I have decided to add some entries to my blogroll and to make a few deletions .

To begin with let let me tell you about the deletions. Problogger, Matthew Good and the Anti-Semetism Blog are all out. Taking their places are Michelle Malkin Is An Idiot, The Rude Pundit and Inside Iraq.

The blog entitled "Michelle Malkin Is An Idiot" is authored by a two anonymous bloggers who describe themselves as follows:

"Mary (AKA marymary)- proprietor:
I’m a suburban housewife, mother and proud ex-republican.

Big Swifty- occasional guest blogger:
I was a moderate republican before I bailed on bush’s war and joined the ranks of "dirty fucking hippies".

The focus of the blog is analysing the work of infamous right-wing American blogger and Islam hater Michelle Malkin.

The Rude Pundit does not give much information about himself/herself. The focus of the blog is American political commentary

Lastly the Inside Iraq blog describes itself thus:

"Inside Iraq" is a blog updated by Iraqi journalists working for McClatchy Newspapers. They are based in Baghdad and outlying provinces. These are firsthand accounts of their experiences. Their complete names are withheld for security purposes.

I hope you will all join me welcoming these new additions to this site and will visit them regularly.

Dear reader it is that time of week again when we have a look at some of the interesting posts that can be found on weblogs in my blogroll. So without anymore ceremony here are my "accelerated links" for 12/30/2007:

1. Arabisto on the battle of the sexes in the Arab world.
2. Israpundit on the United States increasing the size of its armed forces.
3. Atlas Shrugs on a Palestinian right of return and a new Jewish holocaust.
4. Jenn of the Jungle on Rudy Guliani firing one of aides for making anti-Muslim statements to a journalist.
5. Samson Blinded asks why Jews cannot be as good as Arabs ?
   
6. Wake Up America on the 10 most corrupt politicians in America.
7. Crossroads Arabia on the Saudis entering the field of nano-technology.
8. Lawrence of Cyberia on America refusing to recognise a Jewish state of Israel.
9. Jews Sans Frontiers asks the question is Scott Ritter a Zionist on the turn?
10. The Truth Will Set You Free on the New York Times hiring neo-conservative commentator William Kristol.
11. Arab Writers Group on Israel, Christians and Bethlehem.
12. A Fiery Spirited Zionist on Arab racism in Bethlehem.
13. Indigo Jo on Benazir Bhutto and democracy.
14. The Daily Scare on the Roman Catholic Church and moral relativism.
15. Elder of Ziyon on why Palestinians cannot govern themselves.
    
16. Newshounds expose the blatant lies of Arab Christian neo-conservative Brigitte Gabriel.
17. Austrolabe on American political reaction to the murder of Benazir Bhutto.
18. Lobe Log on the Monroe doctrine and the Iranians.
    

Image source: Azrainman

The term" goat-fucker" is used in western societies as a slur to denote Muslims. It grew with prominence after its use by now murdered Dutch film director Theo Van Gogh:

"As a newspaper columnist, he was known for being provocative and politically incorrect. He caused resentment in the Moroccan community by consistently referring to them as "geitenneukers" (goatfuckers), which he justified by reference to alleged remarks on the permissibility of bestiality in a book on Islamic law by the Ayatollah Khomeini (although the term is a common derogatory word in Holland for people of Moroccan descent)." (Source: World IQ)

The following is a further example of how the term is used to refer to Muslims. In this example we see posters to a website discuss a response to seeing some Muslims burning an American flag:

"Saw the goat fuckers degrading our flag??
Fuck em, I'll lead the way by showing you how..
I've been having this built up rage from those cock suckers who thought it "cute" to stomp and degrade the flag that all our fore fathers fought and died for.....

...Why not feed the Koran, page by page, to the pigs?
The pig shit containing pieces of Koran could then be collected and shipped to the mosque in Mecca." (Source: FuckFrance.com)

Another example of western references to copulation, goats and Muslims comes from this website where the author explains to readers how to convert to Islam:

"HOW TO BECOME A SHITSKIN MUSLEM - this is how: fuck goats, molestchildren, wear a beekeepers outfit all the time, never shower or bath,beat your wives, learn terrorist activities at a maddrassa, wipe your
ass with stones, sell the donkey you fucked to a nearby village, marry anine year-old , send your child off to an indoctrination camp, practicethighing with little kids, ............ Practice all those and you toocould become a prophet !!" (Source: Omgili)

After reading such comments the uninitiated in matters such as these will be left to the conclusion that all Muslims do really copulate with animals in general, goats in particular and that some how this activity is in fact solely the preserve of Muslims.

Keeping this in mind you can imagine my shock when I came across the following news report from Algeria. Where 2 British employees of a gas company were caught copulating with sheep destined for sacrifice during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha:

"In an unprecedented act of its kind, two British workers from the French oil company "Schlumberger" were sacked following sexual zoophelia on two sheep intended to be sacrificed for the "Eid Al Adhha" – a ritual followed by Muslims in which they slay a sheep to celebrate Abraham’s devotion to god.

This unprecedented act that shocked the people of Hassi Messaoud (southern part of Algeria) took place on the eve of "Eid" celebrations, when the two drunken workers abused two sheep in a warehouse nearby the company’s restaurant.

The two animals were supposed to be sacrificed for 30 foreign workers including Algerians working for other foreign oil companies. Both zoophilous have been surprised dong their heinous act by the restaurant’s workers and some watchmen and immediately denounced them to their mangers." (Source: Echorouk)

Surely a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Using the western logic of labelling a particular Muslim by the actions of another Muslim I will have to regard on the evidence of this news report that all westerners are bestial monsters trying to copulate with the first sheep they can get their hands. Would I be unfair in making such a conclusion ? I will let you decide.

Image source: Sheep

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims America War Terrorism Islamofascism British Algeria Bestiality Sheep

Updated: French aid workers found guilty and ordered to serve 8 years prison with hard labour.


For many the days when Europeans used pop down to Africa to "pick up" a couple of the natives and take them to a better life in Europe or the New World are long over. However the case of a group of French aid workers standing trial in Chad on charges of child trafficking brings up the spectre of that by gone age once again:

"Six French nationals accused of trying to kidnap 103 children have gone on trial in the Chad capital, N'Djamena.

The staff from the Zoe's Ark charity held hands as they arrived at court. They say the children were orphans from Darfur who were being taken to France....

...The six, who have gone on hunger strike, could face 20-year hard labour terms if found guilty.

The French government has appealed for leniency.

The court will try to establish whether the children were the beneficiaries of a humanitarian project that went wrong, or the victims of child-trafficking.....

...The BBC's John James in N'Djamena says the leader of the six, Eric Breteau, looked gaunt but composed in court.

"I dispute the charges I am accused of. I intend to respond point by point," he told the packed courtroom.

"Nobody ever expressed even the tiniest doubt about the Sudanese origins of the children present at our bases," Mr Breteau told the court, apparently in response to accusations that the children were not really from Darfur.

He said the operation had been kept secret from local authorities in Chad "in order not to put the mission in danger ... and so as not to alert the suspicions of the Sudanese secret service," Mr Breteau said, quoted by the AFP news agency.

"Before the operation was launched... all the French authorities were informed in writing of our action," he added.

The governments of France and Chad have denied any knowledge of the operation....

...The six were stopped by officials as they went to catch a flight from Chad to France in late October with the children.

Most of the children have been found to have at least one living parent or guardian.

The judge will want to know why, when none of the children was injured, they were bandaged and caked in fake blood ahead of their flight....

....an unnamed Chad government official told Reuters news agency: "Have you ever seen an African sent back home after committing a crime as serious as the one [allegedly] committed by the members of Zoe's Ark?"

Three Chadians and one Sudanese refugee are also on trial for conspiracy.

In all, 17 Europeans were arrested in the eastern Chadian town of Abeche on 25 October but 11 others - three French journalists, seven Spanish flight crew and a Belgian pilot - have since been repatriated." (Source: BBC News)

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims America War Terrorism Islamofascism Kidanp Sudan Darfur Chad Zoe's Arak

Today is the 22nd of December which means that there remains between us and Christmas just 3 more days.

The Christmas period for me has lost a great deal of mystique over the years. As a child I still remember heartily singing Christmas carols in choir at school. Even to this day I still remember the words of carols such as "we three kings of Orient are, hark the herald Angel sing, silent night, away in a manger and the twelve days of Christmas". I also recall my parents putting up a Christmas tree in our lounge, having turkey for Christmas lunch and being given presents to open on the auspicious occasion.

As I have grown older and researched some of the religious themes that I was taught and picked up as a child I realised that not all things were as they seemed. Due to the fact that we are in the Christmas period I thought that in this post we would have a closer look at this festival that has become so synonymously associated with Christianity but whose origins are a lot older.

It is an established historical fact that no one and I mean no one knows for certain when Jesus Christ was born so why was December 25th chosen as his birthday by Christians? The answer appears to be that the 25th of December was a celebrated date amongst pagans throughout Europe and the near east well before Christ:

"No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter....

...In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.

In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.

In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.

Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.

The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees.

In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

Christmas (Christ-Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany, though Catholics and Lutherans still disagree about which church celebrated it first. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: "Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ." (Source: Essortment)

By the 1600's Christmas having started life off as a pagan festival had become so base as a opportunity for debauchery and gluttony that puritanical Christians banned Christmas for 18 years in England:

"..Britain was in the throes of its bloody civil war - the six-year struggle for power between King Charles I and Parliament that pitted Royalist against Roundhead in bitter internecine battles.

In 1644, two years into the fighting, the Puritan faction in Parliament made its fundamentalist religious presence felt by drawing up the first of several laws banning Christmas.

They objected to the binge-drinking and the debauchery that accompanied the traditional revelries of Christmas week. One of them noted that "more mischief is committed at that time than in all the year besides" - a sentiment with which many might agree today.

He went on: "What eating and drinking, what feasting, and all to the great dishonour of God and the impoverishment of the realm."

But the Puritans did not just object to over-indulgence. They didn't like the name either. "Christ's Mass" had a ring of Roman Catholicism about it, which was anathema for Protestants. So the season was changed to "Christ tide" and any celebration confined to one day - of fasting!

Wassailing (lively and noisy festivities involving the drinking of plentiful amounts of alcohol) and wenching were out. So too was decking the halls with boughs of holly, a heathen practice.

And the ban was no idle gesture. For the "sin" of celebrating Christ's birth on December 25 in the traditional manner, a man or woman could be fined or put in the stocks. No one was allowed to take a holiday. Government officers, sheriffs and justices of the peace forced markets and shops to open and business to carry on as usual.

Anyone holding or attending a special Christmas church service faced penalties. In London, soldiers patrolled the streets and seized any food they suspected of being stored for illicit festive purposes.

And when the war was over, with King Charles beheaded and Oliver Cromwell triumphant, the injunction continued. For 18 barren years Britain was officially a country without Christmas." (Source: Daily Mail)

I wonder what the Puritans would have to say if they say what has become of Christmas in the 21st century western world ?

The pagan nature of Christmas is undeniable so this Christmas while you are tucking into your stuffed turkey and imbibing your 43rd bottle of wine just try to remember are you doing it for Christ or for Mithras.

Islam and the west videos has a presentation from a Canadian Muslim Abduallah Hakim Quick looking at the pagan origins of Christmas:

• Muxlim Tv: Abdullah Hakim Quick On Paganism And Christmas
  

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Christianity Holidays Christmas Ordin Santa Claus Paganism Abdullah Hakim Quick

Two Britons have been charged with the murder of a Muslim school boy in Yorkshire, England. Ahmed Hassan was 17 years old and hoping to study law at university when he was stabbed to death on a railway train platform:

"Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a young Muslim described by his school and family as a perfect pupil and a model son.

Police are continuing to investigate the motive behind the stabbing of Ahmed Hassan, 17, who died from a single wound in the back at a railway station in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

The Heckmondwike Grammar School pupil, who was studying for four A levels and hoped to become a lawyer, was attacked as he waited with friends to catch a Saturday afternoon train to Manchester. They had planned to go shopping at the Trafford Centre to buy clothes to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

Witnesses said that four or five white youths, who appeared to be drunk, arrived on a train from Huddersfield and spotted the Asian teenagers. The attack that followed was understood to have been unprovoked.....

...It is understood that an off-duty police officer gave chase as Ahmed’s assailants fled, and captured a suspect.

The dead boy's family, who own a textile business, were described by friends as "grief-stricken and absolutely devastated".

Ahmed's head teacher, Mark Tweedle, said that Ahmed was studying A levels in politics, mathematics, law and economics in preparation to read law at university.

"He was popular with staff and peers alike, a thoughtful and articulate young man who was gentle, kind and sensitive," he said.

"As one of his teachers remarked: if the world was full of Ahmed Hassans the world would be a very much better place." Special assemblies were held at the school yesterday. A book of condolence has been opened and a memorial service will be held this week....

...Two teenagers aged 17 and 18 were last night charged with murder and are due to appear before Batley magistrates this morning. Two men aged 19 and 24 who were also arrested in connection with the incident have been released without charge." (Source: The Times)

My thoughts are with the family and all those around the globe irrespective of creed or race who have to deal with a loved one being murdered.

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims America War Terrorism Islamofascism Ahmed Hassan Dewsbury Murder Crime Yorkshire Islamophobia

Dear reader it is that time of week again when we have a look at some of the interesting posts that can be found on weblogs in my blogroll. So without anymore ceremony here are my "accelerated links" for 12/16/2007:

1. Lobe Log on the latest poll conducted showing a hawkish American Jewish community.
2. Austrolobe with a comedy video from the French version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in which the participant does not know difference between the sun and the moon.
3. Jewish Pride with a personal commentary of a verse from Leviticus.
4. Newshounds on Fox News and its coverage of the CIA destruction of tapes depicting "water boarding".
5. Elder of Ziyon on how Muslims use the annual pilgrimage to Makkah -the Hajj to deceive the world.
   
6. The Daily Scare on Mitt Romney and notorious American security firm Blackwater.
7. Bismika Allahuma with a peculiar story from the Bible.
   
8. Fiery Spirited Zionist on why the west should not support independence for Kosovo.
9. Arab Writers Group on the use of language and the permanent nature of the American presence in Iraq.
10. A Conservative Blog For Peace on why Pagans should vote for Ron Paul in the forth coming U.S. Presidential elections.
11. Project For The Old American Century on President Bush and an attack on Iran.
12. James H. Shott on the righteousness of "water boarding".
13. LFG Watch on a family of Pakistani Muslims in San Fransisco who are being targeted by their lovely neighbours.
14. Jews Sans Frontieres on how Zionism is colonialism.
    
15. Crossroads Arabia on Saudi efforts to cut CO2 emissions.
16. Majority Rights on the fraud that is "the human rights" construct.
17. Samson Blinded on the Israeli government selling land in Jerusalem to idolatrous Russian Orthodox Christians.
    
18. Haitham Sabbah on how the internet Yellow Pages travel website collects money for Israel.
    
19. Craig Murray on how the U.S. is pushing forward the torture agenda.
20. Atlas Shrugs on Muslim apostate Ibn Warraq's rebuttal of Christian Arab scholar Edward Said.
    
21. Yayha Birt on the Muslim Council Of Britain and Holocaust commemorations.
    
22. IsraPundit on why Islam is not like any other religion.
    
23. Arabisto on Mordechai Vanunu the man who exposed Israel's nuclear programme.

The links in this post are provided solely for informational purposes and inclusion should not be construed as endorsement or acceptance by the author of this weblog.

In the latest example of westerners trying to target law abiding Muslims a vandal has used a bulldozer in Suwanee Georgia to demolish a church building he thought was a mosque. The vandal assumed that all Arabs are Muslims and did not realise that with a name like St.Paul Coptic Orthodox Church the building was in fact a Christian place of worship:

"A Suwanee church, still under construction, has been damaged by vandals who may have thought it was a Muslim structure.

About $100,000 in damage was caused at the site of the new St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church.

Fox 5 News reports the vandals used a bulldozer to level part of the building. Church members say they are Egyptian Christians not Muslims." (Source: Access North GA)

In the words of Hannibal from the A-Team I love it when a plan comes together. Another classic example of where hatred of Islam overrides the ability to observe and comprehend.

To see video of the aftermath of the attack from Fox News 5 click on the following link : Vandal Bulldozes Church Under Construction.

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims America War Terrorism Islamofascism Christianity Church Mosque Georgia Dhimmitude Islamophobia

Just try to remember the number of times that you have read or heard or seen anti-Islam bigots try to tell you that Muslim nations do not allow Christians to build churches in their countries. That particular lie of the anti-Islam bigots has already been exposed for what it is once before on this weblog in an article entitled "Christian Churches In Muslim Countries- A Blatant Western Lie Exposed".

A further nail in the coffin of the anti-Islam bigots is now emerging from Indonesia the most populous Muslim nation on earth which is home to the tallest statue of Jesus Christ in the whole of Asia:

"It is a monument to Christianity, a towering and dazzlingly white statue of Jesus Christ built deep in Muslim Indonesia, the tallest statue of its kind in Asia....

...A Protestant property developer has built what may be Asia's tallest statue of Jesus Christ in Manado city, in the mainly Christian province of North Sulawesi in predominantly Muslim Indonesia.

The white-robed Jesus with upraised hands stands on a 32-metre high hill in a residential estate built by Ciputra, a property company named after its founder.

Ciputra, 76, was recently ranked as one of Indonesia's wealthiest men with a personal fortune estimated at $335 million. An architect by training, he spent his childhood in Manado and has built the statue as a token of gratitude for his success, said Yuliarso Christiono, a company estate design manager." (Source: Daily Mail)


Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Jesus Christ Christianity Indonesia Protestant Ciputra Church

"Anti-semitism and hatred of anything connected to being Jewish is so ingrained in Muslims it has now virtually become a part of the collective DNA of all Muslims."

"Anti-semitism is the only way that a Muslim can interact with a Jew. "

As a Jew never trust that any Muslim will help you especially when you are being attacked. Just look at the following news item from New York and see how a hate filled Muslim dealt with an attack on a group of Jews in the subway:

"A Muslim saved a group of Jews being attacked on a New York subway in an apparent hate crime.

Hassan Askari, a student at Berkeley College in Manhattan, came to the aid of Walter Adler when he and three friends were attacked on the Q train running between Manhattan and Brooklyn on the night of Dec. 7, according to The Associated Press.

Ten men and women, aged 19 and 20, verbally and physically assaulted Adler and his friends after they wished the assailants "Happy Chanukah" in response to their "Merry Christmas" wish.

Askari, 20, tried to fight off the attackers, which gave Adler time to pull an emergency brake on the Brooklyn-bound train. The assailants were arrested at the next stop.

The attack is being investigated as a hate crime. One of the attackers reportedly had been arrested previously for a hate crime.

"That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York," Adler, 23, told AP. Adler suffered a broken nose." (Source: JTA)

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Chanukah Anti-semitism Racism Hassan Askari Walter Adler

Those Muslims are really devious. In Britain while trying to impose the global caliphate and Shariah law on infidels worldwide. The Muslims are simultaneously trying to trick the Christians of Britain into a false sense of security by telling them to celebrate Christmas and to put Christ at the heart of their celebrations:

"Muslim leaders joined Britain's equality watchdog Monday in urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending non-Christians.

"It's time to stop being daft about Christmas. It's fine to celebrate and it's fine for Christ to be star of the show," said Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Mr. Phillips, reflecting on media reports of schools scrapping nativity plays and local councils celebrating "Winterval" instead of Christmas, worried the unintended consequences of secularizing the holiday would "fuel community tension."

So he joined forces with minority religious leaders to put out a blunt message to the politically correct: leave Christmas alone.

Muslim Council of Britain spokesman Shayk Ibrahim Mogra said, "To suggest celebrating Christmas and having decorations offends Muslims is absurd. Why can't we have more nativity scenes in Britain?" (Christian Science Monitor)

Do you not think that Christmas has become too commercialised ? I certainly do and I am always confused as when to celebrate Christmas. I do not know if I should be following the western trinitarian Christian date in December or the Eastern trinitarian Orthodox Christian calender date in January.

Image source: E Deakins

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Ibrahim Mogra Christianity Jesus Christ Britain Christmas Church

An Israeli human rights group reports that Jewish hatred of Christian and Muslim Arabs in Israel is on the rise.

The poll by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel reveals that 50% of Israeli Jews believe that Israeli citizens who are Muslims or Christian Arabs should not have equal rights to Jews.

The poll also reveals that 75% of Jewish youths said Arabs were less intelligent and less clean than Jews:

"An Israeli civil rights group has said racism against Arab citizens of Israel has risen sharply in the past year.

In a report, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel said expression of anti-Arab views had doubled, and racist incidents had increased by 26%.

Christian or Muslim Arab citizens of Israel make up 20% of the population.

But the civil rights quoted polls suggesting half of Jewish Israelis do not believe Arab citizens of Israel should have equal rights.

About the same amount said they wanted the government to encourage Arab emigration from Israel.

In another poll, almost 75% of Jewish youths said Arabs were less intelligent and less clean than Jews.....

...Official government spokesman Mark Regev responded that the Israeli government was "committed to fighting racism whenever it raises it ugly head and is committed to full equality to all Israeli citizens, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or background, as defined by our declaration of independence".

Israel's Construction and Housing Minister Zeev Boim said the rights group's report was biased and without credibility." (Source: BBC News)

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Christianity Arabs Racism Human Rights Israel

One would have thought that being so technologically ahead of anyone else on the planet, the two wings of western civilisation Christianity and Judaism, would have been able to advance to a stage in human development where they would be able to stop spitting and attacking each other.

Unfortunately this news piece from the holy city of Jerusalem would suggest otherwise:

"A few weeks ago, a senior Greek Orthodox clergyman in Israel attended a meeting at a government office in Jerusalem's Givat Shaul quarter. When he returned to his car, an elderly man wearing a skullcap came and knocked on the window. When the clergyman let the window down, the passerby spat in his face.

The clergyman prefered not to lodge a complaint with the police and told an acquaintance that he was used to being spat at by Jews. Many Jerusalem clergy have been subjected to abuse of this kind. For the most part, they ignore it but sometimes they cannot.

On Sunday, a fracas developed when a yeshiva student spat at the cross being carried by the Armenian Archbishop during a procession near the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City. The archbishop's 17th-century cross was broken during the brawl and he slapped the yeshiva student.

Both were questioned by police and the yeshiva student will be brought to trial. The Jerusalem District Court has meanwhile banned the student from approaching the Old City for 75 days.

But the Armenians are far from satisfied by the police action and say this sort of thing has been going on for years. Archbishop Nourhan Manougian says he expects the education minister to say something.

"When there is an attack against Jews anywhere in the world, the Israeli government is incensed, so why when our religion and pride are hurt, don't they take harsher measures?" he asks.

According to Daniel Rossing, former adviser to the Religious Affairs Ministry on Christian affairs and director of a Jerusalem center for Christian-Jewish dialogue, there has been an increase in the number of such incidents recently, "as part of a general atmosphere of lack of tolerance in the country."

Rossing says there are certain common characeristics from the point of view of time and location to the incidents. He points to the fact that there are more incidents in areas where Jews and Christians mingle, such as the Jewish and Armenian quarters of the Old City and the Jaffa Gate.

There are an increased number at certain times of year, such as during the Purim holiday."I know Christians who lock themselves indoors during the entire Purim holiday," he says.

Former adviser to the mayor on Christian affairs, Shmuel Evyatar, describes the situation as "a huge disgrace." He says most of the instigators are yeshiva students studying in the Old City who view the Christian religion with disdain.

"I'm sure the phenomenon would end as soon as rabbis and well-known educators denounce it. In practice, rabbis of yeshivas ignore or even encourage it," he says.

Evyatar says he himself was spat at while walking with a Serbian bishop in the Jewish quarter, near his home. "A group of yeshiva students spat at us and their teacher just stood by and watched." (Source: Haaretz)

Technorati Tags: Islam Moslems Muslims War Terrorism Islamofascism Christianity Spitting Yeshiva Jerusalem Israel

Dear reader it is that time of week again when we have a look at some of the interesting posts that can be found on weblogs in my blogroll. So without anymore ceremony here are my "accelerated links" for 12/09/2007:

1. Israpundit on how Condoleeza Rice is supporting terrorism that will lead to the killing of Jews.
2. Newshounds on Fox News still trying to imply that Barack Obama is a Muslim.
3. Atlas Shrugs with John Bolton's rebuttal to the U.S National Intelligence Estimate on Iran.
   
4. Craig Murray on corruption in Britain's ruling Labour Party.
5. Elder of Ziyon on Britain's attempts at cornering the Islamic banking sector.
6. Jenn of the Jungle on "the latest Muzzie outrage".
7. Wake Up America on the American anti-war General who changed opinions and sides.
8. Crossroads Arabia 0n how Saudi efforts are decreasing the flow of terrorists to Iraq.
9. The Moor Next Door on current strained Franco-Algerian relations.
   
10. The Truth Will Set You Free on why the joy of Christmas has been removed from Bethlehem.
11. LFG Watch on Little Green Footballs being upset about the Empire State building celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid.
    
12. Project For The Old American Century on why perpetual chaos in Iraq is an excellent state of affairs and why the Annapolis Middle East summit was just another photo opportunity.
    
13. A Conservative Blog For Peace on the lessons to be learned from Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and the Cold War.
14. Arab Writers Group on how Americans are using the rape of a Saudi woman and her punishment by a court to bash Muslims.
    
15. A Fiery Spirited Zionist bemoans the fact that America has double crossed Israel the only democracy in the Middle East.
    
16. The Daily Scare on American dissent to the war in Iraq.
17. Samson Blinded on how the Middle East peace process builds up anti-semitism.
    
18. Jewish Pride on why Israel needs Benyamin Netanyah.
19. Austrolabe on Islamic finance in Australia.
20. Lobe Log on American neo-conservatives, the National Intelligence Estimate and Iran.

The links in this post are provided solely for informational purposes and inclusion should not be construed as endorsement or acceptance by the author of this weblog.

Brig.-Gen. Avichai Ronzki is a Rabbi and member of the Israeli Defense Force. In this interview he gave to the Jerusalem Post recently the Rabbi/General compares the need for Israeli security versus the suffering of Arabs in Judea and Samaria. Judea and Samaria I am sure you will remember are lands that the Muslims/Christian Arabs occupy in full contravention of the Bible and God's promise to the descendants of Avraham and Yitzchak:

"Maintaining an Israeli military presence in Judea and Samaria to protect Jewish lives is completely justified and overrides the concerns over Palestinian suffering, according to OC Chaplaincy Brig.-Gen. Avichai Ronzki.

"Our presence in Judea and Samaria is a case where one value, the value of Jewish life, takes precedence over another value, which is the prevention of Palestinian suffering," says Ronzki, who has a rich military past in addition to his rabbinic training....

..."Obviously, the fact that we have a moral right to be in Judea and Samaria does not exempt us from doing everything in our ability to reduce the number of roadblocks when possible, and adopting other methods that lessen Palestinian suffering," he says. "But protecting lives on this side of the Green Line necessitates that we remain in Judea and Samaria....

...Despite his conviction that Israel is perfectly justified in maintaining settlements in Judea and Samaria, Ronzki says he has sympathy for the suffering of his Palestinian neighbors.

"I feel bad when I travel to and from my home in Itamar and I pass through the 'express' lane reserved for Jews," he says. "Sometimes there are terrible traffic jams; dozens of cars and trucks backed up and forced to wait for hours at a time. Or there are small trucks that belong to farmers whose produce is sitting in the sun spoiling. " (Source: Jerusalem Post)

I think it is refreshing to see an Israeli General vent such personal opinions about the people his army rules over. It certainly makes him look more human and shows he has the ability to empathise with Arabs, Christians and Muslims.

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