Category: Articles

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Hurricane Harvey Devastates Texas, Including Jewish Communities

Hurricane Harvey – Incredible Impact

Hurricane Harvey that ripped through Texas brought destruction and devastation in its wake perhaps unparalleled in American history. Hundreds of thousands or millions of people were affected, with loss of property and unfortunately, injuries and deaths.
Among those hard hit were members of numerous Texas Jewish communities, including that of Houston, where homes and religious institutions were caught up in the havoc wrought by Harvey.
Our hearts go out to all those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and wish a speedy recovery to all those impacted by it.
Please contact your local service organizations including Jewish federations, JCCs, and synagogues for the most effective way to assist those in tremendous need, specifically those requiring immediate on-the-ground relief.
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Is Israel Truly Sovereign?

The Knesset in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem

Israel is the only Jewish state in the world. It is home to perhaps the world’s largest Jewish population; was reestablished in its ancient homeland after 2,000 years of exile; is democratic with a substantial minority, mostly Muslim; and has never known true peace in its short life as a modern state since 1948.
Given this unprecedented history and unparalleled success as an ancient/modern nation, the question can still be asked, Is Israel sovereign?
After all, Israel functions as a democracy with a parliamentary-style government, and has an independent judiciary as well as a powerful military force, leading one to convincingly assert that yes, Israel is a sovereign nation.
Yet, given all these trappings of sovereignty, Israel does not always actas a truly sovereign nation, making decisions and acting in its own best interests.
For example:
– Why does Israel still give credence to the idea of a Palestinian state within Israel’s boundaries? Why not denounce it once and for all as unworkable, and dangerous to the continued existence of the Jewish state?
– Why has Israel delayed settling and developing Judea and Samaria in substantial ways, especially in the E-1 area connecting Jerusalem with Maale Adumim, and in the Jordan Valley as well as other strategic and historic locales?
– Why doesn’t Israel demolish thousands of illegal Arab structures throughout all of Israel, many built with funds from European nations and NGOs?
– Why are there prohibitions against Jewish prayer and other severe restrictions in place against Jews on the Temple Mount?
– Why doesn’t Israel expel the tens of thousands of illegal squatters in south Tel Aviv? These individuals are not refugees, and Israel can ill afford to absorb them.
Geographically Israel is a small country surrounded by a sea of Arabs in a dangerous neighborhood, with threats on its borders growing more ominous, especially in light of Iran’s march toward creating a Shiite crescent all the way from Iran through Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea, as well as Iran’s reestablished relationship with Hamas in Gaza.
And yes, Israel relies on the United States for military assistance and backing in institutions such as the United Nations.
These and other rationales are cited for Israel’s seemingly lack of independent action at times.
However, history has shown that when Israel acts strongly for itself and in its own best interests (damn world opinion), she comes out better for it.
Sovereignty means control, rule, power and authority. Today, Israel is sovereign in the Land of Israel, but only partially. Finally, the time is ripe for Israel to assert full sovereignty. This is the only way to safeguard its future.
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The Poles Get It Right While Western Europe Is In BIG Trouble

At the risk of financial penalties imposed by the European Union, Poland is taking a determined stand not to accept and resettle Muslim refugees pouring into Europe.
This principled, rational and sensible decision has incurred the wrath of unelected EU officials who are threatening Poland, along with the Czech Republic, with legal action and penalties for refusing to admit Muslims from the Middle East and northern Africa.
Poland to EU: No Muslim Refugees
We say to Poland, bravo! Perhaps all is not lost, at least in Eastern Europe. As for Western Europe, that’s another story.
And regarding a wall on our southern border with Mexico? Mr. President: Build, baby, build.
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As has been proven time and again, appeasement does not work; it only emboldens aggressors to become more aggressive. Take the most recent example, Islamist attacks against Spain, Finland and Germany. Over the years these countries have bent over backward to appease Muslims, but they continue to be loci for Islamist attacks. As Giulio Meotti writes, it just proves that Muslims do not need a “reason” to kill Westerners, but only an opening, typically provided by weak governments.
“It is Our Very Existence That is Unbearable to Jihadists”
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Peace Talks Redux

We read today that White House presidential adviser and envoy Jared Kushner, along with negotiator Jason Greenblatt and others, are in the Middle East, meeting with Israelis and “Palestinians”, hoping to restart a “peace process.”
Truly, WHAT IS THE POINT?
Why send emissaries to talk peace with Mahmoud Abbas when he and his cohorts:
– Continue to pay terrorists for murdering Israelis?
– Demand Israel “return” to the pre-June 1967 lines, referred to as Auschwitz borders?
– Demand Jerusalem as a capital of a future Palestinian state?
– Call for a Palestinian state that would be Judenrein?
– Continue to lie about teaching peace to their children, and continue to foster anti-Semitism in government, the media and educational institutions?

If anything, during his twelve year tenure of a four year term, Abbas has been consistent: consistent in making ridiculous demands, consistent in rejecting peace overtures from Israel, and consistent in his refusal to accept the idea of Jewish sovereignty…anywhere!

It is time that the U.S. administration state publicly what it already knows: the “Palestinians” – an invented people – do not want peace and are not willing to accept Jewish sovereignty.
Dealing with Abbas is like trying to talk to a child throwing a tantrum – accede to all of my demands or I’ll take my ball and go home. Why even speak to these people? Why play the charade?

BREAKING NEWS:

State Department: Endorsing two-state solution would make us biased
Committing to the two-state solution would bias Washington in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, a US official said Wednesday, as a high-level delegation arrived in the region to try and jump start talks amid Palestinian protests over a lack of clarity from the White House.
“We are not going to state what the outcome has to be,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. “It has to be workable to both sides. That’s the best view as to not really bias one side over the other, to make sure that they can work through it.”
So, perhaps Washington does see the light after all! As much as President Trump would like to be a signatory to the “deal of the century”, it appears that his views of peace in the Middle East – one state, two states, or whatever the parties agree to, has (finally) permeated down to the rest of his government. Perhaps the U.S. is no longer beholden to the sacrosanct “two state solution” that the world has attempted to shove down Israel’s throat for decades.
To be continued.
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When Will Jewish Lives Matter?

This week’s Jewish Press has printed AFSI’s Co-Executive Director Helen Freedman’s Letter to the Editor. We reprint it here in full:
When Will Jewish Lives Matter?
As I mourned the latest  Islamic terror attack, this time in Barcelona, Spain, I noticed that virtually all media listings of prior terror attacks where vehicles were used as weapons failed to mention even one of the car, truck, bulldozer, bus, and other vehicle rammings that routinely take place in Israel.
The first occurred in 2008 in Jerusalem and proved so successful that the copycat terrorists understood that this was a new way of effectively terrifying and murdering innocent people.
Israel has always been the canary in the coal mine – the incubator for successful Muslim terror attacks. The suicide and homicide bombings, the knifings, Molotov cocktails, stonings, all were tried out in Israel, found to be successful, and implemented worldwide.
Sadly, this history of ongoing Muslim terrorism in Israel is taken for granted, and the media forget or decide to exclude it from its list of monstrous murder.
When, if ever, will Jewish lives matter?
Helen Freedman
Co-Executive Director
Americans For a Safe Israel / AFSI
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The Eclipse of Western Civilization

by Jonathan Grauman, AFSI Research Analyst

What are we Wearing: Safety Glasses or Blinders?

Earlier this week, hundreds of millions of people across the United States witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime spectacular event – a total eclipse of the sun. People reserved flights, hotels and automobiles years in advance in order to be situated in a perfect place to witness this incredible sight. They trekked to mountain tops and open fields for an unimpeded view. The eclipse itself lasted several hours, as the moon slowly moved in front of the sun, and then away from it. But that one special moment – when the moon was fully in front of, and fully blocking the sun – lasted for just a few minutes. The sky darkened and objects normally impossible to see became visible, such as certain planets. Animals reacted in unpredictable ways, as their biological clocks seemed out of whack. Truly a remarkable and amazing testament to Mother Nature.

To enjoy and savor this historic occasion safely, people had to use special safety glasses or other devices to enable them to look directly at the sun. If not, there would be damage to one’s eyesight, perhaps even leading to blindness.

While the solar eclipse was safe for those who were prepared, today there is another eclipse occurring, and this one has been going on for several decades. It is far more dangerous than a solar eclipse, and one for which we have not been, and are still not, prepared. This is the eclipse of Western civilization by Islam. Today, Islam is on the march worldwide, and during this eclipse, we in the West have not been wearing our safety glasses. Instead we have been wearing blinders.

The crescent of the sun has just waxed and waned to our great pleasure. However, the crescent of Islam is on the rise and is waxing gloriously, to our great pain. This crescent is accompanied by the sword – a weapon that figuratively and literally symbolizes the conquest of Western civilization – our way of life – by an ideology bent on destroying us and intent on conquering the world.

Europe is being overrun by refugees. Refugees? Sure, out of several million there are a number of individuals who have genuinely fled war zones seeking safety. So, where are the women and children? Why are the overwhelming number of “refugees” from the Middle East and north Africa who are making their way to Europe, young men in their 20’s and 30’s?

Why are Europeans allowing their continent to be overrun by an alien culture, by those bent not on assimilating, but on taking over? Rape and other crimes have skyrocketed, there are pockets of no-go zones where non-Muslims entering risk their lives, unemployment is rising, and what do the Europeans do? They shrug their shoulders. They claim that fresh blood is needed to enable their economies to continue working at a high pace. Well, they have signed a deal with the devil. Perhaps if they would have procreated a little more fervently, they wouldn’t have needed this “fresh blood” to save their economies!

The situation is not as dire in the United States, but is fast becoming urgent. Here, the cry of “Islamophobia” is quickly shouted whenever a Muslim is criticized or accused of an offense. It is as if Muslims have special immunity from prosecution, based solely on their religion. Free speech in the U.S. is fast becoming at risk in the public square, and of course, on college campuses where cries of “Death to Israel” and “Death to Jews’ are being heard more and more frequently, often by members of radical Islamic and anti-Semitic organizations.

For too long, we have catered to Islamists in this country and have swept the evils of radical Islam under the rug. Our freedom of speech and expression are being eclipsed by fear and pandering to a “culture” that is emboldened by our weakness.

If only there were special glasses to help us to see and understand the reality that is Islam on the march. Is it too late? Time will tell.

AFSI Board Member Ken Abramowitz has addressed the dangers to Western Civilization in his brilliant studies entitled: THE FUTURE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: HOW TO SAVE WESTERN CIVILIZATION FROM ITSELF! His website: SAVETHEWEST.COM is a treasure trove of information. We recommend it highly.

 

 

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Our Condolences

Americans For a Safe Israel expresses its condolences to the families of the victims of today’s heinous terror attack in Barcelona, Spain – as of this writing, at least thirteen murdered and 50 injured. We wish a full and speedy recovery to those wounded.
We have two thoughts on today’s attack:
1. This was a car ramming attack. Where do you think the terrorists learned and perfected this tactic?
2. These kinds of attacks have occurred on a regular basis in Israel, yet governments, especially many European governments, have not considered them to be terror attacks when they occur in Israel, just acts of violence. To paraphrase Jeremiah Wright, that noted American anti-Semite: In Europe the chickens have now come home to roost.
Terror strikes the heart of Barcelona; dozens of dead and wounded
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Queens Museum – An Omen of Things to Come?

Here we are, a day after the brouhaha surrounding the cancellation of the Israel event at the Queens Museum and its reinstatement.
QUEENS MUSEUM REVERSED DECISION TO CANCEL ISRAELI EVENT
Are we supposed to breathe a sigh of relief and be happy that the show will now go on? Sure, the pro-Israel community applied a lot of pressure and the museum caved in, so we can look back with satisfaction that we “carried a big stick” and got our way.
But is that it? Do we put this episode behind us as if it never occurred? We are relieved that this dirty little affair ended favorably. However, we should be angry – seething mad – that it occurred at all. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
It is reprehensible that the head of a museum would bow to “Palestinian” pressure to cancel an Israel event, and on ridiculous grounds that the event is political. We know that the museum head – President and Executive Director Laura Raicovich – is pro-BDS. Perhaps she was more than happy to comply with a little outside pressure from anti-Israel forces, and regardless of any legal, moral or ethical consideration, was all too happy to try to prevent an event celebrating Israel.
Another consideration is: did she believe she would get away with it? As was seen, only because of intense pressure from the Israeli Consul in New York, several New York City politicians, and lots of negative press against the museum, did the museum reverse its decision.
Unfortunately, this is likely a harbinger of things to come. To quote a 1964 Bob Dylan song, The Times They Are A Changin’. Anti-Semitism in America is on the rise, as is the normalization of the demonization of Israel. Students on our college campuses are harassed for supporting Israel and are woefully unprepared for the challenges they face, and attacks and threats against Jews and Jewish institutions throughout the country are becoming more commonplace
With the bogus theory of “intersectionality” becoming more respectable, Israel is being portrayed as responsible for the woes we face, regardless of how irrational and absurd the charges actually are. It is becoming more acceptable to be anti-Israel / anti-Semitic.
Even though we may have won the battle of the Queens Museum, there never should have been a battle to begin with. Our enemies are pushing, poking and prodding wherever they can to weaken us in the court of public opinion, and we cannot allow them to succeed.
In response, our guard must be up 24/7 and our vigilance relentless. History, truth, morality and justice are all on our side, yet we are not getting our message out loudly and clearly. We can no longer sit back and continue to be attacked, only to respond ineffectively and too late to mitigate damage. Yes, our defenses must be up, but we must also be on the offense. We must attack – in the media, in academia, and on the street.
We can no longer be someone else’s punching bag. We are not playing a game, and the stakes are too high.
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Whither the American Jewish Community?

Isi Leibler has a very important article in the Jerusalem Post about the troubling state of anti-Semitism and American Jewry today:
ACCELERATING CHAOS WITHIN THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY
Historically, much or most anti-Semitism in the U.S. has been attributed to the radical Right. While there has always been anti-Semitism from the Left, it has been minimized or even ignored by Jewish institutional leaders. However, as Leibler (correctly) posits, there is no question that Leftist anti-Semitism and anti-Israel activity are far greater threats than from the Right.
Here are a few quotes:
“The threats from the radical Right must not be tolerated. Yet despite the massive exposure they received, these fascist and racist groups represent a minute segment of society and their influence is marginal when compared to the leftist anti-Semites. The latter, who are vastly understated, promote the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and have transformed campuses into anti-Israel and anti-Semitic platforms.
 
Moreover, there are Jewish community leaders who have allied themselves with far-left campaigns headed by vicious anti-Israel elements, arguing that anti-Israel agitators should not be excluded as partners in broader campaigns for social justice. There are also calls for BDS proponents and anti-Israel Jewish groups to be included in the “big tent.”
The Jewish community must take stock or it will lose all influence on government. The Trump administration appears divided over Israel, with the State Department resurrecting the Obama approach of appeasing the Arabs and applying moral equivalence to Israelis defending themselves and Palestinians engaging in incitement and terrorism. The Jewish leadership could have a positive influence in this area if it displayed political neutrality.
 
Currently Israel enjoys more support from Christian Evangelicals than from American Jews.
 
American Jewish leaders should wake up now before it is too late and their once influential community becomes marginalized.
Wise words.
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Jeremy Gimpel in Texas!

AFSI friend Jeremy Gimpel is now in Texas and will be speaking at numerous venues throughout his stay.
We will be posting Jeremy’s Texas itinerary as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you haven’t experienced Jeremy, you can get a “taste of Jeremy” as well as a “taste of an AFSI Chizuk mission” from the following I Am Israel video.
Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel is the co-founder of The Land of Israel Network & the host of Israel Inspired Radio & TV Shows as well as a Director in World Mizrachi.

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