Survivor Of Islam - Brigitte Gabriel Speaks Candidly

Survivor Of Islam - Brigitte Gabriel Speaks Candidly

Ynet News: Telling our story

Op-ed: Israel’s story is about returning to ancient homeland, not just Holocaust legacy

Benny Levy Published: 12.27.10, 11:01 / Israel Opinion

Almost every day we’re told of further deterioration in Israel’s position in global public opinion. This has grave concrete implications, to the point of calls rejecting the state’s right to exist. Israel is failing to curb this phenomenon. Many tend to blame the faulty English of some ambassador or the fact that the IDF’s spokesman fails to provide “positive footage.”

Yet this is nonsense. Israel is losing the battle because it aims to explain itself with arguments on the operative level, while the world is asking “what the hell are the Jews doing there?” A leading Israeli public relations expert who returned from a PR campaign overseas recently lamented that “they simply don’t understand us.” Well, why should they?

Most of the world’s citizens at this time are unfamiliar with the Jewish people’s historical connection to the Land of Israel. Many view us as refugee who have no connection to this territory and who escaped European distress to find shelter, randomly, in Palestine.

When President Obama asserted in his Cairo speech that the aspirations for a Jewish homeland originated in our undeniably tragic history, many around here were insulted. “Why did he say that? After all, we’re not here because of the Holocaust.” Yet Obama is not at fault. After all, the Holocaust is the narrative presented by Israel itself to its guests (and to its own sons.)

Wasn’t Obama taken directly to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum after landing here? Don’t we take our millions of guests there to teach them “who we are and what we’re doing here”?

The custom of bringing Israel’s guests to Yad Vashem first carries a loud message. It creates the impression that the Holocaust is the reason and justification for the state’s existence; it places Israel on a podium of victimization, refugees, and the quest for a shelter.

However, Israel’s pillars were laid dozens of years before the Holocaust. Its cornerstone is the Zionist idea. Israel is first and foremost a national revival enterprise. Historian Barbara Tuchman once wrote that Israel is the only nation in the world “that is governing itself in the same territory, under the same name, and with the same religion and same language as it did 3,000 years ago."

No easy task

Israel’s full story – national revival and a return to an ancient homeland that is the only place where the Jewish idea can materialize – is fascinating and exciting. It has “buyers” and it softens up resistance. “You have a case I weren’t familiar with” is a remark I heard dozens of times from people exposed to this story for the first time. Our right to live here is inherent in this story.

The Jewish people returned to its historical homeland consciously and righteously, not by coincidence. Israel, with all its flaws, is the amazing realization of a 3,800-year vision of Jewish nationalism. Being a nation that seeks justice and charity is the essence of Judaism and the reason for the ancient pact: “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.”

Judaism is a recipe for the conduct of a nation and the individuals who make it up. Its application requires the existence of a Jewish national framework, and there is no place that is more natural and right for managing this Jewish state than the Land of Israel.

The State of Israel is not 100% Jewish or 100% democratic (there is no such thing in reality,) yet it is the most Jewish-and-democratic state in the world. Only in Israel the two aspects of Judaism – the religious and national – come into being, and the commitment to Judaism takes on its full significance.

This is our real story, and without it Israel has no purpose, no justification, and no hope. Imparting this story to the world is a very difficult task, yet without it we’ll be unable to restore Israel’s deteriorating position and image here and abroad.

Benny Levy is the founder of chairman of the Shivah – Being a Free Nation in our Land non-profit organization

Ynet News: Patient transferred from Syria to Israel

Young Druze man studying dentistry in Damascus suffers brain hemorrhage, rushed to Haifa hospital through Quneitra Crossing

Hagai Einav Published: 12.24.10, 10:45 / Israel News

 An 18-year-old Druze from Majdal Shams was transferred Friday into Israel through the Quneitra Crossing in the Golan Heights, after suffering a brain hemorrhage while studying in Syria.

"He is a young and talented man who went to Syria to study dentistry, like many other students from villages in the north Golan Heights," Head of Majdal Shams Council Daulan abu Salah told Ynet.

"His family was informed of the incident last Saturday, and he has since been hospitalized at Al Shami Hospital in Syria, waiting to be transferred to Israel.

"As a regional council we offered the family support with the help of the social services department, and also appealed to Israeli elements in an effort to obtain a crossing permit for urgent medical treatment in Israel," he added.

The patient was then taken via helicopter to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.

Medical emergency chopper at scene (Photo:Avishag Shaar-Yashuv)

On Thursday, the family was informed that the Defense, Health and Interior Ministries authorized all the necessary permits in order to transfer the young man – who is in serious condition – into Israel.

However, shortly before crossing the border, the Red Cross announced that it has not completed all the necessary preparations, and the mission was delayed by a few hours.

IDF officials stressed that even though the border crossing closes at 6 pm daily, the post is manned 24-hours-a-day and could be opened for an authorized humanitarian crossing in a relatively short period of time.

After finally crossing into Israel, a Magen David Adom ambulance took the young man to a Lahak Aviation helicopter, which flew him to Rambam Medical Center.

"It cost more than NIS 30,000 (about $8,300), and because HMO insurance does not cover aerial evacuations and the State does not include it in its health services, the family had a hard time raising the money," said abu Salah.

"Fortunately, many village residents came to their aid, and we hope we will be able to save this dear man's life," he concluded.

Ynet News: Stabbing victim's friends shocked

Neighbors, acquaintances of Kaye Susan Wilson stunned by brutal attack in mountainous area outside Jerusalem. 'Who could hurt such a gentle woman?' says her housekeeper tearfully

Roi Mandel Published: 12.19.10, 21:19 / Israel News

Searching for Logan Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Kaye Susan Wilson, the 46-year-old tour guide who was bound and stabbed multiple times Saturday in a mountainous area outside Jerusalem, continues to recover at the Jerusalem Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, and digest the news of her friend's death.

Wilson's neighbors and friends at the Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Ze'ev were shocked by the news of the attack, and wondered who could hurt "such a gentle woman".

"What did she do to these insane people? She never had a problem with anyone," said Tamam Shawamra, who has been working as Wilson's housekeeper in recent years.

"She is such a good woman," she noted tearfully, while holding the Sunday paper with the picture of Wilson on the front page.

Wilson in the hospital (Photo: Aviel Magnezi)

 Tamam and her son Yosef, who also worked for Wilson, described her as a generous and very modest woman who never got into trouble.

"She is like my sister," said Yosef, "She would leave me the key and trust me to take care of her house while she would go travelling for a few days, sometimes even a week.

"She had many friends that used to stay with her. She never argues with anyone, I don’t understand who would do this to her," he added.

Tamam and Yosef said they plan to visit Wilson in the hospital. "This is absolutely horrible, what did she do to make them stab her and her friend? Look at her, what a gentle face of a good woman. Who could do such an awful thing," Tamam said while barely holding back her tears.

The two ruled out the possibility of a personal attack. "I never saw her fight with anyone, I can't imagine that it has anything to do with her. There are plenty of crazy people in the world that would do such a think," noted Tamam.

'Loves life'

On Saturday, police officers arrived at Wilson's house in Givat Ze'ev and spoke with her neighbors in an effort to find out more details.

"I heard about the incident in the news and suddenly a few police officers appeared and told me what happened," Shulamit Avital, Wilson's landlord and neighbor recounted on Sunday.

"They asked me to open the door to her apartment and took out some documents and personal belongings. No one knows the details of the incident," she added.

Avital, who rented an apartment to Wilson two months ago, said she hardly got to know her.

"I knew she was a tour guide and that she was gone for days at a time because of her work. I don’t know much about her life, and I've never seen her friends around – only her and her dog," she said.

Wilson has been working at Shoresh Tyulim guided tours company for the past few years. Her colleagues described her as "a happy woman who loves life and loves the land of Israel very much."

Aviel Magnezi contributed to this report

Ynet News: UK Imam prays for Carmel Fire victims

Leaders of European Muslim, Jewish communities convene in Brussels to discuss initiative for better relations between communities. Delegation meets European Council President Herman Van Rompuy

Ynetnews Published: 12.09.10, 07:47 / Israel Activism

Rabbi Schneier and Herman Van Rompuy  Photo: Michael Thaidigsmann

Over 50 leaders of Muslim and Jewish communities from across Europe convened in Brussels on Monday for the first Gathering of European Muslim and Jewish Leaders to discuss initiatives for better relations between the two communities.

At the opening session Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid from Britain spoke prayers, in which he included the victims of the recent Carmel fire disaster in Israel and the floods in Pakistan.

The meeting is co-organized by the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and the European Jewish Congress (EJC). Earlier on Monday, a delegation met with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, to whom a common statement was presented which calls for closer cooperation between the two communities in Europe and steps “to ensure that Jews and Muslims are able to practice our respective faiths fully and unimpeded by intrusive, discriminatory and unfair governmental regulations.”

The leaders’ declaration urges “cooperative projects to succor the poor and homeless of all backgrounds, to help protect new immigrants who are threatened by hatred and xenophobia, and to heal the environment, bringing together Muslim and Jewish youth for joint programming.” It also denounces all forms of violence in the name of any religion or ideology.

FFEU President and WJC Vice President Rabbi Marc Schneier called the first Brussels Gathering of European Muslim and Jewish leaders “a promising beginning.” He stated: “Today, we have hopefully kick-started a movement that will spread across Europe. The recipe really is quite simple: our two communities must focus more on what unites us than what separates us. We also must restrain the radicals within our own ranks and make sure they don’t gain the upper hand.”

'Starting at the micro level'

Dr. Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, declared: “I think it is very important that Jews and Muslims start talking more with each other, and less about the other. Pointing the finger at the other side and accuse it of being the root cause of all evil on this planet may be easy and convenient, but most of the time it is wrong – and counter-productive.

"How are all the disparate nations of Europe going to co-exist if citizens of the same country can’t share neighborhoods? We need to start at the micro level to succeed at the macro level. We need to pay attention to every level of intolerance, hate and xenophobia.”

Senior representatives of both faiths from Austria, Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States attended the one-day gathering, which concluded with a Diplomatic Dinner attended by numerous ambassadors posted in Brussels.

Ynet News: Palestinian firefighters help battle Carmel blaze

Head of Palestinian team says assistance is a 'humanitarian gesture' that has nothing to do with Israel-PA relations

Hassan Shaalan Published: 12.05.10, 14:18 / Israel News

Twenty-one Palestinian firefighters arrived at the Mount Carmel region on Sunday to assist Israel in its battle against the huge wildfire which has claimed the lives of 41 people.

Palestinian fire truck in Israel Photo: AFP

"I've dreamed of visiting Haifa for a long time," Ibrahim Ayash, the head of the Palestinian rescue team told Ynet, "But unfortunately I came at a very sad time."

'Humanitarian gesture.' Palestinian firefighters in Israel (Photo: AFP)

The Palestinian firefighters entered Israel through the Salem crossing. They were accompanied by Civil Administration personnel. "We arrived in Haifa two hours ago, and we are supposed to help extinguish the fire that has spread in the Carmel Forest," Ayash said. "I consider our assistance a humanitarian gesture."

According to Ayash, the Palestinian people viewed the disaster with a great deal of sorrow.

He said the cooperation has nothing to do with the relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. "We came here to help without addressing the issue of Jews and Arabs," Ayash added. "We will stay in the Carmel region until the fire is put out."

The Palestinians joined hundreds of firefighters who have been battling the fire since it erupted on Thursday.