The Scriptorium

I’ll never understand why Bush saw Abbas as a partner in peace with Israel. His Fatah party is no better than Hamas. It’s equally puzzling that the Israeli government chooses to look the other way and blame Hamas for terrorist attacks carried out by Fatah. What good is having a political party to negotiate with if they are ultimately going to kill your people.

The military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party today carried out a terrorist attack along with Hamas-linked gunmen who infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip and shot dead two Jewish civilians.

The Israeli media largely painted Hamas as responsible for the attack even though Fatah and other groups took responsibility. The Israeli government blamed Hamas as well and vowed retaliation.

The U.S. considers Fatah to be moderate. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government has been holding regular negotiations with Abbas’ officials in line with last November’s U.S.-backed Annapolis Summit, which seeks to create a Fatah-led Palestinian state by the end of the year.

“We see in Hamas a complete and central figure in this attack, and we put direct blame on them,” said Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev of today’s attack. “Hamas will pay the full price on this aggressiveness.”

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Leave it to Carter to meet with a terrorist leader responsible for scores of Jewish deaths. It sickens me that he calls himself a Christian.

he Hamas terrorist organization has confirmed to WND plans are in the works for former President Jimmy Carter to meet the chief of Hamas on a trip this month to Syria.

Sources in the Gaza Strip office of Ismail Haniyeh, the deposed prime minister of the Hamas-led Palestinian government, confirmed Hamas is in talks with Carter’s representatives about setting up a meeting during his trip, scheduled for later this month.

The Hamas sources said no concrete date has been set but that Carter has expressed interest in meeting Hamas chieftain Khaled Meshaal, who resides in Syria.

In a statement to Fox News today, Carter’s press secretary, Deanna Congileo, did not deny the former president was slated to meet Meshaal.

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Here’s further proof that the unconstitutional policy of “separation of church and state” in our public schools is only enforced when it comes to Christianity. In Minnesota, a public school is openly operating as an Islamic school, complete with mandatory Islamic prayer, and Quranic studies after school that are not optional. Yet, the ACLU has seen no problem with this use of tax dollars to teach religion in school. Only after a substitute teacher called attention to the schools curriculum, did the ACLU begin an investigation. If Christian pastors had been offering prayers at assemblies and holding Bible studies at the end of the day, you can bet the ACLU would be screaming that the religious right is taking over the country and establishing a theocracy.

A Minnesota teacher who substituted for two fifth-grade classes at a publicly funded school located in the same building as an Islamic mosque says religion appears to be a significant focus of the education.

Amanda Getz of Bloomington, Minn., told a columnist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune her duties at Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy in Inver Grove Heights included taking students to the bathroom, four at a time, to perform “their ritual washing.”

Then, the teacher told columnist Katherine Kersten, “teachers led the kids into the gym, where a man dressed in white with a white cap, who had been at the school all day,” was preparing to lead prayer.

Beside him, another man “was prostrating himself in prayer on a carpet as the students entered,” the teacher said.

The Star-Tribune previously documented that the charter high school for kindergarten through eighth-grade students is named after a Muslim warlord, shares the address of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, is led by two imams, is composed almost exclusively (99 percent) of blacks and has as its top goal to preserve “our values.”

And it’s all funded by the taxpayers of Minnesota. . . . .

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This is a scary thought. The Council on Foreign Relations has warned that when Iran gets the bomb, it will likely set off a nuclear arms race among Islamic nations in the Middle East. It makes sense, however, in light of the prophesied Islamic invasion of Israel that will coincide with the start of the Tribulation. It’s interesting that many of the nations the Bible says will be involved in the attack, are the same ones now admitting that they will likely pursue their own nuclear weapons programs if Iran gets nukes.

Saudi Arabia most likely would develop nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them, according to a report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

High-level American diplomats in Riyadh with excellent access to Saudi decision-makers said an Iranian nuclear weapon frightens the Saudis “to their core” and would compel the Saudis to seek nuclear weapons, the report said. The American diplomats were not identified.

Turkey also would come under pressure to follow suit if Iran builds nuclear weapons in the next decade, said the report prepared by a committee staff member after interviewing hundreds of individuals in Washington and the Middle East last July through December.

While Turkey and Iran do not see themselves as adversaries, Turkey believes a power balance between them is the primary reason for a peaceful relationship, the report said…..

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Freedom of speech doesn’t apply to Christian students, apparently. A Tomah High School student was given a zero on an art project because it had religious content…correction…Christian content in it. The teacher felt other student’s depictions of demons and satanic imagery were perfectly acceptable, proving that liberals don’t have a problem with religion in our schools. Islam, Satanism, and any other cult that opposes Christianity are welcome. Christians, however, must obey the unconstitutional, made up wall of separation between Church (Christianity) and State. Hypocritical liberal bias, as usual.

A Tomah High School student has filed a federal lawsuit alleging his art teacher censored his drawing because it featured a cross and a biblical reference.

The lawsuit alleges other students were allowed to draw “demonic” images and asks a judge to declare a class policy prohibiting religion in art unconstitutional.

“We hear so much today about tolerance,” said David Cortman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal advocacy group representing the student. “But where is the tolerance for religious beliefs? The whole purpose of art is to reflect your own personal experience. To tell a student his religious beliefs can legally be censored sends the wrong message.”

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In an effort to make a goodwill gesture to Abbas, and under pressure from Rice and the State Department, Israel took down some of the roadblocks that had been put in place to block terrorists from entering Israeli towns and launching terrorist attacks. Naturally, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group promptly tried to kidnap an Israeli at knife point. Israel seems to never learn that goodwill gestures made toward terrorists, just results in more terrorist attacks. Even more ridiculous is that this gesture was made while Hamas is launching rockets in to Israel on a daily basis. As usual, Israel is the only party required to meet their obligations under the Roadmap.

The removal of a series of Israeli anti-terror roadblocks yesterday was overseen directly by the U.S. and was carried out under heavy pressure from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, defense officials in Jerusalem told WND.

The removals also may have enabled an attempted terrorist attack against two Jewish civilians. The foiled attack yesterday, in the northern West Bank, was carried out just hours after Israel began lifting the roadblocks and was in an area where a major roadblock had been removed.

Defense officials here strongly opposed the roadblock removals, saying the obstacles impede the mobility of terrorists. Palestinians complain the roadblocks also make it more difficult for them to travel throughout the West Bank. The majority of West Bank roadblocks were established in the late 1990’s following repeated terrorist attacks from the territory.

In yesterday’s incident, an Israeli man shot and killed a Palestinian armed with a knife after he approached the Israeli and a teenager at a popular hitchhiking stop between the West Bank Jewish communities of Shiloh and Eli, about 20 miles from Jerusalem.

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Well, this is more than just a little bit spooky. What do you bet Obama won’t be grilled about his religious beliefs in the debate like the evangelical George Bush was. We can only hope someone brings this into the light and asks some questions before primaries are over.

While some election commentators are looking carefully at the level of devotion Sen. Barack Obama has to Islam, it is the strong African-centered and race-based philosophy of the senator’s United Church of Christ that has some bloggers crying foul.

Obama and Wright

Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago is where Obama was baptized as a Christian two decades ago, even borrowing the title for one of his books, “The Audacity of Hope,” from a sermon by his senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.

The first paragraph of the “About Us” section of the church’s website mentions the word “black” or “Africa” five times:

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian. … Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain “true to our native land,” the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.

Focus on the African continent continues in two of the 10-point vision of the church:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.
2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.
3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.

Commented Florida blogger “Ric” in discussing vision No. 4: “Commitment to Africa? I thought Christians were to have a commitment to God alone?”

The blogger continued: “First off just by this 10-point layout describing Barack Obama’s church, we see that on some issues they are not clear. Even though it sounds good to the reader, it still leaves one guessing and not knowing where they truly stand as a congregation.

“Second, the church seems to place Africa and African people before God, and says nothing about other races in their community or a commitment to help the people in their community.

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The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, and only the THIRD holiest site in Islam. Jerusalem didn’t even become important to Muslims until the 7th century when Caliph Abd el-Malik commissioned the best architects to build the Dome of the Rock on the conquered Temple Mount, after a successful invasion of the Jewish Holy Lands. His plan was based upon a Fourth Century Christian shrine on the Mount of Olives marking the site of Jesus’ Ascension. The Caliph’s new shrine was deliberately built as a political, economic, and religious counter attraction to Mecca. Medina and Mecca, the two cities holy to Islam, were under the control of a rival Caliph. Abd El-Malik sought to build up the importance of Jerusalem as an Islamic center for pilgrimage and worship. The holiest site in Judaism was only then identified with the spot where Mohammed’s horse ascended to heaven.

There is a great deal of evidence proving that Islam never considered the Temple Mount to be a holy site until it became politically important to the Arabs, and an excuse to wage war on the Jews. Their revisionist history has been so successful that Jews aren’t even allowed to give the APPEARANCE of praying on the Temple Mount, and anything even remotely related to Judaism is banned from being taken onto the site during the limited times when Jews are even allowed to go there. It’s not uncommon to see Jews being stoned by Palestinian youths, or arrested by Wafq police who determine the site has somehow been desecrated by their presence.

Anywhere else in the world, it would be considered totally unacceptable, and a violation of human rights, to forbid a person from praying whenever and wherever they want. The United States condemns China for their persecution of Christians (although they do little about it), and free speech laws in countries around the world would be quickly enforced if such restrictions were placed on any other religion (with the exception of Christianity, or course). Muslims would be the first to scream discrimination and Islamophobia if their right to pray five times a day were in any way hindered. Yet, the world is silent and sees absolutely no problem with religious persecution when it’s directed at Jews. Even more perplexing, a large percentage of the Jewish population sees no problem with it either. They might change their mind, though, when the Palestinians are given the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the rockets currently being fired at them from Gaza are suddenly coming at them from all sides. Or, maybe not.

Jews are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount in any way whatsoever, even if they only move their lips or demonstrate other “signs” of prayer on Judaism’s holiest site, ruled Avi Dichter, Israel’s public security minister.

Dichter was responding to a recent decision by two Knesset members who said they would ascend the Temple Mount quietly – without informing the media or making any protest – and attempt to pray on the holy site.

The Vatican is coming out in support of a move that would lead to the destruction of the Jewish homeland, and return millions of Palestinians to land they once fled so that surrounding Arab countries could launch an attack on Israel. Where was the Vatican when Arab countries would not allow their fellow Arabs, who fled Israel before the Arab invasion began, into their countries, thereby forcing them to become refugees and political pons in an endless cycle of violence.

A Vatican official said Wednesday that Palestinian refugees have the right to return to their homeland, and said he hoped Israeli-Palestinian peace talks would address the issue.

Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican’s office for migrants, said an agreement to restart peace talks, reached Tuesday in Annapolis, Maryland, was encouraging and that he hoped by this time next year concrete measures would be under way.

“It is my hope that all the parts of the problem are taken into consideration such as that of the Palestinian refugees, who like all other refugees, have the right to return to their homeland,” Martino said.

Unbelievable. Tax-payer funded schools in Iowa are requiring boys to dress as girls, and girls to dress as boys for “cross-dressing” day. I thought liberals and the homosexual, transgender, etc., etc. lobby was for choice? Would they be okay with a straight day at school where all transgender people were forced to dress as the gender God gave them? Probably not. Only Christians are expected to change their beliefs and accept other’s beliefs as their own.

A public school’s “gender-bender” cross-dressing event, where boys were supposed to dress as girls and girls as boys, has prompted at least dozens, perhaps hundreds, of students to flee the tax-supported institutions in Iowa.

Many of the parents apparently are members of the Christ Apostolic Temple in Des Moines, which teaches a biblically based doctrine of rejecting the world’s values.

“Christ Apostolic Temple Inc. Fellowship … is a Bible-based organization that believes one must ‘come out from among them and be ye separate.’ (2 Cor. 6:14-17),” the organization’s website says.

That apparently includes cross-dressing, an event which has found sponsorship in other arenas from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which has promoted a school lesson plan for teaching boys and girls to cross-dress.

State officials in Des Moines confirmed to WND that at least 80 children whose parents were alarmed by the “Gender-Bender Day” during homecoming week at the city’s East High School have moved their children from the various districts in the area into homeschooling plans. Several parents told WND that the number could be in the hundreds.

Sadly, I actually agree with something the psychotic President of Iran has to say. The Annapolis Conference will not bring peace to the Middle East.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference was a “failure” and that Israel is doomed to “collapse.” He also suggested it was a mistake for his closest Arab ally, Syria, to participate.

The comments were the first time in months that the hard-line Ahmadinejad has used such strong anti-Israeli rhetoric, highlighting Tehran’s bitterness toward the Annapolis conference, which is widely seen as isolating Iran.

“It is impossible that the Zionist regime will survive. Collapse is in the nature of this regime because it has been created on aggression, lying, oppression and crime,” Ahmadinejad said after a Cabinet meeting, according to state-run television.

“Soon, even the most politically doltish individuals will understand that this conference was a failure from the beginning,” he said in comments reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Especially ironic was this statement by Ahmadinejad:

Ahmadinejad said the Palestinian “resistance”—such as Hamas, which is backed by Tehran—must have a say in any settlement.

“Many such meetings have been held but have failed,” he said. “If decision is made about Palestine, representatives of the elected Palestinian government and resistance should be there and the rights of the Palestinian people—self-determination, the right of voting and return of refugees—must be recognized,” he said.

Hamas spoke loud and clear today to the negotiators at the Annapolis Conference. They began preparations for a Gaza-style takeover of the West Bank, and vowed to seize the territory from Abbas’ hands as soon as the deal is sealed.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference was a “failure” and that Israel is doomed to “collapse.” He also suggested it was a mistake for his closest Arab ally, Syria, to participate.

The comments were the first time in months that the hard-line Ahmadinejad has used such strong anti-Israeli rhetoric, highlighting Tehran’s bitterness toward the Annapolis conference, which is widely seen as isolating Iran.

“It is impossible that the Zionist regime will survive. Collapse is in the nature of this regime because it has been created on aggression, lying, oppression and crime,” Ahmadinejad said after a Cabinet meeting, according to state-run television.

“Soon, even the most politically doltish individuals will understand that this conference was a failure from the beginning,” he said in comments reported by the official IRNA news agency.

In a reference to Arab countries attending the conference, he said, “We are disappointed that some individuals fell victim to the sinister Zionist regime. They are mistaken if they thought that this summit will bring any achievements for them.”

How sad is it that Hamas can openly prepare for a terrorist takeover of the West Bank at the same time that the U.S., Israel, and Abbas are meeting to discuss the Israeli handover of the entire West Bank in the name of peace. Members of Abbas’ own Fatah party have openly admitted that they side with Hamas and will work with the terrorist group to wreak the same havoc in the West Bank as they did in Gaza following the last Israeli land give-away. There is more at stake this time, though. A Hamas take over of the West Bank will put their rockets and mortars within firing range of Tel Aviv and the Israeli International Airport. It will also bring suicide bombers to the borders of Jerusalem. It’s pure insanity to claim that this move will lead to a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace. When will Israelis wake up and do more than protest for a few days, as their enemies are handed strategic land from which to launch more deadly attacks on innocent civilians?

Hours before the start of the U.S.-backed Annapolis summit aimed at handing the West Bank to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ organization, Israel cracked down on a cell of leading Palestinians suspected of setting up a Hamas military arm for the terror group to take over the strategic territory, WND has learned.

Hamas leaders in recent weeks vowed their organization would seize the West Bank if Israel hands the territory to Abbas, just as Hamas seized the Gaza Strip last June, overtaking all U.S.-backed Fatah security compounds in less than one week.

The West Bank borders Jerusalem and is within rocket range of Tel Aviv and Israel’s international airport.

According to Israeli and Palestinian security officials, Monday night the Israel Defense Forces arrested seven members of Abbas’ Fatah organization suspected of working on behalf of Hamas to establish a special forces unit for the terror group in the West Bank.

I will never understand why our President continues to pretend Israel has found a peace partner in Abbas and Fatah.

Bush is determined to give Israel’s land away, and compromise the Jews ability to defend themselves from terrorists before he leaves office. I wonder what Bible he’s reading, if he thinks that is going to bring peace to the Middle East. Even common sense should be enough to know the Palestinians won’t stop attacking Israel if their given more land and a better position from which to launch rockets.

President Bush told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a private meeting today the U.S. will ensure the Palestinians will have a state on the ground before Bush leaves office, a senior Palestinian negotiator told WND.

“Bush and the U.S. administration gave us a commitment there will be a Palestinian state before he leaves office, and not just an outline of a state on paper but contiguous territory on the ground,” said the Palestinian negotiator, who spoke on condition his name be withheld because he was revealing the contents of a private meeting.

“Bush said he is committed to seeing an Israeli withdrawal from most of the West Bank,” the negotiator said.

The Jews are taking to the streets this time, though. After Gaza, they know what another land give away means for their future.

Meanwhile the U.S. State Department is holding back any negative reports on the Palestinians’ promise to fight terrorism, ahead of the Annapolis Summit. Naturally, the Palestinians have been fully updated on any Israeli transgressions.

I wonder how many liberals would maintain their position that American’s are the real terrorists if they knew what’s in store for them should the terrorists win the war on terror. “Schmoozing with Terrorists”, a new book by Aaron Klein, documents the terrorist’s plans for America in their own words, as recorded in numerous interviews with terrorist leaders. If Hollywood only knew that they are at the very top of a long list of American’s who would be immediately stoned to death, should Al Qaeda win the war and conquer America for Islam. Would liberals be so eager to blame America for the Muslim world’s evils if they knew their sympathy and support is to be rewarded with a mandatory head covering for all women as a means for stopping “public nudity”, and public stoning for engaging in premarital sex? Secular society thinks that exposing someone to even the IDEA of abstinence is a form of persecution and intolerance. Maybe they’d prefer men having four wives as the “obvious solution to prostitution (premarital sex)”, as one terror leader proposed. Sadly, the secular liberals in this country will have to learn this lesson the hard way. Terrorists have been admitting to their evil acts for decades, and liberals still think they’re being compassionate and tolerant for disbelieving them.

Madonna and Britney Spears stoned to death? Bars and clubs closed down? Church bells banned? That’s just a taste of what Americans have to look forward to if terrorists ever took over the U.S. and imposed Islamic law, according to a new book.

In one chapter of the recently released “Schmoozing with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, JIhadists Reveal their Global Plans – to a Jew!” author and WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein petitioned Mideast terror leaders to describe day-to-day life in the U.S. if al-Qaida won the war on terror.

“Once Islam dominates, anyone living inside the Islamic state must abide by our rules. There is no choice. You will abide or face the punishment,” said Muhammad Abdel-El, the spokesman and a senior leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization.

Sheik Abu Saqer, a prominent Gaza-based preacher, a founder of the Sword of Islam terror group and a subscriber to the ideology of al-Qaida, explained if Islam controls the U.S., all American women, whether Muslim or not, must cover their hair.

“This is the demand of our religion. Being and walking naked doesn’t mean that you are enjoying more freedom; it means that you are going against Allah’s laws and you are serving the enemies of Islam who want to empty our Islamic society from its values. Uncovered heads is a form of nudity.”

This kind of religious discrimination, not to mention the persecution of Christians living in China, should not be rewarded by allowing them to host the 2008 Olympics. If China banned the Koran at the Olympics, there would be a public outcry and Muslims would riot. I suppose it shouldn’t surprise us that this kind of intolerance toward Christians will be met by silence and a few absurd justifications, if it’s even reported in the MSM.

Chinese officials have announced athletes who compete in the 2008 Beijing Games will be banned from having Bibles in their Olympic village housing, and even visitors are being warned not to bring more than a single Bible with them when they come to China.

According to a report from the Catholic News Agency, Bibles will be among the list of “prohibited objects” for athletes at the Beijing housing complexes being built now for the thousands of athletes expected to participate.

“According to the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, organizers have cited ’security reasons’ and have prohibited athletes from bearing any kind of religious symbol at Olympic facilities,” the report said.

Also banned will be video cameras and cups, the report said.

“The Spanish daily La Razon said the rule was one of a number of ’signs of censure and intolerance’ towards religious objects, particularly those used by Christians in China,” the report said. “Currently in China five bishops and 15 priests are in prison for opposing the official [government-run] church.”

The media and the terrorist supporters on the left are nuts if they think there can be any meaningful ceasefire in the Middle East. The Quran itself instructs Muslims to use treaties and ceasefire agreements as a time to prepare for war. Hezbollah has been doing just that for years, and they’re not about to stop fighting as long as the “world community” will defend them and there are any of them still alive to sacrifice themselves for Allah.

A senior member of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party sent a letter to hundreds of Fatah members today asking them to prepare for an “escalated battle” against Israel while the Jewish state continues its military campaign in Lebanon, WND has learned.

The letter, written by Bani al-Hassan, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and a former Fatah Interior Minister, also was sent to members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group, the declared “military wing” of Abbas’ party.

“You the fighters are the new generation that will bring us victory over Israel,” Hassan wrote in the letter, which was obtained by WND from a Fatah official.

Syria and Iran won’t sit by and miss out on their chance at paradise either. It looks more and more each day like this could be the beginning of a fulfillment of prophecy. If the war escalates and Russia continues to help the Arabs (especially if they participate in a “peace keeping” force), all the players will be in place for the war of Gog and Magog that is to take place before the tribulation. The good news is, the good guys win.

I have to question Olmert’s sanity when he makes comments like this. While rockets are killing civilians and reaching farther into Israeli cities, terrorists are using Gaza as a base from which to kill Jews, and Muslims make daily threats to destroy the nation of Israel, Olmert is already bragging that the war in Lebanon will pave the way for more land give-aways. The terrorists launch attacks and kill Jews, and the left rewards them with the very thing they are fighting and killing for. How encouraging it must be to the cowards in Lebanon to hear that their campaign of terror is already paying off. Why stop doing what continues to work so well?

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’ s declaration Wednesday that the war in Lebanon will create new momentum for further West Bank pullouts was met by a harsh response on the part of right-wing parliamentarians as well as members of the PM’s own Kadima party.

“The backing Olmert received (for the war) went to his head,” Knesset Member Zvi Hendel (National Union) said in response to Olmert’s comments, which seemed to stun rightist Knesset members. “How many missiles and rockets need to fall on the North and South in order for Olmert to understand that state security cannot be achieved through bragging…and splitting the nation?”

The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha), meanwhile, said in a statement that “the continuation of the blind rush to realignment provides terrorism with a backwind and encourages Nasrallah to continue until all his objectives are achieved. It appears Olmert is interested in breaking up the consensus around the war, while this tough time calls for finding the common denominator.”

Hezbollah launched a record number of rockets into Israeli towns last night, reaching as far as the West Bank for the first time. A million Jews are now living in bomb shelters in Israel now, and the media is still asking when Israel is going to agree to a cease fire. It’s rare to hear any of the them acknowledge that Hezbollah will never agree to stop killing Jews. To the liberals in the MSM, it’s perfectly reasonable to demand that Israel stand down and live with rockets raining down on their civilian population centers. They only have a problem with civilian deaths when Muslims (terrorist or civilian - what’s the difference?) die in an Israeli attack. It’s the most sickening display of anti-semitism I’ve seen in a while.

Israel pressed the first full day of a massive new ground attack, sending 8,000 troops into southern Lebanon on Wednesday and seizing five people it said were Hezbollah fighters in a dramatic airborne raid on a northeastern town. Hezbollah retaliated with its deepest strikes yet into Israel, firing a record number of more than 160 rockets.

Diplomatic efforts faltered, with France saying it will not participate in a Thursday U.N. meeting that could send troops to help monitor a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. France, which may join or even lead such a force, said it does not want to talk about sending peacekeepers until fighting halts and the U.N. Security Council agrees to a wider framework for lasting peace.

Why does it not surprise me that France won’t participate in a peace keeping force until there’s been a complete cessation of fighting?

Awwwwww. That’s too bad. Coincidence? I doubt it.

The sudden outbreak of new violence in the Middle East may have the unexpected effect of cancelling the week-long homosexual extravaganza WorldPride in Jerusalem, scheduled for August 6 to 12.

An outcry went up from religious groups and faith communities around the world when Jerusalem was named by organizers as the city of choice for the next WorldPride event. The choice of Jerusalem was seen by many as a flagrant taunting of religious groups opposed to homosexuality, as was the choice of Rome for WorldPride 2000.

The gay pride event was originally scheduled to be held last year in Jerusalem, which led to concerted efforts by religious leaders in the country to block the homosexual celebration from taking place. Organizers eventually decided to postpone the event, citing upheaval due to the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.

Religious leaders from the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities within Israel have been working together to prevent the event from taking place in the holy city—earlier in the month Jerusalem police officials finally conceded that the event would “likely” be moved to Tel Aviv. The decision was not finalized, but the police said in a statement to the press, “Tel Aviv is more used to such events, and therefore it should take place there also this time.”

While I agree that Bush has finally started to take the border situation seriously, I still don’t believe it’s enough. Illegals are still crossing the border in droves, and the National Guard should be out there doing what the Minute Men proved could be done, instead of filling desk jobs and covering for border agents who’ve never been able to control the borders. It only takes one terrorist to blow up a market or a school.

Presidential press secretary Tony Snow today defended his boss’ level of commitment to border security, saying President Bush is “cognizant” of the fact terrorists may be entering the U.S. illegally.

“The president has made his views on border security well-known,” WND told the spokesman, “and my question: Would the president make border security a higher priority if he were convinced it was being used as an entry point by terrorists like those who are part of Hezbollah and al-Qaida?”

WND Exclusive WND AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Bush worried about border-hopping terrorists
Tony Snow says president ‘already very concerned about it’
Posted: July 20, 2006
3:00 p.m. Eastern

By Les Kinsolving
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Presidential press secretary Tony Snow today defended his boss’ level of commitment to border security, saying President Bush is “cognizant” of the fact terrorists may be entering the U.S. illegally.

“The president has made his views on border security well-known,” WND told the spokesman, “and my question: Would the president make border security a higher priority if he were convinced it was being used as an entry point by terrorists like those who are part of Hezbollah and al-Qaida?”

Responded Snow: “Think of it this way. The president committed as much money to the borders already as the House of Representatives was planning on doing in five years. So, he was serious before – he’s perfectly cognizant of the possibility there may be terrorists crossing over. We have intelligence assets deployed in the area, and so he’s not going to be anymore concerned because he’s already very concerned about it.”

Yesterday, Snow indicated the president “is already putting National Guardsmen in positions where they can relieve the Border Patrol” – part of a $1.9 billion supplemental appropriation.

Fighting continues in the Middle East, but we can all rest easy. Kofi Annan of the “do nothing” U.N. has the answer.

Israeli troops met fierce resistance from Hezbollah guerrillas Thursday as they crossed into Lebanon to seek tunnels and weapons for a second straight day, and Israel hinted at a full-scale invasion. Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Security Council that “hostilities must stop” between Israel and Hezbollah.

That’ll work! I’m sure terrorists everywhere are pondering Kofi’s words, and considering putting down their rockets, missiles, and suicide belts to live peacefully with the Jews.

Israeli pilots have told local news stations that they’ve already dealt Hizbellah a critical blow in preperation for a possible ground invasion. Most interesting, is the support Israel is getting for this kind of attack. Even some of the Arab countries, who fear this war could backfire and ruin their chances to nuke Israel later, are giving Israel a green light to fight back.

If anything good can come from this clear example of why we’re fighting a war on terrorism, maybe it will wake up the Israeli government, and they’ll stop handing over more Jewish lands to terrorists.

Israeli warplanes also launched new airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, shortly after daybreak, followed by strikes in the guerrillas’ heartland in the south and eastern Bekaa Valley.

The strikes followed bombings Wednesday that killed as many as 70 people, according to Lebanese television, making it the deadliest day since the fighting began July 12.

Of course, Kofi never misses a chance to condemn Israel. As the media tosses around the idea of charging Israel with war crimes (terrorist attacks don’t count as war crimes), Kofi condemned Israel for using excessive force. I guess they should be more gentle and understanding with the animals launching rockets at innocent civilians in Israel.

Annan also condemned Israel’s “excessive use of force” against Lebanon.

“There are serious obstacles to reaching a cease-fire or even to diminishing the violence quickly,” Annan said.

He added that the fighting had triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Russia sharply criticized Israel over its onslaught against Lebanon, now in its ninth day, sparked when Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Israel’s actions have gone “far beyond the boundaries of an anti-terrorist operation” and repeating calls for an immediate cease-fire.

Good grief!

We’re seeing more and more arrests and indictments like this, and it makes me wonder how long it will be before we’re suffering the same attacks and suicide bombings the Israeli’s have been dealing with for years. Probably, not long. Somehow, I don’t think our government will exercise the same level of restraint we expect from Israel though.

A federal grand jury indicted two U.S. citizens on Wednesday on charges of plotting “violent jihad” and undergoing paramilitary training in northwest Georgia to prepare themselves for terrorist acts.

Syed Haris Ahmed, 21, born in Pakistan and a student at Georgia Tech, was arrested in March. Wednesday’s charges superseded an earlier indictment against him, adding three counts of material support of terrorism and a foreign terrorist organization.

FBI officials in April arrested Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, born in 1986 in Bangladesh. He was also added to the indictment.

Both men developed contacts with other supporters of jihad, traveling to Toronto, Canada, and made video clips of “potential terrorist targets” in Washington including the Capitol building, the indictment said.

“Ahmed, Sadequee and another person known to the Grand Jury engaged in physical and rudimentary paramilitary training including activities with paintball guns in northwestern Georgia,” said the indictment filed at Atlanta district court.

It said Ahmed traveled to Pakistan to get paramilitary and religious training with the aim of fighting in
Kashmir, while Sadequee went to Bangladesh in part to support jihad.

The case is one of several in which U.S. justice officials have prosecuted suspects whose alleged plots were in their very early stages.

Here are some of the headlines I’ve seen this morning concerning the war in the Middle East.

Blair in push for peace in Middle East
Big power diplomacy to stop the fighting in Lebanon ground into gear yesterday as Britain and other European states pushed hard for the deployment of an international intervention force on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Arab world fed up with Hizbullah
With the exception of the Palestinians, the Arab world appears to be united in blaming Iran and Syria for the fighting in Lebanon. Until last week, Arab political analysts and government officials were reluctant to criticize Hizbullah in public. But now that Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his top aides are in hiding, an anti-Hizbullah coalition is emerging not only in Lebanon, but in several other Arab countries as well.

Diplomacy Gains Traction in Mideast Crisis
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Diplomatic efforts to end Israeli-Hezbollah fighting gained traction Monday, with Israeli officials saying they would agree to halt fighting if their two captured soldiers were returned and Islamic guerrillas withdrew from the border.

New York Jews rally in support of Israel
Thousands of American Jews clogged the streets leading to the United Nations building here in a massive show of support for Israel on Monday afternoon. The turnout was particularly impressive for a weekday and one of the hottest so far this summer.

Americans, Europeans Begin to Evacuate Lebanon Amid Mideast Conflict
Lebanon — Westerners fled by land, sea and air as Israel launched three waves of bombings on southern Beirut and on a Lebanese army base in the early hours Tuesday.

Congress Considers Resolutions Supporting Israel
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are preparing to vote this week on resolutions backing Israel and condemning Hezbollah, which last week kidnapped two Israeli soldiers, sparking violence across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Iran parliament speaker: No part of Israel safe
Iran’s parliament speaker warned Tuesday that no part of Israel is safe during Hizbullah’s battle with Lebanon - a statement made despite Iran’s claim that it is not aiding the guerrillas in their fight.

Here are more headlines and links concerning the war in the Middle East.

Hezbollah Rockets Hit Nazareth
By Sher Zieve – Hezbollah rockets are reported to have struck upper Nazareth, Sunday night. Reports are that the attacks also hit 5 other close by towns.

Israel strikes back after Haifa attacked
BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) — The Israeli military and Hezbollah traded deadly attacks for a fifth straight day on Sunday, with the Lebanon-based militants striking Haifa and other towns deeper inside Israel.

U.S. Evacuation Teams Arrive in Lebanon
U.S. security teams landed at the American embassy just outside Beirut on Sunday to plan the evacuation of some of the estimated 25,000 U.S. citizens living in war-torn Lebanon.
Witnesses said two helicopters flew in from over the Mediterranean and landed on the embassy grounds, located on a fortified hilltop in the north Beirut suburb of Aukar.
“The arrival of the teams is an important first step in facilitating the safe departure of Americans who want to leave Lebanon,” the embassy said in a statement.

Rockets hit Haifa, Tiberias, Safed, Karmiel, Acre
A barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon hit the Haifa region Monday afternoon.
A rocket hit a building in Haifa causing it to collapse. Two people were evacuated by medical personnel and others have been trapped beneath the rubble.
Two of the rockets landed before the city’s warning siren was sounded.
Rockets landed in Tiberias and adjacent Lake Kinneret beaches, Acre and Safed as well. In addition, rockets were fired for the first time on communities in the southern Golan Heights.

Hezbollah Appears in Control of Lebanon
Hezbollah and its backers, not the government, now appear in control of Lebanon’s fate.
After moderating their stance in recent years, the guerrillas surged back to the war front with a surprise attack on Israel and a sophisticated arsenal, leaving Lebanon’s politicians and army looking nearly powerless. The government seems paralyzed over how to deal with Hezbollah, whose Shiite Muslim fighters have had near autonomy in the south for more than a decade.

Syria vows to respond directly to any Israel strike
Syria has warned it would respond directly and by all means necessary to any Israeli attack on its territory, in its first official reaction to Israel’s offensive on neighbouring Lebanon.
The warning Sunday coincided with a similar threat by Damascus’s key ally Iran, and came amid rising fears that the Middle East is being dragged deeper into the spiralling conflict sparked by the capture of Israeli soldiers by militants linked to Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran heaps praise on Hezbollah fight against ‘tumour’ Israel
TEHRAN (AFP) -Iran has rallied behind allies Hezbollah and Syria, praising the Lebanese Shiite militant movement’s battle against “infected tumour” Israel and warning the Jewish state against widening the conflict.

Ground troops enter southern Lebanon
A government spokesman said Monday afternoon that IDF ground forces have entered southern Lebanon to attack Hizbullah bases along the border in order to push the terrorist group out of rocket-firing range.
In addition, the IDF has denied Lebanese news reports that an Israeli F-16 jet was downed near Beirut. Virtually all Lebanese news agencies were showing unclear video footage of what was claimed to be the downed jet.

Things could escalate rapidly in the Middle East.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today an Israeli strike on Syria would be considered an attack on the whole Islamic world that would bring a “fierce response,” Haaretz reports.
“If the Zionist regime commits another stupid move and attacks Syria, this will be considered like attacking the whole Islamic world and this regime will receive a very fierce response,” Ahmadinejad was quoted by Iranian state television as saying in a telephone conversation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Israel has blamed Syria and Iran for the Hezbollah rocket attacks on towns and cities in northern Israel. In recent weeks, Israel has buzzed the palace of Assad with fighter-bombers as a warning against hostile actions.
Ahmadinejad has called repeatedly for the destruction of Israel – or for moving the Jewish state to Europe. Iran is believed to be developing a nuclear weapons program and has long-range missiles capable of striking the Jewish state.
Hezbollah rockets today rained down on northern Israeli towns as the Jewish state’s warplanes carried out strategic strikes against the Hezbollah’s infrastructure and the Beirut International Airport. A total air and sea closure was imposed over Lebanon.
Hezbollah threatened to use longer range rockets against the major northern port city of Haifa, in which case military officials tell WND Israel would likely launch a major ground invasion inside Lebanon.
The fighting today was instigated by a well-orchestrated Hezbollah attack against Israel’s northern border yesterday in which two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped and three others were killed.

Original Link.

And more problems from North Korea.

PUSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - North Korea stormed out of talks with South Korea on Thursday and Seoul froze food aid to its impoverished neighbor, as regional fissures over how to deal with Pyongyang’s missile tests widened.
Pyongyang also appeared to have stood up to its closest ally, Beijing, which has sent a “friendship delegation” to North Korea.
“So far they don’t seem to be interested in listening, much less doing anything,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill told reporters in Beijing. “I think the Chinese are as baffled as we are.”

Original Link.

Here are the latest headlines concerning the developments in the Middle East.

US says Israel has right to defend itself
ROSTOCK, Germany (Reuters) - The United States, reacting to escalating violence between
Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, on Thursday urged restraint on both sides but said Israel had a right to defend itself.
In a widening of reprisals after Hizbollah guerrillas captured two soldiers in a border clash, Israel aircraft attacked Beirut airport and blockaded Lebanese ports.
“We are urging restraint on both sides, recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself,” a U.S. administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Lebanon braces as Israel responds to attack
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon braced for spiraling violence on Thursday a day after Israel vowed a severe response to Hizbollah attacks in which two Israeli soldiers were captured and eight killed by the Syrian-backed group.
A statement issued by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s cabinet after an emergency meeting on Wednesday night said that Israel held the Lebanese government responsible for the attacks and for the safe return of the seized soldiers.
But it offered no details about what type of action would be taken.
Hizbollah’s bold attack drew Olmert into a second crisis over captured soldiers. Israel is engaged in a military offensive in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants captured a soldier on June 25.
Israeli aircraft attacked the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Gaza City on Thursday, causing a fire in the building, witnesses said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Israel killed at least 23 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, including nine members of one family in an air strike that destroyed a house where the army said senior Hamas commanders were meeting.
Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the soldiers had been seized to force Israel to release prisoners, but Israel state says the attack was an act of war and that it would not swap prisoners.
“You don’t negotiate with terror organizations,” Gideon Meir, senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official, told Reuters.

Syrian VP blames Israel for escalation amid worry over Israeli retaliation
Syria’s vice president blamed Israel for the escalating violence in Lebanon and Palestinian territories Wednesday, and Arab countries worried over possible Israeli retaliation against Syria after the capture of two Israeli soldiers by its ally, Hezbollah.

Ahmadinejad: World will soon witness the demise of Israel
Tehran, Iran, Jul. 12 – Hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the world will soon witness the demise of Israel, the government-run news agency Fars reported.
“In the near future we will witness the rapid collapse of the Zionist regime”, Ahmadinejad told a crowd in the north-western city of Jolfa.
“The nations of the region will record the names of states that support the Zionist regime alongside the Zionist’s crimes”, he added.
Ahmadinejad caused an international furore last year when he publicly declared that the Holocaust was a “myth” and said that Israel must be “wiped off the map”.

Well, as most of us suspected, the North Korean governement isn’t going to stop being crazy and is preparing to carry out more missle test. And on top of this, China has introduced a non-binding resolution at the U.N. against North Korea. A binding U.N. resolution doesn’t carry any teeth, so I guess a non-binding one isn’t even worth the paper it’s written on.

TOKYO (AFP) - North Korea could be preparing for new launches of mid-range missiles following last week’s tests, with activity detected at its bases, a report has said citing Japanese government sources.
US and Japanese satellite photos show that mid-range Rodong missiles had been set up on launch pads at a base in southeastern North Korea, but were later removed, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.
Fuel tanks could be seen near the launch pads, the report said.
The report said the satellite photos were taken after last week’s tests of seven missiles, but did not give a specific date.
“We think North Korea can launch missiles whenever it wishes,” the top-selling daily quoted a government source as saying.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Sunday suggested Tokyo would have the right to launch a pre-emptive strike to protect its citizens from a missile launch by Pyongyang.
He said there were “visible signs” of activity at a North Korean missile base from which North Korea launched a Rodong missile last week.
Japan submitted a draft binding resolution in the United Nations Security Council that would impose sanctions on North Korea over the missile tests.
But on Monday, the Security Council put off a vote on the resolution to allow more time for Chinese diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis.

Original Link.

I hope the federal governments figures this illegal immigration thing out soon. The states are taking matters into their own hands in order to protect their citizens and legal immigrants.

State lawmakers approved a measure late Monday that would force a million people receiving state or federal aid to verify their citizenship, part of a package of bills dealing with illegal immigration that Democrats called the toughest in the nation.
The measure would deny most non-emergency state benefits to illegal immigrants 18 years old and older _ forcing people to prove legal residency when applying for benefits or renewing their eligibility. The measure passed the state Senate 22-13 and the House 48-15. Both are controlled by Democrats.
“At the end of the day, everybody who serves in this building as senators or representatives knows we’re making Colorado history,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald. “We want to be able to look in the mirror and say we did legislation that is tough, enforceable and humane.”
Republicans said the bill didn’t go far enough, and left glaring loopholes, including allowing benefits for minors and denying voters the chance to have a direct say on the issue.
The bill would apply to Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, energy assistance programs and aging and adult services. Republican Gov. Bill Owens said an estimated 50,000 illegal immigrants could be thrown out of those programs.
“It simply puts teeth into existing federal regulations,” Owens said.
Sen. Dan Grossman was one of the four Democrats to vote against the measure.
“I don’t think the poor people of the state of Colorado or businesses of the state of Colorado should have to pay because we want to play politics with immigration,” Grossman said.

Original Link.

Jennifer Rast wrote to inform us that Ben’s dad passed away yesterday.

Ben asked me to write all of you and let you know that his Dad passed
away today. He was in good spirits this morning, and he had a good day
with Ben’s mom. They watched “Cat Ballew” on TV and had some good
laughs together. After lunch, at about 1:30, he laid down for a nap and
died peacefully in his sleep. Ben wanted you to know that his Dad and
Mom were very grateful for everyone’s prayers, as is the rest of the
family. We’d appreciate continued prayer for the family and especially
Ben’s Mom. You are all part of our family as brothers and sisters in
Christ. Someday you’ll meet Don if you haven’t already, and we’ll get
to see him again.

Please join me in praying for God’s peace and comfort for Ben, Jennifer and all the rest of their family and friends.

I don’t think that Ben and Jennifer would mind me posting this, but I have a prayer request this morning for a good friend, Randy.
Randy has cancer and is going to have to undergo both chemotherapy and radiation therapy soon. He is a Christian, but is in need of both direct healing from God and support of his spirit. I know that God listens to us when we pray. Please pray unceasingly for Randy. Please pray that God will completely heal him and that God will lift him up when he is feeling bad, sick and worn out. Please pray also for his wife and children, that they will feel God’s comfort and protection over them.
Please add him to your prayer list at church and let’s put the power of the internet to good use by collectively praying for Randy.
Thank you for your prayers!
-Steve

Even ignoring the Biblical aspect of the withdraws, we have already seen that it hurts Israel security rather than helping it.

KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ, Israel – A group of prominent rabbis is calling on President Bush to refuse political and financial support for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s plan to evacuate most of Judea and Samaria, stating the withdrawal is against U.S. interests, and that it violates basic tenets of Jewish law.
“U.S. interests are being impacted by Israel’s proposed retreat from terrorist strongholds in Judea and Samaria. In addition, as rabbis our obligation is to teach, guide, and lead our congregations to conduct their daily lives in accordance with Jewish Law. This holds especially true in a matter of life or death threatening the residents of Israel,” stated a letter sent to Bush and signed by leaders of the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, a coalition of over 1200 rabbinic leaders and pulpit rabbis.
Congress members include some of the most esteemed Orthodox rabbis in the Jewish world.
Olmert is attempting to push through a withdrawal from most of Judea and Samaria, mountainous territory that is within rocket firing range of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Israel’s international airport. The territory is also commonly called the West Bank.
The rabbis point out in their letter to Bush that villages slated for withdrawal from Judea and Samaria are mentioned throughout the Torah.
They state a withdrawal from the area violates Jewish law because an evacuation will lead to massive violence.
“There is a clear definitive ruling in the Jewish Code of Law ‘Orach Chaim’ Chapter 329 which rules that it is strictly forbidden to give up even one inch of a Jewish border town to foreigners because it will lead to bloodshed. How much more so regarding retreating from holy land that enemies bent on your destruction have already stated will be used to launch attacks against Jews,” states the letter to Bush.
The rabbis wrote to Bush that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza last summer has already impacted regional U.S. interests and that Olmert’s proposed Judea and Samaria evacuation will have “disastrous” consequences for the American-led war on terror.
“Israel’s 2005 retreat from Gaza has been perceived as a cave-in by the role-model of counter-terrorism. It paved the road to Hamas’ electoral victory and upgraded the posture of Islamic Jihad and al-Qaida, thus providing friendly platforms for Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and the pro-Saddam elements. The Gaza retreat has established the largest terrorist base in the Middle East, threatening accelerated anti-U.S. terrorism.
“Bolstering the Palestinian profile by enforcing a withdrawal in Judea and Samaria constitutes a present and immediate lethal danger to pro-U.S. regimes in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states and will establish an enormous terror sanctuary threatening US troops in the Gulf area. It would also undermine Israel’s posture of deterrence, which is critical to the enhancement of regional stability.”
The rabbis urged Bush against “morally or financially supporting Israel’s disastrous withdrawal plan.”

Original Link.

Even ignoring the Biblical aspect of the withdraws, we have already seen that it hurts Israel security rather than helping it.

KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ, Israel – A group of prominent rabbis is calling on President Bush to refuse political and financial support for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s plan to evacuate most of Judea and Samaria, stating the withdrawal is against U.S. interests, and that it violates basic tenets of Jewish law.
“U.S. interests are being impacted by Israel’s proposed retreat from terrorist strongholds in Judea and Samaria. In addition, as rabbis our obligation is to teach, guide, and lead our congregations to conduct their daily lives in accordance with Jewish Law. This holds especially true in a matter of life or death threatening the residents of Israel,” stated a letter sent to Bush and signed by leaders of the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, a coalition of over 1200 rabbinic leaders and pulpit rabbis.
Congress members include some of the most esteemed Orthodox rabbis in the Jewish world.
Olmert is attempting to push through a withdrawal from most of Judea and Samaria, mountainous territory that is within rocket firing range of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Israel’s international airport. The territory is also commonly called the West Bank.
The rabbis point out in their letter to Bush that villages slated for withdrawal from Judea and Samaria are mentioned throughout the Torah.
They state a withdrawal from the area violates Jewish law because an evacuation will lead to massive violence.
“There is a clear definitive ruling in the Jewish Code of Law ‘Orach Chaim’ Chapter 329 which rules that it is strictly forbidden to give up even one inch of a Jewish border town to foreigners because it will lead to bloodshed. How much more so regarding retreating from holy land that enemies bent on your destruction have already stated will be used to launch attacks against Jews,” states the letter to Bush.
The rabbis wrote to Bush that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza last summer has already impacted regional U.S. interests and that Olmert’s proposed Judea and Samaria evacuation will have “disastrous” consequences for the American-led war on terror.
“Israel’s 2005 retreat from Gaza has been perceived as a cave-in by the role-model of counter-terrorism. It paved the road to Hamas’ electoral victory and upgraded the posture of Islamic Jihad and al-Qaida, thus providing friendly platforms for Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and the pro-Saddam elements. The Gaza retreat has established the largest terrorist base in the Middle East, threatening accelerated anti-U.S. terrorism.
“Bolstering the Palestinian profile by enforcing a withdrawal in Judea and Samaria constitutes a present and immediate lethal danger to pro-U.S. regimes in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states and will establish an enormous terror sanctuary threatening US troops in the Gulf area. It would also undermine Israel’s posture of deterrence, which is critical to the enhancement of regional stability.”
The rabbis urged Bush against “morally or financially supporting Israel’s disastrous withdrawal plan.”

Original Link.

This is an interesting development. I like it though.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian cabinet ministers and legislators from the Islamic Hamas, increasing pressure on militants to release a captured Israeli soldier and witnesses said tanks moved into northern Gaza, widening Israel’s largest military operation in the year since Israel pulled out of the seaside territory.
Adding to the tension, a Palestinian militant group said it executed an 18-year-old Jewish settler kidnapped on the West Bank of the Jordan River. Israeli security officials said Eliahu Asheri’s body was found buried near Ramallah. They said he was shot in the head, apparently soon after he was abducted Sunday.
Palestinian security officials said Israeli forces detained Palestinian deputy prime minister Nasser Shaer and three other cabinet ministers, as well as four legislators in Ramallah. Two others were arrested in the town Jenin they said and Israeli news media reported a roundup of Hamas legislators in Jerusalem and other locations. More than 30 legislators were detained, Palestinian security officials said.
Army Radio said the arrested Hamas leaders might be used to trade for the captured soldier. Israel had refused earlier to trade prisoners for the soldier’s release.

Original Link.

Oh this was just choice. As if anyone was willing to believe that pali terrorist actually could carry out a threat like that. Anyway, suckering teens into blowing up innocent Israelis is more their speed anyway.

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - A threat by a militant group to use biological and chemical weapons if Israel invades the Gaza Strip is probably a bluff, an expert here said on Monday.
The Al-Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades (the militant wing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction) said it would surprise Israel with new kinds of weapons if Israel invaded the Gaza Strip.
“With the help of Allah, we are pleased to say that we succeeded in developing over 20 different types of biological and chemical weapons…after a three-year effort” the group said in a leaflet distributed on Sunday.
“We say to Olmert and [Defense Minister Amir] Peretz: Your threats of invasion do not frighten us. We will surprise you with new weapons you have not faced until now,” they said. “As soon as an [Israeli] soldier sets foot on Gaza land, we will respond with a new weapon.”
The group said that it would declare “open warfare without limits” if Israel invaded the Gaza Strip.
But Israeli counter-terrorism expert Dr. Ely Karmon described the statements as “wishful thinking.” They already indicated that they had chemical weapons in 2003, he said.
It’s “psychological warfare,” said Karmon. Hamas tried to put chemicals in explosive belts worn by suicide bombers and it didn’t work, he said.

Original Link.

I really don’t have a problem with protecting the flag. The right to free speech is trodden on any time a Christian wants to talk in public, so don’t give me that old song and dance. People can use other methods of protest to get their point across.

(CNSNews.com) - As a flag protection amendment nears a vote in the U.S. Senate, the Bush administration issued a statement Monday applauding congressional efforts to protect the flag — a “cherished symbol of national unity and of the sacrifices so many Americans have made in defending the nation,” the statement said.
Senators began debate on the amendment Monday afternoon and a vote is expected this week. The House of Representatives passed the amendment in July 2005 for the sixth consecutive time.
S.J. Res. 12 reads, “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” The amendment itself does not criminalize flag desecration but it does give Congress the authority to do so.
A constitutional amendment is needed in light of a 1989 Supreme Court ruling that overturned state laws against flag desecration. The Supreme Court ruled that flag burning, for example, is constitutionally protected free speech, and there are people across the political spectrum who support that free-speech argument.
Supporters of the flag protection amendment note that every state has passed resolutions urging Congress to pass the measure and send it back for ratification.