while this years Superbowl earned all-time record ratings of 97M viewers, the top two social networking sites just tallied 237M users.
So this year, while Coke and Pepsi are trying to decide how to spend $30M+ in brand advertising during the Superbowl, you could be promoting your brand online socially and reaching more people.
Joel Leyden on George Carlin
George Carlin defined humor. Creative comedy at its very best.
Always pushing the edge and asking us all to reflect on who we really are ............
Larry King: I never heard a bad word about him in the comedy world. Some religious people didn't like him. He will really be missed. If you want to use the word "one of a kind," he was one of a kind.
Always pushing the edge and asking us all to reflect on who we really are ............
CNN's Larry King knew George Carlin for 50 years. He spoke to CNN.com about his relationship with the comedian and will remember Carlin on tonight's Larry King Live, 9 ET.
Larry King interviews George Carlin on June 7, 2001. King knew Carlin for 50 years.
CNN: When did you first meet George Carlin?
Larry King: In 1958, I introduced him at a big DJ convention in Miami. He was a straight comic then, all his bits dealt with radio, things like the hippy-dippy weatherman. From there, we became friendly, and we occasionally went to dinner in New York.
CNN: When did you last see him?
Larry King: A couple of months ago, I saw him at the Regency Hotel in New York. I was checking in, he was checking out. We talked a little bit. He had remarried -- his first wife had died -- and he was very happy. My heart doctor in Los Angeles had treated George in the past, and had told me that he had terrible heart problems.
CNN: Where does he rank as a comedian?
Larry King: He was one of the brightest comedians in my lifetime. Whether you agreed or disagreed with him, it was always well thought out. He wrote out all his material by hand, and then memorized it. Everything he said was totally his own, and he'd do a new act every year, which is very hard to do. 
Watch George Carlin on Larry King Live »
CNN: What was he like off stage?
Larry King: He was a kind, gentle man. He seemed rough on stage, but he really was not like that at all. Also, his greatest comic influence was Lenny Bruce. Carlin used to do mother-in-law jokes, disc-jockey jokes. But Bruce influenced him to do edgier, more topical material. He also influenced how Carlin moved around on stage.
CNN: What was the impact of the "seven dirty words?"
Larry King: It's one of the classic comedy bits of all time. It was great conception and a great idea. It pointed up the hypocrisy of society. People take words too seriously. Violence is a lot worse than words. All those words, while not used on air, are used in society. George once said, if a word shocks you, you must have heard it somewhere else.
CNN: Where does he rank as a comedian?
Larry King: He ranks very high as a social monologist, and he commented on social things. He was also a pretty good actor.
CNN: How did other comedians view him?
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Israel Extends Mossad Director Tenure, Sarkozy Arrives, Iran Attack Rumors Abound
Israel Extends Mossad Director Tenure, Sarkozy Arrives, Iran Attack Rumors Abound
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
http://www.israelnewsagency.com/iranisraelattacksarkozymossadidfexercisenuclearwarahmadinejadolmertterrorism48062208.html
Jerusalem ----- June 22, 2008 ....... Part of the following was communicated by the Israel Cabinet Secretariat to the Israel News Agency.
For anyone following the news in Israel today, they would have a hard time deciding upon which headline would take top honors.
At the weekly Cabinet meeting held today Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he had decided to extend the appointment of Meir Dagan as Director of the Mossad. This comes at a time when it has been rumored that Israel is preparing to attack Iran.
The New York Times reported that Israel carried out a major military drill over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in the first week of June that US sources say was apparently a "rehearsal" for a potential attack on Iran's nuclear sites. According to the report, more than 100 IAF F-16 and F-15 fighter jets took part in the exercise.
The IDF Spokesman's Office responded saying that the IDF "regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel" while US security sources confirmed the long distance exercise "which would be hard to miss."
Recently Israel Transportation Minister and former IDF Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz stated that if Iran continued its nuclear program, Israel "will attack it." The week before Mofaz made his comments, Israel Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israel had a "viable military option", and last Sunday former deputy defense minister Ephraim Sneh said he believed that Israel would, in the end, need to attack Iran.
There is very little doubt that Iran is highly illuminated on the radar of the Israel government as US President George W. Bush has announced that the US would not attack Iran before Bush finished his term. And when Israel uses the words "military option" it is designed to place pressure where pressure belongs. No different than Iran making threats to wipe Israel off the map, Israel is dead serious to attack Iran if they continue their nuclear arms production. Israeli warnings to attack Iran are not threats, they are promises.
So when French President Nicolas Sarkozy stepped off his plane today at Ben-Gurion International Airport for a three-day visit in the region, he must have also been thinking about Iran.
Although Sarkozy said that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is essential to Israel's security there is little doubt that he would not have welcomed Israel fighter jets landing and taking off from France soil to prepare for hitting Iran.
Sarkozy is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres and opposition head Binyamin Netanyahu. The France President will address the Knesset (parliament) and accompany Israel President Peres on a helicopter tour of the Dead Sea and the Judea Desert. He will also trek to the West Bank city of Bethlehem to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
As Israel and French flags waved at Ben-Gurion Airport, Israel National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer briefed the Cabinet on the recent series of earthquakes in southern Lebanon. Israel appears to be more prepared for an attack by Iran and Syria than mother nature taking her revenge out on Israel cities.
And as talk of an Israel strike on Iran circulates, Israel Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the Israel Cabinet today that the European Union has recently decided to upgrade its relations with Israel. It is very evident that Europe also worries about a potential attack by Iran against "infidels" in France, Spain, England, Sweden and Turkey.
Even as talk of war looms high above Jerusalem, Israel Tourism Ministry Director-General Shaul Tzemach briefed ministers on the activities and achievements of the ministry in recent months, and the
contribution of the tourism industry as a lever for growth in the Israeli economy, both in terms of income and the number of people employed in the workforce. He presented the Tourism Ministry's objectives for incoming tourism in the coming years, notably: attracting 5 million tourists from the year 2012.
As the Cabinet amended previous decisions and decided that the agricultural communities within nine kilometers of the fence around the Gaza Strip will be able to receive a 15% increase in the number of foreign workers, Israel increased the number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a truce with Hamas entered its fourth day.
A total of 90 trucks were to enter Gaza through the Sufa crossing during the day, up from between 60 and 70 before the truce went into effect, said IDF spokesman 2nd Lt. Gil Karie. While food was being handed out to people in Gaza, the parents of captive soldier Gilad Shalit asked Israel's Supreme Court to block the Gaza Strip cease-fire. They were join by the family of Israel MIA Ron Arad.
And as the Israel Cabinet approved several Foreign Service appointments with Saguy Karni going as
Ambassador to Angola and Non-resident Ambassador to Mozambique and Sao Tome e Principe; Edward Shapiro goes as Ambassador to Belarus, Yisrael Mei-Ami as Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Non-resident Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, ShimeiTzur as Non-resident Ambassador to Armenia, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan; and Avraham Sharon as Non-resident Ambassador to Moldova, Olmert was poised to create unemployment for a few of his Cabinet ministers.
Being pressed with an attack by or on Iran, Ehud Olmert had no patience for cabinet ministers belonging to his main coalition if they backed a parliamentary move to take him down him over a corruption scandal.
Firing Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak's Labor Party from the government would leave Olmert without a legislative majority and open the way for an early election likely to disrupt Israel's peace talks with the Palestinians.
But faced between Iran`s state TV saying that Iran defense minister has warned of an "unlimited destructive" response if they are attacked by Israel and a political move by Ehud Barak against Olmert, Olmert would shove off the former IDF Chief of Staff and hero of Entebbe in seconds. Olmert has well proved that he is a loyal Israeli and one who seeks to eliminate both international and internal threats to Israel's leadership during a time of imminent war.
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar told Iran television that "Iran will strongly counter any hostile action with a destructive response, considering all options regardless of time and place".
Israel is not shaking. Born from the ashes of the Holocaust, Ehud Olmert, the Mossad, the Israel Defense Forces and the people of Israel are more than ready to prevent a second Holocaust. Israel will never be wiped off the map, but if Iran continues to make threats as it prepares nuclear weapons against the Jewish democratic state, it will soon find itself thrown back into the Middle Ages with weapons never seen nor used before.
Ahmadinejad, who denies that the Holocaust ever happened and even sponsored a Holocaust cartoon contest, should join Sarkozy as he files over Masada and Gamla with Shimon Peres.
He would hear the words: "never again".
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Joel Leyden Seeks Right Woman For Israel Jewish Dating
Joel Leyden Seeks Right Woman For Israel Jewish Dating
By Joel Leyden
Israel Jewish Dating
Ra'anana, Israel ----- June 18, 2008 ....... As a professional Internet marketing guy, I make people, products and services famous on the Net. But how about the quality of my own life?
Don't I deserve to meet Ms. Right?
This page is dedicated to finding my dream partner.
A true and equal friend who is involved in the Israel Jewish Singles Dating scene.
If you are married, please do not contact me in your quest on Israel Jewish Singles Dating.
If you are divorced or single you get a free, 30 day trial period!
I am a package deal - I have three beautiful children, 7, 13, 16.
In the Israel Jewish Dating scene I respect those who do, not just talk. I serve in the Israel Border Police (MAGAV - reserves). I also served in the Combat Engineers, IDF Spokesperson's Office. My rank is Captain.
When not carrying a rifle, I work as a successful CEO in international PR, Internet marketing and as a publisher / journalist.
I am seeking a female partner, an equal friend. Not someone looking for a meal ticket on the Israel Jewish Dating scene. One who knows how to communicate their feelings on both sunny and rainy days.
To create a healthy, loving relationship.
STABLE!
I am not seeking sexual flings - rather a long term healthy relationship with fantastic sex, love, communication, understanding in the Israel Jewish Dating scene!
I visit my native New York often.
I love horses, dogs, cats and help old people cross the street. I am a practical, creative romantic with both feet firmly on the ground. One who enjoys making his partner smile in the morning, at night and in between.
Always there to offer support and hugs on a rainy day. Loyal, honest, attractive, loves sports and nature. Work hard, play hard. And want to get off from the Israel Jewish Dating scene.
Ski instructing for over 20 years.
If you enjoy Woody Allen, Seinfeld and Borat - you will enjoy my sense of humor. Laughter and humor are essential to every relationship.
My serious side on the Israel Jewish Dating scene?
Watch the movies: "Out of Africa", "Schindler's List" "Cast A Giant Shadow."
Turn ons: intelligence, wit, stability, sensual, open and honest communication regarding feelings ALL the time, scratching each others back, walking along a grassy path under a blanket of leaves, sharing drinks and oil on the beach, skiing all day and by the fireplace at night. No head, control games.
Enjoy cooking, photography, modern art. Getting feedback on my business deals from the US, India, China, Israel. Hugs, holding hands. Expect long stem roses every Friday after we have both left the Israel Jewish Dating scene.
Relocation:
I'm not sure if I want to relocate during this Israel Jewish Dating scene.
Relationship Status on the Israel Jewish Dating scene:
Divorced
Children:
3
Custody Situation:
They don't live with me. Wish they did.
Plan on having children:
Maybe. Never too old. Look at Picasso!
I keep Kosher on the Israel Jewish Dating scene:
Sometimes - when I have no choice.
I go to Synagogue:
Sometimes. Recently joined a Beit Knesset in Kfar Sava. Good for the kids, good for networking.
I smoke:
Non-Smoker (that is cigarettes!)
I drink on the Israel Jewish Dating scene:
Socially. Pass the Remy Martin.
Zodiac Sign:
Scorpio - It's hard living up to being a god of sex!
Activity Level:
Very Active but truly want to reduce my time on the Israel Jewish dating singles scene!
I grew up in:
Long Island, New York - Where else?
My ethnicity is:
Ashkenazi - but not a racist, two of my kids are Iraqi ;>
I will speak to those who understand:
Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish in the Israel Jewish Dating scene
My Religion:
Jewish Secular or Conservative or Reform. Bottom line - I eat at Katz's and the Carnegie Deli.
I studied or am interested in:
Journalism, Public Relations, Psychology, Internet, Intelligent women.
My education:
Master's Degree
Occupation
Advertising / Marketing / PR / SEO
Occupation description:
International Media Executive
Annual income:
Undisclosed - what am I crazy here to provide gold to the tax authorities :>
Political Orientation:
Midway Moderate - which means that both the right and the left hate me!
My ideal relationship in the Israel Jewish Dating scene:
There is no ideal relationship. There is no perfection. Even if we have all in common, we are still very different species. How we communicate, how we work and how we approach challenges. But with open and daily communication, respect, understanding and compromise, we can get close.
Remember - you are from Venus and I am from Mars. Let's meet at the coffee shop on the space shuttle which is orbiting in between planets and make our own star.
My past relationships in the Israel Jewish Dating scene:
Communication is the key to every relationship.
You cannot assume that your partner knows what you think and how you feel. You must speak up at all times, verbalize in a respectful manner to share, offer emotional support and give the other person the space they need. To place our children first and foremost. Outlaw divorce and broken homes for our kids. To wake up with a kiss and say good night with a kiss and a hug.
I am looking for a:
A true, stable and loyal friend in the Israel Jewish Dating scene.
A person who knows how to communicate daily and is not afraid of opening themselves to me, my children and all that is good in life. One who is confident and not afraid of expressing differences of opinion and compromising on them. Enjoys kissing in the morning and telling me about her day in the evening. Loyal, honest, understanding and compromising. Has the ability to resolve problems through open communication. Not rigid in character but flexible as in the Chinese proverb: the tree which does not bend in the wind - breaks. You can also find me on the Rosebud Dating group in Facebook.
Please do not contact me if you are married.
My perfect first date:
When both sides want to touch. Meeting at a coffee house on the beach. If we feel comfortable - go for a walk on the beach, share some more "perfect" coffee and wine.
My Ideal Match
Age Range:
35 to 50
Relationship Status:
Single, Divorced, Widowed
Religious Background:
Conservative, Conservadox, Modern Orthodox, Another Stream, Reform, Secular, Traditional
Education Level:
High School, Some College, Associate's Degree, Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, JD/Ph.D/Postdoctoral
Drinking Habits:
Socially, Occasionally
Smoking Habits:
Non-Smoker
Interested?
Please send your profile with pictures to joel.leyden @ gmail.com
If this optimized page on the Israel Jewish Dating scene works for me - I will make it work for others.
Visit Israel Anglo Singles - The Exclusive Watering Hole for Anglo Dating in Israel
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What drives Ahmadinejad of Iran ?
What drives Ahmadinejad of Iran ?
Iran president wants to set stage for appearance of Shiite messiah Jonathan Halevi and Ashley Perry Published: 06.17.08, 00:43 / Israel Opinion
Shiite Iran is striving to attain the position of regional superpower en route to becoming a significant nuclear power on the international stage. Iran openly challenges the West in its attempt to eject the Americans and British from Iraq and attain hegemony in the Persian Gulf region, supported among other, by its military program, massively built up in recent years. The Iranian leadership talks of a “New Middle East” in response to the West, which would be an Islamic Middle East in the mold of the Iranian inspired Islamic revolution.
Iran's political aspirations are driven by a deep religious zeal. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeatedly pledges "the imminent and evident liquidation of Israel," as a code word for the messianic fervor he shares with his spiritual mentor, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, one of the more radical ayatollahs, who subscribes to diplomatic and military activism to advance the global Islamic revolution spearheaded by Iran.Former President Khatami, an Iranian reformist, once referred to Yazdi as "the theoretician of violence." In 2006, Yazdi's leading disciple, Mohsen Gharavian, released a ruling or fatwa sanctioning the use of nuclear weapons against other nations. This is in distinction to Iranian diplomats in the West who repeatedly say that nuclear weapons are opposed by Islam and thus will not be sought.
In language reminiscent of Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie, Ahmadinejad's mentor also ruled that "If anyone insults the Islamic sanctity, Islam has permitted for his blood to be spilled, with no legal proceedings necessary."
Addressing senior religious scholars in mid November 2005, Ahmadinejad did not attempt to hold back his true motives and intentions. Our basic goal, he noted, is to set the stage for the Mahdi, the Shiite messiah, or the “vanished Imam.” He went on to state that in order to bring this about, Iran must set an Islamic example, develop a strong society and forge government policy in various fields, endeavoring to realize the goal of the end of time vision whereupon the Mahdi will appear.
As mayor of Tehran, for example, Mr. Ahmadinejad appears to have in 2004 secretly instructed the city council to build a grand avenue to prepare for the Mahdi. A year later, as president, he allocated $17 million for a blue-tiled mosque closely associated with mahdaviat in Jamkaran, south of the capital in the city of Qum. He has also instigated the building of a direct Tehran-Jamkaran railroad line.
Signs of messianic redemption
Such is the religious fervor associated with the mosque, every Tuesday night, the predicted evening of the Mahdi's arrival, thousands of Iranians gather at the shrine of Jamkaran. They write wishes on pieces of paper and throw them in a well where the imam is supposed to have appeared. Ahmadinejad had a list of his proposed cabinet members dropped into a well adjacent to the Jamkaran Mosque, it is said, to benefit from its purported divine connection.Most worryingly, Ahmadinejad openly espouses the belief that his rule is the harbinger of the Mahdi. In a speech at the UN in 2006 in the presence of many world leaders, Ahmadinejad closed his speech with a prayer: "O mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the Promised One, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace."
A book published In Lebanon last year focuses on Ahmadinejad's Shiite vision of the Mahdi, titled "Ahmadinejad and the next global revolution." The author, Shadi Fakiya, establishes a direct linkage between Ahmadinejad and the Mahdi. Fakiya claims that the current Iranian president fits the description of the commander of the Mahdi forces which liberated Jerusalem according to Shiite belief.
Ahmadinejad is depicted as being determined and guided directly by Allah, and believing that the "army of the liberation of Jerusalem" will pass through Iraq, similar to Ayatollah Khomeini, who claimed that "the road to Jerusalem passes through Karbala" (a holy Shiite town in Iraq.)
Ahmadinejad's determination to acquire nuclear weapons is also construed as being part of the signs of messianic redemption, as he and his associates view the showdown with the international community to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear technology as one of the ways to prepare the ground for the appearance of the Mahdi.
‘Jews are corrupting Islam’
As in Christianity, the Shiite messiah will be predated by an anti-Christ, or in Shiite belief, the dajjal. Muslim tradition predicts that in the “End Times,” the Dajjal and his army will threaten to take over the entire globe, conquering much of it by military power, and seducing others with material prosperity. The Mahdi will then appear and destroy the dajjal and rule the world according to Sharia law.Although historically there are is little known of the identity of the dajjal, more and more Shiite Imams are claiming that the dajjal and his followers are Jews. These extremist Imams and their followers point to the anti-Semitic forgery “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” as proof that the Jews are running the world and corrupting Islam.
Already in the 1970s Ayatollah Khomeini wrote in his Vilayat-i Faqih, in Islam and Revolution that the Jews were perverting Islam and thus deserved of divine retribution.
Ahmadinejad's obsession with Israel leads many to believe that he believes Israel to be absolute evil and fits the role of the supposed dajjal. The Iranian president's other obsession, disproving the Holocaust, also fits nicely into the belief that the dajjal manages to fool the world with its lies.
The present era, according to Fakiya, is the "era of revelation," whereby various signs foretell the appearance of the Mahdi:
Firstly, there will be a gathering of the Jews in Palestine. Following this, the Shiite Mahdi will appear and lead the decisive campaign to annihilate the Jews. This will be followed by the establishment of an Islamic state as the first stage of creating the worldwide Imam state. An important element for this constitutes an Iraqi regime loyal to Iran.
The depiction of the Khorasani in the Shiite vision of the end of time is compatible with Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenai, the present supreme ruler of Iran. The Khorasani will hand over the torch to the Mahdi when he appears, and he will become the most senior among the Muslims.
The description of Shuyeb bin Salah applies to Ahmadinejad. Shuyeb, also known as al-Shabi al-Salah, is
Lt. Col. (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi is a senior researcher of the Middle East and radical Islam at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. He is the co-founder of the Orient Research Group Ltd. and is a former advisor to the Policy Planning Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ashley Perry is a political analyst who has worked with many organizations including the Israel Prime Minister's Office and the editor of the Middle East Strategic Information project.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Israel Security Cabinet: IDF To Prepare For Gaza Operations
Israel Security Cabinet: IDF Must Prepare For Gaza Operations
Israeli children taking shelter in Sderot and Ashkelon
from Hamas Qassam terror rockets coming from Gaza.
By Israel News Agency Staff
Jerusalem ----- June 12, 2008 ....... Part of the following was directly communicated by the Israel Prime Minister's Media Adviser and the Israel Government Press Office to the Israel News Agency.
Israel Defense Forces killed three Palestinian terrorists in Gaza today. Two of them, members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, were killed in the Beit Lahiya region in northern Gaza.
The IDF identified two terrorists approaching the border fence opposite an Israel town with the intent of planting an explosive device on the fence.
Infantry troops who crossed the border to scan the area were able to locate one of the terrorists, who was killed a short time later by a tank shell. The IDF continued searching the region and spotted the second terrorist, charged towards him and killed him with small arms fire.
A 59-year-old Israel woman was wounded in the Yad Mordechai area today as Palestinian terror groups launched a barrage of mortar shells and Qassam rockets against Israel communities near the Gaza border.
The injured woman was evacuated to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Israel for treatment.
At least 40 mortars and 25 Qassam missiles slammed into Israel, primarily in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, a number of fires have broken out as a result. A member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz said that residents have currently been instructed to remain in bomb shelters and fortified rooms.
As these terror attacks continued by Iran backed Hamas terror operatives against Israel civilians, the Israel Defense Forces continued to allow tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza. This aid included food, medicine and fuel.
The Ministerial Committee on Israel National Security Affairs, met yesterday holding a comprehensive discussion on Israel policy in light of the continuing terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip and the possibility of achieving calm in the Gaza Strip.
The Committee also decided to re-approve its recent decision regarding the State of Israel's goals regarding the Gaza Strip.
The Ministerial Committee authorized Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak to exhaust the dialogue with Egypt in order to achieve all of Israel's conditions for an actual calm as have been agreed to by Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israel Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Barak, and as were presented in detail to the Cabinet by Prime Minister Olmert.
Included in this framework is advancing the release of Israel Defense Forces Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Hamas since June 2006.
The Ministerial Committee instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for military action in the Gaza Strip, according to a rapid timetable, should the Cabinet convene and make a decision to this effect.
The above news content was edited and SEO optimized in New York for the Internet by Leyden Communications.
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Israel Remembers Tommy Yosef Lapid, Champion of Democracy
Israel Remembers Tommy Yosef Lapid, Champion of Democracy
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Jerusalem ----- June 4, 2008 ....... It is not easy to write about the death of a man. Particularly one who made a vast, dramatic difference in Israel.
News of Tommy Lapid death at age 77 was a shock. Not just to me but to millions of ordinary Israelis. I spotted his death announcement the morning after and have been saddened since. It has taken this long for me to actually sit down at a keyword to write about this brave soul.
Lapid enjoyed a challenge and won many political battles. He survived the holocaust, he survived dozens of death threats as he fought for democratic rights over extreme religious hate. But his fight with cancer would silence him. Tommy, as his friends would call him, died early Sunday morning. He had been hospitalized six months ago after suffering a heart attack in his home.
Journalist Amnon Dankner, a close friend of Lapid's, said: "His mouth and heart were alike, and he was as loyal to himself as he was loyal to his family and to the people he loved. He was also not a man who was hated by his opponents."
Dankner added: "He had a huge appetite for life. He was a very educated man with a very broad understanding. A man who renewed himself every day. He will leave a huge void in my heart, which never be filled."
Lapid was "a Holocaust survivor who lived and breathed Jewish fate, Jewish history and the Jewish future throughout his life," Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.
"We have lost a dear man, a dear Jew and an irreplaceable friend," Olmert said with tears falling from his eyes.
The Israel Prime Minister met Lapid for the last time on Tuesday when he visited him at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.
Olmert, who described Lapid as "my closest friend, my most-loved friend for dozens of years" sat by Lapid's bedside for over two hours. During that time, the two spoke very little as Lapid passed in and out of consciousness.
On Thursday, Lapid phoned Olmert's office, after which the Olmert returned the call at 8 P.M., and the two spoke to each other for the last time.
Lapid headed the secularist Shinui Political Party, which encouraged Israelis to join and support a strong Israel Defense Forces while seeking to limit the growing political power of what he saw as a dangerous theocracy, the power of ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties which differed little from Hamas or Islamic Jihad in their approach to democracy and basic humanitarian freedoms.
Lapid was critical of haredim's low participation in the labor market, which produces a higher welfare burden for those who work, their rejection of Zionist values, and shirking of mandatory military service.
"I do not hate the ultra-Orthodox, I am angry with them," Lapid said. The issue, he said, was not about religion, but that its followers believe it gives them a special status.
"They do not accept the rules of the game - equal work, equal pay and equal duties. They said, 'No, we have a special status in which we do not work and we do not pay taxes and we do not defend the country; you defend it for us," said Lapid.
Lapid led the Shinui party to a surprise victory in the 2003 elections, gathering 15 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This secured him the post of Israel justice minister under Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
During the 16th Knesset, he served as justice minister and deputy prime minister.
Shinui (Hebrew for "Change") was formed in 1974, a few months after the Yom Kippur War, as one of the protest movements. Its original name was "Shinui - The political and social revival movement." As it was formed, Shinui decided to run for the Knesset.
In 1976, the late professor Yigael Yadin, who was IDF's second chief of staff, formed a political party which was destined to run for the Knesset - "The Democratic Movement." Shinui and The Democratic Movement began negotiation to form a united party, and indeed in the beginning of 1977 it was born as "Dash - The Democratic Movement For Change." After Dash was formed, a group from "Hamrkaz Hahofshi" ("The Free Center"), led by the late MK Shmuel Tamir, and a group from the Israeli Labor Party, led by Meir Amit, joined it.
About a year after it was formed, Dash split into two parties - Shinui, and The Democratic Party.
In the 1981 general elections, Shinui got two seats - MK Amnon Rubinstein and MK Mordechai Virshuvski.
In the 1984 general elections, Shinui got three seats, this time Rubinstein and Virshuvski were joined by MK Zeidan Atshi. After the elections, Shinui joined the national unity government led by Shimon Peres, and Amnon Rubinstein became Minister of Communication. In the beginning of 1987 Shinui left the government as a reaction to Yitzhak Shamir opposing "The London Agreement."
The 1988 general elections saw Shinui joining the "Independent Liberals" (Lamed Ayin) and the "Liberal Center" (Hamerkaz Haliberali), getting two seats - MK Amnon Rubinstein and MK Avraham Poraz.
In the 1992 general elections, Shinui joined Ratz and Mapam.
In the 1996 general elections Shinui ran once again with Meretz and Rubinstein and Poraz were elected again.
In the beginning of 1997, Ratz and Mapam decided to unite Meretz into one political party. In the 1999 election, Shinui increased its representation in the Knesset from one seat to six. The party attributed its success to the fact that it was the first party ever to refuse to join a government that included the ultra-Orthodox parties.
In the 2003 election, Shinui showed surprising strength, and catapulted to the third largest faction in the Knesset with 15 seats.
Shinui is currently the only active liberal political party in Israel, and finds its ideological position at the center of the political map. Its basic principals are supporting the peace process between Israel and its Arab neighbors, including the Oslo agreements with the Palestinians. Supporting a free market economy based on liberal principals. Israel should be democratic state which offers its citizens freedom and equality.
Shinui differs from Meretz and the Labor Party mainly in its social and economical approach - liberal economy, as opposed to socialism and centralist economy.
The platform of Shinui stated: "We believe in freedom of religion, and we strongly oppose religious coercion. We fight against the national scandal of the exemption of orthodox youth from army service. We do not alienate religion, and we see all currents in Judaism as equal. We believe in mutual understanding and respect as basis to a healthy society."
According to Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Lapid never attacked religion.
"The Ex-Shinui chairman stressed that he opposed religious coercion, not Judaism," said Lau.
"My familiarity with Yosef (Tommy) Lapid spans over a period of 30 years at least, and ended at the oncological department of Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center. I sat with him for about an hour. He was very alert, as usual, even though I knew his disease was terminal. I’m certain he too knew this was a farewell conversation."
"Exactly 30 years ago, in 1978, I got a call from Tommy, who invited me for an hour-long interview on a show he hosted for Army Radio. For a whole hour we sat in the studio, with Tommy explaining to the young listeners the great importance of familiarity with Jewish matters and the customs we grew up on, as expressed in the new book I wrote. He heard or saw the book, and the initiative to have me on the show was his, rather than some kind of PR man on my behalf. Tommy dedicated a whole hour to this, without any negative criticism."
Lau added: "With regards to his attitude to religion and to the religious, it appears he underwent some kind of change. During the dozens of years where he wrote opinion pieces, and during his three years as an author in London, I never heard him issue even one attack in a religious matter. He used to belong to what we referred to as the “Hungarian mafia,” along side Ephraim Kishon and Kariel Gardosh. The three of them did not receive religious education, but their attitude to the religious and especially to religious Zionists was very sympathetic, and certainly lacking any belligerent tone."
Lapid, known for his sharp tongue, acerbic pen and dry wit, was born Tomislav Lampel in Benovitz, Serbia. He later exited politics to become chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial council in Jerusalem, Israel.
During the World War 2, his father was taken to a concentration camp and was murdered two weeks before liberation. Lapid and his mother were placed with a group of Jews in Budapest whom the Nazis planned on killing along the banks of the river Danube. He was saved at the last minute, however, after his mother hid him and herself inside a toilet.
"As I've said, there I became a Zionist," Lapid told Haaretz in a 1995 interview, "because there I understood that there is not enough space in the whole world for a 13-year-old Jewish boy - so there must be one place for us. In Israel."
Three years after being freed from the Nazis, Lapid immigrated to Israel with his mother at the age of 17.
Upon arrival in Israel, he was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces, where he served as a mechanic. Later on, he studied law at Tel Aviv University, and began to write for the Hungarian-language newspaper Uj Kelet, under the tutelage of author and satirist Ephraim Kishon.
Kishon arranged for Lapid to meet with and work for the founding editor of the Hebrew daily newspaper Maariv. Azriel Carlebach employed Lapid as his personal assistant. It was Carlebach who suggested Lapid Hebraicize his name from Lampel.
Lapid, quickly became one of the most respected journalists in Israel and soon served as part of the editorial staff at Ma'ariv, as financial director of the Israel Broadcasting Authorities. He gained further notoriety as a member of the Israel television program Popolitica, and as chairman of the cable television union. He was awarded the Sokolov Prize in 1998.
Lapid, who spoke Hebrew, English, German, Hungarian, Serbo-Croatian, was first elected to the Knesset in the 1999 elections, in which his party gained six mandates. In the 16th Knesset, after the 2003 elections, Shinui reached the peak of its strength, receiving fifteen mandates. In the government subsequently formed, Lapid served under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as justice minister and deputy prime minister.
Shinui pulled out of the government in December 2004 in protest against a decision to transfer hundreds of millions of shekels to the ultra-Orthodox sector. Lapid was then appointed opposition leader. The condition of his party, though, deteriorated from this point on until its final collapse, evidenced the 2006 elections in which it did not gain any Knesset seats.
Even Lapid's many adversaries had kind words for him. "He was a man whose mouth and soul were on equal ground," Aryeh Deri, a former leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, told Army Radio. "You knew that what he had to say to you he would say to your face."
Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev said: “Memory of the Holocaust was a basic part of Tommy’s identity. As a Holocaust survivor he shared his experiences with the public, including senior visitors and international leaders. With great courage he related to them the legacy of the Holocaust, and how it is relevant to them today.”
Thousands turned out for the funeral of Lapid. Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave a eulogy at the funeral, held in a Tel Aviv cemetery, saying "he was my loyal friend through the years."
"In times of crisis and storm, [Lapid] was like a fortress wall," Olmert said.
During the ceremony, Lapid's favorite songs were played, such as Frank Sinatra's "My Way."
Eulogies were given by his daughter Meirav, his son Yair and his grandson Yoav.
Lapid is survived by his wife, the writer Shulamit Lapid, his daughter Meirav and his son Yair, the popular Israel TV Channel 2 News presenter and Yedioth Ahronot newspaper columnist. Lapid's oldest daughter Michal died in a road accident in 1984.
Lapid's infectious, boyish smile, his sharp, honest wit and practical sense of compromise and reality will be missed by all those who continue to press for a free and democractic society in Israel.
Tommy you may be gone. You are not forgotten.
The above news content was edited and SEO optimized in New York for the Internet by Leyden Communications.
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