Israel: British minister adopts ‘Palestinian position verbatim’ on Ariel University
(JNS.org) The recently heavy European criticism of Israel continued on Dec. 27 when British minister expressed “deep disappointment” over the official upgrading of Ariel University Center of Samaria’s status to that of a full-fledged university.
“This decision will deepen the presence of the settlements in the Palestinian territories and will create another obstacle to peace,” British Minister for Middle East Affairs Alistair Burt said, according to Israel Hayom.
Ariel is now Israel’s eighth university and the first located across the Green Line (Israel’s pre-1967 border). Additionally, Burt condemned recent Israeli approval of construction projects in Givat Hamatos and Gilo, areas of Jerusalem that are also beyond the Green Line.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said it was “disappointing that the British minister adopted the contested Palestinian position verbatim, thus widening gaps instead of bridging them.”
Iran, likely referring to Israel, would allow inspection of secret military base if ‘threats’ end
(JNS.org) A top Iranian leader has said that Iran would open its secretive military site at Parchin to inspectors if threats against Iran end.
The International Atomic Energy Agency believes that Iran has conducted secret explosives tests with possible nuclear applications at the Parchin site. Recent satellite evidence has also revealed a flurry of activity at the site, suggesting that Iran may be attempting to clean evidence.
In early December, IAEA officials visited Tehran to discuss access to the site.
“If the trans-regional threats (against Iran) dissipate, then they will find it possible to visit Parchin,” Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted as saying by the Iranian Labour News Agency, according to Reuters.
Iran’s foreign minister was most likely alluding to Israel’s discussions of a possible military strike on its nuclear facilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to make the Iranian nuclear threat his top priority if re-elected next month.
Recent poll predicts gains for controversial new Israeli party
(JNS.org) A recent poll conducted by the Jerusalem Post and Globes shows that the controversial new Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) party led by Benjamin Netanyahu’s former aide Naftali Bennett rose by a projected three Knesset seats, from 11 to 14, in just one week.
The rise in the polls for Bennett’s party comes amid criticism from Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians over his comments suggesting that as a soldier, he would refuse orders to evacuate a Jewish community.
A recent New York Times feature on Bennett highlighted his ability to capture the politically underrepresented, yet fast growing, religious Zionist segment of Israeli society through his controversial annexation plan of Area C of Judea and Samaria and appeal to the values of the modern Orthodox community.
“Whatever issue you raise that is a major issue for the state of Israel, the national-religious community has a view that is basically driving the discourse. Bennett is representing it in politics,” Yedidia Z. Stern, vice president of the Israel Democracy Institute, told the New York Times.
Meanwhile, in the same poll, Netanyahu’s joint Likud-Yisrael Beytenu party fell to 34 projected Knesset seats from 36 a week ago and 39 two weeks ago.
In addition to the gains of Bayit Yehudi, the poll also predicts the reemergence of the once-dominant Labor party, which would see its share of seats rise from eight in the current Knesset to 18, while Shas will increase by one seat to 11. Former TV personality Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party and Tzipi Livni’s new centrist party Hatnuah would each have 10 seats, according to the poll.
The Israeli elections are scheduled for Jan. 22.
Defying opposition, writer speaks about Jewish history at Iraq religion conference
(JNS.org) The recently held Conference of Religions and Sects in Iraq, supervised by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, was the first conference in the country dealing with the defense of religions in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq—but while Christians and both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims attended, no Jews were there to represent Iraqi-Jewish history.
One Iraqi writer, however, spoke about Judaism at the conference despite being pressured not to do so. Nabil Al-Hadairi described that experience in an article published by the Gatestone Institute on Dec. 27.
“The Presidential Council [of Iraq], the ruling party, and Iranian agents in Sulaymaniyah all warned me not to raise such a subject and speak about it, and tried to forbid it,” Al-Hadairi wrote.
“They claimed that it is too sensitive and dangerous, and that due to the current public mood, it should not to be spoken about in public,” he added.
Jews played an important role in Iraqi history for more than 2,500 years, starting with their exile to Babylon from 597 B.C. By the 1920s, 40 percent of Baghdad’s residents were Jewish. After the end of the British Mandate period in Iraq in 1932, many were stripped of their citizenships, expelled from the country, and forced to leave behind their property to looters. Many immigrated to the state of Israel. Those that remained continued to face persecution well into the 1960s, according to the Jewish Virtual Library. By 2008, there were less than 10 Jews living in Baghdad.
Al-Hadairi described how he noted at the religion conference “that the Iraqi constitution does not mention anything about Iraqi Jews, so that it has become necessary to draft an amendment to Article II of the constitution, granting official recognition to the Jewish faith, adding it to the other recognized national religions.” The writer urged Iraqi leaders to allow descendants of Iraqi Jews to regain citizenship and compensate them for the persecution of their families.
“Despite the uncivilized methods used in attempting to suppress my presentation, the audience responded with full support and a standing ovation,” Al-Hadairi wrote. “The address apparently caused considerable embarrassment to the conference’s organizing committee, which then was forced to take the topic seriously.”
Hitler statue at site of Warsaw Ghetto stirs controversy
(JNS.org) An Italian artist’s exhibition that includes a statue of a kneeling Hitler placed at the former location of the Warsaw Ghetto has angered Polish Jews and Christians alike.
Maurizio Cattelan, creator of the exhibition named “Amen,” is already known for controversial artistry. One of his most famous works, “La Nona Ora” (“The Ninth Hour”), shows Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite. A description on the website of the Center for Contemporary Art about his new exhibition states that “in a Warsaw ravaged by the cataclysmic 20th century, Maurizio Cattelan’s works take on a particular dimension; they become an artistic commentary on the Catholic credo.”
“What, in fact, does love thy enemy mean?” the description says. “What does forgive those who trespass against us mean? Evoking the traumas of history, they deal with memory and forgetfulness, good and evil.”
Critics say that the Hitler statue provokes mercy for the notorious dictator, which creates mixed feelings in the viewer and can be interpreted as highly offensive. Only a few days after the statue was erected on Warsaw’s Prozna Street, an unidentified person covered its face and hands.
“We want to believe that the statue is intended to show Hitler repenting or apologizing for his evil actions,” said two 81-year-old viewers, according to the Jerusalem Post. “Hitler did not have the right to ask for forgiveness,” another passerby said.
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Preceding provided by JNS.org