Lemon Tree Movie - Reality, Hope In Israel and Palestine

Lemon Tree Movie - Reality, Hope In Israel and Palestine

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem, Israel ---- March 28....(INA) - It is ever so rare that a truly good and thought provoking movie appears in cinemas around the world. And even much more rare that such a movie could objectivity capture the reality and suffering of those who live in Israel and Palestine.

The Lemon Tree, directed by Israeli Eran Riklis and co-produced by Eran Riklis Productions, Heimatfilm, MACT Productions and Riva Filmproduktion embraces the very essence of life in Israel and Palestine. That is, the little life, that ever so limited contact between two very distant communities which have so much in common and yet so little.

The Lemon Tree, much like Middle-Eastern foods such humus, pita, tehina, falafel and the oven baked Sahara winds of the hamsin and sharav, serves as yet another common denominator, a natural element that both sides share. But from two sides of a cement and cultural wall. The Lemon tree whose flowers are so attractive but the fruit so bitter to eat represents our mornings, afternoons and nights from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to Ramallah and Gaza.

The review of such a movie is almost a breathtaking literally challenge. Almost like an ascent on Mt. Everest, never knowing which wind may attempt to take you down. The Israel right wing is ever so ready to criticize this writer for using the word Palestine, but I do so only for search engine optimization purposes. There is no Palestine, but there is a Palestinian people.

The Israeli left wing is ever so ready to criticize me for stating that the Lemon trees should be trimmed for Israel's security. While those who live in Palestine are curious as to where I come from, how sincere, how objective can I be as an Israeli to review this movie.

Last but not least, there are those in Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah who have not seen The Lemon Tree and would be more than pleased to put a bullet through my head.

As for the rest of the world, I only beg that you see this film.
To forget all that you have ever heard or seen about Israel and Palestine and come to this creative and well produced movie with an open mind. To focus on the people of Israel and Palestine, not the war, the rhetoric, the terrorism or the politics.

Without giving the plot or narrative away, the Lemon Tree illustrates the so little contact and the so very sensitive conflict between both cultures. That the newly appointed Israel Minister of Defense, played by Doron Tavory, moves into a Jewish community on the Green Line with his suburban home directly facing the lemon orchards of his Arab neighbor, played by Hiam Abbass. The Minister's wife eyes her Arab neighbor, Salma, from over a wire fence and a smile develops between both women. It is that smile which brings hope to the movie and to the lives of thousands of Israelis and Palestinians seeking a true and lasting peace.

The Lemon Tree is not a "peace" film. Nor is it a war movie. The Lemon Tree merely represents daily life as it really is in Israel where we do all we can to defend our civilian population from terror attacks. And life in Palestine, where innocent Arabs are caught up in a Web of conflict between Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah whose only wish is to destroy Israel. Both people want peace. But the incessant call from Iran and Syria for Islamic Jihad (holy war) and the anti-Semitic, racist education and propaganda holds an entire Arab population at gunpoint.

The middle-aged, lonely but attractive Arab woman who protects her families generations old lemon tree orchards by going through the Israel justice system rather than throwing a grenade epitomizes the balanced and rational approach that Palestinians need to take. Israel is a democracy. The only free democracy in the Middle-East where Israeli Arabs are afforded a fair and just day in court.

The Israel secret service claims that the lemon grove is a threat to the security of the Israel minister. The Shabak states that Islamic terrorists could hide among the trees in their attempt to infiltrate a terror attack on the minister or other Jews in Israel. Salma decides against all odds to fight for her trees. And her legal and global media battle take her to the Israel High Court. On the other side of the grove, Mira Navon, the Minister's wife, is also undergoing a major change in her life. After fulfilling her duties for so many years, and despite the new house and her husband's new and powerful job, she feels unhappy. The events around her invisible new Palestinian neighbor gradually make her disgusted with her husband's approach to the whole affair and she finds herself defying what is expected of her.

The Lemon Tree becomes a symbolic battle of Salma vs. the Israel Minister of Defense: A struggle over principles, humanity, land, history, hate and one woman's struggle against the system.

The acting, photography, editing and detailed insights into Israel and Palestine life could not be more objective, more professional, more real or profound.

The Lemon Tree stands tall between Jews who are attacked daily by Qassam rockets coming from Gaza and by Palestinians who cannot and will not stand up to Islamic terrorists who impoverish them financially and emotionally.

The Lemon Tree does not take sides. It merely portrays real life among these ancient people. But the message that it sends out is very clear. Israel's separation wall which is credited for dramatically reducing terror attacks and the land for which it divides is not the real issue. The Lemon Tree is about real people on both sides of the divide who need to know, understand and communicate with one another - not through bullets, but rather through coffee, tea and lemonade.

That Israelis need to see the cost of their security on those Palestinians who mean them no harm. And for Palestinians to wake up and take the guns and rockets away from Islamic terrorists and replace them with jobs which will provide a better quality of life.

That neither those from Israel or Palestine need not retreat to the US or Europe to find normalcy. Instead, that the Palestinian Authority with the help of Israel, the US, the EU and every democratic nation stops the vile and barbaric media incitement against Israel and the Jews, replaces Islamic propaganda with business trips to factories in Tel Aviv, Ra'anana and Rishon Letzion.

That Palestinians confront both Iran and Syria and demand that they are no longer used as puppets or agents for those in power in Damascus and Tehran. That Jews in Israel make every attempt to help these Palestinians find a normal and secure life. For as soon as the Islamic propaganda and incitement against Jews is replaced with sweet lemonade, the children on both sides of the wall can then start to take it down.

Israel director Eran Riklis has delivered a potent fictional story, that is in so many ways a microcosm of the struggles between Israel and Palestine, a dispute about land, security, fears and displacement.

"It's a film about people who are trapped in a political situation," said Riklis after the contemporary film, based loosely on true stories with a cast of Israeli and Palestinians, made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival on Friday.

"It's a film for all audiences."

The Lemon Tree won the award for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival

The Lemon Tree, a movie directed and supported by both Israelis and Palestinians, is a shining, courageous and honest step forward for both people. It is using the media to support peaceful change rather than selling newspaper space and television time through the blood and tears of those who live among the lemons.

Israel: 10,000 Divorced Children At Risk, Shared Parenting Urged

Israel: 10,000 Divorced Children At Risk, Shared Parenting Urged

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem, Israel ---- March 25....(INA) - After a series of high profile demonstrations by Fathers Rights and Children Rights groups, Israel's Welfare and Social Services Ministry is now preparing to implement stricter guidelines for child welfare social workers. The Ministry states that these new rules will be enacted to avoid gender bias discrimination in custody disputes.

Thousands of divorced and single fathers in Israel have complained that the current governmental system does not give equal consideration to men who want to parent their children.

Also released this week were disturbing facts that there were over 3,758 divorce cases last year where Israel social workers had to intervene to protect children due to serious disputes between the parents. This marked an 18 percent increase from the year before.

The Jerusalem Post and Haaretz reported that about 10,000 children in those families are considered to be in "high risk" due to high conflict between the parents. A small number of children have needed to be hospitalized because of suicide attempts, anorexia or other severe psychological problems.

The figures show that one out of three divorce cases are accompanied by a particularly serious dispute between the parents. There were 11,000 divorces in 2007, the Central Bureau of Statistics said.

Israel family courts and child welfare departments from Tel Aviv, Ra'anana and Rohovot to Hadera, Hafia and Jerusalem have ignored hard evidence from leading psychological associations which state that children could avoid being in high risk if shared parenting and joint custody became the norm.

The American Psychological Association (APA) states: "Children from divorced families who either live with both parents at different times or spend certain amounts of time with each parent are better adjusted in most cases than children who live and interact with just one parent."

The APA research was based on a meta-analysis of 33 studies between 1982 to 1999 that examined 1,846 sole-custody and 814 joint-custody children. The child psychology studies compared child adjustment in joint physical or joint legal custody with sole-custody settings and 251 intact families. Joint custody was defined as either physical custody - where a child spends equal or substantial amounts of time with both parents or shared legal custody - where a child lives with primarily one parent but both parents are involved in all aspects of the child's life. The article appeared in the March 2002 issue of the Journal of Family Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

"Children in joint custody arrangements had less behavior and emotional problems, had higher self-esteem, better family relations and school performance than children in sole custody arrangements," the APA research found. "And these children were as well-adjusted as intact family children on the same measures," said psychologist Robert Bauserman, Ph.D. The APA stated that these positive finding were the result of where joint custody was documented in providing the child with an opportunity to have ongoing contact with both parents.

These findings indicate that children do not actually need to be in a joint physical custody to show better adjustment but just need to spend substantial time with both parents, especially with their fathers, said Bauserman. Also, joint custody couples reported less conflict, possibly because both parents could participate in their children's lives equally and not spend the time arguing over childcare decisions. Unfortunately a perception exists that joint custody is more harmful because it exposes children to ongoing parental conflict. In fact, the studies in this review found that sole-custody parents reported higher levels of conflict.

The Israel Welfare and Social Services Ministry stated that as a direct result of recent complaints from men about unfairness in the family courts and child welfare, had prompted the Israel ministry to establish an internal ministry committee, headed by Prof. Vered Slonim-Nevo from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev which would review the role of social workers in custody disputes and to present its findings as soon as possible. The committee is expected to complete its report within the next month.

The author of this article, who is also the director of Fathers 4 Justice Israel, is presently seeking joint custody or at the very least equal access with his children. He has requested that a social worker be assigned to him so that an informative decision may be given to the family courts by child welfare in Ra'anana, Israel. By the time of this report, the city of Ra'anana has not provided a social worker to this writer, yet the his child's mother has a social worker. Ra'anana, is a northern suburb of Tel Aviv.

"Gender bias discrimination against men who seek more quality parenting time with their children could not be more evident than what one finds in Ra'anana," said a respected child psychologist who practices in Ra'anana. "The Revacha or child welfare department in Ra'anana is dysfunctional. Many of the social workers are young and inexperienced, they do not return phone calls, they are not assigned to men and they are supervised by a woman who believes that the 'child belongs to the mother'. Only one person can take responsibility for how sick this Israel child welfare department operates and that is the mayor of Ra'anana, Nachum Hofree who continues to ignore professional reports sent to him to reform child welfare in Ra'anana."

The Israel Social Services Ministry released statistics illustrating an 18-percent rise last year in the number of divorcing couples in Israel assigned by the family courts to welfare officers for evaluation. Of those evaluated in 2007, 2,867 women were granted sole custody of their children, compared to only 534 men. Only 167 couples were given joint custody.

Social Services Minister Herzog stated that "individuals must be allowed the chance to challenge a welfare officer's recommendation."

In Israel today, couples that cannot agree on issues such as who will be their children's primary caretaker must turn to the family courts. The judge appoints a welfare officer from the ministry to assess the situation and makes a recommendation on whether joint custody is possible or whether custody should go to only one of the parents.

While these officers do not make the final judgment, their opinions are highly regarded by the courts. In many cases, the intricate evaluation process and the ongoing appeals process leaves thousands of children caught up in divorce battles.

Monday's report on children in Israel also indicated that limited manpower has left 2,375 cases, involving thousands of children, unresolved.

"The system needs to operate in an open and equal way in order to allow the best process for the children," said Herzog, adding that he had already proposed increased funds to improve welfare services.

One Israel father who is currently in a custody dispute over his nine-year-old daughter and is not allowed to see her said in an interview on Monday that the social worker assigned to his case had not even met with him.

"I never realized until recently how biased this whole process is against men," he said. "Restraining orders are given far too quickly by judges."

The Justice Ministry's Schnitt Committee, which has been charged with reevaluating the controversial Tender Years Presumption Law, a 1967 law that presumes a mother should take full responsibility for the child until the age of six, is also expected to release findings in the next few months.

Changes to this family law could have an impact on the role of welfare officers in determining custody battles.

More than 1,500 fathers in Israel requested custody of their children in 2007, about 15 percent of all divorce cases. Other requests from fathers may not have been reflected in the social workers' statistics, because the requests were only made to the courts, which do not collect such statistics.

In 850 cases, both parents demanded sole custody, and in 700 cases only the fathers demanded sole custody.

In almost 2,900 cases, social workers in Israel recommended that the mother be awarded custody, a small increase over 2006. In 534 cases, they recommended the father have custody, a 20 percent drop from the previous year. In 167 cases, joint custody was advised.

The Israel court-appointed social workers prefer joint custody, but this is only possible when relations are good between the parents, said Ronit Tzur, the chief national welfare officer.

"People divorce when they have severe differences of opinion," said Niv Amit, director of Israel Fathers Injured By Israel Judge Rivka Mekayes.

"If the parents can't decide and agree on the basic elements in their marriage, how can they then agree on who will have custody of their children? The mother knows that the laws in Israel work against the father and many women use their children as a weapon in divorce battles. The State then decides by discriminating default that the mother has sole custody which then leads to the father being turned into a visitor. Once the loving dad becomes a visitor given only a few hours a week with his children, the kids become alienated (PAS - parental alienation syndrome) against the father and eventually lose all contact with most fathers."

Amit concludes: "And we know very well the documented and devastating result of children who lose a father role model - a dramatic increase in anxiety, loss of self confidence, depression, drug use to substitute for the good feelings of having a protective family and an increase in criminal activity. The tears have to stop. Israel fathers will continue to intensify a public educational awareness campaign in Israel addressing the suffering that children experience as a result of their fathers being separated from them by Israel family courts and Israel child welfare departments which still operate under discriminating gender bias laws that go back to 1962."

ISRAEL NEWS AGENCY

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Israel PR Finds A Friend In YouTube Videos, SEO For Sderot

Israel PR Finds A Friend In YouTube Videos, SEO For Sderot

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ---- March 12....(INA) - The Israel public relations machine, which has been ignored, battered, bruised, abused and sent out to committee by several Israel prime ministers, may have finally found an ally in YouTube.

Founded in February 2005, YouTube.com describes itself as "the leader in online video" and "the premier destination to watch and share original videos worldwide through a Web experience."
People are able to see first-hand accounts of current events such as the hanging of Saddam Hussein, US F-16's as they attack Islamic terrorist bases in Iraq and today the resignation of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.

In October 2006 Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction. Following the acquisition, YouTube has operated independently preserving its successful brand and passionate community. The YouTube Google team could not have been more powerful.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And according to social scientists and psychologists, over seventy percent of human communication is non-verbal. We relate to the visual far better than to the written word. PR and advertising firms have recognized this for several past decades using TV shows and TV ads to get their messages across to the masses.

Today, we have YouTube. YouTube provides each and every human being the delivery system to launch their creative payload. And if the video is good, the masses will say yea. Viral marketing and Web 2.0 embraces such videos spitting them out to millions worldwide. Lastly, SEO or search engine optimization helps the global village to find these videos - whether they be of art, politics, history, science, sports, sex or of Israel being attacked by Qassam, Katusha and Grad missiles from Gaza.

Israel has always had the brain power but has lacked the funds for the delivery of public relations messages that form and shape critical public opinion. YouTube has changed this. When Saddam Hussein was hung, it was recorded by a simple telephone camera. That video was then uploaded at no cost whatsover to YouTube reaching millions worldwide.

When Britney Spears would screw up with her children or be found lacking panties - YouTube was the first place to find her. And the same went for any other celebrity and or issue such as Lisa Guerrero, George Clooney, Black Mamba Snakes, David Paterson, college basketball, the Virginia Tech shooting or Gilligan's Island.

So it was no great surprise that a few creative people in Israel were also able to see the light or rather the image.

The present Israel tourism marketing, advertising and PR campaign being waged by the Israel Ministry of Tourism and the Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs deserves compliments for being modern, creative and professional. Professional being that some of the most powerful and creative ad agencies in Israel and the US have worked on a PR campaign using images of beautiful Israel people for close to a year. Utilizing tons of market research and dozens of scientific focus groups, the Israel Ministry of Tourism was made aware of what works and what does not.

About a year ago, Israel consular officials, Israel advertising associations and both Israel and New York advertising ad and PR organizations came up with a novel idea for changing Israel's war-torn, terrorism hit state's public image. Targeting American guys with disposable income to visit Israel.

"We have to find the right hook," consulate spokesman David Saranga told Newsweek. "And what's relevant to men under 35? Good-looking women!"
(Ah David, please be aware that good-looking women are also relevant to men over 35!)

"We found that Israel's image among men aged 18-38 is lacking," explained David Saranga, Israel consul for media and public affairs at the consulate, "so we thought we'd approach them with an image they'd find appealing."

"When you see beautiful women, good-looking people, on the beaches of Tel Aviv, you understand that Israel has to deal with the conflict, it's true, and there are religious elements in its society, but there are also other things," Saranga told the UK's Globe and Mail. "I want people to know that Israel is much more than a conflict, that people in Israel have normal lives."

The beautiful models in Israel, Saranga said, were a "Trojan horse" to present Israel as a modern country with nice beaches and pretty women. "Many Americans don't even know we have beaches," he said.

The projection of these beautiful Israel models in a fun manner used over YouTube viral marketing videos was critical to maintain and improve Israel's economy. Today, the same clever, cost-effective use of video footage is being utilized to educate public leaders from the US, England and France to India, China and Japan that Israel is once again defending herself. Defending her civilian populations in Sderot and Ashkelon, Israel from Qassam, Katusha and Grad missiles being launched by Hamas in Gaza.

Who are the real victims? The people of Israel or those in Gaza? Actually both are being terrorized by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda. But it is Israel which took the peace initiative of leaving Gaza unilaterally in September 2005. But even with Israel making an exit, Hamas and other Islamic terrorists were not satisfied. They wanted and still want Tel Aviv, Hafia, Hadera, Kiryat Shomona, Tiberius and even Masada. So over 7,762 rockets have been launched at Sderot, Israel in the past few years - murdering men, women, children and Jewish babies in this small desert city which sits on the Gaza border.

But rather than condemn the murdering of innocents and supporting Israel's right to defend her borders from terror attacks, the United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned Israel's military action in Gaza at the behest of Pakistan and other Muslim states. This absurd action makes headlines in newspapers around the world and John Doe reads the headlines. They don't get the full, objective story.

Now enters an Israel video production company. They compile footage of Hamas terror attacks on Sderot. But of greater potency their creative juice starts pouring out with different approaches.

One video entitled: "What can you do in 15 seconds?" sounds very curious.
No mention of Israel, Gaza, Hamas or Sderot. But rather the video opens with a man taking a piss, then moves to a scene of a couple starting to kiss, then on to watch a glass of beer being poured, to a woman shampooing her hair, to pouring a cup of coffee, doing laundry, brushing teeth, getting dressed for work to a child playing with puzzles. Ordinary things that ordinary people all over the world do every day in every country. The twist comes at the end of the one minute and 15 second video where white words appear on a black background: "For the people of Sderot, 15 seconds are a matter of life and death."

You hear air raid sirens, people crying, screaming and rushing for cover. You witness Israel under attack - unprovoked and with civilians being traumatized.

A YouTube user named Israeligirl67 placed that video illustrating life and death in Sderot, Israel on YouTube back in early February. In just a few weeks over 112,322 people have viewed this video on YouTube.

There is no knowing whether Israelgirl67 is an Israel government employee or a Jew or Christian living somewhere in Texas, Paris or Jerusalem. But the bottom line - Israel has finally discovered an effective delivery system which is fast, creative and cost-effective to get its messages out. PR messages which form public opinion which then affect what happens on the ground in Israel and in Gaza. YouTube just might become more effective than the United Nations in educating the world population on issues such as famine in the Sudan and global warming.

YouTube.com combined with the volunteerism of a few creative, professional and dedicated YouTube video producers and a couple of Internet marketing SEO professionals in Israel may just save a few lives. Perhaps even a small, democratic nation in the Middle-East by securing public support for Israel's defense rather than being eliminated by rampant propaganda. Falsehoods and lies fueled by oil rich Arab nations and executed by their Islamic brothers who wage a media Jihad or holy war through incitement using Al-Jazeera, the BBC and several other conventional global media outlets.

They say the word is mightier than the sword. Today, we can safely state that video is mightier than the sword.
Let's pray that this new and powerful weapon is used not to show Islamic beheadings like that of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl or the support of racist neo Nazis but rather to project the naked truth of a tiny, democratic, peace seeking Israel fighting for its very existence.

ISRAEL NEWS AGENCY

Israel: We Are Ready For Iran, Syria, Hezbollah

Israel: We Are Ready For Iran, Syria, Hezbollah

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- February 19, 2008 ....... As the Israel Foreign Ministry protests to the UN repeated statements by Iran to "wipe Israel off the map" security analysts in Israel say that the Jewish democratic nation is more than ready for any aggression by Iran, Hezbollah and Syria.

"Israel was born from the ashes of the Holocaust," said an Israel security analyst. "As such, Israel, the Jewish people and every democratic nation would not allow a second Holocaust to take place. Israel is more than prepared to meet any challenge by the new racist Nazi regime in Iran. We know every step they take, we know the color of the underwear that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hassan Nasrallah wear. If they think that the US can shoot down a satellite with laser pin point accuracy, they have not seen the weapons that Israel would and could use to defend herself - and I am not talking about nuclear or biological."

Iran's Revolutionary Guards yesterday stated that the Hezbollah in Lebanon would destroy Israel.

"In the near future, we will witness the destruction of Israel, the aggressor, this cancerous microbe Israel, at the able hands of the soldiers of the community of Hezbollah," the ideological force's commander, Mohammad Ali Jafari, was quoted by the Iran Fars News Agency.

Iran's Fars News Agency reported that Jafari's prediction appears in a letter he wrote to Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah. Jafari was offering condolences to Nasrallah in the wake of last week's death of Hizbullah mastermind and arch-terrorist Imad Mughinyeh.

"Undoubtedly the martyrdom of this sincere fighter (Mughniyeh) will strengthen the determination of all revolutionary and combatant Muslims, particularly his comrades, in confrontation with the Zionist regime," Ali Jafari was quoted.

Mughniyeh was killed in a car bombing in Damascus, Syria last week. Israel has been credited with the elimination of the wanted terrorist, who was responsible for several major international terrorist attacks on Israel, American and Jewish targets. No confirmation has been forthcoming from Jerusalem. US President George Bush commented only that "the world is a better place" without Mughniyeh in it.

The escalating rhetoric from Hezbollah in the aftermath of the assassination of terrorist mastermind Imad Mugniyah is "a profoundly troubling development" that should be taken seriously, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said in a statement.

Hateful anti-Israel rhetoric figured prominently in the fiery speeches during today's mass funeral in southern Beirut, with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blaming Israel for the death of Mugniyah and calling for "open war" against Israel and "the Zionists." Nasrallah and other leaders said the terrorist organization was prepared to retaliate "anywhere" against Israel.

"The hateful rhetoric is a profoundly troubling development, for we know the past record of Hezbollah followers and it is not unreasonable that they or others could take this as a call to action," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "In this interconnected world it is not just the tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon who imbibed this vitriolic hatred, but a potential audience of millions across the Middle East and around the world.

"These threats should be taken seriously as incitement to violence. We know what Hezbollah is and what they are capable of doing. The international community must not remain silent in the face of these open threats against a sovereign nation and its citizens and supporters," added Mr. Foxman.

Nasrallah told a rally of 10,000 mourners that, "If the Zionists want war, then they shall have it. "Zionists, if you want an open war, then let it be an open war anywhere."

Mugniyah was responsible for some of the deadliest attacks against Western and Israel targets around the world, including the devastating 1983 bombings of the American embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, and the 1992 and 1994 bombings of the Israeli embassy and a Jewish center in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Following the assassination, Israel raised alert levels at its embassies around the world, with the Israel Defense Forces increasing security along the country's northern border and around key installations. In the US, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security advised state and local law enforcement authorities to be on alert for potential attacks by Hizbullah on Jewish communities or other targets within the US.

In response to Jafari's threatening letter, Israel's United Nations Ambassador Danny Gillerman filed a formal complaint with the UN Security Council on Monday evening. He called on the UNSC chairman to publicly condemn Iran for Jafari's statements, which he characterized as anti-Semitism and racism of the "most serious" kind.

"Israel has never been more prepared for a conclusive war against Iran, Syria and Iran Hezbollah puppets," said the Israel security analyst."As always, Israel will take whatever measures she can to avoid a war. But if the perverted Muslim leadership of Iran continues to insist on murdering innocent Israel and Iran citizens, if the soldiers of Iran really wants to meet their 72 virgins, Israel is more than ready to provide a one way ticket."

Israel security sources state that advanced Patriot missiles have been deployed throughout Israel's northern border. The officials said that batteries were placed on standby Sunday for the first time since Israel's month-long war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, when the Lebanese terrorists fired nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel. The IDF would not comment on possible ground and space laser warfare weapons that they might have on standby. These advanced and sophisticated weapons, with pinpoint accuracy, could destroy a car, an underground bunker or a city in Iran or Syria.

Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday he anticipated Hezbollah would try to retaliate for the assassination, possibly with help from Syria and Iran, and added that Israel was more than prepared on all fronts for an attack.

A sounding rocket was launched into space by Iran on February 4. Iran states it was a preliminary step toward sending its first research satellite into orbit. Iran's state-run television had reported at the beginning of the month that Iranian scientists had built the Omid (Hope) research satellite under a project that took 10 years to complete.

"We need to have an active and influential presence in space," said Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who attended the February 4 rocket launch.

Iran media gave no details about the rocket, called Kavoshgar-1, but some experts believe it could be a variant of the Shahab-3 missile, which has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers (about 1,200 miles).

"It's unfortunate Iran continues to test ballistic missiles. This regime continues to take steps that only further isolate it and the Iranian people from the international community," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

"We do not approve of Iran's constant demonstration of its intention to develop its missile sector, and to continue uranium enrichment," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Iran is currently involved in a critical conflict with the West over its uranium enrichment program, with two sets of UN sanctions against Tehran in effect. The US and its allies fear that Iran space and nuclear programs may both serve as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles.

"It is no longer the citizens of Israel who now face a ballistic missile nuclear attack from Iran, but now every citizen of Europe has become a target," a French security analyst said. "It is for this reason that we applaud the US for its US missile defense shield program in Europe."

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Google Hires New Israel PR Agency For Adwords, Advertising, Branding

Google Hires New Israel PR Agency For Adwords, Advertising, Branding

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Ra'anana ----- February 16, 2008 ....... Google Israel has retained a new PR agency in Tel Aviv. Stern Ariely Public Relations was chosen by Google Israel replacing Euro Tel Aviv.

Stern Ariely will be responsible for advancing Google's branding, coordinating special events in Israel and promoting Google Adwords as a means for helping surfers to find any product or service they desire in either Hebrew or English.

Google is the world's most popular Internet search engine, having replaced Yahoo, Lycos, Alta Vista and several others search engines through aggressive, creative development and marketing.

Google, which has been active in Israel since 2002, opened their Tel Aviv office as part of its global physical expansion program. Google Israel focuses on its improving directed advertisements in its search engine, and on selling services to the Israel advertising market. Google Israel has and will continue to hire people with connections to Israel advertisers. Only a handful of people in Israel and SEO professionals have been hired until recently. At present, Google Israel is expanding as it seeks to employ both sales and programming staff.

"This important addition to Google's growing number of offices will further enable us to provide our search experience and advertising services to users, advertisers and partners in Israel," the company said. Google Israel is led by Meir Brand who serves as country manager.

Who is Google?
Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed a new approach to online search that took root in a Stanford University dorm room and quickly spread to information seekers around the globe. Google is now widely recognized as the world's largest search engine - an easy-to-use free service that usually returns relevant results in a fraction of a second.

When you visit www.google.com or one of the dozens of other Google domains, you'll be able to find information in many different languages; check stock quotes, maps, and news headlines; lookup phonebook listings for every city in the United States; search more than two billion images and peruse the world's largest archive of Usenet messages -- more than 1 billion posts dating back to 1981.

Google is a public and profitable company focused on search services. Named for the mathematical term "googol", Google operates web sites at many international domains, with the most trafficked being www.google.com. Google is widely recognized as the "World's Best Search Engine" and is fast, accurate and easy to use. The company also serves corporate clients, including global and Israel SEO advertisers, content publishers and site managers with cost-effective advertising and a wide range of revenue generating search services. Google's breakthrough technology and continued innovation serve the company's mission of "organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful."

SEO is short for search engine optimization, the process of increasing the amount of visitors to a Web site by ranking high in the search results of a search engine. The higher a Web site ranks in the results of a search, the greater the chance that that site will be visited by a user. It is common practice for Internet users to not click through pages and pages of search results, so where a site ranks in a search is essential for directing more traffic toward the site. SEO helps to ensure that a site is accessible to a search engine and improves the chances that the site will be found by the search engine.

Google also provides ways to access all this information without making a special trip to the Google homepage. The Google Toolbar enables you to conduct a Google search from anywhere on the web, while the Google Deskbar (beta) puts a Google search box in the Windows taskbar so you can search from any application you're using, without opening a browser. And for those times when you're away from your PC altogether, Google can be used from a number of wireless platforms including WAP and i-mode phones.

As Google enters the Israel market beyond it's basic service in Hebrew, SEO or Internet search engine optimization has gone into overdrive. The leading SEO in Israel, Leyden Communications Israel, which has been creating and optimizing Web sites in Israel for 10 years is now focusing on the PR market.

This new and highly potent public relations, public affairs Internet marketing news service for commercial, non-profit and governmental organizations in Israel was launched several months ago.

Israel Internet marketing and SEO - search engine optimization - is now in greater demand in Israel as Israelis try to find themselves on the search engines. Joel Leyden, president of Leyden Communications Israel and the publisher of the Israel News Agency announced the new PR SEO news Internet placement service.

Stern Ariely PR was most likely chosen by Google Israel given its association with the GCI Group. GCI is a global leader in the public relations industry. Its success extends across four practices areas, including healthcare, corporate, consumer and digital media. The PR firm is committed to supporting the business objectives of its clients through superior industry knowledge and measurable solutions. GCI serves a broad base of multinational clients including Dell, Lowe's, Nike, RadioShack, Schick, Boehringer Ingelheim and Starbucks. It was winner of PR Week's 2004 Campaign of the Year Award for its work on behalf of Medtronic.

Pupi Ariely and Ronit Stern will manage the Google Israel account.

Google Israel holds many seminars in Israel and cooperates with the Israel Export Institute.
The Israel Export Institute and Google Israel recently joined forces in promoting and hosting a one day conference on Internet marketing, SEO, Google Adwords and Google Adsense. Over 500 people attended the Internet marketing conference in Tel Aviv. But transcending digital advertising was a tone of peace which was expressed by Israel Export Institute Director General Yechiel Assia.

"I'm the world's number one believer in that good business makes for good stability and regional peace," Assia told the Israel News Agency in an exclusive interview. "The Internet transcends borders, cultures, religion, gender and age. It has become the most valuable tool for the business person to utilize in creating new trade partners, for gathering business intelligence and increasing market share. I am very proud of the successful joint effort that the Israel Export Institute and Google Israel created in hosting the first international Internet marketing conference."

The Israel Export Institute is a non-profit organization which was established in 1958. The Israel Export Institute has over 2,600 member companies, which together produces over ninety percent of Israel's industrial exports (excluding defense exports and diamonds).

Assia said that only a year ago only 50 to 60 thousand people visited the Israel Export Institute Website, whereas today the Website now has over a million visitors a month.

Google has been on the leading edge of Internet technology for many years. A recent service that Google has launched is Google Talk, a downloadable Windows application from Google that enables Gmail users to quickly and easily talk or IM with their friends for free. Google is focused on developing innovative technologies that enhance people's lives, and Google Talk encourages and simplifies instant communication across the web. "At Google, we're continually investing in areas where we can make technological change, and we recognize the importance of efficient instant communications and information exchange," said Georges Harik, director, Product Management, Google Inc. "Google Talk further enriches our users' communications experience, whether they choose to communicate via email, IM, or a call."

Doing Business In Israel - Beware The Dishonest Partner

Doing Business In Israel - Beware The Dishonest Partner

A word of caution to new and old Olim. One can find a dishonest partner anywhere in the world. But perhaps it might be easier to find one here in Israel - not anIsraeli, but rather a fellow Anglo!

In our search for honesty we might believe that a fellow Anglo has more in common and understands our interests better.

Don't fall for it.

Always perform a back-up check on a potential partner. And have a trial period of at least 3 months. He or she may turn out to be a blessing or someone with severe mood swings taking Prozac and sleeping pills daily.

This story is from the New York Times:

One of the most frequent and deplorable agents of sudden ruin is the dishonest partner.

No business can be managed without mutual confidence between thosewho conduct it; and though, when we hear that a commercial man has brought himself within reach of the law, we are inclined to doubt if his partner can have been unaware of his malpractices, yet it must beobvious that the dishonesty of one partner too often arises from theunsuspicious simplicity ... ity of the other.

There are even instances in which no amount of sagacity will save aman from the enterprises of a roguish partner.

The following is a very common case: A and being partners, A dies, and his son succeedsto his share of the business. So long as A was alive the speculativetendencies of B were kep t in check; but young. A has not the sameexperience as his father; he has learned to respect B; he looks to him for guidance; and if B has made up his mind to extend thebusiness of the firm by new methods, he is head partner, the junior partner will generally be a mere tool in his hands.

If young A be more fond of pleasure than business he will of be evenless than a tool-a mere , and B will be left to manage.matters as he pleases, until he succeeds m his schemes, and proposes to buy A outof the business; or fails and brims A to' poverty and disgrace. It is a cruel thing that if 13 has absconded, A will have to bear theentire brunt of creditors' wrath, and, perhaps be punished for his . But partners have learned this lesson so often that it is almost awonder how any sane man can assume responsibilities without ascertaining the nature and extent of them.

It is certainly not for the public interest that the sudden ruin of an honest partner should be pleaded in extenuation for his or carelessness.

For more continue here: http://tinyurl.com/3xt5t9

Democracy, Free Speech and Sextival in Israel

What I am saying as clearly and as loudly as I can in the below Israel News Agency story and INA TV YouTube video is that Israel is a free and open democracy.

I am proud to be living and defending such a Jewish state.
And it was for this reason that it was important to me cover Israel's first sex festival - Sextival - in Tel Aviv.
Not so much as an advocate of adult material and the promotion of safe sex in Israel, but rather as an exercise in free speech. Something that a few, extremely religious people in Israel would like to censor.

As opposed to Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia, Israel is not a theocracy and enjoys many basic human freedoms including speech, religion and self expression.
For those who are for or against a sex festival in Israel have the right to express themselves in a democratic state.

But for those who wish to censor what I or any other person may see, say or eat in this country would be a direct threat to Israel's very foundation of being a free and open society.

Israel is not Iran.
This is not China, Saudi Arabia, Syria or Hamas ruled Gaza.

We need to preserve our freedoms in a democracy.
Many have died for those freedoms.

As a moderate, I am often attacked by both the left and the right.
But if I had to chose which is more dangerous - just look at Yigal
Amir and where he comes from .......

Shabbat shalom,
Joel

www.israelnewsagency.com/sexisraelsextivaltelavivescortsliveshowstoysgirlsaids48020508.html

Israel Sex Festival Sextival Penetrates Tel Aviv

Durex - promoting safe sex and reducing STD in Israel.
Photo: Joel Leyden

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- February 5, 2008 ....... The first ever sex festival in Israel got off to a hot start this evening.
Hanger 11 in the northern Tel Aviv port can now boast the proud record for having the most vibrating plastic dildos in one place in the Middle East. For many the soft, skin like rocket shaped devices, oils, candles and live erotic shows spelled relief for the enlightened citizens of this tiny Jewish nation. A free and tolerant democracy which lives under the constant and lethal threat of more deadly shaped rockets from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Syria.

The three day sex festival known as Sextival began as chilly, winter weather embraced those who approached Hanger 11, an old customs building and warehouse now turned into a huge special event hall. Passing by the many elegant and exclusive restaurants, stylish clothing stores, jazz clubs and stray cats on the boardwalk one had a sense of being out of place going to a "sex festival" in Tel Aviv, Israel.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yda0zeLiLk8

Israel has always been known for its conservative sex demeanor rooted deeply in a Jewish religious undercurrent. Israel society had always been split into two different sexual cultures - the spoiled, cold Ashkenazi "Polish" Jewish female types who walks the walk but not much more. And the Eastern Jewish men and women proud of their hot blooded Morocco, Yemenite and Egypt heritage.

Israelis don't speak much about sex. In fact, if one addresses a sexual topic too often as if he or she was in New York or Paris they just might be labeled in Israel as a "sex maniac." Not a very positive thing to say about a very healthy, positive natural act. But perhaps this three day Sextival might begin to change things.

Israelis do not have the greatest reputation for being among the world's most accomplished lovers, although they do rank in the top five nations to procreate. Israel is a place without patience. Or as Israelis would say "ein savlanute." Almost everything is done in a hurry. And sex for many is left only for Friday afternoons after doing "sponger" or cleaning the house. Again, in the shadow of repressive sexual religious attitudes, sex is supposed to be a function and not really a prolonged event. Judaism sees the act of sex on Shabbat as a Mitzvah or doing good as that it reproduced more Jews. And who doesn't love children? But Israel is not Denmark nor is it Los Angeles or Madrid.

Don't get me wrong. There are some good lovers out there. Just ask Mordechai Vanunu about Mossad agent Cindy! Moshe Dayan was known for more than just an eyepatch, Pnina Rosenblum went from good kisser to Member of Knesset and Cleopatra was born not far away. And as for beauty, Israel has some of the world's finest looking models including Shelly Gafni and Galit Gutman.

In Jewish law, sex is not considered shameful, sinful or obscene. Although sexual desire comes from the yetzer ra (the evil impulse), it is no more evil than hunger or thirst, which also come from the yetzer ra. Jewish rabbis would say that like hunger, thirst or other basic instincts, sexual desire must be controlled and channeled, satisfied at the proper time, place and manner. But when sexual desire is satisfied between a husband and wife at the proper time, out of mutual love and desire, sex is a mitzvah.

Sextival is a celebration of Israeli democracy, freedom and beauty.

But now comes the basis of Jewish guilt. Sex is permissible only within the context of a marriage.

Rabbis state that the primary purpose of sex is to "reinforce the loving marital bond between husband and wife".

In the Torah, the word used for sex between husband and wife comes from the root Yod-Dalet-Ayin, meaning "to know," which vividly illustrates that proper Jewish sexuality involves both the heart and mind, not merely the body.

So as one walks among the thousands of sex toys at the Sextival in Israel with thundering music and light shows massaging the senses, you ain't being totally Jewish as we trek into the world of pure physical pleasure. And that would be considered by many as sin. But there are also medical doctors and sexual therapists who would view the Sextival as perhaps one of the healthiest activities ever under taken in the modern Jewish state.

That sex in itself is not dirty, nor sinful but a healthy and natural act between two (or more) consenting adults. The very fact that Durex, the condom manufacturer, was handing out free condoms was not so much to prevent pregnancies, but to reduce the incidence of STD or sexually transmitted diseases. Durex deserves much credit for having placed a giant inflatable condom inside the Israel sex festival Sextival with men dressed in white Durex branded sperm suits sitting inside playing football and holding up comical signs.

Sextival is a success in the very essence of the word when it came to creating more awareness about the pleasures of sex, sexual health and AIDS.

How does Israel rank in the world of sex? The Global Sexual Wellbeing Survey, conducted by condom-maker Durex and released at theWorld Congress on Sexual Health in Sydney found most people around the globe had sex 106 times a year, with the Japanese the most infrequent on 48 and the Greeks putting in an Olympian effort on 164.

It might explain why respondents from Japan were the least satisfied with their sex lives, with only 10 per cent ranking it as exciting, well behind the global average of 49 per cent, led by Nigerians on 78 per cent.

Hong Kong (32 per cent), Australia (40), Singapore (41), Thailand (42) and New Zealand (43) were also among the bottom 10 nations in the exciting sex life stakes. India's lovers were the world's quickest, taking 13.2 minutes per session compared to the global average of 18.3 minutes, with the ranking again topped by Nigeria, on a leisurely 24 minutes.

Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Australia were also well below the world average for time spent on sexual intercourse. However, China's lovers were the seventh most lengthy in the world on 20 minutes, a heartbeat behind Malaysia's on 19.9.

Only 24 per cent of respondents from Hong Kong and China reported always experiencing an orgasm during sex, the lowest in the survey, followed by Japan on 27 per cent and Singapore on 36.

On average, 59 per cent of respondents strongly agreed that sex was important to them, with the lowest rankings coming from Thailand on 38 per cent, Japan (39) and Hong Kong (48 per cent).

University of Chicago researchers found that Israeli women placed the highest value on the importance of sex. And the Pfizer Global Study revealed that Israelis placed a very high value on the frequency of sex, but ranked low in terms of quality, erotica and passion.

So will the rubber and plastic sex toys, China made vibrators, pink, white and purple dildos, DVD adult movies, strip shows, sexy lace lingerie, chocolate liqueur, massage heating oils and candles of Sextival have an impact on the quality of sex in Israel? The answer must be qualified yes.

There was a small protest taking place outside of Hanger 11 by a few women complaining that a sex event in Israel such as Sextival would create more violence against women. I responded: "what about violence against men". They had no answer. In fact, many men are battered by women in Israel on a daily basis and never complain to the police out of embarrassment.

Does openness about sex lead to violence? Research says no. It also states that domestic violence statistics show that violence is just as prevalent in gay and lesbian relationships as it is in heterosexual couples.

The main coordinator behind Israel's first sex festival is not a sex therapist but rather former female model Israel Nitzan Kirshenboim, a 32-year-old mother of two and an avid consumer of sex products and shows. Kirshenboim says she got the idea for the event after visiting a sex festival in Berlin.

"I'm actually a real nerd," said Kirshenboim. "I'm just the neighbor's daughter who decided to take the initiative and say, 'Guys, we all have sex, we all enjoy it. Why not get it out in the open? The idea is to get the issue of sex out in the open. It's out there in the world, it's big and beautiful and everyone does it. Why not take it out from behind closed doors, enable people to ask questions, and decrease the fear and darkness surrounding it? Erotica is an integral part of the life of an adult. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. We want to present sex to people in a way that they won't be ashamed, and they'll be able to freely check out what fits them best."

Inside Hanger 11 in Tel Aviv, Israel were dozens of displays for sex toys, colorful candles, tasty hand made chocolate from the Roy company in Petach Tikva, presentations on various fetishes including eatable panties, fishnet stockings, scents, perfumes, leather clothing, water beds, Fleshlight toys for men, BDSM toys, Blazer, Playboy, Banana and Hustler Magazines.

The Israel Sex Style retail outlet, one of Sextival co-sponsors had a half dozen tables displaying various items that could only enhance mutual pleasure and fun. Hugh Hefner's Playboy, as a co-sponsor was proud to be showing off two Playboy bunnies who were overwhelmed by Israel autograph seekers.
And the famous Ramat Gan strip club - HaBursa - became the main attraction with beautiful women displaying the erotic art of pole dancing.

The Sextival sex festival in Israel produced an abundance of smiles and an enjoyable time for for both men and women, the young and middle-aged visitors who attended.

Bottom line - who will benefit from the thousands of vibrators, oils and sex toys displayed in Hanger 11. Women. As a man can I not be jealous?

In all seriousness, if Israelis had more sex, if Palestinians had more sex and if those in Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia had any procreation, the Middle-East might become a more stable, calmer and relaxing environment. Instead of sexually frustrated Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists blowing themselves up for the opportunity of meeting 72 virgins in heaven, they could actually get a chance down here on earth.

Pass the Viagra and Cialis. And make sure that the Palestinian Authority and those in Gaza get their UN supply marked as "humanitarian aid."

The Sextival is being held February 5-7th, at the Tel Aviv Port (Namal). Entrance is limited to those over 18 years of age with a cost of 60 NIS or about 15 dollars. Call to order tickets in advance: 03-544-8090 or place orders via the Website.

Talkback for this article can be found at FreeRepublic.com